:: a rose by any other name is still a stinky rose ::

i really hate to talk about politics back home in singapore, i'm not an expert in this, but as a fellow citizen who still reads daily news abroad...there are many occassions that just get to me (ie: pissed)

this is a classic example:

i wondered how many spin-doctors did it take to come out with this story - another journalistic brilliance by the state media.

(ps: could not find the online news in channelnewsasia.com anymore)

first - this did not sound so right (jobless singaporeans will be angry, again more jobs go to PRs...)


second - let's justify... why singaporeans are not enough (have more kids people!)

before finally - just say that good things, shall we?

just get over it shall we? if singaporeans do not have enough talent pool because of skin colour, bad body odour, cannot speak dialects or whatever reasons...just say it so. there is absolutely no need to sound so politically-correct...we all know the real truth (sometimes meritocracy sucks!)

the brain-drain in singapore should be discussed openly, there's no need to be sensitive about it. singapore talent pool bucket is leaking, instead of pouring more water into this bucket, we should find out what make it leaked in the first place?

let's get real, for once....shall we, singapore? x

:: where is limping waldo singapore??::

yes, i'm back in the netherlands and was too busy to blog about anything...but this is OUTRAGEOUS!

it's time to WAKE-UP and not boast talk about being first class infrastructure, system, civil service whatsover!

i'm terribly terribly pissed by this....x

:: sleepless in Singapore and it's all about food ::

:: menu of the day ::
finally, since my arrival last friday i am able to get a peaceful sleep (about 13 hours in total...hehe) to make up for the 'lost time' i supposed.

feeling rather fresh, except with rather puffy eyes, i am all set to go out and shop, and boy, i didn't disappoint, except to discover that what i know all along - not everything here is cheaper.

nevertheless, there were some sale items at ben sherman and topman which i liked (end-of-season, well..there's no winter here, so items from that season is always a bargain).....

after that, i went for chinese new year lunch organised by my office here. nobody (except the secretary) knew that i was in town...and my colleagues thought i was crazy that i just make a quick home-trip for this lunch (as if!) it's not the company silly, it's the delicious food (courtesy of mandarin oriental hotel). but it was really nice to meet and catch up with some colleagues who i can refer to as friends - even though half of them didn't turn up.

:: the "yu sheng" (salmon raw fish salad), before being tossed and devoured, and created a whole lot of mess at the otherwise civilised dining table ::















i am still not exercising and feeling rather flabby...x!

:: singapore ok meh? ::

things i don't miss about home...


#34 - stupid campaign signs that are just annoying without any effective results...

#02 - stupid litters everywhere, especially burnt hell notes and joss sticks at public places..



we are really lagging behind in cleanliness and civil-mindedness (blame it on foreigners? or just all of us??)

ps: i still have a habit of keeping my litter in my pocket/bag until i find a dustbin, a proud trait of mine since 7 years old :-P.. x

:: drink driving arrests - when 20 becomes 90 ::

berita harian, singapore malay's only newspaper (and the thinest in pages and actual content) reported that "SERAMAI 90 pemandu telah ditahan kerana memandu dalam keadaan mabuk dalam satu operasi yang dijalankan Polis Trafik di serata pulau awal pagi semalam?"

Translation : A total of 90 drivers were detained due to drunk driving in an operation that was conducted by the Traffic Police islandwide early yesterday morning.

however, this is the real story (i know as I was stopped thrice by the traffic police that very same morning), as reported by the straits times.

Yesterday's roadblocks went up at 3am, and within 31/2 hours, police had nabbed 20 suspected drink drivers, 17 of them men."

the real fact was :

In all, over the Chinese New Year festive period, 90 drink drivers were caught - and only 20 were arrested yesterday morning.

i really wondered about the editorial integrity of berita harian, and i have always detected lots of tabloid sensationalism of this newspaper, which makes me bizarrely thinking why did i subscribe to it in the first place.

i guess this is no suprise to me since even the death of a wrestler makes into its prime news/front page, that shows a lot about its readers' demographics :P

jangan marah ah....nanti kena jual! x
(don't be angry, lest to be sold)

:: singaporiffic ::

:: view from our dining/drinks tables from oosh @ dempsey (minimun spending required, i don't think its worth it since it looks like someone's house that i know..heheh) ::

7 different bars in 5 hours, that was my personal record last saturday.

having some friends from netherlands (who were here on week-long work congress) made it all worthwhile and fun as the places that i brought them were the places that i was familiar with, and in all intentions, no pretenses.

it started with raffles' hotel courtyard (for pre-dinner singapore slings ), ossh @ dempsey (for dinner and more cocktails), mox (because my friend M read about in a wallpaper guide book and insisted to go there. the part-owner, mok, who is a personal friend, unfortunately, wasn't there that night), tantric (for look see and another round of drinks) and cafe del mar at sentosa (for final pit stop before heading home at 5 am in the morning).



:: cafe del mar has the looks, but not sure of the ambience thought, maybe it will in time ::


it was fun because i was able to catch up with both my old friends and new ones, at the same time, well at least in my stop at cafe del mar anyways.

you may go the fanciest places all over the world, but without the right company, it will be meaningless. believe me, i've been there before so many times (usually with business-related events) :)

i really had a wonderful time that i didn't bother to comment about the service and atmosphere of those places, but in general, we had it good (i was not sure if it was because of the company of Caucasians ;-) with me). nevertheless, it didn't really matter as i was very happy to meet up with all my old friends and new ones. like the dutch would say, het was gezellig!

ps: i had to be checked 3 different times by the traffic police who had an anti-drink driving operation (which was good, considering that they arrested 29 people that night!) a safety message from aGentX "don't drink and drive, y'all"

:-) xxx

:: aGentX has landed ::

the usual long flight, good flight crew and great seat(s) to stretch and sleep. with excellent movie choices at krisworld (watched michael clayton, atonement, and japanese's invitation from cinema orion - more of them laters, i hope).

sadly, i didn't get much sleep.

and the first thing that i saw on my desk was the stack of letters (mostly bills, couple of chinese new cards and sales promotions in christmas / new year's past).....



and second thing, was to rough-play with my dear cat, sumoki who i miss a great deal! (no, i didn't choke him in the photo below - although it looked like one)



it's gonna be a long day today - with some work, and lots of entertainment to do tonight....wish me luck!

x

:: pictorial - SIA lounge, schipol amsterdam airport ::

13 hours more before reaching home.....

:: high-mile club on valentine's - i wish ::

while polls showing one in four Thai teens will celebrate St. Valentine's Day by having sex (and the police is planning to swoop on motels, malls and parks to ensure youths behave themselves on the "Day of Love"), i'll will be making my way to the airport real soon for another long-haul flight home to singapore.

my agenda is so busy right from the moment of my arrival tomorrow

• 0625 - eta to changi airport
• 0700 - collect my car
• 0750 - get my car parking sorted out
• 0830 - at home, distributing european chocolates and stuff to mom and cat, chit-chat, relax, shower, see what needs to be fixed at my house.
• 1200 - 2200 - work from home, teleconferences, emails, blah blah...
• 2300 to 0500/0600 hrs - night out with friends and visitors from holland.

so i won't be jet-lagged, i'll be taking these pills in abundance.

happy VD!
xox

:: today's beautiful weather makes me randy ::

the weather lately has been wonderful - sunny and cool, and not too cold (except at night when it can reach freezing temperature). i could never understand before why anyone would want to talk about the weather - blame it on my country of birth which has only rain and sun.

i took a walk during lunch today and i saw beautiful flowers of purple and yellow popping out from the luscious greens. i'm not putting too much hope that spring is here, at least not yet as the temperature for the next few days is still expected to be single digit and even minus five at night.

but still, everything looks much better when the sun is out, even though i was freezing my ass off being outdoor during lunch, with just a jumper (but luckily its cashmere! ;-))

on days like this, sometimes you really wish that you have your loved one(s) to take a walk with....and just enjoying what nature has to offer, and yeah, to do what the song is playing ;-)

in 48 hours, i'll be back home - where its humid and hot, but i will be more appreciative of it, i promise...x

:: pictorial - chinese new year in the hague ::

this is especially for lancerlord, who still send a nice chinese new year email (albeit delayed this year since he didn't have internet access during the holiday period). xie xie!

and yes, i still have my annual chinese new year lunch next week at the mandarin oriental ;) and to collect my ang-pows from all the married friends and their parents...hahah.. x

:: oh no, they didn't just post my ugly face online ::

now i know what is like to see your photo in some party website and regretted that you didn't comb and not like a lump of shite...


note to self : next time, when you are totally in party high - do not allow anyone to take any photographs, especially since you do not know where it will end up and even worst if you are next to a stunning french beauty....

:: RIP Ah Meng ::

Ah Meng (1960 approximate - 2008)
photo: The Straits Times

THE Singapore Zoo's most famous and well-loved Orang Utan, Ah Meng has passed away on Friday due to old age. She was approximately 50 years old.

For many Singaporeans, the Singapore Zoo is synonymous with Ah Meng, the Sumatran orang utan. In 1971, Ah Meng was confiscated from a Chinese family which had illegally kept her as a pet.

I will miss you dearly, just when I have plans to visit the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari for my short home trip next week :`-(

You are more of a woman than many other local female 'celebrities' ....x

:: gong xi fa cai ::

it's been 3 years that i've not been celebrating chinese new year at home in singapore, and yes, i do miss it even though my family does not celebrate them per se.

somewhat, i am able to visit my chinese close friends, exchanging mandarin oranges with lots of prosperity and good health wishes, some snacks and packet drinks. it's simple really, no lunches and dinner.

in order to make it up, i'll be 'celebrating' here in the hague, where apparently there will be a red carpet (literally) to usher the year of the rat...maybe i'll put some photos here ;)

Gong Xi Fa Cai to all!

:: where is my iPhone, damn it! ::

come on, apple!

the iPhone release in asia was supposed to be in 1Q 2008, and according to my calendar 1Q is almost over. basket! knnccb....

instead, you released a 16GB iPhone and 32GB iPod touch today...damn you! i'm sick of waiting and i'll be poutin' and prancing with madonna's hung up and acting like a spoilt bitch....

f**k u, x

ps: sorry, but i don't do hacked phones....ever!

:: all will be revealed....tonight! ::

Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries solves Natalee Holloway Case, or will he?
The world awaits tonight...live at 9.30 pm dutch time on SBS 6.

This is doing to be so big that American ABC network has bought the broadcast rights of this report.

I'm getting excited......x