Lumix TZ15

Did the Southern Ridges walk on Sat with a few buddies. Would post photos up on Facebook, but %!@&^$!@ FB is not allowing me too!

But I heart my new Panasonic with its 10x optical zoom. I show you why.

This is a plain old boring Durian tree

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This is the same tree, with a Plaintain Squirrel eating the fruit! 10x rocks! =)

Sick =)

Super Hero Sex

This post is rated NC-16. If you are younger than 16, read at your own risk. The author takes no responsibility for any fallout from the reading of this article.

There was a post here about sexually frustrated super heros.

It was inspired by the summer blockbusters, the Hulk and Hancock. In the film, Bruce Banner tries to get frisky with Liv Tyler (yummy!) but has to stop cos he as his heart rate accelerated, he began to turn green. Hancock in the film had to pull out at the last moment cos his shots came out at such a velocity that it blew holes in the ceiling.

The article got me thinking. Which super heroes would not be able to have sex (due to the lack of equipment or otherwise) / which ones would have kinky sex / and which ones would it be just wrong to do it with?

My list as follows:

Unable

The Thing – lack of equipment, or it would be just wrong, cos his “thing” should be made of rock. But then again, it would be “rock-hard”. Ok, puns should stop.

Rouge – cos she would literally, suck the life outta ya.

Superman – would he be the equivalent to Hancock? Might just blow your mind when he comes. Hurhur…

Kinky

Jean Grey / Prof Xavier – Psychokinesis. Kinky. ‘nuff said. =)

Mr Fantastic – ability to expand body parts at will? Hurhur.

Spiderman – he can do it on walls and other horizontal positions, and make a swing using his web. =P

Wrong

The Beast / Nightcrawler – they have fur. Err… beastality is a bit wrong, no?

The list is not exhaustive. And I have not included Super villains like the Abomination (ew…), Rhino (polymer covered) and Omega Red (metal covered), Sandman (like Mr Fantastic. Who else do you think we could add to the list?

Monday Laughs

Scrap Rates

I asked, hence I know. What would you get if you sold...

1 kg of:

Newspapers / books / shredded paper = 23 c

Cardboard / boxes / packing material = 19 c

Scrap metal (any) = 50 c

You can sell old clothes (but not rags), old electrical appliances, plastic as well...

A Sign of the Times?

There is a karang-guni collection centre in the industrial park where I work. Well, calling it a “centre” is stretching it. It is set up at a corner of a t-junction, and all manner of paper, plastic and scrap metal sit on wooden pallets line the pavements.

As you can imagine, a bulk of the “sellers” are old people who pick up all manner of recyclables to sell for sustenance. When you see how old some of these people are, really, it really tugs at your heartstrings. But I do applaud them, for their tenacity.

They push bicycles / trolleys full of stuff gathered from who-knows-where and slowly make their way to the collection centre. The record height of one of these trolleys was 1 storey high, pushed along by an old man in a tattered wife-beater and worn slippers.

But lately, a new breed of “sellers” have emerged. They are usually in their 30s or 40s, young, fit and brutal. They have obtained their own “not so old” trolleys and usually go after the “higher value” items like scrap metal. I have seen metal gates, hand rails, and mountains of aluminium scrap on 1 single trolley. This new breed is predominantly mainland Chinese. They appear to be cooks employed in the central kitchens nearby, and prowl the industrial estate and the nearby private estates for scrap. I have seen several of them diving into the recycling bins placed outside our houses and taking things of value from it.

I guess there is no right or wrong here. And in times like these, survival of the fittest means all that is necessary needs to be done. However, I cannot help but wonder a) how would the old people survive in times of competition? b) is it right for them to raid our recycling bins? c) some of the stuff sold look so new that there was no way LTA / NEA / some dude would have thrown out. Who regulates whether this “scrap” was indeed stolen? d) how much are these Chinese nationals being paid? Is it reasonable to believe that they are not being paid enough and need to supplement their income by collecting scrap?

Hilarious Price of Oil Jokes II

Hilarious Price of Oil Jokes I

Inflation Across the Causeway

I was across the Causeway with my family over the weekend. I would like to make it clear that this trip was not to exploit the favourable exchange rate and government subsidies, but was in search of things that we are unable to find in Singapore. (Malaysians hold on to slightly more traditions than Singapore, and my mom was there looking for some traditional items for my brother’s upcoming nuptials)

We crossed in Malaysia via the Causeway. One would immediately notice the reduced traffic on it. It appears that not as many Singaporeans are heading up north, and we were across both checkpoints in 45 mins. This was mainly due to the stringent Mas checks on the Singapore end. There was no jam on the Causeway, and we cleared Malaysian customs almost immediately.

There was less traffic on the Malaysian roads. With the price of petrol these days, I think a lot less Malaysians are out and about. This was the same situation in the shopping centre we visited. Less Singaporeans, and a lot of empty parking lots. Petrol stations were empty. Imagine that!

Prices of food did not appear to have increased a lot unless one eats in a restaurant, and on the upside, prices of some “good-to-have but not essential” items had actually dropped.

We crossed the Causeway back into Singapore at 5.30. On the opposite side, we could see less cars entering JB for seafood. We crossed the Causeway back into Singapore in 20 mins.

I worry for our neighbours, cos the signs of a economy slow down are already there. With JB’s economy so dependent on Singapore, our reduced spending there will have a big impact on their local economy.

Some would say, hey, that is good! Singaporeans should spend money in Singapore and not lose forex into Malaysia. My reply would be that our stability is very much dependent on our neighbours’ stabilities. So, it will not do us any good if we have a listing economy across the Causeway. Next thing you know, exports of food to Singapore will be cut to drive prices down in Malaysia.

Do something BN! Tax Petronas and CPO producers! And please please, don’t go and do silly things like allow your civil servants to moonlight, or be a guarantor for housing loans for the poor. tsk.

Thoughts - Inflation vs Emotions vs Context

Inspired by a true experience.

In the light of Singapore’s record inflation, hawkers have taken to raising prices. The minimum order for food has increased by at least 50 cents, and the smallest order is now at least $2.50.

So there I was, in a coffee shop, eating my $3.50 bowl of porridge when I overhear a conversation between a hawker and a customer.

The customer was negotiating. I think he only had $2, and wanted to order some chicken rice. The hawker was being polite and said that $2 will get him very little chicken. The customer was resigned to that, but was trying to get the hawker to throw in some pieces of the breast bone. (it is de-boned chicken rice, and there will always be some meat left on it)

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Think about this.

If I had told you that the customer was an old man in his seventies, dishevelled, his skin wrinkled and his back hunched – a result of his hard life. What would your reaction be?

But if it was a young teenager, no older than 18 years of age, in a branded t-shirt, and complete with earlobe expanders in his ears, would you feel less sorry for him?

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Inflation is affecting all our lives. But some more than the others.

Socially Irresponsible

Most of us will agree that some drivers of large, pricey cars feel that they own the road, or in fact, have some"special" privilege considering that they pay much more for road tax for the use of the public roads. This results in them being complete asses on the road - driving between 2 lanes, parking irresponsibly, changing lanes on a whim without due regard for other road users, etc.

A prime example of one such driver above. The sonofamother parked his BMW740Li across the entrance to the parking lots at Serangoon Gardens.

Such socially irresponsible behaviour confirms that we have some way to go to achieving first world country status. =(

Confusing

Confusing handwritten sign. Taken at Filmgarde @ Kallang Leisure Park

Poor Malaysians

With the removal of subsidies for fuel in Malaysia, I pity the poor (literally) Malaysians who will definitely bear the brunt of the price hike.

Even the my middle-income friends will not be spared as the price of everything will definitely rise.
And now, to worry about unrest in M'sia.

Shall we take bets on when the U-turn will be? =P

P.S. Think about it, if they are removing the "subsidies" for petrol, why are they still banning Singaporeans and Thais from buying?

addendum: Border petrol stations are open to foreign cars buying already. At RM$2.70 a litre, and exchange rate of SGD$1 = RM$2.23... do the math.

Kissing and Hugging

It is my opinion that drunk persons tend to kiss and hug a lot more.

Is it due to the lowering of inhibitions? Or is society today too deprived of affection?

Whatever the case, it can get kinda gross. =P