Pratically USELESS...

Pictures tell a thousand words.

A recent campaign by a public transport operators failed to send the message across to the masses.

Probably because they got a comedian couple to be the ambassador that it might not be as convincing as it is to be by someone in the higher authority?

"SgBeat" Trial Widget

This is trial blog entry for a new microblogging site - "SgBeat"

I think this microblogging concept by "SgBeat" is much better than "Twitter" (speaking this from the bottom of my heart without any influence by whatsoever and whosover) as the biggest plus-point is there's NO need to keep refreshing the browser as the "beat" (equivalent to "tweets") will update by itself.

Although this embedded widget is still on trial, I generally satisfy with it so far...

Clarke Quay

Thought I was early for my dinner appointment that I sat at the bank of the Singapore River, facing the Clarke Quay and snapped some shots with my trusted "Dopod".

Good angle, eh?

Many shared the same view like I did...

Watching the sampan cruised past us...

While waiting the sun to be set on us...

Prawn noodles soup at Kallang

Normally, I would prefer my noodles to be dried and ladled with chilli paste (a lot of them) but it was such a hot and scorching weather that I thought a soup prawn noodles would be a nice change.

And there I was at Kallang for my lunch, while outside doing some errands.

The location of this shop, that sell the prawn noodles I had as my lunch this afternoon, is located at the back alley of the main road not far from Kallang MRT station.


Whether the noodles I had was good or bad, it's depend on individual... Judge it yourself.

[Travelling + Saving Tips] Cut the Roaming Costs

Got a shock weeks ago when I finally got hold of my latest phone bill.

While I was mentally prepared for the surge after my recent trip and the recent addiction to the "twitter" (before I realized I'm allowed to text to a local number), nonetheless I felt it's time to stop the surge before I suffered another shock!

Having consulted some folks on and off the line, I summarized some of the feasible options available to cut down my phone bills when out for a short getaway.

MSN logo ripped from somewhere

Some guys suggested making voice-call using MSN messenger (if I decided to bring my MSI Wind along and the accommodation provides LAN cable) but the drawback is this is only limited to users using this popular communication tool.

Pre-paid SIM (above) by local operator is another option but with a lifespan of only THREE months and might be useful only for local dialling, not make call back home due to higher charges.

International Calling Card (ICC) by Singtel was mentioned too but the hassles are I always tend to forget my PIN (need to call and reset each time if happened) and also the bill takes it "own sweet time" to come.

The irony is I still keep my ICC in my wallet but hardly use it.

Furthermore, I was told it's economical to use fixed-line to make a call (even more troublesome if one is always on the road).

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) softwares such as "Skype" and "pfingo" are probably two of the most widely-used tool to make inexpensive call as compared to roaming calls.

Both the VOIP softwares can be installed on laptops equipped with Win XP or Vista and also on mobile devices such as PSP and PDA phones alike.

I only recently unpacked this "skype" phone after two years picked up as a door gift

Also the attractive part of these softwares is that calls made are not restricted within their own users (which free of charge), as users can make connecting external call to fixed-line and mobile number at a cost.

Maybe some of you guys must be thinking that I beating around the bush after the I seems to list more advantages of the VOIPs as compared than to the others but that's exactly I'm trying to prove.

I cannot deny that VOIP is, indeed, the most attractive option available that's why I need to protrude the minus-point of others before reflect the plus point of “skype” and “Pfingo”.

Below is a tip from an internet user sharing his/her experience using “Pfingo” while in China (rather tedious process though, just be patient when going through the steps).

to save your roaming cost, you can do the following:

• 1. register to Pfingo - basic user $2 per month (for 1 month) and top it up with $10 credit. You will have a number starts with 3xxx xxxx.
• 2. when u reach China, get a China pre-paid card. Take note the number
• 3. call forward your Singapore number to Pfingo number. You will be charge mobile outgoing fee, typically 16 cents per mins, depending on which plan or Telco (Singtel, M1 or Starhub) you are with.
• 4. call forward your Pfingo number to China prepaid number. You will be charged IDD for Pfingo to dial to your China prepad number. I think it's 2 cents per min.
• 5. So total = 18 cents per min as compared to probably $1 per mins or more (depending on your Telco).
• 6. Similarly, you can call to any Singapore number or any international number via Pfingo BOUNCE

Based on the above, you save 80% or more of your roaming fee. In addition, you do not need to subscribe roaming service but pay per use.

The only catch is that you need to find an internet to logon Pfingo and call forward Pfingo number to China prepaid number since you will not have a China prepaid number prior to going there to get Pfingo call forward to it.

Though it's tedious, but if you plan to make a lot of calls for whatsoever reason, you will save a lot. But if you make 1 or 2 calls throughout your trip, just use roaming... probably pay per use (+20% charge of typical fees).

In case you wonder, why need Pfingo is that you cannot call forward your Local singapore number to International number like China or any others. This is a regulation issue not just Singapore but everywhere in the world. Pfingo level "3" number helps to circumvent this issue.

How Likable you are?

Got this self-assessment test from Tim Sanders, a renowned motivational speaker in the States, via his blog entry titled - How to avoid getting laid off.

I think this test is a good way to gauge one's likability among the crowds, although detractors may say when taking such self-assessment one must be brutally honest and not being sway by influence and emotions.

Here's the link to the test.
http://sanderssays.typepad.com/FinalAssessment.pdf

[Travel Tips] Packing Clothes

Enough of those "rants" recently, here is something I think is really useful.

It depicted how to pack your clothes into a suitcase (click on the graphic for a bigger view.)

For more packing tips, do log on to this website - "http://www.onebag.com/pack.html"

"Stop wasting everybody's time then..."

Sometimes, I wondering if everybody is guilty for not being appreciative to your paymaster for sending you and me to those external enrichment courses?

I drawn this conclusion when I attended one of these courses today at downtown.

Honestly speaking, I do enjoy attending courses like these and furthermore, you are not within the office premises and you'll be "hiding" away from those evil stares of your bosses, so what more can you be asking for?

However, what really made me disappointed is (as it's still ongoing) some of those fellow course-mates' undesirable attitude .

Perhaps to some of these lot, it's a "simply waste of time", "a break from the daily routine" or just blindly "follow instruction to attend the course" etc.

So at the end of the day, tendency is that these folks don't know why and what they were there for, thus considerable time and monies were being wasted.

The "guilty" one whom I spoke to after the course claimed that he see "no purpose" for him coming to these "enrichment courses", as he is dead sure that he'll not be applying what he learnt (or he did actually?) because of the working environment he is in now.

That "environment" in his view is a place that "ideas being suppressed","bosses being those stubborn old oaf" and whatsoever.

I do agreed at times that it's frustrating to be in that kind of environment but the sad thing is that they failed, like another course-mate who is being positive mentioned, to realize the skills acquired from these class transcend beyond your workplace and also other aspects of your life.

And I think it's true, however those "negative" minded failed to appreciate that and continue to be pessimistic and like what a Mandarin saying -"一天和尚敲一天钟" (a Monk strikes a Gong once every day because that's his duty.)

How sad and tomorrow that's one more lesson, lucky is that not all are that "negative".. Phew...

Perhaps we should never exist in the first place...

A common sight to see youngsters having a branded carrier bag.

...as a sovereign state.

After all, when it was declared independent on 9th August 1965, it was under an unavoidable circumstance and the decision-makers were left with no other alternatives but to do so.

Since then, drastically changes and evolution seen the small island transformed from a seaport to one of thriving economies in this region.

However, the prosperity it achieved came with a heavy price that somehow taken toils on its citizens.

Given its lack of natural resources and land scarcity, its population are the prized assets of this country.

In the old days, our forefathers toiled and sweat to build up what Singapore is to be now.

Many of those were common folks who started out at the lower rung of the society, and through hard works some of these guys eventually made good and contributed back to the society in form of helping out those less-fortunate.

These poor-turned-rich folks having been through those tumultuous period, so they are the ones who'll appreciate the fruits of their labour.

These kids are enjoying the fruits of labour by their forefathers but can they survive the hardship once out of the comfort zone?

While the younger generation having not experienced those hardship years, tends to take things for granted.

Meritocracy is often deemed as the factor that see this island state for what they have achieved. Once into this system, unless some mishaps, one is almost certainty to be at the top.

Because of the highly-regarded institution, many in the younger generation are being selected and carefully nurtured in the process, thus these folks are sometimes shielded from some harsh realities.

So when newer generation emerged at the top of hierarchy replaced those older ones, it's inevitable some decisions they made may be beneficial for the whole but the lack of empathy and tact to convince those at the bottom.

Mainly because they may not be aware of the realities or choose to ignore the fact as what they want at the end of the day is result, even if the process is painful and unpopular.

Younger parents fear for their children's future and decided that those enrichment courses are the way-outs to avoid being trampled by others.

It's a common sight to see local kids having packed schedule like their parents do.

While daddies and mummies are busy bringing home the income to maintain the household, their kids are tasked to "re-invest" part of that income for their future.

As soon a baby was born, the next time we know this child will have everything planned for his/her future, such as learning piano, ballet-dancing etc.

While the good intention is to groom these kids to be multi-talented or multi-tasking, however, it rather sad to note these little innocent beings are deprived from learning stuff that seems to be more essentially useful - being practical.

Being practical in a sense that can the younger generation have the means to adapt in an environment they never been before, taking up a job they never learn or reject upon in the past in current economic climate?

Be your own boss is a dream of everyone but it's not easy as everybody thinks as not many people really appreciate the hard work behind.

The point is because everyone is being groomed to be in the elite in the first place and nobody is willing to take up jobs that required toils and hardships, so the sense of unbalances could result something this country wouldn't want to see in the first place.

So I guess being practical and learning to take all the shit are important as accepting all the laurels at the same time.

If not, can Singapore survive the next generation with full of elite? I don't know...

So what the "horse" is kena tangkap...

What is the point of holding back the news? Just say it out... It's not as if his recapture will save us from SWINE.. It's not as if his recapture will stop the financial meltdown.

But at least, his recapture will make us sleep soundly in nights to come unless........

"Tweet" with "tweet.sg" to avoid paying unnecessary SMS charges

I used to think there's no way but to incur those overseas SMS charges by my telco when I "tweet", since "twitter" only provided "+44..." not "+65..." when I signed up weeks ago.

But this morning during my usual "morning surf" before the start of my dreaded routine, I came across a "tweet" that linked me to "Tweet.sg".

What a relief when I realized the plus point of "tweet.sg" actually allows local users (Singapore mobile phone users to be precise) to ultilize their SMS quota when "tweeting".

So thanks to this wonderful service, I can save some $$$ now since I need not have to SMS to the "+44..." number when "tweeting".

Still, there's a paypal "donate" button provided by the creator, which I duly donated some in order to keep this free service on-going.

Thanks so much :)

Click on this button to link to "tweet.sg"

[SWINE] - Do you bother??

A sorry but common sight everywhere...

Isn't it sad that whilst the world is still bracing the on-going financial meltdown that out of sudden another crisis had caught everybody flat-footed??

The Swine Flu is now the talk on everybody's lips ever since it crippled the whole Mexico and spread to the neighbouring United States, Canada etc.

So what on earth had actually happened?

This flu, commonly found in pigs, had already caused considerable damage to a lot of industries, directly or indirectly.

Even though, at this stage nothing had medically proved that consuming pork products will cause one to contract to this disease, some can't help but feel wary of it (not me at this stage till it is confirmed.)

One of my favourite dishes - "Kway Chap" - comprised of mixtures of pig's organs and other ingredients.

So the only things we can do is to follow whatever guidelines given by the local health authority and see a doctor if one is feeling unwell.

However, if the general public don't do their part and simply maintain that kind of "don't-give-a-damn" attitude, so what's the point?

One of the many Youtube clips on proper procedures to wash your hands