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Thursday, July 31, 2008

Toilets

Was at the gents toilet in one of the shopping mall when this lady cleaner walked right in and started mopping the floor. Er I am sure most hot young man wouldn't mind exposing their thing to young pretty ladies but exposing it while doing your thing really isn't my cup of tea. And mind you, this was no old lady. I think she was one of those many Chinese lady probably in her early thirty.

Now while I appreciate that toilet need to be cleaned frequently, surely some sort of arrangement should be made to close the toilet for short interval to do the cleaning or the least get the male cleaner to do it?

On a related note, the shower areas at the toilets along East Coast Park are open concept shower with clearly demarcated Male(on the right) and Female(on the left) areas. There are signs that stated clearly no bathing in the nude etc but of course I still see many guys just showering there in their underwear. What amuse me is that ladies continue to use the Male area as a short cut to the female side and some even gather there to wait for their children. I even once saw one lady bathing her son at the shower area. And so what's going to happen if there is an 'accident' and these ladies get to see some thing extra? Are they going to complain that the guy had insulted their modesty?

But of course on the flip side, I also seen guys hanging around the bench at the female side ostensibly waiting for somebody but I think they were there just to ogle at the ladies showering there. So ladies take note.

So my point is - Male toilet are for the men and lady toilet for the ladies so please respect each other territory and don't stray. You never know what you going to see or get!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Idiotic Cabby

Was driving down a road in Hougang last Saturday. It was just those typical HDB road - single lane yet wide enough for 2 vehicles to squeeze side by side. 1 lane on each side of the road. There was a small jam. Bus cannot go forward as car trying to turn into car park was in front of bus and blocking its way. Cars cannot go into car park because car park full and ERP gantry type - gantry does not open. So there were 2 rows of cars on a single lane road while the traffic on the other direction was clear.

Suddenly this idiot of a taxi pulled up alongside me and indicated for me to give way to him. How? When traffic was not moving? He then wound down his windows and told me to drive against the traffic on the other lane! I stared at him as if he was raving mad and of course ignored him. I could see him mouthing all sort of words and was tempted to get out to confront him but 2 wrong doesn't make a right, decided not to bother. By then, he had also maneuvered his taxi to such a position that when there was finally room for the vehicles on the road to move a bit, he promptly squeezed forward and drove on the other side of the road overtaking all those cars in front before turning back in.
Unfortunately, I was already fuming and failed to take down his number or snap a photo otherwise I will surely complain all the way to the Traffic Police! Pity the poor passenger inside the cab. She must have a hell of a ride. It is people like them that give cabby a bad names. The taxi companies and LTA must come out with a better way of screening taxi drivers. Letting these type of idiots loose on the street is like giving a loaded gun to children who will just shoot away without realising the consequences of their actions.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Swee Choon

After the Shape Run, the ladies wanted to eat dim sum. Remembered watching Snack Attack on tv which featured this place in Jalan Besar so decided to make our way there. Quite easy to find just along Jalan Besar Rd before Desker Road and opposite the Jalan Besar Food Centre.

The place, simply named Swee Choon, according to the menu serves Hong Kong dim sum in the morning and Shanghai Dim Sum in the evening with the exception of the Xiao Long Bao which is served both day and night. There wasn't really a lot of variety - the usual paus, siew mai and harkow, and a lot of fried stuff. Nothing remarkable except the mianxian cake. Actually most of the dim sum was very normal even bland like the chee cheong fun. The century egg porridge was quite tasteless in fact. Even the dim sum at Tiong Bahru or Ho Kee is much better.

Its only saving grace was it was decently priced and service was good but I wouldn't go there again for the dim sum unless I happen to be in the area.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Lelong ! Lelong! Kidney, liver for sale

Gasps! The gahmen is going to make a shocking about-turn. Just 2 weeks ago, the Minister for Health was saying that sale of organ is both morally and legally wrong. The way it was reported, it looked like he was totally against it! Now in the short space of 2 weeks, the tone is changing. He now say it is an option that can be considered. How about that!

The arguments for and against the sale of organs? Nah, too much of it has been said in the press and online forums and I am not going into that here.

Just this: while I understand the hue and cry over the legal and moral issue of sale of organ, I agree with the many other views that the vocal voices against the sale of organ probably does not have any loved ones afflicted with a disease that need a transplant and cannot empathise with those who does. What this society need is more compassion and thoughts for other. We should never close the door on this issue and bury our head in the sand like an ostrich and hope that it will just blow away.

Having said that, it is not something to be rushed through as I also agree that a human organ should not be treated just like another commodity to be traded like innards/organ in a wet market. God forbid that at the end of the day, the only people who can benefit from this will be the rich!

And yes, I do know personally a friend and a relative who are kidney patients and have to go for dialysis. And I share with them their suffering. So no prize for guessing where my support for this is going:)

Friday, July 11, 2008

Response and Retort

Noticed that people out there are getting better and more creative in their replies and retort to issues.

On the organ for sale controversy and the argument that the sale of organ is exploiting the poor.
- Retort: Employing a maid and separating her from her family and making her work for 7 days a week without rest and for a meager pay is also exploiting the poor!

On giving up seats on buses and trains to the elderly and more needy:
- Response: Everybody pays the same fare. So why must give up seat to others.

On the current Traffic Campaign 'Look Out for Me':
- Response: Pedestrian are just as bad. Need another campaign for pedestrian to look out for Motorist

Basically, it just show that society as a whole has gone downhill in terms of care and concern for others and it is now a big 'ME' first for most people. How sad:(

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Durian Fiesta

I do not usually crave for durian but ever since receiving an email from a friend introducing the various type of durian from Penang, some how I had this insatiable craving for it. There must be a sublime message inside the email!

Anyway, to satisfy the craving, roped a few of the running kakis and went to Still Road to try out the newly opened Four Seasons CafĂ©. Older foodies will remember the Four Seasons’ durian pastry. That plus the review in ieatishootipost made it a die die must try!

Our strategy for the dinner feast was to try 1 or 2 of the very expensive durian followed by those 3 for $10 type so that we don't have to burn in our pocket for it. However, after ordering 1 Maoshanwang ($20 per kg) and 1 Ang Heh when we tried to ask for the cheaper durians, the guy told us not to try. He said after eating the Maoshanwang, we will not want to eat anything else. Maybe intoxicated by the strong durian odour, we caved in and let the guy picked the durians. The damage: $200.00 for 5 durians comprising 1 Maoshanwang, 1 D24, 1 Xo, 1 Ang Heh and 1 (didn't catch the name) which was supposed to be available only around this time and has hugh seed.

How to describe the durian? Durian is something that one like or don’t like. And a lot has to do with the smell. Food being a very subjective thing; it was difficult to say which was the best. However, all was in agreement that the Maoshangwang did not live up to its Kingly title. Halfway through 2 of the durians, we discover some seeds were not ripe and the stall gave us 2 new ones in exchange. Bravo! So in the end we had about 7 durians.

Our nutritionist friend calculated the 8 of us consumed 6637.50 calories in total but that I think is a small price to pay for 1 night of pure shiok bliss! And 1 long run can burn that off so can go and eat again!

Friday, July 4, 2008

I Spy ~ Make Up Session

At 6pm on the train from Tanjong Pagar to City Hall, packed elbow to elbow, cheek to cheek(not for me though I too tall for most people's cheek), watch a fascinating show unfurled right before my eyes.

This pretty young thing standing side by side with a zillion other passengers with a forceps like thingy. Right in front of me and oblivious of everybody staring at her, she used it to trim her eye lashes; First the left eye, than the right eye. Actually later found out from M it was to curl the eye lashes. I watched in horror - what if the train jerk - would the thing pluck her eyeball out! Luckily for her, that part went smoothly. Than it was a brush and some powdery stuff (blush is it?) all over the face. Now she looks real shiny. Next, another brush - this one I know - no colour lip stick or what we guys would term undercoat or base coat if we are painting a wall. Finally, a lip stick and a beautiful transformation - all between 2 short train stations. Bravo!

Honestly, I have never in my life seen a lady put on make up at such close range except may be in the movies. Not even M cos usually when she doing her things, I be doing my own stuff and too busy to observe.

Did I like what I saw? It was fascinating - not the make up but her skill in balancing and doing all those stuff. A real educational ride for me:)

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