It's bloody scary that they don't see the link.

Nowadays, I tried not to write too much about politics or social issues in SG but the recent major COCKUP of SMRT in our country's rail system really shows how a lot of Singaporeans missed the point.  I have this conclusion when I read the comments and posts online and it pisses me off. 

Which major point they missed?? They cliamed that this issue has NOTHING to do with our gahment and we are barking at the wrong tree.  We should be blame it on SMRT instead.  The gahment has nothing to do with this recent fiasco!

HELLLOOOO!!!!  First of all, isn't the rail system a "PUBLIC" transport??  What do we meant by "PUBLIC"?  It means it belongs to the gahment right?  Even now its under a private corporation, our gahment should enforce checks and collect feedback from the common groung and enforce certain maintenance rules on SMRT or whoever is running the business.  It seems that they just throw the ball to SMRT after building the infrastructure and wait to collect money.  AND why is our public transport managed by a private Corp in the first place???!!!.This is absurd!

So of course we need to blame our gahment.  Who appointed SMRT CEO?? Temasek board right?  Who is in the Temasek board?  Independent and private my big fat ASS!  Grow up silly Singaporeans.   Go on!  Live in your little wells and believe in whatever the gahment tells you.  You are screwed!! :P 

*PS That picture of me is my expression when I see those comments..... :P  really WTF!

Tiger Airways sucks...

This was in my draft for quite sometime.  Its actually written before the previous post but I took sometime to refine it a bit before publishing this.  I want to write this down as take it as a record and reminder to never fly this airline again.

To get a better picture of what happened.  Do see these links and understand that I was one of the affected traveller in this saga.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1084591/1/.html

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/90/55056.html

I was much "luckier" as I received an SMS informing my flight was cancelled 12 hrs before my departure time!  A joker also called me to inform me that the flight was cancelled.  I tried to asked for more details and he just rudely said I called to inform.  You have 7 days to amend your flight.  I asked to speak to his supervisor or manager and he said there is no supervisor or manager.. (duh.. I work in a call centre too and this is a lame excuse man!!) Asked for this rude joker name and he just cut me off...

Fuming, I tried to call their hotline and guess what??  Kept me on hold for bloody 2 hours until it cut off at 10pm automatically... WTF..

So I booked another flight with Airasia and tried to call their toll free hotline in Thailand for 7 consecutive days before I got through.  Refunded my flight but need to wait 4 to 6 weeks to process... Duh...

Anyway, the person on the line who took my call was at least courteous and polite... But the whole situation could be handled much much much better.

For example.  The person who called to inform should gave options.  Like do you want a refund or maybe a reschedule of the flight.  Not just ask the customer to call back the service hotline??  You're already speaking to a frustrated customer and this would only just aggravate him or her furthur.

Provide information and be truthful about it.  I strongly suspect 2 grounded planes would affect more than 40 flights being cancelled.  There must be more to it and I suspect their pilots or crew were leeched by other carriers.  Since there was recently news about Pilot shortages in Asia.

And finally, please!  If there is a crisis like this.  The hotline should be 24hrs instead.  Get proactive and call the customer.  Yes, it may cut your profits even furthur and maybe incur more losses but at least you save your bloody IMAGE!!  Now you have a bunch of disappointed customer (including me of course) who would be throwing all the negative points of your service to other potential customer!

Yes there will be customers and you will still earn money because you are cheap,  but you won't have loyal customers like Airasia (and they are really improving!) You would forever be stuck serving the worst customers (those cheapo ones and complaint the most!)  Good luck Tiger... I think you really need the teeth to continue after this fiasco..

I see Strollers...

First of all, I wish to declare that I have nothing against strollers.  In fact, I have bought one myself even before my daughter was born (no thanks to my wife's constant bickering).  And sincerely, I only used it once or twice as my girl would never want to sit in it.... maybe Ah boy will be different.

Its actually good to have one if you are walking in the park or going some place which needs a lot of walking or moving around.  As it does have compartments for you to off load baby necessity items on it.  Such as diapers and milk bottles.  I sincerely think they should be an age limit to kids using a stroller.  And the reason I say this is because I get to see ridiculous situation of Singaporean parents taking their 6 or 7 year old kids in a stroller.  Pushing them around like nobody business... This is not healthy at all for the kids.  Can't they walk?

When I told some friends of my observations, they were a bit shocked and skeptic of what I say.  So I was lucky that day when I went to the airshow.  As there were tons of kids in different varieties and styles of strollers that I could not help myself and started taking photos of them.  I find them more interesting than the planes that were on display... So here are some of the highlights...

 First we have the old classics!  I used to sit in one too until I was 3... Think my parents gave it to someone else once I could run... Wonder how old is that girl.... looks like 5 to me...

Next we have another varient of the old classic with the sun shades down.  Check out the happy kid in it!

 

Next we have the tray attached.  This allows the kids to eat or place their toys while their parents/guardian push them.

 

If you have twins or 2 kids.  We can have the double deckers!!! Looks so cool and that huge wheels...

 

And here is the newer strollers with removable bags that you could carry addtional stuff in it.. The seat is also foamed and cushion to give a more comfortable ride..

 

I won't be surprise if 3 years down the road the kid in the stroller will be the same size as his brothers.  We already live in a very comfortable environment and we are still pampering our next generations.. How are they going to serve the NS and defend our country?

And for the finale.  One of the most ridiculous scene I saw.

The kid and his family was on the same shuttle bus as I was and I actaully followed them to the showground to take this shot.  All the way, this boy was in the stroller!! Even from the bus which his parents or guardian lifted him down the bus.  And there's nothing wrong with him as I clearly saw him playing his little PSP on the bus.

I'm not sure what the parents were thinking.  Its just plain stupid and sad to see these kids being trapped in a stroller.... I know its tiring and tough to bring kids out for a trip (my own girl is hyper and I know!)  But that's also the fun part isn't it?

Encountered another Car Bully (Funny)

This happened today and its so interesting that I have to quickly note it down.  I went to Chinatown in the morning with 2 colleagues to do some photography street shoot.  Then since my pay is out.  I dropped by Golden Mile Complex to TT my monthy income to my wife.

Was walking down Beach Road towards Concourse and passing the carpark gate of Golden Mile Cinema Complex when I heard a loud "BEEP".

Jolted so I stopped and a White Honda Hatcback zoom pass me, inches away from where I stand.  Furious on such display of dangerous driving, I immediately kick the car with my feet.  The driver (big fat ugly 20 plus guy) stopped and opened his door and ran out to confront me.

Practically he was shouting verbal abuses loudly and screaming at me for kicking his car.  I talk backed nicely and asked him why he drives so dangerously and he pushed the matter aside by saying the road is your father's one ah (in hokkien of course)continued to say I vandalised his car and want to call police.  So I retorted and ask him to call police then as I feel he is also threatening my safety by being abusive, moreover the road also does not belong to him anyway :P  (I think I was being cheeky anyway and he could not stand it.)  The next thing is his friend came out to confront me too and so I say are you two going to punch me or what?  And the driver loudly declared.  "If this is not Singapore, I already punch you one, but I call police, when police come you better pay up!!"  "Wah, I so scared!" I said... hehehe.  

Then come the interesting part.  Out of the blue, 3 Ah Bengs came out from no where with badges on their shirt and confronted the driver.  One of them came towards me and show me his ID and say CID... hahah plain clothes police!  The chap say they heard some commotion and asked me what happened so I told him the truth.  While I was chatting with him, the other two suddenly spotted a suspicious item in his car.  A bloody extendable night stick!! Ho Seh Liao!  Illegal weapon!  The plains clothes policeman questioned the driver why he has such a device, want to "Pa Lang" (Hit people) is it.  The driver no longer shouting liao..  became a small little dog like that and kena questioned by the 2 policeman.  Then suddenly more plain clothes policeman!!! haha more than 10 of them IIRC.  One of the Ah Beng called a blue shirt chap (around my age but has a mostache) Sir and informed him about this incident.  Think the is the captain of the team and he spots a long tail hair one leh... Ma Cham Gangster.. He questioned the driver first and actually more interested in his weapon rather then my incident.  Then he say to the driver, "Ohhh, you call police liao har.. can can.. but your item here is illegal one hor. Why u carry?"  The driver gave an explanation (more like an excuse) say that he travel to JB often and he need this for protection.... hmmm.... 

So anyway, the blue shirt chap came to me and ask me did the driver used the stick in front of me anot.  So i just say no and inform him I did not know he was carrying such a device anyway.  Then he ask me why I kick his car and I explain to him exactly what happened and he believes me (naturally) .  Then he ask for my IC and both the driver and his companion IC also.  And proceeded to make some calls (Background check .. hahaha ... me sure clean, the driver I dunno liao lo)

So 10 mins later, the policeman came and the blue chap brief them.  So the uniform policeman asked me again the whole incident and he told me that there are 2 ways to sort things out.  First, I did kick his car and dirtied his car (got my footprint leh! hehe) but damage is not big enough so if I don't say sorry, he need to pass my particulars to the driver and vice versa so he can proceed to civilian court to "settle" with me.  So its either I say Sorry or Court Case but initiated by him.

Say Sorry?? hahah no problem as I find I in better position.  So I say I no problem with saying sorry but he dun even want to listen or accept my apology how?? So the policeman say he will talk to him.

So in the end, I still say Sorry to him and he LL accepted it.  (I think in the heart he want to tear me apart liao.. HAHAHA) but I am so bloody happy.  Because after I said sorry and happily walking away from the scene.  This joker and his friend were asked to stay behind.  As he will be questioned for possessing a dangerous and illegal concealment weapon.  I did not know if he got charged or arrested but most probably his weapon will be confiscated and given a warning. (I think the policeman told him he will let the other charge go if he let me go too.. :P)

What a day!  The one who called the police in the end got into more trouble.  And yeah, I think the policeman is right that I should not have kicked his car.  But he himself brought this to himself.  In Chinese 自作自受！

PS. Come to think of it... I think he was trying to make me throw the first punch but I never bother.  I always win my argument as I don't believe in violence or verbal abuse.  And lucky he never use that night stick on me or else I think I will be writing this in a hospital... :P

Our Mainstream Media is just plain stupid

Thanks to Mr Brown for notifying.

This really proves that our local papers and mass media are plain stupid (more like idiotic) in the whole Internet era. Anything posted on the net will be cached. Its no longer like the good old days where you can burn periodicals or books. This new medium is here to stay and by display this sort of behavior of deleting the post without any sorts of explanation is just plain integrity suicide (not like they have a lot left anyway).

The only way out now for them is to republish the posts or give a really really good explanation. Come on please! Don't expect deleting these posts will stop people discussing about this issue. This will just makes things worst?

And about that mayor who don't know anything about the whole bonus incident. I seriously wonder how come we pay you so much?

Thanks to the gutless and stupid 66% Singaporeans who voted for these people to power. I'm ok, as I'm leaving for good. For the rest who are staying. You're screwed.