Irritation

I woke up on the wrong side of bed. Tired, headache, late. Rush to work. Send daughter to school. Hurry-hurry, rush-rush.

...and some idiots just had to rub you the wrong way.

1. Don't you hate motorists who drive at 70 - 80km/h on the extreme right lane of the expressway? Wished I had a camera phone to snap the license plate of that vehicle and publish it.
   
   This joker of a driver in front of me took his sweet time at 80km/h when the maximum speed for the expressway is 90km/h. There was also a trail of 4 -5 cars tail-gating behind me and wondering why the 'express' lane had become the 'non-express' lane.
   
2. And to top it, just when I was packing to head home at the end of the day, some idiotic colleague had to call me about a project cost. Her questioning words made my blood boil and I raised my voice at her. More like I blasted her so loudly that the other colleagues near me stood up from their cubicles to hear the din.
   
   People can be so self-centered and domineering. You know, the kind of attitude that goes 'I need to know everything because I don't trust you' and 'Everything has to go my way as I planned it to be'.
   
   Unbelievable. Two words. Get LOST! Go fly a kite, get off my back or something. Get married... maybe that explains why she's not.
   
   And that wasn't even the first time I blew up at her. To add, I have also witnessed others blowing their tops off at her.
   
   Shessh, some people just don't learn...

Transport fare hikes

First taxi fare hikes. Now public transport fare hikes.

So what's new again? As expected after elections. Whenever the General Elections (GE) is near, the government will give a legalized 'ang pao' (economic package, soften-GST-blow package, progress package, etc.) to the citizens to 'win' their votes.

And again, most Singaporeans are suckered into it. In my opinion, it is mostly the pre-65ers under Father Lee's rule. Those who actually believe that the government can track the names of the voters and their families. Thus an elderly father may vote the incumbent party, thinking that his son (who works in the civil service) will not be penalized for promotion or bonus.

I must admit though, that people are beginning to catch up, as seen in the last GE. No wonder the government targeted the post-65ers. Even a SG$100 million carrot cannot change the hearts of the people who voted Low TK and Chaim ST in again. It is a good thing some people still have integrity. Kudos to you! You know who you are.

Also the so-called strong mandate at 66% is totally rubbish. Everyone knows 1/3 of Singaporeans are unhappy with many of the current polices. And the figure could have been worse if there had been more more challenges instead of walkovers.

So my words to the those who who did not vote from their hearts and are now complaining about the fare hikes:
Suck it up - you deserve it!

Actually I can predict some of the upcoming hikes:

1. Utilities
2. HDB carparks
3. Conservancy charges
4. GST @ 7%
5. ERP charges

And the same old replies:

1. Increase in oil prices
2. Increase in the Singaporean combined household income
3. It has been X years since price revision.
4. It is inevitable. Read here.
5. Singapore economy needs to keep with the global economy and inflation
6. The increase is not much. Media will then:
   - Swarm us with the living standards comparison in major cities like New York, Paris vs Singapore, OR
   - Publish accounts/testimonies of people who regretted migrating and how they had missed Singapore and the affordable living standards, OR
   - Inform the citizens to look at the BIGGER picture. The price of a stability, the clean government, the plenty opportunities, etc.
7. Nothing comes free, the price of freedom. Er, right...

Sometimes I wonder why they even form the PTC (Public Transport Council)? It's like the Workers' Union being run by the government. Hmmm wait, bad example. Out-going in 2006 NTUC secretary-general is minister Lim BH, who will be handing over to Lim SS, also a minister. What gives?

While surfing for the members of the PTC, I chanced upon a website. (warning!) Read at own risk here. I am not liable for the contents therein.

And to top it, the maximum increase is 1.7%. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know how much the public transport operators (SMRT, SBS, TransIsland, etc) have proposed the hikes to be. It is as if they have already decided it last year.

Want to know something I have been trying to figure for years? How come I have never been interviewed in any surveys? I have been around for at least 30 years, with 15 years knowing what policies are and how they will affect me.

And yet, the Straits Times publishes statements like for example:

1. XX% of the people agreed that a fare hike is due. It's been YY years since the last hike.
2. XX out of YY people interviewed believe that the economy is doing very well
3. XX% of the people believes the government will bring the people into the new decade, solve national crisis, etc

I have no idea where the numbers come from. Amazing but true.

A new monitor

I hastened my way to Sim Lin Square yesterday after work. My budget was SG$250 and I had absolutely no idea what to buy. Some shops were beginning to close when I reached there.

Actually, I was tempted to buy another 17" CRT monitor. The price ranged from SG$130 - $180. Come to think of it, I really didn't mind the bulkiness. How often does one move a monitor anyway? However the missus had other ideas. She specifically told me to get a reasonably-priced (read her lips: cheap) lightweight, LCD flat panel one. The cost summary is:

Flat panel 15": SG$230 - $250
Flat panel 17": SG$260 - $300+

Since cost was the main concern, I ignored the other technical specifications. Not that they did not matter. When I speak to the missus about cool gadgets and guy thingys, she is only interested in - the cost. However, when she speaks of her shopping, cost is never the issue.

For newly married guys, here is a tip on how to keep a marriage alive:
When she buys a new dress, NEVER-EVER ask her how much it cost. Keep a straight face, smile and say something like,

1. "It's beautiful, darling." - Short, sweet to the point
2. "Simply gorgeous! Can't think of anyone wearing it other than you." - Sweet words at the right time melts her heart. Always.
3. "It has a thousand dollars look. 50% discount, you said? Wow, what a bargain!" - Letting her know she's smart? Priceless.
4. The least you could say is "No matter what the price is, I will always love you." Good old-fashioned way. Awww.

Then blog about your wallet pains.

Back to the guy stuff - monitor. I was deciding between the Samsung, Acer and Phillips brand. Guess what? I chose the Phillips monitor. Why? Purely because the previous one had served me well.

You hear that, Phillips? I actually bought another of your product because the previous was so good. Don't let me down, you hear?

Funny how sometimes a company/restaurant wins a customer over because of a previous experience or a good review from a trustworthy source. That's where it counts, I think. Customers want their money worth. A proven name comes long way when making a decision.

Have you noticed how we scan for the longest queue in the hawker centers to decide what to eat? The queue says a lot of the quality of the food. And also the hungry people.

Proven, quality product actually sells!

But then again Singaporeans are a weird bunch too. They queue up just for anything. 'Hello Kitty' MacDonald toys, NDP tickets, sale of condominiums, Primary 1 registrations, 4D-Toto, Progress Packages (you should have seen the ATMs - unbelievable!), etc.

There is a whole bunch of topics to write about but I digress here.

Have you decided to buy that particular brand because your friends have been telling you how good and lasting it is? That's why review columns are so popular. Cameras, computers, cars, mobiles, coffee, and yes, even games are reviewed and updated constantly so that enthusiasts would buy a product that is worth their every cent. Or so they think.

Consumerism. Choices.

By the way, I bought the Phillips 17" SXGA 170S flat panel monitor for SG$265 (3-yrs on-site warranty), and I played World of Warcraft till 5am this morning.

Now that's what really matters. :)

Monitor went kaput

My Phillips 107T 17" CRT flatscreen monitor finally breathed its last. Banging the top got the image back for 3-5 secs, then it began to flicker and scroll upwards to 1/3 of the screen.

A quick call to the Phillips service center ended up with a decision to buy a new one. A carry-in check had an up-front troubleshooting labour cost of SG$70, not including additional cost for parts replacement and fix cost. The customer representative recommended me to buy a new monitor. It would have been more worthwhile since that included a 3-year warranty.

Still the 107T served me well for 7+ years. To think that I average 15 hours per week of mostly gaming activity (MUD, RPG games, online games). At times I have clocked no less than 24 hours per session (with in-between bathroom breaks, of course!) in a non air-con room. That calculates to a lifespan of 5096 hours. Wow, that equates to spending 5096 hours of my life on gaming. Could have been worse... at least it's not on gambling or drugs.

Is it good? Yeah I guess so. Ugh, I was refering to the monitor lifespan, not drugs.

All these 7 years, I have never encountered faded colors or flickering images. The images were still as sharp as when I first bought it. Until it konked-out. Though it was on the bulky side (WxHxD 15.7"x 14.7" x 16.5", 16.5kg) but it was an above-average-decent-what-I-can-afford monitor at that time. I had a previous 15" one which died within 2 years. Just don't ask the brand name. Yeah yeah, you pay peanuts you get lousy monkeys.

*salutes Phillips monitor* Farewell.

So any good 17" flat panel monitor recommendations?
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Hardware come and go these days and they are not built to last. Technology changes everyday - today that piece of hardware may be popular, tomorrow who knows? So I understand where the manufacturers/suppliers are coming from. Why build something to last when there will not be any demand tomorrow?

Isn't it so common these days? How often have I come across people (myself included) who take people for granted until they pass away? Then we start to regret we actually hadn't spend quality time with them.

What about companies who hire and fire? Human resource is treated no more than a piece of hardware with depreciating value. After 15+ years in a company, these 'oldies' are forced to leave. We don't need you anymore, you have served your purpose. Thank you.

There is no loyalty in us anymore. No wonder each generation gets more self-centered as time passes. You see it everyday - a young couple snuggling together in the MRT train while a pregnant woman or elderly person stands in front of them. Worse, the seat is for the disabled or pregnant ladies only. Or a mother and son sitting on the comfortable the bus seats while the maid is carrying shopping bags and standing along the aisle.

The big 'I', 'ME' and 'MYSELF' syndrome.

In a developed, educated country like Singapore, you would have expected social graces to be better than those of the developing countries. However this seems to be opposite. Just enter a typical HDB lift. Everybody in the lift looks either up or down. Nobody looks nobody in the eye, gives a quick smile or say a simple 'Hello'.

And to top that, we have the Smile2006 campaign. And that's because the IMF is coming to Singapore.

Duh.

In my opinion, any developed country championing courtesy campaigns, smile movements, National Education (hidden name patriotism) programmes is in trouble. Serious trouble. Productive, efficient but clinical and calculative. Most people (even Singaporean locals) rate Singapore:

Efficiency - Excellent
Following process - To the T
Social graces - Zero
Thinking out of the box - Utter failure

Too busy?

I didn't blog. I am swarmed at work. Projects are kicking off and I am caught in the middle of them. Risks, problems and cost issues are flying all over the place and trying to find a target - ME! I don't remember buying a shirt from Target (ok bad joke)!

Runaway. I will runaway... (lyrics from Runaway by The Corrs)

Catching a moment to reflect, I must admit the fault lies with me. Time management. I've heard it from dozens of sources, especially my missus. My priorities are all wrong. I spent my time often on activities that don't really matter. Or really?

I wonder if I am the only one struggling with this scenario:

1. You list down the to-do things/tasks. You prioritize them.
2. You commit yourself to completing these tasks before you switch on the PC.
3. You swear World of Warcraft (WoW) will have to wait but you ended up playing for 5 bloody long hours!
   3.1 Yeah our raid group killed Drakk. He was a beast. We got wiped twice while reaching there.
   3.2 The reward? A +2% critical-strike trinket! How cool can it be, huh? Go rogues!

I climbed into bed at 3am this morning. I got up with a bad hangover and I started to wonder if I had just wasted 5 hours of my life. Actually it was my 3+ year-old daughter who woke me up. I can't sleep with someone shouting in my ears, opening my lead-weighted eyelids and giggling away. My missus said I got to send her to school on my way to work.

Runaway. I will runaway...

Food for thoughts:

1. Heard from the radio on how the Public Transport Company has set a higher service standard on bus operators. And guess what the solution is?
   
   Hefty fines.
   
   Excuse me, what's new? Who cares if it is going to be a 1-million dollar fine? Or 1 dollar? Isn't it from the government's left pocket to the right pocket?
   
   Dear LTA, how does this translate to actual benefits for the commuters who were inconvenienced by the disruption?
   
   I have a better suggestion. Why not let the duration and time of the disruption translate to free-rides for commuters at a similar time and duration.
   ---
2. Tried to read the Straits Times Interactive Online. Realised I have to pay for a subscription fee now. What the...?
   
   I am an old-fashioned-style reader. Hard copy. Rarely do I search online, unless I want to hyperlink and comment on an intersting article I have read or heard. mrbrown's blog entry and the comments therein sum up my feelings.
   
   Dear SPH, must everything be tied to a cost (I know it's a stupid but valid question every Singaporean man asks)?
   
   It's not as if you belong to the category of Reuters or Factiva. As for your so-called awards in the media industry, read my next point below.
   ---
3. While searching for the Straits Times website using Google, I came across this newspaper review. I wonder where we actually stand in the world ranking for media.
   ---
4. Speak Guud Engrish Movement? Seh-mi lai eh? Read it here.
   
   See how the Professor Koh Tai Ann's (Chairman of the Speak Good English Movement) English is corrected.
   
   Totally pwned. I wonder if he knows what pwned means.
   
   And to think Father Lee told the young folks at the infamous TV dialogue, "We have co-opted all the best people".
   
   Just for laughs: this site is Singaporean-ly hilarious, albeit vulgar. (warning!) Read at your own risk.
   ---
5. I wanted to comment on the Israel-Lebannon conflict but it has to come later. I'm going to do WoW LBRS raid tonight. Who has time for anything these days?

It's one of those times

...when you can't wait for the end of the day. I just wanna pack up and go. Call it a day. But alas, meetings are holding me back. Not to say the least, I have tons of items to follow-up in my 'To-Do' list.

Wince.

I kinda remembered an article (actually taken from The Straits Times but I can't find it anymore) I've read quite sometime ago. Made me re-think about what/who really matters.

I'm sure the world still remembers Eugene O'Kelly. He passed away on Sept 10, 2005, and that's just ~1 year ago from my blog entry. He was the CEO of KPMG at 53, one of the largest US accounting firms. Only had lunch twice with his wife in his 12 years there.

He died. Ka-put.

And the world moved on. Give it another 5 years and I doubt people even bothered if a CEO named Eugene O'Kelly ever existed. That's the sad side of life - each passing day is a fleeting moment. We are bustling ourselves with things that don't really matter, and spending most of our time with people who don't really care.

Sad. Very sad.

His memories will be treasured by his loved ones. People who really matter to him. He became wise towards his final moments. Can I?

Life. Memories. Loved ones. Treasures.

Where is Friday?

I nearly had an accident driving my car this morning. I was making a turn when one of the bags in my front passenger seat obstructed the gear-changing left hand. Taking a quick glance at the bag, I pushed it away.

Big mistake. My body followed the direction of my eyes. My hand unconsciously swerved to the left. I recovered just in time as the car nearly went up the kerb.

I wonder how many accidents happened because a mother turned back to look at her kids, or a young man stole a quick glance at his fiancee.

Anyway, I don't know what kind of relief washed over me. That I am unhurt or that nothing happened to the car. Perhaps I am just thankful for both.

You see, car repairs are expensive, especially those at my expense. *mutters quietly*

Now where is my coffee to wake me up? Tell me Friday is tomorrow.

Kaffein-nated

So I got the blog-bug after what... 3 years?

My fingers have been itching, especially after reading mrbrown's plight with MICA. I decided to go public that I'm behind MB all the way.

So why Kaffein-nated?

1. I drink coffee. Lots of it daily. I will never be qualified to donate blood - it's full of alkaloid.
2. I had a hard time trying to find a suitable name for the blog. Try these for starters:

• Disgustink (This was supposed to be really good. But then who likes to read disgusting stuff anyway. Or would they?)
• What the...
• Jazz in Office ( I love jazz)
• Destinations in a Postcard (I love traveling)

So welcome me into the world of blogging, won't you?