SINGAPORE SHORT STORIES

Ng Boon Gay and top news makers for Jan 12: a round up of Singapore Top Singapore News in Jan 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:02:00 +0000

Let us summarize the top news makers in Jan 12.

First of all, it has to be Saw Phaik Hwa who was blamed for the massive disruption in the MRT networks in Dec 12, Ms Saw finally stepped down from SMRT in January.

Next, Seng Han Tong also found himself hot in the news after his comment about MRT staff was mistaken by the public as it was reported.
Read more »

Contentment and Health, disconnect from IT, work life balance

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:42:00 +0000

Recently, I feel that age has really caught up with me. Though I am still young, I feel I have a body ten years older than my biological age. Despite coffee and sleeping early, I feel lethargic and tired. I do sports like running and carrying free weights, trying to do so regularly, but even these do not prevent my body from sagging and ageing.
Read more »

Women behind famous men in recent hot news

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:25:00 +0000

Women made the news this week: the IT executive behind the fall of grace for ex SCDF and CNB chief and the woman alleged to have a relationship with Mr Yaw.

Lets chat on Facebook Lets chat on Twitter Like my Facebook Page Subscribe to my Blog: Email me: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com

Year of the Water Dragon

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:59:00 +0000

It is really symbolic that at the stroke of midnight of Chinese New Year, the skies opened up and there went a downpour and it seemed that the water dragon has really arrived, generously spreading abundance to Singapore and Singaporeans.

Chinese New Year Holidays: after effect

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:58:00 +0000

Today, I reluctantly woke up to set off for work. Today is the third day of Chinese New Year and time indeed flies: the first two days of Chinese New Year 2012 have since elapsed us. I enjoyed very much the Chinese New Year holidays for which I have increased the number of days of leave too by taking some of my personal leaves.

SCDF Chief Peter Benedict Lim Sin Pang under CPIB investigation

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:03:00 +0000

I woke up to this piece of shocking news that the Chief of SCDF Peter Benedict Lim and his Directors are involved in a CPIB Investigation! These men are the top brass, top scholars of our civil service and our civil service is renowned for its clean record (i.e. little corruption record). These top scholars have a comfortable pay why do they want more IF they are really found guilty of corruption?
Read more »

Happy Chinese New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:40:00 +0000

Dear Readers

I would like to wish all of you a Happy Chinese New Year. Wishing you and Family Health, Wealth, Happiness and Prosperity!

Lets chat on Facebook Lets chat on Twitter Like my Facebook Page Subscribe to my Blog: Email me: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com

Chinese New Year & Amos Yee

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:27:00 +0000

These few days, I have been hard at work, spring cleaning my house. I used so many litres of water, washed away so much litres of water, have to force myself to deal with dozens of cockroaches (which I do not know where there are so many, but I have installed baiting stations and so far some of these cockroaches did fall prey to them) and even hurt my fingers washing, cleaning, scrubbing all corners of the house.
Read more »

Spring Cleaning

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:48:00 +0000

Yesterday I spent about 6 hours just cleaning windows and fans. Time flies so fast as I tidied up my house. I really wonder where all those heaps of dust in all corners of my house comes from. Imagine if there is no dust, people will have more time from not having to sweep and clean their houses. However I think it is not possible as dust is a part and parcel of the ecosystem and life.

Lets chat on Facebook Lets chat on Twitter Like my Facebook Page Subscribe to my Blog: Email me: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com

of Cockroaches and Ants

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Recently, there seems to be an infestation or sort of cockroaches and ants in my house. There are more ants scurrying along the cabling routes and floor of my house. For the cockroaches, these creatures are sighted occasionally though my wife and I know that their numbers are not small. No matter how we spray the insecticide and with me going to the extent of putting pandan leaves into the cupboard cabinets where these cockroaches are always lurking, they seem to be always there.

Bakkwa at $50 per kg!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:17:00 +0000

I and my wife went to buy bakkwa today at a heartland town. To our surprise, though it is still a week to Chinese New Year, there is already a queue for the bakkwa. To our surprise, the bakkwa is now selling at a sky-high price of $50 per kg! I think as Chinese New Year nears, the bakkwa price can only go up.

Lets chat on Facebook Lets chat on Twitter Like my Facebook Page Subscribe to my Blog: Email me: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com

MINDEF should examine IPPT & IPPT remedial training for NS Man

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:34:00 +0000

I read about the 28 year old NS man IPPT incident. I think the NS man may have tried too hard in pushing his body in order to pass the IPPT to avoid the weeks of remedial training if he were to fail IPPT.

I am an avid jogger who jogs 1 to 2 times per week of at least 30 minutes each time. Despites maintaining a good workout regime, I also fail the IPPT 2.4km at some instances. However when everytime I fail, I work extra hard to train my body just so to pass the IPPT once and for all during the time frame to avoid having to undergo remedial training sessions which are really time consuming for men like us who work. The 2 to 3 times of remedial trainings are not only time consuming but having to leave work earlier, one have to explain to his boss why he cannot pass his IPPT and having to go off from work earlier to do remedial trainings.
Read more »

Ministerial (MR4) Salaries: Bonuses seem a given

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:20:00 +0000

In a statement released by the committee tasked to review ministerial and political salaries, it was announced that there is a misconception on the starting salaries for entry-grade Ministers at MR4 level. According to the statement, the entry-grade salaries for these Ministers at $1.1 million include a 7 months bonus which comprise a 13^th month bonus, a 3 month performance bonus and a 3 month National bonus. From what can be inferred from the announcement, this $1.1 million salary is hence a salary for a total of 19 months. Using simple mathematics, we will arrive at the monthly pay of the MR4 ministers at $57,897.74.

BayFront MRT station

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:34:00 +0000

I think the government should have opened up BayFront MRT station after Chinese New Year. With the close proximity of BayFront MRT station with the Casinos and bouyed by the joyous mood of Chinese New Year, I am afraid more Singaporeans will use this quicker access to the casinos via BayFront MRT station during Chinese New Year and gamble and gamble.

Lets chat on Facebook Lets chat on Twitter Like my Facebook Page Subscribe to my Blog: Email me: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com

Excel through Basics

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:27:00 +0000

I still recall the motto “Excel through Basics” back in my Basic Military training days. Little did I know that this simple motto is so important unless decades later when I gradually learn via “feedbacks” that success has to do with the little basics: get the basics right and Successful is already there!

Lets chat on Facebook Lets chat on Twitter Like my Facebook Page Subscribe to my Blog: Email me: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com

Dreaming about school days

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:27:00 +0000

These few nights, I have been dreaming about school. I reckon it must be due to the fact that I “spring clean” my university notes while carrying out spring cleaning some days ago. As I looked at the volumes after volumes of lecture notes and tutorial notes and recalled the amount of time spent on them, I am a bit disappointed as all that was learnt during university is not really applicable to what I am doing now in my career.

Marina Barrage: a white elephant against floods?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:25:00 +0000

As was announced yesterday, the expert panel recommends that reduction of surface runoffs rather than the increase in the capacity of Stamford canal is a more viable solution to mitigating future floods. The thinking of the panel parallels that of mine. I have always felt that the recent spate of large flooding islandwide has to do with the mass excavations as Singapore’s development heads underground for more underground shopping centres and integrated buildings; with lesser topsoil to absorb the rain, there will bound to have more surface runoffs which result in floods. Hence I think with the release of the flood expert panel’s recommendation yesterday, I am right after all.

Comparison is not useful, Success depends on our WILL

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Following the revisions in the ministerial and political salaries, a lot of my friends and also netizens are still not satisfied with the small cuts in the political salaries. Indeed, I echo their sentiments: the new salaries of political appointment holders and members of parliament are still astronomically high! Even for a Member of Parliament, even if he or she were to give up his even higher paying full time job and serve the residents, he would be paid almost $200,000 a year! This is so much higher (easily over 5 times) my salary and the salaries of ordinary Singaporeans.

What is “ Ponding”? PUB CEO should apologize to public

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:47:00 +0000

After “lesser mortal”, now another Singapore (or rather PUB) invented term which will probably go into the Guinness Book of Singapore English Record is “Ponding”. So what exactly is Ponding as reported in the newspapers when PUB said the flash flood at Liat Towers late December was not a flood but Ponding? Beats me I do not know. Even Vivian in parliament yesterday said that PUB should call a spade a spade rather than called the flood in Liat Towers a “ponding”. Hence we should ask PUB what is ponding.

Long queue to exchange new currency notes

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:52:00 +0000

Saturday morning, I went to the POSB bank and joined the long queue to exchange for new currency notes for angbaos to give to relatives. What a wait! Seconds became minutes. Minutes became an hour before it was my turn to exchange for the new crispy dollar notes at the counter! To my surprise, I was not bored at all.
Read more »

Grace Fu’s Facebook comments on Minister’s Pays: a GraceFul act?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:29:00 +0000

After Seng Han Tong’s comments on MRT incidents sparked a public outcry just a few weeks ago, this time round, it is Grace Fu’s facebook comments which were heavily criticized by netizens. After reading what has transpired, I think Grace Fu did no wrong, she was just being frank. Actually it is true that those who hailed from private sector like Grace, Law minister, Ng Eng Hen suffered a big pay cut when they entered politics.

SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa Resigns

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:24:00 +0000

SMRT lady CEO Saw Phaik Hwa Resigns! This is expected after the recent spate of MRT breakdowns. Saw Phaik Hwa's resignation is good for commuters who have to endure overcrowding, breakdowns, no giving up of reserved seats, MRT trains which travel slowly. I believe SMRT CEO Saw Phaik's Hwa resignation is long overdue! I believe commuters expect better service from the new incoming SMRT CEO and hence the new SMRT CEO will be coming onto a hot seat!

Read more »

Ministerial Pay left me humble

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:46:00 +0000

The revised Ministerial pay, though at a pay cut, still left me humbling. A junior minister earns a million dollars a year. A million dollars... I doubt I can ever earn half that amount in my lifetime.
Read more »

Salaries of Prime Minister, Ministers and political office holders

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:42:00 +0000

The new salaries of political appointment holders were announced today. I believe the new salaries were not much different from the previous salaries. Ministers of Singapore are still multi-millionaires and should still be the highest paid in the world among their counterparts.

First working day of the year, still in holidaying mood

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Today is the first working day of the year. I am quite tired for my family and I have already started spring cleaning our house to usher in Chinese New Year. Currently, there are not many colleagues in my office as they are still busy clearing their leaves as well. I believe that everyone in office is still in holidaying mood and that most will start to work after the Chinese New Year. Anyway, I find it still acceptable as in Singapore; it is not often that we will have one holiday right after another. In Singapore, everyone works hard and when it comes to an occasion where our festive occasions are celebrated, I believe there is reason for people to take work a little bit slower, enjoy the finer aspects of life and have more bonding with family and loved ones.

Lets chat on Facebook Lets chat on Twitter Like my Facebook Page Subscribe to my Blog: Email me: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com