| Celibacy is great |
[Nov. 21st, 2009|12:15 am] |
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Celibate for longest time i can remember and feeling is great. The mastery over carnal desires and senseless wahtumightcallit. |
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| apathetic Singapore |
[Apr. 30th, 2009|11:59 pm] |
how can there be so many apathetic people in Singapore? or is it actually selfishness?
no response to people hurt? to Christian fundamentalist throwing a coup on a secular group and probably plotting for parlimentary/ legal coup ... so dangerous
when a fellow human being get hit in the head and pretend nothing happen, not even a " are you ok?"
no wonder humans get swine flu |
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| Best paid Governement and Financial Civil Servants in the world show no initiative, follow HK |
[Oct. 23rd, 2008|10:17 pm] |
Besides following HKMA on guaranteeing Bank Deposits, Spore MAS follow HK on Consumer Rights. In Singapore, its best to gister yourself as a corporation aka Nick Lim (Pte) Ltd have more voice and rights than Nick Lim... think about it...
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2008/10/minibonds-no-leadership-in-times-of.html
Published : Friday, 17-October-2008
Minibonds : No leadership in times of trouble....!
I tell you why Singapore minibond investors are lucky. They are lucky that the product was also sold in Hong Kong and Taiwan where the people are empowered to seek justice, pressure their leaders to do what is right and demand action from the authorities by protesting. I'm quite sure that the minibond investors there will eventually receive what is rightfully theirs....and the Singapore banks and authorities will be compelled to give investors the same resolution otherwise it will be too embarrassing for Singapore as financial hub to continue its business.
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"If the regulator finds evidence a bank that sold the Lehman products didn't have procedures in place that could prevent abuses, that could be enough to impose penalties, Mr. Steward said. It wouldn't be necessary, in other words, to process each complaint from potentially thousands of investors individually -- a process that could take years" - Wall Street Journal on the probe by HK authorities.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang demand answers from banks by this week on whether they will buy back the Lehman minibonds : [Link]. His message to the bank is stern - I think he will be twisting their arms for a quick and fair resolution.
Let's recap how the MAS handled the situation. The initial reaction from the MAS was to ask the investors to go back to the banks individually if they had complaints[Link]. This is the sure way to get the worse deal for investors and someone wrote on the one of the forums that the MAS was asking for the investors to "be divided and conquered". MAS then met up with the banks and hammered a deal to have the banks appoint their own independent investigators. All this was done without first meeting investors to discuss how best to help them. It was Tan Kin Lian who saw the importance of getting investors organised - petition, protest at Hong Lim, seeing MPs in groups and preparing affidavits. He said that if one person said that he was mis-sold he may be ignored but if one thousand people swear they were mis-sold these products it is a powerful statement. Among the 1st words from our government on the issue was a remark from SM Goh Chok Tong telling the investors ".... that's life, if you want good rewards, you have to take risks. Otherwise, leave your money with the CPF". Singaporeans are to accept injustice as that is part of life in Singapore?
There are about 10,000 investors who lost money in these structured products. Many lost their entire life savings. Many felt cheated. Many desperate for help. If ever leadership is needed in government this is the moment....a moment of crisis and pain for so many Singaporeans. Anxious Singaporean investors needed to do something for themselves and understand the best way forward. There was clearly a need for collective action and leadership to organise such an action. There was leadership but not from the men and women who are paid millions for their services. It was Tan Kin Lian and the many ordinary Singaporeans who step forward to help. They did it not for money but for justice and their fellow Singaporeans.
By the end of this week or next, the leaders in Hong Kong will wrap up this problem. Our best paid government in the world will have to take direction from Hong Kong.
DBS offer full compensation to mini-bond holders
Report by: Michael Logan
Email to friend | Print a copy
DBS Bank in Hong Kong has said it will offer full compensation to customers who bought mini-bonds issued by Lehman Brothers. Customers only need to prove to DBS that DBS staff misled them during the sales process |
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| Complete news blackout by mainstream media on DBS Hong Kong’s “kind” offer to compensate affected mi |
[Oct. 21st, 2008|01:53 am] |
Posted on October 13, 2008 by wayangparty
Dear readers,
If you haven’t noticed, there is a complete news blackout on DBS Hong Kong ’s offer to fully compensate minibond holders which was reported by the South China Morning post and China Daily on 10 October 2008 this Friday.
Just to be very sure, we flipped through the Strait Times, Lianhe Zaobao, TODAY and Channel News Asia’s website thrice, watched the World and Asia News of CNA consecutively for two days and there is still no mention of what happened in Hong Kong .
Instead, the mainstream media carries reports from the Asia-Pacific region on:
- North Korea being removed from terror list by U.S: Who cares a damn ?
- Troubled Kashmir gets first train service: Huh ? Does anybody knows where is Kashmir ?
- Hong Kong finds melamine in two cadbury products: Finally Hong Kong is in the news, but this is not what we are interested in !
- Thousands rally in Bali over anti-porn bill: Only of interest to Ah Peks who keep mistresses in Batam lah. Wait…does the bill apply to Batam too ?
- China scientists break panda’s genetic code: Can you believe it ? An entire minute in the Channel 8 news at 6.30pm was devoted to this !!! Wow, are we being taught how pandas are having sex in order to boost our libido ? Well continue watching the video below if you are really so interested to know why pandas have black eyes…..zzz….zzz….
Had we not revealed the Hong Kongers’ protest against DBS and its subsequent capitulation to the investors by agreeing to reimburse them completely, many Singaporeans will still be kept in the dark !
Listen for yourself the audio podcast of South China Morning Post on DBS Hong Kong’s being the FIRST institution in Hong Kong to offer compensation to Hong Kong investors who bought minibonds from them:
http://wayangparty.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/south-china-morning-post-audio-broadcast-on-dbs-hk-offering-compensation-to-minibond-investors/
Watch how the Hong Kongers protest against DBS which is obviously more garang than our “picnic outing” at Hong Lim Park last Saturday:
http://wayangparty.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/dbs-first-to-repay-bonds/
This is absolutely preposterous !!!
Doesn’t the mainstream media know that the news of what happened to the Hong Kong investors will be of great interest to Singaporeans, especially local investors who have suffered heavy losses from purchase of the Lehman investment products ?
Doesn’t the government feel that Singaporeans ought to know that DBS Hong Kong has agreed to compensate the investors there while it is still dragging its feet here ?
Is the media protecting the interests of the ordinary Singaporean or DBS ?
It is obvious that this piece of important news is deliberately blacked out so as to prevent Singaporeans from exerting greater pressure on the DBS here to follow the example of DBS Hong Kong .
There will be a terrible furore and outcry if the 10,000 affected Singaporeans know that their Hong Kong counterparts have been offered compensation and refund already.
Anybody with a modicum of common sense will ask: Why are Hong Kongers and Singaporeans treated so diffferently ? What’s more, the bank is a Singapore bank !
What can we do about this ? Let’s spread this news blackout through the entire blogosphere. Forward this link to everybody you know. Once the news is disseminated, DBS will have no choice but to respond.
To all those who haven’t realized the importance of a free media, we hope now you had learnt a lesson from this fiasco. A free press is a pivotal pillar of every democratic society to keep a check on the government.
When the media is being subjugated to the will of the executive, the people will suffer. The interest of those in power will be protected at the expense of the man in the street who do not have access to free and complete information.
In Singapore , only the blogosphere offers a credible alternative source of information to the mainstream media. The question is: how do we get this out to the Ah Peks and Ah Mahs in the HDB heartlands who are still being brainwashed by the state media everyday ?
Do not hesitate now. Let us join hands to advocate for a free press that is fair, objective and independent in servitude of the people rather than their pay-masters.
Join the Fellowship to bypass the information blockade imposed by the state media. If you do not have a blog, you can help us by forwarding this link www.wayangparty.wordpress.com to everybody you know. |
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| Singapore Top 100 salaries 2007, report released 2008 |
[Oct. 21st, 2008|01:32 am] |
http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/others/mrsd/Publications/ReportonWages_2007.html
Occupation Median Monthly Gross Wage
Specialised Surgeon $22,196
Managing Director $15,200
General Surgeon $13,781
General Manager $11,950
Commodities Futures Broker $10,693
Company Director $10,400
Creative Director (Advertising) $8,400
Legal Service Manager $8,120
Risk Management Manager $7,626
Ship-Master $7,474
Research and Development Manager $7,471
Computer Operations and Network Manager $7,218
Foreign Exchange Dealer and Broker $7,084
Operations Manager (Finance) $6,830
Computer and Information Systems Manager $6,805
Technical Manager $6,368
Treasury Manager $6,278
Business Development Manager $6,103
Chemical Engineer (Petrochemicals) $6,063
Budgeting and Financial Accounting Manager $6,000
Power Generation and Distribution Engineer $5,984
Personnel/Human Resource Manager $5,919
Engineering Manager $5,875
Corporate Planning Manager $5,830
Legal Officer $5,775
Training Manager $5,729
Chemical Engineer (Petroleum) $5,661
Advocate and Solicitor $5,640
Manufacturing Plant and Production Manager $5,610
Quality Assurance Manager $5,600
Procurement Manager $5,548
Marketing Manager $5,538
Chemical Engineering Technician (Petroleum) $5,534
Lawyer (Except Advocate and Solicitor) $5,530
Advertising and Public Relations Manager $5,311
Marine Superintendent Engineer $5,250
Customer Service Manager $5,200
Director (Stage, Film, Television and Radio) $5,162
Logistics Manager $5,158
Operations Manager (Commerce) $5,147
Business Management Consultant $5,083
Sales Manager $5,060
Chemist $4,981
General Physician $4,979
Ship Rigger $3,254
Mail Distribution Worker $3,203
Shop Sales Manager $3,154
Stationary Plant Supervisor and General Foreman $3,100
Metal Heat Treating Plant Operator $3,006
Lodging Services Manager $2,945
Hotel Services Manager $2,923
Supervisor and General Foreman (Metal, Machinery and Related Trades) $2,850
Crane and Hoist Operator $2,840
Aircraft Engine Mechanic $2,760
Machine Supervisor and General Foreman $2,758
Beautician $2,705
Karaoke Pub Manager (Including Disco and Nightclubs) $2,703
Clerical Supervisor $2,607
Telemarketer $2,604
Medical Social Worker $2,600
Secretary $2,600
Supervisor and General Foreman (Precision, Handicraft, Printing and Related Trades) $2,529
Information Technology Quality Assurance Specialist $2,458
Supervisor and General Foreman (Building Trades) $2,450
Numerical Control Machine Setter-Operator $2,446
Geologist $2,339
Office Cashier $2,333
Airport Receptionist/Clerk $2,331
Legal Clerk $2,322
Social Worker $2,300
Restaurant and Other Catering Services Manager $2,259
Counsellor, Family $2,123
Aircraft Loader $2,084
Cook $2,000
Sales Supervisor $1,992
Dental Nurse $1,798
Bell Captain $1,771
Youth Worker $1,753
Pre-Primary Education Teacher $1,713
Sports Official $1,713
Enrolled/Assistant Nurse $1,615
Store Hand $1,600
Godown Labourer $1,555
Kitchen Assistant $1,549
Proof Reader $1,519
Hotel Receptionist $1,487
Telephone Operator $1,356
Electronic Equipment/Component Assembler $1,349
House Steward $1,343
Garment Cutter $1,341
Pest Exterminator $1,341
Room Steward/Chambermaid $1,325
Data Entry Operator $1,300
Private Security Guard $1,278
Child-Care Worker $1,275
Car Park Attendant $1,269
Hospital Attendant $1,260
Cashier $1,228
Bookbinding and Related Machine Operator $1,217
Hand Packer $1,200
Papermaking Machine Operator $1,200
Laundry and Dry Cleaning Worker $1,190
Precision Grinding Machine Setter-Operator $1,182
Plastic Product Machine Operator $1,179
Automated Assembly Line and Industrial Robot Operator $1,162
Electrical Equipment/Component Assembler $1,161
Hawker/Stall Holder (Prepared Food Or Drinks) $1,115
Pipe Fitter $1,100
Wood Products Machine Operator $1,096
Aircraft Cleaner $1,092
Motor Vehicle Cleaner/Polisher $1,055
Bellboy/Hotel Porter $1,041
Waiter $1,029
Building Caretaker/Watchman $1,002
Sandblaster/Shotblaster (Metal) $1,000
Plasterer $1,000
Floor & Wall Tile Setter $1,000
Gardener $935
Meat and Fish Processing Machine Operator $927
Dish Washer $900
Construction Labourer and Related Worker $800
Manufacturing Labourer and Related Worker $800
Food and Drink Stall Assistant $800
Structural Steel and Ship Painter $800
Building Painter $800
Bricklayer $800
Pharmaceutical and Toiletry Products Machine Operator $786
Cleaner (Industrial Establishment) $770
Office Cleaner $760
Ship and Ship Tank Cleaner $750
Silk Screen, Block and Textile Printer $710 |
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| Immigration, Singapore style and citizenship |
[Oct. 21st, 2008|01:31 am] |
MS ESTHER CHEN HANFANG: 'How do we expect foreigners to return home and tell their families and friends that we are a kind and gracious nation?'
http://www.monash.edu/graduations/singapore-7pm.html
________________________________________________________________________
Bangladeshi journalist says govt should conduct checks for workers
By Wang Eng Eng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 October 2008 1809 hrs
SINGAPORE: In the past six months, groups of Bangladeshi foreign workers have found themselves without the jobs promised to them after arriving in Singapore.
This, after paying huge sums of money – some as much as S$8,000 – to labour agents in their home country to secure these jobs.
Fearing that their employers will deport them since there is no work for them, the workers have turned to the Manpower Ministry (MOM), which is currently investigating the issue, for help.
However, Akm Moshin, contributing editor for The Voice of Bengal, said the problem needs to be tackled at source.
"I think our government has to take initiative on that. Before the workers come here, they have to give them proper information and train them up properly.
"Our High Commission also has to take responsibility when a local employer wants to bring in Bangladeshi workers. They have to conduct checks on the company, on the kind of accommodation provided, the kind of work and salary, and they have to check properly," he said.
There are 577,000 foreign workers in Singapore. MOM said on average, less than 0.5 per cent of them lodge complaints regarding housing and salary.
The Bangladesh High Commission said it is working with Singapore authorities, but is unable to give an interview on the issue.
- CNA/so---------------------------------------------------------------------
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower by my 1998 experience have been disappointing but the way Singapore Ministries pander to foreigners is ridiculous. I dont have to be a fascist to say because the Bangladeshi journalist admit their government and country men should caveat emptor.
CAVEAT EMPTOR are 2 words most if not all SINGAPOREANS should know by now because its "Buyer beware". The Singapore Govt have been telling us to be CAVEAT EMPTOR very often in the last few years.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore have preached and lessen regulation because all conumers should be CAVEAT EMPTOR but thats how we get the Lehman "Minibonds" US$530million loss by 9500 Singapore individuals.
When did our Ministry of Manpower became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
Why do we bend backwards for low skill, low education workers? Imagine what the government does for the high skill, high education workers... i shudder.
I came to Singapore as a Malaysian. its cool for Singapore to have such open arms and attract many immigrants. However there must be a line that says, if you come Singapore because you can find work within 60-90 days. If not, you are an illegal immigrant and you have to leave these shores. Have such laws been adhered to? I know of many instances...no.
Many foreigners are using student visas to work, some overstaying after work permits have expired.
Y my gripe? because most countries have policies have favour their own citizens, even the most liberal economies like Hong Kong and USA. The obstacles to enter Singapore are so low, its almost an adjacent city for any country to flood its manpower resources. Thats good for companies, it suppress wages.
However all companies know there is a cost of operation. Thers a always a reward for sacrifice.
Singaporeans males sacrifice 24-30months of their lives for national service. for that exchange, what do they get? security? money? peace?
they are behind other country's men 24-30months in education and career life. thats why Singapore women have some complaints of Singapore men.
my point
1) reward National service better or structure it so that the boys can complete a diploma whilst doing army
2) a fence for non-productive foreigners
if Singapore Govt is so tough with Singaporeans, then it shoudl get tough with the foreigners too. JUST BE FAIR
you agree?
else maybe more Singaporeans should find greener pastures...
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 12th, 2008|11:07 am] |
MS ESTHER CHEN HANFANG: 'How do we expect foreigners to return home and tell their families and friends that we are a kind and gracious nation?'
http://www.monash.edu/graduations/singapore-7pm.html
________________________________________________________________________
Bangladeshi journalist says govt should conduct checks for workers
By Wang Eng Eng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 October 2008 1809 hrs
SINGAPORE: In the past six months, groups of Bangladeshi foreign workers have found themselves without the jobs promised to them after arriving in Singapore.
This, after paying huge sums of money – some as much as S$8,000 – to labour agents in their home country to secure these jobs.
Fearing that their employers will deport them since there is no work for them, the workers have turned to the Manpower Ministry (MOM), which is currently investigating the issue, for help.
However, Akm Moshin, contributing editor for The Voice of Bengal, said the problem needs to be tackled at source.
"I think our government has to take initiative on that. Before the workers come here, they have to give them proper information and train them up properly.
"Our High Commission also has to take responsibility when a local employer wants to bring in Bangladeshi workers. They have to conduct checks on the company, on the kind of accommodation provided, the kind of work and salary, and they have to check properly," he said.
There are 577,000 foreign workers in Singapore. MOM said on average, less than 0.5 per cent of them lodge complaints regarding housing and salary.
The Bangladesh High Commission said it is working with Singapore authorities, but is unable to give an interview on the issue.
- CNA/so---------------------------------------------------------------------
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower by my 1998 experience have been disappointing but the way Singapore Ministries pander to foreigners is ridiculous. I dont have to be a fascist to say because the Bangladeshi journalist admit their government and country men should caveat emptor.
CAVEAT EMPTOR are 2 words most if not all SINGAPOREANS should know by now because its "Buyer beware". The Singapore Govt have been telling us to be CAVEAT EMPTOR very often in the last few years.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore have preached and lessen regulation because all conumers should be CAVEAT EMPTOR but thats how we get the Lehman "Minibonds" US$530million loss by 9500 Singapore individuals.
When did our Ministry of Manpower became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
Why do we bend backwards for low skill, low education workers? Imagine what the government does for the high skill, high education workers... i shudder.
I came to Singapore as a Malaysian. its cool for Singapore to have such open arms and attract many immigrants. However there must be a line that says, if you come Singapore because you can find work within 60-90 days. If not, you are an illegal immigrant and you have to leave these shores. Have such laws been adhered to? I know of many instances...no.
Many foreigners are using student visas to work, some overstaying after work permits have expired.
Y my gripe? because most countries have policies have favour their own citizens, even the most liberal economies like Hong Kong and USA. The obstacles to enter Singapore are so low, its almost an adjacent city for any country to flood its manpower resources. Thats good for companies, it suppress wages.
However all companies know there is a cost of operation. Thers a always a reward for sacrifice.
Singaporeans males sacrifice 24-30months of their lives for national service. for that exchange, what do they get? security? money? peace?
they are behind other country's men 24-30months in education and career life. thats why Singapore women have some complaints of Singapore men.
my point
1) reward National service better or structure it so that the boys can complete a diploma whilst doing army
2) a fence for non-productive foreigners
if Singapore Govt is so tough with Singaporeans, then it shoudl get tough with the foreigners too. JUST BE FAIR
you agree?
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| Common plastics chemical linked to human diseases |
[Sep. 18th, 2008|12:08 am] |
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSLF18683220080916
... Using government health data, they found that the 25 percent of people with the highest levels of bisphenol A in their bodies were more than twice as likely to have heart disease and, or diabetes compared to the 25 percent of with the lowest levels.
"Most of these findings are in keeping with what has been found in animal models," Iain Lang, a researcher at the University of Exeter in Britain who worked on the study, told a news conference.
"This is the first ever study (of this kind) that has been in the general population," Lang said.
.....
your nalgene and baby milk bottles may not be as safe after all. dats y i think using leftover PET drinks bottle for a few days or weeks then discard is better. overall best if glass or metal.
but BPA is so common.... |
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| Marital crisis? Blame it on male genes |
[Sep. 5th, 2008|09:35 am] |
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080902/tts-sweden-health-men-research-509a08e.html
The team found that men who carry one or two copies of a variant of the gene often behave differently in relationships than men who lack the gene variant, called allele 334.
"The incidence of allele 334 was statistically linked to how strong a bond a man felt he had with his partner," the statement said.
Men who had two copies of allele 334 were twice as likely to have had a marital or relationship crisis in the past year than those who lacked the gene variant, it said.
Their wives or girlfriends also noticed the difference.
"Women married to men who carry one or two copies of allele 334 were, on average, less satisfied with their relationship than women married to men who didn't carry this allele," Walum said.
He stressed however that the effect of the genetic variation was relatively modest and could not be used to predict with any real accuracy how someone would behave in a future relationship.
The study surveyed 550 twins and their partners or spouses in Sweden.
Martin Ingvar, a professor of neurophysiology at Karolinska Institute, said the results were "very exciting."
"These are original findings which shed light on the fact that all of our behaviours are influenced by both nature and nurture. Even complex, cultural social phenomens such as marriage are influenced by a person's genetic make-up," Ingvar said.
The gene in question controls the production of a molecule receptor for vasopressin, a hormone that is found in most mammals.
The same gene has previously been linked to monogamous behaviour in male voles, a mouselike rodent.
The researchers said they hoped greater knowledge of the effect of vasopressin on human relations could also help understand the causes of diseases characterised by problems with social interaction, such as autism. |
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| Ungrateful, cheapskate people |
[Aug. 26th, 2008|04:57 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  angry | ] |
Theres lots of people without EQ and cheapskate.
1) Fiona and Nazri of Pool Junction cafe whom I spent a good 5 hours on making their cafe more attractive with marketing billboards, menus, pictures. I even set them a marketing schedule.
2) my friend's sister, Dr V..... C..... whom i help consulted on her apartment, did the 3-D interior design drawing, emailed her and then came the "sorry, we are renting it out now"
3) Kien who is this magician called Mr Bottle which organises Kid's party.
I went to observe this setup to assess if it was worth working together.
Since I saw babies crying, i naturally helped. BTW i love and have a way with babies if u dont know that by now. So i placate 1 girl, got her interested into coloring crayons, fed her, then passed to daddy when he came to fetch her.
Then i manage a table for the kids to play.
I didnt expect compensation but I expected a decent, "thanks for coming, I need to leave now. you can go anytime". I spent a good 4hours there. If he offered "here's a $10 for the effort, go get a drink" (for a $12,000 event, you would think he could afford $10) that would be a bonus. BUT there was none. Not even 2 weeks later, no phone call or sms to say, "thanks for your help that day."
thank God I saw thru before i got further.
WHY God? why all these ungrateful people who use my help and not a penny, not even a sincere THANKS? jUST BECAUSE we didnt sign a contract? these people will get their Karma I say
Now i decided I cant be a free labour to a bunch of students too.
I could have called the health inspectors on the cafe, i found little cockroaches when I was looking for my ring (from Taiwan) which i lost whilst helping them clean and beautify up the place.... |
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| SCRATCH IT tickets |
[Aug. 22nd, 2008|09:51 am] |
Have you seen the SCRATCH IT tickets at our Singapore gambling outlets?
I heard from some its easy to win, however the immediacy of the satisfaction and dissatifaction of the results i think will encourage more gambling. Psychologically those tickets are more tempting than our IR which have the $100/ 1 time and $2000 annual entrance fees and the grandness of it all makes u realise u r gamling but for ordinary folks, the quick flutter of their hearts can be had for a simple $2. addictive i seen it be.... maybe u can read this article from NYTimes...
Thousands Later, He Sees Lottery’s Cruelty Up Close
By ALAN FEUER
Published: August 21, 2008
At first, there was the absolute indignity of it all, since, by any form of justice, it was he who should have finally hit the big one — he and not that dilettante, the by-now famous doorman who worked across the street.
Skip to next paragraph
Enlarge This Image
Librado Romero/The New York Times
Ray Otero, a building superintendent, spends $500 to $700 on lottery tickets weekly. He was stung when a doorman he knows won millions after spending considerably less.
Enlarge This Image
Librado Romero/The New York Times
He — Ray Otero, superintendent, ordinary luckless guy — should have the cash, the car, the sexy Swedish girlfriend. The numbers alone demanded it: Last year, he spent $30,000 on the lottery. The winner, Richie Randazzo, spent a measly thirty bucks or so a week.
“When I heard he won, I got so mad — I said to myself, ‘I can’t believe it,’ ” Mr. Otero said the other day, recalling how the television crews descended on his friend in a free-for-allish media display. “I spend all that money and the” — unprintable fellow — “wins? It’s wrong. I mean, I’m happy for him. But it really isn’t fair.”
It is a nagging fact of life that the lottery gods have a slender grasp on fairness and a sense of irony so developed it would even make the Devil crack a grin. After watching someone else take home the jackpot — someone from the neighborhood, no less — Mr. Otero spent his summer struggling with the victory of a colleague and the providential mystery of when his own hot streak would finally begin.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/nyregion/22super.html
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| Scam email quickly delete: Kelvin, Low & Partners Law Firm |
[Aug. 12th, 2008|01:51 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | angry | ] |
Please ignore, rate as "Spam" when u receive this email ...
"Kelvin, Low & Partners Law Firm, Barr. Kelvin Huat. Lure of big money to extract money.
....
I am Kelvin Huat, an attorney at law .I have contacted you to get you informed of a business deal if you will be interested to join me in its execution. A deceased client of mine died as a result of the 'Tsunami disaster' on the 26th December 2004 including members of his family in Aceh Indonesia.
My proposition to you is seeking your assistance in distributing the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at Three million five hundred thousand US dollars($3,500,000:00) is lodged. This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated.
As to this, I am thus seeking your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, since you have the same last name, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage." |
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| Life and How to Survive It |
[Aug. 7th, 2008|10:59 am] |
Life and How to Survive It
http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2008/08/life-and-how-to-survive-it.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Tan
Below is a speech to the graduating class of 2008 at NTU (Nanyang Technology University) convocation ceremony last week by Adrian Tan, a litigation lawyer and the author of The Teenage Textbook. Read it! It's hilarious but very meaningful.
I must say thank you to the faculty and staff of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information for inviting me to give your convocation address. It's a wonderful honour and a privilege for me to speak here for ten minutes without fear of contradiction, defamation or retaliation. I say this as a Singaporean and more so as a husband.
My wife is a wonderful person and perfect in every way except one. She is the editor of a magazine. She corrects people for a living. She has honed her expert skills over a quarter of a century, mostly by practising at home during conversations between her and me.
On the other hand, I am a litigator. Essentially, I spend my day telling people how wrong they are. I make my living being disagreeable.
Nevertheless, there is perfect harmony in our matrimonial home. That is because when an editor and a litigator have an argument, the one who triumphs is always the wife.
And so I want to start by giving one piece of advice to the men: when you've already won her heart, you don't need to win every argument.
Marriage is considered one milestone of life. Some of you may already be married. Some of you may never be married. Some of you will be married. Some of you will enjoy the experience so much, you will be married many, many times. Good for you.
The next big milestone in your life is today: your graduation. The end of education. You're done learning.
You've probably been told the big lie that "Learning is a lifelong process" and that therefore you will continue studying and taking masters' degrees and doctorates and professorships and so on. You know the sort of people who tell you that? Teachers. Don't you think there is some measure of conflict of interest? They are in the business of learning, after all. Where would they be without you? They need you to be repeat customers.
The good news is that they're wrong.
The bad news is that you don't need further education because your entire life is over. It is gone. That may come as a shock to some of you. You're in your teens or early twenties. People may tell you that you will live to be 70, 80, 90 years old. That is your life expectancy.
I love that term: life expectancy. We all understand the term to mean the average life span of a group of people. But I'm here to talk about a bigger idea, which is what you expect from your life.
You may be very happy to know that Singapore is currently ranked as the country with the third highest life expectancy. We are behind Andorra and Japan, and tied with San Marino. It seems quite clear why people in those countries, and ours, live so long. We share one thing in common: our football teams are all hopeless. There's very little danger of any of our citizens having their pulses raised by watching us play in the World Cup. Spectators are more likely to be lulled into a gentle and restful nap.
Singaporeans have a life expectancy of 81.8 years. Singapore men live to an average of 79.21 years, while Singapore women live more than five years longer, probably to take into account the additional time they need to spend in the bathroom.
So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you'll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper.
Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they're 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. They would be very disappointed that they didn't meet their life expectancy.
I'm here to tell you this. Forget about your life expectancy.
After all, it's calculated based on an average. And you never, ever want to expect being average.
Revisit those expectations. You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that, as graduates, you should expect to find a job paying so much, where your hours are so much, where your responsibilities are so much.
That is what is expected of you. And if you live up to it, it will be an awful waste.
If you expect that, you will be limiting yourself. You will be living your life according to boundaries set by average people. I have nothing against average people. But no one should aspire to be them. And you don't need years of education by the best minds in Singapore to prepare you to be average.
What you should prepare for is mess. Life's a mess. You are not entitled to expect anything from it. Life is not fair. Everything does not balance out in the end. Life happens, and you have no control over it. Good and bad things happen to you day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Your degree is a poor armour against fate.
Don't expect anything. Erase all life expectancies. Just live. Your life is over as of today. At this point in time, you have grown as tall as you will ever be, you are physically the fittest you will ever be in your entire life and you are probably looking the best that you will ever look. This is as good as it gets. It is all downhill from here. Or up. No one knows.
What does this mean for you? It is good that your life is over.
Since your life is over, you are free. Let me tell you the many wonderful things that you can do when you are free.
The most important is this: do not work.
Work is anything that you are compelled to do. By its very nature, it is undesirable.
Work kills. The Japanese have a term "Karoshi", which means death from overwork. That's the most dramatic form of how work can kill. But it can also kill you in more subtle ways. If you work, then day by day, bit by bit, your soul is chipped away, disintegrating until there's nothing left. A rock has been ground into sand and dust.
There's a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are "making a living". No, they're not. They're dying, frittering away their fast-extinguishing lives doing things which are, at best, meaningless and, at worst, harmful.
People will tell you that work ennobles you, that work lends you a certain dignity. Work makes you free. The slogan "Arbeit macht frei" was placed at the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps. Utter nonsense.
Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway.
Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons: you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.
I like arguing, and I love language. So, I became a litigator. I enjoy it and I would do it for free. If I didn't do that, I would've been in some other type of work that still involved writing fiction – probably a sports journalist.
So what should you do? You will find your own niche. I don't imagine you will need to look very hard. By this time in your life, you will have a very good idea of what you will want to do. In fact, I'll go further and say the ideal situation would be that you will not be able to stop yourself pursuing your passions. By this time you should know what your obsessions are. If you enjoy showing off your knowledge and feeling superior, you might become a teacher.
Find that pursuit that will energise you, consume you, become an obsession. Each day, you must rise with a restless enthusiasm. If you don't, you are working.
Most of you will end up in activities which involve communication. To those of you I have a second message: be wary of the truth. I'm not asking you to speak it, or write it, for there are times when it is dangerous or impossible to do those things. The truth has a great capacity to offend and injure, and you will find that the closer you are to someone, the more care you must take to disguise or even conceal the truth. Often, there is great virtue in being evasive, or equivocating. There is also great skill. Any child can blurt out the truth, without thought to the consequences. It takes great maturity to appreciate the value of silence.
In order to be wary of the truth, you must first know it. That requires great frankness to yourself. Never fool the person in the mirror.
I have told you that your life is over, that you should not work, and that you should avoid telling the truth. I now say this to you: be hated.
It's not as easy as it sounds. Do you know anyone who hates you? Yet every great figure who has contributed to the human race has been hated, not just by one person, but often by a great many. That hatred is so strong it has caused those great figures to be shunned, abused, murdered and in one famous instance, nailed to a cross.
One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it's often the case that one is hated precisely because one is trying to do right by one's own convictions. It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions. Then one will gravitate towards the centre and settle into the average. That cannot be your role. There are a great many bad people in the world, and if you are not offending them, you must be bad yourself. Popularity is a sure sign that you are doing something wrong.
The other side of the coin is this: fall in love.
I didn't say "be loved". That requires too much compromise. If one changes one's looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone.
Rather, I exhort you to love another human being. It may seem odd for me to tell you this. You may expect it to happen naturally, without deliberation. That is false. Modern society is anti-love. We've taken a microscope to everyone to bring out their flaws and shortcomings. It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work – the only kind of work that I find palatable.
Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the truth worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul.
Loving someone is therefore very important, and it is also important to choose the right person. Despite popular culture, love doesn't happen by chance, at first sight, across a crowded dance floor. It grows slowly, sinking roots first before branching and blossoming. It is not a silly weed, but a mighty tree that weathers every storm.
You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less important than the heart.
You will also find that it is no great tragedy if your love is not reciprocated. You are not doing it to be loved back. Its value is to inspire you.
Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don't, or you do with every cell in your body, completely and utterly, without reservation or apology. It consumes you, and you are reborn, all the better for it.
Don't work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone.
You're going to have a busy life. Thank goodness there's no life expectancy. |
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| Bereaved Japan mother angered by deadly overwork |
[Jul. 18th, 2008|05:02 pm] |
TOKYO - A Japanese woman hit out at corporate bosses this week, after her restaurant manager son died of a brain haemorrhage having done 200 hours of overtime in a month.
The case is the latest of hundreds of deaths a year officially determined to have been caused by the hardships of working for Japanese companies, where overtime is a matter of course and holidays few and far between.
Takayuki Maezawa, who died at the age of 32 last October, was the second employee at unlisted restaurant chain Skylark Co Ltd to die from overwork in the last four years, a union official in Tokyo said.
"My son was an extremely responsible person, who could never refuse if asked to do something," the Asahi Shimbun quoted his 59-year-old mother as telling a news conference on Thursday.
"The company used him. None of his superiors worried about his health."
She called on bereaved families to speak out to try to prevent further cases, the Nikkei financial daily said. Newspaper pictures showed Maezawa's sister weeping as she held a photograph of him.
Maezawa, who had been working at Skylark since 1991, usually left home around 7:00 a.m. and came back around 2:00 a.m....read more at
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080718/tap-oukwd-uk-japan-overwork-2ef4ed8.html |
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| Boss not in + PC show |
[Jun. 13th, 2008|12:47 am] |
Boss not in today. more relaxed, could finish so much work. i dont think his constant ... is productive.
Yesterday was terrible after a small mistake on monday late noon. customer approved edm and i sent.
back to today, 1st day PC show, i bought 8GB micro SDHC.
saw the MSI Wind, it just feels so sexy as if Apple designed and made it. coming singapore end June. i m wondering if i should get a sub-notebook or a cheap low specs laptop which still cost double MSI Wind.
Asus EEEpc feels like toy, too small screen la.
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| (no subject) |
[Jun. 10th, 2008|12:26 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  melancholy | ] |
these are strange days.
on my birthday, last minute request by a fren, Jimmy to help him with an event, his company was organising. it was fun, at the event, i met a new fren I made online. it was his company event, such a small world...lol
10 may, i helped him for a major dinner n dance where besides coordinating the whole event, he surprised me by doing somersaults and dancing in tune with the dancers.
in the weeks preceding starting work (which itself is challenging and new office always more stress) i been feeling lonely, silly n fragile. the feelings have been more extreme since last weekend, ard 20 May i think.
I made some new friends separetly but twas a bit coincidental, 1's aunt died and another uncle passed away.
today whilst i was bz w work, 4pm, my friend smsed me that Jimmy passed away, saw in the obituary. we knew each other in 2005 but we only kept in touch annually. Until this year when we met more often. around 15 may, he sms me that he wss going for surgery on 29th may and will sms us after its over. he was moving back to stay with his mum.
so i was looking forward to his sms... until today news...
i will go to his wake |
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