Residents Of Older Estates Live Longer

Research studies have shown that residents of housing estates that are built in the 1960s and earlier, generally live longer than those from housing estates built after the 1960s. Examples of such estates are Queenstown, Tiong Bahru, Toa Payoh.

Reason for residents of such estates living longer is: These estates were designed to be more pedestrian-friendly. This means residents of such estates got to walk around more than residents of newer estates.

Newer estates are designed with the car in mind. So it is much easier to drive than walk around in a newer estate.

Does this mean residents of newer estates like Sengkang, Punggol will not live as long as the residents of Queenstown, Toa Payoh? I think people who would prefer to have a short and sweet life rather than a long but sickly one, would not mind staying in a newer estate.

Clearing The Table After Eating

It’s a common sight to see uncleared tables strewn with unfinished food or food that has been chewed and rejected and spat on the table.

Why do most Singaporeans don’t bother to clear the tables at a food court after they have eaten? It’s just another sign to show how much we are lacking in social graces.

Clearing one’s table after eating at a public dining area is a social norm in Japan, US, Europe but certainly not so in Singapore.

If everyone in Singapore decides to clear their tables after eating, most if not all of the uncles and aunties who work as table cleaners would be out of a job.

There was a man who wanted to clear his table after eating at a fast food joint but was stopped by a cleaner. The cleaner was obviously afraid that his job would be redundant if every patron clears his own table after eating.

If we clear the table, it’s not because we are civic-minded or public-spirited or anything like that. We only do so simply because we ourselves need to use the table to place our food and eat.

Personally, I don’t think it’s a big deal at all to clear my table after eating. I do so whenever I patronise a fast food joint, which I seldom patronise anyway nowadays. I’m not a fan of junk fast food.

When we were in school and the army, we clear the table after eating. But after leaving school and national service, we throw this basic social grace out the window.

Employers Who Discriminate Older Workers Get Retribution? Probably Not

Readers of TODAY wrote to complain against employers who discrimiate against older workers by cutting their pay, retrenching them, etc.

Will these employers ever end up like the older employees whom they mistreat? Probably not. Because these SME employers are either bosses of the company themselves or relations of the boss. So chances of them ending up like the workers whom they ill-treat are zilch. Unless of course their company goes bust and they become bankrupt; poorer than poor.

Then there are those who are highly educated and work as a human resource director of an MNC and treat older workers like shit. Is there a chance of them ending like the senior citizens whom they step on and shove aside? Seems highly unlikely. Afterall, they are the ones who will receive fat severance packages when it's time for them to get the boot or golden handshake because of their old age.

Proton Perdana More Expensive To Maintain Than A Mercedes Benz? Unbelievable

Terengganu Chief Minister is getting blasted for using Mercedes-Benz E200s

instead of Malaysia's own Proton Perdanas

as official state vehicles. He claims E200s are cheaper to maintain. Who's he trying to fool? The spare parts and accessories of a Perdana can be found in almost any car workshop throughout Malaysia but those of an E200 can only be found in an workshop authorised by Mercedes-Benz.

If he's concerned with keeping maintenance costs low, he should consider getting Toyota Camrys instead.

A Camry is cheaper than a E200 and less costly to maintain too.
---------------------------------------------------------------
TODAY, Friday, 25th July, 2008
PROTON TOO COSTLY? GET A MERC
-------------------------------
Terengganu Chief Minister justifies trading in Protons for Mercedes-Benz
E200s
KUALA LUMPUR — The Chief Minister of Terengganu has hit back at critics who rebuked him for buying 14 Mercedes-Benz cars to be used as official state vehicles, reported the New Straits Times (NST).
"You can go to some of the Cabinet ministers' houses. I am sure you will see Mercedes-Benz cars in their garages," said Mr Ahmad Said yesterday. He claimed that all the chief ministers in other states knew that the official Proton Perdana V6 Executive cars were faulty, but did not want to admit it.
"I am not a hypocrite, I am telling the truth. I am being transparent here. Proton should see this in a positive light and improve itself," he was quoted by NST.
"I have to think of how to save the people's money.
"Ask any engineer and they will tell you that the Mercedes E200
Kompressors are more economical in the long run."
Proton responded that it has not received any warranty claims from the Terengganu government on its Perdana V6 Executive cars, reported NST.
"Proton is looking :seriously into this matter. We will be contacting the state government to find out the details of the service history records of the affected cars, for Proton to provide necessary assistance on this matter," it said.
Proton also said that, based on its records, the maintenance cost and efficiency of the model is moderate and reasonable, reported the NST. Last week, Mr Ahmad sparked an outcry with his claim that Terengganu's 3.43-million-ringgit ($1.43 million) expenditure on the German cars was a "cost-cutting measure".
The NST reported that :Mr Ahmad later said the gearbox and fuel consumption of the Perdana were the main culprits of the high costs, and that the cars would be given to other government departments. Meanwhile, Bernama news agency reported that the chief ministers of Pahang and Kelantan have come to :Mr Ahmad's defence. Mr Adnan Yaakob and Mr Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said it was costly to maintain the national cars. But Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Terengganu government's purchase of the Mercedes-Benz cars was not right at a time of economic uncertainty, and added that it should have settled for a cheaper car such as a Toyota.

"Eee... Eee... Eee...!"

Just went to Bedok Reservoir Park’s Forest Adventure on Saturday. Had a great time climbing the trees and playing the flying foxes across sections of the reservoir. No matter how much I struggle to face forward during the flying fox, I would crash into the sand backwards. Got so much sand in my butt I could hardly walk.

Bedok Reservoir Park, speaking of which, many years ago, around 1990, I was cycling around the reservoir and listening to my walkman.

I recall taking around 50 minutes to cycle around the whole reservoir’s gravel track.

Back in those days, the mp3 player was totally not in existence yet.

I was listening to Mannheim Steamroller’s Fresh Aire 7. Recorded onto a That’s cassette tape from a friend’s CD. This friend of mine, Hak Sim, introduced me to all the new age music that I know and listen to.

As I was cycling and listening to the tracks halfway. I heard a loud and screechy “Eee… eee… eee…!”

I almost jumped out of my skin and fell off my Mongoose mountain bike.

After listening to the cassette tape carefully, I realised the high-pitched eerie sounds actually came from the cassette tape because it was faulty. The sounds did not come from the park.

Cross Road Viaduct

I find it a tad both amazing and unbelievable that LTA is actually building a temporary viaduct above Cross Street to facilitate the construction of the new Downtown Line (DTL) to connect Chinatown and Marina South. This viaduct would serve to alleviate potential traffic congestion during the DTL construction along Cross Street.

When the DTL is completed in 2013, the roads will be reinstated and this viaduct will be demolished.

The viaduct will be completed and opened to motorists in the 4th quarter of 2008.

I have to concur that to force traffic along Cross Street during the DTL's construction is not easy. It's not easy for both the motorists driving along Cross Street and for the people involved in the construction of the DTL.

But to actually build a temporary viaduct above Cross Street and to smash it into bits when the DTL's construction is complete, sounds rather wasteful too. Why can't LTA keep the viaduct so as to give motorists the choice of driving along the reinstated Cross Street or on the viaduct above it? Just like the Telok Blangah Road viaduct.

Bird-face

This morning my wife went to a 7-Eleven outlet to buy some sandwiches for breakfast. She was commenting on how nice the cashier inside was to her.

I told her the same lady was downright bitchy and unfriendly towards me. I used to go there on Saturday morning to ask her if the store has TODAY newspaper and she would say no curtly. She wasn’t friendly either when I make payment for the stuff that I buy from there.

Another f#@king bitch.

My wife told me she’s not friendly towards me because I have a bird-face.

Same reason why my colleague bitches only me and is friendly and nice towards everybody else in the office.

Life just ain’t fair, is it? My wife naturally has a pleasant disposition whereas I seem to have a perpetual frown on my forehead. It’s not that I’m frowning all the time, it’s just that my frown marks have become permanently etched onto my forehead like wrinkles. So even when I’m not frowning, some people look at me and think I’m frowning.

That’s why wife would ask me every now and then, “Why your face so black all the time?”

See, even the fact that I have permanent frown wrinkles slips my wife’s mind every so often.

For the record, I don’t frown all the time. I only appear to be frowning because I have frown wrinkles. Like Clint Eastwood.

A Female Dog

Melvin has a colleague who’s a bloody f#@king CB bitch.

This bitch always can’t talk to Melvin nicely, in a friendly manner.

She’s always frowning and scowling at him.

She always asks for things from him in a discourteous, hostile, unfriendly manner.

One of these days, Melvin is going to snap and bark at this bitch for her totally unjustified and unwarranted bitchiness towards him.

Everytime Melvin gives her what she asks for, she has never ever had the courtesy to say “Thanks” at all. Not even once. That’s how bloody f#@king discourteous she is. She never said “Thank you” to him at all.

This is even though Melvin has been exericsed such basic courtesy by saying "Thank you" to her when she gets certain stuff done for him.

Melvin wants to blow her for giving him shit for so long because she doesn’t give her shit to other people in the office.

The bitch is a stupid nincompoop who is totally inflexible when it comes to handling work. Her name is Jessica. Someday, when Melvin has had enough and can’t stand taking her shit anymore, he is going to erupt like a volcano and blow her head off.

Bloody f#@king CB bitch.

Why You Shouldn't Name Your Son Julian

If you have a baby son, don't name him Julian.

Because Julian sounds like 猪脸 (pig-face in Chinese).

Keep Scan-Plate & Cashcard Slot of IU Separate

One obvious problem we have with the current In-Vehicle Units (IUs) in our motor vehicles is the location of the cashcard slot. As the IU is attached to the front windscreen, any cashcard left inside the IU of a parked vehicle would be obvious to anyone outside the vehicle.

It seems even a cashcard cover can’t save a windscreen from being smashed by a burglar to steal the concealed cashcard. Some car owners even have the misfortune of having their windscreen smashed even though they have kept their cashcard elsewhere. But because their cashcard cover is concealing the cashcard slot, the burglars presumed the cashcard is inside the IU.

It would be good if LTA can come out with a IU where the cashcard slot and the scan-plate above the IU (attached to the windscreen) are separate. The cashcard slot should ideally be located below the dashboard, where a cashcard inside cannot be seen by people outside the vehicle. Better still, hide the cashcard slot part of the IU inside the glove compartment.

I’m sure by keeping the scan-plate of the IU and the cashcard slot separate, it would help to prevent motorists from having their windscreens smashed and their cashcards stolen.

Even though LTA has plans to roll out ERP payment by using the motorist’s credit card, to eliminate the problem of a motorist forgetting to slot his cashcard in the IU before going under a gantry in operation, an IU where the scan-plate and the cashcard slot are separate would still be useful since not every motorist has a credit card.

Sending One's Child To An Elite School

Why are parents in Singapore so kiasu, nervous and panicky when it comes to sending their child into a primary school? Why do they insist on sending their child into a branded, elite school?

I have no problem if the parents are elite themselves who studied well in school and had received distinctions year after year. These parents are from good branded schools themselves and performed well academically.

But I think chances of ordinary parents begetting ordinary kids are higher and only logical.

As I’m not an “elite” parent myself, I’m not in favor of sending my son to a branded school. Whereas my in-laws are pretty much bent on sending my son to a branded school. I have my misgivings about son fitting into and exceling in such a school.

My reasons for not being keen on sending my son into a branded school are simple.

Firstly, it’s not easy getting my son into one since I’m not an old boy from any elite school.

Secondly, I’m not rich and certainly can’t afford to send him to an expensive classy school like ACS (Anglo-Chinese School).

Thirdly, my son has proven to be a non-conformist child. He doesn’t pay as much attention to the teacher in a class like everybody else. He may be bright and clever. But all his brightness and cleverness would come to naught if he doesn’t pay attention in class and does as the teacher instructs.

Fourthly, I don’t like the idea of subjecting him to all the pressure to perform in a branded elite school.

Fifthly, if a child is a non-conformist type, he might get discouraged every year as the yearly ranking of the students in his class would undoubtedly place him among the last few of his class. Such discouragement could well make him even more turned off towards his studies.

I think one of the obvious advantages of an ordinary neighborhood school is its more relaxed pace of study and ranking. A non-elitist, non-gifted child of a couple who are not elite and gifted themselves, would have less of a hard time coping with the stress that comes with studying in the school. In fact, he might be even ranked around 10th to 20th position of his class, somewhere in the middle, where it’s not so discouraging and stressful. No need to be gifted. Just study at a relaxed pace, try to pay attention in class, absorb as much as possible during each class. And get above average results in tests and exams. I'm not saying studying in an ordinary neighborhood school isn't stressful at all. I'm only saying it's less stressful than a branded school.

Isn’t that better than being stressed out in an elite school where the standards are invariably higher and getting results that are below average or only around the passing mark?

One's childhood of learning in school should be filled with enjoyment, fun, laughter. We can prevent our children from being subject to unecessary excessive stress that comes from studying in a branded elite school.

As for parents' concern about gangsters in neighborhood schools, the actual fact and truth of the matter is: Every school has its fair share of bad eggs.

Even so-called elite schools have gangsters too.

Will The Chopper Fall On Them Too?

First it was NKF’s TT Durai. Then it was Ren Ci Hospital’s Venerable Shi Ming Yi.

Now we are wondering if any of the top pastors of the megachurches will ever get investigated for drawing princely salaries either in cash or in kind to fund purchase of their luxury cars, luxury condos, etc. It seems unlikely since their auditors are bound by non-disclousure agreements. They can't divulge the exact amounts and details of the remuneration a church pays to its top pastors.

A church is a non-profit organisation. For most of the members, they attend church to worship God. For them, attending a church and being its member does not result in them making any direct monetary profit. They may get blessed financially after attending a church and committing themselves to a church. But that's a different story.

Whereas for top staff on the church’s payroll, it certainly does look very profitable for them. Look how fat their bank accounts have grown.

Pastor Kong Hee

drives a 4.2L Audi A8

(estimated to cost around $400,000) bought by his pop star wife Sun Ho, using royalties from the sale of her album.

Pastor Joseph Price

used to drive a Volvo XC90

(estimated to cost around $200,000). Now he drives a BMW 7 series (estimated to cost around $260,000) if it’s a basic 730i(A) model.

How To Get Singaporeans To Make More Babies?

Copycat Sweden loh.

Below are 3 points I consider rather salient:

1. Parents get 16 months of leave, 2 of which are reserved for the other spouse. Fathers get 10 days of paternity leave.

2. Child-birth benefit: 80% of income for 1st 13 months, minimum $40 for next 3 months.

3. Child allowance of S$242 a month up to 16 years of age.

These are also stuff which I seriously doubt the gahmen will ever implement. The gahmen may be serious in wanting to encourage Singaporeans to make more babies. But I doubt they will ever be dead serious enough to do what Sweden has done.

Afterall, it’s so much easier to encourage foreigners to migrate to Singapore. I wonder if foreigners who migrate to Singapore would be discouraged from making babies since this isn’t exactly a very conducive environment to make babies and bring them up.

“Stunt-Monk” Gets Charged

Former CEO Of Ren Ci Hospital, Venerable Shi Ming Yi, Gets Charged For Forgery, Conspiracy And Misuse Of Funds

I wonder if the punishment to be meted out on Ming Yi would be similar to that slapped on TT Durai. Are their wrong-doings similar? Looking at the charges, they do bear some similarities.

Various revelations emerged during Durai’s trial about spending from the charity's funds on luxury items which appeared to be for the personal use of Durai and his wife.

Ming Yi has also been alleged to have approved million—dollar investments for the charity, whereby the funds included loans for himself. Wonder what he used this money for. Buy a Mercedes-Benz for himself?

As this is the second major case in Singapore where a large charity and its leaders have been charged with mismanagement of funds, after the NKF saga, many comparisons would be made between Durai and Ming Yi.

Roach-phobia

I hate cockroaches. Each time I see one, I squash it under my foot, if possible. But then nowadays, I don’t really crush under my foot every roach that crosses my path. Nowadays, I can’t really be bothered to flatten all roaches zealously. Age is catching up with me. I’m kinda tired of all this roach-flattening “business”, if you can call it one. Even though there’s no money to be made from it. None whatsoever.

Many years ago, I had a close encounter with a flying roach. I was out wandering about downstairs at around midnight at my old home at Marine Parade. For some reason(s) which I can’t recall, I was carrying a pair of scissors. As I climbed up a flight of stairs to enter the lift, a roach flew towards my face. I gave it a death-blow using the pair of scissors. I surprised myself by my high degree of accuracy as the pair of scissors hit the roach, smack on. I whacked it down onto the floor and crushed it flat under my foot.

Talking about roaches that fly onto people’s face, I had a friend from NS, Daryl Gee, his name was, who had a terrifying experience of a roach landing on his forehead. To top it off, he whacked the roach flat and the roach’s “juice” flowed down his face. Gross right? I bet anyone who has had such a “horrific” experience would probably be stricken with paranoia-like roach-phobia for the rest of his life.

Asshole School-mate

One day after I boarded the school-bus to school, I wanted to sit in front beside the driver as there was still room.

An asshole blocked my way and refused to let me in. He wanted to reserve the space for his friend(s) who were boarding later.

He gripped tightly the metal pole that surrounded the bus-driver. I poked hard at the fucker’s wrist but he refused to budge. I was not able to sit in front.

I can still remember his outright defiant lan jiao bin (penis face).

I should have kicked him in the balls instead.

The Wheels Of The Bus Go Round & Round...

Many years ago when I was in primary school, I took the school bus from home school and back.

Once, I took a bus which did not take me home. In the early 80s, I was staying at Marine Parade. The bus which I took to get from home to school that day did not go to Marine Parade. Instead it went to Bedok.

So I took the bus all the way to Bedok. After the last student had alighted from the bus, the bus-assistant auntie saw that i was sitting all alone at the back of the bus. She walked up to me and asked me where I stayed. I told her Marine Parade. So she flagged down a cab and brought me back to Marine Parade. I reached home late around 8pm that evening.

I wondered how come none of my school-mates who took the school bus with me, wasn’t with me on that wrong bus. Aferall, there was no sign on the front windscreen of the bus stating its destination.

Crap.

Once I was waiting for the school bus to come, I challenged a couple of my school-mates to a dash to see who could reach an electrical switch-board first. While we were at it, the school-bus came and my 2 school-mates turned back and ran towards the boarding point. I was dashing too fast and couldn’t stop in time, so I banged my head against the switch-board.

Ouch!

Jump

A commanding officer (CO) died during an exercise in Wallaby, Australia.

He was on sitting on top of a tank. He told the tank driver to charge.

The tank driver did as he was ordered.

The CO got hit hard by a chunky tree branch which the tank drove under.

He died from the hit.

This begs the question, why didn’t he jump off the tank before the tree branch hit him?

Oh he did make the jump alright.

He just jumped to another world to meet his Maker.

Black Getz With CNG

All along i thought hatchbacks like Hyundai Getz are too small to have a CNG tank fitted into their boot. I was proven wrong last night. I actually saw a Hyundai Getz with the CNG sticker on its rear bumper. And it was involved in an accident. Its butt was smashed into by a taxi. I guess the cabby couldn’t believe his eyes either when he saw the Getz with a CNG sticker on its rear bumper. He must have wanted to get a closer look and ended up bumping into the Getz’s butt.

If More Pay Not The Answer, Perhaps Lower Pay Is?

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said higher wages could prolong the inflation which Singapore faces now.

Perhaps the astronomical sky-high salaries which the Men In White (MIW) have been enjoying all these years, should be adjusted downwards to more reasonable levels to cope with the current escalating inflation? The salaries enjoyed by the MIW are considered astronomical and sky-high when compared against the wages of the vast majority of average-salaried workers who get only around $2k a month.

If ministerial salaries are halved from their current levels, I foresee many ministers quitting their government jobs and joining the private sector where they can command a higher pay.

------------------

Thursday, 10th July 2008 Channel NewsAsia
Singapore could face another round of inflation if firms raise wages
SINGAPORE : Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has warned that Singapore could face another round of inflation if companies increase wages to help workers cope with the higher cost of living today.

He said this will also affect Singapore’s competitiveness and the ability to create jobs.

Mr Tharman was speaking to some 500 workers at the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees’ Union dinner on Wednesday evening.

Higher rice and oil prices have led some Singaporeans to call on the government to set the tone by raising wages.

But Mr Tharman said such short—term measures are not prudent. Instead, he said the government has provided assistance to help Singaporeans deal with the higher cost of living.

These include S$500 million in GST Credits — to help citizens cope with the increased Goods and Services Tax — and special bonuses for senior citizens.

Mr Tharman said Singapore also addresses the problem of inflation mainly through its exchange rate policy. Since the beginning of last year, the Singapore dollar has appreciated by 11 per cent against the US dollar.

However, the minister said there is a limit to how much Singapore can allow its dollar to rise to fight inflation. Mr Tharman said if Singapore dramatically strengthens its dollar to offset the higher prices, it will instead hurt economic growth badly.

He said oil prices have increased by 50 per cent since the start of this year. And it has gone up by about 100 per cent compared to a year go. Food prices globally are now up to 60 per cent higher than one year ago.

Mr Tharman cautioned Singaporeans to brace themselves as oil prices may increase further.

He said, "We expect inflation to be between 5—6 per cent on average this year, with inflation being lower towards the end of the year. We also expect inflation in the second half of the year to be lower because the effects of last July’s GST increase on inflation will wear out.

"However, the recent sharp increase in global oil prices will add pressure on inflation. So we are monitoring this and the impact on inflation closely, and will decide if inflation forecasts for this year need to be revised."

Looking at the global situation, Mr Tharman said the weakness in the US economy could extend into next year. But he maintains that Singapore can expect Gross Domestic Product growth to average between four and six per cent this year.

Mr Tharman said the lasting solution to inflation is to continue with efforts to help workers upgrade their skills and earn better wages.

He said it is also important to help experienced, mature workers stay employed and help home—makers get back to work. This will not only increase the household income, but help improve Singapore’s tight labour market. — CNA/ms

Murder Suspect Returns To Singapore

The 22-year-old Indian man suspected of killing an 18-year-old Indian girl at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, left Singapore before the case was reported.

Then he came back to Singapore and got arrested at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

This begs the question: Why did he come back?

Did he want to make sure the girl was dead? Maybe he thought she was not dead yet and he could visit her at the hospital?

This is a bit simliar to the case of Took Leng How,

the man who was convicted of murdering the little girl from China, Huang Na.

After being interrogated by police, his passport was impounded. But that didn’t prevent him from leaving Singapore and returning to his home in Penang. No doubt a major security breach for letting a murder suspect slip through immigration without a passport.

Because he told his father he didn’t kill Huang Na and his father believed him, his father managed to persuade him to come back to Singapore. Took Leng How was hanged after being convicted of murdering Huang Na in the first degree. Had he not come back to Singapore, he could well still be at large up till today.

His old man probably blames himself for sending his son back to Singapore and indirectly causing his execution.

Tuesday, 08th July, 2008 ChannelNewsAsia
Man arrested in connection with Ang Mo Kio murder
Scene where the 18-year-old victim was found


SINGAPORE: A man has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of an 18-year-old Indian girl at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5.
Police investigations showed that the 22-year-old suspect had left Singapore even before the case was reported.
All checkpoints were alerted and he was nabbed upon his return to Singapore via the Causeway at about 6pm on Tuesday.
A man claiming to be the dead girl's uncle said the victim's name was Jimtha and she was about 18 years old.
Police arrived to find the victim's body in a pool of blood after receiving a call at about 7am. The victim was found next to a utility substation clothed in red shorts and a black sleeveless top, with neck and upper body injuries.
"There was blood in her mouth and her head was (tilted) backwards. And there was blood around the wall," said Shoba, a resident of the block.
It was noon when three women and a man, believed to be the girl's relatives, arrived at the crime scene. They were later taken to a police station for interviews with detectives.
Residents were shocked to learn about the crime at their doorsteps.
One neighbour said the victim was often seen hanging around in the area with her boyfriend late at night.
"Yesterday, I saw the girl with a young guy and a lady sitting at Block 155, the study corner. They were just chatting," said G Mani.
The girl is believed to have lived with her family at Block 157. Family members of the victim were not available for comment.
Police are investigating and have urged witnesses to come forward.
-CNA/os

To Detect One's Mental Instability

Looking at Corporal Dave Teo Ming’s arrest and indictment after his stealing of a SAR-21 rifle out of Mandai Hill Camp, allegedly to kill the girlfriend who broke up with him and several others who had offended him and whom he deemed, unfit to live, as he wanted to take revenge against them.

In light of the recent deaths of the national servicemen in SAF because their health, heart problems were not detected by the normal, usual medical check-ups currently adopted by SAF Medical Corps, I wonder if Dave Teo’s anger problem and possible mental instability could have been detected if a detailed psychological test had been conducted on him.

And because of manpower shortage, standards of mental fitness are lowered to let more enlistees fill up positions which would otherwise have been vacant. If Dave Teo had been given a PES C2 or even PES E status because of his anger problem and mental instability, he could have been posted to a lowly position like clerk, storeman or driver, etc. In other words, a “safe” position where he would not have access to firearms. He would be excused from going for range-shooting, handling weapons.

Of course, such check-ups, when they are conducted with 100% thoroughness would be very costly. Just imagine how much the SAF would have to spend if it were to conduct medical check-ups that are 100% thorough on the would-be enlistees and regular check-ups on those those who are already enlisted.

Then there is the constraint of manpower shortage. It is for the precise reason that Singapore does not have enough manpower, that it has to make National Service mandatory. Because of manpower shortage, standards had to be lowered to accommodate certain NSMen who may not be as fit when measured against past strict fitness standards. Take for example a fighter pilot, in the past, one needs to have perfect eyesight before he is allowed to sign up to be trained as a fighter pilot. Now those who are slightly short-sighted are allowed to become fighter pilots as well.

I wonder how do fighter pilots who have slight myopia and have to wear contact lenses cope with dryness of their eyes in the air. Air is supposed to be drier up there in the sky. I suppose the cockpit has a humidifier to prevent the air inside from becoming too dry for the pilot, making his eyes uncomfortable. Struggling with the discomfort of dry eyes, can be potentially dangerous when a fighter pilot is on a military mission. Imagine having to blink your dry eyes repeatedly to lubricate them when you’re supposed to be concentrating on evading enemy fire and shooting down enemy planes. Potentially disastrous.

Making A Baby

Many married couples nowadays do not make babies.

They want to enjoy their time with each other and don’t want a baby to wreck their blissful enjoyment.

To them, having a baby means misery as they would have to sacrifice a lot of stuff like frequent travelling, extravagant shopping habits, etc.

Babies are a supposed to be a bundle of joy. They may be burdensome to take care of, but there is also joy in carrying one and taking care of it.

Rich married couples delay their baby plans.

By the time they reach their 40s, they may not be able to conceive as easily as when they were in their prime late 20s and early 30s.

It’s an ironical thing. Those who make babies, can’t really afford to have them as they don’t earn much.

While those who can easily afford up to half a dozen babies, by virtue of their high income, don’t have a single one.

Jia Ba Liao Bo Heng Lui

吃饱了没有还钱。吃霸王餐。Eat full already never pay.


Times are bad with inflation at an all-time high.

It’s especially unbearable for low-income workers and their families.

But why is it that we seldom hear of people dining at restaurants without paying?

I suppose it’s because people who frequent restaurants usually are able to pay for their dinner bills. And they are usually unlikely to cheat.

But then I heard from my colleague that he and his friends had actually eaten at Sakae Sushi and Swensen’s without paying the bills before.

They did it when the restaurants were crowded and there were not enough waiters to serve all the customers at the same time.

So after having a sumptuous meal, they just walked out of the restaurants. And no one stopped them at all.

I bet the staff would have to split the unpaid dinner bills. The waiter(s) in charge of their table might have even gotten fired too. These staff must have cursed and sworn at the customers who just ate and left the restaurants without paying. These customers who left without paying their bills are cheapskate assholes and bastards, as far as the restaurant staff are concerned.

This colleague of mine said it felt shiok to eat without paying. He didn't show any tinge of remorse for his wrongdoing at all.

Wrongfully Accused 2

When I was in Secondary 2, there was once I brought an umbrella to school as it was raining in the morning when I went to school. It was a free umbrella given by my dad’s company.

I left the umbrella hanging on the window of my classroom and forgot to bring it home after school that day.

My mum scolded and nagged at me incessantly for being careless and forgetful.

When I went to school the following day and looked for the umbrella where I left it, it was no longer there.

It was crappy. I was upset for losing the umbrella.

After several months, I chanced upon this umbrella at the school’s drink-stall.

I recognised it to be my umbrella and wanted to bring it home.

But the drink-stall owner and helper wrongfully accused me of trying to steal it.

I still remember what the asshole helper said when I claimed the umbrella was mine and wanted to bring it home.

He said: “小小年纪就学人家偷东西。”(So young already learn to steal.)

Bloody fucking asshole.

They claimed the umbrella was given to them by a 校友 (school friend). School-friend my ass, this fucker had not even graduated from school yet, as I came to find out.

I asked the fucker did he take the umbrella from the window of my classroom, and he sheepishly said yes.

Cock-sucker, mother-fucker!

That’s proof I wasn’t trying to steal something which didn’t belong to me but was merely taking back what belonged to me rightfully from the beginning.

This asshole was what we called a poison-face, as a close friend and classmate of mine used to deride schoolmates with poor complexion. He had tons of pimples on his fuck face.

Thinking back, I should have shoved the metal tip of my umbrella up his ass for taking my stuff and causing me to get shit from my mum. Of course, the umbrella would have become dirty if i had done that. By the time i found and claimed back my umbrella, it was already quite seasoned as it had been used by the drink-stall owner and his helper for some time.

Jam Brake On CTE

On Monday night, I drove up from Kembangan to Yishun.

I took the PIE, CTE route.

Right after I turned into the sliproad from PIE leading into CTE, I realised that the ERP gantry after the sliproad on CTE was still in operation. It was 7:59pm. I took my cashcard and slotted it into my IU. As i did so, the clock rolled to 8:00pm and the gantry ended its operation right there and then.

So no money was deducted from my cashcard.

Some time ago, there was this dumb bitch who stopped her car in the middle of CTE just to get her cashcard to slot into the IU as she realised that the ERP gantry was in operation. That led to a chain collision of cars behind her.

The irony is because she wanted to avoid the fine of not inserting her cashcard into her IU, she caused the chain collision and incurred the wrath of the drivers behind her and ended up having to pay more money as compensation instead.

It would be good if all the drivers behind her claim damages from her for her act of utter stupidity. They should sue her until she loses her bra, underwear and panties.

Wrongfully Accused

It feels utterly shitty to be wrongfully accused of doing something which you did not do at all.

It happened to me when I was in primary school. I was queing up in an orderly fashion to buy some stuff from the school’s stationery shop. An asshole cut into my queue. I moved in front him as it was my rightful position in the queue.

Then the shopkeeper, a stupid bitch, thought I jumped queue and used a ruler to hit me and told me to queue up properly.

She wrongfully accused me of jumping queue. Bloody hell.

I was pissed of course. But I wasn’t old enough to assert my right yet by telling her that it was in fact the fucktard who cut my queue.

Too bad there’s just no way for me to ever right this wrong which I suffered so many donkey years ago. I bet the stupid bitch is either dead or around her 80s or 90s by now.

As for the idiotic moron who cut my queue, I hope he gets run down dead by a car.

Singapore Land Authority's Online Street Directory Gets Jammed

After the "demise" of Virtual Map's Street Directory, SLA's StreetMap@Singapore gets overloaded.

SLA seriously needs to upgrade its servers if it wants to provide its service adequately and properly.