Saturday, January 21, 2012

Double Rainbow


Auspicious sighting?  A double rainbow!


The pot of gold must be at Guilin View Condominium !

A sign of the covenant between Me and the Earth.



Sunday, January 15, 2012

Sunday Rantings. 15 Jan 2012.

Frontpage: Headline today was the presidential election in Taiwan. Candidate Ma won. Boring.


Home Pg 13.  DEAD BOY'S PARENTS WANT ROAD MADE SAFER.
Schoolboy Lee Yu Heng was tragically killed by a speeding vehicle while crossing the street near his school last Friday.
His grieving parents started a petition to get answers from the school and the MOE. "We are angry and we want answers," said his father Mr Lee. We understand the grief that the Lees are going through with their loss.

But in his confused state, I think he is barking up the wrong tree. It is not the school's fault. It is more likely the fault of the driver, than the school authorities in failing to prevent the situation from happening. Perhaps the petition should go to the Traffic Police or LTA instead.

We are all very familiar with the state of mind of local motorists. Many have that "king of the road' attitude and always believe they are the better driver than the others out there. The other drivers are always inconsiderate and reckless and lousy drivers but not themselves.

From my own observation, the school zone sign is routinely ignored. I live along a street with FOUR schools beside each other. The school zone sign is prominently display, but it makes NO difference. Buses, cars and motorcycles speed through the street with utter disregard to the sign. It's just another thoroughfare to them. No motorists make any attempt to slow down along this stretch.

I once posted a photo of that school zone sign in a tongue-in-cheek blog called 'Useless Signs".  I received a comment from a reader calling it a "stupid and boring!" photo. That's the sad attitude some people have and so I don't wonder why such accidents happen.






Pg 29. SORRY IS MY HARDEST WORD.
Rachel Chang has a nice lighthearted take on the recent spew of apologies being meted out. Go read her bit about her sorry situations.

Seems true that we have been getting lots of sorry people lately.
From LHL's election apology to SMRT, DBS, PUB, from politicians Seng Harn Tong to Ministers Yacoob and Grace Fu. Seems a whole slew of high profiled people are apologizing.
In some cases though, the apologies come with a few 'buts', in other words, a non-apology apology.
Seems Singapore is in a very sorry state at the moment.


* Sunday Rantings are my thoughts on a lazy Sunday morning after reading the Sunday papers. This may or may not be a regular feature depends on whether I have the energy after breakfast. Also Sunday Mass has a calming effect, so the more I pay attention to the sermons, the less I rant. The long rants probably mean I fell asleep during Mass.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Sunday rantings - 8 Jan 2012

DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE, PLEASE!
Urghh! What a disappointment for me!
Today all 162 pachyderms from the Elephant Parade are gathered at one spot at the Botanic Garden for public showing and it has to rain on the parade. I am still hoping it will clear by afternoon though the sky doesn't look so inviting. There goes my video opportunity.

Anyway, for those of you who also can't make it today, it'll be at the Eco garden near Botanic Garden MRT entrance till 11 Jan 2012. (9 am till 8pm) Sadly I got lots of work these few days and so today was my only chance, sob sob.

Luckily, thanks to my sister Sue, I have this for my Christmas present.




POLICE CLARIFY RULES ON CLUSTER CYCLING
Finally, after years of complaints and virtual non-replies, the Traffic Police (TP) has clarified the rules for cyclists.

Rule 7(1) - prohibits a cyclist from riding on the right right of another vehicle (which is not another bicycle) unless the cyclist is attempting to overtake that vehicle.

Rule 7(2) - allows for only two cyclists to ride abreast in the same direction on a public road, except when overtaking.  If three or more cyclists are riding in a group, they are required to ride in pairs or in single file.

Rule 8 - cyclists should keep to the left-hand edge of the roadway and not in a manner as to obstruct other vehicles moving at a faster speed.

Rule 10 - requires cyclists to cycle in an orderly manner and with due regard for the safety of others.


All well and good, and this is a step in the right direction.
However, I am not a cyclist. I am a pedestrian.
My own concern is with Rule 28. When is the TP going to enforce Rule 28 ???
Rule 28 needs to be clarified asap. My life is in danger otherwise.

Rule 28 is supposed to say cyclists are not allowed to ride on the pavement.
Supt Ho Yenn Dar, can  you come again, please.



DEEJAY TO CHAMPION STROKE PREVENTION. 
ROTFLOL !   DJ Rod Monteiro suffered an acute stroke last week while at work.
Technically, he's my colleague at work (different divisions) so I wish him a very speedy recovery.

But (not laughing at him, I must clarify), it is so funny that some party (no mention of whom) has made him the Ambassador for Stroke Prevention!
It's so laughable because it's getting someone who did not do anything to PREVENT his own condition to advise people about stroke prevention?
It's like asking OJ Simpson to talk about knife safety or Saw Phaik Hwa to do MRT crowd control during peak hours...
He is the antithesis of stroke PREVENTION.
Instead he should volunteer as a case study for POOR STROKE PREVENTION attitudes.
I await his learned wisdoms.



DBS BANK ADVISES CUSTOMERS TO CHANGE PASSWORDS
I am happy that DBS managed to handle the incidences of unauthorized withdrawals in an expeditious and transparent manner. Kudos to them.
What I didn't particularly like was the spokespersons' suggestions that we are responsible to regularly change our passwords. It seems he's throwing the onus of responsibility back to the customer.
It's my fault if I don't change my password?
If a masked robber cames in and takes the money from your cashier, it's my fault also because I was standing in the queue?
DBS was robbed, not me! You lost the money from your bank by some virtual masked robber!
My money is secured with your bank and you owe me. It's your responsibility for the loss.


* Sunday Rantings are my thoughts on a lazy Sunday morning after reading the Sunday papers. This may or may not be a regular feature depends on whether I have the energy after breakfast. Also Sunday Mass has a calming effect, so the more I pay attention to the sermons, the less I rant. The long rants probably mean I fell asleep during Mass.


p.s. By the way, if you noticed I haven't been updating this blog, it's because I've been focusing on my heritage blog on my old homestead Princess Elizabeth Estate (here). But I'll be here regularly i assure you. Thanks for visiting my blog.