Wow! Point #1 Six and a half million people visited Singapore’s museums last year. Wow. That’s like -- lemme see, minus the supposed 37% foreigners -- four million local visitors. But you know what’s more surprising? There were 50 museums on the list. Add another 50 and you've already got a hundred! There’s no contesting The National Museum’s no. 1 rank. They deserve it, what with all their impressive blockbuster shows, that Night Festival gimmick. And darn it, it’s such a beautiful museum. In fact, I'll be there again tomorrow! But the National Library Gallery beating Asian Civilisations Museum? With all due respect to the library folks, I didn’t even know they had a “museum”. Oh wait, is that the itty-bitty gallery on the second floor? It makes me wonder what kind of survey it was. Does it include ticking everyone who sets foot in the library – including those who have to return a book? Go to the loo? Read into that what you will. Cymbal crash! The Peranakan Museum’s visitorship figures are quite impressive too, considering it just opened last year and they haven't really had that many exhibitions. I’m a bit disappointed with my beloved SAM though. I thought it would rank slightly higher. But at  least the new wing 8Q’s did pretty well (88,300!). Let’s see what happens when SAM completely becomes a contemporary art museum. Maybe there should be another survey of museums. This time, taking note of how long someone stays inside one. Think about it. What’s more worthwhile: a gazillion people spending 10 minutes inside a museum or 150 people spending half a day in it?   Wow! Point #2 I’m still disappointed that British author Jeanette Winterson isn’t coming for this year’s Singapore Writers Festival (Oct 24 to Nov 1). It’s long been rumoured that the she of Written on the Body, Art Objects and Sexing the Cherry was slated to come but apparently the deal fell through. Instead, we’ll have to make do with Neil Gaiman and Mark Waid. Sigh. I’m just kidding. Neil Gaiman! Who cares if he’s been here before? It’s Mr Sandman! And Mark Waid! Man, it’s been a two-year-wait ever since they said you were coming along with Gail Simone and Kurt Busiek. But boyoboy, we’ll have to dig out our Kingdom Come graphic novel… By the way, if you don’t know who he is, shame on you. He wrote stuff for that silly comic book character Superman. Oh, and The Incredibles movie too. Other writers to look out for: Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist, whom you probably know for the art house flick version of his vampire book Let The Right One In and Filipino Miguel Syjuco, who won last year’s Man Asia Literary Prize (that’s like, the Booker Prize of the Asia yo). I’m also looking forward to Malaysian poet Muhammad Haji Salleh, and Singaporean writers talking about the Merlion. Alfian Sa’at, Ovidia Yu, Eleanor Wong, Ng Yi-Sheng… Now that's bound to be an interesting conversation don’t you think? Details here. PS, I'm still figuring out if I should create a petition to have them bring in more American poets next time. Here's my tentative list, NAC: Robert Pinsky, Louise Gluck, Jorie Graham, John Ashbery, James Tate. I've got more names. Call me. PPS, Ooh, another one that's sure to bring in the crowds. Haruki Murakami. `Nuff said.   Wow! Point #3 Cyberartfreaks rejoice! Just read an email from The Necessary Stage’s Alvin Tan announcing that the ArtsNMP egroup will now be moderated and managed by our arts NMP herself Audrey Wong (and, we’re assuming, her team). Incidentally, TODAY published a letter from Ms Wong today on the arts and diversity. The longer online version can be read here. The other big news is that they’ve also started another egroup called ArtsEngage. According to Alvin: “This egroup is a network of arts pracitioners from various disciplines coming together to discuss the issues related to arts – such as censorship, funding, position of artists in society, arts housing, (what else), engagement with bureaucracy.” What are you waiting for? Sign up here.