Singapore 2006

Hmm... the biggest event of the year is coming soon in a week's time. So much rumblings heard round the island city in the past months.

4 million smiles welcome the foreign delegates and their entourage to Singapore.

Outdoor street protests are ban but indoor one are allowed. BUT only if you are the represntatives from the 200 odd accredited Civil Soceity Organisation and participants must register with the police and protest only at designated area.

Hmm...read an article in Bloomberg News

"We cannot allow processions, demonstrations in the streets," said Goh, a former prime minister. "It got out of hand in Seattle, it got out of hand in Hong Kong and this is Singapore. We will not allow that. Lives must not be disrupted"

Hmm...lives not disrupted? Yah sure....as any obedient citizen, I have been trying out alternative routes as recommended to go to work from East Coast to Shenton Way as I can't use Nicoll Highway (ERP charges: $2.50 - 1 gantry) and advice not to use North Bridge Road (ERP charges: $2.50-$3.50 - 2 gantries) during 10-20 September. So here are my findings:

Leave home at 8.00 am.

Traffic is slightly heavy on roads like Victoria Street and Hill Street going into Tanjong Pagar but many traffic light junctions...ERP charges: $2.50-$3.50 (if the traffic is heavier, will be charge at both gantries else first gantry (Kallang) is free) - 2 gantries - 40 mins

Traffic is heavy on ECP as usual going into Tanjong Pagar....ERP charges: $5.00 (2 gantries - Fort Road : $2.50, Keppel : $2.50) - 35-40 mins

Hmm...these findings are my experience for the past few days without any traffic accidents and normal traffic condition, no diversion to these alternative routes yet. So I cross my fingers on the effects of the closures and pray hard no accidents during the period of WB and IMF meetings.

Hmm...with the road closures of Nicoll Highway, Temasek Boulevard, Raffles Boulevard and lane closures of Bras Basah Road and restricted entry into to SUNTEC area for the most period of the WB and IMF Meetings, I wonder how are our lives not disrupted?

Cost and time to travel to work is definitely going to go up (like many other things after May 06). So our lives are not disrupted? Hmm...will the ERP charges and our working hours be adjusted and concessions be given if I smile?

Hmm...Singapore Dreaming 2006...

Courage and Choice

[Spolier Alert: Please do not read if you had not watch or intend to watch "The Devil Wears PRADA"]

The Devil wears PRADA may be an commercial flick. But Meryl Streep shines "like the beacon" (pardon me, I really cannot resist) and is the prima donna, the diva who completely stole the show and blow me away in her potrayal of Miranda Priestley, the dragon lady of Runway Magazine. However, the show not only gave an insider look of the bitching, struggling and back-stabbing world of the glittering high fashion industry, I somehow find the show interestingly thought provoking.

Some interesting lines:

Love Thy Work
Nigel: Other girls dream of working here. You merely deign.

Prove Thy Self
Miranda Priestly: The details of your incompetence do not interest me.

Make Thy Choice
Andy Sachs: What if I don't want this?
Miranda Priestly: Oh don't be silly, EVERYONE wants this. Everyone wants to be *us*

Andy chose to walk out of a highly sought after job at the end. She made her choice after realising that she had gain recognition for her work at the expense of her personal life. But how many of us are willing to make this choice? How many of us are willing to walk out of a decent paying job (which pays the bill and buy the bread) to live a perfect balanced (family comes first) life? Do I have the courage to make this choice?

Local Delights Galore

Local Delights with TurKwa (Pig Liver)

• Bak Chor Mee - OK
  
• Mix Pork Congee - OK
  
• Satay Bee Hoon - OK

Local Delights with Hum (Cockles)

• Satay Bee Hoon - OK
  
• Nonya Laksa - OK
  
• Mee Siam - Huh???
  

Erm...Mee Siam mai hum Mr. PM?? Erm...which hawker stall in Singapore serves you Mee Siam with hum? Definitely a must visit for hum lovers! Hmm...do I see a creative fusion of our local delight coming to a stall near us soon...yummy...

And thank you for the podcast of the NDR speech by the MSM if not I would have definite missed this powerful punchline by reading the edited transcripts (Thanks to the wonders of technology) I nearly fell off my chair...Ouch...

 

Of Humour, Migrants and Being Singaporeans

I read with amusement the National Day Rally on both the Main Stream Media as well as on the New Media. Yes, I read them but did not catch the 'Live' Telecast on our TV No.1 station as a loyal Singaporean. (Hmm...come to think about it when you are the only one TV station minus the other only cable provider...I wonder will MCS ever be known as Singapore's No.2 TV station? Hmmm...)

No goodies this year. Guess it was given out before May. Hmm...

Interestingly, this year's rally tries to be both hip and happening...with lots of buzzwords like 3Ms, blogs, podcast and vodcast, MSN, MySpace, ClubSnap, Flickr...wow...so hip and happening...Hmm...Hip-factor up for MIW. Haha...

However, daily musings or humourous depiction on 'A day in the life of a Singaporean' is still a No-No. Hmm...wonder when had a humour column in a Main Stream Printed Media suppose to be having a hidden agenda to mislead, distort truth and manipulate the minds of the ignorant readers...Wow...power sia...Mr Brown. One should not be Talking Cock too. Another sweeping statement (a.k.a. insult) coming from the 'it's all for you own good' leaders in white? Hmm...hidden message: "Singaporeans are all too naive, stupid and ignorant, we, the MIWs, must protect them before they hurt themselves from the trecherous world of the New Media." *sigh* When are we allowed to grow up? Self Censorship *poof*

Well, more foreign talents or now to be known as immigrants are encourage to come to Singapore. I have no qualms about that for we require them to boost our workforce in return would boost our economy and thus my stocks...hahaha. But the question remains...will they be enjoying the expat treatment doing the same job as any home-grown Singaporean? Will they be better off then those Singaporeans who stays in Hougang and Potong Pasir? *sigh* Will we be seen as one only when the shades of white cover every constituencies?

One People, One Nation, One Singapore. Remember?

Singapore Dreaming

Here's doing a part to mark the 41st Birthday of our Nation. :)

A Singaporean Dream
I am the citizen of Singapore,
Pledge myself to strike on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday.
Regardless of TOTO, 4D or Big Sweep.
To buy hope and earn extra,
Based on Quickpicks, System 7 to 12 and Big Sweep Tickets with 4D Bonuses.
So as to achieve Car, Cash & Condo as part of my aspirations

-- adapted from a circulated SMS

Happy National Day, Singapore!!

Happy Anniversary!!

Wow...a year had passed and though I'm trying very hard (ok ok maybe not that hard) to at least create an entry every month. I'm surprise how much I have written and also how much I have not written.

Well, here's giving myself a pat on my back after a not so good week, and telling myself - "Well done and Happy Anniversary!!" :)

Damn those f**king sicko vandals!!!

Damn pissed off first thing in the morning and had my whole day spoilt by some bloody sicko. Someone scratched my car leaving 2 f**king long wavy scratches (~ 1.5m long) on the passenger side of my car from the boot to the bonnet...f**king idiots!! Imagine even in your very own carpark!!

What had I done?!! Who have I stepped on?!! Why me?!!

I really got no answers but this is definitely not the first case of vandalism in the carpark. Some sicko had punctured (letting out the air of the car's tyres slowly by stuffing small pebbles into the air-valve) my neighbour and my dad's car on 2 different occasions. Now this...*sigh* Looks like he/she simply like to do a car at a time.

This estate (or the world) is definitely not safe from sick idiots like these at all. Arrggghh!!!

I am Singaporean

(In response to Mr. Brown and Mr. Miyagi's "I am Singaporean" meme)

I spend my early childhood running along the mud paths amongst the last kampongs in Hougang. Watching teochew wayangs and enjoy snacking the street hawkers' fare with my cousins. Always on the look out for the "atap chee" man.

I grew up in the shop houses in North Bridge Road before they covert them into Bugis Junction and enjoy the sights and sounds along the back lanes of Bugis Street. "Goo Bak Kway Teow Tng" (Beef Kway Teow soup), "Yeoaw Bak Tng' (Chinese Herbal Mutton Soup), "Heer Chok" (Fish Porridge), "Kway Cho" (Chicken Porridge) and especially "Fun Choy" freshly steam in those tin bowls and the suave move the uncle use to knock the steaming hot "Fun Choy" out of their bowl.

We used to only need to pack 4 people into the car to drive into CBD for FREE or need to just pay once for a CBD day coupon and display them on the windscreen to gain unlimited entry and exit.

I went to a JC instead of going to the Poly because back then you can't go to the university unless your are sure to be in the top 5 percent in the Polys.

I enjoyed the army days even though it was tough and many say I'm "siow". "Cheong swa cheong hai" without anytime to think about the right and wrong but it never fail to creep back into the conversation with your old NS mates. The OO then, was just another appointment holder to me in the unit. Never knew back then that we have the power to complain. But again I still enjoy the rough times in army, because it moulded me to be who i am today.

I embrace everything Singlish in my everyday life and I try to learn different dialects before they are forgotten in the tide of times, though I'm still quite "lau pok" in speaking them. I'm sadden that we are not encouraged to speak Singlish or have dialects spoken in the public media but I do try to write and speak proper English or Chinese at work.

I enjoy the greens of the reservoirs and hope that pulau ubin was still in its rural self I remembered 12 years ago. I'm saddened to see the old buildings torn down to make way for new ones in the name of urban planning and losing our cultural heritage and history forgotten to progress.

My name is Alex, Alex Tan. Like many others, I like to complain and may not provide constructive solutions. Despite all, Singapore is and will always be my home.

And I am Singaporean.

So say we all...

So say we all.

Technorati tag: iamsingaporean

WTF?!!

EMAS
3 years back...EMAS was turn off...because the cost of maintanence was too high.
3 years now...EMAS was turn on...because the information provided was beneficial to the motorist.

WTF??!!...3 years ago it was not beneficial??!!

Native Language
Singlish: Ai jiak lunch mai?
Perfekt Engrish: Shall we do lunch?

Singlish: SMS me to confirm later ok?
Perfekt Engrish: Text me later to confirm our appointment ok?

Singlish: Aiyo...why u so like dat?!
Perfekt Engrish: Oh dear me...what are you doing?

OMG...I wonder if the MOE had ever done a study on the native slangs or the colloquial language used by the english native speakers? Why are we stifling our own unique language culture? Hmmm...maybe we do not have a culture to speak of...*sigh* the sad truth of our life, Singaporeans are already losing our own roots...are you expecting all the uncles and aunties to speak perfect english in our daily lives? How many youngster speaks their native dialect now? I guess the only flourishing dialect is Hokkien. So often heard are such words like CB, KB and KNNBCCB!! Hmm..WTF?!!

Distortion of Truth
Hmmm...some smart woman from MICA wrote to the papers talking about distortion truth by the celebrity blogger mrbrown. Interestingly in the letter at least 2 points pointed out which (i believe) was also a distortion of truth.

Distortion 1 : Mr Brown is hiding behind a pseudonym.
WTF??! Which person in Singapore who read mrbrown.com doesn't know how he look like or that he is Mr. Lee KM himself? Doesn't she do her homework before writing her 'oh so sah kar' letter?! Wonder if she had ever surf the web to read the blog or was she meerely handed the article from TODAY and told to do a letter of rebuttal by her boss??!!

Distortion 2 :Electricity tarrifs and taxi fare revision is due to high oil price
WTF??! Singapore has been using natural gas for a large part of our electricity generation. Remembering the last major blackout islandwide, was it not due to some gas valve defect? So how had oil price actually greatly affect our cost of electricity generation? As for taxi fare, if high oil price cause the cost of operation for taxi to increase, how come the profit made by the "public" transport operator remain high and never a large dip in profit margin? So is the price revision exercise to "help" keep the profit margin high for the shareholders like those MIWs? WTF??!!

Hmmm...will I be implicated for merely doing my not so daily ramblings of the Singaporean's everyday life? WTF?!!

(Afternote: Pardon the use of my language in this post...just trying to destress after a hard day's work....Wah That's Fun!!!)

5 leSSons for the workplace

Story: 1
A young executive was leaving the office at 6 p.m. when he found CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand. "Listen," said the CEO, "this is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary has left. Can you make this thing work?" Certainly," said the young executive. He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button. "Excellent, excellent!" said the CEO. As his paper disappeared inside the machine. "I just need one copy."
Lesson I - Never, never assume that your BOSS knows everything

Story: 2
A crusty old man walks into a bank and says to the teller at the window: "I want to open a damn checking account." To which the astonished woman replies: "I beg your pardon, sir; I must have misunderstood you. What did you say?" "Listen up bitch! I said, I want to open a damn checking account right now!" "I'm very sorry sir, but we do not tolerate that kind of language in this bank." Having said this, the teller leaves the window and goes over to the bank manager to tell him about her problem customer.

They both return and the manager asks the old geezer: "What seems to be the problem here?" "There's no damn problem, sonny," the elderly man says. "I just won 50 million bucks in the damn lottery and I want to open a damn checking account in this damn bank!" "I see," says the manager thoughtfully. And you're saying that this bitch here is giving you a hard time?"
Lesson II - If you are RICH, you can get away with almost anything.

Story: 3
An American and a Japanese were sitting on the plane on the way to LA when the American turned to the Japanese and asked, "What kind of ese are you?" Confused, the Japanese replied, "Sorry but I don't understand what you mean." The American repeated, "What kind of -ese are you?" Again, the Japanese was confused over the question. The American, now irritated, then yelled, "What kind of -ese are you...Are you a Chinese, Japanese,Vietnamese!, etc......???" The Japanese then replied, "Oh, I am a Japanese." A while later the Japanese turned to the American and asked what kind of 'key' was he. The American, frustrated, yelled, "What do you mean what kind of '-key' am I?!" The Japanese said, "Are you a Yankee, donkey, or monkee?"
Lesson III - Never insult anyone.

Story: 4
There were these 4 guys, a Russian, a German, a British and a French, who found this small genie bottle. When they rubbed the bottle, a genie appeared. Thankful that the 4 guys had released him out of the bottle, he said, "Next to you all are 4 swimming pools, I will give each of you a wish. When you run towards the pool and jump, you shout what you want the pool of water to become, then your wish will come true."

The French wanted to start. He ran towards the pool, jumped and shouted "WINE". The pool immediately changed into a pool of wine. The Frenchman was so happy swimming and drinking from the pool. Next is the Russian's turn, he did the same andshouted," VODKA" and immersed himself into a pool of vodka. The German was next and he jumped and shouted, "BEER". He was so contented with his beer pool. The last is the British. He was running towards the pool when suddenly he steps on a banana peel. He slipped towards the pool and shouted, SHIT!!!!!!!........."
Lesson IV - Think twice before you say something, because sometimes what you say accidentally does happen.

Story: 5
A junior manager, a senior manager and their boss are on their way to a meeting. On their way through a park, they come across a wonder lamp. They rub the lamp and a ghost appears. The ghost says, "Normally, one is granted three wishes but as you are three, I will allow one wish each" So the eager senior manager shouts, I want the first wish. I want to be in the Bahamas, on a fast boat and have no worries for a month. "Pfufffff, and he is gone. Now the junior manager could not keep quiet and shouts, "I want to be in Florida with beautiful girls, plenty of food and cocktails for a month." "Pfufffff, and he is also gone. Then it's the boss's turn, and he says calmly, "I want these two idiots back in the office after lunch"
Lesson V- "Always allow the bosses to speak first".

Reality Check...So You Think You Can Dance?

Blake was voted out instead of Jermile who obviously was the weakest of the 3...very sad...obviously the judges were all shocked by the results

Maybe this is the reality of life...the weakest of the lot may not always be vote out...if you have strong backing miracles can happen....sounds so familiar...just like real life drama right in front of me through the goggle box...

Reality can be so unfair and cruel no matter how good or talented you are ...*sigh*

累

我真的好累 你要的我都学不会 却为你付出了一切
﹣ 愛情傀儡

Musings of the Sword, the Mirror and the Hand

Sword
A sword double edged
It can cut someone
It can cut yourself

Mirror
A mirror reflects
It can reflect someone
It can reflect yourself

Hand
A hand slaps
It can slap someone
It can slap yourself

5 fingers
1 finger points at someone
4 fingers point at yourself

Musings
Always think before you comment
Look at yourself before you condemn
For your words can be a sword, a mirror and a hand

Competition

Act I Scene I
Zen: People loves me...people love me not...people love me...people love me not.....

Act II Scene I
Zen Jr: People people of the world who is the fairest of us all?
People: I-P-O-D......
Zen Jr: Arrggghhh....

Act III Scene I
Vidz Zen:
It won't be easy, you'll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love after all that I've done

You won't believe me
All you will see is a MP3 PLAYER you once knew
Although she's dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you

I had to let it happen, I had to SUE
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window, staying out of the BOOKS

So I chose PATENT
Running around, trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to

Don't cry for me SINGAPURA
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance

And as for LAWSUITS, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired

They are illusions
They're not the solutions they promise to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me

-- adapted from Don't Cry for Me Argentina (Evita)

GE2006

Liar Liar...Pants on Fire
"Artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use them to cover the truth up" -- V for Vendetta

Someone was said to have put up a wayang and called a liar....hmmm...so is he telling a truth?
Someone said that the overall unemployment rate had dipped to 3.4% but he did not tell you that the unemployment rate for those > 40 had doubled....hmmm....so is he covering up the truth?

Thousand Apologies
Someone wrote a statement personally, vetted by his leader and made a public apology and is ready to move on.
Someone's press secretary wrote a statement and apologises through the press secretary and is ready to move on to fix them and buy more votes. (sorry...just couldn't resist...)

One Day More
Tomorrow we'll discover
What our God (Lightning? Hammer? Or with Rings?) in Heaven has in store!
One more dawn
One more day
One day more!
-- adapted from Les Miserables

Musings

The Form
26 April - The Form is Missing
27 April - The Form is Still Missing
28 April - Why is the Form Missing
29 April - Why is the Form Still Missing
30 April - Honey, The Form is Missing
01 May - Honey, The Form is Still Missing!
02 May - The Form Must Be Missing...
03 May - The Missing Form Man Must Go

Dis-Enchantment
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
-- Les Misérables

CCTV
In the Past Past
A: Help!! Someone jump onto the track!!
B: What happened? Any witnesses?
A: No. Maybe we can take a look at the CCTV to see what happened?
B: Erm...sorry there's no recording function for the CCTV

In the Recent Past
A: Excuse me, where's my form!!
B: Erm...You did not submit it
A: Yes I did!! Do you have witnesses?
B: No, you didn't!! And I have the CCTV recordings to prove it!!

Growing up under the umbrella

When will we ever be allowed to grow up?

Since young, we are so used to be living in a safety shelter, under the umbrella of what they call "care and concern". They always tell you: "It's all for your own good"

Parents tend to do it, even the MIW do it.

Are things in life always in definite Black and White but never exist in shades of Gray?

In school, whenever someone question things out of its known scope, this person will be term as a renegade and destruction of order. In the real world, whenever someone think out of the box and speaks their mind against the ideology, this person will be threat to peace and harmony.

When will it be time for us to have the freedom and trust to know what is right and wrong and have the capacity to differentiate between the truth and bullshit?

Maybe in time...people never really grow up...in Never never land....

A Note and Some Thoughts

Six Weeks
Neither long
Nor is it short
Over before we know
Different pursuits here after
A Thank You note
A heart warmed
A friendship formed

Stress
"Stress is self implemented" ... I'll learn to endure

Two Words
Two words so common
Two words so taken for granted
Two words to warm and touch a heart
Two words are all it takes
Thank You!!

The Value of History

"There is a matter of balancing historical values against the income that the site can earn if it were developed for other used"
-- Preservation of Monument Board

"No one knows whose responsibility this fort is. No one is going to come forward and be a hero"
-- President National Heritage Soceity

Lost was Bugis Street...what we have is Bugis Village
Lost was Satay Club...what we have is Satay Club @ Boon Tat
Lost was Lau Pat Sat...what we have is the New Lau Pat Sat
Lost was National Library...what we have is the National Library @ Bras Basah

......

Looks like another piece of history really going into history...Maybe Fort Tanjong Katong is not lost but merely buried in the aim to keep this history in tact from the effects of weather...how thoughtful...so the next generations still have a piece of history to hold on to discover...Or perhaps economical value currently outweighed our heritage...our history...our identity...

Random thoughts in a mixed up mind

Streats
Does anyone still remember Streats? My daily breakfast read till it's death sentence after the merger of the media. Somehow the word Streats had been forgotten like many things in History. Looking closely at Today today...the word Streats is gone forever...

Like Chained Elephants
Yeah...was reading Today during my breakfast in solitude @ Tanjong Pagar Market. "Working Like Chained Elephants" was it's title. Yeah...the elephants are back in the press...just that they are not white and disappearing this time round. Duh!! (okay okay lame joke)
Are we really working like Chained Elephants? Repeating our work tasks day after day chained to our desk? We have heard so much about SOHO, Teleworking since many years ago. But how many companies are actually practising it? I have yet to hear anyone I know working from home daily uless if they are the boss. But then again...they will still be popping by the office everyday to ensure no one is skiving.... I guess we are afterall not mature enough to handle such an 'advance' concept. Remember, we still require the Men In White to tell us what we can watch and cannot watch on TV or in the movies? We still require the MIW to tell us what creativity is all about and teach creativity as a subject in the schools? Hmm...humans afterall do not have faith or trust in one another. Hmmm...as long as you are not at your desk and the boss cannot see you, you must be skiving...

Work overtime and be Promoted
One must always know how to impress your bosses...like sending an email to your boss late after office hours...Oh yah...time to send out an important email to the boss....hahaha...