You know that your day is off to a bad start when on your usual long drawn unexciting commute to work, someone lets off a silent gaseous killer in the sardine packed bus and you slowly watch the air around you turn green and brown and you turn blue and purple as you choke and try not to breathe but yet take in enough air to stay alive. *WHEEZE, WHEEZE*
Words went off like alarm bells in my head, namely WTF--as in, What The Fart?! You @$$ (literally)! Leaving a stinkbomb like that and letting us innocents die a slow, painful death?!
And when you arrive in the office, with the last trails of green and brown gas leaving the tendrils of your hair, lo, the painters were called in to repaint the office right behind your desk. Paint fumes, whee! My emails will be incoherent! My brain will be mush! My drink tastes of paint fumes, too! Rainbows and unicorns will prance around my desk in tempo with the pounding of keyboards around me!
My day stinks. I hope yours will smell like flowers and sunshine, and if it does, take a deep breath in rememberance of me.
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
05 November 2009
08 May 2008
Missing: Manners
The Best Grandmother In The World got knocked down by a cyclist who has all the manners of a pig. The cyclist knocked my 70+ year old grandmother down onto the ROAD and then promptly cycled away, leaving her to walk home with a bruised face and swollen lip. SHE'S OVER SEVENTY YEARS OLD!
ARRRGHHHH!!!
Thank God her bones are still strong and healthy for her age, so there wasn't any bone fracture... but now she got no appetite and her face is swollen. Am so angry!
Who knocks down an elderly and leaves her on the road without even helping her up??? Is that even thinkable?! *GNASH TEETH*
Will be visiting her tonight. Poor granny =(
ARRRGHHHH!!!
Thank God her bones are still strong and healthy for her age, so there wasn't any bone fracture... but now she got no appetite and her face is swollen. Am so angry!
Who knocks down an elderly and leaves her on the road without even helping her up??? Is that even thinkable?! *GNASH TEETH*
Will be visiting her tonight. Poor granny =(
15 April 2008
On My Mind
I've been wanting to blog about several things, but the wind keeps getting knocked out of my sails.
Like for example, I wanted to rant about taking public transport and the pains of waiting endlessly for a bus that doesn't appear on schedule. I also wanted to rant about not being able to afford a car because of rising ERPains, not being able to take taxis at the times you need to most because of the various surcharges with a complexity aimed at matching that of our CPF policies, with the only option of wasting your life away on the buses OR squishing to death on the Best Metro Experience MRT. I was inspired and agitated and totally ready to blast the systems... except that I'm all sapped of energy when I reach home. And when I find the time, I heard from a friend who cheerily told me he's okay except that he nearly went to heaven a few weekends ago ("WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?! ARE U OK NOW? OMG HOW???" "oh it's an accident... car's totally totaled but I'm fine, thank God :) ") and so I feel bad for even wanting to complain about something as trivial as the inconveniences of taking public transport.
And then I wanted to take photos of my new place, but the lighting's bad for photo-taking when I'm finally home (i.e., when the sky's dark, cos I was wasting my life away on the bus ride home, see...) and in the mornings I'm in too much of a rush. I'm hardly around during the weekends, and the little time I am at home is spent doing house-keeping to appease the Mother.
Also, if you've been reading the blog for any length of time, you'd know I love talking about food. Recently, with the food crisis all over the papers and in the radio, it's just not right to complain about food anymore. I look at every grain of rice I eat with thankfulness that even though my income has shrunk with rising prices, at least I'm not starving to death. At least I can afford food despite the rising prices... I cannot imagine how it must be for those already struggling to make ends meet, thinking about it saddens me. Buffets look positively sinful-and I mean sinful-now. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an ascetic, not by a long shot, but in the face of impending starvation for many of the poor people in 3rd world nations, gorging on a buffet line is just so wrong. There shouldn't be such an unequal distribution of food--a surfeit here and a deathly lack there. It's just not right.
With all the bad news abounding, I am grateful for a Hope in my life, an eternal Rock to cling on to--Christ Jesus, my salvation.
Like for example, I wanted to rant about taking public transport and the pains of waiting endlessly for a bus that doesn't appear on schedule. I also wanted to rant about not being able to afford a car because of rising ERPains, not being able to take taxis at the times you need to most because of the various surcharges with a complexity aimed at matching that of our CPF policies, with the only option of wasting your life away on the buses OR squishing to death on the Best Metro Experience MRT. I was inspired and agitated and totally ready to blast the systems... except that I'm all sapped of energy when I reach home. And when I find the time, I heard from a friend who cheerily told me he's okay except that he nearly went to heaven a few weekends ago ("WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?! ARE U OK NOW? OMG HOW???" "oh it's an accident... car's totally totaled but I'm fine, thank God :) ") and so I feel bad for even wanting to complain about something as trivial as the inconveniences of taking public transport.
And then I wanted to take photos of my new place, but the lighting's bad for photo-taking when I'm finally home (i.e., when the sky's dark, cos I was wasting my life away on the bus ride home, see...) and in the mornings I'm in too much of a rush. I'm hardly around during the weekends, and the little time I am at home is spent doing house-keeping to appease the Mother.
Also, if you've been reading the blog for any length of time, you'd know I love talking about food. Recently, with the food crisis all over the papers and in the radio, it's just not right to complain about food anymore. I look at every grain of rice I eat with thankfulness that even though my income has shrunk with rising prices, at least I'm not starving to death. At least I can afford food despite the rising prices... I cannot imagine how it must be for those already struggling to make ends meet, thinking about it saddens me. Buffets look positively sinful-and I mean sinful-now. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an ascetic, not by a long shot, but in the face of impending starvation for many of the poor people in 3rd world nations, gorging on a buffet line is just so wrong. There shouldn't be such an unequal distribution of food--a surfeit here and a deathly lack there. It's just not right.
With all the bad news abounding, I am grateful for a Hope in my life, an eternal Rock to cling on to--Christ Jesus, my salvation.
17 March 2008
Packing Woes
Mum, dad and I are trying to pack up the odd ends before the movers come at 8am tomorrow morning, and I'm not sure whether to burst from frustration or keel over with laughter.
Me: Daaad, where's the scissors and masking tape you were using just now?
He: *barely looking up from the contraption he's fiddling with* Over there.
Me: Over where?
He: *not looking up, not pointing anywhere, not making any useful gestures nor eye signals* Over there.
Me: WHERE?
He: *looks at me ever so calmly* There lor.
And I have lost a carton of my most cherished clothes. All the dinner dresses, pretty tops, flouncy skirts and favourite t-shirts. Lost. How? Nobody really knows for sure. Probably forgot to take it in the midst of transportation and it's either on its way to the dump with other rubbish or there is a gleeful girl somewhere in the neighbourhood with a treasure trove of clothes. I am most unhappy.
Me: Daaad, where's the scissors and masking tape you were using just now?
He: *barely looking up from the contraption he's fiddling with* Over there.
Me: Over where?
He: *not looking up, not pointing anywhere, not making any useful gestures nor eye signals* Over there.
Me: WHERE?
He: *looks at me ever so calmly* There lor.
And I have lost a carton of my most cherished clothes. All the dinner dresses, pretty tops, flouncy skirts and favourite t-shirts. Lost. How? Nobody really knows for sure. Probably forgot to take it in the midst of transportation and it's either on its way to the dump with other rubbish or there is a gleeful girl somewhere in the neighbourhood with a treasure trove of clothes. I am most unhappy.
03 March 2008
Yadaaaa!
Do you think it's a good idea...
... to go against instructions?
... to print something butt-ugly?
... to be placed in a prominent position?
... for a nong nong time?
No?
Surprise surprise! Well neither do I. But some people just don't get it, do they?
May a thousand bedbugs descend upon your toes as you sleep!!
Totemo oki no bakajin desu ne.
... to go against instructions?
... to print something butt-ugly?
... to be placed in a prominent position?
... for a nong nong time?
No?
Surprise surprise! Well neither do I. But some people just don't get it, do they?
May a thousand bedbugs descend upon your toes as you sleep!!
Totemo oki no bakajin desu ne.
22 January 2008
A Public Fantasy
One of my fondest fantasies of late is one that cannot be spoken out too loudly in public, for you never know who is listening. However, as each month pass me by, the small fantasy grows bigger and bigger, until at times, the weight of it upon my heart makes me listless and dissatisfied until something is done about it.
Yet I know, my fantasy shall remain precisely that--a fantasy, a dream that will not become reality, and that knowledge wipes the smile off my face and takes the spring out of my step.
*Deep breath*
It is my deep desire to go out in the middle of the night, like a caped crusader, hacking down the towering behemoths of Evil and Stupidity--the ERP Gantries that are erected to redirect traffic flow but instead, redirects our cashflow. Gantries that are obviously futile in easing the traffic problems in this petite island nation, and yet are touted as The Only Way of solving the jam.
What happens when these Gatekeepers don't work? Why, if they don't work, it must be because there isn't enough of them! That's why we need NEW ones at Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio, Kallang and Bendemeer! Heavens forbid that people go into town via alternate routes! Gahmen forbids that people travel NEAR town without paying anything! If we must erect more Gantries, extend their operational time, increase the fares, then by george, we shall! Pockets of the commuters be damned! Their cashcards are our new cashcows!
It is as though the Minister of Transport's job is to make transport as painful as possible, for a reason that completely eludes my comprehension--I must be not cleber enough to understand. These ERP Gantries create more problems than they solve. Like a massive jam along CTE that goes on past 10pm on weekday nights. Or that people end up paying ~$6 when they go through a few Gantries within a short distance because that's the route they have to take. That's just too bad, isn't it?
Another problem the ERP contributed to is the cab shortage in town. Taxi drivers are reluctant to enter town during ERP operational hours because it's a cost to be borne, and who knows if there is anyone flagging a cab down in town. Might as well coast around until someone calls, therefore justifying the $0.50 / $1.00 / etc it costs to drive in.
So we have a cab shortage in town during peak hours. HMMM, how should we solve this problem? Why, by increasing the cost of taking taxi, of course! A simple matter of demand and supply, Economics 101--simply increase the price andddd... whaddya know, you get an overwhelming increase in supply!! Tadaaa, old problem solved.
What? New problem created--too many taxis, no customers now? No lah, after a while, they will get used to it one, just wait and see. Never mind that cab fare increased by almost 50% suddenly and all the statistics reported in the Straits Times sound much rosier than real life. Never mind that the taxi drivers also need to make a living and that by increasing the cab fare so drastically, their income drops drastically because now no one wants to take taxi! That can't possibly be the case--Singaporeans are getting big bonuses, just look at how they did their Christmas shopping. Right? Right!
In my little world, public transport is an unavoidable aspect of my life. It's an area that is getting more and more frustrating to face, for thinking too much about it will simply get you heated up with nowhere to turn to, except for a little page on the WWW. Can you stop the ERP Gantries from being erected? No, but you can fantasize about zapping them to death. Will the taxi fares go down? For the sake of the drivers as well as the commuters, I certainly hope so, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.
A set of superpowers that must be really useful to have when going about the daily transportation grind will be these:
- ERP Stunner / Zapper
Stuns the ERP Gantry into silence, therefore allowing your vehicle to drive by FOC.
- The Pusher-Backer-Forcefield
When activated, causes all those standing along the aisle of a crowded bus, ignoring the squashed commuters trying to board the bus while gawking at TV Mobile to be pushed to the back by an invisible force.
- The Discount-Giver-Taxi-Driver 6th Sense
Can sense which taxi driver hates the price hike as much as you and is willing to drive without the surcharge (cos they actually do make more that way, with the increased demand.)
Yet I know, my fantasy shall remain precisely that--a fantasy, a dream that will not become reality, and that knowledge wipes the smile off my face and takes the spring out of my step.
*Deep breath*
It is my deep desire to go out in the middle of the night, like a caped crusader, hacking down the towering behemoths of Evil and Stupidity--the ERP Gantries that are erected to redirect traffic flow but instead, redirects our cashflow. Gantries that are obviously futile in easing the traffic problems in this petite island nation, and yet are touted as The Only Way of solving the jam.
What happens when these Gatekeepers don't work? Why, if they don't work, it must be because there isn't enough of them! That's why we need NEW ones at Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio, Kallang and Bendemeer! Heavens forbid that people go into town via alternate routes! Gahmen forbids that people travel NEAR town without paying anything! If we must erect more Gantries, extend their operational time, increase the fares, then by george, we shall! Pockets of the commuters be damned! Their cashcards are our new cashcows!
It is as though the Minister of Transport's job is to make transport as painful as possible, for a reason that completely eludes my comprehension--I must be not cleber enough to understand. These ERP Gantries create more problems than they solve. Like a massive jam along CTE that goes on past 10pm on weekday nights. Or that people end up paying ~$6 when they go through a few Gantries within a short distance because that's the route they have to take. That's just too bad, isn't it?
Another problem the ERP contributed to is the cab shortage in town. Taxi drivers are reluctant to enter town during ERP operational hours because it's a cost to be borne, and who knows if there is anyone flagging a cab down in town. Might as well coast around until someone calls, therefore justifying the $0.50 / $1.00 / etc it costs to drive in.
So we have a cab shortage in town during peak hours. HMMM, how should we solve this problem? Why, by increasing the cost of taking taxi, of course! A simple matter of demand and supply, Economics 101--simply increase the price andddd... whaddya know, you get an overwhelming increase in supply!! Tadaaa, old problem solved.
What? New problem created--too many taxis, no customers now? No lah, after a while, they will get used to it one, just wait and see. Never mind that cab fare increased by almost 50% suddenly and all the statistics reported in the Straits Times sound much rosier than real life. Never mind that the taxi drivers also need to make a living and that by increasing the cab fare so drastically, their income drops drastically because now no one wants to take taxi! That can't possibly be the case--Singaporeans are getting big bonuses, just look at how they did their Christmas shopping. Right? Right!
In my little world, public transport is an unavoidable aspect of my life. It's an area that is getting more and more frustrating to face, for thinking too much about it will simply get you heated up with nowhere to turn to, except for a little page on the WWW. Can you stop the ERP Gantries from being erected? No, but you can fantasize about zapping them to death. Will the taxi fares go down? For the sake of the drivers as well as the commuters, I certainly hope so, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.
A set of superpowers that must be really useful to have when going about the daily transportation grind will be these:
- ERP Stunner / Zapper
Stuns the ERP Gantry into silence, therefore allowing your vehicle to drive by FOC.
- The Pusher-Backer-Forcefield
When activated, causes all those standing along the aisle of a crowded bus, ignoring the squashed commuters trying to board the bus while gawking at TV Mobile to be pushed to the back by an invisible force.
- The Discount-Giver-Taxi-Driver 6th Sense
Can sense which taxi driver hates the price hike as much as you and is willing to drive without the surcharge (cos they actually do make more that way, with the increased demand.)
18 January 2008
The (Beautiful) Letdown
I was so anticipating the Switchfoot concert, although at $80, it's quite painful on the wallet. Still, why not, I thought, once in a while mah.
Until I had this conversation...
*****
F: I still want to keel my friend.
Me: why?
F: the one who could've gotten me $55 tixx
Me: !!! !! !! !!! !!!!!
Me: HOW COME U NVR GET UR FREN TO BUY?????
F: BECAUSE HE ONLY JUST TOLD ME! An innocent message he sent on Monday.
"Eh F, want to watch Switchfoot? I can get discount."
WAH LAU EH
F: BEE BEE BAH BOO BEEP
Me: ARGH ARGH ARGHHHH!
F: Apparently it's some discount TJC was giving.
Me: *HEART PAIN!*
F: ... at least you bought the $80 tixx.
F: I bought $90. and it's the $90 that's going for $55
Me: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Me: *bangs wall*
Me: *bangs keyboard*
F: *bangs keyboard against wall*
Me: *bangs wall against keyboard*
F: a feat only your brother can achieve I think *grin*
*****
So. Am grouchy now. Do not cross my path or I will bite. With relish.
Until I had this conversation...
*****
F: I still want to keel my friend.
Me: why?
F: the one who could've gotten me $55 tixx
Me: !!! !! !! !!! !!!!!
Me: HOW COME U NVR GET UR FREN TO BUY?????
F: BECAUSE HE ONLY JUST TOLD ME! An innocent message he sent on Monday.
"Eh F, want to watch Switchfoot? I can get discount."
WAH LAU EH
F: BEE BEE BAH BOO BEEP
Me: ARGH ARGH ARGHHHH!
F: Apparently it's some discount TJC was giving.
Me: *HEART PAIN!*
F: ... at least you bought the $80 tixx.
F: I bought $90. and it's the $90 that's going for $55
Me: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Me: *bangs wall*
Me: *bangs keyboard*
F: *bangs keyboard against wall*
Me: *bangs wall against keyboard*
F: a feat only your brother can achieve I think *grin*
*****
So. Am grouchy now. Do not cross my path or I will bite. With relish.
03 January 2008
Humiliation Part Deux
So after my ego crashed and burned at The Hair Salon last weekend, I went home and tried on a new pair of pants that I bought just before the festive feasting. And lo, it was too tight. My festive feasting have turned into festive flabs. O woe is me.
Today, the first day of work after a festive break (side note: am I the only one who felt that today feels like a Monday? It sucks to have to go back to work immediately after a public holiday), I decided to not wear jeans for a change, seeing how I've been wearing jeans to work throughout November and December. After some deliberation, I settled on my gray pants that is usually quite loose. But now it's fitting!! There is BELLY SPILLAGE when I sit down! *screams in horror and terror!*
The good thing about having a fitness freak for a brother is that he's an in-house trainer. I whined to him "I need to exercise. You got anything to teach me?" and he rattled off a few in-house stuff I could do without going out and flashing my thunder thighs to society at large.
One was called the "plank" or "bridge", something like a push-up, except that you balance on your elbows and toes for one full minute. There is the sadistic variation called the "side plank", which is the same thing just on one side. I did the plank in his room while he nonchalently flipped the pages of the book he's reading and timed me while peppering the session with insults.
Me: *wobbling on my side, trying to do the side plank*
Me: Oh shucks this feels crappy!
He: *barely glancing up from his book* well it's really good for getting rid of love-handles, if you're interested to know. *flips a page*
Me: @#$@%
Me: *turns to the other side to do side plank*
Me: *tries even harder to balance* ARGH! I can't balance! Can I not do this?!
He: Later you one side big, one side small then you know.
Me: Dammit. *Wobbles harder trying to balance*
And so I usher in the new year with 2 blog posts on my humiliating experiences with hair and flab. Truth to tell, my new year started out pleasantly enough and I've got other things to share, but let me get this off my chest first before I start on the other posts. Have a blessed new year filled with God's goodness, yeah? =)
Today, the first day of work after a festive break (side note: am I the only one who felt that today feels like a Monday? It sucks to have to go back to work immediately after a public holiday), I decided to not wear jeans for a change, seeing how I've been wearing jeans to work throughout November and December. After some deliberation, I settled on my gray pants that is usually quite loose. But now it's fitting!! There is BELLY SPILLAGE when I sit down! *screams in horror and terror!*
The good thing about having a fitness freak for a brother is that he's an in-house trainer. I whined to him "I need to exercise. You got anything to teach me?" and he rattled off a few in-house stuff I could do without going out and flashing my thunder thighs to society at large.
One was called the "plank" or "bridge", something like a push-up, except that you balance on your elbows and toes for one full minute. There is the sadistic variation called the "side plank", which is the same thing just on one side. I did the plank in his room while he nonchalently flipped the pages of the book he's reading and timed me while peppering the session with insults.
Me: *wobbling on my side, trying to do the side plank*
Me: Oh shucks this feels crappy!
He: *barely glancing up from his book* well it's really good for getting rid of love-handles, if you're interested to know. *flips a page*
Me: @#$@%
Me: *turns to the other side to do side plank*
Me: *tries even harder to balance* ARGH! I can't balance! Can I not do this?!
He: Later you one side big, one side small then you know.
Me: Dammit. *Wobbles harder trying to balance*
And so I usher in the new year with 2 blog posts on my humiliating experiences with hair and flab. Truth to tell, my new year started out pleasantly enough and I've got other things to share, but let me get this off my chest first before I start on the other posts. Have a blessed new year filled with God's goodness, yeah? =)
02 January 2008
Humiliation
It started normally enough. Hair was getting messier than usual, which meant that it's time to get a haircut. I went to the same place where I got my punky red hair, as they give rather good haircuts (but rather dubious hair colour) and also because I am thick-headed and take multiple times to learn a rather simple lesson.
There are 4 hairstylists--A, B, C and D. The first time I went there to just get a hair-cut, A cut my hair and upon discovering who my brother is (my brother goes there regularly), he started smiling and grinning and telling me how "your brother has a great figure! your brother is sooo driven and motivated! your brother is sooo *gush gush gush*..." O_o *awkward silence on my part*
B was fine, just that he chose a hair colour for me that was exactly the shade that I wanted to avoid, therefore letting history repeat itself.
Now hairstylist C is new. I've not met him before and he came to me, asking...
C: What hairstyle you want?
Me: Do you have any suggestions?
C: Hmmmm... *examines my hair, runs fingers through thehay hair and analyses my face.*
C: I suggest that you get a trim, and try something new, like keep your fringe long on this side, where your parting is. *gestures to the right side of my face*
Me: Okay, sounds good.
C: Do you know why I suggested you keeping your fringe so long?
Me: Um, no. Why?
C: It is so that you can... cover... *gesticulates vaguely at the right side of my face*
Me: *speechless*
Me: ... um, my mole? Oh, I'm actually quite fine with it.
Me: *?!?!?!*
Yeah, I have afacial defect physical deformity beauty mark high up on my right cheek, a rather striking dot on my fair, flawless skin. I've never given a second thought to it, but he wanted to cover it?! What the ...?!
But because I have such high tolerance for awkward comments, I decided to let it pass and immersed myself in my Christmas present, American Gods, while he snipped away. Then while rinsing my hair, the hairstylist went on to say...
C: Now your hair is rather short, but in 1 months time, when you come back for a trim, it will be just nice. Your current hairstyle will suit someone SLIMMER, but for you, it will be better to keep it longer.
Me: *awkward silence*
I should really boycott that salon, I really should. Except that they are just below my flat, charge reasonable rates and deliver fairly decent hairstlyes (by my standards). Curses.
There are 4 hairstylists--A, B, C and D. The first time I went there to just get a hair-cut, A cut my hair and upon discovering who my brother is (my brother goes there regularly), he started smiling and grinning and telling me how "your brother has a great figure! your brother is sooo driven and motivated! your brother is sooo *gush gush gush*..." O_o *awkward silence on my part*
B was fine, just that he chose a hair colour for me that was exactly the shade that I wanted to avoid, therefore letting history repeat itself.
Now hairstylist C is new. I've not met him before and he came to me, asking...
C: What hairstyle you want?
Me: Do you have any suggestions?
C: Hmmmm... *examines my hair, runs fingers through the
C: I suggest that you get a trim, and try something new, like keep your fringe long on this side, where your parting is. *gestures to the right side of my face*
Me: Okay, sounds good.
C: Do you know why I suggested you keeping your fringe so long?
Me: Um, no. Why?
C: It is so that you can... cover... *gesticulates vaguely at the right side of my face*
Me: *speechless*
Me: ... um, my mole? Oh, I'm actually quite fine with it.
Me: *?!?!?!*
Yeah, I have a
But because I have such high tolerance for awkward comments, I decided to let it pass and immersed myself in my Christmas present, American Gods, while he snipped away. Then while rinsing my hair, the hairstylist went on to say...
C: Now your hair is rather short, but in 1 months time, when you come back for a trim, it will be just nice. Your current hairstyle will suit someone SLIMMER, but for you, it will be better to keep it longer.
Me: *awkward silence*
I should really boycott that salon, I really should. Except that they are just below my flat, charge reasonable rates and deliver fairly decent hairstlyes (by my standards). Curses.
05 December 2007
Just Shoot me.
The last thing you'd ever want to see
during your peak period,
rushing artwork after artwork,
staying back late day after day,
is a
&#@$*%#
typographical error
on 9000 flyers.
during your peak period,
rushing artwork after artwork,
staying back late day after day,
is a
&#@$*%#
typographical error
on 9000 flyers.
19 November 2007
Increasing(ly Insane) Inflation
Inflation, inflation, how I detest thee.
"First, the CPI measures average changes in prices across all households. Whether there is an increase in the cost of living for a particular household depends on that household’s spending patterns. Switching to cheaper products can reduce the cost of living despite a rise in the CPI." (Lim Hng Kiang)
Transport
- Taxi fares have obviously gone up. Some examples: the midnight surcharge starts at 11.30pm; the surcharge of taking a cab from the airport have gone up; peak hours have increased.
- The cost of buying cars have gone down--yay! But not the cost of driving one. $5 to use the CTE up til 10.30pm on weekdays (someone say daylight robbery?). After that, just sit back, relax and enjoy the view. With the traffic gnarl that forms at that unholy hour, there's not much you can do anyway. I don't drive, but I'm pissed that a traffic control "solution" is one that does not solve the problem but instead heaps more stress on the commuters. GAH.
- Petrol costs. Wahahahaha. It's insane.
- So anyways, if the cost of taking taxis and cars is too much for you, switch to a cheaper alternative of taking buses. Sorry that they take 1 hour to arrive, despite being so world crass and all. Oh, and they keep increasing the bus fares too, despite their already mind-boggling profits. Why leh? Cos the price of oil lah. (How convenient.)
Housing
- The rental rate is shooting through the roof, with tenants asking for 50% more rent, easily.
- Resale market is red hot now. $50,000 above valuation for a flat fairly near town is considered "pretty reasonable leh!" these days, when barely 6-8 months ago, folks will be screaming bloody murder at these rates.
- En-bloc millionaires will be entering the property market in a few months. What will happen to the HDB resale market then? ("$700k for a 5room flat in Marine Parade? No problemo, I've got the moolah.")
Food
- Have you eaten at foodcourts / hawker centres recently? Anyone noticed how the $2.00 bak chor mee (dowan tur kwa, prease) is now $2.50? Or the western food that was$3.50 $4.00 $4.50 and now, $4.80?
- Speaking of food, the rates for wedding dinner tables are increasing by almost 10% every year. It was $800 per table for a while.. then $900, then $1000, then now creaping up to $1100...
Medical Fees
- Means testing. If you earn a bit more, you may have to pay a lot more now. So fun, huh?
Over and above all these categories, as a safety net to ensure that inflation will indeed occur, is the lovely 2% GST hike. So if you buy a car, you gotta pay 2% more. You eat at that fancy restaurant (or even not-so-fancy restaurant), that's another 2% added to the bill, on top of the price adjustments due to the rising cost of flour, eggs, chicken and such. If you don't do any of the above and just buy some random thing (like electronic goods, perhaps... or go for a massage to escape from all these monetary woes...), there's the good ol' 7% GST to squeeze your coffers just a wee bit more.
Oh, so what if I'm already taking buses everywhere, eating at foodcourts and renting an apartment, cos I can't afford a car, the taxis and an apartment?
*shrugs* There's public assistance, but dat one not that easy to qualify one. That one also got increase. From $260 to $290 per month. Not sure what you can do with that, but dun say govt nair give more money to poor people.
"First, the CPI measures average changes in prices across all households. Whether there is an increase in the cost of living for a particular household depends on that household’s spending patterns. Switching to cheaper products can reduce the cost of living despite a rise in the CPI." (Lim Hng Kiang)
Transport
- Taxi fares have obviously gone up. Some examples: the midnight surcharge starts at 11.30pm; the surcharge of taking a cab from the airport have gone up; peak hours have increased.
- The cost of buying cars have gone down--yay! But not the cost of driving one. $5 to use the CTE up til 10.30pm on weekdays (someone say daylight robbery?). After that, just sit back, relax and enjoy the view. With the traffic gnarl that forms at that unholy hour, there's not much you can do anyway. I don't drive, but I'm pissed that a traffic control "solution" is one that does not solve the problem but instead heaps more stress on the commuters. GAH.
- Petrol costs. Wahahahaha. It's insane.
- So anyways, if the cost of taking taxis and cars is too much for you, switch to a cheaper alternative of taking buses. Sorry that they take 1 hour to arrive, despite being so world crass and all. Oh, and they keep increasing the bus fares too, despite their already mind-boggling profits. Why leh? Cos the price of oil lah. (How convenient.)
Housing
- The rental rate is shooting through the roof, with tenants asking for 50% more rent, easily.
- Resale market is red hot now. $50,000 above valuation for a flat fairly near town is considered "pretty reasonable leh!" these days, when barely 6-8 months ago, folks will be screaming bloody murder at these rates.
- En-bloc millionaires will be entering the property market in a few months. What will happen to the HDB resale market then? ("$700k for a 5room flat in Marine Parade? No problemo, I've got the moolah.")
Food
- Have you eaten at foodcourts / hawker centres recently? Anyone noticed how the $2.00 bak chor mee (dowan tur kwa, prease) is now $2.50? Or the western food that was
- Speaking of food, the rates for wedding dinner tables are increasing by almost 10% every year. It was $800 per table for a while.. then $900, then $1000, then now creaping up to $1100...
Medical Fees
- Means testing. If you earn a bit more, you may have to pay a lot more now. So fun, huh?
Over and above all these categories, as a safety net to ensure that inflation will indeed occur, is the lovely 2% GST hike. So if you buy a car, you gotta pay 2% more. You eat at that fancy restaurant (or even not-so-fancy restaurant), that's another 2% added to the bill, on top of the price adjustments due to the rising cost of flour, eggs, chicken and such. If you don't do any of the above and just buy some random thing (like electronic goods, perhaps... or go for a massage to escape from all these monetary woes...), there's the good ol' 7% GST to squeeze your coffers just a wee bit more.
Oh, so what if I'm already taking buses everywhere, eating at foodcourts and renting an apartment, cos I can't afford a car, the taxis and an apartment?
*shrugs* There's public assistance, but dat one not that easy to qualify one. That one also got increase. From $260 to $290 per month. Not sure what you can do with that, but dun say govt nair give more money to poor people.
27 October 2007
History Repeats Itself
Sometimes, we learn from our past and take steps to avoid the same things from happening to us.
Sometimes, we go through lessons and circumstances again. And again. And again, again, again.
Why?
Because we never learn from the experience in the first place. We don't analyse to see what went wrong in the first place and take steps to make sure it doesn't happen the same way. So when faced with the same set of circumstances, we take the same familiar steps and we get a sense of deja vu when events unfold in a chillingly similar manner.
Will I never learn?
Sometimes, we go through lessons and circumstances again. And again. And again, again, again.
Why?
Because we never learn from the experience in the first place. We don't analyse to see what went wrong in the first place and take steps to make sure it doesn't happen the same way. So when faced with the same set of circumstances, we take the same familiar steps and we get a sense of deja vu when events unfold in a chillingly similar manner.
Will I never learn?
02 September 2007
Code
I'b down wib a code. By nose id thuck and air-con id by biggeth edeby.
Thigh.
Cand dju underthand what i'b thaying?
I'b got a CODE! A CODE!
*AHCHOOOOOO...*
*sniffle... Hooooonk*
Ethcuth be while I go brow by dothe.
Thigh.
Cand dju underthand what i'b thaying?
I'b got a CODE! A CODE!
*AHCHOOOOOO...*
*sniffle... Hooooonk*
Ethcuth be while I go brow by dothe.
16 August 2007
Let It Be Known That I Hate My Brother
My handphone rings, and lo, it's the Brother, no less!
Me: Hello?
He: Hey yah, I'm going down to a thrift shop because my friend who works there just told me that a filty rich guy just came down with a load of Armani shirts and stuff. You want anything from there for Intuition?
Me: Great thanks! Help me pick up something.
He: Ok sure.
Me: If you happen to see anything nice for ladies, can you help me pick it up too? My waist is 2x - 2(x+1). Thanks.
He: . . .
Me: ?
He: . . . so fat?
Me: Hello?
He: Hey yah, I'm going down to a thrift shop because my friend who works there just told me that a filty rich guy just came down with a load of Armani shirts and stuff. You want anything from there for Intuition?
Me: Great thanks! Help me pick up something.
He: Ok sure.
Me: If you happen to see anything nice for ladies, can you help me pick it up too? My waist is 2x - 2(x+1). Thanks.
He: . . .
Me: ?
He: . . . so fat?
24 July 2007
The Painful Tooth.
Yesterday, I was a brave little girl and I had my wisdom tooth forcibly yanked out extracted. The dentist was really professional and friendly throughout the whole torture mutilation surgery and had it out within 15minutes. I am so thankful that my visit to the clinic lasted less than 1hour, including X-ray and waiting time. (Thanks, God! ^_^)
So here I am, at home on a lovely Tuesday morning, blogging =)
I can't bend down too much as there would be this rush of blood towards the tooth cavity and it's quite a gross thought thinking of the gush of blood spurting out of where the tooth used to be. This morning as I lazed around in bed, luxuriating in my right to stay at home, I realised that my whole mouth tastes / smells of stale blood that had collected over the night. UGH. A quick visit to the washroom and a spit proves my suspicions right--it IS (stale) blood. I have vampire breath. Yuck yuck yuck.
I can deal with the fact that the right side of my face looks like a chipmunk DNA experiment gone wrong; even the throbbing ache from my jaw-bone to my throat whenever I swallow anything (even saliva) is not that bad; it's the constant tinny taste of blood in my mouth that irks me. But I'm not supposed to rinse my mouth too often as it hinders the blood clotting process, and we wouldn't want the blood to not clot, do we?
Another thing I have to come to terms with is that my diet for the next few days will revolve around mushy luke-warm food with zero texture (read: baby food). Too hot and it will scald the sensitive mush of blood and flesh where my wisdom tooth used to reside. Too cold and the exposed nerves will pick it up and amplify it. Too hard and it will jab into it (OUCH!).
Intuition was really kind to take 1/2 day's leave to meet me before the operation for a last supper of sorts, and to accompany me for the rest of the day. It's a good meal to help me tide through the season of bad meals that is to come for the next few days (although I am secretly planning a revolt tomorrow, that come tomorrow, I shall disobey all orders and eat something tasty instead! Damned if it be hot and spicy, I want to eat and eat well, I shall!)
Yesterday, the Best Grandma In The World was informed that her spoilt little bratty princess will be coming down to her place in the evening after the wisdom tooth extraction ("there's no one at home to take care of meeeee... can I go down pleeaaasee??? and can you cook porridge for me pleeeeaaaaseee??"). And so she did, she cooked a nice pot of pork porridge for me. Except that when dinner time came, I had zero appetite and the thought of putting food into my bloodied and mangled mouth was such a turn off for my appetite. Finally, I worked up enough will power to sip some soup bit by bit (it was VERY HARD WORK) and even managed to eat half a small bowl of porridge. I took all of 1hour to finish that small meal.
This morning, I had a mug of luke-warm milo and 2 small paos for breakfast. I did slightly better this time round--45min. The taste of milo and paos is a very welcome change from the taste of blood, plus I have all the time in the world for the next few days. I will survive.
So here I am, at home on a lovely Tuesday morning, blogging =)
I can't bend down too much as there would be this rush of blood towards the tooth cavity and it's quite a gross thought thinking of the gush of blood spurting out of where the tooth used to be. This morning as I lazed around in bed, luxuriating in my right to stay at home, I realised that my whole mouth tastes / smells of stale blood that had collected over the night. UGH. A quick visit to the washroom and a spit proves my suspicions right--it IS (stale) blood. I have vampire breath. Yuck yuck yuck.
I can deal with the fact that the right side of my face looks like a chipmunk DNA experiment gone wrong; even the throbbing ache from my jaw-bone to my throat whenever I swallow anything (even saliva) is not that bad; it's the constant tinny taste of blood in my mouth that irks me. But I'm not supposed to rinse my mouth too often as it hinders the blood clotting process, and we wouldn't want the blood to not clot, do we?
Another thing I have to come to terms with is that my diet for the next few days will revolve around mushy luke-warm food with zero texture (read: baby food). Too hot and it will scald the sensitive mush of blood and flesh where my wisdom tooth used to reside. Too cold and the exposed nerves will pick it up and amplify it. Too hard and it will jab into it (OUCH!).
Intuition was really kind to take 1/2 day's leave to meet me before the operation for a last supper of sorts, and to accompany me for the rest of the day. It's a good meal to help me tide through the season of bad meals that is to come for the next few days (although I am secretly planning a revolt tomorrow, that come tomorrow, I shall disobey all orders and eat something tasty instead! Damned if it be hot and spicy, I want to eat and eat well, I shall!)
Yesterday, the Best Grandma In The World was informed that her spoilt little bratty princess will be coming down to her place in the evening after the wisdom tooth extraction ("there's no one at home to take care of meeeee... can I go down pleeaaasee??? and can you cook porridge for me pleeeeaaaaseee??"). And so she did, she cooked a nice pot of pork porridge for me. Except that when dinner time came, I had zero appetite and the thought of putting food into my bloodied and mangled mouth was such a turn off for my appetite. Finally, I worked up enough will power to sip some soup bit by bit (it was VERY HARD WORK) and even managed to eat half a small bowl of porridge. I took all of 1hour to finish that small meal.
This morning, I had a mug of luke-warm milo and 2 small paos for breakfast. I did slightly better this time round--45min. The taste of milo and paos is a very welcome change from the taste of blood, plus I have all the time in the world for the next few days. I will survive.
13 July 2007
Horror Story
I didn't come up with this story, but it sure scares the heck outta me...
Source
Source
BEIJING — Chopped cardboard, softened with an industrial chemical and flavored with fatty pork and powdered seasoning, is a main ingredient in batches of steamed buns sold in one Beijing neighborhood, state television said.
The report, aired late Wednesday on China Central Television, highlights the country's problems with food safety despite government efforts to improve the situation.
Countless small, often illegally run operations exist across China and make money cutting corners by using inexpensive ingredients or unsavory substitutes. They are almost impossible to regulate.
State TV's undercover investigation features the shirtless, shorts-clad maker of the buns, called baozi, explaining the contents of the product sold in Beijing's sprawling Chaoyang district.
Baozi are a common snack in China, with an outer skin made from wheat or rice flour and a filling of sliced pork. Cooked by steaming in immense bamboo baskets, they are similar to but usually much bigger than the dumplings found on dim sum menus familiar to many Americans.
The hidden camera follows the man, whose face is not shown, into a ramshackle building where steamers are filled with the fluffy white buns, traditionally stuffed with minced pork.
The surroundings are filthy, with water puddles and piles of old furniture and cardboard on the ground.
"What's in the recipe?" the reporter asks. "Six to four," the man says.
"You mean 60 percent cardboard? What is the other 40 percent?" asks the reporter. "Fatty meat," the man replies.
The bun maker and his assistants then give a demonstration on how the product is made.
Squares of cardboard picked from the ground are first soaked to a pulp in a plastic basin of caustic soda — a chemical base commonly used in manufacturing paper and soap — then chopped into tiny morsels with a cleaver. Fatty pork and powdered seasoning are stirred in.
Soon, steaming servings of the buns appear on the screen. The reporter takes a bite.
"This baozi filling is kind of tough. Not much taste," he says. "Can other people taste the difference?"
"Most people can't. It fools the average person," the maker says. "I don't eat them myself."
The police eventually showed up and shut down the operation.
19 June 2007
Le Sigh.
My hair has often been a sore point for me.
When I was in primary school, my grandmother used to gaze at my luxurious, long, black hair and will say, "Your hair can be used for shampoo advertisements" as she stroked the silky, glossy strands.
Come secondary school, hormones came along and brought its friends, Acne & Insecurity, into my wretched adolescent existence. And hormones ravaged my hair and left it unrecognizable. What was once silky & black is now just... a mess of black wires. Truly, with each painful year, the hair simply exploded. It was unstoppable: black, thick, unruly, wiry, coarse, untameable. I gave up trying to have a flattering hairstyle, for verily, hope deferred makes the heart sick.
In junior college, I found a hairstyle that won't make me look too much like a mop and pretty much stuck with it for the rest of my life, as a JC friend so unkindly and bluntly pointed out to me ("Hey Quirkie! Wah your hairstyle never change from JC days hor!"). Oh sure, I tried a different style every now and then; I even had a dalliance with the rebonding trend; but at the end of the day, it was still the boring short cropped layered slope.
My church... *shuddering sob* A place of respite & acceptance? They coined this nickname for me: Bush. Nope, nothing to do with America, everything to do with botany.
And the colour of my hair. It's an intense black. A did-you-dye-your-hair-black?-black. So if you have tres noir hair that is also over-abundant, you get this very hard and harsh look without even trying (have I mentioned my thick, black eyebrows?). It wasn't until I tried colouring my hair once after my graduation that I realised how a softer hair-colour can make a person look friendlier and less sallow.
A few months ago, I tried colouring my whole head a reddish-orange tinge and it worked pretty well for me. I felt more confident and looked less harsh. But you know how it is... hair colour fades, black roots grow out. So, yesterday I decided it was time for a new colour treatment, seeing how I've got 2 weddings to attend pretty soon. I chose a reddish colour again, seeing how it worked for me the last time.
As the hairdressor washed off the dye, I stared at the mirror and a pale-faced punk with bright red hair stared back at me.
This morning, my colleague did a double take when he saw me. He went over to my other colleague and said...
He: Quirkie did something to her hair.
She: Okay, is it a good or bad thing?
He: It's... attractive.
She: So it's a good thing lah?
He: You can say that... but attractive also means it attracts a lot of attention.
So far, an aunty in the office has been merciless on her relentless attacks on my hair. "Ah lian! Ah lian! When Intuition see you, he'll be like, Wah! Who's this new girl I'm dating? Looks like ah lian!"
And then she said, "Wah, with this colour you must be careful about what you wear... Wait you wear not nice, people say you aunty. You go market later people call you 'aunty'!" -____-b
"Eh, what is this colour you dyed? Burgandy? You must tell me, so that next time I go hairdressor, I'll know what colour not to ask for..."
*whispers to another colleague* "I want to pour my black coffee on her hair so that it will turn black..."
Woe is me, for I am a girl of unkind hair, and I work among a people of unkind lips :(
When I was in primary school, my grandmother used to gaze at my luxurious, long, black hair and will say, "Your hair can be used for shampoo advertisements" as she stroked the silky, glossy strands.
Come secondary school, hormones came along and brought its friends, Acne & Insecurity, into my wretched adolescent existence. And hormones ravaged my hair and left it unrecognizable. What was once silky & black is now just... a mess of black wires. Truly, with each painful year, the hair simply exploded. It was unstoppable: black, thick, unruly, wiry, coarse, untameable. I gave up trying to have a flattering hairstyle, for verily, hope deferred makes the heart sick.
In junior college, I found a hairstyle that won't make me look too much like a mop and pretty much stuck with it for the rest of my life, as a JC friend so unkindly and bluntly pointed out to me ("Hey Quirkie! Wah your hairstyle never change from JC days hor!"). Oh sure, I tried a different style every now and then; I even had a dalliance with the rebonding trend; but at the end of the day, it was still the boring short cropped layered slope.
My church... *shuddering sob* A place of respite & acceptance? They coined this nickname for me: Bush. Nope, nothing to do with America, everything to do with botany.
And the colour of my hair. It's an intense black. A did-you-dye-your-hair-black?-black. So if you have tres noir hair that is also over-abundant, you get this very hard and harsh look without even trying (have I mentioned my thick, black eyebrows?). It wasn't until I tried colouring my hair once after my graduation that I realised how a softer hair-colour can make a person look friendlier and less sallow.
A few months ago, I tried colouring my whole head a reddish-orange tinge and it worked pretty well for me. I felt more confident and looked less harsh. But you know how it is... hair colour fades, black roots grow out. So, yesterday I decided it was time for a new colour treatment, seeing how I've got 2 weddings to attend pretty soon. I chose a reddish colour again, seeing how it worked for me the last time.
As the hairdressor washed off the dye, I stared at the mirror and a pale-faced punk with bright red hair stared back at me.
This morning, my colleague did a double take when he saw me. He went over to my other colleague and said...
He: Quirkie did something to her hair.
She: Okay, is it a good or bad thing?
He: It's... attractive.
She: So it's a good thing lah?
He: You can say that... but attractive also means it attracts a lot of attention.
So far, an aunty in the office has been merciless on her relentless attacks on my hair. "Ah lian! Ah lian! When Intuition see you, he'll be like, Wah! Who's this new girl I'm dating? Looks like ah lian!"
And then she said, "Wah, with this colour you must be careful about what you wear... Wait you wear not nice, people say you aunty. You go market later people call you 'aunty'!" -____-b
"Eh, what is this colour you dyed? Burgandy? You must tell me, so that next time I go hairdressor, I'll know what colour not to ask for..."
*whispers to another colleague* "I want to pour my black coffee on her hair so that it will turn black..."
Woe is me, for I am a girl of unkind hair, and I work among a people of unkind lips :(
18 June 2007
If you luv me like Jesus asked you to you'll give me money...
--->> Warning: Potentially controversial rant ahead. If you disagree with me, I invite you to tell me why, but no flaming please! <<---
Today, someone came into the office saying "Praise Jesus!" and asked for a staff who wasn't in at that time. So another staff attended to him.
And then the elderly gentleman went on to announce loudly to the whole office a sob story about how he's got no money n he needs money to go Ang Mo Kio to see doctor n he needs money and the office must give him money cos he's asking Jesus for help and he got no money and he wants us to give him money to let him get to AMK to see doctor if we don't give him money how he walk there he got athritis you know his leg is painful he got no money he's asking Jesus for help to give him money to go AMK to see doctor his medicine finish already he cannot walk to AMK not using money to gamble or womanise need to see Dr in AMK (how does he reach here in the first place?!?!!) My colleague offered him a free meal and offered to refer him to a medical social worker to get his bills reduced / waived / something or other but he insisted that "i need money to see doctor."
Apparently he came here several times asking for money already. From Ang Mo Kio? Hah.
Do I sound jaded and harsh? I don't think so. Honestly, I'm all for helping the less fortunate and I truly believe there are many individuals out there who need a helping hand. I honestly do think that more can be done for the poor in Singapore, eg making resources known instead of hiding it behind lots of corporate social jargonese. But there is a difference between having compassion for those in need, and being wise so that you're not taken for a fool.
The first time I met such a person, I was alone in the office with no one else around. I had to IM a guy from another part of the building to come in and handle the situation. Same case--guy walks in, says "Praise Jesus!" and goes on to say how he needs money. Out of the kindness of his heart, the guy who attended to him gave him $10 and sent him on his way. Is he going to spend the money on food? We don't know, but frankly that's beyond our control.
Working in a VWO, I know that we do render practical help and assistance to genuine cases. There are usually some paper work to go through, but for the urgent cases, we do close an eye and give some form of assistance before the paperwork is done (e.g., food rations). And there is world of a difference between a genuine cry for help and a deliberate emotional blackmail ("if you don't help me get out of this {make-believe} mess i got myself into it's all your fault").
Today, someone came into the office saying "Praise Jesus!" and asked for a staff who wasn't in at that time. So another staff attended to him.
And then the elderly gentleman went on to announce loudly to the whole office a sob story about how he's got no money n he needs money to go Ang Mo Kio to see doctor n he needs money and the office must give him money cos he's asking Jesus for help and he got no money and he wants us to give him money to let him get to AMK to see doctor if we don't give him money how he walk there he got athritis you know his leg is painful he got no money he's asking Jesus for help to give him money to go AMK to see doctor his medicine finish already he cannot walk to AMK not using money to gamble or womanise need to see Dr in AMK (how does he reach here in the first place?!?!!) My colleague offered him a free meal and offered to refer him to a medical social worker to get his bills reduced / waived / something or other but he insisted that "i need money to see doctor."
Apparently he came here several times asking for money already. From Ang Mo Kio? Hah.
Do I sound jaded and harsh? I don't think so. Honestly, I'm all for helping the less fortunate and I truly believe there are many individuals out there who need a helping hand. I honestly do think that more can be done for the poor in Singapore, eg making resources known instead of hiding it behind lots of corporate social jargonese. But there is a difference between having compassion for those in need, and being wise so that you're not taken for a fool.
The first time I met such a person, I was alone in the office with no one else around. I had to IM a guy from another part of the building to come in and handle the situation. Same case--guy walks in, says "Praise Jesus!" and goes on to say how he needs money. Out of the kindness of his heart, the guy who attended to him gave him $10 and sent him on his way. Is he going to spend the money on food? We don't know, but frankly that's beyond our control.
Working in a VWO, I know that we do render practical help and assistance to genuine cases. There are usually some paper work to go through, but for the urgent cases, we do close an eye and give some form of assistance before the paperwork is done (e.g., food rations). And there is world of a difference between a genuine cry for help and a deliberate emotional blackmail ("if you don't help me get out of this {make-believe} mess i got myself into it's all your fault").
09 May 2007
Aggravating...
... is when you're submitting a form with confidential information thru' e-filing (and they'll give you a pin at the end of the application...), and you click "print" to print the resulting document (with the pin numbers and all the confi info) the browser decides to HANG. And therefore you have to END THE PROGRAMME ("sorry, all unsaved information will be lost. would you like to report this error to Microsoft?" NO, NON, NIEN, dammit!). and you have to redo that lengthy form and dig out all that stoopid info all over again. Except that this time, the browser decides to get all sulky and takes an eternity to load every darn page.
And so you restart your computer.
Totemo baka desu.
And so you restart your computer.
Totemo baka desu.
03 April 2007
$360 per year vs $1,000,000 per year
Public Assistance has gone up--hooray! But by a measly, measly $30 per month, which works out to $360 per year. That's $1 per day, which honestly doesn't buy you very much, especially with the impending GST hike (which hurts the poor the most, no?).
MP Lily Neo is pushing for $400 a month, a significant increase from our current $260 per month, which I totally support. Afterall, isn't our 2% increase in GST supposed to go into expenses like these, towards the poor and the destitute? I'm sure the amount collected from the increased GST is more than enough to finance that increase on top of the other schemes that are going to come into place to help the poor.
Speaking of increased payouts, the Ministerial salaries are facing a $1M upward revision. $1M can finance 3445 people on Public Assistance for a month if they receive $290 per month. Wow. That's a lot of poor people to help, isn't it??
It's rather beyond me why ministers can be convinced to give themselves a monthly pay increment of $83,333.33 per month while quibble and be hardfisted about giving the very-poor $400 a month and just give a token $30 increment instead. They have just given themselves a 75% pay rise! Who gets a 75% pay rise so easily?? O_o Surely not the poor! (for whom the GST has risen. But methinks that the 2% doth raise more cash than is being given thus far. Wherefore art the remaining moolah?)
The argument is that Public Assistance shouldn't be so generous such that people become lazy and rely on dole to survive rather than find a job. However, working in the social service industry opens your eyes to some of the difficulties that these poor people face. Some of them face health problems that make it difficult for them to find jobs (e.g., blind, or have lost their limbs to diseases etc...). There is this family I met where the mother is the only one able to take care of her bed-ridden son who met with a serious accident in his twenties, and her husband had just passed away. How about this old man whose back is bent at 90degrees, working as a karang guni to eke out a meagre income to support his wife and his daughter--both of whom are mentally ill? Then there is the host of elderly who are living alone, without the support of their children and they rely on social service centres to provide them with their meals.
$290 a month for them. $400 is overly generous. Isn't it?
Sigh.
MP Lily Neo is pushing for $400 a month, a significant increase from our current $260 per month, which I totally support. Afterall, isn't our 2% increase in GST supposed to go into expenses like these, towards the poor and the destitute? I'm sure the amount collected from the increased GST is more than enough to finance that increase on top of the other schemes that are going to come into place to help the poor.
Speaking of increased payouts, the Ministerial salaries are facing a $1M upward revision. $1M can finance 3445 people on Public Assistance for a month if they receive $290 per month. Wow. That's a lot of poor people to help, isn't it??
It's rather beyond me why ministers can be convinced to give themselves a monthly pay increment of $83,333.33 per month while quibble and be hardfisted about giving the very-poor $400 a month and just give a token $30 increment instead. They have just given themselves a 75% pay rise! Who gets a 75% pay rise so easily?? O_o Surely not the poor! (for whom the GST has risen. But methinks that the 2% doth raise more cash than is being given thus far. Wherefore art the remaining moolah?)
The argument is that Public Assistance shouldn't be so generous such that people become lazy and rely on dole to survive rather than find a job. However, working in the social service industry opens your eyes to some of the difficulties that these poor people face. Some of them face health problems that make it difficult for them to find jobs (e.g., blind, or have lost their limbs to diseases etc...). There is this family I met where the mother is the only one able to take care of her bed-ridden son who met with a serious accident in his twenties, and her husband had just passed away. How about this old man whose back is bent at 90degrees, working as a karang guni to eke out a meagre income to support his wife and his daughter--both of whom are mentally ill? Then there is the host of elderly who are living alone, without the support of their children and they rely on social service centres to provide them with their meals.
$290 a month for them. $400 is overly generous. Isn't it?
Sigh.
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