Sunday, May 2, 2010

Reduce All Creation To Ash



<br />



It's that time of the year again which for some reason gets me emo.



There are many people and things I should be grateful for.But as I reflect, I realise it's the negative stuff that refuses to go away.



Coming to university I thought, would have liberated me of certain prejudices and stereotypes.However, instead of this being the case,I've acquired new prejudices and new stereotypes and had old prejudices and stereotypes reinforced.



The only difference now after one semester, is that I can attempt to justify my negative perceptions of certain ethnicities and certain groups of people, better.



Misanthrope




Is what I'm becoming,I fear.



And it appears, I've good reason to become one.



Our happiness as human beings comes in relation to the misery of other human beings.



Take freedom for example.



In order for us to perceive our freedom,we have to view people who are not as free as us or have parts of their freedom suppressed.



e.g. : A woman living in the civilized world would see herself as having freedom as opposed to a woman living in a theocratic state.



Love is another sick joke.



In order for us to feel that feeling of being special and cared for we must view people whom the vast majority of society despise or doesn't even realise,exist.



And I'm talking about all forms of love.



Want to feel grateful for your loving family?



Look at someone who doesn't have one.



Want to feel grateful for your friends?



Look at someone who doesn't have any or who is treated badly by his.



Want to feel grateful that you're together with your special someone?



Look at someone who hasn't found their special someone.



Want to feel grateful for your god's love?



Look at the people you think won't be going to heaven with you or the people you hope, go to hell.



I suppose my arguments have major flaws in them and I hope that is the case.For my waning idealism is only being sustained by optimism.



Though there is one thing that I've learnt this semester, which might lead to my future redemption.I'm not sure why but something just gives me the feeling. this statement is important.



"The things we hate about other people, are the things we hate in ourselves."



Merry Xmas everyone :D





Reference: http://ashleyjoseph.blogspot.com/2009/12/reduce-all-creation-to-ash.html

Thursday, April 29, 2010

SIA, SilkAir to raise fuel surcharges



<br />



TRAVELLERS planning to fly with Singapore Airlines (SIA) or its regional arm SilkAir in the next few months should book soon, because fuel surcharges are about to go up.



Round-trip tickets issued on or after April 1 will cost up to US$8 (S$12) more for ultra long-haul flights to Canada and the United States.



Those flying to regional points like Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila will pay US$4 more for a round trip, when the fuel surcharge goes up from US$32.



All other passengers, including those flying to China, India and Europe will pay a surcharge of US$108 for a round trip, compared to US$104 now.



The increase is the result of a rise in the price of jet fuel over the past two months, SIA said in a statement yesterday.



A barrel of jet fuel now costs about US$76, compared with US$67 in January.



SIA and SilkAir cut fuel surcharges twice, late last year and in January, when the price of jet fuel fell.



The increase will bring the surcharge back up to pre-January levels, though SIA said it will continue to keep the surcharge under constant review.









Reference: http://singapore-sodom.blogspot.com/2007/03/sia-silkair-to-raise-fuel-surcharges.html

Monday, April 26, 2010

CB Has Opened Up, Cocky No More



<br />



Yesterday I received an email reply from CB about my earlier complaint feedback. I can't help but feel that the email looked rather like a standard reply. The bank probably only filled in the blanks with my surname and the date of my email:




"Dear Mr Koo,



Thank you for your email dated 03/02/07.



Please accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience you had experienced.



At CB, we place significant emphasis on the quality of our service and customer satisfaction. We truly appreciate your time in providing us your feedback and we will endeavour to continue to improve our level of service in order to serve our customers better.



We wish to thank you for taking the time to provide us with this valuable feedback. We have since forwarded it to the relevant parties to assist you directly with your queries.



Thank you and have a nice day.



Sincerely,

JS

Direct Banking"




At slightly past 7 pm tonight, my handphone rang. I glanced at the caller-ID display - it was an unfamiliar handphone number. I answered the call. It was JY. He had called to offer me his apologies. He said that after reading my blog, he realised that he was "too much" that day. He explained that he was not himself that day. So it must be his identical twin brother whom I spoke to that day.



I said that I hoped that he learnt something from this incident. Not everyone was a pushover. He said he surely did. I reminded him about Helen, the coffee lady and told him that I accepted his apologies and asked him to convey my acceptance to the bank.



Now that JY had apologised, I am willing to put this incident behind me and I hope that CB and JY could too, without any hard feelings. Please don't retaliate by raising my loan interest rate some more. I am really at your mercy. On the other hand, it would be good to show how genuinely apologetic you are by slashing the interest rate.



Actually, I would very much have preferred JY to offer his apologies by commenting on my blog. Then, I would look less like Mr Lee Dai Soh telling a one-sided grandfather story here. Yes, it would be nice if JY could do what bluemad did, when I complained provided feedback about my not-so-pleasant experience when shopping around for an LCD TV.



I know what Mr Lam Chun See is thinking - that I look more and more like a difficult customer who likes to complain rather than that the service standards in Singapore sucks, am I right? Sheesh.





Reference: http://victorkoo.blogspot.com/2007/02/cb-has-opened-up-cocky-no-more.html

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Sucked in



<br />



My daily consumption habits of news online brought me to an interesting story by a Singapore news portal which asked the question, how many people out there think that Singapore sucks?



The answer, according to the news portal, can be found in the number of members who belong to a Facebook group called 'Singapore Sucks' - which has 375 members at the time of writing. And was created by a Singaporean (so it has been reported).



Under Basic Info, the Facebook group says: "While Singapore has enjoyed stable economic growth for decades now, its people and culture have not progressed forward. Prolonged periods of tight government control on all aspects of life have created an atmosphere of workaholism because there is simply nothing else to do."



"The purposes of this group are to raise awareness for people from everywhere in the world about the current state of Singapore and for members to vent their frustration.



And it goes on to say that "Singapore needs a liberal government... and for that to happen Singaporeans have to change and have to start asking for a change."



The page goes on to list a number of "facts" which supposedly highlight Singapore's backwardness in a number of areas and mentions everything from its rankings in the Reporters Without Borders' Worldwide Press Freedom Index, to accusations the nation is supporting the Burmese military junta.



To be honest I am surprised the Facebook is group still active (it gained nearly 50 more members since the article in the news portal was published) especially now that mainstream media has turned its attention to it.



But what do you guys think? Will it get shutdown - does it deserve to be? And if the Group gets shutdown now does it not prove the point of its creator about Singapore's media laws?



If something similar were to happen here with an anti-Malaysia Facebook group being discovered - what would the media's reaction and government's reaction to it be?





Reference: http://ambootleg.blogspot.com/2009/04/sucks-to-be-you.html

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

LOUSY HDB EXPERIENCE... SINGAPOREANS!!!!!



<br />



I have had enough of it. Hdb flats in Singapore sucks. By that I do not mean the building or hdb unit is not good (HDB has earned world wide recognition for their home building efforts). What I have an issue with is the neighbours.



I have always heard about Singaporeans being complain king and queen but never really believed it until now. Why do I say they are Singaporeans? because they are easily over 60 years of age and the chances of them being PR is quite low.



Wouldn't it be understandable for people who just moved into a unit, to make some noise moving stuff, arranging furniture, fixing furniture? And in the modern day live, everyone will be working in the day so that only leaves the night free. (of course there is the weekend, but doing it over a period of weekends is just so weird). So anyway, the incident goes like this.



There is this big cupboard that needs to be set up. There are some parts that needs hammering and I did it during the day. At night, me and my brothers put the cupboard together (I cannot do it alone as it is heavy and bulky). While we were fixing the cupboard, we noticed that we left out a section that needs hammering so I proceed to fix it (the time was 9.30pm). Well, what else can we do? half way into fixing the cupboard, rationale will be to complete it rather then dismantle everything and wait for weekend. It was just three nails and took like 10 minutes. But that brought one of our neighbours to our door, asking us to stop. Even threatening to call police bla bla bla...... I so wanted to blast him for that as I was sweaty, tired, and irritated by him. But I wanted to complete the cupboard so I just apologize and close the door on him. (By the way, police will not even give a !@#% about his complaint at that time and when noise is for short period). This is the first incident and I do not feel so bad about it and keep telling myself that only minority is not understanding.



Then today another complaint came while I was happily eating my lunch feeling wonderful for the day. This time the next door neighbour came and ask me to remove the plants on the COMMON corridor, claiming that the corridor is his. The plants are not in anyway obstructive to the passage. Even if it is, the unit I stayed in is the corner unit and only me and my brothers use the corridor. The next thing, he threatened to make report to NEA or HDB if I do not remove it. His reason is that the plants will draw mosquitoes. Obviously he know nothing about plants. If he does, he will know that there is no way those plants can breed mosquitoes because 1. There is no plant tray at the bottom so there will not be collection of water. 2. plants are place at drainage area so all excess water will flow out instantly.



FRIENDLY Neighbours? YEAH RIGHT!!! that is the joke of the century. I cannot understand why they are so rude. The biggest issue I have is that they do not just talk nicely and give reasons. They use threat. Worse still, they use threat thinking that I know nothing about how things are done in Singapore.

Complain about noise at 9.30pm??

Report about plants that breed mosquitoes when there are no stagnant water????



WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To Hell with them@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





Reference: http://singingplace.blogspot.com/2008/06/lousy-hdb-experience-singaporeans.html

Monday, April 19, 2010

Tito's Market - El Monte



<br />



If you're curious about how I find some of the places I eat, this is one of those stories. A while back I saw this post about homemade churros from Matt Bites. He mentioned how he got the dulce de leche from Tito's Market, an Argentinian market in El Monte. Oh, I haven't had a good empanada in forever! So I added it to my mental checklist of places to try, and the next time I was in the area, I swung by.



Tito's Market is located on Garvey Avenue, a few streets over from Rosemead Boulevard. While Latino and Asian businesses dot SoCal, this area seems to have an even distribution of both, all blended together. Look for the signage on the street because the market is located far inside the parking lot of the strip mall.



It's a grocery store with many Argentinian goods and wines, a meat counter, a dessert display, and a hot food counter where you can order empanadas and a long list of sandwiches.



I decided to order a small milanesa sandwich for $3.59. I found the bread rather hard, the beef was dry and chewy, and the tomatoes not juicy enough. The chili peppers added a nice kick, but overall I was quite disappointed with this sandwich.



Luckily, I wasn't there for the sandwich but the empanadas. What is it about peering into a white paper bag that makes food so tasty? There are two kinds - ground beef and chicken.



The empanada is huge, the size of my hand, for $1.19 each.



Filled with chopped hard-boiled eggs and olives. So juicy and flavorful.



The chicken empanada. I found the chicken chunks a bit dry and much prefer the beef.



Despite my disappointment with the milanesa sandwich, the empanadas were so good that I went back the next time I was in area. This time, I decided to try the New York steak sandwich for $3.79. I took this home and lil' sis was in heaven. Two of her favorite foods - steak and sandwiches - all in one. The steak was thin but thicker cut than the milanesa and so juicy. Very, very good.



There's a small eating area inside the grocery store so you can stay a while if you want to eat through the long list of sandwiches. I highly recommend the ground beef empanadas and the New York steak sandwiches.



Who else ate at Tito's Market?

Henry Chan's Food Videos decided to give it a try, but he didn't heed my advice to get the New York steak and instead got the milanesa sandwich. He said he watched enviously as he ate his dry milanesa while his cousin ate the New York steak sandwich, salivating as the juices dripped out.

Susan of Open Mouth, Insert Fork took my recommendation and said they were the best empanadas in LA.



Tito's Market

9814 Garvey Ave.

El Monte, CA 91733

626-579-1893

Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tuesdays through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closed Mondays

Cash Only







Reference: http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2007/10/titos-market-el-monte.html

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Public transport model needs a rethink



<br />



The Public Transport Council will require the bus companies to increase frequencies during peak hours. But instead of imposing new demands on existing operators, what about inviting new ones in? Full essay.





Reference: http://ybsampler1.blogspot.com/2007/08/public-transport-model-needs-rethink.html

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Public transport model needs a rethink



<br />



The Public Transport Council will require the bus companies to increase frequencies during peak hours. But instead of imposing new demands on existing operators, what about inviting new ones in? Full essay.





Reference: http://ybsampler1.blogspot.com/2007/08/public-transport-model-needs-rethink.html

Friday, April 16, 2010

AskMen Survey Says: Hong Kong Is #8 Best Cities To Live In



<br />




Despite the negative stories of pollution, overcrowding and "NATO" (a term I learned from Simon Morliere), Hong Kong sits among the top cities to live in as it ranks eighth out of 29 cities surveyed. This is according to AskMen.com.



If I may summarize the findings why HK is at number 8:



* A vibrant city where people of various races, religions and nationalities converge and live in harmony.



* Offers the best in transportation facilities in the world. Safe to live and has thousands of restaurants offering great food.



* Has great night spots to unwind, with plenty of choices for bars and clubs. Great place to find beautiful women too. I should know, because I found one.



Here's the complete ranking of Best Cities to Live in 2009:



1. Chicago



2. Barcelona



3. San Francisco



4. London



5. Sydney



6. New York



7. Berlin



8. Hong Kong



9. Copenhagen



10. Paris



11. Vancouver



12. Rome



13. Buenos Aires



14. Tokyo



15. Toronto



16. Miami



17. Madrid



18. Vienna



19. Los Angeles



20. Montreal



21. Panama City



22. Portland



23. Lyon



24. Melbourne



25. Tel Aviv



26. Santiago



27. Cape Town



28. Hamburg



29. Edinburgh





Reference: http://hongkong-life.blogspot.com/2009/04/askmen-survey-says-hong-kong-is-8-best.html

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

ASSHOLE OF THE DAY: Lee Hsien Loong--Autistic, Albino spawning dictator of Singapore, (#1 son of Singapore's previous dictator)



<br />



Fuck you Lee Hsien Loong, you son of a bitch!







Lee Hsien Loong (simplified Chinese: �?�显龙; traditional Chinese: �?�顯�?; pinyin: L�? Xiǎnlóng; born February 10, 1952) is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. Lee Hsien Loong is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the government-owned Temasek Holdings. He is the elder son of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.



In addition to being the closest thing the "civilized" world has to a thug dictator, this imbecile in-bred douche bag has helped create and governs a repressive society that is a kind of Disneyland for Dick Cheney: total surveillence of all citizens and visitors at all times, no separate judiciary, in short, a one-party political system in which whatever this moron or his lackys say, goes.



Make no mistake about it, Singapore is a shitty little hellhole which should be avoided at all costs.



The eldest child of former-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo, Lee was born in Singapore on February 10, 1952. In Lee Kuan Yew's biography, the young Lee had learned Jawi script since he was five, and has always been interested in the affairs of Singapore, often following his father to the rally grounds since 1963.



Lee studied at Nanyang Primary School, received his secondary education at Catholic High School and subsequently "studied" at National Junior College, where he learned the clarinet under the tutelage of Adjunct Associate Professor Ho Hwee Long. He studied mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1974 with First Class Honours in Mathematics and the Diploma in Computer Science (with distinction). He subsequently obtained a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in 1980. Wow, we bet that application was really tough to fill out.



Lee joined the Nazi-like Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1971 and rose quickly through the ranks becoming the youngest Brigadier General in Singapore's history. That, we're sure, was a really difficult promotion to obtain, what with his father playing the role of Singapore's Hitler at the time.



In 1978, this P.O.S. attended the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He retired from the military in 1984 to enter politics and was elected as a Member of Parliament that year. Lee's first wife, Malaysian-born doctor Wong Ming Yang, died on 28 October 1982 of a heart attack. three weeks after giving birth to Lee's first son Lee Yi Peng, a mildly autistic albino. There were rumours that Wong died of suicide.[2] In 1985, Lee married Ho Ching, a fast-rising civil servant. They have one daughter and three sons (the oldest son of Ho Ching, Li Hongyi was the winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Math &amp; Science in 2006, the same year he was commissioned as an officer in the Singapore Armed forces at the SAFTI Military Institute) , including one daughter and son from Lee's first wife.



In 1992, Lee was diagnosed with lymphoma. He underwent a three-month period of chemotherapy and has since recovered, the the great mourning of freedom-loving people everywhere



Early political career

Lee entered politics at the age of 32 in 1984. He was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Defence in December 1984 by his father, Lee Kuan Yew, and was subsequently promoted to Acting Minister for Trade and Industry in 1986, and the Second Minister for Defence.



In February 1987, issues on ethnic relationships in Singapore surfaced when Malaysian leaders asked the Members of Parliament why there were so few Malays holding key positions in the SAF. Lee Hsien Loong, then Second Minister for Defence, stated that the SAF did not want its soldiers to be in a position where the loyalty of the soldiers might clash with racial and religious factors.





Deputy Prime Minister

When Goh Chok Tong became the Prime Minister of Singapore on November 28, 1990, Lee became the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. He focused on economic and civil service matters and concurrently served as Minister for Trade and Industry until 1992.



Lee was appointed Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 1998, and Minister for Finance in 2001. During Lee's thirteen and a half years as Deputy Prime Minister, he exerted significant influence on Singapore's governance, especially in economic and social affairs.



To ease the growing budget deficit due to falling tax revenues from cuts in corporate and personal income taxes and other factors such as the Iraq War and Sars outbreak, Lee proposed on August 29, 2003 to raise the GST from three percent to five percent, a change that took place in January 2004.



Lee also initiated several relaxations of the requirements for Singapore citizenship, especially in for foreign husbands of Singaporean women and foreign-born children of Singaporeans. The changes were made after repeated pleas from MPs and the Remaking Singapore Committee.





Lee Hsien Loong has been Prime Minister of Singapore since 2004.On August 12, 2004, Lee Hsien Loong succeeded Goh Chok Tong as Prime Minister, relinquishing his Chairmanship of the Monetary Authority of Singapore to Goh Chok Tong. Lee was sworn in by former Chief Justice Yong Pung How at the Istana, office of the President of Singapore.



Lee made his maiden National Day Rally on August 12, 2004. In his speech, Lee initiated the policy of the "Five-day work week", a plan that would remove a half-working day on Saturday. The plan took effect on 1 January 2005.



Lee also proposed two-month paid maternity leaves for new-born's mothers and financial incentives to mothers who give birth to a fourth child. These policies were initiated in response to the declining birth rate that Singapore has experienced in recent years.



In November 2004, Lee sparked a national debate when he revealed a proposal to build two Integrated Resorts (IRs) which are holiday resorts with casinos. In April 2005, despite substantial oppositions expressed by the public, Lee announced the decision to approve the proposal. The two IRs are to be built in Marina Bay and Sentosa. To limit the negative social impact of casino gambling, Lee suggested that safeguards be implemented, such as prohibiting minors from entering the casinos and charging a SGD$100 entrance fee for Singaporeans and permanent residents or SGD$2000 for a year long entrance fee.



2006

In February 2006, Lee announced in parliament a S$2.6 billion bonus called the Progress Package [1]. The plan was to distribute budget surpluses accumulated from the past few years to adult Singaporeans in the form of cash to everyone, top-ups to the state pension savings for elders, rental and utilities rebates for those living in public housing, educational funds for school children from low-income families, and cash bonuses for low-wage workers above 40 and for those men who have completed National Service. The cash bonuses was distributed in early May 2006. Critics, especially members of the opposition, have slammed the Progress Package as a "vote-buying exercise" for the Singapore parliamentary election held on 6 May 2006. In that election, Lee led the People's Action Party to win 82 of the 84 seats, including 37 walkovers. Lee and his 6-member team won the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency with 96,591 (60.42%) votes out of the total 159,872 votes cast. Most of the opposition WP's team of 6 were their 20s and the constituency was contested for the first time in 15 years. Its decision to contest Ang Mo Kio came as a surprise, as the opposition was expected to stay away from GRCs helmed by heavyweight ministers; but the party said that giving Ang Mo Kio residents a chance to vote was a prime reason for contesting the GRC. Given the inexperience of the WP team and Lee Hsien Loong's position as the Prime Minister, they won a surprisingly strong 49,468 votes (30.94%). There were also an extremely high percentage of void votes, 13,813 (8.64%).





Relations with China have improved under Lee's administration. Smooth progress has been made in areas of trade, tourism and investment, which is not merely in accordance with the interest of the two countries, but promises to be further beneficial to the common development of the region. The China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) is responsible for promoting Sino-Singaporean co-operations.



During his meeting with vice-premier Wu Yi in September 2005, Lee proposed the establishment of a China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone, which would achieve the goal of realizing US$50 billion in trade volume before 2010. In doing so, both agreed that relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should be elevated.



During his seven-day visit to China in late October 2005, the Prime Minister stressed the need of improving bilateral diplomatic relationships between ASEAN and China. Lee also urged leaders to focus on the next wave of growth in north-eastern China.



"It is a long-term commitment. There is no place in the world that you can go in and your money just grows on trees. Not in China."



Relations with United States



Lee visits the United States in July 2005.Singapore has generally had a favourable relationship with the United States. The growth of bilateral trade improved commercial and diplomatic ties between the two countries after the implementation of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the growth in bilateral trade has been evident, since the Free Trade Agreement became effective on January 1, 2004.



Lee made his inaugural visit to the United States, as Prime Minister of Singapore, between 6th July and 16 July, 2005. Several other ministers, notably the defence minister Teo Chee Hean and foreign minister George Yeo, accompanied Lee.



On July 12, 2005, President George W. Bush and Lee signed the "Strategic Framework Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Singapore for a Closer Cooperation Partnership in Defence and Security". The agreement was a natural step in the expansion of bilateral ties. President Bush and the then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong had first announced their intention to conclude this agreement in October 2003.



The intention of the agreement is to address common threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of Weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which called for even closer cooperation between the United States and Singapore.



The agreement recognizes Singapore's role as a Major Security Cooperation Partner and will expand the scope of current cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, joint military exercises and training, policy dialogues, and defence technology. The Agreement will further enhance regional stability by supporting the continued security presence of the United States in Southeast Asia.



Both Lee and Bush agree that US presence in Southeast Asia has promoted peace and stability, which are crucial for regional cooperation and economic development.



During their meeting, both Bush and Lee acknowledged the progress in the war on terror. Lee commended Bush's 'resolute and steadfast stance in the war on terror' and expressed Singapore's continued support in this endeavour. In exchange, Bush commended the professionalism of the Singapore Armed Forces personnel, who have been deployed in support of Iraq operations over the past two years and of the Singapore Police Force, which has provided critically important training. Both Bush and Lee also pledged to sustain the close cooperation between the United States and Singapore in key regional and global multilateral institutions.





Controversy

As the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Lee's career has been shadowed by allegations of nepotism. At the age of 32 he became the youngest Brigadier General in Singapore's history, and from a young age was widely tipped to be Lee Kuan Yew's successor as Prime Minister. When Lee Kuan Yew stepped down as Prime Minister to make way for his successor, Goh Chok Tong, several critics had seen Goh as a seat-warmer, but Lee Kuan Yew said he had disproved that. In his memoirs, Lee Kuan Yew stressed that he could not have his son directly succeed him.



"It was better that someone else succeed me as Prime Minister. Then were Loong to make the grade later, it would be clear that he made it on his own merit."



However, such allegations by critics held on for six to seven years until Goh managed to prove his worth by regaining seats and pushing up the PAP's vote share in the 1997 elections.



Perhaps understandably, the appointment of Lee's wife Ho Ching as the director of state investment agency Temasek has also raised some eyebrows. The Lees reacted strongly against such allegations by taking legal action, often winning large out-of-court settlements for defamation from, among others, the International Herald Tribune (1994), Bloomberg (2002), The Economist (2004) and the Financial Times (2007).



Lee's career has also been dogged by a reputation for being arrogant and autocratic. According to one particularly persistent rumour, at a pre-Cabinet meeting in 1990 an enraged Lee first insulted the then Minister for Finance Richard Hu and then physically slapped the then Minister for National Development S. Dhanabalan when he sided with Hu and demanded an apology [2]. While those directly involved have never publicly mentioned the alleged incident, in 2003, then prime minister Goh Chok Tong dismissed the incident when discussing the leadership transition to his successor.



On July 10, 2004, Lee visited Taiwan, causing displeasure in the People's Republic of China. On August 28, 2004 in his maiden National Day Rally speech, he criticized the Taiwanese leadership and populace of overestimating the support they would receive if they were to declare Taiwan independence. At the same time, he also clarified during the rally that his visit to Taiwan in July was to ensure he gather enough intelligence to make right decisions when he took over the baton as Prime Minister. He reiterated his support for the One-China policy. Later that year in September, Foreign Minister George Yeo cautioned the United Nations General Assembly about the dangers of letting the cross-strait relationship deteriorate. In response, an enraged Taiwan Foreign Minister, Mark Chen, called Singapore a "Pi-Sai Country", translated literally from Hokkien (Minnan), it means a "country no bigger than a snot". The Taiwanese Foreign Minister later made a formal apology.



In 2005, Lee made a remark regarding Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visit to Yasukuni Shrine, stating that from the point of view of many countries in the region who have experienced Japanese occupation, it raises many unhappy memories.[3] His remark drew public demonstrations outside Singapore embassy in Japan on May 24, 2005 with protestors criticising Lee for "meddling" with Japanese issues.



In November 2005, Singapore had a diplomatic row with Australia over the imminent execution of Australian drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van. In one incident, then Australian Prime Minister John Howard and his government were upset when Lee failed to inform Howard the scheduled date of the execution during their meeting at the APEC summit even though Nguyen's mother was already informed of the date. Appeals for clemency by Australian government and Nguyen's lawyer were turned down. Singapore did however grant an exception to allow Nguyen's mother to hold his hands (but not hug him) following a personal appeal by Howard. Nguyen was later executed on December 2, 2005.





Salary

Lee Hsien Loong currently earns an annual salary of S$3,870,000 (US$ 2,856,930 ) [4], an increase of 25% from S$3,091,200 (US$2,037,168)[5], making him the highest paid head of government in the world. For comparison purposes, the President of the United States earns a salary of US$400,000[6]. The new salary of SG$3.8 million took effect in January 2008. There has been a lot of controversy on this issue and the prime minister has responded by lending a portion of his salary to charity. Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew claimed (without proof) in parliament that the reason why the Singapore head of state, along with his ministers, deserve such a high income is due to the fact that Singapore is a small country and lacks a large pool of talented people. Many in Singapore laughed it off as symptoms of senilitis.





Dublin Core Metadata elements:



Contributor:

Coverage: Singapore

Creator:

Date:

Description:

Format:

Identifier:

Language:

Publisher:

Relation:

Rights:

Source:

Subject: singapore sucks! singapore surveillance, singapore dictator, singapore repression, human rights in singapore, singapore regime, singapore crime, singapore bad place to live, singapore stupidest country in the world, singapore losers, singapore rights abuse, singapore nazi, vampire sex, vampiresex, blood sex, vampire sex rituals, death sex, asian sex prisoners, abused asians, slave girls in asia, child slaves, child labor, evil government,

Title:





Reference: http://celebritycity.blogspot.com/2008/07/asshole-of-day-autistic-albino-spawing.html

Monday, April 12, 2010

They are not any better



<br />



Here's a scene I managed to catch on one of the foodie shows produced by our little neighbour down south;



Three ladies -one's pregnant- just had scrumptious desserts and was on their way out when the pregnant lady reminded her friends to NOT assist her descending some flight of steps because get this, in her own words, "I'm not a handicapped, mind you!"



I always hear good things about Singapore. From OKUs perspective in particular, the country's disabled community are well taken care of and a subject of envy to most of their counterparts in the region.



But that statement above proves no matter how advanced the disabled have progressed, general perception still stigmatises people with physical shortcoming. Its simply like, you're a cripple on wheelchair, so even if you're as healthy as an ox from the public eye you're sick and in constant need of a help.



That's a familiar story happening in our own backyard by the way.



Its not always we get to take a swipe at our southern neighbours because admittedly, they are superior to us in many ways.



But while I'm at it, let's kick on the gash and further damage their dented ego.



Their national football team sucks!



Hell YES. Sucks as in, appalling. If there's any other accurate term to describe it, its MACC.



The 5-0 drubbing by an English club side some weeks back suggested the national team are in dire need of a total revamp. Sure they can argue it was the mighty (under-strength) Liverpool they were up against but if it is news to them, our young Tigers did fairly well against a full-strength English champs!



Yes, it feels good to have a go at them, especially to be backed with facts and not just emotion alone.



Finally after a long while it reinforces my belief they are not any better than us in some ways.



Now I wonder what will happen if the two national sides take it to the field. I definitely have some good feelings about it.





Reference: http://letswheel.blogspot.com/2009/08/they-are-not-any-better.html

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Wish to leave here



<br />









Two more days before I start my work again. Hahaha. Anw, haven been meeting up with my Friends. Think when I start work, can't even meet them alr. Haha. I'm so not excited for the start of my poly. Haiya things cannot be undone alr. Whateverrrr. Ok. Eh later evening going out with family to eat, awsome :)



I suddenly feel like leaving Singapore know! Zzz. Don't wanna stay in Singapore liao, very boring. Everything in Singapore sucks except my friends made here la. Hehe. I wanna fly awayyyyyyyyy. Tml I'm leaving for Canada because I'm going to celebrate my husband who is the one above haha. Tml gonna be his birthday. Haha. Just kidding. It is Serene birthday tml too! Stupid girl, dunno how many ages never see her liao. Not even a sms. Gonna call her tml and scold her. Chey.



Sometimes I wish i do not have any younger siblings. It's hard to be a good sister. Because when you advise them, they don't listen at times. When you don't advise them, they say you didn't advise them in the first place. So I guess I shld be a not good sister, because it's easier to. Right? Ha. Sorry I having period. CRAPPPPPPP.



Ok bye, gonna bath soon. Because the weather's effing hot.







Reference: http://ong-07.blogspot.com/2010/02/wish-to-leave-here.html

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Nihon de ikimasuuuuuu!!!!



<br />



Woohoo!



Kind of finished work.. staying at home to grow mushrooms and reduce damage.. lol.. its the Great Singapore Sales! But i must not go out and buy myself pretty clothes, course I need to save a lot to go Japan!



And so I am "window shopping" online.. Looking at lots of websites regarding Japan! I have like almost 20+ window tabs in my internet browser. lol..



I even made a map with all the must go places in tokyo. Half done right now, still need to add in some other places like akihabara, odaiba and ikebukuro.. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;hl=en&amp;q=tokyo&amp;ll=35.680516,139.766135&amp;spn=0.018057,0.03974&amp;om=1



"MUST BUY" things on my list..



How can anyone resist the relatively cheaper and pretty bags sold exclusively in Japan.. Burberry Blue Label











I love this bag soooooo much!!! There's a pink version too! I cannot make up my mind.. I hope they still have this model in stock! This will offset my savings by about $350? But still, with $350 in Singapore, you may not even get anything near the straps of such a bag(ok, i'm talking big here, but the small small gucci bag you see everywhere already cost near $400)!



Disney Store



Remember we had one in Singapore like years ago? I visited one in Odaiba Aquacity the other time I was in Tokyo, but had very little time to buy stuffs.. This time, I will go to the one in Shinjuku Takashimaya! Gonna buy many many cute stuffs back! Especially Pooh Bear!







Harajuku



This is the place to see the most extreme teenage fashion, and has one of the biggest Daiso (4 stories high!), also known as the 100yen shop, cos everything cost only 100 yen! Cheaper than the Daiso in SG.. Heard from Shurong she got cheap(ok not that cheap) clothes from there.. One whole street, called Takeshita Dori, is the birthplace of many new fashion trends.. It is made up of a wide variety of interesting stores (targeting young and cute teenage girls like me!). This area is a window shopper's paradise.







Another street, Omotesando Dori, sells all high end branded stuffs.. It is also the street leading to the famous Meiji Shrine, one of the largest Shrines in Tokyo, dedicated to the late Emperor Meiji.



100yen shop sounds like a good place to get some gifts! hahaha..





Ginza



Who doesn't know about Ginza? High end shopping area, one square meter of land in the district's center is worth more than ten million yen (more than 100,000 dollars), making it one of the most expensive real estate in Japan. It is where you can find the infamous $10 cups of coffee and where virtually every leading brand name in fashion and cosmetics has a presence. Not exactly a must go place, but would be happy to take a look there. I'm not gonna come here to shop.. (Unless there is time for me to shop in Burberry) I'm going there to take a look in the Sony Building.



The newest products by Sony, including DVD recorders, televisions, cameras, audio sets, mobile phones, computers and Play Station products, are displayed to the public in the showrooms in this building. I'm eyeing a few stuffs there anyway...



Akihabara

Akihabara (short: Akiba) is a district in central Tokyo, famous for its many electronics shops. In recent years, it has also gained fame as a center of the gaming, manga and animation culture.



Otakus aside, it is like an electronic geek's heaven! (ehh.. think i'm refering to myself.. lol..) Hundreds of electronics shops of various sizes can be found around Akihabara Station and along Chuo Dori (Chuo Avenue). They offer everything from the newest computers, cameras, televisions, mobile phones and home appliances to second-hand goods and electronic junk.



One of the largest discount electronic stores, Yodobashi Camera, has a large branch at Akiba. This store has a 10% rebate program, whereby they cradit 10% of the amount you spent in their member's card, and the next time you buy things, you can use it to offset your purchase.



Should be getting watches here.. a bit cheaper compared to the ones sold in SG, it's their home country afterall.. Baby-G for my sis! (In the case that she wants one..)



I like this one.. very pretty!





this is fine too..





All these are sold in SG too, saw them in stores already.. But if it's a lot cheaper there, why not???



With that said, let's look at what I am eyeing for...



Sony Vaio LB series

VGC-LB93S





Not out yet in Singapore.



Older version LA series cost $3099 in SG.



A new set cost $2100 in Japan.



Specs are good enough for everything I need. Asthetically pleasing to the eye. What more can I say? Any colour will do!!!



I just need $2000 to drop from the sky. Lol.. (Please let my mum tio 4D!)



Anyway, if my mum really wins 4D, and I get to buy this beauty, I will be topping up another $200 at Yodobashi to get this..







T20! 8.1 megapixels! Selling at $599 in SG.



I will get pink for both!





Reference: http://xiongz.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Singapore - A World Class City?



<br />



I was reading Today Online, Singapore's free sheet, and this particular article caught my attention so much that I decided to blog about it.

Why can't we simply be S'pore?

Weekend � April 28, 2007



Unless you've been living under a rock, you know there are grand plans in the pipeline for this tiny country.



From Formula 1 to integrated resorts, from skyscrapers designed by architects like Daniel Libeskind to plans to join the upper ranks of the First World list, Singapore seems to be embarking on a massive re-branding.



We aim to be Asia's raciest, sexiest and most happening city. The Capital of Cool, in other words.



As if to endorse our efforts, earlier this year, Singapore was ranked No 2 after Italy for its nightlife and dining in The Global Country Brand Index, which is based on a poll of more than 1,500 travellers and experts.



This would seem to suggest we are close to realising the dream.



But here's the beef: Why do we need to be told what we already know: That Singapore isn't half as boring as it is made out to be?



Why do we need to appear on such surveys, enlist brand name foreign architects and describe ourselves as the New York, Paris or Monaco of Asia in order to feel that we're up to scratch in the coolness stakes?



What's wrong with simply wanting to be a better Singapore?



Sure, we need headline-grabbing physical structures and income-generating events - the must-haves for any aspiring world-class city.



But they're just the tip of the iceberg of cool, not substitutes for what truly defines a cool city, which is its soul.



Soul, like hip and cool, is hard to define but it's for precisely this reason that nascent world-class cities such as Singapore prize their cachet.



Of course, some would argue that Paris wouldn't be Paris without the Eiffel Tower, but famous landmarks alone don't earn a city a spot on the "cool" radar.



And it's likely that Parisians couldn't care less if they aren't on any list of what's hip or cool: They are too comfortable in their own skin to give a damn.



Right now, we seem to be in the process of creating a Singapore with all the physical form and feel of the First World.



But scratch that glossy veneer and the reality is far different. By relentlessly chasing after super-structures and mega-profile events, we seem to be over-compensating for a lack of confidence in how cool we are already.



Obviously, this Little Red Dot has a long way to go in developing the soul and spirit to match London or New York.



And until we do so, our definition of hip and cool can only be confined to one-dimensional physical structures.



Lionel Seah is editor of Arena Singapore. Check out the current issue for Arena's 25 coolest places on the planet.




What really stirred me about this article is the comparison between Singapore with cities like London, Paris and New York. For goodness sake, why can't people understand that Singapore is only four decades old! A city like London is two centuries old and their tube which seems so complicated is more than a hundred year old. Similarly Paris, New York, Rome, etc -- these places are so rich in culture and 'soul' because left to their own devices it took them centuries to develop. Singapore on the other hand is an artificial creation. I don't mean this in a bad way. I hate to sound like a pro-establishment apologist but it's one of the most successful artificial world class city by all standards. With the exception of Chinatown of course.



If you refer to my earlier post on this topic, it seems like I have changed my opinion on this issue. Well, it seems the pragmatic state ideology of Singapore is gaining purchase with me. Now to see if they scrap section 377A.







Reference: http://tedysg.blogspot.com/2007/04/singapore-world-class-city.html

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Review: Female Haircut--Esprit Salon, Vivo City



<br />



&gt;&gt; Disclaimer: This post contains some serious complains. [Why do I always give reviews only when I need to complain? ;-p~] I am still a nice person, though. ;-) &lt;&lt;



I am confirmed to have bad hair days for at least a month from now! :-( I have been having huge disappointments with hair salons in Singapore! Sucks!



First, Jean Yip Plaza Singapura.. I insisted to cut my hair shorter than the hairdresser would like to cut it, and he was pouting the whole time he cut my hair.. Lucky that he was a good hairdresser, though, so I was actually quite satisfied with the result.. Just..it would've been nicer if they could have friendlier attitude towards their customers..



Second, Jean Yip Vivo City.. Gosh, I love to hate this salon so much.. I agree that they have talented hairdressers, but this salon is soooooo money-oriented.. I can understand that they need to sell to keep the business going, but pleaseeeeeeeee....we go to a hair salon to relax and enjoy ourselves being serviced, not to become defensive over a lot of unbelievably expensive treatment offers or packages or magic wonder shampoo and conditioner every single time we come! Stop it already! Gosh.. Dry hair, hair loss, scalp treatments, bla bla bla... Thanks for making us go to the salon feeling not pretty because of all the 'weaknesses' that we have with our hair!



Another thing is that...my sister's boyfriend bought a haircut package which basically consists of 7 haircuts @$22 each. Bla bla bla, they said that it can only be used by my sister and her boyfriend because it was their package. The audit team will not approve this bla bla bla. First of all, my sister name is not listed anywhere in that package thing that her boyfriend bought either, but she could still get the haircut..so how do they justify that it's a package bought by both of them? Second of all, how the heck will the audit team check who's going to use what?!?! They could've just use the name in the package card all along and it would be okay.. It is a prepaid package, it is not like we are cheating or not willing to pay or anything.. Plus, this package can actually be used in other Jean Yip stores, too, so how does that make sense? They can just be honest and say that they are trying to get me to buy another package or something, which by the way, will not happen.. I'll try other Jean Yip stores, thank you!



Last but not least (in terms of which one is worse), the Esprit salon, Vivo City.. Oh gosh.. I don't even know where to start.. It is just simply bad!!! :-(



The fellow didn't really know how to cut hair, and he could still call himself a 'stylist'??? Are you kidding?!?@!?$%@#!?! Please, if you want to go there, avoid 'Wan'; this guy is super duper amateur!!!! He gave a lot of 'give me a minute' excuses to do god-knows-what.. Dude, you can have your break when you have no customer?! And he gave me a 'trim' and some layers without any model...when he claimed that he was done, I was all confused, I was like, "Wait, you're done? What did you cut?" It looked almost the same with before I came into the salon except for the shortened fringe, which wasn't that good at all, and the right side of my hair was shorter than the left side! He then said, "See, when customer walked in, we had to take customer's instructions and cut just based on that..bla bla bla..." Hellow?! I am not a trained hairstylist...I can give you rough guidelines of what I want, I want to keep the length, or I want to keep it 2 cm shorter, or I want to get layers... I have gone to hair salons probably almost hundreds of times, but I never had to instruct the hairstylist to do exactly what?! If I would have known what exactly to do with the hair, I would've been a hairstylist myself, not an IT girl.. Duh?!? Also, I didn't remember to give him instruction on cutting my right side of the hair shorter than my left side?! Excuses, excuses.. He only needs to admit that he sucks!



Gosh...it was so not worth it.. If I were to know what exactly to do with my hair and how exactly to do it, I would just go to some $10 express haircut, not the fancy Esprit salon, and instruct the auntie to do my haircut based on my instructions... Why do I need to pay a freaking $38 for nothing?!? He didn't even style my hair, I had to choose my own style..he just cut..you know..wasting my $38.. I mean, you don't order a painter to draw you a painting and list every single detail on what and how the painter should draw it.. You give a general instruction of what you want him to draw, but the painter should have his own creativity poured into the painting..what color combinations to be used, etc.. Only that way that the painting could worth the value..



Ugh, I'm still pissed...feeling like chopping somebody's head, to be exact.. And this is how amateur Wan is... He cut my neck with his scissors! He was lucky that no blood was coming out of my neck; otherwise, I would be really mad..not that I wasn't already... I have been having my hair cut for 24.5 years, I had never experienced anything like this! Remember 'Fly Me To Polaris'? In that movie, Cecilia Cheung's character accidentally cut Richie Ren's character's ear.. It was cute and lovey-dovey in the movie, but trust me, it was not romantic at all in real life.. I really wanted to hit his head with a hardcover dictionary or something...



Argh!!! The only thing I can do is to wash my hair 3 times a day or something so that it will grow so fast, and I will definitely not go back to Esprit salon anywhere for a haircut! It is a shame that Esprit salon hired such an amateur... He fits better in a $9 express cut box! Seriously!



So, save your ears and neck, people!! You'd be better off bringing some earplugs to Vivo City's Jean Yip than having to pay for having part of your ears gone in some salon inside a clothing store!!!







Reference: http://kiddygurl.blogspot.com/2008/06/review-female-haircut-esprit-salon-vivo.html

Saturday, April 3, 2010

I Wanna Go Home... Kinda...Maybe After The Police & Santana's Concert?



<br />



Preface: I am not a construction engineer. This means that I really do not care if I ever learn the correct terminology for the equipment used at construction sites. I prefer the terminology that my sons used when they were little. These terms would be "digger trucks" and "jack-hammer trucks". Their terminology is simpler and you get the idea.







Big-ass Crane



Construction Equipment






Another Angle




A few nights ago, as we were walking to get some dinner we saw that heavy equipment brought a huge-ass crane to the demolition site next door. For about the last month, we've heard stuff being thrown out windows, as well as clanging and banging of the "pipes" that were used to erect a shield around the building. This crane then raised a "jack-hammer truck" to the roof of the building next door. By the time we returned home from dinner, the jack-hammers had already been placed atop the building. There could be two of them up there. There were on the Habitat I building. Habitat II is currently being jack-hammered to death. I think you might be able to see a bit of it in this short video I made this afternoon.





video





All of this construction/demolition is taking place directly across the street from the Shangri-La Hotel and Shangri-La Serviced Apartments. Dave2 recently did a post about his hotel room being so noisy that he took all of his bedding into the bathroom and tried to sleep in the tub! He will never stay at that hotel again (he hopes).



As is most often the case, when one arrives in Singapore, they've been on at least a 12-hour flight and have bad jet-lag. This means that when a businessperson or tourist arrives, they need to sleep at least a few hours.



The WHH figured out a game plan early on:





  • Arrive at Changi Airport (one of the best airports in the world). Then stop at the Duty-Free booze joint there (because you'll be sorry if you don't). Booze, beer, and wine are very costly here.


  • Take a taxi to destination.


  • Eat another light meal because even though Sing Air excels at almost everything, that "breakfast" just before arrival in Singapore sucks ass! Nothing about it is good -- ever, because I've tried it several times!


  • Singapore Airlines tends to time their flights to alleviate jet-lag as much as possible. I promise you, Singapore Airlines has all of this down to a science (except for that "breakfast" whateverthef*ck that's supposed to be).


  • After eating a sandwich, some chips, and several alcoholic beverages (if that's you're thing), then it's time for a nap (or other entertainment -- my favorite part).


  • Upon awaking around 2 or 3 in the afternoon -- go for a walk. It's always warm here, and the sunlight lasts until 7 pm. This does not mean that there won't be a big-ass thunderstorm. Be prepared with your umbrella.


  • Singapore is a beautifully clean and safe city. Go with your umbrella and enjoy!


Now, if one has paid as much money as it costs to stay in the Valley Wing or the Serviced Apartments, Then, I would scour the city for the quietest hotel I could find!



How much longer do I have to live here? They're down to the 24th floor already! Someone please calculate the approximate date that they will have made it down 20 more floors. I don't do math either (only when absolutely necessary). Kthnx?





Reference: http://americansinsingapore.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-wanna-go-home-kindamaybe-after-police.html

Friday, April 2, 2010

All these things STOMP has done (Part II).



<br />



Part I here.



Shu Fen has put up a list of STOMP's inanities over here. Do check it out.





Reference: http://stompoutstomp.blogspot.com/2009/02/all-these-things-stomp-has-done-part-ii.html

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Knocked out



<br />



Spain's sports minister has accused Real Betis and Sevilla directors of inflammatory behaviour before a King's Cup tie that was abandoned after Sevilla coach Juande Ramos was knocked unconscious by a bottle.



Jaime Lissavetzky said yesterday: 'In the days before the game, certain individuals from the clubs generated a climate that meant the game could not take place in a normal atmosphere.'



The build-up to the latest Seville derby was dominated by arguments between the two clubs' directors over whether or not Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido would be allowed in the VIP box at the Betis stadium.



After mediation, Betis finally allowed del Nido to attend the match. An object thrown by a fan hit him on the nose as he took his seat.



The match was abandoned with Sevilla leading the tie 1-0 on aggregate.



REUTERS









Reference: http://singapore-sucks.blogspot.com/2007/03/knocked-out.html

Thursday, March 25, 2010

singnet sucks



<br />



the way singnet sucks is indescribable. restricting access to sites, stopping p2p without noticing customer, slowing rates down, making broadband feel like its dialup. singnet, you officially suck. if i actually cared, (when i return home next semester), i will complain.



chopchop! studies taking hits! need more time! AHHHHHHHHH.



life's been too... mundane to update. or rather, dont know why i lost the interest. i dont even do anything else other than opening my stupid textbook D:



university life in singapore sucks, really. especially if you are a pure math major who returned from SEP knowing half of what you should already have known. D:





Reference: http://mofucius.blogspot.com/2010/02/singnet-sucks.html

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Singapore the land of FREEDOM!



<br />









Singapore sucks.

I have no freedom.

Its boring here.

I feel restricted on this Island.



If you're one of those who feel this way, then Im going to irritate you.



Recently, my family and I moved in with my Uncle. Now,that means we'll be living in Singapore after sooo long! And those of you who find Singapore unappealing, I'm sorry. I cant help myself.



SINGAPORE IS PERFECT! No, seriously. In my years of experience living in Malaysia, I've been able to make a comparison between the two countries. Its so convenient here in Singapore! In Malaysia, you'd have to travel EVERYWHERE BY CAR! EVEN TO THE GROCERY SHOP!.All your friends are here too. Back in Malaysia, its really eerie. Its quiet back there. Sure, you get to buy CHEAP clothes and drive and enjoy magnificient views and walk up and down the second floor of you house, But if you were to weigh the amount of sacrifice you'd have to make, I don't think its worth it.



Sometimes you'd have to lose something VALUABLE to really, truly, fully, appreciate it. For me, it was my Freedom. So go on, sulk, complain, moan. Argue that your parents dont let you out with your friends.But unless you live in London and travel to school everyday from there. You have my permission.





Why in the world did I complain

Now you've left me with regret

Life here was always plain

But oh, we humans just forget



The conveniences we have, taken for granted

No value imposed on the things that matter

Dont you know that things are rented?

Once unpaid,"SEE YOU LATER!"



Till the day we lose what we didn't hold dear

We'd probably never know its true value

Its like a crayon, dancing around the sketchpad

That color our lives and make things vibrant



Once we lose that vital companion

So valuable, it left behind a drawing

One thing then, will be for sure

Regrets are all that will be coming



-Abu Sofian Eunos





Reference: http://worldlycollision.blogspot.com/2009/12/singapore-land-of-freedom.html

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Singapore the land of FREEDOM!



<br />









Singapore sucks.

I have no freedom.

Its boring here.

I feel restricted on this Island.



If you're one of those who feel this way, then Im going to irritate you.



Recently, my family and I moved in with my Uncle. Now,that means we'll be living in Singapore after sooo long! And those of you who find Singapore unappealing, I'm sorry. I cant help myself.



SINGAPORE IS PERFECT! No, seriously. In my years of experience living in Malaysia, I've been able to make a comparison between the two countries. Its so convenient here in Singapore! In Malaysia, you'd have to travel EVERYWHERE BY CAR! EVEN TO THE GROCERY SHOP!.All your friends are here too. Back in Malaysia, its really eerie. Its quiet back there. Sure, you get to buy CHEAP clothes and drive and enjoy magnificient views and walk up and down the second floor of you house, But if you were to weigh the amount of sacrifice you'd have to make, I don't think its worth it.



Sometimes you'd have to lose something VALUABLE to really, truly, fully, appreciate it. For me, it was my Freedom. So go on, sulk, complain, moan. Argue that your parents dont let you out with your friends.But unless you live in London and travel to school everyday from there. You have my permission.





Why in the world did I complain

Now you've left me with regret

Life here was always plain

But oh, we humans just forget



The conveniences we have, taken for granted

No value imposed on the things that matter

Dont you know that things are rented?

Once unpaid,"SEE YOU LATER!"



Till the day we lose what we didn't hold dear

We'd probably never know its true value

Its like a crayon, dancing around the sketchpad

That color our lives and make things vibrant



Once we lose that vital companion

So valuable, it left behind a drawing

One thing then, will be for sure

Regrets are all that will be coming



-Abu Sofian Eunos





Reference: http://worldlycollision.blogspot.com/2009/12/singapore-land-of-freedom.html

Monday, March 22, 2010

Return of Christof, and why Singapore sucks!



<br />



First and foremost, I apologize sincerely to all readers for going MIA for the past 2 months. I've been really tied up with work and everything else in life. Hardly had enough time to sleep, let alone put up blog entries.



To those who are reading this entry, THANK YOU for remembering me despite my disappearance for the past 2 months!



Well this is not a new topic, but a more detailed extension of why I hate Singapore. As many of you know, I am not exactly a Singaporean. With a Malaysian father and Taiwanese mother, and spending much of my time in the States and the rest in Taiwan, I can hardly call myself a Singaporean. The government here never gave me any benefits of a citizen due to having both parents being foreigners, but it doesn't bother me. What it bothers me is, how they treat their own citizens...



Singapore isn't really a country, it's a corporate company where the government is the management, and the citizens are the slaves, erm... I mean employees... With around US$100 billion in the reserve forced out of its people this corporate which pays their minister more than what George Bush gets. The smart excuse for paying their ministers higher than any country does is that this will discourage corruption. Well guess what, they're right. Taking sky high salary LEGALLY while most average citizens are struggling to make ends meet ain't corruption!





The Singapore flag.


Singapore's coat of arms.






The PAP or People's "Authoritarian" Party dominates the nation and practically brain-washed every employee into faithful servants. Minority who resisted the brain-washing are condemned for life (like myself) and often shunned by the majority.



Brain-washing in process. Kids with freewill and individuality is as rare as a T.rex.



Singapore have little if not none of any citizen welfare benefits. During their younger days, 20% of their monthly pay are seized and put in their CPF accounts. This money, cannot be used or withdrew till an age of 65. Who the hell can be confident to live to 65 anyway? Let alone in a stressful corporate like Singapore? This measure of "forced-saving" reliefs the government of duties to feed or take care of the old. Smart move! And the reason Singaporeans can only withdraw their money when they reach 65? Smartass IR investment of the government.



The government also came up with many rules and measures in the name of solving national problems, but are in fact more like money making gimmicks. They made "ERP"s or Everyday Rob People in the name of controlling traffic flow and hence reduce traffic jams. But they built those pay points on almost every major roads. We still see bad jams, and of course, higher cost of living. To summarize, we need to pay every time we drive. So what the hell did we pay road tax for? And what about the COE? Damn you blood suckers.



The government claim to discourage people from smoking. They made prices for tobacco products sky high. And probably one of the few countries that does not allow even 1 stick of untaxed cigarette upon arrival. I mean how much stupider can the government get?!?! Did they actually see the reduction in the number of smokers? Hardly any visible! We smokers are hooked! It's a fucking habit and it's probably gonna stay for life! So knowing our weakness, the government exploits it by consistently increasing tobacco prices taking for granted that we will have to smoke anyway.



In Singapore one can also get fined for the smallest thing. Just take a look:-









Doesn't sound really heaven right? Strangely, if you ever mention to a Singaporean how lousy his country is, the brain-washed robots will call for his horde of reinforcements and gangbang you for insulting his country... Some strange patriotism and devotion to an unreasonable corporate state.






Reference: http://christofyew.blogspot.com/2007/09/return-of-christof-i-hate-singapore.html

Friday, March 19, 2010

Knocked out



<br />



Spain's sports minister has accused Real Betis and Sevilla directors of inflammatory behaviour before a King's Cup tie that was abandoned after Sevilla coach Juande Ramos was knocked unconscious by a bottle.



Jaime Lissavetzky said yesterday: 'In the days before the game, certain individuals from the clubs generated a climate that meant the game could not take place in a normal atmosphere.'



The build-up to the latest Seville derby was dominated by arguments between the two clubs' directors over whether or not Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido would be allowed in the VIP box at the Betis stadium.



After mediation, Betis finally allowed del Nido to attend the match. An object thrown by a fan hit him on the nose as he took his seat.



The match was abandoned with Sevilla leading the tie 1-0 on aggregate.



REUTERS









Reference: http://singapore-sucks.blogspot.com/2007/03/knocked-out.html