$ drop from the sky...

Just helped myself, daddy and mummy sign up for the progress package. Only didi don't have.
{But I just wonder if those uneducated elderly who's living alone will know what to do? There're e-filing volunteers but are there 'pp-signup' volunteers?}

*ker ching ker ching*... $600 will soon 'drop from the sky' into my bank account come 1st May. Nice. Shall use it to sponsor my Taiwan trip... heh heh.


Street Talks
A: Is this considered bribery? (shhh... don't anyhow say this in public... walls have ears)
B: What do you get when there's an offer (letter) and an acceptance (sign-up)... an effective contract between two parties?
C: Who give me money, I vote for who. (I really heard this...)
D: I will use this money to do this and this, that and that... (and I'm part of them...)
E: Eh, gahmen give you how much? or Eh, how much did you get? (I reckon it probably topped the commonly asked questions of the month... yesterday, two aunties at a "ban mian" stall asked me how much I get while I was waiting for them to prepare my "ban mian"... see strangers also ask... faint!)
...

My IQ is...

Nope, I haven't taken any IQ tests from Mensa. But still, I'm 'qurioz' of my IQ score... Frankly, I'm not prepared to pay about S$38 (if I'm not wrong) to satisfy my curiosity for a score which is useless at this stage of my life. So I resorted to those FREE IQ tests online. One silly online IQ test might not be that accurate right? So I did three to compute an average. Plus, I only consider those that are timed. That should do - I suppose.

Heh heh... and my IQ score... *drum rolls*... is...

1) Cognitive Mental Abilities IQ Test (Electronic Version) by International High IQ Society [IQ TEST eCMA comprises of 36 mcq categorized under six sections... have to answer each question within 90 seconds, except for one section where you are given only 15 seconds] - I was invited to join their society but I wasn't convinced why I should pay to join them. *siao*
My Score: 127

2) PhD Certified IQ Test by IQ Test Labs [15 minutes for 30 mcq]
My Score: 126 - It says my highest score is in Mathematics and my lowest in Verbal (probably followed by General Knowledge).

3) IQ test by IQtest.dk [40 minutes for 39 mcq]
My Score: 126

Average of three tests: 126.3
Variance of three tests: 0.33

I'm really surprised by the close margin of these scores... that does say smth about these IQ tests. You know your IQ scores? If you are interested, just follow the links above (need registration) and have some fun when you are free... just make sure you are not disturbed when doing these timed tests.

When buying foodstuff, always check expiry date

First time (last year): I saw many packs of a certain brand of eggs that are expired on the shelf of a large supermarket. At that time, I didn't know what to do, so I just did my "tsk tsk tsk" and left with another brand of eggs instead.

Second time (yesterday): I saw one pack of S.C. eggs that was expired but left on the shelf of the same supermarket. Frankly, there was no excuse but again, I decided to give them the benefit of doubt since (i) it wasn't left at the "supposed" designated shelf of that particular brand (but still at the eggs section), (ii) there was only one pack left, and (iii) it was in a state which no consumer would really want to buy. I decided to look for the manager but didi called me saying that it was going to drizzle soon and asked me shop faster. I don't want him to be caught in the rain (cos we cycled there and my bro is helping to keep a lookout for my bicycle which can attract too much attention if left alone...). So I went up to a staff who's nearest to me, told her sternly that whoever in charge should have checked and removed all expired eggs from the shelf, and that the next time I see them again, I will not hesistate to report them to CASE/NEA.

Don't let me see it again for there will be absolutely no third chance.
(Just imagine an elderly with poor eyesight getting hold of these "rotten" eggs... or even those who had little education and don't know how to check for expiry dates?)

Btw, all consumers are encouraged to report retailers to the NEA should they come across such infringements.

Selling expired foodstuff is an offence under the “Food Regulations” administered by Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). Under the Regulations, no person shall import, sell, consign or deliver any pre-packed food with an expired date mark. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the regulation shall be liable to a fine of not exceeding $1,000 and in the case of a second and/or subsequent conviction/s to a fine of not exceeding $2,000.

Good listener but...

I realized that I can listen, empathize, and keep secrets. No problem. But when friends confide in me, I find myself having problems dishing out advises/suggestions/directions to assist that person in making a decision or to solve the problem, and sometimes struggle to find the right words to console that person. And at times, I think I'm easily dragged into the emotional rollercoaster... haiz... how huh?

Four-legged circuit

What is this? For what purpose?
Frankly I've no idea.
As a layman, I call it circuit.
Saw it lying around...
So treated it as a toy.
Yup, itchy hands.
Bend its 'legs'...
Now, does it look like some kind of four-legged robot?
Kind of cute...
And I left it like that.

Wrong benchmark?

All triode valves, yet look different

(quality issues)


"I think you compare your performance to the wrong benchmark...
Don't belittle what you have done."


Do you feel like a dying rechargeable battery that could be easily recharged but loses charges far too quickly?

Do you feel like as though you are living in a pressure cooker?

Do you feel like an overstretched rubber band? Stretch it any further and you risk tearing it apart.

Do you feel like you are chasing a dream that will sometimes not materialize?

Do you feel like doing some things and yet unable to do it for one reason or another?


Haha... must admit that I sometimes do. Unhealthy siah.
But luckily I have enough activities to destress and enjoy.

3D, 4D and 5D

How to help you to check 4D when the stupid teletext gives me 3D, 4D and 5D??

梦

应该是睡眠不足，所以做梦的空间少了许多。
因此希望全都是纯粹甜蜜快乐的梦。

曾在欢乐与美丽的梦境中被吵醒，
也曾被恐怖及忧伤的梦吓醒。

小女子的梦中常出现真实与莫名其妙的画面为多，恶梦少，甜蜜的梦更少。
白马王子，童话类型的梦等于零。哇靠。
人家说：“做梦就有”，可是可怜的我连做这类的梦都没有咯。

这现实与非现实的交叉，难道真是‘日有所思，夜有所梦’吗?
能从梦中获知潜意识和内心的秘密吗？ 真好奇！

Hair-raising experience

It's not wind...
It's static...
Today, I gave them a pampering DIY moisture therapy spa.
(nice name right? spa here, spa there, spa everywhere...)

For my beloved gamer

A gift for my beloved gamer on his birthday some time back...
(This is a greatly scaled down, resolution reduced version with Xian's face removed)

Freaky Guavas

Common guava we see & eat...

Less common... pink guava...

Frankly, I only drank pink guava juice before.
Any idea where to buy pink guava in Singapore btw?

It's a guava. But a weird tasting one.

Yes, look quite normal right? But looks are deceiving (probably becos of the pic contrast).
The green layer tastes artificially sweet (some kind of indescribable weird sweet syrup taste)... while the whiter flesh lack the taste of the common guava that we usually eat.

And what species is this btw?

Again, the pinkish red layer tastes so similar to those green ones.

Are they preserved/stored/washed in some kind of coloured chemicals/syrups?
Are these some kind of genetically modified guavas?
Or are they the clones of guava and smth-else?

CAN SOMEONE TELL ME MORE INFO ABOUT THESE GUAVA VARIANTS...
So that I don't see them as some kind of freaky guavas.
(Frankly, even if they are decent ones... they tastes yucky in my opinion.)

Cut waste...

Question: How many surveillance cameras do you think are needed to "secure" a 160 square metres room with about 30 Pentium III & IV desktops (most expensive items around the whole damned small room)?

Answer: We have a total of SIX here. Do we need so many? Waste money.

-------------------------

Someone here tells me that we have many white-elephant-high-tech-freaking-expensive machines lying around in some "rooms". Most of the time, they're not utilized. Their presence is mainly felt only when there're visitors around.

-------------------------

The people here don't know how to cut waste and put them to where they are needed most. Worse still, some of their "cuts" are really uncalled for, done at the expense of deserving parties... HAIZ...

Unbelievable

JB and I were from the same JC but we only get to know each other better during and after the Ophir trip. We live very close to each other (well, in the same birds-don't-lay-eggs-estate where the MPs neber visit), had the same surname, and we wonder if we were some distant cousins.

***

YJ looks like he's a few months pregnant. During last friday gathering, he makes fun of my nose bleed while JB tries to get back on my behalf by teasing him that he didn't make it to the top of Mt. Ophir. ;p

***

Kenny Sia actually completed the 42km marathon in that "shape" of his... simply unbelievable. His determination is made of steel. 佩服，佩服。I wonder if I should sign up for Stan. Chart. Marathon this Dec... uh, I shld say Stan. Chart. 10km run this Dec... (the previous one is misleading). But currently, I "move" soooo slowly, majam like a tortoise... hmm, I know I will improve over time... let's see if I have any khakis... who want to join me? ;p

我是几米迷

开始：我陪贤去书展找/买书… 我们各走各的 （因为看的书不一样）
最后：贤空手而归，买书的却是我 -- 意外地找到三本几米的绘书 。

在书展找到 《履历表》，《遗失了一只猫》，和 《小蝴蝶小披风》。而且是在中国区（不是台湾区）买到的。但为什么没有 《失乐园》 全套的绘书呢？到现在，我也还没找到 《微笑的鱼》 和 《我梦游你梦游》。不知道在 《世界书展2006》（5月26日至6月4日）会有吗? 要不然我就自己去台湾买。

我不是那种会刻意去找这类书的人。

不过，却是一看到就一定会买的那一种。
要在我房里找到华文书其实不容易。
因为我只有华文绘书和漫画。

几米作品年表

1998
《森林里的秘密》 (SECRETS IN THE FOREST)
《微笑的鱼》 (THE SMILING FISH)

1999
《向左走向右走》 (SEPARATE WAYS)
《听几米唱歌》 (LOOK, WHERE JIMMY'S HEART GOES)
《月亮忘记了》 (MOON FORGETS)

2000
《黑白异境 - Notebook 》 (WONDER LAND)
《森林唱游》 (SINGING IN THE FOREST)
《我的心中每天开出一朵花》 (A GARDEN IN MY HEART)

2001
《地下铁》 (SOUND OF COLOURS)
《照相本子》 (THE MOMENTS)
《1.2.3.木头人》 (BLINKING SECONDS)

2002
《我只为你画一张小卡片》 (LOVE IN THE CARDS)
《我梦游你梦游》 (METRO SLEEPWALKING)　
《布瓜的世界》 (POURQUOI)

2003
《幸运儿》 (MR. WING)
《你们我们他们》 (SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE)

2004
《又寂寞又美好》 (BEAUTIFUL SOLITUDE)
《开始 - Notebook》
《履历表》 (THE PRIVATE ME)
《遗失了一只猫》 (MISSING MY CAT)

2005
《小蝴蝶小披风》 (SHING AND MOONY)
《失乐园》 (PARADISE LOST)

I'm an apolitical Singaporean

1. How interested are you in Singapore politics? [My answer: I'm neither interested nor not interested.]
2. Have you discussed politics in an informal setting? [My answer: Yes.]
3. Have you signed a petition? [My answer: If you consider online ones, Yes.]
4. Have you written to a newspaper's letters page? [My answer: I might.]
5. Have you sent feedback to a government body? [My answer: I might.]
6. Have you discussed govt policy with your MP? [My answer: Never.]
7. Have you attended a Feedback Unit dialogue? [My answer: I might. (If you consider one or two of those in Uni... then Yes.)]
8. Have you joined a civil society organisation? [My answer: Never.]
9. Have you joined a political party? [My answer: Never.]
   
   As an apolitical Singaporean, I realize I'm not alone. It's a sad reality but there's a 1,001 more interesting & exciting things to find out, read about, and be involved in but politics is unfortunately not one of them.
   
   Do you think the dummy's guide to politics will help? Maybe will help slightly if it's available FOC. Else my money will probably go to some other tech related magazines.

apolitical (meaning by weekendTODAY):
Pronunication: "A-p&-'li-ti-k&l
Function: adjective
1 having no interest or involvement in political affairs; also : having an aversion to politics or political affairs
2 having no political significance
3 state of political apathy that represents a shocking majority of Singaporeans (Note: a unique Singapore context specific definition...)

Taiwan is an island or country?

I read from TODAYonline (10th March 2005) that China expressed shock yesterday after Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso called Taiwan a "country" (more specifically, a "law-governed country") and accused him of intervening in its internal affairs because Beijing considers Taiwan as an island part of China.

All along, do you say that Taiwan is a country or do you call Taiwan an island? A friend actually did a search on Google and Yahoo! after I asked her this question... anyway, the search results, cached pages say/record it all.

This article found in gdgs.gov.cn (in Chinese) shows the tension caused if a site/company classifies Taiwan and even Hong Kong as a country... hence, the danger of using this term: "Select a country"

• My friend was checking out the flight fare in ZUJI and I was shown that China and Taiwan are classified separately under the "Select a country" drop-list.
• It is even "better off" in 3M, BP, Head and Shoulders, Motorola, wotif.com, Yamaha, etc... where China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are listed separatedly under the "Country" selection.

The author suggests changing "Select a country" to a more ambiguous one like "Select a country/region/city/area"...

And some sites actually referred to Taiwan as a country even though they recognize or consider Taiwan as part of China:

• Australian government - Deparment of Foreign Affairs and Trade uses "Taiwan - Country Information" as a webpage title... but in some pdf files you will also find this small print that says: "The Australian Government recognises the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China. It has no official dealings with Taiwan."
• BBC news - "Country profile: Taiwan"... followed by "Taiwan is the island which has for all practical purposes been independent for half a century but which China regards as a renegade province that must be re-united with the mainland."
  Is referring to Taiwan as both a country and an island the best of both worlds?

*Note: The author is not trying to stir up any political tension between China and any parties named above. She is only trying to find out who listed Taiwan as a country despite their knowledge or even recognition that Taiwan is a part of China.

***

Source: Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Main Entry: country
Pronunciation: 'k&n-trE
Meanings:
1: an indefinite usually extended expanse of land : REGION
2a: the land of a person's birth, residence, or citizenship
2b: a political state or nation or its territory

Screwed up review

I returned to the polyclinic for a review (that's when the x-ray report will be out) last Tues. Frankly, I was expecting to see the same doctor. But nope, I was given another doctor. Anyway, I'm used to seeing different doc. If they have the records, having another doc to concur that I'm okay is even more assuring, right? As usual, the wait is long but this time round, it is accompanied with "live broadcasts" of the conversation of one ah pek and two ah sohs. Their interesting "long wait", "cut-queue", "lousy loc-tor/lor-koon" complaints, and other "no-basis-theories" in hokkien kept me very occupied and entertained. (Btw, one patient's long wait is because her file is not inside the room... tsk tsk tsk) But that's beside the point...

Guess what happen when it was my turn?

1. I went in to find the doctor with an empty file. How I know? Simple. I saw him wrote on a blank piece of paper something like this: No previous records found... etc. (It's a brand new empty file. No x-ray films. No x-ray results/reports. No whatever. Well done! I suspect my file is still with the last doc I see. No wonder he told me before I left during the last consultation: "See you on Tuesday")

2. With no records... I wasn't surprised when he asked me what's wrong with me. "I come for a review of my knee injury"... (Anyway, whether you know what review means, I don't know... I was told to come for a review and that's all I'm going to say... you jolly well go check and find my records. I'm the last patient before your lunch time... I've time and a lot of patience to play along.) He checked online to see the kind of medicine I was given. Then he checked my knee. Then he said something of this sort: "No problem. Wound has dried..." (What the hack, even a 5-year old kid can tell if the wound is dry or wet lor). Then he asked me not to peel the scab (I ignore him...) and he started to draw me a pic of the knee, wound, scab, etc... and tell me what would happen to the tissues beneath if I peel. (SO LAME! I am here to find out more about my x-ray results... not to attend bio lessons.) Now I know why everyone before me is so impatient about their long wait.

3. Then he printed me an MC. Frankly, if he's sending me off without any mention of the x-ray results... I'm going to screw him upside down. But luckily he asked, "Have you done any x-ray?". (*A little disappointed*) I replied (*not sure if it sounded a little sarcastic*): "Yes, and that was last Saturday. That's why I'm here for the review." Then he frantically went to another nearby PC to log in to check the x-ray film pics. But some doctors gave me the impression that they know nuts about PC somehow. On one occassion, I had to point out to a doctor how she should click on some options before my MC can be printed (I know because the error messages are there for obvious reason) This doctor could only manage to open up one x-ray pic but not the other one (too far away, not sure why)... anyway, he blamed the software for being user-unfriendly. Uh, that's your problem, not mine! Then, he called the x-ray department to say that he don't have the records of Miss So-and-So... and requested for a copy... I heard this word... maybe misplaced... somewhere... (Do they have any ISO checks, I wonder?)... And he went back to his useless numerous clicking of the poor mouse.

4. (knock knock)... There comes my x-ray report... He showed me and said, "The report says no fracture. No problem. You can go already. Make payment at counter 7."

Frankly, I give a thumbs down for this screwed-up review. (But I'm not sure why I couldn't be bothered to kick up a fuss...)

Does subsidised = compromised/discounted service quality?

I was quite impressed with the last doctor I see on Saturday. He slightly changed my perception of the polyclinic doctors (some really have that bo-chap attitude with no passion in their work... so much so that I thought they are not much different from the factory workers who plainly go through the QC of all the parts/components in the production line)... but this doctor puts my old perception nicely back into place again.

Stained wound and skin

At the GP when collecting medicine (last last Sunday evening)
Very young part-time staff who dispensed the medicine to me said: "This is for washing." ("This" btw refers to Potassium Permanganate solution of unknown concentration)
Me: "How much water should I add to it?" (I also know it's for washing, so damned obvious, but how? No instructions on the label except to wash twice a day! Btw, this is the first time I'm using such solution for washing.)
She (also don't know) went to check before coming back to tell me: "Mixed one capful of this with two capfuls of water".

At the Polyclinic during consultation (last Saturday morning)
Doc: (after some examination) "How come your wound's so dark...?"
Me: "I wash with Potassium Permanganate."
...
... the x-ray didn't show any fractures (phew!)...
... then the doc sent me for dressing...
Me: "Do I need dressing?" (I mean I haven't been applying any dressing for the past one week and now I was told I need dressing? The GP told me to leave it uncovered.)
Doc: "Need."
(I wonder why)

At the Polyclinic during dressing
Nurse: ... "为什么黑黑? 你用了什么？" (Second time... for a moment, I wonder why didn't she know there's this thing called potassium permanganate?)
Me: (repeat) "Because I wash with Potassium Permanganate."
Nurse: "Did you dilute with water?"
Me: "Yes."
Nurse: "You need to dilute until it's light pink in colour. Else your skin will be stained brown and become unsightly."
Me: "Huh? Is it?" (No wonder the doctor also asked... and is this why my knee become the centre of attraction for a few days?)...

鸡蛋糕！

Will I get to vote?

In every GRC, you will recognise at least one anchor minister.
Vote for us… we are sincere…

My six-member GRC never needed my vote for there’s no contender – walkover. I heard (or rather, read from TODAY) that WP has indicated interest. When there’s no challenger, I wonder if (my MPs and) I slacked. I mean, does it matter who they are when you don’t have a choice and you don’t need to make a responsible decision over who should serve/represent you? As far as I’m concerned, I don’t really bother about who exactly are all the six members in my constituency. I only know very well one anchor minister whom I shook hands with 9.5 years back for some award. I also know the name of another MP and that’s it. Who are the other four? Seriously, I can’t remember… I wonder why I never see them (in person) before or after election like you do? Haven’t I been walking around my neighborhood often enough to meet/see them or the other way round? Having said so, knowing two MPs are better than knowing none from WP (have you people started working the ground here?). Or is it because I live in a bird-don’t-lay-eggs location – that’s why I never get to see the actions LIVE?

The forgetful me...

贤： 等一下记得吃药huh
我： 哦！
…
约周公下棋之前，我趴在床上看杂志时读到：

“虽然遇到一些困难，但父母还是会支持你的。安下心来，在工作时就会更加投入。身体有病者要随时注意，最好把药物时时带在身边。”
…
突然想到自己还没吃抗生素！Tsk tsk tsk… 真健忘…

(好像年纪越大，脑袋能容纳的东西就越少…真纳闷)

Hmm, 我还是第一次觉得看自己的运程还蛮有用的喔！

***

Is age inversely proportional to brain capacity?

or

Is brain utilization a function of age, types of daily-engaged activities, level of respective activities, and environment?