there's something about ..... horoscope

Is it still call horoscope for 十二生肖？

Anyway, coolcat called me over CNY to tell me that my horoscope in this new year is not great where luck is concerned. Big gambling will lose, small gambling might win a little.

She is not too far wrong.

First Day of CNY, I played "ban luck" (nabeh... translation also so suey) and lost about $50. And mind you... it was a small game involving a maximum of only $2 per bet.

And... mind you further... I was the banker.

And mind you furthest... I was the banker on 2 occasions and lost on both occasions.

Well, bo bian.. perhaps the people I played with are from other horoscope.

The next day, I played "ban luck" again. This time round, I'm playing with people all my age. Surely, everyone should be equally down.

I lost $200. And I'm one of 2 who lost to the other 4. All my age. Nabeh.

If you think this "luck" thing only extend to gambling... think again.

I was at Glutton Square yesterday, next to Esplanade. I decided to try new stuffs. There was this stall called "Happy Pot" selling steamboat in a claypot being heated by charcoal. It's a small little claypot.

I ordered a set for myself. It includes some vegetables, 3 fishballs, 2 prawns, probably 5 pieces of meat, 1 bowl of rice... for a total of $9.60!!!!! And mind you again, it's not buffet.

Wah... I can go Marina South for unlimited servings for a little more!!!

The whole concept while they claimed is the one and only in Singapore, I will tell you it will also be my one and only visit to them. Not so much of price point, but hey... mini-steamboat and not buffet... I might as well order those Fish/meat soup with rice for $4.

After dinner, I took a stroll to River Ang Pao.

It's quite a spectacle.

I saw this obesce chap dressing up as 财神爷 giving divine advices to people who treats him like a demi-god. These people will buy this red-little pouch from his minders, and they will be blessed by this Fat Guy. All he asked is your horoscope, and he will recite your year's fortune before ending with a FA CAI and he will touch your forehead like he has already blessed you. And mind.. you should take a look at these people's face. They really do believe him.

I stayed longer enough to know that his recital is the same for everyone of the same horoscope.

I came across another stall. They are selling a service to read your palm via computer for a mere $2. You put your palm into a scanner, and it will print out your year's fortune thru a printer.

I decided to try... afterall... I've already lost like $250 on cards, what's another $2 just for some palm reading.

When it's my turn, they asked for my horoscope again. And I knew this was another scam. I mean... palm reading need to know horoscope one meh.

The printout read more like the general reading based on your horoscope than anything to do with palm.

In another words..... nabeh.

You see... when you are down with luck, you would even be cheated by a computer.

there's something about ..... CNY

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!!

May the year of the pig bring health and prosperity to everyone!!!

*******************************
My clerk called me last week asking me if I want to order CNY greeting cards. I thought was rather cheap and ordered without looking at the designs.

The first look was good. Not your typical fishes, flowers or whathaveu.

I brought it back to show my wife and her first reaction was...

"Spell wrongly!!!"

"What?! Where?"

"Instead of Gong Xi Fa Cai... they spelled as KONG xi fa cai"

Win already.

*******************************

Friday night, I was at a neighbourhood minimart buying drinks and etc. It's a minimart that we often patronise and we know the shop owners.

While I was queuing up to pay, this woman in her late 30s/early 40s decided to ask the lady boss about the closing time on Saturday, in hokkien.

If you haven't realised, market stays open till dawn on the eve of the eve of CNY, and they remain open until late morning.

The lady boss answered "12 o clock" in hokkien. Meaning the minimart wil close at 12 on Saturday.

The woman asked.... "UM MAE ZUM ZI DIAM AH?" (midnight)

I rest my case. Other than Chinatown, I dunno if any other place open till 12 midnight on the eve of CNY.

And to think that she is a housewife and should know better.

***************************

Today I received a sms from a client.

How nice to receive from a client who remembers, especially when they are of a different race.

You know... in modern days... when life is so hectic and busy, we do things fast. Which is why, sms comes in all kinds of abbreviations and short forms that it takes more time for the receiver to decipher the meaning.

The sms says:

"Wish you n yr fly a happy new year"

I'm not joking!

there's something about ..... comfort

Last weekend, I was at Toys R Us. And I came across this fabulous, super-desirable toy one can ever imagine and it's finally available to ALL fans of COMFORT TAXI!!!!!!

Somemore... buy 2 get 3rd Free... WOW... WHAT A GREAT DEAL!!!! I can now proudly display them at Home, not 1, not 2.. but 3 of them side by side.

Then, i can play the cars, like who can cut each other lane's better, we can speed past traffic lights faster, we can horn their cars louder, who can suddenly cut into other's cars lane and suddenly stop so that they can pick up my other toy passengers.

Then I can put a clock near the taxi and just about 11pm, I will hide the taxis among my other toys, and make them resurface at 12am. So fun!!

And maybe I should buy more taxis. So that I can line them up near my toy airport.

So much fun!!!

GO and Buy them before they are sold out!! Don't say I never warn you... BUY 2 GET 3RD FREE!!!! Damn good deal!!!!

there's something about ..... takeover

Soccer Talk.

My beloved Liverpool has been bought over by American pair of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
see link

It's sad to see a historic team in English Premier League in the hands of the Americans, or for that matter, in the hands of non-british.

Granted. Manchester United and Aston Villa are also in the hands of American, but surely non as historical as Liverpool. Currently, I think only Arsenal is English.

Americans has a way with Sports. They are marketing genious and they are sports fanatics, except in the area of soccer. And not to mention, they are pro-american.

Immediately after Manchester United was bought over by an American, they have a new shirt sponsor. Out go "Vondaphone", a european brand. In come "AIG", a american brand.

Is the same fate going to happen to Liverpool?

Carlsberg has been the shirt sponsors for many years. And also a European brand, I believe.

Saying that, I think it's just a matter of time, before the brand goes to a American Company.

It's only natural. If Singapore is to buy over Liverpool, we will either put Creative or Singapore Airlines or Sheng Shiong Supermarket on it.

If Thaksin were successful last year, you bet, Shin corp or Singah Beer would be the sponsor.

And now... we know the next brand would be American.

there's somethng about ..... arena

Just caught the result show for "Arena". That debate program featuring high school/secondary schools students in a "Gladiator" style platform.

I didn't watch the main debate but caught snippets of it during the result show. Today's topic was about Singapore's service standard being bad. The proposition team was from United World Colleage, one of the top International School in Singapore.. vs the opposition team of Nanyang Girls School, one of the top secondary school in Singapore.

And Guess who won?

Unanimously!!

Trashing!!!

Slam Dunk!!!

One horse race!!!

No horse run!!!

It's like Manchester United vs Singapore!!!

It's like Italy vs Singapore!!!

I can't believe it. The score is 74 vs 26 in favour of United World College.

Of course, caucasians are natural speakers of the english language, but surely that is not the reason for the trashing! Are these students more matured in terms of age, as in a 17 year old kid vs a 15 year old kid? I'm not too sure.

Surely those girls from Nanyang can't be that bad to be trashed!

Is there a fundamental problem with our Singapore Educational System?

there's something about ..... probability

I like to make guesses.

Just before 8pm tonight, I made 2 guesses.

Singapore to lose and Project Superstar main winner is the lady.

Based on the fact that each guess has only 2 probability, my chances of getting them right is quite high.

I have 25% probabillity of getting 1 correct answer. The reverse will be true that I have 75% probability of getting both the answers correct. On average, I should have at least 50% accuracy.

Now, this would be based on pure guesses. Meaning to say, the above probablity hold true if you ask my soon to be 2 years old son to pick out winners.

However, if you based on educated guess, your probability of getting them correct is closer to the 75% percentile.

I was confident of my guesses considering I follow the progress up to both the Finals.

Thailand is faster, technically stronger, fitter and has home-ground advantage. Scoring 1 goal is no problem.

Diya Tan has a more soothing face than Darren Tan. I didn't think too much about their singing capability so I based my guesses based on how I feel about their look.

So, I do expect myself to get at least 50% right.

But we now know that why this is called math of probability, and not math of certainty. As they say, the only certain things in life is Death and Taxes!

there's something about ..... another final

I quote this from NEWPAPER today from a Thailand Fan:

"Singapore is not an original team! The team is made up of foreigners. I want to be at the stadium for the final because I am pround to be Thai. I want an original Thai team to beat this team of foreign recruits. Maybe they should not call this the Asean Football Championship. They should rename it as the World Cup because half the Singapore Team came from other countries." Ma Wen Chang, a 56 years old Thai Chinese businessman.

This is so not true.

Let me go thru the team list, we have:

1.) Itimi Dickson
2.) Shi Jia Yi
3.) Mustafic Fahrudin
4.) Daniel Bennett
5.) Precious Emuejeraye

See, it's not true at all. It's 45% of the team!! Not 50%

Unless this Thai fan thought our keeper "Lionel Lewis" is foreigner.

Come to think of it, Singapore team also very unique. We have a Ang Moh with a Malay Name and we have a Singaporean with Ang Moh name.

Ok... let me make a prediction.

Thailand to beat Singapore 1-0 and win on Away goal.

there's something about ..... final

Yes... This Sunday is the Final

The Final everyone is waiting for.

The Final that has drum up so much interest.

The Final between 2 strong opponents.

I can't wait for Project Superstar this Sunday!!!

there's something about ..... january

This is one super high octane, emotions roller-coaster month.

I had one of my busiest month to date. Might as well, as I think coming February will be one of my free-est month ever.

2 weeks ago, my dad was hospitalised. All is well now, but it was traumatic when it happens.

And for some really strange coincidence, my son got viral fever on 29th Jan.... exactly 1 year ago on 29th Jan... he too had a viral fever.

Both resulted to visits to KK hospital.

Just suddenly, he was shivering under the blanket during his nap. We thought he just woke up and was playing but only to realised he was shivering. His temperature was 41 degrees and my wife and mum immediately took a taxi and send him to KK. I met up with them there. After his temperature subsided, we went back home. Doc says it's viral fever after the blood and urine test shows negative of any other virus.

Last year, one of my wife's colleague told her that the benefits of going to KK is that, if you return the next day, you would not have to pay again.

I've the unfortunate chance to proof that theory wrong.

We went back again the next day. This time roung, it was more worrying as my son, with his limited communication skills, told us that he has "pain pain" around his chest area. I lift up his shirt and saw very big breathing and his heartbeat was too pronounced. This got us even more worried than the shivering espisode the day before.

This time round, I was home.

The whole family managed to get out of the house and in the car like in 2 mins and we reach KK in a little less than 15 mins.

His heartbeat was 211 per minute.

But we realised all the worry was for nothing as the doctor said that it was normal for that kind of heart-rate during fever and my son's pain could be discomfort due to constipation.

So they inject lubricant into my son's anal via a syringe. MY GOD!!!! My heart sank so bloody low.

He is still recovering but things are looking a bit better.

This year of Dog is really bad where health is concern for the whole family. I look forward to better health in year of Pig.

there's something about ..... stadium

Just caught the Asean Football match between Singapore and Thailand.... at home.

I would have loved to go National Stadium to relive those memories of the Malaysia Cup days but....
1.) at this age, I stop queuing for things.
2.) Nobody within my circle of friends seems to be interested to go.
3.) Might as well, as I was working and got home at 9pm, meaning to say I miss the first goal.

Of course, the biggest talking point is how Thailand players refused to continue the game when a penalty was awarded against them.

But my biggest regret about this match is not about the controversy, but the VERY LAST GOAL SCORED in National Stadium is by an adopted Ang Moh!! Not by any pure Singaporean.... but a ANG MOH!!!!

So what, some might argue... afterall... they are permanent citizen what.

Call me traditionalist... but if anyone should take the last kick to end the curtains for a National monument, it should be Alistair Edwards or Abbas Saad. Not some Ang Moh... which seriously I still do not know what's his name.

Of course, I'm joking lah.

I feel a Singaporean should have taken the penalty kick. period.

And.....

What do we need to tear down National Stadium?

Do we need spend millions of dollars so that we can build a newer Stadium so that it again will be under-utilised?

We are not English Premier League. In Fact, I don't even favour replacing historical stadiums in England like Highbury and Old Trafford. But then again, I'm not English. They can tear down any buildings they like.

Why is there a need to have a spanking new National Stadium?

There are talks that we should sell naming rights to our Stadium a-la the American as well as the English where Arsenal's stadium is named after Emirates.

How about calling our National Stadium....

1.) Breadtalk Stadium
2.) Tanjong Rhu Pao Stadium
3.) Sheng Siong Stadium

That way... public spending on white elephants can be minimised.

Anyway, Go Singapore Go!!!!!