Integrated Resort!! Latest model at URA Building.
This is the latest model of the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort that is in progress in Marina South, Singapore available at URA Building. A few years back, the only image we had was an artistic impression of the three signature hotels. Now in URA, you can view the model of Singapore's first Integrated Resort. The model includes features of the three hotel towers, the arts and sciences museum and the convention centre as well as the helical Bay Bridge.
Where are the Lucky TOTO Zodiac 2007 numbers?
Was feeling a little bored, so before taking my bath and calling it a day, I decided to surf for the Lucky TOTO numbers by Zodiac for 2007. Well, you see, a year back, I received this e-mail on the lucky numbers and we pooled a couple of bucks to buy some. Result was, we won $60...which was our initial capital. The colleague who bought it then decided that we shouldn't stop until we won $600,000. And the winnings was history. I haven't seen one for 2007. Either it doesn't exist, or I can't find it! Perhaps a good samaritan will send it to me.....
So, the next best thing was to look at the lucky numbers... well, this being the Year of the Pig, the lucky number for pig was 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 16, 18, 34, 41 and 48. Cross matching these numbers with the Dragon, i.e. 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 21, 34, 35, 36 and 45, we have 4 lucky numbers i.e. 3, 4, 5 and 34.
Now... 4 numbers isn't enough to buy a toto ticket... we need at least 2 more, so I found out that the animals most compatible with the Dragon this year was the Monkey, Snake, Rooster and Rat.
Again, if you cross reference the lucky numbers for the Monkey (3, 4, 5, 7, 16, 23, 34, 45 and 54), Snake (1, 2, 4, 6, 13, 24, 42 and 46), Rooster (1, 5, 6, 12, 15, 16, 24 and 51) and Rat (1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 14, 41, 45, 51, and 54) with that of the Dragon, you'd get an additional 3 numbers, i.e. 6, 12 and 45.
Add these 3 number to the previous 4, i.e. 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 34 and 45, you'd have 7 numbers for TOTO System 7!!!
Well, if at any point you thought I was bo liao and bored, you're damn right..
So, the next best thing was to look at the lucky numbers... well, this being the Year of the Pig, the lucky number for pig was 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 16, 18, 34, 41 and 48. Cross matching these numbers with the Dragon, i.e. 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 21, 34, 35, 36 and 45, we have 4 lucky numbers i.e. 3, 4, 5 and 34.
Now... 4 numbers isn't enough to buy a toto ticket... we need at least 2 more, so I found out that the animals most compatible with the Dragon this year was the Monkey, Snake, Rooster and Rat.
Again, if you cross reference the lucky numbers for the Monkey (3, 4, 5, 7, 16, 23, 34, 45 and 54), Snake (1, 2, 4, 6, 13, 24, 42 and 46), Rooster (1, 5, 6, 12, 15, 16, 24 and 51) and Rat (1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 14, 41, 45, 51, and 54) with that of the Dragon, you'd get an additional 3 numbers, i.e. 6, 12 and 45.Add these 3 number to the previous 4, i.e. 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 34 and 45, you'd have 7 numbers for TOTO System 7!!!
Well, if at any point you thought I was bo liao and bored, you're damn right..
Today is Mother's Day!!
If you haven't wished your mum, brought her out for dinner, got her a gift, or even picked up the phone to give her a call, you'd better do so now.. you have officially 5 hours or less to do so.
While most kids would've gotten their mom a nice gift and brought her out for dinner, mine is miles away and back in my hometown. Woke up this morning, picked up the phone, and gave my mum a call. Though its not much, she sounded really happy on the phone and lamented that I should not tell my sisters to see if they remembered that it is Mother's Day. No doubt that they'd remember, they probably sent cards and gifts to her days ago. But today, I was quicker on the draw, at least with the phone, probably because my sisters are tied up with the kids.
Felt like I should be there to take her out for dinner or something, but being here in Singapore makes it difficult for me to be there. Maybe it's just excuses that I'm making. It's times like this that I wish I could teleport from one country to the other. Sharing Mother's Day with her would be a joy for me.
I saw this on Yahoo!'s logo which depicts what I'd want to say better than any other sentence or word I could think of. Yahoo! would probably sue me for copyright infringement, but I'd take my chances.
Well, for those kids whose moms are in reach, do treat them well, not only today, but any other day of the year. You don't know just how lucky you are.
While most kids would've gotten their mom a nice gift and brought her out for dinner, mine is miles away and back in my hometown. Woke up this morning, picked up the phone, and gave my mum a call. Though its not much, she sounded really happy on the phone and lamented that I should not tell my sisters to see if they remembered that it is Mother's Day. No doubt that they'd remember, they probably sent cards and gifts to her days ago. But today, I was quicker on the draw, at least with the phone, probably because my sisters are tied up with the kids.
Felt like I should be there to take her out for dinner or something, but being here in Singapore makes it difficult for me to be there. Maybe it's just excuses that I'm making. It's times like this that I wish I could teleport from one country to the other. Sharing Mother's Day with her would be a joy for me.
I saw this on Yahoo!'s logo which depicts what I'd want to say better than any other sentence or word I could think of. Yahoo! would probably sue me for copyright infringement, but I'd take my chances.
Well, for those kids whose moms are in reach, do treat them well, not only today, but any other day of the year. You don't know just how lucky you are.
We made a blunder... but its your problem...
eaWell, that was what we got today...
It started somewhere in April 07, when the Government announced that civil servants were being underpaid compared to the industry. Many were pissed that there wasn't a system to appraise how salary increments were given and what statistics the figures were based on. So we have all accepted that there is nothing we can do about it. No matter how we complain, things will still remain the same. This is one side of the story.
Now, for civil servants, the story is different. We got a pay cut a few years back amounting to about 5% of our salary due to the market condition then. Now that the market is picking up, we were promised that the salary cut would be reinstated. However, with the excuse that we were underpaid, we were told that, on top of the salary reinstatement, there would be a salary increment as a market adjustment component to match us to where the industry was.
As time went by, things seemed to take shape. In mid April, the HR Department hosted a seminar that informed us that we would be getting only 5% increment in salary, which was meant to be the salary reinstatement. However, to offset the difference in salary, we would be given 2 one-off payments at 2 different times throughout the year. This off-set was meant as a consolation to what we didn't get. Now we all know that Ministers got 25% salary increment. As civil servants, we expect that our increments will be moderated. As such, many of us accept the fact that we will never get an increment equivalent or near to what was conveyed to us. That being said, we were resigned to the fact that we will get at minimum the promised one-off payments.
At the seminars, what was stated by the HRD was that anyone joining the service earlier than 1 April 07 would be eligible for the market adjustment. As this was for adjustment of salaries, it meant that anyone joining the force before this date will be compensated whereas the salaries of new entrants would be revised accordingly.
Today, we received an e-mail from HRD telling that those that joined after 1 April 06 are not eligible for market adjustment, which effectively meant that we only get reinstated what was taken away, but there is NO...i repeat NO adjustments given to us. The reasoning was that the HRD made a huge blunder in communicating the information to the staff and that what was promised was all a misunderstanding and we were meant to get nothing from the start. So, HR does many seminars to explain that we would be getting something, and at the last moment, when we are supposed to get pay offs, we get nothing. Period.
The officer I spoke to added that we should count our blessings that we are getting something and that what we are getting is much much more than others. What she doesn't know is that we had a salary cut and is now being reinstated not that it is free!
The best part is that HRD managed to tell everyone what we'd be getting, send e-mails to confirm it, and at the end of the day, say that the salary adjustment follows a completely different guideline which no one in the company has except her department and that they are not supposed to disclose this. Her colleague is very sorry that they made the blunder, but they can do nothing about it and we should keep quiet because we are civil servants.
Perhaps the country should consider taking back the salary adjustments, considering it was meant for us in the first place but we are not getting anything at the end.
It started somewhere in April 07, when the Government announced that civil servants were being underpaid compared to the industry. Many were pissed that there wasn't a system to appraise how salary increments were given and what statistics the figures were based on. So we have all accepted that there is nothing we can do about it. No matter how we complain, things will still remain the same. This is one side of the story.
Now, for civil servants, the story is different. We got a pay cut a few years back amounting to about 5% of our salary due to the market condition then. Now that the market is picking up, we were promised that the salary cut would be reinstated. However, with the excuse that we were underpaid, we were told that, on top of the salary reinstatement, there would be a salary increment as a market adjustment component to match us to where the industry was.
As time went by, things seemed to take shape. In mid April, the HR Department hosted a seminar that informed us that we would be getting only 5% increment in salary, which was meant to be the salary reinstatement. However, to offset the difference in salary, we would be given 2 one-off payments at 2 different times throughout the year. This off-set was meant as a consolation to what we didn't get. Now we all know that Ministers got 25% salary increment. As civil servants, we expect that our increments will be moderated. As such, many of us accept the fact that we will never get an increment equivalent or near to what was conveyed to us. That being said, we were resigned to the fact that we will get at minimum the promised one-off payments.
At the seminars, what was stated by the HRD was that anyone joining the service earlier than 1 April 07 would be eligible for the market adjustment. As this was for adjustment of salaries, it meant that anyone joining the force before this date will be compensated whereas the salaries of new entrants would be revised accordingly.
Today, we received an e-mail from HRD telling that those that joined after 1 April 06 are not eligible for market adjustment, which effectively meant that we only get reinstated what was taken away, but there is NO...i repeat NO adjustments given to us. The reasoning was that the HRD made a huge blunder in communicating the information to the staff and that what was promised was all a misunderstanding and we were meant to get nothing from the start. So, HR does many seminars to explain that we would be getting something, and at the last moment, when we are supposed to get pay offs, we get nothing. Period.
The officer I spoke to added that we should count our blessings that we are getting something and that what we are getting is much much more than others. What she doesn't know is that we had a salary cut and is now being reinstated not that it is free!
The best part is that HRD managed to tell everyone what we'd be getting, send e-mails to confirm it, and at the end of the day, say that the salary adjustment follows a completely different guideline which no one in the company has except her department and that they are not supposed to disclose this. Her colleague is very sorry that they made the blunder, but they can do nothing about it and we should keep quiet because we are civil servants.
Perhaps the country should consider taking back the salary adjustments, considering it was meant for us in the first place but we are not getting anything at the end.
Yahoo!
Was pretty upset for getting a traffic summons for violation of red light. Posted a question on Yahoo! Answers to see if I could get any innovative ideas for request for leniency. Replies came in pretty quick. And in about 25 mins, I had 3. After the first 3, I realised that I had phrased the question in a totally wrong context, but the responses on the question kept coming in...
Here's the link:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070507071819AAAfsLO
The first excuse was quite humorous, a common excuse a mother of a child could use. The next few was ok. Up to the fourth response, a traffic police officer gave his 2 cents on what he tought of excuses. Interesting to note that I already had 4 replies in 36 minutes. Wonder how many more responses I would get..
Here's the link:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070507071819AAAfsLO
The first excuse was quite humorous, a common excuse a mother of a child could use. The next few was ok. Up to the fourth response, a traffic police officer gave his 2 cents on what he tought of excuses. Interesting to note that I already had 4 replies in 36 minutes. Wonder how many more responses I would get..
Phenom..
I've always been a blog shy when it came to posting my personal info on the net. Never came to posting my name or pic online, with the exception of one incident where a bug posted my name in his blog...IN FULL ...
So after a long struggle, I decided that it was time for me to get out of the nutshell and show the world who I am... hence I have posted a pic of me at the sidebar... Don't complain la...it's a good start..
So after a long struggle, I decided that it was time for me to get out of the nutshell and show the world who I am... hence I have posted a pic of me at the sidebar... Don't complain la...it's a good start..
A sleepless night..
Labour day was a good rest day. I spent almost the entire day sleeping. In the evening, we went to Ten Mile junction for dinner and I bought a half dozen pack of brands essence of chicken. Upon reaching home, I opened the six-pack, took out a bottle and downed its contents in one gulp. Then came 10pm, 11pm and 12pm. Something seemed awkward. Then came 1am. I finally realise that my eyes were wide open and I wasn't the least bit tired! Problem was, I have a meeting the next morning at 9am... and that meant that I had till 6am to sleep. Not too bad considering that I'd have 5 hours of rest, and I slept the entire day.At 1.30am, I switched on the TV on channel 8 and there was this wacky Korean show on air. 'The Perfect Match'. Having not watched any Korean Movies after "Jewel in the Palace", I decided to watch part of the movie, at least till I am tired enough to doze off. The movie is one of those Korean romantic comedies. The story is about a girl, Hyo-Jin, who works in a match making company. As you'd probably guess, on comes a wierd customer Hyun-Soo, who enrols for match making. As match after match is made and rejected by Hyun-Soo, a bond is formed between the two.
At 2.00pm, I told myself that I'd sleep by 2.30. At 2.31, my eyes were still wide open, my fingers refused to click on the off button of the remote control, and it was then I decided "ah, what the heck, I'll watch the whole movie". That is when I knew there was no turning back.
The light-hearted comedy proceeded with Hyo-Jin pretending that she was still attached to her ex, whom she had broken off with a year ago. Hyun-Soo on the other hand, was at his 10th match. On the 11th match, Hyun Soo's ex turns up and demands that Hyo-Jin sets them up for a date. The date proceeds but nothing turns out of it. On the 12th match, Hyo-Jin invites Hyun-Soo to a company match making event, at which Hyo-Jin's ex turns up and proclaims that he is single. Hyo-Jin gets heart broken and runs off in tears. Hyun-Soo catches up with Hyo-Jin... and the rest is history...
Well, it was a good movie for me. It's not the typical Korean movie which has a sad prelude to the ending followed by a less then complete happy ending. No one dies or gets physically impaired. Plus I guess we need a break from Jeon-Ji-Hyun.
If you missed the movie, you can catch it here. Just click on the picture:
Yup, if you're surprised, I was too.
The next morning, a colleague asked if I stayed up till 3am to catch UEFA Champions League. You'd probably guessed his expression right when I told him I watched a Korean comedy instead.
Pimp your vice..
Everyone has their own form of vices. In the Chinese context, vices come in the form of “piu” or flirt, “tou” or gamble, “yum” or alcoholism, “chui” or smoke and “sik” or gluttony. In the context of the 20th century, vices come in a totally different form. Simply put, it can be categorized into “kopi” or coffee, “ka toong peen” or anime, “wan tin lou yau hei” or pc gaming, “fun kow” or sleep and “wai sik” or gluttony. Seems like the only thing that remained unchanged is the vice on food.
Where vices use to take on a more holistic form, like visits to the discotheque or mamak stall, what once was a group activity has disintegrated to an individual form. This evolution is sparked by the creation of mind engaging anime like Naruto and Bleach, which not only infuses the mind with motivation and the will to live on, but also changes the way we speak and talk. Bankai. At night, groups of people would be transfixed to their computer screen in search for the latest release via youtube or bit torrent engines to get the latest episodes of Naruto Shippuuden or Bleach. I myself frequent http://www.naruto-kun.com/ to determine if the latest episodes of the two anime are released by Dattebayo.
“Wan tin lou yau hei” on the other hand, is a less frequent but equally severe vice. As sources for this vice is less easy to obtain (at least for me la), it has hence become a periodic vice. Guys addicted to this vice will feel a sudden urge to lead huge armies of troops to dominate others. The symptoms however differ depending on the software used. Those addicted to “Lord of the Rings – Battle for Middle Earth” would have an urge to lead either hordes of cavalry or hordes of orcs to battle, whereas those addicted to “Warhammer 40,000 – Dark Crusade” would have six different symptoms ranging from Necrotism to Blood Ravenism”. I am currently inflicted with ‘40,000’ symptoms, literally that is.
Drinking used to be a huge problem for youths. Nowadays, drinking is nonetheless a problem, but the type of fluid has evolved from clear golden to brownish black. No I am not referring to Guiness Stout or toilet water. What I meant was coffee. Now coffee itself isn’t a problem, but an overdose of coffee, added with frequent visits to the coffee dispensing outlets is a social problem. If you don’t go and drink coffee, you are anti-social, and hence that becomes a source of social unrest. Refer to my article on coffee i.e. Although a vice, coffee has many beneficial properties like it being a better anti-oxidant than vitamin c and having age defying benefits. I normally add in the latter to make others go ‘lim teh’. Now ‘lim teh’ is another topic, which in itself deserves an entire post, so I won’t discuss it here.
The last 2 vices shouldn’t need any explanation. If you need to be told why people like to sleep and eat, then you must be a real moron.
That’s it folks! The vices of the 20th century. Well, you’ve probably noticed that I’m cutting this short. My boss is around the corner and I should be studying how to influence government policies, not blog about how my Bankai can defeat a Vaizard. Adios!
Where vices use to take on a more holistic form, like visits to the discotheque or mamak stall, what once was a group activity has disintegrated to an individual form. This evolution is sparked by the creation of mind engaging anime like Naruto and Bleach, which not only infuses the mind with motivation and the will to live on, but also changes the way we speak and talk. Bankai. At night, groups of people would be transfixed to their computer screen in search for the latest release via youtube or bit torrent engines to get the latest episodes of Naruto Shippuuden or Bleach. I myself frequent http://www.naruto-kun.com/ to determine if the latest episodes of the two anime are released by Dattebayo.
“Wan tin lou yau hei” on the other hand, is a less frequent but equally severe vice. As sources for this vice is less easy to obtain (at least for me la), it has hence become a periodic vice. Guys addicted to this vice will feel a sudden urge to lead huge armies of troops to dominate others. The symptoms however differ depending on the software used. Those addicted to “Lord of the Rings – Battle for Middle Earth” would have an urge to lead either hordes of cavalry or hordes of orcs to battle, whereas those addicted to “Warhammer 40,000 – Dark Crusade” would have six different symptoms ranging from Necrotism to Blood Ravenism”. I am currently inflicted with ‘40,000’ symptoms, literally that is.
Drinking used to be a huge problem for youths. Nowadays, drinking is nonetheless a problem, but the type of fluid has evolved from clear golden to brownish black. No I am not referring to Guiness Stout or toilet water. What I meant was coffee. Now coffee itself isn’t a problem, but an overdose of coffee, added with frequent visits to the coffee dispensing outlets is a social problem. If you don’t go and drink coffee, you are anti-social, and hence that becomes a source of social unrest. Refer to my article on coffee i.e. Although a vice, coffee has many beneficial properties like it being a better anti-oxidant than vitamin c and having age defying benefits. I normally add in the latter to make others go ‘lim teh’. Now ‘lim teh’ is another topic, which in itself deserves an entire post, so I won’t discuss it here.
The last 2 vices shouldn’t need any explanation. If you need to be told why people like to sleep and eat, then you must be a real moron.
That’s it folks! The vices of the 20th century. Well, you’ve probably noticed that I’m cutting this short. My boss is around the corner and I should be studying how to influence government policies, not blog about how my Bankai can defeat a Vaizard. Adios!
Speaking up....
One thing I realised in my course of work is that public speaking is not the thing for everyone. I don't really meaning speaking in front of a crowd on a stage in a planned setting, but even those times when you're in a meeting or a small discussion and you've had the urge to speak up but supressed it.
Nowadays, more than not, I've had to sit in meetings with a bunch of older folk... when I mean older I don't mean in months. I'm in my thirties and with any luck, they're not more than 15 years older than me. It gets particularly awkward when you have to do a presentation to 'share' or 'educate' them. These guys must be thinking, "This kid was in his diapers when I started work" or " I eat salt more than he drink water".
Just a few months back, I had to present to a bunch of professionals in their 40s or 50s. Knowing the futility of teaching a race horse how to walk, I decided that speed was the essence. Wrapped up the presentation so fast, they probably only saw the title and thank you slides. Today is another one of those instances. Here I am with a bunch of professionals sharing their thoughts on country policy. Yes I guess I can be considered a policy maker, but sitting with a bunch of people I don't know that well gives me the jitters. I remember having meetings with a whole bunch of directors and managers I knew and speaking up on every instance I had an issue with. Now, in a totally different setting, I am sitting quiet and pretty, with tons of banter and ideas and opinions running through my brain, but without the same confidence and enthusiasm I once had.
It might be age catching up, or unlikely but remotely possible fact that I am getting to be a little bit more matured, but the root cause, I feel, lies with interest. Where what others say or how others react have no more influence than a twig in a forest on decisions on policy, the act of challenging others opinions becomes redundant. And where your opinion is as good as the litter on a food court table, I guess speaking up is no longer a good way to share.
Perhaps there will come a day when I become comfortable enough in my current environment to speak up with confidence again, but I doubt it'd be in this environment.
Nowadays, more than not, I've had to sit in meetings with a bunch of older folk... when I mean older I don't mean in months. I'm in my thirties and with any luck, they're not more than 15 years older than me. It gets particularly awkward when you have to do a presentation to 'share' or 'educate' them. These guys must be thinking, "This kid was in his diapers when I started work" or " I eat salt more than he drink water".
Just a few months back, I had to present to a bunch of professionals in their 40s or 50s. Knowing the futility of teaching a race horse how to walk, I decided that speed was the essence. Wrapped up the presentation so fast, they probably only saw the title and thank you slides. Today is another one of those instances. Here I am with a bunch of professionals sharing their thoughts on country policy. Yes I guess I can be considered a policy maker, but sitting with a bunch of people I don't know that well gives me the jitters. I remember having meetings with a whole bunch of directors and managers I knew and speaking up on every instance I had an issue with. Now, in a totally different setting, I am sitting quiet and pretty, with tons of banter and ideas and opinions running through my brain, but without the same confidence and enthusiasm I once had.
It might be age catching up, or unlikely but remotely possible fact that I am getting to be a little bit more matured, but the root cause, I feel, lies with interest. Where what others say or how others react have no more influence than a twig in a forest on decisions on policy, the act of challenging others opinions becomes redundant. And where your opinion is as good as the litter on a food court table, I guess speaking up is no longer a good way to share.
Perhaps there will come a day when I become comfortable enough in my current environment to speak up with confidence again, but I doubt it'd be in this environment.
What the cow says on Boss vs Leader...
I remember this article hanging at the cubicle of one of the assistant managers of my ex company... which says something like "What the cow says on Boss vs Leader..." It has since been an inspiration for me to put up articles all over my cubicle, some humorous some ironic. But everytime I get frustrated over management, what the cow says comes into mind..
Probably have blogged a million times on bosses and supervisors and work frustration. Today, it'll be a little different. Lets talk about people. We do realise that organisations are in its entirety about people and are all made of people. Yet, many times the asset we value most is not people but achievements.
Some people work for years, gain lots of experience, achieve tons for their company, only to have the company hire someone inexperienced to supervise them. Some people get paid peanuts for building Rome, while watching others get paid buffets for building a mole hill. Some people get screwed for their incompetencies, by those that are incompetent in finding their competencies.
A recent survey of the government sector showed that the no 1 concern of civil servants was the transparency of performance appraisals and rewards or remunerations. It has always been a known fact that appraisals were based on how much your boss liked you, rather than how much you did for the organisation. A HR officer responded to such query by saying that "it is as much your responsibility to make your boss like you, as it is for your boss to like you". My response to that..."BULLSHIT!". So, how can a performance appraisal be transparent when its based on what an individual likes? I remember doing an appraisal for a staff under me. After completing the appraisal, I was told that his final Grade was low and that I had to tone down his appraisal report. I mean, how fair can it be when you get the final Grade first, then write or revise the report? I also remember looking at the appraisal of a person that was promoted. "He is a great worker and is well liked by the staff around him". If I was the manager, I'd shoot the worker then shoot myself. There has to be objective means of assessing a persons worth to an organisation rather than how much people liked him, right? Thats why bosses are being paid 5 figure salaries to find that out, right? Or are these people being paid tons to just be models or garygoyles?
A new initiative that was carried out is the salary revision. Though I shall censore my personal feeling of the issue, one thing I do feel appropriate to discuss is the underlying reason for people to leave the government sector. I do hope that someone would study this and seriously ask why turnover rates of government staff are increasing. There are much much more to salaries and rewards that people look for in their career. Theoretically speaking, we have job security, job satisfaction, responsibilities, blah blah blah. Practically speaking I would say that there are only two things involved: people and living. On people, we have the overzealous peers, the overbearing supervisors, the overscrutinizing bosses, etc... we all know these characters and are involved with them some time or the other. I know people who quit job after job only to find out that these "over-" species are everywhere! There's no way you can avoid them. Either you learn to accept them, or you leave. So, some people I know change jobs every year. Has anyone realised that people are the things that are driving other people out? If you remove a boss from an organisation, you might be able to prevent 10 staff from quiting. If you remove a leader from an organisation, you'd be inciting 10 other people to quit. And chances are, in your current organisation, if you'd pick a target at random, there's a 70% chance you'd hit a boss. They're numbers greatly exceed that of leaders. 70% is a little too kind... I think the ratio is at 9:1...
The second issue is on living. While we all agree that Singapore is a nice country to live in, times are increasingly difficult for the common man. GST is up...housing prices have escalated from "oh shit" to "oh my god". Petrol prices are higher than alcohol. Medical expenses are at "god, please let me die". So, while all these are increasing, funny thing is that salaries are increasing at a much much slower pace. So, how is the common man to survive? I seriously think that one off payments are childs play. "Give you $10 to buy sweet ah.. but from now, cut $1 from your allowance for the rest of your life". Do the math... in 10 installments, the $10 is gone but you continue to bleed. Only thing is that you've bled for some time and don't realise that you are still bleeding. People work to earn a living. The keyword is living. Living comes from the word life...which means, you have to be able to support your own life and the life of your dependants. To me, the minimum a person needs in this century is a shelter, food, transportation, medical coverage and a little entertainment.
Here, you need to take up a 25 year loan to be able to stay in a flat... its not yours per say, you're renting it for 99 years or less. Food is more and more expensive as petrol prices increase. Mee siam that used to be 50c is now $2.50. Transportation is expensive. Getting a car is like having a mistress; it leaves you after 10 years unless you change to another mistress before she leaves. And the current amount of cars and COEs released in the market isn't helping out at all. Cars = Jams = Increased Waiting Time = Petrol wastage = Accidents... You can see that I am not very good at math, but you get the point right? Wonder what they are doing about traffic control. COE and ERP now seems more like a fund raisers rather than traffic control.
Medical coverage has always been a problem, especially for the elderly. And the new policy to allow GPs to set their own consultation fees is not a good move in my personal opinion. I know of a GP who once cheated a child to take a vitamin injection costing $120 while his dad was in the restroom. The same GP charges $60 for consultation, even for the common cold. In the clinic, he give you panadol or paracetamol for fever, lomotil and some activated carbon for diarrhoea, antacids for gastric... purely symptomatic relief. I don't mean to criticize the medical profession, but I do seriously think that these 1 or 2 doctors are abusing the fact that they are the only doctors in a location and that people don't have a choice but to pay them the amount they want. I am very afraid of the future, knowing that sickness follows old age and that our medical expenses are increasing and that the only recourse we have now is to depend on expensive insurance packages.
The other thing I seriously feel strongly about is making the elderly work. Yes, it is a good point to keep fit and have a healthy mind. But nowadays, the issue is not about working to kill time, but working to survive. I spoke to a cleaner at a food court who told me that he can't stop working even after he is dead, because he has wife and young kids to support. Another one told me he needs to work to earn his lunch and dinner...no work = no food. To me, I always believe that old people should do some work... work like Taichi, playing chinese chess, having fun with grandchildren... not sweeping floors, cleaning toilets and wiping tables.
Well, as usual I am disgruntled. While disgruntled, I still stand by my principle that life has to go on. We still have to face people and continue living. So, the cow has given me some thought. Think about it. Have you given it some thought?
When I can, I will...
I was just reciting a verse from Smashing Pumpkin's 'Today'. I was just scrolling through youtube when I saw THE clip. Just realised that I've never really seen their MTVs although they were our favourite alternative band in years ago.
Its been years since I've heard them. Last was 'Bullet with Butterfly Wings' in 1995 which was released as a single. As usual, they're not for the weak hearted. Their lyrics were incomprehensibly incomprehensible. The music was catchy and uniquely alternative. And no one seemed to fit the alternative genre so comfortably as the Smashing Pumpkins did.
I remember spending nights listening to their songs, songs like disarm, today, hummer, rocket, mayonaise and much much more. Lyrics like "When I can, I will... Try to understand...That when I can, I will" just hits the spot at what we believed in then...
Just to share, these are a few MTVs for Rocket, Today and Disarm that I've found on youtube.
Couldn't find the mtv for Mayonaise though. Here's the live version... purely spectacular!
It's good that there are small things that we can remember and reminisce when times get a little difficult. I'm sure everyone has that special place in their hearts for simple yet meaningful things in their lives. If you can't find it, just trudge a little deeper... inspiration will always find you..
Here are the lyrics for mayonaise... for SP fans..
Fool enough to almost be it
Cool enough to not quite see it
Doomed
Pick your pockets full of sorrow
And run away with me tomorrow
June
We'll try and ease the pain
But somehow we'll feel the same
Well, no one knows
Where our secrets go
I send a heart to all my dearies
When your life is so, so dreary
Dream
I'm rumored to the straight and narrow
While the harlots of my perils
Scream
And I fail
But when I can, I will
Try to understand
That when I can, I will
Mother weep the years I'm missing
All our time can't be given
Back
Shut the mouth and strike the demons
Cursed you and your reasons
Out of hand and out of season
Out of love and out of feeling
So bad
When I can, I will
Words defy the plan
When I can, I will
Fool enough to almost be it
And cool enough to not quite see it
And old enough to always feel this
Always old, I'll always feel this
No more promise no more sorrow
No longer will I follow
Can anybody hear me
I just want to be me
When I can, I will
Try to understand
That when I can, I will
Its been years since I've heard them. Last was 'Bullet with Butterfly Wings' in 1995 which was released as a single. As usual, they're not for the weak hearted. Their lyrics were incomprehensibly incomprehensible. The music was catchy and uniquely alternative. And no one seemed to fit the alternative genre so comfortably as the Smashing Pumpkins did.
I remember spending nights listening to their songs, songs like disarm, today, hummer, rocket, mayonaise and much much more. Lyrics like "When I can, I will... Try to understand...That when I can, I will" just hits the spot at what we believed in then...
Just to share, these are a few MTVs for Rocket, Today and Disarm that I've found on youtube.
Couldn't find the mtv for Mayonaise though. Here's the live version... purely spectacular!
It's good that there are small things that we can remember and reminisce when times get a little difficult. I'm sure everyone has that special place in their hearts for simple yet meaningful things in their lives. If you can't find it, just trudge a little deeper... inspiration will always find you..
Here are the lyrics for mayonaise... for SP fans..
Fool enough to almost be it
Cool enough to not quite see it
Doomed
Pick your pockets full of sorrow
And run away with me tomorrow
June
We'll try and ease the pain
But somehow we'll feel the same
Well, no one knows
Where our secrets go
I send a heart to all my dearies
When your life is so, so dreary
Dream
I'm rumored to the straight and narrow
While the harlots of my perils
Scream
And I fail
But when I can, I will
Try to understand
That when I can, I will
Mother weep the years I'm missing
All our time can't be given
Back
Shut the mouth and strike the demons
Cursed you and your reasons
Out of hand and out of season
Out of love and out of feeling
So bad
When I can, I will
Words defy the plan
When I can, I will
Fool enough to almost be it
And cool enough to not quite see it
And old enough to always feel this
Always old, I'll always feel this
No more promise no more sorrow
No longer will I follow
Can anybody hear me
I just want to be me
When I can, I will
Try to understand
That when I can, I will
Wow....what a bigggg ant...
We went for a visit to the showroom of our new place. The place had lots of monkeys, considering that it was beside a nature reserve. We had a tour of the showroom, then decided to go take a look at our unit from outside, as the place was still under construction.
As we went to the site, the ground was covered by a puddle of water, preventing us from getting a good view of our unit under construction. Then, my other half had an idea of going up the trail of the adjacent nature reserve so that we can get an aerial view of the development. We drove over to the Park, and followed the trail.
First thing we noticed was this biggg ant... I mean it was like 3cm... not your ordinary everyday ant.. couldn't get a good picture of it as it was moving about.
Then we went up the trail a little further. It wasn't too difficult for me as I had track shoes on. My other half was wearing high heels.... god bless her...
We came to a small bridge leading to another trail. Just then, she saw something which ended our journey of the nature reserve.. and we had probably had the World Record for the fastest descent... this is the culprit:
As we went to the site, the ground was covered by a puddle of water, preventing us from getting a good view of our unit under construction. Then, my other half had an idea of going up the trail of the adjacent nature reserve so that we can get an aerial view of the development. We drove over to the Park, and followed the trail.
First thing we noticed was this biggg ant... I mean it was like 3cm... not your ordinary everyday ant.. couldn't get a good picture of it as it was moving about.
Then we went up the trail a little further. It wasn't too difficult for me as I had track shoes on. My other half was wearing high heels.... god bless her...
We came to a small bridge leading to another trail. Just then, she saw something which ended our journey of the nature reserve.. and we had probably had the World Record for the fastest descent... this is the culprit:
300....another crappy 'Phenom'enal article
Was just browsing around, when I found this website on ancient history.
What caught my attention were the details of the historical facts as compared to what was used in the movie "300". Based on Frank Miller's comic book graphics, though most effects seemed surreal and animated, I guess there are some salient points which matched the spirit of history with that of the movie.
“Thermopylae was a pass that the Greeks tried unsuccessfully to defend in battle against the Persians led by Xerxes in 480 B.C. Although the Spartans who led the defense were all killed (and may have known in advance that they would be), their courage provided inspiration to the Greeks, many of whom otherwise might have willingly become part of the Persian Empire. The following year the Greeks did win battles against the Persians.”
The pass of Thermopylae, the actual site.
All the details of the movie seemed to follow historical events, well almost all, except maybe Xerxes. King Xerxes, instead of being bearded and seated at his throne was depicted as a bald, huge and gayish figure, choosing to go to the frontlines rather than be at a distance away from the battlefield. He should've looked like:
this....................... instead of this....................... or this
But then again, a bearded old king on a throne wouldn't make as much of an impact as a Dhalsim look-alike, would it..
"Xerxes' fleet of Persian ships had sailed along the coastline from northern Greece into the Gulf of Malia on the eastern Aegean Sea towards the mountains at Thermopylae. The Greeks faced the Persian army at a narrow pass there that controlled the only road between Thessaly and Central Greece. The Spartan general and king Leonidas in charge of the Greek forces that tried to restrain the vast Persian army and keep them from attacking the rear of the Greek navy (under Athenian control). Leonidas may have hoped to block them long enough that Xerxes would have to sail away for food and water.”
The fact that they were attempting to prevent the attack on the Greek Navy was a little downplayed in the movie. Felt as though they were trying more to be heroic rather than prevent an attack on the Athenians controlling the Greek Navy.
Well, the 300 seemed to be alone at the hot gates to face the Persians. Seemed though that they had an army of 300 pus Thespians and Thebans amounting to close to 7,000 Greeks. Then again, he sent away most of his amassed troops. Probably knew that the Thespians and Thebans were wusses that can't fight.
Leonidas? I think he looks better with the beard.
“Unfortunately for Leonidas, after a couple of days, a medizing traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians around the pass behind the Greek army. The name of Ephialtes' path behind the pass at Thermopylae (which means "hot gates") is Anopaea; its exact location is debated. Leonidas sent away most of the amassed troops.”
Ephialtes was a shepherd and a traitor, but not a deformed figure. Again, its from a comic...
I have to say this looks much much better...
Another observation worth mentioning was the pieces of meat all over the screen. I mean, weren’t hoplites supposed to look like this? Someone give those poor beef some clothes!
I think fitness centres should take some lessons from the Spartans...
"On the third day, Leonidas led his 300 Spartan hoplites (elite troops selected because they had living sons back home) plus the allied Thespians and Thebans against Xerxes and his army of "10,000 Immortals." The Spartan-led forces fought this unstoppable Persian force to their deaths in order to block the pass long enough to keep Xerxes and his army occupied while the rest of the Greek army escaped."
"The Achaemenid Immortals (or Persian Immortals, or simply Immortals) were the Persian elite Imperial Guard regiment during the Greco-Persian Wars. Herodotus describes the Immortals as being heavy infantry led by Hydarnes that were kept constantly in strength of exactly 10,000 men — every killed, seriously wounded or sick member was immediately replaced with a new one, maintaining the cohesion of the unit."
Persian Immortals - heavy infantry, not Japanese, Mexican or Grotesque immortals..
"According to Cartledge, the Spartan Dieneces was so virtuous (aristeia relates to virtue and to the reward given the most honored soldier, which in this battle was Dieneces) that when he was told that there were so many Persian archers that the sky would grow dark with the flying missiles, his laconic reply was: "So much the better -- we shall fight them in the shade." Spartan boys were trained in night raids, so although this was a show of bravery, there was more to it."
Yup....the arrows really did cover the skys.. oh wait, that was in the movie..
"After Leonidas died, there is a story that the Greeks tried to retrieve the corpse in a gesture worthy of the Myrmidons trying to rescue Patroclus in the Iliad XVII, but to no avail. The Thebans surrendered, the Spartans and Thespians retreated and were shot by Persian archers. The body of Leonidas may have been crucified or beheaded on Xerxes' orders. It was retrieved about 40 years later.
Aftermath:
Persians, whose naval fleet had already suffered seriously from storm damage, then (or simultaneously) attacked the Greek fleet at Artemisium, with both sides suffering heavy losses. According to Peter Green, the Spartan Demaratus (on Xerxes staff) recommended splitting the navy and sending part to Sparta, but the Persian navy had been too heavily damaged to do so -- fortunately for the Greeks.
In September of 480, aided by northern Greeks, the Persians marched on Athens and burned it to the ground, but it had been evacuated."
Moral of the story, albeit the interesting twist of things, history remains as history. I prefer to look at their sacrifice as something which was worth it, like a cause for saving the rest of the Spartans, rather than as a sign of bravado and heroism. A take home would probably be to choose to be free, to sacrifice rather than to submit. A matching cantonese proverb would be "ling hor sat put hor yuk" which means "I'd rather be killed than be shamed"....
hehe warned u in the title that this was gonna be crappy...
What caught my attention were the details of the historical facts as compared to what was used in the movie "300". Based on Frank Miller's comic book graphics, though most effects seemed surreal and animated, I guess there are some salient points which matched the spirit of history with that of the movie.
“Thermopylae was a pass that the Greeks tried unsuccessfully to defend in battle against the Persians led by Xerxes in 480 B.C. Although the Spartans who led the defense were all killed (and may have known in advance that they would be), their courage provided inspiration to the Greeks, many of whom otherwise might have willingly become part of the Persian Empire. The following year the Greeks did win battles against the Persians.”
The pass of Thermopylae, the actual site.
All the details of the movie seemed to follow historical events, well almost all, except maybe Xerxes. King Xerxes, instead of being bearded and seated at his throne was depicted as a bald, huge and gayish figure, choosing to go to the frontlines rather than be at a distance away from the battlefield. He should've looked like:
this....................... instead of this....................... or this
But then again, a bearded old king on a throne wouldn't make as much of an impact as a Dhalsim look-alike, would it..
"Xerxes' fleet of Persian ships had sailed along the coastline from northern Greece into the Gulf of Malia on the eastern Aegean Sea towards the mountains at Thermopylae. The Greeks faced the Persian army at a narrow pass there that controlled the only road between Thessaly and Central Greece. The Spartan general and king Leonidas in charge of the Greek forces that tried to restrain the vast Persian army and keep them from attacking the rear of the Greek navy (under Athenian control). Leonidas may have hoped to block them long enough that Xerxes would have to sail away for food and water.”
The fact that they were attempting to prevent the attack on the Greek Navy was a little downplayed in the movie. Felt as though they were trying more to be heroic rather than prevent an attack on the Athenians controlling the Greek Navy.
Well, the 300 seemed to be alone at the hot gates to face the Persians. Seemed though that they had an army of 300 pus Thespians and Thebans amounting to close to 7,000 Greeks. Then again, he sent away most of his amassed troops. Probably knew that the Thespians and Thebans were wusses that can't fight.
Leonidas? I think he looks better with the beard.
“Unfortunately for Leonidas, after a couple of days, a medizing traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians around the pass behind the Greek army. The name of Ephialtes' path behind the pass at Thermopylae (which means "hot gates") is Anopaea; its exact location is debated. Leonidas sent away most of the amassed troops.”
Ephialtes was a shepherd and a traitor, but not a deformed figure. Again, its from a comic...
I have to say this looks much much better...
Another observation worth mentioning was the pieces of meat all over the screen. I mean, weren’t hoplites supposed to look like this? Someone give those poor beef some clothes!
I think fitness centres should take some lessons from the Spartans...
"On the third day, Leonidas led his 300 Spartan hoplites (elite troops selected because they had living sons back home) plus the allied Thespians and Thebans against Xerxes and his army of "10,000 Immortals." The Spartan-led forces fought this unstoppable Persian force to their deaths in order to block the pass long enough to keep Xerxes and his army occupied while the rest of the Greek army escaped."
"The Achaemenid Immortals (or Persian Immortals, or simply Immortals) were the Persian elite Imperial Guard regiment during the Greco-Persian Wars. Herodotus describes the Immortals as being heavy infantry led by Hydarnes that were kept constantly in strength of exactly 10,000 men — every killed, seriously wounded or sick member was immediately replaced with a new one, maintaining the cohesion of the unit."
Persian Immortals - heavy infantry, not Japanese, Mexican or Grotesque immortals..
"According to Cartledge, the Spartan Dieneces was so virtuous (aristeia relates to virtue and to the reward given the most honored soldier, which in this battle was Dieneces) that when he was told that there were so many Persian archers that the sky would grow dark with the flying missiles, his laconic reply was: "So much the better -- we shall fight them in the shade." Spartan boys were trained in night raids, so although this was a show of bravery, there was more to it."
Yup....the arrows really did cover the skys.. oh wait, that was in the movie..
"After Leonidas died, there is a story that the Greeks tried to retrieve the corpse in a gesture worthy of the Myrmidons trying to rescue Patroclus in the Iliad XVII, but to no avail. The Thebans surrendered, the Spartans and Thespians retreated and were shot by Persian archers. The body of Leonidas may have been crucified or beheaded on Xerxes' orders. It was retrieved about 40 years later.
Aftermath:
Persians, whose naval fleet had already suffered seriously from storm damage, then (or simultaneously) attacked the Greek fleet at Artemisium, with both sides suffering heavy losses. According to Peter Green, the Spartan Demaratus (on Xerxes staff) recommended splitting the navy and sending part to Sparta, but the Persian navy had been too heavily damaged to do so -- fortunately for the Greeks.
In September of 480, aided by northern Greeks, the Persians marched on Athens and burned it to the ground, but it had been evacuated."
Moral of the story, albeit the interesting twist of things, history remains as history. I prefer to look at their sacrifice as something which was worth it, like a cause for saving the rest of the Spartans, rather than as a sign of bravado and heroism. A take home would probably be to choose to be free, to sacrifice rather than to submit. A matching cantonese proverb would be "ling hor sat put hor yuk" which means "I'd rather be killed than be shamed"....
hehe warned u in the title that this was gonna be crappy...
Dun u feel like Mr Bean sometimes?
Was driving to work in the morning, when we encountered some kind of a deja vu... I remember watching an episode of Mr Bean the previous night of him going down a staircase and being blocked by an old lady.
After struggling for a moment, he decides to overtake the lady by climbing along the ledge of the stairs. He then gets to the past the lady and guess what...
This happens!!
Same thing happened this morning.. I was driving along the road and was blocked by a car travelling at 40kmh at the fast lane of a 60kmh road. It was a senior citizen, judging from the white hair. Driving behind him and getting a little frustrated, I overtook him, only to be blocked by another car travelling at the same speed. Now I overtook the second car, caught a glimpse of another guy with white hair.. only to be blocked by a third car. Lucky for me, this car went from 40kmh to 50kmh... giving me some space to overtake and pass all three of them. Phew.
I mean, the government did announce that the population is getting older, but this is plain ridiculous!
After struggling for a moment, he decides to overtake the lady by climbing along the ledge of the stairs. He then gets to the past the lady and guess what...This happens!!
Same thing happened this morning.. I was driving along the road and was blocked by a car travelling at 40kmh at the fast lane of a 60kmh road. It was a senior citizen, judging from the white hair. Driving behind him and getting a little frustrated, I overtook him, only to be blocked by another car travelling at the same speed. Now I overtook the second car, caught a glimpse of another guy with white hair.. only to be blocked by a third car. Lucky for me, this car went from 40kmh to 50kmh... giving me some space to overtake and pass all three of them. Phew.
I mean, the government did announce that the population is getting older, but this is plain ridiculous!
Errr... u sure people wear that?!?
Hehe... just a little something I found at someones house..
But can you imagine your kid in this? hehehe.. hopefully not male la.. If male might catch a cold.. hehehahaha
Wonder who wears these hehe... I'm not saying, else I face the full brunt of Diablo..
But can you imagine your kid in this? hehehe.. hopefully not male la.. If male might catch a cold.. hehehahaha
Parents, pls inspect the pants before buying.. if no your kid wear dam paiseh la.. hehehehe
Guess whether the hole is front or back....hahahahahhaha...
Life..
Past few months, in particular last week, was very trying time for me. Albeit the smiles and jokes, things were always going wrong one way or the other. I always wonder if I am a dragon, coz people say that this year is a good year for dragons, but things seem to go the other way round. I know of many friends who lost their next of kin this year, and most of them are dragons. I have luck on my side, that has not happened to me. Perhaps I should think what the bug told me to.. that things could've been worse had it not been a good year. Last year was a bad year for dragons, but things seemed to be so much better. Wonder if what they say about zodiacs have any truth in them.
Sometimes I wonder, if any of the things that I think are bad now, will be things that I'd do in future. Years ago, I would tell people off for drinking too much coffee. Now I'm a coffee addict. Life used to be so much more relationship based back when I was computer illiterate. Now I'm a pc geek who spends hours looking at the screen and running multiple blogs. Back then, drinking tea meant spending quality time with friends sharing about experiences, now tea sessions meant nothing but hours of talking cock. Friends then were brothers, friends now feel more like temporary company.
I guess my priorities are all wrong. Where I'm supposed to live the life I want, I'm living the life others want me to. Where I'm supposed to plan my future, others move it away. Maybe spending some time every day reflecting on what I want and where I want to be is what I need. Or maybe my encounters have made me a little mentally unstable. Hope no one has to visit me at IMH anytime soon...hehe..
Sometimes I wonder, if any of the things that I think are bad now, will be things that I'd do in future. Years ago, I would tell people off for drinking too much coffee. Now I'm a coffee addict. Life used to be so much more relationship based back when I was computer illiterate. Now I'm a pc geek who spends hours looking at the screen and running multiple blogs. Back then, drinking tea meant spending quality time with friends sharing about experiences, now tea sessions meant nothing but hours of talking cock. Friends then were brothers, friends now feel more like temporary company.
I guess my priorities are all wrong. Where I'm supposed to live the life I want, I'm living the life others want me to. Where I'm supposed to plan my future, others move it away. Maybe spending some time every day reflecting on what I want and where I want to be is what I need. Or maybe my encounters have made me a little mentally unstable. Hope no one has to visit me at IMH anytime soon...hehe..
Real estate..
We have officially shifted to another building! To facilitate renovation of our office, we were relocated to another office for a period of 2 years. Well, I have no complaints on this move except for a few minor details.. well, make that a couple.. no, actually it's quite a lot of complaints but nevermind..we'll leave it at that..
Firstly, lets talk about cubicle size.. I used to have a prime estate cubicle, where people would come over and spend time at my cubicle due to its condusive and strategic location. Not to mention, I used to have at least enough space for a guest chair. This however is what I'm left with..
If my guest was a mouse or a rat, I'd probably have enough space to offer it a seat...
Ok... so good employees don't complain about cubicle sizes... next problem, locality.. I mean, when you get real estate, there are 3 things you consider.. location, location and location right? So this is the situation...
How much more open can anyone be? Whoever assigned me the seat must really really have hated my guts..
Well, in school we were always taught that no matter how diverse the situation, we should find alternatives... while this might not be the best solution, guess I'll have to live with it for quite some time before I either give up and move out or I decide to go for early retirement.
Guess which real estate I'm in!?!
Firstly, lets talk about cubicle size.. I used to have a prime estate cubicle, where people would come over and spend time at my cubicle due to its condusive and strategic location. Not to mention, I used to have at least enough space for a guest chair. This however is what I'm left with..
If my guest was a mouse or a rat, I'd probably have enough space to offer it a seat...Ok... so good employees don't complain about cubicle sizes... next problem, locality.. I mean, when you get real estate, there are 3 things you consider.. location, location and location right? So this is the situation...
How much more open can anyone be? Whoever assigned me the seat must really really have hated my guts..
Well, in school we were always taught that no matter how diverse the situation, we should find alternatives... while this might not be the best solution, guess I'll have to live with it for quite some time before I either give up and move out or I decide to go for early retirement.
Guess which real estate I'm in!?!
Kana bang also must pay....sian man..
Was heading home on a Friday night to get some well deserved sleep. As I was making a U-turn to go to the HDB car park at Teck Whye, there was a huge impact on the rear of my car, forcing me to swerve and stop the car at the roadside. When I regained composure from the shock, I realised that I was hit by a vehicle coming out of the slip road.
The car that hit me went in front of me and stopped. An old uncle, which I think is in his 60s, came out and asked me what should be done. I didn't have an accident report form at that moment, so, following what is commonly done, I asked for his IC and contact number and took down his car number plate. I did the same for him as the uncle told me he was illiterate and couldn't speak english. The uncle explained that he saw the traffic light turn red and assumed that there were no cars around. So, on the spot, we decided that we would claim insurance as the rear side fender of my car was sunken in.
All was well, at least until late afternoon the next day. His "friend" called me to tell talk about the accident. He then went on to explain that he was a claims person and he knew the loopholes to the trade. He started by saying we should not dwell on whos fault it is in the accident. There are only 2 options for this case: One, I send the car to his workshop, where they will not replace the bumper, but will only make good by doing a localised touch up. If it is not satisfactory, then he will give me a little bit of cash to compensate. The second option, if I were to decide to claim insurance, he will put up a claim to say that I U-turned, swerved and scratched his car, which obviously would be a lie, but he would do so just to avoid paying a few hundred dollars more for the reduction in NCB. He further claimed that this case is 50:50 as he can fabricate what story he wants in the report.
Considering that I've already sent the car to the Borneo Motors workshop for assessment, sending the car to his workshop would mean that I'd risk having my warranty revoked. Furthermore I'd have to live with the substandard repairs. If I don't send it to his workshop, then he would lie through his ears to get away with paying the full amount, and likelihood is that I'd have to pay half the amount in repairs which is about $350 and both our NCBs will increase. So either way, I lose.
Of course I'd prefer option 3, where he pays for my full repairs by cash i.e. $700, and I don't claim insurance, but that wishful thinking.
It's just sad to know that when someone bangs your car and decide to lie about it, you'd not only have your car damaged, but have to pay for other peoples fault as well. Worst thing is, there is totally no recourse for such action and you have to live with it. Just wonder why people are willing to do such bad things just to save a few hundred bucks. Hope they get punished in hell.
The car that hit me went in front of me and stopped. An old uncle, which I think is in his 60s, came out and asked me what should be done. I didn't have an accident report form at that moment, so, following what is commonly done, I asked for his IC and contact number and took down his car number plate. I did the same for him as the uncle told me he was illiterate and couldn't speak english. The uncle explained that he saw the traffic light turn red and assumed that there were no cars around. So, on the spot, we decided that we would claim insurance as the rear side fender of my car was sunken in.All was well, at least until late afternoon the next day. His "friend" called me to tell talk about the accident. He then went on to explain that he was a claims person and he knew the loopholes to the trade. He started by saying we should not dwell on whos fault it is in the accident. There are only 2 options for this case: One, I send the car to his workshop, where they will not replace the bumper, but will only make good by doing a localised touch up. If it is not satisfactory, then he will give me a little bit of cash to compensate. The second option, if I were to decide to claim insurance, he will put up a claim to say that I U-turned, swerved and scratched his car, which obviously would be a lie, but he would do so just to avoid paying a few hundred dollars more for the reduction in NCB. He further claimed that this case is 50:50 as he can fabricate what story he wants in the report.
Considering that I've already sent the car to the Borneo Motors workshop for assessment, sending the car to his workshop would mean that I'd risk having my warranty revoked. Furthermore I'd have to live with the substandard repairs. If I don't send it to his workshop, then he would lie through his ears to get away with paying the full amount, and likelihood is that I'd have to pay half the amount in repairs which is about $350 and both our NCBs will increase. So either way, I lose.
Of course I'd prefer option 3, where he pays for my full repairs by cash i.e. $700, and I don't claim insurance, but that wishful thinking.
It's just sad to know that when someone bangs your car and decide to lie about it, you'd not only have your car damaged, but have to pay for other peoples fault as well. Worst thing is, there is totally no recourse for such action and you have to live with it. Just wonder why people are willing to do such bad things just to save a few hundred bucks. Hope they get punished in hell.
Hope..
Its that time of the year... the most important time of the year for us to raise our hopes for a better future and to strive for whats most important for us... yes, its the annual toto "Hong Bao Draw". Every year, we get a chance to live our dreams, while we are day-dreaming after buying that toto ticket but before the results are out. "What would you do ah, if you win?" is a common question. My favourite answer would be "I'd wear shorts and a singlet to work...so if you see me in that attire, you'd know I striked toto". Another one of my favourites is to tender my resignation with a letter stating 'I resign. Please see attached' and a copy of the winning ticket attached overleaf.
Singaporepools has ingeniously came up with a 338 hong bao....consisting of 8 numbers of system 9 tickets from the top 8 winning outlets. To get this hong bao, you'd have to download a form, fill in your particulars, fax it to SP, obtain a return fax with a reference number, go over to the outlet indicated, pay $338 and get the hong bao. Well, it's tedious, but being a little greedy once in a year isn't too bad rite? hehe..
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I've got a hong bao for myself too....so it's about time for me to check if I'm the next Donald Trump or Bill Gates! Watch out for my singlet yah!
PS: If you noticed, the picture is a placebo..(my colleague's hong bao). The winning ticket is at my home.. hehe
Singaporepools has ingeniously came up with a 338 hong bao....consisting of 8 numbers of system 9 tickets from the top 8 winning outlets. To get this hong bao, you'd have to download a form, fill in your particulars, fax it to SP, obtain a return fax with a reference number, go over to the outlet indicated, pay $338 and get the hong bao. Well, it's tedious, but being a little greedy once in a year isn't too bad rite? hehe..
.jpg)
I've got a hong bao for myself too....so it's about time for me to check if I'm the next Donald Trump or Bill Gates! Watch out for my singlet yah!PS: If you noticed, the picture is a placebo..(my colleague's hong bao). The winning ticket is at my home.. hehe
Yeah man! Shippuuden is here!
Had a difficult time getting the remaining episodes of fillers for Naruto after the tipoff from my buddy that Naruto is back on the main plot. Well, it's about time, since we are all terribly bored with rasengan and the same old stuff from the rest of the Genin. So, Naruto grow a few inches taller, and Shippuuden is now on its third episode, but Naruto, albeit having tons of training, is still using a clone assisted Rasengan? You'd have thought, after two years, that he'd be able to execute one without a clone. Anyway, watching them going back to the main plot is a blessing. Bleach has gotten leaps ahead of Naruto in the fan run due to its slow but still palatable filler of the Bounto. Its about time we got more outta the orange shirt guy than another one of his will power induced victories.
Bankai!
Been some time since I've last caught the latest episodes of Bleach and Naruto.. ended somewhere when the Buonto were invading Seireitei and Naruto was and still is in filler mode (bleah! yuck!). At one point, Silmeria on PS2 seemed to be a better choice, considering that the Bounto was a tad bit boring and Naruto was getting on my nerves.
So, after months of anime depravation, and thanks to my good bro in KL for the episodes and a smoke beast for reigniting my Bankai abilities after a battle at RC, I have managed to go back into Bleach mode (I am still sick of Naruto. Why can't those #$@&%$#%$#@ restart the main plot?!?).
So, after months of anime depravation, and thanks to my good bro in KL for the episodes and a smoke beast for reigniting my Bankai abilities after a battle at RC, I have managed to go back into Bleach mode (I am still sick of Naruto. Why can't those #$@&%$#%$#@ restart the main plot?!?).
Well, we were introduced at the beginning with the Hollows, the Shinigami and the Quincy. Then the Bounto fillers came in. Now that the Bounto are extinct, we now have two new races; the Arrancar, beings created by Aizen which are Hollows with both Shinigami and Hollow powers and the Vizard, Shinigami who have awakened their inner Hollow. Then the giant Hollows or the Menos Grande are also distinct by three subdivisions; the Gillian, footsoldiers of the Menos, the Adjuchas, smaller in numbers and commands the Gillian, and the Vasto Lorde, only few in Hueco Mundo, but with battle abilities greater than the Shinigami Captain Class.
What this really means is that PS2 will be on hold from its stress relief duties, up and till the next Bleach episode is not available....hehe
What this really means is that PS2 will be on hold from its stress relief duties, up and till the next Bleach episode is not available....hehe
My england powderful leh..
Went back in kl for cny. While having dinner with my cousins, we had a casual chat which somehow led to my cousin naming cartoon characters like sylvester, goofy and tweety bug. Tweety bug??!? hahaha... reminds me of how anus bug got his name..
The conversation went to a few years back where he was telling us about how good the 'ala-pata' was. Baffled by what he said, he went on to explain that it was a 4 man group that sang with unaccompanied voices. Gave us such a good laugh... In case you are just as blur...he was referring to 'a capella'. Another instance was when he was talking about the Friends actress Courteney Cox.. pronouncing it as 'ku-or-re-te-ney cox' everyone had a hard time understanding which Indian Actress he was referring to.
Anyway, there are tons of others who mispronounce words like Japanese and Selphy (to Ja_Penis and Syphilis in case you are wondering) so its not too bad if we mispronounce a word or two sometimes..saw this on a website for most mispronounced web addresses... these are normal websites...enjoy finding out what they really are:
Therapistfinder.com
Penisland.com
Powergenitalia.com
Molestationnursery.com
Gotahoe.com
Mypenisland.com
Thepenismightier.com
Hehe..
The conversation went to a few years back where he was telling us about how good the 'ala-pata' was. Baffled by what he said, he went on to explain that it was a 4 man group that sang with unaccompanied voices. Gave us such a good laugh... In case you are just as blur...he was referring to 'a capella'. Another instance was when he was talking about the Friends actress Courteney Cox.. pronouncing it as 'ku-or-re-te-ney cox' everyone had a hard time understanding which Indian Actress he was referring to.
Anyway, there are tons of others who mispronounce words like Japanese and Selphy (to Ja_Penis and Syphilis in case you are wondering) so its not too bad if we mispronounce a word or two sometimes..saw this on a website for most mispronounced web addresses... these are normal websites...enjoy finding out what they really are:
Therapistfinder.com
Penisland.com
Powergenitalia.com
Molestationnursery.com
Gotahoe.com
Mypenisland.com
Thepenismightier.com
Hehe..
Forward...no oops... Reply to all...click...aiyak!!
Ever tried flaming someone on the mail, and then sending the mail straight back to that person? I remember some years back when a colleague was complaining about a consultant, on how stupid and idiotic the consultant was. Well of course, his intent was to vent his frustrations to us but somehow, having a sudden disability of motor skills, he clicked on the 'reply to all' followed by the 'send' button on his mail. 2 seconds later, a state of panic commences and he goes round all our cubicles asking us... "Die la what to do..". Lucky thing was that the consultant replied to say that he was sorry he caused so much trouble and that he would buck up to improve.
Just a while ago, the same thing happened to another colleague. Recieving a task we were all dreading to accept, the colleague wanted to inform everyone that she had been arrowed. Having the same distorted motor skills as the guy in the first para, she clicked on the two dreaded combinations.. 'reply to all' and 'send'. Well, all goes to say, the archer recieved the note on his arrow. Once again, luck was on her side considering that the archer had a sense of humor.
It does happen to everyone once in a while, so the best thing to do is.... look at the receipients before you click 'send' la!!! hehehe..
Just a while ago, the same thing happened to another colleague. Recieving a task we were all dreading to accept, the colleague wanted to inform everyone that she had been arrowed. Having the same distorted motor skills as the guy in the first para, she clicked on the two dreaded combinations.. 'reply to all' and 'send'. Well, all goes to say, the archer recieved the note on his arrow. Once again, luck was on her side considering that the archer had a sense of humor.
It does happen to everyone once in a while, so the best thing to do is.... look at the receipients before you click 'send' la!!! hehehe..
Professional Grooming
Try typing "professional grooming" into yahoo's search box and you'd probably get links to Professional dog grooming or Pet grooming.
Quoting from the article 'Professional Grooming - Not Just for Puffy Pooches' By Janice Biniok on CentralPets.com, Jan. 2003, "If you think professional dog grooming applies only to certain breeds, here's good news for you: any dog can benefit from a professional grooming, even dogs with low-maintenance coats! And there are plenty of advantages for their owners as well." Well, I presume she was referring to owners being more obedient after watching their pets go through a grooming session.
Well, why the sudden interest with grooming? My colleague got a pet and has been talking about it for days, I've just attended a professional grooming course and after a long bout of diarrhoea, I'm feeling a bit distorted from the amount of chores I've been having lately.
Ok, back to the topic. I was at this professional grooming course conducted by an image consultant. Well, the lady wasn't half bad, as most people came out laughing and saying that the course was better then expected. I went in a little late, and as I sat down, they started with the major turn offs for men and women. For men, there were things like greasy hair (thank god I just cut mine before the course), unironed shirt (mine is very tidy... my grandma and aunt transferred the art of ironing level 8 to me at the age of 16), and non-matching socks (my dark blue socks looked black, so the lady mistook that I had good color sense). For ladies, messy hair (is that really a problem?), too much make up (yes, totally), armpit hair??? etc etc.. I guess the ladies have far worse problems than we men do...hehehe...
Then we went on to color combination, and what colors suit you.. we learnt about warm and cool colors and how that matched our dressing. Mine is definitely cool as mint... I only have black, white, grey and blue clothes...no other color. In another time and era, I would've thought that I was boring, but here, it seemed like color was on my side.
Then there was the face shape. Someone queried on the difference of a trangular face and a heart shape face. The lady drew some faces on the board. And finally, I understand that a person with a heart shape face is a person that has a triangular face plus a receding hairline!
We moved on to etiquette and manners. Seemed like everyone had difficulty to answer a phone call. We have variations like:
a) Hello, I am X, what you want?
b) Good Morning, who r u?
c) Good Morning, I am X, from company Y. How can I help you?
All 3 variations were wrong. Stopping at company Y in variation 3 would be sufficient. Adding the 'How can I help you' statement is deemed to be superficial.
Then it came to introduction of friends and colleagues. Wow...it baffled me watching some colleagues going. "This Tarzan, This Jane"...well except of course their names were not Tarzan and Jane. Very primitive way of introducing people to others. The lady preferred a description say "This Tarzan, Jungle Boy, This Jane, White Babe" which gave better clarity of what each of them were. I do agree though that many times, when we meet friends, we don't introduce our other halfs creating an awkward situation for our partners. Guys out there, remember to intro your gfs when you meet friends!
We moved on further to handshakes, sitting postures and many other things. While I actually dread courses sometimes, especially ones that aren't technical in nature, I guess this one course wasn't all that bad. At the least, it gave me some humor, some peace of mind and a break from problems in everyday life.
Quoting from the article 'Professional Grooming - Not Just for Puffy Pooches' By Janice Biniok on CentralPets.com, Jan. 2003, "If you think professional dog grooming applies only to certain breeds, here's good news for you: any dog can benefit from a professional grooming, even dogs with low-maintenance coats! And there are plenty of advantages for their owners as well." Well, I presume she was referring to owners being more obedient after watching their pets go through a grooming session.Well, why the sudden interest with grooming? My colleague got a pet and has been talking about it for days, I've just attended a professional grooming course and after a long bout of diarrhoea, I'm feeling a bit distorted from the amount of chores I've been having lately.
Ok, back to the topic. I was at this professional grooming course conducted by an image consultant. Well, the lady wasn't half bad, as most people came out laughing and saying that the course was better then expected. I went in a little late, and as I sat down, they started with the major turn offs for men and women. For men, there were things like greasy hair (thank god I just cut mine before the course), unironed shirt (mine is very tidy... my grandma and aunt transferred the art of ironing level 8 to me at the age of 16), and non-matching socks (my dark blue socks looked black, so the lady mistook that I had good color sense). For ladies, messy hair (is that really a problem?), too much make up (yes, totally), armpit hair??? etc etc.. I guess the ladies have far worse problems than we men do...hehehe...
Then we went on to color combination, and what colors suit you.. we learnt about warm and cool colors and how that matched our dressing. Mine is definitely cool as mint... I only have black, white, grey and blue clothes...no other color. In another time and era, I would've thought that I was boring, but here, it seemed like color was on my side.
Then there was the face shape. Someone queried on the difference of a trangular face and a heart shape face. The lady drew some faces on the board. And finally, I understand that a person with a heart shape face is a person that has a triangular face plus a receding hairline!
We moved on to etiquette and manners. Seemed like everyone had difficulty to answer a phone call. We have variations like:
a) Hello, I am X, what you want?
b) Good Morning, who r u?
c) Good Morning, I am X, from company Y. How can I help you?
All 3 variations were wrong. Stopping at company Y in variation 3 would be sufficient. Adding the 'How can I help you' statement is deemed to be superficial.
Then it came to introduction of friends and colleagues. Wow...it baffled me watching some colleagues going. "This Tarzan, This Jane"...well except of course their names were not Tarzan and Jane. Very primitive way of introducing people to others. The lady preferred a description say "This Tarzan, Jungle Boy, This Jane, White Babe" which gave better clarity of what each of them were. I do agree though that many times, when we meet friends, we don't introduce our other halfs creating an awkward situation for our partners. Guys out there, remember to intro your gfs when you meet friends!
We moved on further to handshakes, sitting postures and many other things. While I actually dread courses sometimes, especially ones that aren't technical in nature, I guess this one course wasn't all that bad. At the least, it gave me some humor, some peace of mind and a break from problems in everyday life.
Communication.. 101
Lesson 1 in communication: Seek first to understand what others understand, before you think you understand what other understand from you.
We were heading to a convention when a collegue messaged us that he had arrived. The message went "Go to K4....etc etc". So, the moment we drove into the carpark, the first thing we looked out for was a K. Looming ahead us was this sign on the column that showed L10...and obviously beside it was K10. Going in the right direction, we headed past a few more columns and reached K4. Not seeing my colleagues car anywhere, we started cursing and complaining that he had not arrived. As we walked to the carpark staircase, we gave him a call and hey, guess what.. they were at Carrefour..
Lesson 2: It's not what you say, it's not even how you say it. It's how much flak you can say it with..
I always admired people who could speak well. Sometimes, with just the right words at the right time, things could be settled just like that! We met up with an agent for a viewing, an agent which we didn't really see eye to eye with and had frequent if not many arguments with. Half way through the conversation, her boss appears driving a huge Mercedes. As usual, we continued with our ever inquisitive barrage of questions to the agent and this new fella. What baffled us was that he sold 8 units on the ground floor where other agents were having difficulties selling them. His response was.. well .. "At the hierarchy of pyramids, as you grow older, you'd realise that having a place that your kids can run around, while you observe them at the safety of the ground floor, might be a blessing. Furthermore, regulations state that you cannot have a physical wall at the ground floor to demarcate your territory. However, no one mentioned anything about creepers. So, with a natural boundary made by the creepers, the patio is practically all yours." Had a hard time avoiding all the smoke he was releasing.. pity the 8 guys who bought the ground floor units from him.
Lesson 3: Diagnosis must precede prescription
We were at a Teppanyaki restaurant having our dinner. One of the special dishes involved the waiter putting flame on the meat using matches and alcohol. The waiter took out some match sticks and nonchalantly lighted them with one hand and held a bottle of cooking wine in another. Having seen this before, me and my other half instinctively moved our chairs back a little. The chef made a giggle and told us that "If there's anyone that is in danger, that would be me....not you." Having said that, he proceeded to put some cooking wine on the meat, lighted the wine and scalded his finger. Feeling sheepish, he turned around and poured some gravy on his finger. This chef kept quiet the rest of the evening.
We were heading to a convention when a collegue messaged us that he had arrived. The message went "Go to K4....etc etc". So, the moment we drove into the carpark, the first thing we looked out for was a K. Looming ahead us was this sign on the column that showed L10...and obviously beside it was K10. Going in the right direction, we headed past a few more columns and reached K4. Not seeing my colleagues car anywhere, we started cursing and complaining that he had not arrived. As we walked to the carpark staircase, we gave him a call and hey, guess what.. they were at Carrefour..Lesson 2: It's not what you say, it's not even how you say it. It's how much flak you can say it with..
I always admired people who could speak well. Sometimes, with just the right words at the right time, things could be settled just like that! We met up with an agent for a viewing, an agent which we didn't really see eye to eye with and had frequent if not many arguments with. Half way through the conversation, her boss appears driving a huge Mercedes. As usual, we continued with our ever inquisitive barrage of questions to the agent and this new fella. What baffled us was that he sold 8 units on the ground floor where other agents were having difficulties selling them. His response was.. well .. "At the hierarchy of pyramids, as you grow older, you'd realise that having a place that your kids can run around, while you observe them at the safety of the ground floor, might be a blessing. Furthermore, regulations state that you cannot have a physical wall at the ground floor to demarcate your territory. However, no one mentioned anything about creepers. So, with a natural boundary made by the creepers, the patio is practically all yours." Had a hard time avoiding all the smoke he was releasing.. pity the 8 guys who bought the ground floor units from him.
Lesson 3: Diagnosis must precede prescription
We were at a Teppanyaki restaurant having our dinner. One of the special dishes involved the waiter putting flame on the meat using matches and alcohol. The waiter took out some match sticks and nonchalantly lighted them with one hand and held a bottle of cooking wine in another. Having seen this before, me and my other half instinctively moved our chairs back a little. The chef made a giggle and told us that "If there's anyone that is in danger, that would be me....not you." Having said that, he proceeded to put some cooking wine on the meat, lighted the wine and scalded his finger. Feeling sheepish, he turned around and poured some gravy on his finger. This chef kept quiet the rest of the evening.
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