-Normaltitude-

Shanghai Day 6

2008-07-13T15:12:00.002+08:00

Day 6 was better - we resolved to forget the disappointments of the previous day and set out afresh for Qipu Road and breakfast. It's always well and good to have something to fall back on in a land of foreign food - the ever-trusty Macdonalds and their ubiquitous items on the menu.

Qipu was relatively less crowded at 10am, and we took 4 leisurely hours to stroll through the 2 main malls and select our purchases. I got a pair of "Teva" sandals for 80 RMB, which was a relative steal considering that the other shops were unwilling to let it go for anything less than 100RMB. It's my current favorite.

We went to Ajisen's for lunch and chanced upon a gem of a poster.

After depositing our purchases at our hotel, we took the metro to the French Concession, where the Lyceum Theatre was sited in order to catch the evening version of the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe's performance. It was yet another disappointment, as they had cancelled the performance.

We then walked along Huaihai Road to check out the Zara sales at the 2 outlets lining the road.

We ended the trip off with a meal at a mall along the road and some Portuguese fare - if you consider Cafe de Coral to be anything like that.

Shanghai Days 4 & 5

2008-07-13T14:46:00.003+08:00

Day 4 was a day of meeting with people - we met with Zhong's Dragonboat teammate and Celest's Jun.

We visited the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum - well, we sort of viewed it from the outside - our main motive was to pay a visit to the various dodgy retailers at the basement of the metro station.

That was where Meng found his first retail love - a pair of Lacoste shoes that he did not end up buying. We spent much of the day haggling about prices with the vendors and did not do very much at all.

Ditto day 5. Which was a horrible day with rain and a fruitless search for the elusive Factory Outlet that had us running all over suburban Shanghai. Wet socks and a truncated Qipu Road best summarizes that forgettable day.

Shanghai Day 3

2008-07-03T15:59:00.008+08:00

Day 3
Having not booked a ticket to Hangzhou the night before and waking at 5.30am having slept just 3 hours the night before, the Chinese could have forgiven themselves for having seen wasted zombies scurrying around a) People's Square (人民广场), b) the 80,000 People Stadium and c) the Shanghai Indoor Stadium. All for the sake of catching the bus that left at 7am.

We ran around like idiots looking for a semblance of a bus terminus (or any other congregation of the said motor vehicle, which, unfortunately included most traffic junctions) for the first 2 locations. I have not run so much ~~since BMT~~ before. In any case, we were despairing at the negative replies (and misdirections) given by locals strolling in the calm of the morning. It must have been pretty funny to see touristy Chinese who couldn't speak proper Mandarin running off in the wrong directions.

We got to the Shanghai Indoor Stadium at about 720am, and having thought that the bus had already left, we were a dejected lot. In fact, the lady at the counter told us that the bus would be leaving at 845am, and that there were just 3 seats left. That was our very first stroke of luck on the trip. We promptly paid the 248RMB - which was a ripoff, sadly.

The Hangzhou tour, and Hangzhou itself was a letdown. We rushed from place to place, and although the highlight of the tour was the Xi Hu (西湖) boatride, we never really got close enough to view the 7 scenic locations up close. Not even enough for photography, barring something like Weisheng's DSLR and his humongous lens. Which wouldn't have worked anyway, given that the boat was rocking about and mist obscured pretty much everything from afar.

My main grouses center about the fact that we spent too little time at the 2 locations of interest - Xi Hu and the Ling Yin Temple (灵隐寺) and too much at the commercial silk factory and the place with the tea leaves. We passed by the Yue Wang Temple (岳王庙) without going in to spit on the statue of Qin Kuai (秦桧) for whom the phrase 遗臭万年was coined. And really fulfill the our inner Chinese self - secretly we admired the Chinese ability to hark up a gob of spit and deposit it on the next available tile.

At the Ling Yin Temple, Meng did not go in with us and I suppose I was the only one marvelling at the splendor of the place given that Zhong was very much the freethinker sort. At least he saw fit to dedicate merits to his mother, who was a devout Buddhist. We had the good karma to witness the recital of the afternoon prayers and toured the hall of the 300 arahants, all of whom were unique and intricately carved. The gold Buddha statue in the 大雄宝殿was a sight to behold, and given that it was rude to take photos inside the confines of the 大殿, I managed to just catch the exterior of the hall itself.

We boarded the bus back to Shanghai next, and I was very much dissatisfied with the events of the day. A filling meal at our destination made up for part of the disappointment though. Meng and Zhong must have eaten 3 full-sized frogs between them.

Shanghai Day 2

2008-06-30T20:53:00.007+08:00

DAY 2
We woke up to a bright morning and cloudy skies. The incessant drizzle the day before had seemingly disappeared. Meng and Zhong led me in search of their favorite eatery near Zhao'an Hotel where they had also stayed in their trip 4 years ago. To no avail though, as it had closed down and in its place was a suspicious restaurant ("we have no electricity, would you like some porridge?). The street also housed our first street hawker du jour. Who was selling the dough fritters that we so desperately craved, but being the sanitized Singaporeans that we were, we were did not try the stall in fear of a premature end to our culinary exploits.

We headed for the Shanghai Tailor and Fabric Market (or some name to that effect) on the recommendation of Wenshan to have our suits tailored. His resident tailor (Jackson Xue, not TAI) was not in for the day and the lady assistant took our measurements and promised to have them ready in a tailoring feat of 4 days. The ties here were of quality and sold at 10RMB. Needless to say, I bought 3 of them in expectation of my daily requirements at PwC.

We headed across the street on the recommendation of the lady assistant for some lunch, and it was a 130RMB well-spent (considering that we blew 110RMB on the crap dinner the day before).

On a belly filled with good food, we headed for the Yu Gardens and the Cheng Huang Temple located in the historic heart of Shanghai, named (what else) Old Shanghai Street.

Walking into the street, we came across many shops selling the ubiquitous tourist trinkets and tea, and Meng popped into one such store for the first of his purchases - he bought some LongJing Tea for his parents. The XiangPian Tea was appealing, but being the miser that I was, I did not want to buy the tea as yet.

When we reached the doors of the Temple I found out that it was not the Buddhist one that I was expecting (there is a difference) and was quite reluctant to buy the 10RMB admission ticket. Given that Meng was waiting outside, we chose not to enter the compound and miss out on the Yu Garden as well. Remember what I said about being miserly?

We then headed off to Miser Heaven - Qipu Road. Given that its predecessor, Xiangyang Road had been raided by the relevant authorities not long ago, Qipu Road succeeded the former as a bustling haven for pirates and imitation goods.

The streets were extremely crowded even for a Tuesday, and given the number of locals present, it was obvious that this was a market that catered to native Chinese. We trudged through the crowded malls (particularly the basement levels selling shoes and bags) in search of the ultimate bargain.

One notable fact was that the street hawkers here sold pretty much the same fare - Mutton or squid on giant bamboo sticks (that could potentially qualify as a lethal weapon in Singapore) and large slices of melons that looked fantastically sweet. All these without proper storage and hygiene! Imagine squid and fruits being kept at 23deg throughout the day , staying exposed to the elements and the smog that pervaded Shanghai.

We chanced upon many imitation goods, but the most memorable purchase was Meng's Gongtai shoes, which was the subject of Celest's post. Also, Zhong took the chance to whore himself for the camera, and did the classic Chinese squat which he repeated throughout the trip. Oh, and Meng succeeded in purchasing the pair of shoes at 40RMB, which translates to a mind-boggling 8 buckaroos here in Singapore.

We eyed several other purchases, and were keen to come back nearer the date of our departure. We walked about 2.5 squares (on Koof's map) back to our hotel - which took an agonizing 1 and a half hours. To further complicate matters, Zhong was having a bad stomach, which explains his constipated look as evidenced below:-

Zhong headed back to the hotel in search of a much-needed release and supplemented his diet with a bottle of Po Chai pills from the well-stocked 百宝袋 of Meng's. The two of us had dinner at a restaurant near the hotel and we encountered our most disgusting find just yet - a whole fried turtle that cost 24RMB. We had the pleasure of seeing people spit in the upper-class restaurant, and Meng witnessed firsthand a group of locals eating the turtles and I saw a lady munching on the shell of the aforementioned delicacy. GROSS.

We headed to BarVue at Hyatt on the Bund to meet Claire and Weizheng, and the view from the top was much better than that from the Bund the night before. Meng ordered a 60RMB Hennessy VSOP and we were chuckling at the volume of alcohol within the big wine glass.

In the 2 hours that we spent at the bar, we saw the smog obscure the Pearl Tower twice. which was really quite amazing given the strobe lights flashing from the pearl on top of the tower. It was some dense shit indeed.

Zhong's choice of a raw-ish salad-looking alcoholic concoction did not help his gut much, and we concluded the evening with a group shot.

Shanghai Prologue and Day 1

2008-06-30T20:04:00.005+08:00

The Shanghai trip started off with a bombshell from Koof - not the feminine kind that one would usually associate Koof with but the news that he'd injured his eye (again) in a freak ricochet of the ball whilst playing cage.

The 3 of us (Me, Zhong & Meng) trooped to the airport knowing that we had to make the most of what was left of the initial gang - with Jing backing out after deciding on Shanghai as the trip location (in consideration of a potential rendezvous with Renee) and the freak accident with Koof.

Before the plane had even gotten off the ground, I had spent a total of 103 bucks buying some 7 cosmetic articles for HER mom. And Meng spent half that amount on a nice-ish Braun Buffel wallet going at a discount after my spree. We got on the relatively empty China Eastern flight MU546 which eventually proved to be a blessing in disguise, as my ample bulk was given sufficient space in which to maneuver.

On bored (sic) the plane, Zhong and Meng amused themselves with the Pro Evolution Soccer on Koof's PSP and mine, whilst I amused myself with my digital camera taking photos that looked like this:

Which was essentially crap.

Anyhow, our arrival in Shanghai was a reflection of our luck (or so we thought at first). Our plane was rerouted from its original destination at Pudong airport to Hongqiao Airport which was further away from the coast. However, I was convinced on the necessity of the move after seeing the fog sweep in from the coastal areas. In addition, the cab fare from Hongqiao to our hotel in Hengtong Road was a measly 60RMB, in comparison with the 160RMB fare that me and Meng would later incur on our way to Pudong Airport on the return leg.

DAY 1
Our first day in Shanghai saw us make a beeline for the tourist district of Nanjing East Road immediately after we'd dumped our belongings in the hotel room, which was very comfortable given the incredibly low price of 300RMB that we were paying per night. The entrance to the metro (Hanzhong Road) was right beside the hotel, and it took a short 15 minutes for the journey to the East (Nanjing Road). Nanjing Road is the likeness of Orchard Road, with prices to match for the similarity as well.

We found a dark alley behind Nanjing Road and ate our first meal of the trip. I had earlier rejected Zhong's suggestion that we eat at CoCo Curry in consideration of the "watery curry" and Meng not seemingly interested (he was at the next junction looking out for more eateries). We found a dingy little shophouse that served authentic Shanghainese fare (or so they claimed). We ordered a plate of unknown meat (and possibly tripe), a plate of unknown greens, a plate of mutton (which turned out to be 20% raw) and 杂浆面 for me and Zhong. After pushing about the noodles in our bowl and flipping around looking for the less-rare portions of mutton, we decided to give up on the meal and head for the Bund.

The Bund was filled with people even on a Monday evening, with peddlers, touts and ice-cream sellers having a field day selling their wares to the crowd. Even though the view from the Bund could not rival that of Hongkong back when I visited it in '05, the skyscrapers and illuminated buildings signified China's progress as a capitalistic member of the global society. And with that, our day ended with a walk back to the metro from the Bund.

At the airport

2008-06-23T07:57:00.003+08:00

Over a cup of tea, my bleary eyes struggle to keep themselves open. Pulling an all-nighter watching a drab match of anti-football played out by the world champions Italy was a testing experience. Waiting for the arrival of Koof and co, upon which his presence/absence at a later time in Shanghai would decide the nature of me and Meng's activities from Friday to Sunday.

Didn't get to see HER for the past day, but received HER enthusiastic call early in the morning and after learning about my departure timing (at 10.15am, no less) she marveled at my incredible waste of time and promptly hung up.

Am looking forward to my Shanghai noons.

:)

Sometimes.

2008-04-21T02:49:00.004+08:00

There's school tomorrow. Plenty of papers to be marked.

It's 3am and I've not gotten to sleep after an hour of trying.

Something just bugs me. The uncertainty that plagues just about everything in my life.

I'm a creature of continuity. I take to uncertainty like how SHE takes to all things electronic.

The uncertainty that surrounds my choice of career, my grades and my finances.

Why do I always feel that I've underachieved after all these years?

I know the feeling all too well.

Too often, it hits me like a speeding MRT train.

The feeling of inadequacy. Of being a misfit. An outcast.

Resignation has replaced optimism a long time ago. 13 years ago, to be exact.

Achievements have always preceded a fall.

I'm weary from picking myself up all the time.

I am supposed to have it all.

A doting girlfriend, a bunch of brothers that have stood by me these years.

Why do I always feel a need to prove my capability?

But right now, I'm standing on the edge of gainful employment.

What once seemed infinitely possible, there now exists just one choice.

And so ends another chapter of my life

2008-03-17T21:34:00.004+08:00

And gingerly, I clicked on the green button.

Yet another one bites the dust...

Dear Mr Eric Choon

2008-01-20T02:50:00.000+08:00

Life, caught between two extremes.

Just as SHE went to her colleague's wedding, I was at Mandai Columbarium with Zhong, Ra and Koof's family for his Dad's urn to be placed in the niche.

Mr Eric Choon.

He was a man of few words. Saw him only intermittently on my first few visits to Koof's place in the first few years of our acquaintance.

And then came along the 2 Food & Hotel Asia exhibitions. QB Food. Johnsonville Sausages. I Serve US Beef and Pork. The arduous, back-breaking work that preceded and ended each stint with them.

The words of advice, softly and sagely dispensed. Never a word spoken in rage. The wit behind the conversations at lunch. The oft-too-generous gifts that was 'payment' for 3 days of feasting, play and getting to know people.

That life would just be kind
To such a gentle mind

Remember him this way.

The pain of such a loss is heartfelt. And bro, such a pain is best shared. Mutual support helps level the rocky road to recovery, and never shall this apply to our circle of trust - It's your problem, deal with it.

My foot. It's yours as much as ours.

____________________________

Being self-reflective and having a conscience are two very underrated virtues indeed.

There's one person in his life, and one person only.

~~There's a quicker way out of his personal hell, and you slammed the door in his face.~~

Sorry. You made the situation a whole lot worse.

You could have 雪中送炭。 Instead, you chose to 雪上加霜。

You know, carrots have their expiry dates too.

Sorry to mix this sad post with vehemence, but such is the intensity of feeling.

10 months too late - A tribute to Ms Chan Bee Bee

2008-01-08T23:45:00.000+08:00

Chan Bee Bee

Maths teacher of the unruly group that dared to call themselves Sec 4K, DHS 1999.

She passed away in March 2007.

Kind and patient to a fault, she was never one to give up on students.

This post came 10 months too late, but her legacy lies in her 天下桃李。

I'll remember you and the kind mercies you bestowed upon our ragtag bunch.

Defying conformity - yet shunning the limelight.

And I was not alone in thinking so...

Jose Revisited

2007-12-25T18:04:00.000+08:00

The 154th-ranked media...

2007-12-23T10:41:00.000+08:00

When I read the letter to the Forum that was published, I was disgusted by the unabashedly apologist tone that this Agung seemed to portray. After reading this article below, I realized that he was very much the victim of ~~misrepresentation~~ editorial failure as well.

From Kaffein-nated

_______________________________________

Quite shocking actually at how much the original letter was changed. I need to verify the original contents from the author though.

But just look at how the contents were twisted! I nearly went into convulsions. And to think ST dared to put the writer's name (Agung Santoso Ongko) at the end of it!

Pay rise for top civil servants timely (ST published forum letter)

I READ with great relief the article about ministers and top civil servants getting a 4-21 per cent pay rise next month (ST, Dec 14).

We can now be assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have secured their steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication to fight for our cause. It could not be more timely. When inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans 'can barely stay afloat' (The Sunday Times, Dec 2), we need, more than ever, the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through the difficulties.

We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to retain them at all costs. This is especially so as these senior civil servants have been in the public sector for so long that they are likely to seek fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, I hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate. Therefore, I appeal to them to follow Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's lead in giving to the poor and spreading the blessings.

Writer's clarification:
I'm so glad somebody finally smelt a hint of my original intention for this Forum entry. Honestly, I read with GREAT HORROR the published version of my own e-mail on ST Forum 18/12/2007. Whatever was published on the Forum page on 18/12/2007 may be similar to what I had originally written, but the omissions made by the editors have actually changed its intended meaning altogether. I have reproduced below my original article as I had sent it to the ST editors:

"
I read with great relief the ST article “Ministers, top civil servants to get 4% to 21% pay rise in Jan” published on 13 December 2007. We can now rest doubly assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have successfully secured their most steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication in fighting for our cause. Certainly, it cannot be timelier. At this point, when inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans “can barely stay afloat” (The Sunday Times 02 December 2007), we are in dire need, more than ever, for the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through all these difficulties. We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to fight to retain them at all costs. This is especially so, as these senior civil servants have been dwelling in the public sector for such a long time that they are more likely indeed to seek a fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, though, I sincerely hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate in our midst, for the total annual increment that every senior civil servant is set to receive can actually support approximately 1,000 other Singaporeans. Therefore, I appeal to our senior civil servants to follow PM Lee's lead in giving back to the poor and spreading the blessings. What that increase means to you means infinitely more to them.
"

If it has not become apparent to you by now, I had meant this piece to be satirical. And I admit that I may have failed miserably. I admit that it may be my own incompetent, ambiguous writing that has resulted in the gross misunderstanding. It is indeed possible that my vagueness has led to the editors misreading my intentions and viewing all the hyperboles and superlatives as redundant emphasis on my support for the pay rise. I shall, however, leave it to you readers to decide for yourself.

I hope I have made my position clear, though: that I am strongly opposed to the unwise timing of the ministerial pay rise, and that if it happens anyway, I call for those benefiting from it to share with those among us who live on $290 a month, and are saving every single cent just to continue surviving.

- Agung Santoso Ongko

Quite shocking actually at how much the orginal letter was changed. I need to verify the original contents from the author though.

But just look at how the contents were twisted! I nearly went into convulsions. And to think ST dared to put the writer's name (Agung Santoso Ongko) at the end of it!

Pay rise for top civil servants timely (ST published forum letter)

I READ with great relief the article about ministers and top civil servants getting a 4-21 per cent pay rise next month (ST, Dec 14).

We can now be assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have secured their steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication to fight for our cause. It could not be more timely. When inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans 'can barely stay afloat' (The Sunday Times, Dec 2), we need, more than ever, the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through the difficulties.

We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to retain them at all costs. This is especially so as these senior civil servants have been in the public sector for so long that they are likely to seek fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, I hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate. Therefore, I appeal to them to follow Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's lead in giving to the poor and spreading the blessings.

Writer's clarification:
I'm so glad somebody finally smelt a hint of my original intention for this Forum entry. Honestly, I read with GREAT HORROR the published version of my own e-mail on ST Forum 18/12/2007. Whatever was published on the Forum page on 18/12/2007 may be similar to what I had originally written, but the omissions made by the editors have actually changed its intended meaning altogether. I have reproduced below my original article as I had sent it to the ST editors:

"
I read with great relief the ST article “Ministers, top civil servants to get 4% to 21% pay rise in Jan” published on 13 December 2007. We can now rest doubly assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have successfully secured their most steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication in fighting for our cause. Certainly, it cannot be timelier. At this point, when inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans “can barely stay afloat” (The Sunday Times 02 December 2007), we are in dire need, more than ever, for the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through all these difficulties. We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to fight to retain them at all costs. This is especially so, as these senior civil servants have been dwelling in the public sector for such a long time that they are more likely indeed to seek a fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, though, I sincerely hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate in our midst, for the total annual increment that every senior civil servant is set to receive can actually support approximately 1,000 other Singaporeans. Therefore, I appeal to our senior civil servants to follow PM Lee's lead in giving back to the poor and spreading the blessings. What that increase means to you means infinitely more to them.
"

If it has not become apparent to you by now, I had meant this piece to be satirical. And I admit that I may have failed miserably. I admit that it may be my own incompetent, ambiguous writing that has resulted in the gross misunderstanding. It is indeed possible that my vagueness has led to the editors misreading my intentions and viewing all the hyperboles and superlatives as redundant emphasis on my support for the pay rise. I shall, however, leave it to you readers to decide for yourself.

I hope I have made my position clear, though: that I am strongly opposed to the unwise timing of the ministerial pay rise, and that if it happens anyway, I call for those benefiting from it to share with those among us who live on $290 a month, and are saving every single cent just to continue surviving.

- Agung Santoso Ongko

Vesak @ Orchard 2006

2007-11-27T04:10:00.000+08:00

I Miss These Guys.

你把我灌醉...

2007-11-16T16:25:00.000+08:00

This video is damn off. Zzzzzzzzzzzz

FRS 39 and 1.49 AM

2007-10-31T01:48:00.000+08:00

The title says it all. Reading the rambling FRS 39 is like trying to save Mark's 'spasmed' handball shots. Catch no ball.

Anyway some quick updates this late on in Week 13. I'm always grumbling about how each term seems more and more hectic, but thankfully this term has proven to be the exception to the norm. I feel pressed for time, stressed and think I have a fair bit of catching up to do (what's new). BUT! There's time for some meaningful reading and projects are creaking along fine. With the notable exception of ONE.

It's AMA-geddon I tell you. And this had made me cherish good group mates all the more. Defended Meng on some issues in a pretty measured tone - considering that I was extremely exasperated/irritated, THAT in itself was a measured response. Didn't expect a reply but still got one. And she persisted with her view of things. I guess it's the usual 'The Men Just Don't Get It' for her. Ah wells. Mediation failed. Negotiation failed. Isolation next?

On the brighter side, my search for a job has almost come full circle. I hope to get something nailed down soon. Like tomorrow. Really hate the pretense of an evaluation that they call interviews. This time though, I spoke my mind, and for the love of this country, I hope they understand what I'm getting at and my position on certain matters.
____________________________

Koof's in London and sleeping like a vagrant. If any Briton comes across some unwashed tramp of a SMU student at the local airport/rail station/cybercafe be sure to treat him nicely yea?

Hey there Delilah

2007-10-06T10:27:00.000+08:00

First up, the original version...

And a warning to all you swingers out there...

欠我十块 - 千里之外改装版

2007-09-23T14:00:00.000+08:00

The Search is ON!

2007-09-09T23:36:00.000+08:00

And in another term-and-a-half, I'd be officially a graduate.

And I'm still undecided on the choice of the career. It's just the small matter of having to choose between dreary hours/measly pay or a combination of both. I suppose as an Accountancy graduate-to-be, I have it easier than most. I can always count on the Big 4 and the numerous second-tier firms for employment. And some firms seem to offer better prospects than most (Boon Kiat would ask me to define better). That anal ass *LOL*.

There's Liling to offer her perspective on consulting, there's Jing to give a balanced view of what IB encompasses, there's Zhong to offer the other (radical) IB perspective, there's HER to moan about EY tax and ah-Pam on AABS, and finally, RA on EY IT Audit and Weiming on PWC's version.

Oh, and I slipped HER sis an application form for EY. She's gotten her degree! Many congratulations! And boy was I shocked when she opened the letter from RELC in her room. Sobs emanated from her room, and I was extremely concerned when they seemed to be sobs of agony. She'd actually passed subjects that she thought were bound to fail, and I felt nothing short of silly at panicking enough to ask HER to check on her own sis.

Dumbass me.

Oh well, it's back to mugging AFA, in which I am hopelessly lost at this point at the start of Week 4.

This is crap.

The price of citizenship - we've bitten the bullet one time too many.

2007-08-22T10:00:00.000+08:00

This is ridiculous. Have Singaporeans all lost their voices?
Put this up for a referendum - at the very least.
What happened to our CPF reserves? As a responsible citizen, I demand the right to know.
If the effective taxation masquerading as CPF has failed as a scheme to cover our retirement, it's high time to come clean.

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

CPF Special, Medisave accounts' interest rates to be modified next year

SINGAPORE : Interest rates for the CPF Special, Medisave and Retirement Accounts will be re-pegged to an appropriate long-term bond rate.

Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen said more details on this will be worked out and announced next month.

He said the new rates will be lower initially than the current rate of 4 percent but it should do better than 4 percent over time.

But as the rates will be pegged to the market, fluctuations can be expected.

Dr Ng was speaking at a news conference to explain the initiatives announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally.

Giving more details on the compulsory annuities, Dr Ng said only part of the minimum sum from the CPF will be set aside for it.

A major portion of the minimum sum will still be for the members to withdraw when they reach the draw-down age.

Dr Ng said this is to ensure that members are covered even after the age of 85.

He said the aim is to achieve a subsistence payout first - of possibly between S$250 and S$300 per month.

Private sector economists said the rates could be pegged to government-issued bonds.

"If we peg it to a SGS bond, it will definitely be below the target 4 percent rate. Our thoughts are that, they might be looking at a bond issued by say, Temasek, which has typically in previous years averaged returns more than 4 percent. So we can probably enjoy higher returns in that way," said Alvin Liew, economist at UOB Treasury Research.

Singapore Government Bonds are currently yielding between a modest 3 percent and 4 percent, prompting some analysts to suggest a benchmark that included a guaranteed portion.

Some economists suggested that the government could provide a fixed 1-2 percent base, plus a variable component tied to the Singapore Government Bond yield.

As the rates would be pegged to the market, fluctuations in returns could be expected.

"It is conceivable that CPF members can expect, in the long term, maybe more than 4 percent per annum. On the risk side, if these new rates are variable and it falls below 4 percent, that is a worry for CPF members," said Roy Varghese, Director of Financial Planning, IPAC.

The changes to the CPF interest rates will be effective in 2008.

They will cost the government S$700 million a year, initially.

Meanwhile, the government also wants to provide an "extreme longevity protection" for citizens by making annuities compulsory for those below 50 years old.

Said Dr Ng: "We are basically looking at compulsory annuities to protect members from outliving their retirement savings. Let me first say that we'll consult widely. We do not intend to, when we start this scheme, to put the major proportion of your minimum sum into annuities. That's the first thing that needs to be said.

"In fact, a smaller proportion of your minimum sum will be put into annuities, so the major portion of your minimum sum will still be drawn out, drawn down by members at the draw-down age."

An example of this annuity is that the CPF member pays a basic premium of X dollars which goes into a pool.

That money will be paid out from age 85 - for life.

But if the member doesn't live till 85 years old, the money will then be used to support others in the pool, who are still alive.

It's not determined if the CPF Board or private companies will administer the compulsory annuities scheme.

The Manpower Minister stressed that the basic idea of the compulsory annuities is to insure members for the latter part of their lives, that is after 85 years old.

The aim is to provide a subsistence payout amount first, of possibly between $250 and $300 monthly.

Dr Ng said more details on this scheme will be announced next month.

On the additional one percentage point interest for the first $60,000 in CPF members' combined accounts, Dr Ng said this will be placed in the Special Account and not the Ordinary Account.

He said: "These changes will help Singaporeans work longer, save more, and help give them a peace of mind for their golden years. It will significantly strengthen our economic and social system to better address the ageing population... These new tools, new aspects can be effective, it will give us a lot of hope and optimism as we move forward, even as we age."

Dr Ng said this will give Singapore a more responsive and robust system to address changes as the workforce ages.

The Manpower Minister said the extra one percentage bonus interest will not affect CPF members who are already investing their funds.

He added that "tens of billions" are still available for investing.

The government is not preventing members from investing their CPF funds. - CNA /ls

Man City might be a GLC...

2007-08-20T00:59:00.000+08:00

First things first - Manchester City was bought by Thaksin Shinawatra from funds obtained via the sale of his majority stake in Shin Corp - and the blue half of Manchester went on to win against a superior United side against the run of play.

And so since the Thai junta has deemed Thaksin's tax-free sale of Shin Corp illegal and ~~sought~~ is seeking to void the agreement, Manchester City is technically ours!

And the Singapore Government knows it I tell you.

The successful prosecution of Thaksin might cause a reversal of the Shin Corp deal on a technicality (Kularb Kaew was deemed to be an investment vehicle of Temasek Holdings, thereby violating the rule on foreign ownership) . And in return for our investment, could we please have the satellite arm of Shin Corp (for some affordable cable TV competition - you can save your military secrets for yourself) and his Man City please?

After all, they're on top of the Premier League.

Perhaps the following would facilitate the transaction....

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

Sonthi gets military award from Singapore

Singapore (dpa) - The commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin, received on Friday a prestigious military award from Singapore Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean.

The Meritorious Service Medal was awarded to Gen Sonthi in recognition of his contributions toward enhancing the strong ties between the Singapore and Thai armies, the defence ministry said in a statement.

"The two armies engage in a wide spectrum of activities," ranging from bilateral exercises to regular professional exchanges and attendance at each other's courses, boosting the comradeship between the officers and men, it added.

Gen Sonthi led a coup on September 19, 2006, overthrowing the elected government of then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Gen Sonthi, who was scheduled to call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong later Friday, has met with Teo and other military officials during his visit which started on Thursday.

Bangkok Post

HAHA!

The green green glass of smoo.

2007-08-13T02:24:00.000+08:00

Been trying to reconcile myself with the fact that school is starting in something like a week. And miserably failing. Gone will be the 4am sleep timings, the luxury of lazing in bed and knowing that there's plenty of NOTHING to do for the whole day.

The not-so-eternal struggle of books against evil will recommence with a vengeance. The evil being my absolute nua-ness. And yet, I'm strangely looking forward to school - though I'll always eat my words come Week 10-ish. The camaraderie of beating project deadlines, of struggling to complete our readings/quiz preps/homework and the mutual whining (wah I can't stand Prof XXX he so dam bloody gay/wah sian u thrash me in DoTA ur SK so dam bloody gay) and the block booking of our various GSRs of choice.

To arms, my brothers!

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

Just got back from the annual small-group chalet with HER. Had a great BBQ with the usual amount (read: alot) of leftovers. As per the routine, 终极密码 was the order of the day. Made KC eat a duck drumstick the size of Sisters' Island for his absolute confidence in not kena-ing. Oh, and I threatened a tao pok on just about everyone for the slightest deemed infraction.

Then went up to the chalet for a series of murderer/doctor/detective games which NEVER failed to end in my death/exit/discovery the very first round. Grrrr. Didn't realize that I had so many enemies. Dark is their malice.

And sadly, I had to cut the wonderful evening short as SHE had a headache and longed for the comforts of HER bed. Ah wells. After having been quiet the whole time, SHE told me (quietly) that she had a great time on our way back. OMG. Hehe. Trust HER to always be so reserved in her mannerisms. SJ/LAURA YOU ALL COME BACK THAT TIME WE BOOK CHALET AGAIN.
And SHE'S ~~snoring~~ snoozing away whilst I'm typing out this entry, at the ungodly hour of 3am. Woohooo! I'm longing to be somewhere in Downtown East, though.

Of Spartan Teletubbies

2007-08-05T01:50:00.001+08:00

Freaking hilarious I tell ya

Teletubbies - Sparta

Return of the Meng and the Flight of the Koof

2007-08-01T23:06:00.000+08:00

Ah wells - Meng is back but Koof will be flying off in less than 8 hours.

Take care, my bro - in the land of sauerkraut, beer, sausages and Oktoberfest.

I wanna go!

YouTube - One of the best Chinese voices

2007-07-30T02:56:00.000+08:00

Scroll to about 13.50 minutes left - OMG one of the best rendition's of Minnie Riperton's insane Lovin' You...

YouTube - One of the best Chinese voices

The full clip is as follows:

Yet Another Superhero - Spider Pig

2007-07-29T03:05:00.001+08:00