Oh my god! Quinsy changed her blog background design and right at the top, there are a couple of dandelions. Three white ones against a grey background, to be exact.
The falling seeds from the puffy dandelions is exactly the same image I keep seeing in my mind. It is interesting, because it had been some time I had really read my daily reads and today, I caught it.
I like that image of having dandelions blown apart by the wind. The perfect orb of seeds, ready to take flight and take root where and when they find fertile land. The orb will no longer keep its spherical integrity but it has done its job, whatever the reader takes the job to be.
I do, however, know why images of dandelions are dancing in my head recently. They are just there.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
I'd live in that garage!
Visited a friend. We got to know each other during the time I taught in SMU. We got along fine and we shared many stories about us. However, our schedules never let us sit down for a good chat much.
Last Saturday, he invited Victor and I to tea at his place. (Interesting that I had to write "Victor and I" because the English Language dictates that I must come in at the end of a conjoined list. But you get the drift.) He lived in the outskirts of Newton/Orchard. His house was built in 1927 on a plot of land at the top of a little hill.
There was a main house and a garage. He moved out of the house and lived in the garage after customizing it into a quaint little house. Quite honestly, I've been to the homes of rich people but this friend is so understated about so many things. I never knew how rich he is and I probably will never want to know. It is not in my place or interest.
To preserve my friend's privacy and to cut the long story short, I am given a little glimpse of what it feels like to live in the lap of luxury. Quite honestly, I bet many people wouldn't mind living in that garage. (Actually, he told me that his garage turned house was featured in an architectural magazine some time ago.)
There!
Last Saturday, he invited Victor and I to tea at his place. (Interesting that I had to write "Victor and I" because the English Language dictates that I must come in at the end of a conjoined list. But you get the drift.) He lived in the outskirts of Newton/Orchard. His house was built in 1927 on a plot of land at the top of a little hill.
There was a main house and a garage. He moved out of the house and lived in the garage after customizing it into a quaint little house. Quite honestly, I've been to the homes of rich people but this friend is so understated about so many things. I never knew how rich he is and I probably will never want to know. It is not in my place or interest.
To preserve my friend's privacy and to cut the long story short, I am given a little glimpse of what it feels like to live in the lap of luxury. Quite honestly, I bet many people wouldn't mind living in that garage. (Actually, he told me that his garage turned house was featured in an architectural magazine some time ago.)
There!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sense of Time
Had expected a good end to an otherwise dour week.
The abyss the week began in gave way to semi-heaven as I battled work and then abdominal colic.
Had two crazy days of chasing and chasing after stuff that people owe me and then spent another two days clutching my stomach.
The pain was so bad that I had to go off work midway and make my way to my GP. There, I had to wait in line for 21 patients. My pain got from a 5 out of 10 to 8 out of 10. My long sleeved working shirt got wetter and wetter but I wasn't even feeling warm. It was the pain!
I guess the counter staff saw my misery and probably alerted the doctor. I did not want to tell them about my pain because the last time I tried telling them, I was told that if I could not wait my turn, then I ought to go to the Accident & Emergency Department.
Soon, one patient was not around when his/her number was called. And I was asked to go in instead. Had my jab and my two days' MC. Came home and crashed. Paying off a sleep debt never felt so good.
Then came yesterday. The private transport that I booked to drive me home came 10 minutes late. This is stupid because I delayed getting off work by 45 minutes and paid $5 (instead of the usual $2 thereabouts on public transport) to get home by 7 pm. Of course, by the time I got home, it was 7.15 pm. I am going to try this transport guy once more and if he does not show he is conscious of keeping time, then I might drop him.
In any case, there is this garrulous woman on the mini-van that yaks non-stop. Peace is only restored after she gets off - first, thank God! - at Casa Merah. But that was already more than half the journey done. But if I get driven to the doorstep, I am quite willing to tolerate her showing off and noise.
This transport thingy didn't take the cake.
I had an appointment last night for my hair treatment. I made an 8 pm appointment at 4 pm. As I rushed all the way down from home - no thanks to the stupid transport guy - at 7.42 pm, the hair treatment woman asked if I was ok to go in later, 8.30 pm instead. Ok, I told her.
I went for a quick dinner. The guy selling rice with vegetables was selling gold nuggets instead of vegetables. I hardly had a standard portion of anything!
At 8.10 pm, I stepped into the salon. Shaggy Bitch was there, not even started. So, she must have been the double-booker or the walk-in. Looking at the length of her hair, the treatment is not going to even end by 8.30 pm.
I was right. When the hair treatment lady was done with Shaggy, it was already 8.50 pm. Then instead of letting me begin, she got a waiting customer to wash off the henna on her head.
At 9.05 pm, I stood up and told her, I can't wait any more.
I will do that to her insistently from now on. Make an appointment and if I walk in and she's not ready for me, I will walk off. There is no point in making an appointment if she is not going to keep to her end of the bargain.
She is not running a subsidized medical care facility. At least for those, I am looking at a minimum 50% subsidy from the government. The doctors are beyond overworked and waiting for them while they tend to other more urgent patients and full paying patients is unavoidable. Hey, those people paying $1.05 for a pill while subsidized patients are probably paying $0.10.
Some people just need to be taught a sense of timing and business ethics.
The abyss the week began in gave way to semi-heaven as I battled work and then abdominal colic.
Had two crazy days of chasing and chasing after stuff that people owe me and then spent another two days clutching my stomach.
The pain was so bad that I had to go off work midway and make my way to my GP. There, I had to wait in line for 21 patients. My pain got from a 5 out of 10 to 8 out of 10. My long sleeved working shirt got wetter and wetter but I wasn't even feeling warm. It was the pain!
I guess the counter staff saw my misery and probably alerted the doctor. I did not want to tell them about my pain because the last time I tried telling them, I was told that if I could not wait my turn, then I ought to go to the Accident & Emergency Department.
Soon, one patient was not around when his/her number was called. And I was asked to go in instead. Had my jab and my two days' MC. Came home and crashed. Paying off a sleep debt never felt so good.
Then came yesterday. The private transport that I booked to drive me home came 10 minutes late. This is stupid because I delayed getting off work by 45 minutes and paid $5 (instead of the usual $2 thereabouts on public transport) to get home by 7 pm. Of course, by the time I got home, it was 7.15 pm. I am going to try this transport guy once more and if he does not show he is conscious of keeping time, then I might drop him.
In any case, there is this garrulous woman on the mini-van that yaks non-stop. Peace is only restored after she gets off - first, thank God! - at Casa Merah. But that was already more than half the journey done. But if I get driven to the doorstep, I am quite willing to tolerate her showing off and noise.
This transport thingy didn't take the cake.
I had an appointment last night for my hair treatment. I made an 8 pm appointment at 4 pm. As I rushed all the way down from home - no thanks to the stupid transport guy - at 7.42 pm, the hair treatment woman asked if I was ok to go in later, 8.30 pm instead. Ok, I told her.
I went for a quick dinner. The guy selling rice with vegetables was selling gold nuggets instead of vegetables. I hardly had a standard portion of anything!
At 8.10 pm, I stepped into the salon. Shaggy Bitch was there, not even started. So, she must have been the double-booker or the walk-in. Looking at the length of her hair, the treatment is not going to even end by 8.30 pm.
I was right. When the hair treatment lady was done with Shaggy, it was already 8.50 pm. Then instead of letting me begin, she got a waiting customer to wash off the henna on her head.
At 9.05 pm, I stood up and told her, I can't wait any more.
I will do that to her insistently from now on. Make an appointment and if I walk in and she's not ready for me, I will walk off. There is no point in making an appointment if she is not going to keep to her end of the bargain.
She is not running a subsidized medical care facility. At least for those, I am looking at a minimum 50% subsidy from the government. The doctors are beyond overworked and waiting for them while they tend to other more urgent patients and full paying patients is unavoidable. Hey, those people paying $1.05 for a pill while subsidized patients are probably paying $0.10.
Some people just need to be taught a sense of timing and business ethics.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Death rites...
and death wrongs.
Spotted: Half opened offerings to the ancestors
Explanation: If the dead ancestors want to eat, they can use their "super powers" to get to the food. The flies (or imaginary flies) will eat up all the offerings otherwise.
Spotted: Burning joss paper offerings in little stacks of 5 pieces or so
Explanation: The living folk needs a free face toast from the stash of burning joss papers. And the dead ancestor cannot pick up the burnt offerings fast enough if one burns too many pieces at one go.
Sometimes, I just wonder why they can't let go already!
Spotted: Half opened offerings to the ancestors
Explanation: If the dead ancestors want to eat, they can use their "super powers" to get to the food. The flies (or imaginary flies) will eat up all the offerings otherwise.
Spotted: Burning joss paper offerings in little stacks of 5 pieces or so
Explanation: The living folk needs a free face toast from the stash of burning joss papers. And the dead ancestor cannot pick up the burnt offerings fast enough if one burns too many pieces at one go.
Sometimes, I just wonder why they can't let go already!
Monday, August 09, 2010
Free Lunches
It was a North Indian buffet lunch with a twist.
Food would be delivered to the tables instead of diners having to help themselves from the common food display.
The spiced papadoms came. Spicy!
The sutchi fillet curry, the mung bean dhal, and the pureed spinach with chickpeas came. So did the bryani rice and a stack of quartered naans.
Then something that was terribly burnt arrived at the table - chicken tikka. I rejected the dish. No way would I accept something so burnt. There were enough charred bits for me to discard every single piece of chicken without a second look.
The waiter insisted that the dish is supposed to be burnt. Hello... I'm Chinese but this is not my first Indian meal! I asked for tandoori chicken. The waiter said my dish was "normal." I queried him why the rest of the tables get tandoori chicken while we get burnt chicken tikka. So he said he'll bring the tandoori chicken.
A millennium later, the tandoori chicken came. The first piece I took was more than half uncooked. I'm ok with slight undercooking but uncooked. I rejected the dish. The waiter did not protest this time, since he saw the condition of the food.
Then lamb shish kebab came. Not the best but it was meat. Then I wanted my tandoori chicken. What is a North Indian meal without tandoori chicken?
Yet, two millennia later, another dish of chicken tikka appeared. I rejected the dish, saying that it wasn't what I ordered. I want my tandoori chicken. Alas, it was out. The kitchen ran out of it.
Fine, what about dessert? I wanted dessert to round off the meal.
We have gulab jamun and assorted ice cream. I was told. I asked to have both and the waiter noted the order.
The gulab jamun came, burnt to the core. The ice cream was ok.
Bill time. I called one of the non-uniformed guys and asked if he was the boss. He said he was a partner. So I told him about my meal and told him that if his restaurant went under, he has his wait staff and his kitchen to thank.
He was apologetic. I was measured and courteous.
We got a free meal. There are free lunches after all. All you have to do is to be at the right place at the right time.
Food would be delivered to the tables instead of diners having to help themselves from the common food display.
The spiced papadoms came. Spicy!
The sutchi fillet curry, the mung bean dhal, and the pureed spinach with chickpeas came. So did the bryani rice and a stack of quartered naans.
Then something that was terribly burnt arrived at the table - chicken tikka. I rejected the dish. No way would I accept something so burnt. There were enough charred bits for me to discard every single piece of chicken without a second look.
The waiter insisted that the dish is supposed to be burnt. Hello... I'm Chinese but this is not my first Indian meal! I asked for tandoori chicken. The waiter said my dish was "normal." I queried him why the rest of the tables get tandoori chicken while we get burnt chicken tikka. So he said he'll bring the tandoori chicken.
A millennium later, the tandoori chicken came. The first piece I took was more than half uncooked. I'm ok with slight undercooking but uncooked. I rejected the dish. The waiter did not protest this time, since he saw the condition of the food.
Then lamb shish kebab came. Not the best but it was meat. Then I wanted my tandoori chicken. What is a North Indian meal without tandoori chicken?
Yet, two millennia later, another dish of chicken tikka appeared. I rejected the dish, saying that it wasn't what I ordered. I want my tandoori chicken. Alas, it was out. The kitchen ran out of it.
Fine, what about dessert? I wanted dessert to round off the meal.
We have gulab jamun and assorted ice cream. I was told. I asked to have both and the waiter noted the order.
The gulab jamun came, burnt to the core. The ice cream was ok.
Bill time. I called one of the non-uniformed guys and asked if he was the boss. He said he was a partner. So I told him about my meal and told him that if his restaurant went under, he has his wait staff and his kitchen to thank.
He was apologetic. I was measured and courteous.
We got a free meal. There are free lunches after all. All you have to do is to be at the right place at the right time.
Completing the Squares
There are some things that are hard to square, just like quadratic expressions. But I think I have some of them figured out.
For starters, why do smokers exercise? My explanation is that the exercise strengthens their lung functions and enhance their capacities, and help them absorb the deadly chemicals in the cigarettes better.
Why do people not wash their hands after using the toilet, especially before a meal in some eating place? The food they've ordered are too bland and they could do with additional spices.
Why do people not move to the back of a bus or the middle of the train? That part of the vehicle is not going to where they are going.
Why do people not understand that they should avoid smoking before serving a customer? Good service should not include making me share the stinking air your exhale.
Why do people not shower in the morning, even though they stink? Deodorant is too expensive. In any case, their bodies are already producing environmentally friendly, green "fragrance".
Why do people not add enough washing detergent to their laundry? They want their "eau de naturale" to keep their clothes perfumed.
Why do people not think that maintaining quiet is necessary in public? They are hard of hearing.
This list can go on. And perhaps this way, I just have to secretly despise some people without overtly getting more pissed with the rest of them.
For starters, why do smokers exercise? My explanation is that the exercise strengthens their lung functions and enhance their capacities, and help them absorb the deadly chemicals in the cigarettes better.
Why do people not wash their hands after using the toilet, especially before a meal in some eating place? The food they've ordered are too bland and they could do with additional spices.
Why do people not move to the back of a bus or the middle of the train? That part of the vehicle is not going to where they are going.
Why do people not understand that they should avoid smoking before serving a customer? Good service should not include making me share the stinking air your exhale.
Why do people not shower in the morning, even though they stink? Deodorant is too expensive. In any case, their bodies are already producing environmentally friendly, green "fragrance".
Why do people not add enough washing detergent to their laundry? They want their "eau de naturale" to keep their clothes perfumed.
Why do people not think that maintaining quiet is necessary in public? They are hard of hearing.
This list can go on. And perhaps this way, I just have to secretly despise some people without overtly getting more pissed with the rest of them.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Did I even leave?
To all those who are psychologically imbalanced because of my living it up despite bumming around, I'm back at work.
It was in the offing for the last month or so but I'm now officially - well, except I've not signed the Letter of Appointment - back at work. It is my previous job before I began teaching Academic Writing in the university.
Despite being away for more than 2 years - 2 years, 5 months and 12 (13, really - 2008 was a leap year!) days to be exact - I came back and felt right in my place. It is as if I had never left this place before.
It's quite scary, really, that one can physically leave a job but not really leave it in its entirety. Fortunately, I didn't stuff any skeletons in the work closets during my previous stint.
If you'd ask me, I'll say I fit right in. I'm very comfortable here and I feel I'm already in the deep end of things. I had quite a number of briefings this morning to re-acquaint myself with the stuff I have to do and I think I'm going to be up for it.
It was in the offing for the last month or so but I'm now officially - well, except I've not signed the Letter of Appointment - back at work. It is my previous job before I began teaching Academic Writing in the university.
Despite being away for more than 2 years - 2 years, 5 months and 12 (13, really - 2008 was a leap year!) days to be exact - I came back and felt right in my place. It is as if I had never left this place before.
It's quite scary, really, that one can physically leave a job but not really leave it in its entirety. Fortunately, I didn't stuff any skeletons in the work closets during my previous stint.
If you'd ask me, I'll say I fit right in. I'm very comfortable here and I feel I'm already in the deep end of things. I had quite a number of briefings this morning to re-acquaint myself with the stuff I have to do and I think I'm going to be up for it.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Little Cheer
There's been little to cheer about recently. So rather than rant and rave here, I numb myself watching TV.
It's better. Between trying to kill the earth by blogging about things and by watching TV, I think watching TV is better. After all, there are things that once said cannot be recalled.
Laundry's done. Time for it to go into the dryer.
It's better. Between trying to kill the earth by blogging about things and by watching TV, I think watching TV is better. After all, there are things that once said cannot be recalled.
Laundry's done. Time for it to go into the dryer.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Sick again
Caught whatever is going around. But because someone got it first and I have been drinking the herbal drinks that I've been boiling to help with someone's symptoms, I don't seem to be getting it as bad.
But it still feels bad. Sigh.
But it still feels bad. Sigh.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
悲剧...
...女人: 空前绝后。
買內衣
有一天一位先生去幫他太太買內衣，因為他從來沒有幫他太太買過內衣，所以他不知道要買哪一種size！
跟店員扯了半天，店員只好拿水果來形容了！
店員：木瓜？！
先生：no！no！
店員：蘋果？！
先生：不不不！
店員：蓮霧？！
先生:再小一點！
店員：雞蛋？！
先生很高興的說：對！對！對！
當店員瞭解後轉身去拿內衣時，那位突然大叫：小姐等一下！是煎過的。
...后嗣: 前途无亮
父亲查看儿子英语课本,结果昏死
ｙｅｓ－爺死
ｎｉｃｅ－奶死
ｂｕｓ－爸死
ｍｏｕｔｈ－媽死
ｊｅｅｐｓ－姐死
ｇｉｒｌｓ－哥死
ｗａｓ－我死
kｉｓｓ－ 氣死！
ｄｏｅｓ － 都死！
...男人: 精益求精
老謝的醫院新開幕，老王決定去道賀。
踏進門，王先生就對護士小姐說：「我找謝...」
話未說完，護士小姐大叫說：「你早洩？有沒有搞錯？這兒是皮膚科...」
...人生: 回头是暗
心靜自然涼
國小二年丙班上自然課，老師問：「誰知道為什麼人死後身體會冷冰冰的？」
全班都沒人回答…
老師：「都沒人知道嗎？」
這時，教室後面有人說：「心靜自然涼…」
...夫妻: 同床异梦
妻子說：親愛的，我不要你到月台送我，因為我怕你難過，而且還要花二塊錢買。
丈夫笑著說：沒有關係，只花二塊錢就能把你送走，太值得了。
買內衣
有一天一位先生去幫他太太買內衣，因為他從來沒有幫他太太買過內衣，所以他不知道要買哪一種size！
跟店員扯了半天，店員只好拿水果來形容了！
店員：木瓜？！
先生：no！no！
店員：蘋果？！
先生：不不不！
店員：蓮霧？！
先生:再小一點！
店員：雞蛋？！
先生很高興的說：對！對！對！
當店員瞭解後轉身去拿內衣時，那位突然大叫：小姐等一下！是煎過的。
...后嗣: 前途无亮
父亲查看儿子英语课本,结果昏死
ｙｅｓ－爺死
ｎｉｃｅ－奶死
ｂｕｓ－爸死
ｍｏｕｔｈ－媽死
ｊｅｅｐｓ－姐死
ｇｉｒｌｓ－哥死
ｗａｓ－我死
kｉｓｓ－ 氣死！
ｄｏｅｓ － 都死！
...男人: 精益求精
老謝的醫院新開幕，老王決定去道賀。
踏進門，王先生就對護士小姐說：「我找謝...」
話未說完，護士小姐大叫說：「你早洩？有沒有搞錯？這兒是皮膚科...」
...人生: 回头是暗
心靜自然涼
國小二年丙班上自然課，老師問：「誰知道為什麼人死後身體會冷冰冰的？」
全班都沒人回答…
老師：「都沒人知道嗎？」
這時，教室後面有人說：「心靜自然涼…」
...夫妻: 同床异梦
妻子說：親愛的，我不要你到月台送我，因為我怕你難過，而且還要花二塊錢買。
丈夫笑著說：沒有關係，只花二塊錢就能把你送走，太值得了。
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Awesome or what!
"Summer" - From Vivaldi's Four Seasons
This bayan (Russian accodion) player is Ukrain-born Alexander Hrustevich. And I'm blown away.
This bayan (Russian accodion) player is Ukrain-born Alexander Hrustevich. And I'm blown away.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
I wonder...
... if she was wearing a "brack blah" (Inside joke with my former students)
A Singaporean undergraduate was gang-raped last month while on an exchange programme in Hong Kong, Hong Kong newspaper Sing Tao Daily reported on Sunday. The Hong Kong police have arrested a man in connection with the crime, and are looking for two others who are believed to have been involved. The woman, 22, had gone alone to a bar in Lan Kwai Fong, an area in the Central district with many bars and restaurants, and had become drunk. Source: AsiaOne
I cannot be more amused by the report. Apparently, three Nepalese men invited her to a private party on a yacht and she went! On board, she was raped a total of six times! Got to hand it to the Nepalese man. So unpicky and so energetic down there. And a "OMG! How can you be so stupid" for Miss Sarong Party Girl.
... when employers are going to come to terms with the fact that human beings are not machines.
BOSSES in Singapore may be unaware that employees turning up for work when sick could be costing them as much as the 14 days annual paid leave given to staff. 'Presentee-ism' - turning up for work when too ill to do any - could result in hidden losses running to hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses and the national economy, a pioneering study done at Nanyang Business School (NBS) has shown.
[The] study estimated that for an employee below the age of 50 with an annual remuneration of $54,000 (base pay and all benefits), the loss of annual productivity due to presentee-ism is $2,002 for a man, or 13.5 days annually per employee, and $2,255 for a woman, or 15 days annually per employee. Source: AsiaOne
Even machines, like those machines that IBM provided to DBS and POSB decided that enough was enough and took at 7 hour break! Why do people go back to work when they are sick? The bigger problem is Singapore employers' insidious pay practices. A portion of our salaries are held hostage and paid to us in the form of "performance bonuses" if we do well. And if presence at work is a positive measure of my performace, then presentee-ism makes more sense than going on medical leave. After all, no one can fault me for being slower and less productive at work. Don't forget, I'm at work and that's what I am measured against.
We need a radical rethink of the 44.5 hour work week. Do we need to work so much? If I am on call even when I am off work, then surely, the hours that I am needed IN THE OFFICE should be reduced accordingly. HR practices are far from being enlightened and we have ourselves to blame. If we all work to schedule like pilots and air stewards and stewardesses, let's see what happens. But few people have the balls to make this happen.
... if we are using money to buy success
THE budget for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) has surpassed original estimates of US$75 million ($104 million) by more than three times. The projected government spending for the 13-day Games in August will now be approximately $387 million.
[H}owever, that the benefits will still continue to outweigh the increased cost. Besides $260 million (or 70 per cent of the budget) worth of contracts that has been awarded to local companies, the YOG is also expected to attract about 40,000 foreign visitors, generating a $57 million boom in tourism receipts. Source: ST
I certainly hope so. Most Olympic cities go into recession right after the Olympics.
A Singaporean undergraduate was gang-raped last month while on an exchange programme in Hong Kong, Hong Kong newspaper Sing Tao Daily reported on Sunday. The Hong Kong police have arrested a man in connection with the crime, and are looking for two others who are believed to have been involved. The woman, 22, had gone alone to a bar in Lan Kwai Fong, an area in the Central district with many bars and restaurants, and had become drunk. Source: AsiaOne
I cannot be more amused by the report. Apparently, three Nepalese men invited her to a private party on a yacht and she went! On board, she was raped a total of six times! Got to hand it to the Nepalese man. So unpicky and so energetic down there. And a "OMG! How can you be so stupid" for Miss Sarong Party Girl.
... when employers are going to come to terms with the fact that human beings are not machines.
BOSSES in Singapore may be unaware that employees turning up for work when sick could be costing them as much as the 14 days annual paid leave given to staff. 'Presentee-ism' - turning up for work when too ill to do any - could result in hidden losses running to hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses and the national economy, a pioneering study done at Nanyang Business School (NBS) has shown.
[The] study estimated that for an employee below the age of 50 with an annual remuneration of $54,000 (base pay and all benefits), the loss of annual productivity due to presentee-ism is $2,002 for a man, or 13.5 days annually per employee, and $2,255 for a woman, or 15 days annually per employee. Source: AsiaOne
Even machines, like those machines that IBM provided to DBS and POSB decided that enough was enough and took at 7 hour break! Why do people go back to work when they are sick? The bigger problem is Singapore employers' insidious pay practices. A portion of our salaries are held hostage and paid to us in the form of "performance bonuses" if we do well. And if presence at work is a positive measure of my performace, then presentee-ism makes more sense than going on medical leave. After all, no one can fault me for being slower and less productive at work. Don't forget, I'm at work and that's what I am measured against.
We need a radical rethink of the 44.5 hour work week. Do we need to work so much? If I am on call even when I am off work, then surely, the hours that I am needed IN THE OFFICE should be reduced accordingly. HR practices are far from being enlightened and we have ourselves to blame. If we all work to schedule like pilots and air stewards and stewardesses, let's see what happens. But few people have the balls to make this happen.
... if we are using money to buy success
THE budget for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) has surpassed original estimates of US$75 million ($104 million) by more than three times. The projected government spending for the 13-day Games in August will now be approximately $387 million.
[H}owever, that the benefits will still continue to outweigh the increased cost. Besides $260 million (or 70 per cent of the budget) worth of contracts that has been awarded to local companies, the YOG is also expected to attract about 40,000 foreign visitors, generating a $57 million boom in tourism receipts. Source: ST
I certainly hope so. Most Olympic cities go into recession right after the Olympics.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Directions
If we know where to go, we can ask for directions. Not all of us would do so, even if we are lost, but at least we have an idea where we are going.
What about for those who do not know where to go? Does not knowing where to go mean not knowing the directions?
What about simply not knowing the directions? Does that also mean one does not have a destination in mind?
What about for those who do not know where to go? Does not knowing where to go mean not knowing the directions?
What about simply not knowing the directions? Does that also mean one does not have a destination in mind?
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Honestly?
Apple admits iPhones' signal bars give incorrect readings
Problem goes back to the earliest iPhone, the firm says. In many cases, phones displayed two more bars than they should have.
Look here, people. Apple is a fruit!
Singapore MRT vandal to appeal his sentence. Convicted Swiss vandal Oliver Fricker has filed an appeal against his sentence, his lawyer Derek Kang told Bloomberg News. The 32-year-old was convicted last month after pleading guilty to spray painting two carriages of an MRT train with his accomplice, Briton Lloyd Dane Alexander.
Eh, goondu! Clean your freaking ass and take the 3 lovely strokes like a man. Be thankful it is only 3 strokes. If I were the judge, I would have awarded you more than just three strands of the famed Singapore "kway teow" (cane).
A lorry with a crane on it had crashed into a 4.5m-high overhead bridge along Bukit Timah Road just before the turn into Sixth Avenue at about 10.30am. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) decided to remove a portion of the bridge due to safety concerns.
Ha! So bloody Singaporean! Rain only, cannot drive.
Problem goes back to the earliest iPhone, the firm says. In many cases, phones displayed two more bars than they should have.
Look here, people. Apple is a fruit!
Singapore MRT vandal to appeal his sentence. Convicted Swiss vandal Oliver Fricker has filed an appeal against his sentence, his lawyer Derek Kang told Bloomberg News. The 32-year-old was convicted last month after pleading guilty to spray painting two carriages of an MRT train with his accomplice, Briton Lloyd Dane Alexander.
Eh, goondu! Clean your freaking ass and take the 3 lovely strokes like a man. Be thankful it is only 3 strokes. If I were the judge, I would have awarded you more than just three strands of the famed Singapore "kway teow" (cane).
A lorry with a crane on it had crashed into a 4.5m-high overhead bridge along Bukit Timah Road just before the turn into Sixth Avenue at about 10.30am. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) decided to remove a portion of the bridge due to safety concerns.
Ha! So bloody Singaporean! Rain only, cannot drive.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
I'm going green
Warning: This post in tongue-in-cheek.
I'm pledging to save the earth by helping it go green.
I resolve to eat only meat. This way I can help eradicate all the animals that are feeding on plants. When there are less animals to feed on plants, there will be more plants left over.
With more plants on Earth, it will go green.
I should now be eligible to scream in that Saving Gaia advertisement:
If I am eating meat, would you allow me?
And then I can look really motherly and ask:
If I were Mother Nature, would you let me save my plants?
I'm pledging to save the earth by helping it go green.
I resolve to eat only meat. This way I can help eradicate all the animals that are feeding on plants. When there are less animals to feed on plants, there will be more plants left over.
With more plants on Earth, it will go green.
I should now be eligible to scream in that Saving Gaia advertisement:
If I am eating meat, would you allow me?
And then I can look really motherly and ask:
If I were Mother Nature, would you let me save my plants?
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Someone is jealous...
... that BHD got a get well video.
Ok, let me wish this someone a quick breaking free from his green eyed days.
Wow, looks like I am going green too. :)
Ok, let me wish this someone a quick breaking free from his green eyed days.
Wow, looks like I am going green too. :)
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Say a Little Prayer for You
BHD's got a little run in with green salad veggies.
Here's something to wish him a speedy recovery.
Here's something to wish him a speedy recovery.
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