December 2011 | SINGAPORE SHORT STORIES

Friday, December 30, 2011

Committee of Inquiry into MRT breakdowns can work with Ong You Yuan

The government has set up a Committee of Inquiry (COI) to look into the recent spate of MRT breakdowns. The COI is headed by a District Judge who is reported to commute to work daily by train. The two other members of the COI are an academic and the Director of Prisons.

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2 More days to Year 2012: My New Year Resolutions

I have not been blogging regularly these few days as around this time of the year when we will soon transit to a brand new year, I have been trying to do as much things as possible in year 2011 before the new year comes.

Boxing Day

Today is Boxing Day and a public holiday. The weather is cool and nice and I took Boxing Day literally as I made use of this opportunity to do some spring cleaning of my house.

Chinese New Year 2012

I was at a heartland just a few days ago and I am quite surprised that there are already Chinese New Year booths selling a raft of Chinese New Year goodies. It is not even Christmas and here we are, ushering in Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year 2012 will be with us in exactly a month’s time. Next year, Chinese New Year comes quite early on 23 Jan 12, hence business owners are starting to get business now a month before Chinese New Year.

Seng Han Tong comments on Blog.TV

Seng Han Tong comments on Blog.TV which has sparked an outcry islandwide continues to be hot topic on the internet.

I am disappointed with Seng Han Tong. My disappointment with Seng Han Tong is not because of his comments (actually I know he intended to quote from SMRT staff) but because, as a veteran politician, he does not know how to choose his words well before saying, hence this furore.

Merry Christmas

I would like to wish all readers a Merry Christmas. Though I do not really celebrate Christmas, I do enjoy the fact that it is Christmas for Christmas really is the public holiday of a year before we usher in a new year. Let us work hard for our resolutions for the coming year.

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

New Ministerial Salary & Political Salaries: Salaries of Ministers, Senior Minister of State, Minister of State, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Parliamentary Secretary

Mr Gerard Ee will be submitting to Prime Minister his committee's proposal for Ministerial Salaries and political salaries and the new political salaries should be announced soon. In my opinion, I believe the new political salaries may not be very much different from the previous salaries if Mr Gerard Ee's committee still thinks that the political office holders' salaries must be higher than its senior civil servants in his ministry.

Friends equal mooncakes?

Mediacorp’s joint production with its Japanese counterpart will be shown on Christmas night. The title of the production is called Peng You in Chinese which means Friends. However, the English title of the production is called Mooncakes.

Toy Story: Evolution of Toys

I watched a TV documentary Tuesday night and learnt something about toys. According to the show, the material for toys started off being celluloid, and then metals were used as the material for toys followed by plastic; this was the 3-stage evolution of toys according to the show.

After watching, I thought I would like to add a fourth stage which is the current stage of toys: Electronic: plastic has evolved into electronic. Nowadays, children love to play with electronic game gadgets and those games on mobile phone applications like Angry Birds.

Private Property TV Ad

A TV advertisement which has been running for 2 to 3 weeks featuring the launch of yet another new private property (which should be about a private condominium) left me mind-boggling after watching it every time.

Lessons from MRT Breakdowns and 2 Forms of Queues for McDonalds

I believe there is one lesson which could be drawn from the recent spate of MRT breakdowns which is worth sharing and that is “Fast is not always Fast”. The MRT train which is supposed to be a quick medium of transport for commuters is not necessary the fastest medium for our country as we have seen in recent weeks: this form of transport in our country always break down or the train is always overcrowded which causes passengers to spend time waiting for the next train with more boarding space. Similarly, our expressways which are supposed to be effective conduits to bring traffic from one part of the island to the other parts can be jammed at times too.

Its time for SMRT to have a new logo with better Fengshui

I felt sad to read that a woman fell in SMRT bus and went into a coma after that. This incident marked a string of not so good incidents which has plagued MRT since last week. First, there was a SMRT bus which went on a "destination-free" journey with its passengers for 2 hours as the bus lost its way. Next, there were 3 disruptions to the MRT services- 1 on the Circle Line and 2 on the North-South Line (I think I need not elaborate further on these incidents as they are by now old news already). After these incidents, a cleaner fell while cleaning at a MRT Station and was injured.

TR Emeritus: Temasek Review is Back!

TR Emeritus the old Temasek Review revamped with a new brand and new name is BACK! Temasek Review is a socio-political website commentary which has a strong following among netizens and Temasek Review is famous for its somehow critical tone against establishment before it closed down its domain.

Lui Tuck Yew management of SMRT train services breakdown

I would rate Mr Lui Tuck Yew's management of SMRT train services breakdown as B+.

I find it good that Mr Lui went into full steam the full investigation of the breakdown since touching down in Singapore from a meeting in Cambodia. He personally was on the ground and I think it is laudable that he asked for a halt in train services to investigate thoroughly what the fault is with the train services.

SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa to resign?

When the North South MRT services breakdown two days ago, I thought that we should still give SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa some time to consider whether she will be resigning from her position as CEO of SMRT. However, when the MRT services broke down yet again early this morning, I was thinking whether it is a sign that Saw Phaik Hwa should step down. In the evening, when Prime Minister Lee intervened personally into this matter, visiting LTA HQ from his leave to understand more about the matter, I am almost certain that Ms Saw Phaik Hwa will be resigning soon.

MRT Services to start 10 am tomorrow: another SMRT Public Communications Blunder

My family and I were out in town this evening on the day when Singaporeans are still grappling with the shock and disappointment with our MRT System. After our outing, when we walked to the MRT station, we saw the sign: "MRT Services to start 10 am tomorrow". When we read this notice, we were shocked, as we thought that the MRT system is breaking down the 4th time this week, but we still saw a lot of passengers walking up the escalators to take the train!

Ironies of Efficiencies of Singapore Public Infrastructure

This week, Singaporeans witnessed 3 train services breakdown (2 on the North-South Line and 1 along the Circle Line). In the same week, a bus service also took its passengers on a "destination-free"journey as the bus driver who alleged that he was merely following instructions and SOP lost his way.

These lapses are not acceptable in a small country to which basic transport infrastructure is paramount. Over the years, we have invested billions of dollars in developing a more comprehensive and more networked railway infrastructure to save time for passengers commuting from one destination to the another. However these intended goals are not achieved as passengers waste even more of their valuable time when railway services breakdown so often and when they cannot get into the trains which are packed at all times of the day!

MRT services between Ang Mo Kio and Marina Bay stations breakdown this morning!

MRT services between Ang Mo Kio and Marina Bay Stations break down and were disrupted this morning, just 2 days after a similar breakdown occured on the North-South Line affecting thousands of passengers!

This is unacceptable! Already, many Singaporeans are calling Ms Saw, CEO of SMRT who earn millions of dollars per year to step down as ordinary Singaporeans like me who just earn a modest salary and who have to rely on MRT services as a means to get to our destinations are really finding it very troublesome that our routines are often affected by breakdown in MRT services.

Old Folks Home: thoughts

I passed an old folks home situated at a void deck this afternoon. The old folks inside looked weak. Many were dozing off. Some were staring at life passing by slowly through the window panes. The caretakers seemed tired from their looks caring for the old folks.

North South MRT Line Breakdown

North South MRT Line breakdown here in Singapore close to 8pm! At this time of writing, the train services have yet to be restored. Thousands of passengers were trapped in the trains, with many saying that there is total darkness as the electricity supplies seemed to be cut off, according to Channel NewsAsia.It is just too much shock and troublesome for the thousands of passengers trapped in the sardine-packed trains, especially so for the elderly and the weaker passengers who may not be able to withstand the stuffiness of being trapped with thousands of passengers in close proximity. Ladies may also be molested. This North South MRT line breakdown came on the heels of a disruption in morning service of the Circle Line yesterday and a bus which took its passenger for a "destination-free"2 hour journey on Tuesday.

Down with running nose

Since yesterday, I was down with running nose and flu. This must be due to the sudden change in weather as I am not alone, there are at least a dozen colleagues in my office who go about work with flu and running nose too.

Marina Bay New Year Countdown 2012: celebrating New Year, the Singaporean way

As a Singaporean who participated in a number of CountDown parties held at Marina Bay (Marina Bay New Year Countdown), it takes no rocket scientist to come out with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Singapore way of celebrating and ushering in a new year. First on the SOP: have a sumptuous dinner on 31^st of December with your family members, relatives, friends and loved ones at a good restaurant and have a joyous chit-chat till 9pm or 10pm.

Buying a Personal Organizer for the new Year

I went to Popular book store today to choose an organizer for the coming new year. In the past, my insurance companies or vendors whom I have contact with, were generous with free calenders, diaries and personal organizers to me. But now, with economic times not in a rosy state, it is understandable that such free calenders and diaires are now coveted items.

Broke my tooth

During lunch today, I used a fork to grab a piece of toasted bread and munched on the delicious toast to the extent that at one moment, I found myself biting onto the fork! It was very painful. I visited the toilet, looked at the mirror and found part of the tooth fragmented.

How to solve Standard Chartered Marathon overcapacity?

Many participants of the recent Standard Chartered Marathon complained of overcrowding and cast doubts as to whether Singapore premier marathon event has reach saturation point.

I believe one easy way to solve the overcrowding at the marathons is simply to open up our expresssways! Let us open the PIE stretching 42km for the full marathon. Let us open the future NS highway stretching 21 km for the half-marathon. Let us use the current East Coast Park expressway for the 10km and 5km marathon!

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Thursday, December 08, 2011

NTUC Leadership and Branding

Recently NTUC is in the midst of renewing its leadership and we Singaporeans see the name of candidates in the news lately. Actually, I do not know what NTUC does in detail except that it consists of many unions who help workers secure jobs or get a better job. Perhaps, one day, NTUC can have an open house to let all Singaporeans know in details its myriad of functions.

Spectacles Asia

This morning, when I tuned in to Channel News Asia AMLive! I took out my spectacles and rubbed my eyes when I saw the female news anchor Chan Eu Lim (if I got the name correct) wearing a pair of thick spectacles.

Man dies after completing half-marathon in Standard Chartered Marathon race

A man dies after completing half-marathon in the Standard Chartered Race today. A total of 42,000 joggers competed in the 42km, 21km, 10km and 5km categories of the Standard Chartered Marathon Race. I am sad that to read the news. I find that the media seems to glamorize marathons quite a fair bit in these recent months and I am afraid that will actually make marathon seem a fad with youths. As a results, youths may participate in the marathons regardless whether they are fit or not for such a race.

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Friday, December 02, 2011

My Blogging Experiences and my opinions of blogging

Time passes very fast...in the twinkling of an eye, we usher in the 1^st day of December today and before long, it will be a brand new year! I suddenly realise that I have already been blogging for close to 4 years now!

I picked up blogging somewhere in year 2007 but right then I was not very diligent and as a result, my account became somehow inactive. I then decided to give blogging a try latter on somewhere in year 2008 when at that time, blogging made headwaves in Singapore. I tried it and I liked it and there you have it.. this blog of mine!

Scanning one million files in my computer with Norton Antivirus, and look what I found?

On the same day after purchasing the Norton antivirus software, I installed the program immediately onto my computer. Prior to the purchase of the software, I was using free anti-virus software called AVG which was downloaded from the internet and there were no viruses found even though just two weeks ago, I experienced a virus-scare: my password into one of the programs I use frequently seems automatically logged on; however after a scan by AVG, there was no virus found.

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