Sunday Rantings. 19 Feb 2012.

I got a buzz from my sis yesterday,"Hey tomorrow's Sunday. Where's your Sunday Ranting? It's been awhile!"
I'd been focusing my energies on my heritage blog lately that's why!
Some friends even 'pushing' me to compile it into a book. You kidding me, who's gonna do the work?
But I did put up a post just last Friday on the stuff from the week's papers, didn't you read it? Click here if you didn't.

Anyway, just to keep my baby sis off my back for a while here's something from today's paper.

HOME: PAGE 14 NIGHTMARE AFTER D&D NIGHTS

All in fun and jest. Nothing in black & white so now all red-faced after colorful event. Another non-apology apology from UOB (hmm. seems to be the trend nowadays, I mean the non-apology apologies).
Nothing much from Yen Feng's generic column about company D&Ds but what was more interesting relating to this event is found on Page 42:think.

There were 5 letters today on this UOB mis-event. Some on the offense and some defensive.
I liked the  how would you feel if Indians came painted yellow for a shaolin theme party ...with scotch taped slit eyes...You decide.


Page 43:think  IN SEARCH OF OLD ROCHORE
Toh Yong Chuan went in search of the missing 'e' in Rochore, his old neighbourhood now spelt Rochor.
Nice article. I didn't know the cess pits were where Albert Complex now shits, i mean sits.

Hey, that reminds me. My heritage blog is missing a Park as well ! I am not joking. I gotta blog about this later today! Besides having an entire house going missing, Princess Elizabeth Estate also lost a whole park and nobody knows why. When I say lost, I mean disappeared, gone, missing!

(Okay, ok, I admit i am unabashedly just trying to get you all to browse my heritage blog....hee hee.. hey, it's good ok... here it is... click here or here or here.)


WHOA! NEW ORTHODOX BISHOP FOR SINGAPORE
Gotta send him a note before he goes visiting some sister Catholic churches.
Got to remind him to make sure his vestments are of correct length or he may not be admitted.
Some of the 'wardens' are empowered like prison wardens. What they say goes! Don't f*** around with them! Pardon my Latin.
What happened to the days when 'wardens' were 'welcome ministers'?

Click here and see what happens.

The news this week

WHY MAN STILL BEHAVE LIKE SCUM.
The German Osnabruck University this week confirmed Charles Darwin's comment to his friend Dr Joseph Hooker 140 years ago that life most probably originated from a tepid pond and not from the ocean as commonly believed.
Conditions in the primitive oceans were not conducive for life to evolve from its primordial soup but the scum in warm tepid ponds were ideal for it.

I guess this explains why some people still behave like the scum of the earth. It's genetic. Mystery solved.

http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC120215-0000023/Darwin-was-right-on-origin-of-life-on-Earth---in-a-warm-little-pond

MAN HAS HEART ATTACK AFTER EATING TRIPLE BYPASS BURGER.

The Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas offers a 1.5 lbs burger free to anyone weighing over 159kg. One customer was hospitalized on Wednesday after the massive meal.

The irony of this excess gluttony is an article directly below this report: 1 in 4 children worldwide are malnourished.

I am sure it's for us to take note of the social ills and imbalances that still pervades our societies.

kawaii ! (I mean the girl on the right)

SLOW WALKING LEADS TO DEMENTIA.

American Academy of Neurology will publish new research data this coming April to show that slow walking leads to a greater chance (1.5x) of getting dementia.

I hope I can remember that in future.

But another Swedish research from Linkoping University found that curry, esp the spice tumeric, decreases by 75% the chance of dementia in fruit flies. Good news for curry eating fruit flies!
But it also did say that there are fewer demented old folks in India than in European countries.

Get my running shoes out, I am going for fish head curry today!

SINGAPORE FLOPS ON SEXUAL SURVEY

A global survey on sexual satisfaction by Durex found that Singapore rated only 58% in satisfaction in the bedroom. This is just ahead of Japan at 34%.

 Just ahead? What happened between 34 and 58%?

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.

Us against them, again?

I woke this morning to read some pretty disturbing development in the Home section of the dailies.
"First time curbs placed on 24-hour restaurants here" read the sub heading.

I am not a patron of the A&A Restaurant nor its neighbors Azya Restaurant and Beancurd City. Neither am I associated with the Euphony Gardens condo. In fact, I don't even know where these places are located in the Sembawang area.

The gist of the news report is NEA's imposition of restriction on the operating hours of these establishments from being opened 24 hours to mandatory closure from 10.30pm to 6 am each day.
This was due to complaints from nearby residents about the noise, littering and parking issues supposedly caused by patrons of these food establishment.

Being 'open air' eating establishments, I am sure the shop owners have little control over these issues and rightly do not have any jurisdiction over it. Yet these very reasons are cited by NEA for its ruling.
Even their MP Lee Bee Wah seems more pre-disposed towards the residents than to the plight of the shop owners. "Eateries can move elsewhere, but you cannot ask the residents to uproot".
Another feeble attempt  to resolve issues by throwing out the baby with the bath water.


My concern here is the rising incidences of "us against them" problems that seem to be more prevalent nowadays. Just last week, a private estate at the west coast area complained about heavy vehicle traffic driving through 'their' estate and demanded that their MP and the authorities impose restrictions.  Guess what happened?

Are we seeing more elitist attitudes being condoned? What happened to helping entrepreneurs and small start ups? Who's standing up for the minority? Or do residents prefer cookie cutter malls where everything is kitschy and ordered inside?

We already have 'over-policies' by so many governmental authorities. People complain about it yet when they don't like something they use this strong arm tactic to impose their will.
Is this right? Are we becoming a more generous society?

Sadly, I guess I gotta live with this. I am one of the 39.9%. Sigh.

Related links:
Straits Times

Sunday Rantings. 18 Dec 2011.

As expected, after the 3 times failure of the rail operator within this same week, I am joined not just by a chorus  but a full choir of rants this weekend.

FRONT PAGE:  PM ORDERS INQUIRY AS TRAINS BREAK DOWN AGAIN
First time, we would put it to bad luck. We accept things do breakdown. Just bad luck if it happens to you.
Second time, we are irritated and frustration goes up. You should have known better, ete, etc,
Third strike, you're out! No excuses can justify the lack of vigilance. Not when it happens 3 times in 4 days.

The rail disruptions affected me yesterday.
My trip from Bukit Batok to Novena took 2 hours instead of 40 minutes.
This included being 'de-trained' at Toa Payoh where the line for the bridging buses were snaking 200meters long! Frustrated commuters switching over to the normal bus services were not any better due to the sudden surge of commuters overloading the system.

I was one of those who had no choice but to join the line at Toa Payoh.

SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa should shake off her complacency, get off her high horse and truly realise the frustration of commuters. "I can't see anything significant... People can board trains, its whether they choose to..." does not bode well  for your so call empathies with commuters' frustration over the bad service.

Personally, I feel Saw is not the right person for the job. Her specialty is in Retail and she has proven this magnificently by making the retail component of the SMRT revenues a whopping 45% of the profits it generated. But SMRT is not a retailer! Its core business is transportation! You are a people mover system, first and last.

Here's a little trivia I'll confess to you.
Saw Phaik Hwa was my classmate. We were in the same Pre-U batch in school.
As an ex-classmate, I wish her all the best in getting the system to work, but as a commuter, I think maybe someone else who specializes in transit might be more suitable.

Here's another bit of interesting facts I picked up reading the reports and complaints.
When the commuters were complaining of packed trains, SMRT used the figure 1400 per train as the norm. When the trains got stuck the last few days, this figure mysteriously went down to 1000 per train..?
I check  Wikipedia and the stated maximum capacity for the train was 1920.
Interesting? Different figures are used for different justifications?


PAGE 35 THINK:  WHEN DOCTORS INVOKE GOD'S WILL
Dr Lee's amoral piece on why doctors cop out when they defer decisions to 'euthanize' patients.
However, I must thoroughly disagree with Dr Lee's morality.
She may not believe in a God but that does not give anyone including medical professionals the right as well to decide who lives or who dies. By saying you won't consign people to further suffering, you are already playing God.

It's a very slippery slope when one starts to be firm in deciding who is normal and who is not; who is suffering terminally and don't deserve to live; and that those suffering or who are not 'normal' should be put out of their misery?
Using our reasoning, our logic and our innate moral sense does not necessarily mean we should take 'God's will' out of the equation. I am a Catholic and I believe in God's will.


Page 34 YOUR LETTERS: IT'S LEGAL TO RIDE TWO ABREAST
Two letters on the same issue this week.
Never a week goes by without someone highlighting the bicycle/pedestrian, bicycle/motorist issue.
Someone in authority must take up the issue and clarify matters. LTA? SPF?
Nobody seems to want to touch this hot potato despite the endless calls in the weeklies.

* 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 Rantings. 7 Dec 2011

Woke up feeling less than a million dollars, more like 30 cents worth.
Still so tired after spending the whole of yesterday at my in-law catching up with the latest family gossips.
Hiya, what to do. It's wifey's choice and I just had to be there too.
At least, I managed to do a video shoot of the Thomson Novena area in between listening to "why she so like that?.. and why like that one??"


Boy I am grouchy this morning. Apologies.
All I heard of Fr John Paul's sermon was something about going fishing. Mea Culpa.
Here's my grouch on this morning's papers:


WORST MORNING COMMUTE: CLEMENTI
Confirmed what I predicted last Sunday about the Redhill SERS resettlement.
Clementi motorists now take 27 mins to do what is a 10 mins ride to town.
Building an expressway will reduce commute time (by 30% again? save 8 mins?)
Watch out Kim Tian residents. You are next in line on the target. Guaranteed!


STARHUB REPLIES TO 2ND COMPLAINT THIS WEEK:
"According to OUR terms and conditions, we MAY make adjustments..changes..charges.."
Might as well not have a contract if its only binding to us and not you.


BETTER TAXI SERVICE?
CASE asks for justification.
Commuters: Revised fares not the answer.
Commuter: Did Comfort consider reducing cab rentals instead?

Reduce rentals? you got to be kidding.
The 'cooperative company' survives not on the cabby's fare takings but on the rental!
When all the grumblings over the impending cab fare hike and when the pasengers settle down to the new norm, I will put my bets down confidently that cab rentals will be increase not reduced!
After all, the cabbies would be earning more from the increased fares, right?. Savvy?


SINGAPORE NOW 6th MOST EXPENSIVE CITY
2nd knock this week following the "Singapore now 5th least corrupt country , down from 1st position."
Expect more retrenchments as 1-2% GDP will be the norm, say PM.
As public bonuses are tied to GDP, they'll get reduced bonuses during this downturn.
Guess you can't have your cake and eat it all the time, no cream this round.

Okay, gotta run. Going off to work.
Nevertheless, Have a nice day.


* 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 Rantings. 4 Dec 2011

Here I go again, nothing better to do on Sunday than to spout my nonsense.
I'll start with the best article this week found somewhere inside the back pages!

SINGAPORE HAS NO MORE VIRGINS!
Okay, honestly it didn't say that but LOL from the same logic propounded in the article, the headlines could read as that.
Saudi Arabian academics in submitting their report to their Legislative Council  justified their ban on women from driving or leaning to drive in that country. Within 10 years of lifting the ban, there would be no more virgins left in the country, they claimed!
Well, Singapore never had a ban on women driving, so in theory, we don't have any virgin women drivers left. Go figure.

NAJIB SAYS THEY NEED THE SUPPORT OF ALL RACES.
Hmm? Didn't I just read only yesterday, his deputies were proclaiming they must be supreme and not let the others even have a chance? Oh well. I am not bothered with the politics up north. The domestic politics have me confused enough.

IT'S OKAY TO SPAY YOUR KIDS
WHAT?? Spay your kids!
Oops, sorry, eyesight playing tricks on this old man.
It's okay to spy on your kids.
Well Tracy, whatever you wish.
Call it monitoring, call it spying or call it concern.
I  rather use the word Trust.
Maybe check the room once a while for needles?

BIG BARGAINS FROM PREMIUM OUTLETS? NOT SO
This was from Saturday but I include this as a passing thought 'cos many of these bargain-hunter newbies get caught in a trap that they later learn much to their regret.
Johor has opened up a new "Premium Outlet" just north of the border, an hours car ride away.
Brand Names at bargain prices will attract brand conscious Singaporean bargain hunters by the droves. Nothing wrong with that at all.

However, remember this little warning from Uncle James!
Bargain Prices does not mean Duty-Free nor GST-free. Think Singapore Customs!
It may be a great bargain only if you buy and consume within your own country.
Forgetting to factor in Customs Duty or GST may make your trip and bargains into an exercise in futility.

ALL new articles brought into Singapore, whether for personal or commercial use, are subjected to Duty and/or GST. All your lovely Coaches, Pradas and Ferragamos are subject to 7% GST on the bargain prices you paid. You are given only $50 GST allowance if you make a day trip and slightly more if you stay overnight. You MUST declare at the RED Channel any purchases over $50 that you made.

You wouldn't want the embarrassing experience of sitting in the Customs office feeling like a criminal I tell you! Happy shopping and a Merry Xmas.


TECHNICAL GLITCH AT NEW TRANSFORMERS RIDE.
Deja Vu.
Maybe they should consider linking it to the Battlestar Galactica ride so that there's always a backup?
Just hope the seats don't transform into flying platforms. Touch wood.


21 REDHILL BLOCKS PICKED FOR SERS.
Wow, 21 blocks would probably hold the record for the largest mass re-settlement.
It was only 12 blocks at Hillview when they said it was the largest SERS move.
And you know what? These 21 blocks just completed their Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) recently.
Only goes to confirm one truth: YOU DO NOT OWN YOUR HDB FLAT!
Home 'ownership' is just a facade for the 'lease' that you hold from the real owners: HDB.
Wonder if they'll build a bypass through it? Clementi residents can save 5 mins getting to town.


* 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 Rantings. 27 Nov 2011

At my age, my circadian clock automatically gets me up at 7 in the mornings.
The daily routine would be morning ablutions followed by light brekkie and morning papers.
On Sundays, the routine changes slightly as I have to factor in morning Mass at St Mary of the Angels.

The thing I like about Sundays is to grab the Sunday Times and read the commentaries at a slow pace and read what the commentators write.
My favorite writers being Sumiko Tan, Sandra Leong and Ignatius Low.
I also look out for "Letters from Kyoto" by Janice Tay and Colin Goh's ramblings about his life in New York.
What I like about Sunday papers is the easy reading feature columns rather than the newsy articles.

Today, some articles I just want to add my 2 cents to.

Front Page:   FEELING'S HIGH: GOTTA PARTY!
Sh*t! that was why I had to incur extra costs for my taxi ride to the University Town yesterday!
The PAP was having their convention at the University Cultural Center but how was I know that?
My cab had to make a detour when we came head to head with a CLOSED road entrance to the University. Had to do a U-turn and double back to Dover Road to enter the Uni Town. Cost me an additional $2.50 in fares.

Hey, I thot PAP was a party organisation and not government body? So how come seems like half the police force and lots of military ambulances on standby at the convention? Using public funds for party functions? Ok ok, I guess party head honchos are also top public figures so they're entitled to some public protection and security services.


HOME Pg15:  30-YEAR LIMIT FOR CATHOLIC NICHES.
Archbishop Nicholas Chia standardizes the rules and conditions for the 17 Catholic columbaria. All niches are on lease for 30 years, subject to renewal!   


Is nothing is sacred anymore? Whatever happened to 'Rest in Peace' ?


Phew, thank God (Amen!) that I have already booked my niche years back and the rules won't apply in my case. My niche #6022 at the Franciscan Columbarium is set for life, or should I say, afterlife. Forever and ever, Amen.
At least till the govt thinks fit to acquire the 'land' ?

#6022 is reserved for ever and ever. Amen

DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KHAN AND THE CHAMBERMAID.
Yaawwnnn. Next please.


P40 THINK: QUOTES OF THE WEEK
Lina Chiam, NC Member of Parliament
"Even if one ant dropped into my water, I would not want to drink it"
Please, Lina, your tap water doesn't come straight from the Bedok Reservoir. It's purified first. (I hope)
You should re-assure your voters about water safety rather than harp on floating dead bodies.



YOUR LETTERS - NOTHING CONCRETE IN EARLIER PLANS FOR BUKIT BROWN
Another salvo in the on-going Bukit Brown War.
This time from the Executive Committee of the Singapore Heritage Society in response to the URA's "...no one raised a ruckus when plans highlighting the area's intended future use were displayed for feedback in 1991 and 2001, when the Concept Plans were released "

Humma Kavula !! Reminds me exactly of what happened in Douglas Adams' book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (My all time favorite novel, by the way).
When asked why the officious Vogons destroyed Earth to make way for an intergalactic bypass, the reply was "the plans have been published for the past 2 million years. You should have read it by now"

Has anyone ever wondered why Bukit Brown MRT station was built right in the MIDDLE of the Bukit Brown Cemetery?  Doesn't that give you a clue as to what is going to happen in that area?
The MRT station is completed (or at least the shell), just that it's not open for business as ghosts don't need to ride the trains, so the trains just bypass the station.

Think back Potong Pasir MRT Station that was built and mothballed till developments around it reached a sufficient level to justify it's operations. Duh?

In line with this, I just want to add to the LTA's justification to tear down 500+ housing units at Rochor Centre just to built a bypass so that motorists from Ang Mo Kio can save 5 mins driving to the city.
NICE. Thank you.
Appreciated that more unaffordable CO2 emitting cars can be put on the roads. Just go easy with the ERP gantries ok? Nevermind the residents, they'll get new houses at 'subsidized' prices.

CK TANG CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT
Sunday Times Bonus for me! Elephant Parade pictures.
I am so into this at the moment.
Personally I've been around to snap 130 of the 162 elephants on display all over the city.
The only places I have not been (or rather will not go, since i have to pay to enter to see the elephants) are:
Mandai Zoo, Asian Civilisation Museum & Philatelic Museum.

I will shoot the balance when all 162 are gathered together at the Botanic Garden at the end of the exhibition.
They are really nice to look at. Go see my Youtube video and blog about the Elephant Parade!