there's something about ..... arena final

Sometime in February, I did a post on Channel 5 debate program The Arena.

Yesterday I caught the Result show for the Final, between UWC and Hwa Chong Institution.

And Man... aren't I dissappointed.

When UWC last trashed Nanyang Girls, I thought perhaps UWC was sending girls much older.

Last night's final, they TRASHED Hwa Chong. Not even a close match. It was 78 vs 22.

So I decided to go to the website to check the age of the students and realised that all participants are 15 years old, even those in UWC.

What's wrong with our local boys and girls man!!!!!

While debate is about eloquence, surely logic and quick thinking can compensate for the language inferiority, if it was any inferior at all.

But to be trashed in a Final.....

I went through the Forum pages of the website. Some people was making a post whether it's fair to have invited UWC into a compeition like this. This chap was saying that they are international school and they have advantage over singapore school. He didn't say what advantages these International school has, but given these results, I do think their advantage is their curriculum.

Another fellow in the forum was argueing that UWC is also a school in Singapore and such they has every right to take part in such a competition.

Yes and no. UWC is a school listed in Singapore. BUT Singaporean is not allowed to be enrolled into UWC. So how is this fair?

I know... I know.... Eric Khoo studied there. But if my father own Goodwood Hotel and once the biggest individual shareholder of Standard Chartered, I'm sure I'm able to study anywhere in Singapore.

Arena really show how bad Singapore Education System is. All this talk about Singapore being a education hub is a joke. Getting China students into Singapore to learn English and IT do not make us a education hub!

If we cannot even let a 7 year old boy takes chemistry at "o" level because he is too young.... and he has to take it through British Council and eventually score a "B".... you know we have a long way to go.

there's something about ..... phonecall

Who says there are nothing positive from visiting your inlaws?

Just yesterday I learned something new over at my inlaws.

Bet you didn't know about this....

Do you know that when you Dial for Pizza, they can actually tell you that they are too busy and couldn't deliver them to you and they actually ask you to go buy from the nearest Pizza branch and they will give you a 10 percent discount?

I didn't realise I wasn't the only one who didn't like my inlaws.

When I hear that, I didn't know how to react. I wanted to laugh out loud but I decided to be gentleman.

I wonder which is worse.... Me driving thru ERP gantry, pay Carpark charges so that I can eat at Pizza Hut.... OR to be snubbed by Pizza Hut themselves.

I love Pizza Hut.

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

Today I decided to call my friend working in a MNC. I called his direct line and someone else picked up his call.

Me: Hi, Ah Beng please. (his real name is witheld)

Someone else: Ah Beng is not at his desk.

Me: Thanks


Isn't that obvious? I mean if Ah beng is at his desk, he would be talking to me. The fact that he is not at his desk, do you have to say the obvious?

Is like I'm at the toilet door and someone ask me "hey go where?"

Is like I'm queueing up for food and someone ask me "queuing up har?"

There should be smarter way of answering phonecalls. I mean we are talking about MNC here.

there's something about ..... giddyness

Recently I got a short dizzy spells twice while working.

What to do.... that is part and parcel of what I do sometimes. No... I don't mean getting dizzy as what I do. I mean doing what I do and become dizzy in the process.

But how do I become giddy in the process?

Very easy....

Just drive your car and park at the following places:

1. CENTRAL mall at Clark Quay
2. SQUARE 2 at Novena

SURE GIDDY ONE!!!

Coincidentally both are built by FAR EAST ORGANISATION. And since both are completed around the same time, I reckon they are built by the same architect.

How else can one explained that the car park is on the 6th floor, and the turning angle for the ramp is extremely acute that you are forced to go round 6 times without a straight line driving.... for BOTH THE COMPLEX.

And you also know that you are not their target audience... as in mid-30s male who drives. Their parking lot is so limited, you thought they did in on purpose to piss off first timer. I mean if I'm to get giddy everytime i drives there only to be further frustrated by not getting a parking lot, I wouldn't go again lor.

It's bloody dangerous, especially for the one at SQUARE 2.

Anyway, both complex have very complex layout. The one at CENTRAL is so complicated, even navigating them make you giddy. Plus the fact that 30 to 40% of CENTRAL are still under renovation, you breathe in all the reno smell. Wah biang!!

there's something about ..... cycle

I'm not talking about economic or property cycle.

I feel human goes thru a cycle.... where fashion is concerned.

When I was teens, I would buy clothes from Giordano and department stores back in those days.

When I was in my mid-20s, I would buy branded stuffs like Armani, Boss, CK etc. Even the least branded would have to be at least a "Guess".

Then I reach late 20s. I started buying more mid-price stuffs. As I travelled more, I would buy foreign brands like Zara, Gap and Banana Republic. Sometimes I will mixed the mid-brands with G2000.

When I hit early 30s, I decided comfort is important and I see myself buying back Giordano, and I see more G2000 stuffs. I will also buy more basic stuffs from Bossini.

And when you are close to mid-30s... Ni Nabeh.... your taste degenerated not 1 grade but 3 grades more....

2 days ago I bought my casual shirt for $19, from......

GIANT Hypermart!!!!

There's something about ..... crossing

I could finally see my posting. Ever since Blogger came under Google, I felt the system is very unstable. That aside.

Today I have a rather unusual sighting.

I have seen dogs crossing the road... cats trying to cross the road but always ended up squashed...

I have seen squirrel running across the road.

I have seen Zebra Crossing. haha.

Today, I saw a TURTLE Crossing the road!!!

It's one of the most horrifying experience for me... and i'm sure the turtle as well.

It's a 3 lane street along Keng Lee Road and the turtle is crossing the road, probably to the big drain separating the road.

I was coming out of a carpark and was about to turn out to Keng Lee Road but I couldn't because the Turtle was crossing. The horrifying thing was that few cars actually drove past it without realising its presence. Each time a car drove past, either the side or over, the turtle would go back into the shell. After that, he would come out of the shell and continue his slow crawl.

Each time a car came, my heart skip a beat. I mean... naturally... you would witness the "accident" if it happens. Even if I close my eyes before the accident, I will still need to drive out to the road and I would still see the crushed turtle.

One car actually slowed down when the driver saw the turtle. But he still drive slowly past it. Win already. I dunno whether to praise him or condemn him.

During a short period when there wasn't any cars, I was so tempted to get out of the car and dash to the turtle and bring him to safety.... BUT......

... I've never touched a turtle before... and my nearest experience was Ninja Turtle. I really do not know how it would be like to hold a turtle and what kind of response I would get from the Turtle. So I decided to cheer him on from my car.

Good thing is... the Turtle made it.

Another interesting sighting... while the turtle was crossing the road, I saw birds surrounding the turtle as it they were encouraging the turtle. Each time a car came by, the birds will fly away and after that came back to the turtle.

Wah... so heart warming.

there's something about ..... signage

The photo below was taken from a old condominium in a Posh District.

Snobbishness is one thing, but to discriminate against children is really bad. To EMPHASISED further about the child's learning capability is REAL BAD. They should go Hell!

I'm boycotting this condominium. Even if I'm a Multi-billionaire, I'm not going to buy a unit in this condo!!!!!

there's something about ..... IT show

So it's reported that $48,000,000 sales were registered over 4 days and about 700,000 people went to the IT show over 4 days.

It could have been $48,000,699 yesterday.

I went to IT show yesterday. Isn't it great, how often can you bond with 200,000 Singaporeans at the same time with a common aim. The aim of getting thru horrendous traffic conditions, cutting thru human crowds, buying IT products so that we can get an extra SD card or compact flash card, or a extra trolley.

I wasn't impressed with the IT show. Like the organiser says, the results this year is the best due to the market buoyancy. Let me also tell you, the vendors there also knows that.

The discount wasn't fantastic unless you are getting some obsolete models. Ongoing models are pretty much selling you at the same price outside but they gave you extra accessories. LCD TV also the similar price plus you have to self-carry. In a buoyancy market like now, no need to give big discount and people will still buy.

I almost bought X-box 360 yesterday. Best Denki and Challenger were trying to outdo each other but not good enough in my opinion. The platinum pack at $699 include extra wireless controller and 2 games. Best Denki was giving out another free game of your choice, Challenger was giving out a charger for the controller.

To me, with PS3 just entering the market, and WII (highly anticipated) yet to arrive, I think x-box has more room to come down. Had either vendor tried to outdo each other more, I would have bought. But they were both very into the "market buoyancy" talk that they decided not to come down more.

Just their luck.

I'll wait.

there's something about ..... pizza and erp

We were supposed to dine with Coolcat and her family but both of us got trapped in our respective locations due to the IT show at Suntec.

Traffic was so bad I suggest they should add a movable ERP gantry just outside Suntec City whenever they have IT show. In fact, I think they should move the IT Show, Comex Show, PC show or whatever show to Sentosa to boost visitorship to Sentosa.

Anyway, due to the bad traffic, we decided to dine separately. I decided to go Centrepoint and she was at Raffles City.

If you haven't realised, Centrepoint is now "bigger". In fact, they have this new branding excercise to emphasise the NEW Centrepoint.

It's really wonderful. This new extension is totally inaccessible from the old centrepoint, it make such a shopping experience exciting. It's like playing Hide and Seek. In fact, I would suggest Amazing Race coming back to Singapore and make a "road block" out of Centrepoint "try to find shop XXX in the new extension from the old extension".

As it's dinner time, we decided to go to the new food street at basement 2. After navigating the complicated basement layout, I found myself at the new food "street". If this is call a "street", then I'm staying in a Bungalow. Then HDB flats are known as Condominium. This Street boast 2 restaurants, 1 cake shop and probably 2 other kiosks. It was so short, even the real "short street" at Sim Lim Square is longer.

It's so pathetic, I decided to make my way to Cuppage Centre foodcourt. They have this lovely Big and Spacious Foodcourt that I really like. But KNN.... after navigating out of the new extension at Centrepoint and making another big detour out to Cuppage Centre thru centrepoint, we realised the food court has closed for good.

At this point about 7.40pm, we are totally desperate and hungry, we decided to make our way to the older foodstreet at Centrepoint. And we decided to eat at PIZZA HUT because it's the only one restaurant there that has plenty of seats to choose from.

Half way thru the meal, I realised.....

I have spend 20 mins on the road, pay for goodness sake how much ERP to enter orchard road, pay $3 for the Car Park at Centrepoint, walk 30 mins navigating thru Centrepoint, JUST SO THAT I CAN EAT AT PIZZA HUT........ A Restaurant that deliver Pizzas Right up to your doorstep??!?!?!?!?!?!?

Fabulous lor. This is call backside itchy lor.

Too lazy to start another threat on ERP, so continue from this post.

Alright... so paying ERP is granted. Complaint also cannot reverse the fact.

But do we really have to be penalised further by not knowing how much will be sucked out from our pocket?

Do you know how much is the ERP charges for Orchard road at 7pm? How about 6pm? How about 7.10pm? How about 4.29pm?

Yes... they have electronic signboard that tells you the rates.

First, the government expect us to take a quick 2 second look at the signboard at the expense of traffice safety. After knowing the rates and if you realised it's too expensive, you got no F%$^# way out except to enter the ERP.

Government then will tell you, you should plan your route well and thus know what's your costs involved. But no matter how the F^$^ good planner I am, the end destination is still Orchard Road and I still need to pay F$%# ERP.

Anyway, I'm just bloody angry that I have to pay ERP to eat at Pizza Hut while home delivery is free.

there's something about ..... Helplessness

Wah.. it's been that long since I last posted. I think it's the longest period.

Not so much of lack of nothing to write.... but more like no time to do anything at all. Work has been so much, I actually fell asleep rather early the whole of last week. In the past, I would sleep after my kid went to bed about 12, and I would spend another hour to do my own things, but last week I slept about 11, before my kid. That is how Tired I am.

Anyway, looks like my days are getting back to normal.

Today... I felt the earthquate tremor. First time in my life.

I was sitted on a sofa and I felt the whole sofa moved. It's like a good 10 seconds.

That was surreal.

The feeling I got in that 10 seconds was almost similar to how I felt when I saw John Chen, our ex-MP, singing a mandarin song on the Chinese news, apparently he has cut a mandarin album to be realeased soon. see news link



It's the first time I felt a sense of helplessness.

Should I switch off the volume or off the TV? Should I laugh? I was so confused.



I caught the repeat of Chingay on TV on Sunday. I finally saw the MPs dancing. Un-coordination aside. Sillyness aside. Comedy aside. Trying to look like you-really-can-dance-hip-hop aside. I suddenly felt that I have finally bonded with my MPs.





You could hear the youtuber who film this really enjoy herself.

But enjoyment aside, for once, they look like they can be like one of us.

You know like in that Jack Neo movie where civil servants just do what their boss tells them to, even if it means it's meaningless, but you still do it. I felt the MPs are just like any civil servants, except of course they are civil servants that earned 17k a month.

What to do, your boss say you dance, you dance lor. Even if it means you make a fool in front of millions of TV viewers and in front of tourist who do not know who you are and why you are dancing so badly.

In another words, they too are helpless.

Back to the earthquate, 10 seconds is not enough for anyone to react. not enough for anyone to think.

But the afterthought is aplenty.

You think about life... you think about family. Not that the earthquate was any danger to us at all. But really, we have taken all these for granted.

Maybe this little tremor is a reminder to all of us, to treasure life.

Maybe John chen didn't need an earthquate to remind him to live life to the fullest.

Maybe we shouldn't as well.