Taiwan Visit

Some photos of the Taiwan visits

Some phot

Death Wish

Not mine but this **&$(_ cyclist. Was driving along Tanjong Katong Rd this morning. Tanjong Katong Rd is a 2 way 4 lanes (2 each direction) road. There I was driving when I spotted this cyclist cycling across the road in the other lane. He cut across the 2 lanes and I knew if he don't stop or I don't brake, I was going to hit him. I blasted my horn but he continued without even looking in my direction. WTF, did he have a death wish or he was high on drug. So no choice I got to brake and he just continued cycling across the whole road without even turning his head to look at me or to check whether there was any other oncoming traffic next to me.

This bladdy heck care attitude. I couldn't care a hoot if he die but that will means I gonna get into trouble with the TP and damage my car so it's not worth it to hit him even if he thinks his life is cheap.

4-D

Can't remember when was the last time I stepped into a Singapore Pool outlet. It must have been ages since I stopped buying 4-D and Toto.

Anyway, on the way home last evening at about 6.20pm, passed by the outlet at McCallum St 7-11, it was fairly empty so decided to try my luck on the new house number.

Filled up the betting slip for Wed's night draw and walked up to the counter and the lady went: Next Wed?

Me: No, today.

Lady: Close already lah.

Oops very paiseh. Damn suaku. But lucky the number never open last evening.

Downgrading to upgrade

What started as just some coffee talk turned into reality within the space of 2 weeks. On and off, we have been talking about moving to a bigger house so that each of the kid and Mum can have 1 room each. Beside, the current place was falling apart with leakages; faulty air con worn furniture. Also, the local neighbours have mostly moved out with more and more foreigners replacing them and the estate was getting a little too boisterous for comfort.

So 2 weeks ago, while shopping for a new set of sofa, was talking with M about looking for a new place when got a sms from a friend who had recently became a property agent. One thing lead to another and soon we were viewing flats.

We were horrified at the type of prices people are asking for HDB apartments especially the cash over valuation (COV) which was like $30,000 to $50,000.00. We told ourselves no hurry look see look see will do. But by a quirk of fate? there we were this afternoon looking at 2 units and both were not suitable. About to leave for home, the agent suddenly mentioned that there was another unit available near by but on a rather low floor and whether we would like to view it. Our original instructions was no low floor but heck since we were already in the area, figured it wouldn't do any harm to just take a look. And it was 'wow'.

And so the hunt for a new place ended just as abruptly as it started within 2 weeks. And so soon we will be downgrading and yet upgrading. But first got to find the money to pay for it first.

Dr M

I like this guy. I like the things he write about on his blog cos when I'm bored to hell and need some amusement, I can always find something amusing to read there. I think he is better than Mr Brown and Mr Miyagi - 2 bloggers I followed but then the things they write about are so boring and trivial.

Not Dr M. Look at his posts. All very cheem and full of theories and conspiracies. And he got a very good brain - can auto turn off and on to suit the occasion. And not to forget his imagination. Damm good - like this latest piece from him.

You got to give him credit. Serious.

Wanton Mee

Talk about wanton Mee and Joo Chiat and Fei Fei Wanton Mee automatically comes to mind.

On our last visit there, passed by this little coffeeshop and saw that it was quite packed. So when the opportunity came, went down to see what food it offered. At 9am on a Saturday morning, there was just 2 stalls opened - one selling wanton mee and one roti-prata. The small little shop had about 20 tables, 5 in the coffee shop and the rest along the 5 foot way but with the exception of one table, everybody was eating the noodle.

Maybe it was that good or maybe there wasn't much choice to begin with but we followed suit and ordered 1 wanton mee and 1 chicken claw mee. After a wait of 20 minutes, the noodles finally came. Was it really worth the wait?

The first thing about the wanton mee that strike me was that the soup tasted like the version at Fei Fei. It has this weird taste which I can't put and and the closest that I can think of is that it is the smell of longkang water but then that seem to be the trade mark of wantun mee in the area just like the minced meat noodle is unique only to Bedok and Tampines.

The noodle itself was so so with little pieces of char siew and chye sim. The best of the lot was the chilli sauce which makes it taste great.

The stall claim to fame is 2 small newspaper article (same article) of an interview with Mr Charity. I think he was interviewed and commented on the stall being one of his regular haunt.

Was it really that great? As usual, I will reserve my judgement since one man's meat is another's poison. Free go and try. It the little coffeeshop along Tembeling Street off East Coast Road next to Haig Girl School.

Just for Laugh Asia

Was watching the first episode of the Just for Laugh Asia filmed in Singapore and I commented that some idiot will complain about the show.

True enough in yesterday My Paper, there was a complaint letter abut the fake policemen checking the identity card of drivers and also about the lady hugging strangers.

Come on, get a life people - this is television. Lighten up and just enjoy the program and don't complain about every thing. Don't like don't watch. Don't force your likes and dislikes on the silent majority!

And oh for those people stupid enough to give their i/c to people in obviously fake uniforms, where the hell is your common sense?

Check out the program on YouTube if you miss it

Sarcasm Mark

An US company has claimed to invent the Sarcasm mark. It is selling a software at US $1.99 which can be installed on a computer so that the user can use it in their emails and letter writing. This is how the sarcasm mark looks like:

Okay the idea is great! It is a pretty useful punctuation mark to use. After all, nowadays our languages are often peppered with sarcasm and irony. And oh yes there is also a irony mark somewhere in the vast internet but that is a story for another day.

Coming back to the sarcasm mark, however this company is slightly off the mark when it claims to be the first one to come out with it. Back in 2001, these couple came out with their own version of it but of course being individuals without marketing power, their mark soon lost its marker. But I do like their solution and that is to use the tilde ~. Why? Because this one is found on all the computer and no need to pay.

In 2004, another writer called for the creation of the sarcasm mark. His proposal: _¡ the inverted exclamation mark. Now this one, people may get confused with the letter 'i' so it is not as good as the earlier one in 2001 but hey it still 1.99 less!

Anyway, just an example of how to use the Sarcasm Mark.

I love my country. It is so generous ~ _¡ (take your pick of the 3)
It reacts so fast to the news of the Haiti earthquake and together with so many countries, stepped forward to generously donate money to aid the victims ~ _¡
The list of donors who contributed cash for the Haiti earthquake victims
Brazil $15m
Britain $9.75m
Australia $9.3m
Japan $5m
Canada $4.8m
European Union $4.3m
Germany $1.5m
South Korea $1m
China $1m
Singapore $50,000.00 (big applause please) ~ _¡
Source: Straits Time 15 January 2010

For the full list of donors - refer here. You will notice that one country's big donation ~ _¡ is not even mentioned. Wonder why har ~ _¡

Ramblings

12 days into the new year and so far nothing exciting happening in my life except I got lasiked!

But on the other hand, lotsa stuff going on in our neighbour country. Hopefully, everything will turn out aokay.

Home front, some interesting news over the past 2 weeks.

Bird sale is down as the younger generation is not interested in keeping birds. Good news for the birds; bad news for the bird sellers. Bird flies and should not be confined to a small little cage. Just go to Serangoon North and take a look. They got all sort of birds include hornbill! How can one keep such beautiful birds in cages! With demand waning, hopefully, the poaching will also stop.

But something never changed. In Marine Parade, some idiot is throwing cats down from the HDB flat. Let's just hope they catch the bugger and throw him into the white tiger enclosure!

Well, if you don't keep bird and can't throw cats for fun, what's a bored man going to do? Get a doll! One that doesn't cook, iron and wash but is good only for 1 thing. An American company has invented the ultimate doll that can (or rather, can't do all of the above). But come to think of it, most of our young ladies here are already like that so why need a doll?

The first guerilla ad campaign for the year and what a blaze of publicity for it! Did Singpost got it all wrong? On the contrary, I think this has to be the most successful ad campaign cos everyone is talking about it and isn't that what all advertisement is all about?

Girl molested at New Year Countdown party. By now everybody should know about this and yakking over why everybody was just taking videos and nobody did anything to help the young lady. Well, if you are a true blue man, of course got free show why don't watch? But seriously, if the lady didn't scream or do anything to stop those guys, how does the bystanders know she is being molested, in distress and need help?

And finally although there are so many more news, to wrap up - the ongoing coroner finding on the shooting at Outram MRT station. Duh is it really necessary? Somebody charged at you with a knife, does the public really expect the poor cop to aim for his legs or arms? I say shoot first talk later. It either the killer's life or the cop's life and we all know who is the bad guy!

Royce Potato Chip Chocolate

Normally I don't eat potato chips. Not a lot anyway. Just a few slices. But somebody had to give me a box of Royce Potato Chip Chocolate.

Sigh. I can hear the cholesterol guys jumping for joy but then really die die must finish the whole box. At one go if possible. It is that good.

Click-4-Klick 1 Jan 2010 3am - 2 Jan 2010 9 am

What a wonderful way to start 2010. Together with many others, we witnessed a jaw breaking sometime heart wrenching scenes as Kelly started on her mission at Bedok Reservoir and completed it 30 hours later at MacRitchie Reservoir.

She battled fatigue, lack of sleep,, blisters all over the foot, a bloated stomach, the heat and then the cold and rain to overcome the odds to clock 150km in 30 hours. Although she did not managed to hit 160km, her self imposed target, nevertheless, it was a super achievement. Myself, I doubt at this current moment, I can last even 3 hours on the road.

The amount pledged to date is still short of the target of $50,000.00. Hopefully, the pledges and donations will continue to come in during the next few days.

However, I am heartened at the support of friends who stayed with her throughout the 30 hours, and those who popped in at BR or MR to show their support. After the rain and towards late evening, when it was clear that the original plan to use 1 pacer per loop was no longer workable, calls were made and many responded turning up in the early morning to pace her.

Here are some selected pictures of the 30 hours journey. More pictures on Facebook.

Holding on to pacers for strength

Blisters

Dazed

Icy foot soak

A quick massage

Pricking a blister

A cool way to beat the heat

An icy neckwrap

Powder bath

In the wee morning

Finish at last!