I mean honestly? Everyone in Singapore knows that you have to exchange your old ez-link cards for the new CEPAS-compliant card by 30 September 2009.
On the radio, in the newspaper, on television, in all languages the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has informed everyone to do a 1-for-1 replacement of the card. Since you need the ez-link card for public transport, you would think Singaporeans would know that it’s important to change their cards.
Yet today you can see long queues at almost all the Transitlink Ticket Office as Singaporean rushed to replace their cards on the last day. I mean this despite LTA and Transitlink giving them 9 months to change their cards!
However the lines are so long today that LTA felt they have no choice but to extent the replacement deadline till 7 October 2009. What the hell is wrong with Singaporeans? When the one-for-one card replacement program began on 9 January 2009, you can see people queuing for up to an hour to replace their cards. Singaporeans seems to be spilt between those who want to be first and those who do things at the last minute.
I replaced my card in Feb or Mar and there wasn’t even a queue. Wouldn't it be so much easier for Singaporeans to just change their cards somewhere between the start and the end of the exchange program?
Unfortunately for the LTA, that's a logic Singaporeans do not seem to have.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Strange Vista
I just got myself a new PC last week. Everything is fine about the PC…so far, but I got Windows Vista instead of Windows XP.
Now I was offered either Vista or XP by the shop. Since Vista is newer (and only about $20 more) than XP, I chose Vista. I heard that Microsoft had patch up Vista from the numerous problem it faced when it was first launch, and it is working fine now.
Vista is working fine. No crashes or the other problems I heard it had but having said that, I find Vista to be a strange, strange beast. Now I used XP for a couple of years already so I’m more used to it than Vista, but even accounting for that, I found some parts of Vista to be very strange.
I used AVG 8.5. It’s free and I allow it to update once the system is on. For some reason, Vista blocks the automatic updates. I have to manually click on AVG to update it for new anti-virus. It’s a minor thing but I don’t understand why it keeps blocking AVG when I told it to allow the automatic update.
Also Vista always updates itself. I was playing a game when the game just shut down and Vista says that there are new updates available. I have no problem with Vista updating itself but to shut down a program I am using just to tell me there are updates available? This after stopping the AVG automatic updates which I allowed!
Maybe I am doing something wrong, or maybe I’m not doing something I should be doing (since I haven’t done anything to Vista yet). Could some experienced Vista users please advise me on what I should be doing?
Now I was offered either Vista or XP by the shop. Since Vista is newer (and only about $20 more) than XP, I chose Vista. I heard that Microsoft had patch up Vista from the numerous problem it faced when it was first launch, and it is working fine now.
Vista is working fine. No crashes or the other problems I heard it had but having said that, I find Vista to be a strange, strange beast. Now I used XP for a couple of years already so I’m more used to it than Vista, but even accounting for that, I found some parts of Vista to be very strange.
I used AVG 8.5. It’s free and I allow it to update once the system is on. For some reason, Vista blocks the automatic updates. I have to manually click on AVG to update it for new anti-virus. It’s a minor thing but I don’t understand why it keeps blocking AVG when I told it to allow the automatic update.
Also Vista always updates itself. I was playing a game when the game just shut down and Vista says that there are new updates available. I have no problem with Vista updating itself but to shut down a program I am using just to tell me there are updates available? This after stopping the AVG automatic updates which I allowed!
Maybe I am doing something wrong, or maybe I’m not doing something I should be doing (since I haven’t done anything to Vista yet). Could some experienced Vista users please advise me on what I should be doing?
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Race Is Over!
F1 is over. Hooray!
After a boring race which all overtaking take place in the first corner (okay, maybe there’s 1 or 2 overtaking after that…if you can stay awake watching it), the road blocks will the lifted. Traffic will flow as usual and we won’t see police every 5m in the City Hall MRT (it will now be back to the usual police every 10m).
F1 is over. Hooray!
After a boring race which all overtaking take place in the first corner (okay, maybe there’s 1 or 2 overtaking after that…if you can stay awake watching it), the road blocks will the lifted. Traffic will flow as usual and we won’t see police every 5m in the City Hall MRT (it will now be back to the usual police every 10m).
F1 is over. Hooray!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
It's Not Climate Change?
I’m sure you have all seem the pictures. The pictures of how the Sydney skyline turned red due to a dust storm that swept through Sydney a few days ago.
Guess what? It’s back. Eastern Australia was hit by another giant dust storm that has turned Sydney's air yellow and orange, causing breathing problems for certain residents. The storm did not approach the doomsday red glow of a few days ago but visibility was sharply reduced. The storm was so bad that it is believed dust from the storm landed in New Zealand, 4,000 km away.
Despite this, people are still refusing to accept that climate change has something to do with the dust storms. After the first dust storm a few days ago, experts in Australia say that it is too early to blame climate change for the dust storm as turning Sydney into a scene from a disaster movie. Now that’s two large dust clouds within a week, the hottest August on record in Australia, which is also in the midst of a decade-long drought.
Climate change anyone?
Guess what? It’s back. Eastern Australia was hit by another giant dust storm that has turned Sydney's air yellow and orange, causing breathing problems for certain residents. The storm did not approach the doomsday red glow of a few days ago but visibility was sharply reduced. The storm was so bad that it is believed dust from the storm landed in New Zealand, 4,000 km away.
Despite this, people are still refusing to accept that climate change has something to do with the dust storms. After the first dust storm a few days ago, experts in Australia say that it is too early to blame climate change for the dust storm as turning Sydney into a scene from a disaster movie. Now that’s two large dust clouds within a week, the hottest August on record in Australia, which is also in the midst of a decade-long drought.
Climate change anyone?
Friday, September 25, 2009
Comics this week
Nova #29- An old Nova starship came through the Fault and Richard Rider moved in with his team to check it out. Things go downhill from there. My feelings for this issue are mixed. I like the fact there is a new Nova coming on board, this one an old veteran but this is not the time to add to the Nova Corps. I mean I hardly know any of these Novas on probation now and you want to add another one? Good idea, bad timing.
Guardians of the Galaxy #18- After last issue’s back-to-the-wall action, this was a disappointment. I can understand the need to show the adventures of Starlord, Jack Flag and company, but a time travel story is not the way to do it. Yes, I’m one of those who hate time-travel stories; I mean do we really need to see half of our Guardians of the Galaxy joining up with another Guardians of the Galaxy group to fight War of the Worlds tripods? Just writing that up seems stupid!
Immortal Weapons #3- The Fat Cobra story was great; the Bride of Nine Spiders story was not. Dog Brother #1 is somewhere in the middle. Though nowhere as interesting (or as funny) as Fat Cobra, the origins of Dog Brother #1 was a welcome from the disaster of last issue. This dark story was one of pain and growth and how the current Dog Brother #1 took over the position from his hero, the previous Dog Brother #1. However this issue has a big problem the Bride of Nine Spiders issue had also; at the end of the issue, we know nothing about Dog Brother #1. We see the origins but we saw nothing of Dog Brother #1 right now. That’s a problem that has to be fixed in a hurry.
Guardians of the Galaxy #18- After last issue’s back-to-the-wall action, this was a disappointment. I can understand the need to show the adventures of Starlord, Jack Flag and company, but a time travel story is not the way to do it. Yes, I’m one of those who hate time-travel stories; I mean do we really need to see half of our Guardians of the Galaxy joining up with another Guardians of the Galaxy group to fight War of the Worlds tripods? Just writing that up seems stupid!
Immortal Weapons #3- The Fat Cobra story was great; the Bride of Nine Spiders story was not. Dog Brother #1 is somewhere in the middle. Though nowhere as interesting (or as funny) as Fat Cobra, the origins of Dog Brother #1 was a welcome from the disaster of last issue. This dark story was one of pain and growth and how the current Dog Brother #1 took over the position from his hero, the previous Dog Brother #1. However this issue has a big problem the Bride of Nine Spiders issue had also; at the end of the issue, we know nothing about Dog Brother #1. We see the origins but we saw nothing of Dog Brother #1 right now. That’s a problem that has to be fixed in a hurry.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
A Strange One
Yesterday, The Strait Times just published an article that not only insist that housing in Singapore is affordable, it also state that home buyers are creating problems for themselves because they buy bigger places than they can comfortably finance.
It then went on to say Singaporeans also want to live in 'mature' towns or to be near their parents for the selfish child-minding convenience. It then added; “If they choose to be obstinate about quirks, they should not be hectoring the HDB for impossible concessions.”
Now almost everyone knows and accept that The Strait Times is the mouthpiece of the Singapore government, but even by that standard this is a strange one. I have argued a few days ago that houses in Singapore are more expensive than it was 10 years ago and that I know of no Singaporeans who would say that property is more affordable now than 10 years ago.
Now I can understand The Strait Times wanting to defend National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan’s statement that property in Singapore are still affordable, but this article The Strait Times put together make no sense.
First off, don’t the Singapore government want children to live near their parents? Because if I read the article right, it doesn’t. The Strait Times seems to be saying that we shouldn’t and that families should be spilt apart, the further the better. Maybe it’s back to the idea of throwing old parents to old folks home in Malaysia.
Also I want to know what’s this “homebuyers creating problems for themselves because they buy bigger places than they can comfortably finance.” Most Singaporean I know are just aiming for a 3 room flat; is The Strait Times arguing that Singaporeans should just aim for a 2 room flat and give all 3 room/4 room flats to foreigners?
Because that’s the real reason why property prices are so high now isn’t it? Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that for the past few years, Singapore has accepted more than 100,000 foreigners per year. Now there are 100,000 new foreigners each year. Even if you squeeze them 10 to a flat, that’s still not enough because HDB only built something like 8,000 flats per year. That’s not even counting our own Singaporeans!
And that’s why property prices are sky high now. It’s simple maths. Maybe The Strait Times can try it sometimes.
It then went on to say Singaporeans also want to live in 'mature' towns or to be near their parents for the selfish child-minding convenience. It then added; “If they choose to be obstinate about quirks, they should not be hectoring the HDB for impossible concessions.”
Now almost everyone knows and accept that The Strait Times is the mouthpiece of the Singapore government, but even by that standard this is a strange one. I have argued a few days ago that houses in Singapore are more expensive than it was 10 years ago and that I know of no Singaporeans who would say that property is more affordable now than 10 years ago.
Now I can understand The Strait Times wanting to defend National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan’s statement that property in Singapore are still affordable, but this article The Strait Times put together make no sense.
First off, don’t the Singapore government want children to live near their parents? Because if I read the article right, it doesn’t. The Strait Times seems to be saying that we shouldn’t and that families should be spilt apart, the further the better. Maybe it’s back to the idea of throwing old parents to old folks home in Malaysia.
Also I want to know what’s this “homebuyers creating problems for themselves because they buy bigger places than they can comfortably finance.” Most Singaporean I know are just aiming for a 3 room flat; is The Strait Times arguing that Singaporeans should just aim for a 2 room flat and give all 3 room/4 room flats to foreigners?
Because that’s the real reason why property prices are so high now isn’t it? Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that for the past few years, Singapore has accepted more than 100,000 foreigners per year. Now there are 100,000 new foreigners each year. Even if you squeeze them 10 to a flat, that’s still not enough because HDB only built something like 8,000 flats per year. That’s not even counting our own Singaporeans!
And that’s why property prices are sky high now. It’s simple maths. Maybe The Strait Times can try it sometimes.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
What US$1 Can Buy You
That’s the price Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov is going to pay to buy over NBA club New Jersey Nets.
Wow, I know the financial crisis has hit America harder than anywhere else but US$1? Okay, I get that it’s a symbolic sum with the Russian tycoon footing the bill in the building of a new playing arena for the Nets but US$1?
When a certain Russian tycoon took over Chelsea in the English Premier League, he paid hundred of millions for it. US$1? Wow, things must be worse than I thought.
Wow, I know the financial crisis has hit America harder than anywhere else but US$1? Okay, I get that it’s a symbolic sum with the Russian tycoon footing the bill in the building of a new playing arena for the Nets but US$1?
When a certain Russian tycoon took over Chelsea in the English Premier League, he paid hundred of millions for it. US$1? Wow, things must be worse than I thought.
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