Error! Error! That does not compute!

I get peeved when those fast food servers behind the counter rattle off their scripts like robots instead of using their heads.

For example, if you say "I'd like to takeaway a cheeseburger...", they'll go through the whole rigamarole again... "burger? fries? upsize?" etc, and finally ask you "will that be dine in or takeaway?"


Today, I bullied the girl crew at Subway Westmall.
After getting my greens, she asked, "... and your dressing?"
Me: "Mustard"
Crew: "Yellow Mustard?"
Me: "what other colors do you have???"


She didn't get it.

(Link) View more Robot Sound Clips and Lost In Space Sound Clips

Hot under the collar

I took a bus to work yesterday in the sweltering heat. SBStransit #182 from Boon Lay bus interchange towards  Customs Checkpoint at Tuas 2nd Link.

The bus was exceedingly warm inside as it left the terminal. I tolerated it, assuming it had been out in the sun, and it would take a while to cool the ambient air inside.

However, after a kilometer or so, the air was still not cooled, and what's worse, it got very stifling.
Other pax'es on board were starting to get vocal amongst themselves, but as usual with most Singaporeans, they grumbled about the situation but did not have the courage to stand up and do something about it. (Guess it's one consequence of living in a closeted environment?)

When the sweat broke out on my brow, I couldn't bear it much more and went forward to the lady driver/bus captain to enquire if she could at least turn up the blower fan speed. She replied that the air con was already turned on and that the blower speed was fixed.

At this point, another Malay passenger came forward and started berating the bus captain over the faulty aircon system. A little to my embarrassment as it felt I was the one who started the incident.

She radioed her control station and they suggested all passengers disembark and board the next bus. A refund and a complimentary ride would be given for the journey onwards, as compensation for the inconvenience. There were about 20 of us on board, mainly foreign workers heading for the factories at Tuas.

This goes to show that if we want something rectified, we gotta stand up and be counted.

Blue skies at night

I recently learnt of a phenomenon that occurs almost every day though most people are unaware of it. 

For the briefest moment each evening, the sky turns a deep blue before becoming ink black. And photographs taken during these few minutes can produce quite spectacular results.

Below are some trial pictures I took this evening between 7.40pm and 7.50pm when the blue period occurred. Pictures were taken from the 22nd floor of my apartment building showing Westmall and Bukit Batok MRT station (on the right). This was my very first attempt at capturing the blue night sky. I'll be trying again to get better pictures. They will be posted to my photo blog in the future.

By the way, these photos are un-retouched or photoshopped. 

I probably will do a bit of adjustment and post it to my photo blog later.

The pictures on my photo blog are much larger, though you can click on the pictures below to see more details.

 

At 7.42pm. Olympus EPL-1 with 14mm lens. F11@50s

At 7.45pm. F6.3@50s. Overexposed, sigh.

At 7.50pm. The blue period had passed. The sky began to turn black.