A Slice of Life

Precious Water

2010-04-12T09:04:00.001+08:00

I was walking past a HDB estate and spotted this guy washing the floor. In fact, its not the first time seeing this but this time around, due to the recent heatwave, I decided to take a picture. The weather has been sizzling in the last 2 months or so with temperatures going up to 35 degrees celcius and rainfall has been minimum. Rivers are drying up and reservoir water levels have been dropping. It's not really noticeable to the casual visitor but if you fish the reservoir like I do, you'll noticed the falling levels.

Why did I take this picture? Well, I figured this guy is wasting alot of good water. Its like you can also wash you car by spraying it with a high pressure jet or you can wash it with a couple of pails of water and a brush, sponge or cloth. You'd probably end up using alot less water using the latter method...

Its nice to see workers keeping our estates clean but these workers should be taught to use a more water efficient way. I'm not blaming the workers. They are just doing their job. Just look at the amount of debris on the floor... wouldn't a big brush together with the water do a better job?

Do you really believe this?

2010-04-07T11:49:00.000+08:00

This article appeared in the New Straits Times of Malaysia a few weeks ago. It showed a Malaysian fishing boat trying to lift a dead whale shark out of the water. The fishermen who brought the Whale Shark back claims they were trying to save it... or were they?

I mean, these are experienced guys of the sea. You see a huge whale shark that is probably injured or sick swimming on the surface and you tow it back to shore to save it? And 20 Nautical Miles (almost 40km) out to sea? They should have known that towing it backwards for that distance is going to stress it and probably kill it, not to mention bringing it back to shallow, polluted, dirty waters of the port.

So, were they actually looking for a quick sale of huge shark's fin, but unfortunately got caught by the media and changed their story to "trying to save it"? Or were they really trying to save it? You decide!

Meanwhile, I will just give them the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Innocent until proven guilty!

This Dude said I had bad manners!

2009-12-19T15:44:00.001+08:00

A few weeks ago, I saw an ad in the papers about "Formula for Prosperity" which I thought was quite interesting. What was more interesting was the speaker, a "Dada Vaswani" who sounded and looked like one of those Indian Gurus. My interest was piqued and I decided to attend the seminar. Interestingly the seminar was attended mostly by Indians and I could not really make out what kind of religion this was. It was preceded by some singing before the honorable Dada Vaswani made his appearance.

This guy was quite impressive. He is 92 and seems to be sharp as a needle and relatively healthy. He still speaks well and has a sense of peace and tranquility in his demeanor. I know many people who are barely 80 and can barely walk or talk coherently. Amazing! I am already impressed!

Which is not the reason I wrote this article by the way.

I was sitting quite near the front and I was in shorts. Indians seem to dress up quite well (at least from what I saw) and I had this well dressed, elderly gentleman sitting next to me. I am kind of used to crossing my legs when I sit... sometimes even shaking them a little. As I sat with my legs crossed, this elderly dude leaned towards me and told me to uncross my legs. I asked, "Why?" and he said, "It's bad manners" and started shaking his head. Since when was crossing one's legs bad manners? Not sure if this is Indian culture but I've definitely never heard of it. Here's what the dude look like. Old, white hair and with a spare tire round his waist.

Well anyway, I was kind of caught by surprise and I started thinking how I should respond. I could tell him off and to mind his own business. But hey, look at the white "mane" he has. Much as I was tempted to tell him off, I decided to show the "elderly" a little respect and kept my comments to myself. I uncrossed my legs... boy was it difficult to sit with my damn legs uncrossed. You know how a habit is like... once you are used to it, you just cannot do without it.

Well, I sat a while and decided to look around me. I looked left (see those ladies sitting beside him) and some of them had their legs crossed as well. Hey, double standard!

I looked right and hey, sure enough, there's a lady right across the aisle crossing her legs (see picture below). So how come they can do it and I cannot?

Anyway, I didn't want to pick a fight cos it's a "Sure Lose" situation for me. I mean, if he beats me up, I lose. If I beat him up (which is more likely the case), people will say I am a bully and I lose. If I raise my voice, I am disrespectful and I lose. Damn, this is a "No Win" situation for sure. Like between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea! Either way, I die!

So I sat a little while longer and somewhere about halfway through, I decided to leave the seminar and go home. It was a pretty good seminar actually, but I didn't want to sit among losers and let their negative energy affect me... let alone, sit with someone who thinks he's God Almighty!

Anyway, I did learn something. The iPhone is pretty good at taking candid pictures... as you can see, this dude sat beside me and did not even know I took quite a few pictures of him. Same goes for the lady across the aisle. She even had her head turned towards me and did not realize a thing. Way to go, Apple...!

I tawt I taw a "puddy" cat!

2009-11-29T12:01:00.000+08:00

"I Tawt I taw a Puddy Tat" is a 1947 short animated cartoon, released in 1948 starring Tweety Bird and Sylvester the Cat. The bird's inability to enunciate certain letters is the reason for the pronunciation of his famous catch-phrase that forms part of this cartoon's title. This is the first film whose title included Tweety's speech-impaired term for a cat.

I went to Sitex 2009 yesterday morning. I knew it was going to be crowded so I decided to get there early. I reached there at 10am only to realize that the show opens at 11am. Then at about 10.15am, I saw a lot of people walking in and I decided to do the same.

While reaching the door, I was singled out by this security guard lady who rudely pointed me to a corner, all without saying a word. I asked, "Why?" and she said, "You don't have a pass!" Damn, what is happening to Singaporeans... she could have just told me, "Sir, only passholders are allowed in a the moment. Please come back later at 11am." That was rude!

OK, so I don't know what to do, I have about 40mins before the doors officially open and decided to sit at the outdoor food area. I wanted to order a drink but the queue was too long, so I decided to play around with my camera.

Out of nowhere, I "tawt" I "taw" the nicest pair of long, slim and straight legs walking towards me. Naturally I looked up to see what it was attached to. I was a little disappointed but still, my mind was going, "Nevertheless, that's a nice pair of legs!", trying my best to stay positive after two not so positive experience early in the morning.

Then she stopped about 20m away and I realized she met a friend. After the customary hug and kiss the younger generations are so obsessed with these days, she fished out a packed of fags and started (what she probably thought was) "stylishly" knocking it against her wrist. Out pops two cigarettes and she generously offered one to her friend who gamely accepted.

As I was snapping away, she walked towards me... and I thought she's going to bash me and push that lighted cigarette into my mouth for taking her pictures. I started making up imaginary excuses in my mind when I realized they were just both seeking some shade from the blazing sun. Whew... close shave!

They then continued their puffs, ever so stylishly, as if parading on a catwalk. Maybe they "imagined" all the eyes sitting at the outdoor food court on them.

I've noticed more and more girls than guys smoking these days, and I often wondered "why?". Is it stylish? I'm not sure. In fact, I don't think so. Maybe it's just a passing fad, but then, I've noticed this for the last 10 years or so, so it cannot be a fad! A pack of cigarettes cost about SGD10 and imagine, smoking a pack a day... that's SGD3,650 per year... a tidy some of money which can be put aside for many uses.

I "tawt" I "taw" the nicest pair of legs, became, I "tawt" I "taw" a big turn-off. I tuck my camera into my bag and proceeded into the exhibition hall! Nevertheless, I cannot deny those were a nice pair of legs!

Another inconsiderate driver!

2009-11-21T17:54:00.000+08:00

I go down to the Beach Road, Funan Center and Sim Lim Square area quite often on Saturday... to buy some stuff, to hang out with fishing friends etc... The area around Beach Road, Bussorah St area is always packed with people and cars and finding a parking lot is really really tough, especially on a Saturday afternoon. This is the reason I always ride my bike down. Not only is it easier to find a motorcycle parking lot, you get to park for free most times.

Well, today I was there and was looking around for motorcycle parking lots. While I did finally find one, I came across this lorry parked at one of my favorite lot, taking up two motorcycle lots in the process. This is really irritating.... and I see it all the time. As a driver, most people do not feel the frustration motorcyclist feel when their lots are taken up by 4 wheelers... but put the situation in reverse and there's bound to be some unpleasant consequences. Try parking your motorcycle in a car parking lot anywhere and I bet it will be toppled, moved away, destroyed before you know it.

Do drivers do this to motorcyclist (ie take up their lots) because they feel they are bigger and hence have more rights? Or is this the same reason many drivers squeeze motorcyclist out of their lanes as and when they want to, knowing very well that the motorcyclist have to give way as they are more vulnerable?

I question this because I see it all too often but this is the first time I actually took a picture of it as I had my iphone with me then.

Before anyone criticizes, bear in mind that I am both a driver and a motorcyclist, so I get to see both sides of the picture quite well.

In any case, I'm posting these pictures in stomp and I know what kind of comments I'm going to get... from drivers! I'll post them here once there are comments just to make this post more interesting! Keep watch!

Humble enough to admit your mistakes!

2009-11-18T13:29:00.000+08:00

Humility is not one of the People's Action Party (PAP) strong points. They've built for themselves a reputation for ruling with an iron fist and a "Do what I tell you and not what I do!" attitude. But people do change as they grow older and more mellow.

I was pleasantly surprised when I read today's Straits Times. In an article about learning and teaching Mandarin, MM Lee Kuan Yew, the "strongman" of the PAP admitted openly that he made a mistake (see cut-out above). This is certainly rare but very nice to hear.

Much as we know that success is often built on humility, it is almost easier said than done. MM Lee has achieved much in this life... possibly more than any politician I can think of. But what's even more important is that he achieved all this while being an underdog. Singapore, this, little island, this little red dot (as Dr Habibie of Indonesia once called it when he was president), was never given a chance against the bigger countries. With no natural resources, no space, no huge domestic market, insufficient freshwater supplies, Singapore is now a leading country in Asia.

What more proof is needed. Just look at this current recession. Singapore was the first country in Asia to exit the recession. OK, sure, there are countries like Indonesia or the Philippines who can claim they never even went into a recession... but look closely and you will see that Indonesia like China, have a huge domestic market and natural resources to depend on. The Philippines' lacklustre performance even before the recession only guarantees them that they could not fall any further. Hey, when you are down on the floor, you cannot go any lower!

I'm not a big fan of MM Lee and his dictatorial ways but I'm proud of what he has done for Singapore. Then, of course, you cannot argue with success too. Maybe that was the only way out at that time... Let's learn a humble lesson from the man himself!

Amusing Sign... and Bad English...

2009-11-16T15:19:00.000+08:00

Went to Far East Plaza over the weekend as I wanted to buy a new handphone and found that one particular shop there was selling them at very attractive prices. However, the shop was hidden behind a row of shops and it was not easy to find and I had to walk almost the whole second floor of Far East Plaza before I found it.

But then, I have not been to Far East Plaza for a long time (probably 3 years) and it was interesting to see some of the changes that had taken place. Actually I think it's going backwards, much like Lucky Plaza. In some of the corners, you will see some sleazy tattoo shops, sex shops and questionable massage joints.

But then, this post isn't about those shops; rather, it's about this interesting sign I saw in one small boutique. Nothing special about the sign other than the poor english it was written in. The sign reads, "This shop is under CCTV surveillance. Shoplifting is a serious offence. Shoplifter will be handle to the police."

Well of course we all know where the mistake is... What they really meant is "Shoplifters will be handed over to the police"!

We all received these bad english signs from Japan, China, Taiwan and even Korea in our emails and we all laugh when we read them. However, little do we realise that we can find them in our own backyard too. No wonder, the papers have been harping on our poor english lately!

Inconsiderate drivers!

2009-11-08T13:46:00.000+08:00

This was a beautiful Sunday morning. Woke up fresh and hungry! It never fails to make me feel really good when my stomach is growling with hunger. I know that my body has functioned well and used up all the food I put in the day before. Sometimes, you wake up with a bloated stomach and you know have have to get rid of those putrefied food fast before you get a stomach ache! This usually happens when you have a late heavy meal... then go to sleep! Damn do I feel good this morning!

Decided to go down to East Coast Road to have my favorite noodles. This noodles are some of the best I have eaten. Highly fragrant, lots of spices and herbs and "melts in your mouth"! My only complain is that they use Pork Lard to cook... but even that is forgivable if food taste this good!

While this place is not so crowded, it's usually quite hard to find a parking lot in the morning. I quickly spotted an empty lot as I got near and thought, "Not only do I feel good, I'm in luck too!" Until I got nearer that is... then I realized that the pickup truck in front had taken up a quarter of the parking lot I wanted. Damn! There are just too many inconsiderate drivers in Singapore. This is not the first time I encounter this... but it will be the first time I'm taking a picture of it and sharing it with others. And I intend to continue to do this... just to expose these inconsiderate drivers. I may even send the pictures to STOMP.... wish I had the number plate taken!

I walked in front and realized that while the pickup was at fault, the front driver was the main cause of rendering one nice parking lot unusable. Look at how far the pickup is from the front car! So that makes two inconsiderate drivers in a row... how nice! Check these pictures out for yourself and see what I mean! Don't these people even use their brains???

Do you buy branded running shoes?

2009-11-03T20:51:00.000+08:00

I love watching sports commercials alot; Nike and Adidas especially. Nike sponsors some of the best sportsmen the world has ever seen; Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and their commercials evokes the "machoness" every "real man" want to be seen with. It's little wonder, they are the top sports shoes company in the world? I bave to admit I've been pretty much "sold" by these commercials and I had my fair share of Nike, Adidas, Pumas and whatever else.

I run 3-4 times a week and they take their toll on running shoes. I usually have 3 pairs at any time; one in the car, one at home and one in my gym bag. Nevertheless, few last more than 2 years. The shoes last alright, the soles don't. Usually after a year or so of hard running, the sole either wears off or drops out, especially if you run in the wet season. Commercials sells you the technology, the "air soles", the fit blah, blah, blah and they charge you an arm and leg for these high tech shoes. I don't get the best usually as the best cost in excess of SGD200 per pair. I usually buy mine at sales at between SGD80 to SGD120 per pair. But still, at that price, I expect them to last at least 3 to 5 years!

I've been disappointed, always! I've had to throw away excellent pairs of shoes, just because the sole gave way and there is just no way to fix them up. Here's a picture (above) of my two latest pair; a Mizuno and a Saucony, shoes in the same class and price as Nike, Adidas, Puma and Reebok. Both these pairs are just over 2 years old and already the soles are gone...

This is where I start questioning myself! Do I really have to buy these "branded" shoes. Are they any good for my knees or ankles as they profess, or will any reasonable pair do the job equally well. I remembered my army days when we were running in basic and cheap, China made shoes in plain black, the kind you see worn by Chinese Pugilist. These were standard issues by the Singapore Armed Forces then... and we ran up and down rugged hills, day in and day out without any ill effects. There were no "air soles", "arched support", just plain simple rubber soles, and they seldom drop off.

Wtih this in mind, I decided to look around for a good amd cheap pair of running shoes, one that is less than SGD50. I saw this at the local Bata shop (Bata is a local brand), selling at SGD29. I bought a pair and they looked excellent. I had my first run in them today and they performed admirably. Now I wonder how long they'd last. In any case, as long as they last as long as my Nikes, Mizuno or Saucony, I'd be really happy because at SGD29, I could buy 4 pairs of these for a pair of the former!

In any case, I'll be using these and will report on their durability at a later date! If they so much as last me 1.5 years, I'm going to say "bye bye" to "branded" running shoes. I can't be paying the exorbitant salaries of Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and the other top rank stars that these company sponsors! Am I cheap? No way, I'm just value conscious... and logical... and not brand conscious! I really should not be spending money I don't have, on brands and things I don't need, to impress people who don't even care... especially in a recession!

Pee post

2009-10-28T20:44:00.000+08:00

The last time I visited the Philippines was in 2003, that's some 6 year's ago. Today, I arrived at the airport expecting to see major changes after 6 years. Afterall, Singapore had gone through some major changes... Two Integrated Resorts (read "Casinos"), Singapore Flyer, Circle Line, the prestigious SAIL condo, Marina Barrage, World's first F1 night race etc.... etc... the changes are countless!

The moment I stepped out of the airport, everything looks pretty much the same. The NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) still looks run down, the windows were uncleaned, the floor had no carpets, long queues at customs... "OK maybe later... they cannot build a new airport every few years!" I told myself, "Be fair to them!".

I got into a yellow cab just outside the airport. Then 500m just out of the airport, I spotted these "pinkies"! Know what they are?

Well, look closely at the picture below. See it? Well, they are Male Urinals! If you still don't get it, they are places for men to pee! I passed one of these with a man inside, and I can see his legs below and his flow of pee hitting the ground, splashing back up and almost upon his feet! I could almost hear the sound it makes! As we pass it, I could see his back through the wide entrance. I quickly pull out my camera but it was too late. Then I realized that along the way to my hotel, these "pinkies" were laid out almost every 500m or so apart, so I took a couple of pictures, unfortunately without anyone inside this time. Immediate question that comes to mind; "OK so men get a chance to pee along the way, what about women?" I looked around searching for female urinals (not that I need to use them) but found none.

So why do these "Pinkies" have to be laid out every 500m or so... do Filipino men have to pee so often? Or do they drink too much? I asked my colleague when these "pinkies" were put up and he told me that the Mayor of the County put them up about 3 years ago despite some protest. How can a country in one of the fastest developing region in the world (Asia) have these primitive "Pee Post" right next to where visitors all over the world can see them ie right next to the International Airport! Or is this a Filipino original, a cultural piece the Philippines could be proud of... something they want the whole world to know and claim as their own, like Malaysia wants to claim Satay or Chilli Crab as their own? And look at the quality... they look like they were (and probably are) made out of disused Oil containers split right in the middle and supported by a few post... a natural magnet for Graffittis from the many highly energtic youths, especially after a few rounds of alcohol. And of all colors, it has to be Pink!

Is your wardrobe in a mess?

2009-10-24T15:05:00.000+08:00

I've never found the need to fold my T-Shirts because it just takes too much time. And because they are soft, they never get crumpled anyway (lazy man's way of thinking... almost like why should I make my bed since I'm going to mess it up again tonight!)

But would I fold my T-Shirts if there is a super simple, easy as magic way to do it! I probably would. If anything, my wardrobe would look a lot neater.

Well, a friend shared this with me recently.... and I tried it, and it works... like Magic! The best thing is, once you know it well, you don't even need to do it on the floor, all you need is your lap!

Beauty in a Cage

2009-10-24T10:21:00.000+08:00

Some time back, I was in Germany for a business trip. On my way home at Munich Airport, I was walking to the gate when this tall blond girl walked past me in quite a hurry. Woah... she looked sophisticated in her black leather outfit, 4" boots and walked with a sway and gait unlike models on a catwalk. "What's the hurry babe?" I asked in my mind...

Another 20m in front of me and she turned into this little room with quite a few men inside. It was smoky and the visual atmosphere appeared to be one of intense suffocation. "Huh, the smoking room!", I thought, as a sense of disappointment crept through me!

I quickly took a picture with my newly purchased Apple iPhone and left. Unfortunately, due to reflections, you'll not be able to see her in the "cage".

Why would a person of such beauty and grace, subject herself to being the equivalent of a "caged animal", not unlike those you find in a zoo. "Even the zoo cages have fresher air!" I thought silently, letting my thoughts drift away as I strolled to my gate for my flight home!

I have nothing against smokers really... but I do have something against smoking! My dad smokes, my brother smokes and I have numerous good friends and colleagues who smokes too. After all, this is a free world and we all make our choices. But to have to do this in a "caged" environment that almost shouts "OUTCAST!" to the world, befuddles me!