Back in 2007, I attended his concert

Degraded humans

I read in today's paper that someone is claiming that a dog leaves more carbon footprint that a human driving a car. How shameless! Humans have degraded to turning to blame a helpless community for climate changes, rather than reflecting on their own actions. The article claimed that manufacturing of dog food involves huge amounts of meat and so on. And of course, they repeated the same thing on cats and hamsters.

In the first place, how many dog owners really feed their pets with high meat content pet food? Look at your pet food's ingredient list. Is meat anywhere at the top? If we think of how many dogs can feed on the left overs at buffets and banquets, or even hawker centres, tell me, how valid is the finding in the papers.

Selfish humans.

Yesterday without picture

It was almost like a one-day holiday yesterday. I came to office, and leave office for Malaysia. I could not have spent more than 1 hour in the office.

At the farm, sector Farmhouse, Sai-Ma has 4 puppies, naughty and bite-ty. One fluffy cow, one Small Lao-da, One black brown, and one fluffy black brown. Hei-ma still has her 2 Ah Blacks (one with white chest hair) and Ah Gold. CheeseProblem has 8 puppies! One of which is a Cow and one is a Chihwahwa.

Over at sector MonitorLizard, the batch of 'Socks' are developing well. Ah Fluff is still as happy with his sister, although he tried some incest moves. Ah Pi is playing fine with them happily. Their latest game is 'going out and coming back from the fence'. There is a new adult dog, Smoker. He tried to smoke into the gang and did that successfully, even ZZ could not tell. Ah Gold and Ah Black went over to sector MonitorLizard to play and Ah Gold got a piercing at his mouth. A fish hook got stuck and he was crying. When we arrived, we quickly disperse the crowd of onlooking dogs and check on his wound. ZZ rushed back to sector Farmhouse with Ah Black and return with a plier. I performed the operation and removed the hook and ZZ send him back to Farmhouse.

At sector Packing area, Orbeen's batch suffered some death. I herded three of the remainders to Farmhouse and feed them. One of them injured the limbs and I had to carry her.

Dinner yesterday was at the farm, and I actually enjoyed it. Supper was at Old Town. Malaysian Immigration jammed. Singapore Immigration moderate. I reached home at 10 30pm. No photos, forgotten to bring along camera.

StomperS

Today, on my way to see Rose and Daisy and Nini-the-Cat, I witness a grouchy old fellow and a young madam. These two characters are 'Stompers'. Plainly describing, they are people who took photos of events in the public that irk themselves (often with their handphone cameras) and then post them online.

While I do not know what the young madam is shooting at, I was attentioned by her loud tell-tale camera shutter sound "Kacheek". About a dozen people turn their head towards her and she bury herself in embarrassment.

Grouchy uncle (in orange checkered shirt and blue denim jeans) is more explicit. From the moment he boarded the train at Jurong East, he showed his dissatisfaction at anything and everything. Shaking his head to express disappointment, reaching his neck to check whether people filled up the empty space - butt to pubic. Which was what a lady in her thirties did to me. I was ok with the butt to pubic, although I prefer not, but it was her bun of hair that got me choking. Anyway, back to the uncle, he alighted at Dover station.

I look forward to more of his company in the morning rush.

My favourite song in HD

Alone

It doesn't take a lot of effort to pause my walk and give the feline a pat of love. Two days ago, I did just that when I return from parking little uncle's car at his carpark. The seemingly pregnant cat returned my love with an equally affectionate rub on my hand, suggesting that she really enjoyed the attention, though meagre.

I wished Nini-the-Cat would be more like this cat. Though Nini has already become more acquainted with me, she usually reciprocate my affection with a bite, which she will let go after realising that it was me and not some fleas that itch her.

Also today - when I was all alone with Rose, Daisy and Nini-the-Cat at the warehouse - I squatted at Daisy's previous location, which happened to be occupied by Apple (and she messed up the place big time), Nini, seemed to be searching for someone there. A part of my imagination began to see that Apple was back and Nini was feeling it. Or was it that Nini is still looking for her lost kittens, like a loving mother?

That day in pictures

Yesterday In Pictures

Since the Brown one's adoption, many new comers have emerged. I have not processed the picture, but would like to upload one first.

Sad Lost

Sadly, Moo2 did not make it.

Birth Registration (Dated: 31/10/2009)

P!ssed, yet once more

Sometimes, I cannot prevent myself from wanting to leave this house altogether. In fact, I feel like leaving this country altogether. Since my grandparents passed on, my happiest and most carefree days were those I spent at Taiwan, Thailand, and even in the jungles of Taman Negara and Temburong.

Just a few days ago, I flared up over the 'last minute' wedding. Today, I have to do so once more when someone wore my jeans and another one washed and iron it. Might sound like I am a grouchy person. But not so if you realised that that pair of jeans costed me 100 over dollars and it can only be dry washed and the layer of wax coating cannot be ironed on. Within a matter of hours, my 100-dollar is reduced to ...

P!ssed once more

It happened last year and it happens again. I think it will happen in the future. My mother p!ss the hell out of me when she, once again, inform me of a wedding dinner tomorrow, today. I told her that this is not the first time she played this on me and she offer me a reply I cannot accept.

Me: "You always give me last minute information."
Her: "You always return home after work right."
Me: "What if I cannot make it? Why must you always tell me things last minute?"
Her: "So coincidental meh? You cannot make it meh?"

My nerve broke and I talked back, "I cannot go other place after work, is it!? My point is, WHY MUST YOU ALWAYS SAY THINGS LAST MINUTE?"

It is not the first time. Previously, I missed Mingli's birthday when I had to work at Terminal 3 till late evening, and my mother called me in the afternoon, telling me that I had to attend Mingli's wedding that night. Then last year, I asked her to gather Aunties and their spouse for a dinner at warehouse during the lunar 7th month. Until the very last day, she had not confirmed the attendees, and when I finally asked on the last day, she said that she told my father. Damn it, am I speaking Esperanto that no one can understand. Or am I such an insignificant speaker?

geok cheng's wedding

i am posting from chevron surf zone. I do not know whether to go in and become a headless ghost or stay outside to be with myself. I have no partner tonight because, well, i do not have one.

Geok cheng's mum must be really happy tonight. Why do i make a special mention to her mum? Because she shares the same birthday as me.

I have not prepared any ang pao, but i hope she will like the gift.

Accusing Finger

With all the rants about FT/FW stealing from the locals their jobs, their houses, their wives and contributing to all the social ills, I happened to witness an incident which distort all these.

Last Saturday was Deepavali, a gazetted and re-dated public holiday here in the sunny island. I return to the office to feed Rose, Daisy and Nini-the-cat. While on the fully seated MRT, an old man board the MRT with me. As usual, there are the usual fake sleepers, fake hardworking people looking at their notes, fake mp4 watchers who occupy the priority seat, who cannot see an elderly needing a seat.

Then, a Chinese national stood up to offer his seat to the old man. The old man took it, as if it were due to him, as if it were owed to him. Later, another similar scenario occur, this time, it was a duo of Thai workers who gave up the seats, while the whole family of Indians - father, mother, sons and daughters - turned their blind eyes to the needy, at their seats.

So, before you point your accusing finger to other, remember you have at least 3 fingers pointing at yourself.

My simple happiness at work...

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Commuters of all shapes and sizes

Just yesterday, my foot experience a massive crushing by a 200 pounder lady donning white striped shirt, beige skirt, white 1-inch heels and carrying a fake LV handbag. She offer no gesture of remorse, nor sorry. In fact, she probably did not even feel it as she has been too engrossed in charging up the bus 195 among the morning crowded at Queenstown bus stop. I swore at her within me.

Today, I tap on a malay man sitting at the priority seat, signaling for him to give up his seat to a pregnant lady who just boarded the crowded MRT. I am not trying to shame that man whatsoever, on the contrary, I am holding him in high regard for his gracious action. I do not blame him for being sleeping when the pregnant lady was there because I could testify that he was sleeping way before the pregnant lady boarded the train. I wanted to pat him on the back, but decided against it because I thought he might be crossed at me for 'shaming' him. But really, I am not.

Martian is on leave again. And like always, she never fails to give trouble even from afar. And I prefer not to talk about it.

Red Morning

That day and today in pictures

Congratulations to for giving birth to yet another couple of puppies. This time in an assortment of colours.



I thought all of them were dead? I was pleasantly surprised that this one is still here. Still on deworm treatment. What shall be the name?



Nini likes her breakfast.

官字兩個口

There is an imbalance in me. Months back, I book the link hall building at my estate and requested for the grasspatch adjacent it. The booking was later withdrew (after my set up was halfway through). The Town Council had gone back on their words, claiming I would be disturbing the residence and that I could not use the grasspatch, which was granted to me during the booking. I claimed that the Residents Committee used it years back and they did a set up many times bigger than what I was doing. They were promptly lost for words and gibber things like "Oh, the RC were doing events for the residents. And that was a one off incident..."

Am I not a resident? Days before 3/10/09, the RC set up a stage ("Getai" more affectionately known) at the very location I was denied once more. They created a din which I could hear even though I was 3 blocks away from that location.

官字兩個口

Ugly Driver

I always think that I am not a very good driver. I lost my way, I speed at times, I throw rubbish out of the window (when no one is looking, my passenger is guilty of the same) and the list can go on. But I am quite certain I am not the worse driver in Singapore.

Every evening, I can witness deliberate attempts to cut/jump queue. To name one spot, it is Clementi Avenue 6. I can empathise with people not willing to give way to vehicles changing lanes, even though it wasn't an attempt to cut queue (you can tell, trust me). Myself, I would give way to people who made an attempt to change lane to get into the queue early, and that they signal their intentions, else, forget it.

Today, I sounded the horn at a Hipporolla driver who attempts to magically change from lane 1 to lane 2 while turning into Bt Batok Road from PIE(without signalling, of course), sending him back to his lane 1, and I had full satisfaction doing what I did.

爱在记忆中找你

Attention seeker

E63 - 5th Sep 2009

What can you do when you met a woman, a mad woman, who barks at you, asking you to stop whatever work you are doing to entertain to her nonsense.

Yesterday, while setting up at Seng Choon. A lady, seemingly of north Indian origin appeared and barked at Xiang who was tying a piece of canvas to a nearby wall fence. She asked him to remove it immediately, in a tone which seemed to suggest that Xiang was a burglar of sorts.

I stepped forward to clear up the matter, only to make it worse. I told her that if she do not want us to tie anything there, we could remove it. Then, she became agitated, saying things like she did not order for it and that she could call the police, and finally identify herself as the owner of the place, like we were supposed to know her. I told her that we did not know she is the owner and what I experienced was a stranger who came along and using that kind of tone to bark at my colleague. She found my arguement 'fair enough' and Seng Choon's representative was called upon to settle it.

Her last words were, 'Sorry guys, you can carry on with it.'

Birds of the same feather, black

I made a feedback to the Ministry of Environment & Water Resources (MEWR) weeks back, with regards to National Environment Agency (NEA) officers smoking in the public, within the comfort of shelters. The reason I shot the letter straight to MEWR is simple, I do not want any cover ups at agency level, because birds of the same feather usually, well, cover up each other. For the record, the NEA officers who were supposed to know that they should not be smoking within 5 metres of build up areas have no problem finishing the whole stick under the watch of the general public. Two of them and one more (not smoking) at the nearby eatery.

I got the usual "Thank you for your email dated...", "...is now looking into your feedback" and "will respond to you shortly", which essentially meant "damn it, another one. give us some time to think of a good excuse." Their templated replies had been used so often that they now number them so that when they received similar feedback, the manager or whoever determines how to respond will just say, "hey you minion, just reply that bugger with sentence 2, 3 and 4, and remember to ask them not to hesitate to contact you in the event they need clarification, like they are really interested!"

True enough, the excuse came in today.Not very convincing if you were to ask me.

"Thank you for your feedback. We note that the NEA officers whom you have mentioned had shifted to a location away from the eatery to prevent smoke nuisance to the patrons of the eatery. We have taken note of your feedback and have reminded our officers to conduct themselves properly at all times."

Notes:
- the NEA officers did not shift at all.
- it would be really troublesome for them to test wind direction before smoking everytime.
- the crux of the feedback is not about being a nuisance to patrons of the eatery, but really the irony when the ones coming out with the law broke them and get away unscathed.

This is Singapore government. Integrity, Service, Excellence.

Maria Arredondo - That Day

Editing: the egg yolk sunset

Editing

Yesterday in Pictures

[e63] Sarong Aunties

I do not know whether this counts as an encounter with a SPG(sarong party girls).

To be fair, I have to credit the two women who don't know each other for helping the caucasian guy with the directions to Hort park. But I do not recall that set of demographics offering equally enthusiasm to help fellow country mates or non caucasians. One of the sarong party auntie even wanted to rush onto the road to help him tell the cab driver the directions, as if that was needed.

Watch your steps, watch your age.

Face it

Again today, I heard the discrimination of youth by the adults today. The background is about a boy who, years back when he was schooling, demanded his teacher, who wronged him, to apologise. This became a subject of discussion on 95.8FM's call in show.

As usual, many callers expressed that it is not appropriate for the youth to demand apology from someone who is more superior and elder. "Should give the teacher some face", "Should respect elders" are some of the repetitive phrases heard.

Now, I am quite ashamed of those expressing their ideas along that line. Firstly, the direction of debate is somewhat flawed. Why question whether it is right for a student to demand apology from a teacher who erred? At one look, all the adults will zoom in on the words "students", "demand" amd "teacher", when it should be "apology from a teacher who erred". Face, why should people debate whether someone who erred needs to be given face? When Mr Koizumi apologised while he was the Premier, did all people spare a face for him? And to think he has not even erred. Finally, the concept of "elders" needs some repositioning in the adults. They should be educated that being an elder does not automatically entitles them to immunity from apologising when they does something wrong. An adult who murders a child is equally guilty as an adult who murders an elder. One caller has the shame to call in with a rhetoric, "When a mother spank a child, does she has to apologise?" Someone tell her please, she is out of point. She was already blinded by "students", "demand" amd "teacher"

NDP 2009

I waited for Tiko, who said he wanted to meet me at Jurong because he was suppose to be playing a game of football in the vicinity. The call never come and I had to move out myself at 1pm. I needed to buy some gifts for Basket who will be returning to India. The Concourse was my destination, but when I reached there, I could not find any shops, any more. Only the office tower remain. Disappointed, I made my way to Marina Square to met up with Kam and Wilson.

Chun entered the floating platform first. I thought he will be waiting for me to enter together. The whole night, I did not see him, even till the parade ended.

The parade was quite enjoyable, even in the merciless heat. I really do not mind if it rains. Fireworks were disappointingly acute, though I manage to capture some photos if them. The marching troops were nothing impressive in terms of cadence. My MP was the contingent leader for the PAP. He must be thinking why he was there while the rest of his counterparts were enjoying the parade in the stand.

One thing about the setting. I wonder what would happen if there is a fire breakout at the floating platform. The exits seems inadequate and I reckon not all would be brave enough to plunge into the Singapore river and those brave enough will be hindered by the former. Sad, we might all turn into roasted pigs.

In closing, let me salute the Redlions. Airborne all the way. Warrant Yoko, this one goes out to you too.

Double standards

My country is a city of double standards - one standard for the elites and one for the peasants. Maybe this is a much debated, or rather, discussed topic, and I am not here to offer any arguments, but rather examples.

A few weeks ago, I booked the linkhall at my estate with the Town Council for a ritual to commemorate my late relatives. When the supplier erected the tents, the Town Council send its foreign talented minions to stop us, saying that it was not allowed. Which puzzles me till today because the residents committee built a tent bigger than mine at the exactly same spot years ago. And I also mentioned to the Town Council when I made the booking, I was even prepared to pay for it.

You can never win the ".gov". Had I insisted on it, the sore losers will probably call in the minions of the police force. I rather spend time typing this sentence than capitalise the phrase "police force". Next, I was directed to the HDB so that I could book the field opposite my block, which has no electricity and most certainly, no water, and I was not to 'kill' the grass or use any incense burning pit. On top of that, I need to write to the MP to, get this, "seek his support". Which I again do not understand why I do not need to do it when applying for the linkhall at the Town Council? Probably because only organisation with big time relations with the MPs or the PBMs and BBMs uses the field. However, to be fair, the MP did grant me 'support' to go ahead with the ritual, which is under a could-help-it circumstance. The ".gov" did wronged me afterall at Town Council.

For the record, on the dismantling day of my booking, which essentially meant that that piece of land is still my charge till 23 59 hrs. The funeral being held below my block had their burning pit smacked in the centre of my plot of land. I was not about to complain because the grieving family had their fair share of work already. But I needed to protect myself because I did not want to be accused of murdering their grasses. So, I called up the HDB and told them I had evacuated the land and that there was a pit placed there, and they should not blame me of grass-slaughter. I even took a picture of that place.

Today, in fact, for the past few days, several pits were again placed there. The temple is celebrating some festivals.

Obviously, they had their MP support documents and all.

Genting July 2009

Interior walls of FW Hotel



Spy-vs-spy action at Dinoland



My absolute favourite at the Themepark



Themepark








Caught a ghost



Dinoland



Apple, did you enjoy the trip?