Crowd at shopping mall

Its a weekday; but the shopping mall is real crowded.

Perhaps its a public holiday eve, perhaps its the year end whilst working adults are clearing their annual leave.

the queue at the cashier is endless at all stores.
Overheard this in the lift between a mother and her daughter.

"Last time X'mas, where got kids ask for X'mas gift.
Now kids asking X'mas gift for nothing."

Was it a religious ritual for one to give X'mas gift or is it just a brilliant idea from the commerical world to dig your year end bonus ago?

As a parent and a non-believer in the Lord, would you give X'mas gift?

Rain and more rain

The monsoon season is now; there would be raining in the afternoon and the night.

Years ago while still studying, I just love this period of time.
Nice cold weather with the sound of rain put anyone into a nice deep sleep.

Last month of the year

2008 is just 1 month away from us.
Once again, another year is going to end.

Another year of experience the faces of all types of human.
We have aged, but do our wisdom grew over the year?
Do we learn our lessons from our mistake or just let it be!

There is still warm in the society, which cannot be found among the rich.

ASK, before you bite

Walked into the convenience stall located at Buangkok MRT station.

On the food display counter, the curry puff was priced at $0.60.
There was a hand written note that the price would be increased by $0.10 due to rising flour price and requested for our kind understanding.

At the counter, the cashier demanded $1 for it. When referred to the price tag of $0.60, his reply was that they were too busy to change the price tag. Too bad that I had taken a bite, if not i would have walked away from the deal.

Yeah! Too busy to change price tag but free enough to put up that hand-written note!

Hence, lesson learnt is to ask before you do anything, especially in a shop runs by Indian.
A British saying: When run into an indian and a snake, shoot the Indian first.

An island

Life is like an island. Friends are like ships

Ships landed on the island to refill.After they got what they want, they leave the island.

Those who love the Island, they remained behind and lived on the island

Angel fish at my home

My parents just brought 13 angel fish to rear in my home aquarium.

Strange creatures are theses 13 angel fish.
All 13 of them just flocked together and move in a school.
Then suddenly, all of them would disperse and move in all direction, apparently in fear, whenever we make some noises. Days later, they started to spread up and ignore any noises.

Reflecting on them, human behaves in a like manner.

When one lands on a foreign land, one tends to look for similar race and origin to feel safety. That's why Chinatowns were formed over all the world for the Chinese.

Any slight changes would cause great fear. For example, one from an non-earthquake region in Malaysia would be overwhelm in fear when one first encounters an earthquake in Japan.

Beforehand, there's shaking, I better hide under the table.
After acclimating, the fear factor drops. earthquake?The shaking would stop soon while I continue to watch my TV.

Like that also can?

An American move is shown in the German Film Festival.
The firm is considered as German because the Director is a German.

Hmmm, follow the same school of thoughts.

1) If the designer is a Singapore working for a foreign country from said, France, is the final product a French Product or a Singapore Product?

2) A Permanent Resident from Thailand is working in Singapore for 10 years. Is is married in Singapore, is he considered a Thai or Singaporean then?

He is still a Thai living in Singapore, with the freedom to return to Thailand as a citizen!

A "slow by seconds" day

Reached Buangkok MRT station and the train to Harbour front just left.
Reach Outram MRT station and the passenger lift just left.
After lunch and made my way to Yio Chu Kang MRT station, once again, the train just left.
From Yio Chu Kang MRT station to Expo MRT station, finally just a 3 minute wait, guess my "slow be seconds" day was finally over.

At Expo, SBS Service No. 12 just left when I about to reach the bus stop. Never mind, I'll will SBS Service No. 38 across the street to move to Tampines then. Half-way walking across the overhead bridge, Bus 38 came and left.

What luck today!

Miserable struck again. After alighting from bus 38 at Tampines, the bus in front, Bus No. 27, just moved off, leaving me to waste another 15 minutes to wait for the next bus.

Hmmmmm... Am i just plain unlucky or otherwise?

MRT timing

Was making my way from Tanjong Pagar back to Sengkeng this afternoon during off - peak hour.

Its quite a "delayed" day. 14 minutes of waiting time gone just like that.

When I entered into Tanjong Pagar MRT station, the train to Outram MRT just left.
Waiting time for the next train - 7 min.

Alighted at Outram MRT and walked over to the NEL line. "
Prefect" timing by the 2 different MRT operators.
NEL bound train just left when I (the first passenger walking over from the other side). Another waiting time of 7 min.

Along the trip, the wait for passenger at each station seems to be longer, the door also closed slowly and opened again at each station.

To the Minister of Transport:

Unless the train can comes into the station every 3 minutes, forget about encouraging public transport usage.

Moscow metro runs at every 3 minutes interval at all times. As compare our world-class system to this.

To the Ministry of Transport:
Start comparing our fares to other world-class system in other cities such as Perth and Moscow.

Inflation rising

Oil price has reached a new record price of US$90.
Expect the transport company and utility company to raise their charges real soon.

The bread is going to cost 20 cents more with flour price going up.
Expecting a chain effect to start rolling in the consumable.

Property price is expecting to raise further.
The rich will just get richer whilst the poor continue to struggle more.

The government is saying that the future is bright.
I guess the brightness refer to the path of light that one would see that, to lead him to the nether world.

Work hard and get rewarded.
I have no comments on this!

Mr Lock case

The court has remarked that this is a case where one uses a sledge hammer to crack up a nut.

For a difference of a few hundred dollars, the legal fee balloons into tens of thousands under the hand of 2 insured under the same insurer - NTUC Income.

Was it pride of the 2 drivers that is involved in?
Was it an oversight of the insurer staff at fault?
Why the goodwill offer comes so late after trashing one up in court?

Please, we are Asian, we are welcoming foreign talents.
But please do not bring in the bullshit logical from the West that everyone has their own rights and they deserve to be compensated for any inference of their rights.
Our brains is on our head, not our ass.

Same thing applies to the Judges.
Insurers are cash rich, so don't everything pay, pay, pay to the "victims".
So obvious that many foreign workers are maligning about their injury, yet you made the innocent party reward those "actors" for their few linings of "pain, pain,pain".

You tripped and fell due to your carelessness while walking in the pathway, you take responsibility of your own carelessness and dun accuse the pathway is uneven.

Do you see people tripping everyday on the same pathway?

The rain

Rain rain comes so sudden,
Popularity of umbrella looks to be declining,
everyone just have to make a dash for shelter.

Since already drenched, why still make a dash?
Since already wet, what's the difference of getting wetter?

Moon Cake Festival

The mooncake festival has been celebrated with lantern carrying, fire crackers, moon watching and moon cake eating with tea drinking. It symbolises union among family and friends.

Now when most people are staying in HDB, the kids would just carry lanterns in the void deck and play with candles.

This mooncake festival is unique this year as she was at the other side of the globe while I'm at Singapore. Although apart, we are watching the same full moon and united in soul and heart.

50cents differences in price

Walked into Takashimaya shopping centre MacDonald and ordered a chocolate milk shake.

After ordering, then I realized that it cost $2.75 at taka outlet. The nearest MacDonald restaurant at Shaw House is still going at the common price of $2.25.

The particular milkshake does not taste any special, perhaps more Japanese. Its just a normal milkshake.

Lesson to be learnt?
Read the menu and price list before buying?... NO.
Do not buy anything from Taka, the price been grossly marked up? .. YES!!!

Luck

Her: You are lucky that I'm your wife
Him: Just my luck to be your husband

Just for fun and laughter!

The Chinese believes that it is fated for a couple to get together, for 3 cycle of life's.
Hence treasure each other, accept and adapt the difference.

Disappointing action

His daughter had a trip and broken her arm when she chose to run across a field to retrieve the ball instead of taking the concrete path.

The dad wrote to the Town Council, copying to the PM of Singapore and the MP for the estate, using his company email during office hour to hold the Town Council responsible for her daughter injury. The company happens to be one of the largest local insurance company that just has a CEO change.

Just wondering what if the email was forwarded to the new CEO of the company?
Would he thinks:

-Why am my staff, using the company email, to write nasty contents that were sent to the PM and MP?
- Does he knows that because of this incident, the public is disgusted with the staff and hence tarnishing the brand and reputation of the company?

DIY your home

Visited an Englishman's residence today and surprised to find out that he had DIY the new place.

Carpentry works to make cabinets, table, etc.
Painting work to the walls.
Decorations pieces such as mirrors.
Plumbing work of replacing the old pipes and taps.

According to him, it is very common back in UK for house owner to go DIY. Its cheaper this way, he remarked.

Come to think of the local scene, local man does not know how to use a hammer, a saw or nails anymore. Anything, just give a call to the contractor to fix things up.

Although I'm technically trained, but I would still give the contractor a call.
Its just a n issue of time vs dollars.

R-rated figures

Dropped by Park lane for lunch this afternoon and managed to wander around the shopping centre since it was pouring heavily outwards.

Came to this figurines retail shop on level 3 and noted that several figurines are naked woman.
Perhaps this figurines are meant for adult collection.

With a LAN centre nearby where school kids would play cyber games nearby, is this allowed in Singapore?

I'm not the Police, I'm neither against it nor for it. I'm just neutral as I'm lost in transition with the changes in approach of the Government.

Shuttle services in Shipyard road

Was waiting for SBS Bus 251 along Shipyard Road when this mini bus stopped in front of the bus stop and called out for passengers to head to Jurong Point for $1.

Although it is not a licensed bus service provider, there is just no reason why I should not take it.

1) The fare of $1 is as much as I have to pay for SBS service 252.
2) No long waiting time just for an non-air-con SBS Bus 251.
3) It takes a shorter route back to Jurong Point as compared to the rounds and bends taken by SBS Bus 251.

The bus market is been monopolized by SBS and Transit, just for too long. I would like to see more such private-operated service providers in the market!

Thunderstorm day

Heavy raining throughout Singapore on 28 August 2007.
Incidentally, its the Lunar Day 15 of the 7th month!

The rain helped to clear the air from the smoke from the burning of incense papers been offered to the "Good Brother". Perhaps the rain is to cover the sunshine so that "they" can roam more freely?

Was taking a shelter at a bus stop and saw a group of 3 primary school kids taking a taxi back to the MRT station instead of waiting for the bus. But many taxi drivers refused to stop and pick them up.

Should the Kid be taking the taxi in the first place? Or should the taxi driver pick up the kids as they should?

CPF Annuity

Very soon, annuity would be compulsory for all Singaporean age 50 and below.
Payout would start only after 85 years old.

Mr.Tan Kin Lian, former NTUC income CEO, praised that the annuity is an excellent tools for old age planning. But he does not need an annuity as his cash can last him for another 100 years.

From direct observation, rich people can afford the medical expense to keep themselves health. Any way,what is a few hundred dollars to them.

Poor people tends to die younger as they could not afford better medical care.
The unlucky ones would suffer from poor health and live longer.
If they are getting the annuity payout, most likely it would end up for medical fee at the public hospital. Come think of it, money comes out from government and goes back to the government.

I do not want to be "annuitized". I want to have full control of my finance. If i suffer at old age, let it be my responsibility!

Start of Hungry Ghost Festival

Believers are burning incense along the road.
Its the period of the year again where our "brothers" are allowed to roam on the street.

Hungry ghost festival leads to the "Ge tai"- Stage performance.

No idea the Chinese movie "881" is released at this period of time.

Car and insurance

Reported that the motor insurers' underwriting profit is negative for the past 2 quarters.
The 2 largest motor insurer - NTUC Income and AIG, had reported of a possible 10% hike in their insurance premium. The 3rd largest insurer, AXA Insurance, reported that it is still making profits.

Vehicle owners, especially those with Income and AIG, be warned about a possible increase in the motor insurance premium.

Car owners are complaining that why is there a rise in my insurance premium when we have not make any claims?

Back to basic, insurance is a pool of fund contributed by the premiums collected. If you have someone in the pool that keeps withdrawing the fund (that is making claims), everyone just have to contribute more to top the fund up. The insurer would invest the pool of money to cover cost and try to make a profit.

Hence if you are a cautious driver, the insurer is already giving you a No Claim Discount to bring down the premium. But it does not help if your co-contributers to the pool of funds are reckless drivers. So, buying car insurance is also about luck!

So car owners, if someone knocks into you car, think before inflating your claim with the motor workshop by getting non-damage components replaced. You could end up paying more eventually in the form of car insurance premium. Its retribution in play if you want too.

Half day off for National Day Eve

Their companies are on half day off on National Day Eve for National Day celebration.
We are still sitting at our work station surfing net, waiting for knock off time.

Sigh... everyone is in pre-public holiday mood. No one's working.
Boss, why can't you just declare it a half day off too?

Imagine the amount of energy we can help to save.
Help to save the Earth!

Endless Work

The work could piling up in the "In' tray.
Deadline is getting shorter and shorter.

Do I have a lousy time management as such that I cannot finish my work?

NO!

The volume is merely too much for me alone to handle!

Boss, where's the replacement for the co-worker whom had left?

Teenager and sex

Reported in the news that the teenager (age 16 -23) are engaging in pre-martial sex and having more than a sex partner in the street survey. Teen abortion rate, incidentally, rose at the same period of time.

Even the Minister has given up on stopping the hormones and suggested sex education as preventive measures to avoid teen pregnancy.

To those in power, guess this is just a small price to pay to become a global city and have continuous economic development.

How about the parents? What are their views on this matter?
Guess they are just too busy at work place, focus on getting money to keep the family afloat.

Headache

Woke up with a headache.
Most likely due to my late night sleep recently.

Why the late night sleep?
Stress from work and study. Its really tough to manage both work in the day and study in the night.

Come to think of it, its work that should be the main cultprit as still doing my report till 9pm whilst study starts after 10pm.

What happen to the 1 hour in between?
The non-production hour of lazing around, doing nothing

Young and fearless; Old and calculative

Was reflecting on how my approach to life changes over the years.

When in the earlier 20's, nothing seems impossible.
Always full of inspiration and energy to get things going, nothing was tough as long as the goal could be reached.

Youth is one's capital as if one fails, there is always time for one to start again from the base. Ignorance is one's armour that shields him from dangerous.

Hence this is one era of expansion and learning from trial and error.
There was boundless energy for me to test and try all new frontier.
I could always quit my current job and join a new company in a new industrial.

Over the years, when one ages and taking up more social responsibility such as taking care of the family and servicing several loans. One usually could not afford to venture into new frontier. May it be relationship, assets, etc, the era of fortressifation begins to strength whatever one's possess.

The depleted youth converts into wisdom. From experience, he would take calculated steps in his approaches.

Ignorance becomes awareness- a radar of identifying potential danger.

Wondering how my approach would change years later. Perhaps I would become older and defensive

GST increase on 1 July

The news was showing an interview with a jewellery retailing manager along Wisma last night on the business impact on the pre-GST increase.

"Guys just come in and ask for the diamond even thought they do not know when will they propose to their wife-to-be. Families are buying the 4 pieces of gold first although the wedding is next year."

From her glow on her face and smile, one can easily tell that sales volume is naturally excellent. She must have earn quite a fair bit of commission on the increase sales volume already.

Singapore is weird. Spending tons of money in order to save the 2% while history has shown that the retailer would hold greater discount to increase sales volume after the GST rose.

Not only the retailer are happy, the government must be happy too. Those jokers on the street are contributing to our pay increment!!!

Singapore - no longer my home

Used to be proud of my homeland Singapore for being the busiest port in the world when still a little kid in Primary School. We were small but the nation was united, I thought then.

Came the PSLE and GCE "O" Level and began to feel sick of the place.
We are human and not goods, why were we been labelled clever and not so bright for life according to exam result that each paper takes less than 3 hour to sit?
Not being exam smart is not a crime; getting a perfect 5 points does not make one an Elite.

Getting in University, getting sick of the place.
Getting myself in 5 digits debt for the study loan, even before I start to work.
Bad timing to get out of school when its the economic down turn.
Why blame others when I could dun go to the University?
All thanks to the brainwashing done to our parents that having a degree is a passport to good life.

We are still small but are we still united when:
The elite and rich continues to rise to the top.
The poor and uneducated contimues to sink to the bottom.
The in-between feels the stretch when the top continues to rise and the bottom continues to sink.

Our pledge "...We are one united nation", are we still united?
Don't see that coming among the foreigner talents, the PR and the citizens.
Come a economic crunch, the foreginer talents and PR can still retreat back to their homeland, the rich can just migrate to greener pasture but where can the other citizens head to, except the MRT track?

Singapore is becoming the little red dot "Pig Farm".
The top said "Give Birth" and we will give you some goodies, and the birth rate increased the next year.
The top said "We need to pay ourself good money to retain talent", and all the civil servants got good pay rise.
The top said "We think we have to rise out retirement age again", and we are waiting for it to be affirmed in the near future.
I don't want to be one of the farm animals who are supposed only to work and work in this farm, without any questions asked. I'm fighting for my freedom to get out from the farm.

Pre-GST sale

All sorts of pre-GST sale are sprouting all over the island
Each and every shopping mall such as IMM in Jurong, AMH Hub in Ang Mo Kio, Compass Point in SengKeng, shopping belt in orchard, are having the same type of pre-GST sales.

In order to save the 2% after July, we are paying the current 5% GST on rather non-essential items. It sounds stupid by spending more to save less.

Let the 2% GST increase, if we do not need the item now, we would likley not be needing it in the near future. Don't fall into the trap well set-up by the retailers to part us away from our hard-earned money

Missing courage

Was told by a successful businessman that:

1) Walk to the edge of the top of the building
2) Look down and tell youself that I can jump down from here anytime
3) Affirm again that I can and willing to jump from here anytime
4) Talk a step backwards, turn and leave the top of the building
5) There is nothing to stop you anymore in the world since you have no fear over Death - the ultimate ending

Been hovering around the staircase landing at the top of my flat these few days, looking down.
Still unable to summon the courage to face Death.

Would have to seek other means to settle the upcoming financial woes...

Smokers in the toilet

Due to a stomach disorder, I had to remain in a Gents cubicle at Compass Point for 20 minutes.
I must admit that I managed to stink up the whole place in my short stay, but this was nothing compard to another stinker from another cubicle - the smoker.

In my short stay, 3 smokers went puffing away in the Gents. Mine was silent but deadly, but the smokers' is harmful and deadly. Apparently with smoking banned in many places, the toilet cubicle has became the "yellow box" area for the smokers. Head into the cubicle, lock the door, and puff all the way.

The toilet is not a place for smoking. The staircase area is not a place for smoking.
For the sake of non-smoker, its time that the building management starts to provide a "smoker room". .

Feel's good to be sick after a while

Down with flu for the past 3 days with the endless running nose, sore in the throat and on-and-off fever.

Come to think of it, the last time I fell sick was already more than 10 months- down with food poisoning.

Come to think of it, it sometime feels good to fall sick once a while.

Why?
1) The body gets to rest
2) Mind completely at rest when one gets sleepy
3) A slow down in the pace of life

Lion statues and guard dogs

Move aside you dumb blockers,
Can't you see that we are trying to alight from the MRT.

There are plentiful of seats, don't worry.
But first we must get out before you can come in to rest your bums.

If not,there are no more seats left.
So why the fuss?

We know you are want to board the MRT,
Don't you know that we are getting out so that there is more space for you?

So, please just move aside for us to alight.

You blockers, move away from the entrance.
We understand that security is getting tight in the MRT,
But there is no security provided by being "stone lion statues" or "guard dogs" at the entrance.

You pay the fare, we also pay the fare.
You want to take the train, we also want to board the train.
Your tongue is not hanging out like a guard dog, so please don't block the entrance.

The bloody blocker

Hey you there,
the pathway is not your home garden,
your strolling is holding everyone up,
Please move aside to clear the path.

Yakking on your hand phone?
Cosy in the company of your dear?
Playing a fool in your company?
Please don't do it in the middle of the pathway.

Hey you fool,
Keep to the left side of the escalator.
Jamming up the whole line and cost me to miss my train to Pungol.
Feel like giving you a kick, sending you direct to HarbourFront MRT.

100m Dash

Bend after bends, concrete after concrete.
Hasten our pace, to get out of the place.
Let's make the 100m dash,
at the Outram MRT interchange.

Is the place haunted?
Are the zombies there?
That we must get out of place quick?
No,those are not the reasons for the 100m dash.

4 minute shown on the display counter,
Swing your arms faster to anticipate.
3 minute shown on the display counter,
warm up your leg.
2 minute shown on the display counter,
Quicken your pace.
1 minute shown on the display counter,
You are gone in a flash,
Must catch that train, leaving in a few seconds!

Time is money, they said
By making the 100m dash,
we want to save!

Strange durian man

Was looking for a $2 snack for my tea break in the afternoon and walked past a durian stall in Bugis.

Out of the various packs of durian on sale, the $2 pack of durian looked satisfying enough.
When asked for a $2 pack, the durian man tried to push for a $5 pack and made a comment:
"$2 bo ho (No good), stale already, get $5 one better"

My reply: " Since no good, buy for what. Thank you."

The durian man is crazy.

Time flies

Received a sms from a uni-mate that we last met 6 years ago in her church wedding.

Learnt that she is the proud mother of her 9 months old son now.

In the end, both of us sent out the same sms text: Time flies.

Shackle with our own daily commitment to our routine schedule
Endless meeting, deadlines and as such
Time passed by in our mad rush in life

Days went by, months gone by and years came by
Where about are our buddies, friends and mates
Whom we share happiness, sorrowness and all those precious memories?

Take a moment off the tight schedule
Re-polish those memories buried in our mind
Send a greeting to those whom used to be part of our life

Time does fly
Memories do fade
Friendship do need our little touch to last