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Up up and Away

Posted on PM00000020000005530 05,2007 by andinoordin

There’s a saying what goes up must come down but unfortunately whereas for this case it will never be, sadly to say it will only rise up and keep on continously to do so in the next future. Infact starting from 1st October, the breaking News – Bus and train fares up again. All of us will be effected except those for children.From the report given in the paper stated that adult EZ-Link fares on buses and trains and the senior citizen concession EZ-Link fare, will see a flat increase of 4 cents per ride. However, this will be offset by the 15-cent increase in transfer rebate from the current 25 cents to 40 cents.

Am i complaining? Partly YES and Partly NO. This thingy is so common in Singapore everything from food to cinema tickets and to transportation fare will eventually increase every year. It has been the case since last time where i used to remember air condition bus fare cost only 45cents. Those were the days and long gone but somehow i read it somewhere that if you travel extensively and use the various transports around the region, you will find the Singapore has one of the cheapest and most efficient public transport in the world. Anyone agree with that? To think of it, perhaps it is. Sometimes i think with an increasing demand on the public transport standards, we should be prepared to pay more before demanding more. Hell yeah DEMANDING, well aren’t we Singaporean ? As i’ve mentioned earlier on, i can’t do much but can only ‘suck thumb’ (Army terms) and one thing that will affect me badly is my pocket money.It will be getting lesser.New fare hike may hit elderly and poor the most.On the other hand, I’m not gonna stage a protest at Hong Lim Park like those two dudes with a loudspeaker recently, waste of time as nobody will listen to you protesting but however for Mr Gerald Giam – (The deputy editor of The Online Citizen) its a different case. Joining by a group of bloggers, they make the crowds turn up for the public event on Saturday.

So Do you think the service standards of SMRT & SBS Transit justify another round of fare hikes come October 1st?

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The Field Below

Posted on AM00000070000004531 05,2007 by andinoordin

I realised that i’ve not been reading lately unlike the previous year maybe i guess its due to my so call hectic schedule that i’m facing right now; heavyworkload, my AGV lessons and addiction of playing my PSP… haha!! Well, the last one explains everything clearly. Anyway i went to MPH last Friday and i got myself this The Last Lecture written by the late Mr Randy Pausch a professor from Carnegie Mellon Universty. He had been diagnosed with a pancreatic cancer which was indeed terminal and henceforth he decided to give such a lecture, he didn’t have to imagine it as his last but originally the lecture he gave was entitled – ‘Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”- which wasn’t about dying. It was more about the having to overcome obstacles and seizing every moment. His “Last Lecture” has attracted wide attention from media in the United States as well as around the world. The video of the speech became an Internet hit, and was viewed over a million times in the first month after its delivery on social networking site such as YouTube. But what intrigues me most about Randy is that the purpose of him giving the lecture, in a way letting his 3 kids having his dad memories when they’re older, going to go through this phase where they absolutely and achingly need to know – Who was their dad? And by having the audience to laugh and clap at the right time, maybe it gives that little gravitas to what he’s telling his childrens. I always feel that not knowing or not having the chance to meet your father or mother especially when your still at younger age,it must be really hard and kinda lost not having their love especially when the stage of growing up. He passed away on July 25th 2008 and survived by his wife and their three children.

The maps were still on the wall and we stood before them once more. Ewan glanced at me.

”What do you reckon, Charley?” ”I don’t know.”South America, India maybe?”‘I looked up at him. ‘What about riding through Africa?”

The other day,i caught a glimpse of something that capture my attention on the TV set. It involved an african military guard or policeman refusing entry and behaving lividly towards a Scottish guy who once happens to be a Jedi knight but obviously he can’t used his jedi power on him there.

On Discovery Travel, my sis was watching – ‘The Long Way Down’– an epic journey by Ewan Mcgregor and Charley Boorman riding their big BMW motorcycle. Having read the -‘The Long Way Round’– which was their 1st motorcyle journey chasing shadows through Europe (Ukraine,Mongolia,Russia and etc) across the Pacific to Alaska then down through America. Although i’m not a fan of motorcycles but the journey that they overcome and the border crossing having problems with the authorities, is just one of a hell adventure that money can’t buy. In the first book the journey was also used to bring attention to the humanitarian efforts of UNICEF where they discover the street children who live in the heating systems of apartment and Ukraine housing children affected by the Chernobyl disaster and likewise for the second book, Ewan and Charley visited a mine awareness projects supported by UNICEF where they get to know the Ethiopian children way of living and met with children who have lost limbs in mine accidents and have witnessed for themselves how important it is that children are aware of the dangers from mines.
I told myself i have to get my hands on this book a follow-up to the Long Way Round.

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Life In Technicolour

Posted on AM00000090000002331 05,2007 by andinoordin

Yesterday after a hot and spicy dinner at Golden Mile’s Food Centre with Ali, reached home and i saw my sis and her husband were glued to the TV set. I almost forgot the National Day Rally speech by our PM Lee Hsien Loong. – Longer maternity, childcare leave and better baby bonuses are some of the announcements that got Singaporeans sitting up at the National Day Rally including myself too but I didn’t manage to watch it fully till the end because to be honest i was so tired but manage to watch a bit only lah and especially the part when it comes to paid maternity leave will be extended from 12 weeks to 16 weeks. Likewise there will also be a larger baby bonus for first—time parents, more tax incentives to encourage mothers to work, more incentives for the fifth and subsequent children, and more financial support for couples who go for In—Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment. I know that this is something which is not relevant to me now. But still as you and me know it and for many people in Singapore, getting married is the first priority. Hence there’s something i can relate to; in a way as there will be lots of issues involving this.

Firstly, looking at my work place, the working environment over there mostly or rather the majority of people working are those married having children or newly couple who planning having one and since now our goverment started implented this thing, what question on my mind is how effective will it be as paid maternity leave is extended and will it change those people mindset at my workplace ? Yes we know that we must not be selfish but will it help to shift attitudes? To make it worse eversince there is security lapse, will the new measures help and i’m afraid there will more women, who have made the decision to stay at home and look after their children. But putting children is always first if you’re the parents and Mr Lee did said having children is a personal choice, and parents have to decide their own priorities. Will there be an increase in shortage of manpower especially like the place im working at now?

Let’s take one good example, while i was on my way to Ubi in the cab, i heard the radio conversation regarding this issues ( i can’t recall which radio station ). There was a caller calling and asking – What are the measurement will it be taken into consideration if one of the school teachers taking the long maternity leave and along came a relief teacher and making some of our Singaporean parents feel uneasy as he or she is not that experience or qualify in teaching their children. – Hence situation like this might take us back to square one. To quote Mr Gurcharanjit Singh, a lawyer, said: – “It’s a change in mindset, and I think if the message is something that’s very well understood and very comprehensive, it’ll start people thinking”. As for me i feel it takes two to tango to really understand this outcome. On the other hand, our PM Lee Hsien Loong touch on the additional support package that the average Singaporean household will receive an extra S$250 to S$330. This is on top of the benefits that we are already receiving to help Singaporean cope with inflation and higher living costs( Oh well indeed! ). Furthermore there were hotly issues like the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) which i guess it will definitely make some of my friends debated at work sooner or later. A yet comprehensive speech by our PM Lee but its fully appreciated but i think to some the speech kinda gave them a sense of hope for the future. As for me i’m not too sure cause living condition in here will keep on updating and changing and all one’s needs to do is just play along and play it well.

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F*#@ You. It’s not a Label, It’s more of Self Value

Posted on PM00000020000003231 05,2007 by andinoordin

Before i begin this an ode to no one but its a feeling i felt inside with the society surrounding me that sometimes making me sick of it all. Reality doesn’t mean a thing out here in Singa Land. It’s all about Generation-Y dropping names sucking up and shaking hands. I never knew which way to go but I know that way is for the chumps. Here i go :

When we were young we don’t even know what the 5 Cs stand for. As for me i was too busy caught up in another dimension that somehow leads me to the current state where i am now.I’m not complaining neither giving up the journey that i’m facing in each day although it is damn tiring but somehow something is bothering me and making me thick -the 5 Cs. Do we really need those but to tell you the truth i bet all of us want it (if we could have it). Being in the age of mid 25, at times things can be quite pressurised plus demanding and especially if it’s coming from our parents. It’s not the expectations but instead what’s the requirement here is being able to compete in the run rats-chase paper league and succesfully dominates it and you have to remember it’s Singapore that we’re living in.

On the other hand, having stayed at one of the 5 Cs, it’s NOT something that i choose to and i can bet you my mum do get the same reaction as me from some of our relatives and friends having that ‘Did-you-know-you’re the privileged class-now’ image smirking from their faces. We did not ask for this but things happen for a reason and we don’t show off and boast around but we do still have this Malay Idiom in our daily life eversince moving here- ‘Kais Pagi Makan Pagi, Kais Malam Makan Malam’.

As i’ve mentioned earlier above, something is also bothering me and it’s another one of the 5 Cs – Cars. Before i begin i’m not irritated or being jealous here. I know that several people at my workplace do own a car (those around my age ) and most probably you will ask me, What is my problem? And i will answer back in your face i’ve no problem whatever so BUT you don’t have to show off to others that you own one and reality check some of them have to work overtime and barely just enough to support their monthly Car’s maintenance payment and whereas that money of yours you could probably save up for other important stuff or for your future. Yes i know it’s their life, they can do what they want but remember who you are and where you’re coming from and lastly once you squeeze out the toothpaste from the tube are you able to put it back in safely ?

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