Guranteed 10% p.a. Dividend?

I was told by a friend that he just invested in a Malaysia investment plan which I think it's pretty suspicious....

From his rough explaination, it's kind of endownment (investment?) policy that required applicant to pay for regular amount of min $5-$10k per year for 6 years continuously and applicant can enjoy a guaranteed 10% dividend annually, principle is guaranteed too.

As far as I know on the investment or endownment plan in the market, none of it can guaranteed the principle with 10% interest annually. I still believe there isn't any free lunch in this world.

Is New Distance Fare Cheaper ??

For a only mrt as public transport user, is the new distance fare remain at same level or lower?

Take example of a mrt passenger board on Jurong East mrt station, the fare charges will be as per table below and the increase can be as high as 11.46%

Transportation Cost (New Distance Fare)

New distance fare will be implemented from 03/July, and the online fare calculator are now available at PublicTransport@SG.

After comparing my new transport fee, I'm not sure whether I should be happy or dissapointed...

Current Fare | Distance Fare |Changes | %
MRT Journey: $1.72 | $1.82 | + $0.10 | 5.81% |
Shuttle Bus btw Home & MRT: $0.19* | $0.02 | - $0.17 | - |
Total: $1.91 | $1.84 | - $0.07 | -3.66% |
* after $0.50 transfer rebate

By looking at the final figure, I should be happy and satisfied with the new fare system because I save $0.07 per journey to/from office. Assuming 2 trips a day and 20 working days a month, my monthly savings would be $2.80 which is equal a plate of mixed rice with 1 meat and 2 vege.

But the dark side of this fare to my case is, purely the fare for the mrt journey has been increase significant by 5.81%. if I opt for healthier way by walking to mrt station instead of taking shuttle bus, theoretically I will suffer an addition $4/month ($0.10 x 2 trips x 20 wd) on my transportation cost.

While transport company is suffering a loss in fare reduction in shuttle service, it has to make a higher profit in other ways to cover this small losses as fare for shuttle service become so low that i think it's hard to cover its cost. Alternatively, shuttle service frequencies may be reduced or worse been cancelled.

Spending Cut

I deactivated my auto roaming mobile phone service which subscription cost me $5.35/mth and use Pay-As-You-Roam with $0 subscription, even the roaming call charges is 20% higher than the previous choice.

I can use my existing JB mobile line to while I am in Malaysia.

Still thinking whether to deactivated my Caller ID to save another $5.35/mth... =)

Unjustified Price - Brown Rice

Brown rice is produced when only the outermost layer of a grain of rice (husk) is removed. While to produce white rice, the next layers underneath the husk are removed.

Since the less processing steps are required to produce brown rice, why the price of brown rice at the markets are almost double than the white rice?

Ways toward healthy diet could be in lower cost without the unjustified price hike.

Brown rice is a greener choice too, it's basically down to processing - the less processing of a food, the less energy required. I can't imagine how many processing steps (maybe chemical process?)are carried out before our bags of "shinning white" white rice are placed on sheves.

Voice Mail

I called a government department yesterday, it seems all the "hotline" will never get cold down...

"All our officers are engaged at the moment, please leave your message after the tune." ~ This is the standard message when no one entertaint me and I decided to leave a message, then i wait...

" *DUH*..." when i was about to speak, another automatic respond... "Sorry, the mail box is full." and the line get cut off...

What a quality service.

Workplace Organization Chart

Got this email from friend...

"When top level guys look down, they see only shit;
When bottom level guys look up,
they see only assholes..."

啊B, 我们挺你~

"人不聪明也就算了,还不勤劳努力向上"...

友人对B的评价听起来是那么的苛刻但却也让旁人无法不认同友人的看法. 而立之年已相距不远, 但是B给友人们的印象仍旧是似乎无法收拾起好玩的心,对于事业能更加专注,进而有所成就.

过去几年与B的接触,看到了B的努力,也看到B的进步,但是步伐似乎在近期放慢下来了!是学业上一再的打击让B踌躇不前, 还是安于现状让B放慢了脚步呢? 其实大家都在关心着.

啊B, 也许你有外人所不能理解的难处, 但是别忘了你还有我们这一班随时站出来挺你,帮助你的兄弟们!

还有,别老跟小美眉们出去哈拉废话大半天! hahaha... =)

Save Earth Save Pocket (2)

Unless the heat in the night become so unbreable for sleeping, we insist only use fan instead of on the heavy electricity consumption aircon (eventhough it's a 4 ticks convertor model). If 1 fan is not enough, consider 2. =)

Even during the warmest night, we set the timing for aircon to shut down at half of our sleeping journey and set the timer for our fan to turn on right after the time aircon is shut down.

With the 24 Hour Segment Timer, you can control multiple timing to switch an appliance on and off at the times set within a daily time period.

Transportation Cost

A new distance fare structure will be implemented in coming July, I still suspect whether we'll be benefit from the changes even it was told reported the fare will be reduced generally and the operators are suffering a lost on this changes.

It just a game play on figure, the authority can decide how to present it and come out the results as they wish.

My current transportation cost per journey to office is
MRT Journey to office $1.72
Shuttle Bus from Mrt station to home $0.69
Minus: Transfer Rebate $0.50
====================
Total $1.91
====================

*** Cross my finger and hope the coming changes won't affect my current budget.

Wild Life Lost

There was a unusual traffic jam on express way yesterday morning while we're on the way driving wifey to her first day final exam. We were so worried the jam might cause the late of her exam. Fortunetaly, traffic get smooth after the accident spot.

It was a huge animal lying on the road right behind a van, father-in-law was shouting "wow, that's a pig" and this accident became the topic around us until we read from the newspaper that the animal is actually a rare wild 'sambal' deer which though to be extinct in Singapore. The reason was not known on why the wild deer rush into the express way and get hit by the car.

It's exciting that wild deer still exist in such a modernised island where their habitat are almost invaded by human activities (even forest are occupied by militray training). It's a tradegy for the wild deer became roadkill yesterday, hopefully a strong signal is able to send to the public and the authority the important to conserve the wildelife habitat in Singapore.

There should be more 'sambal' deers hiding in the wild, and I pray hard there won't be any stupid human trying hunt them just for human's self-concern greed.

Recycle - Glass Bowl/ Rice Cooker/ Bags

Hi, I'm giving away the items below, drop me a email at gordon_bhliew@yahoo.com if you're interested, self collection at Woodlands mrt station.

1. Glass Bowl (I)
- diameter 13.5cm
- height 15cm


2. Glass Bowl (II)
- diameter 20.5cm
- height 14.5cm


3. Rice Cooker
- 6 litre with steaming tray


4.Unisex Casual Bag
- H 40cm x W 36cm


5. Travelling Toiletry Bag
- H 54cm x W 27cm(fully open up)

Working Life...

After a week of work, I think I'm still not get used to working life. I used to sleep at 11pm and wake up at 8am in the next morning, I did swim frequently about 9am in the morning after my braskfast and CNA programe. I prepared my own lunch with a combination of fried mixed vege with a little bit of meat. I left home for studying at the library in the afternoon till evening before head back home to prepare dinner for family again. I'm really enjoy these kind of life very very much...! I got so much time to think of my future plan, I don't need to q for getting any governmental matters done, I escaped from peak hour crowd while going for any appointments in town.

In working life, I leave home as early as 7am and I'm stucked in heavy traffic jam while on the way to office even though I'm luckily not the driver, it still takes me about 80 mins to reach office. I take my breakfast in the office while busying reply working related emails. I take my lunch at nearby hawker center which take about 10 mins walking distance under the sun and get back to office in shower sweat. What I'm eating for lunch and dinner are high msg, sugar, salty and oily unhealthy food (to me). I'll try to leave office on time in order to get back home by 730pm (public transportation time is about 90 mins). Journeys in the mrt are irritating and tiring, I'm basically a canned tuna before get out from the train.

I'm not complaining on what I'm doing right now as it takes time for me to adapt the changes. Fortunately, I have a thoughful, lovely wife which share the same dreams and we both are working hard to fulfil it. Keeping the minimal expenses and spending are the keys.

Bak Gua Warrior

It's less than a month toward Chinese New Year and my challenge is coming too... While the relatives were pampered with the branded bak gua last year, should I get up early morning again to q for the name and quality (only in Singapore) again? I'm still struggling... I'm worrying the expectation from relatives still stay at last year...

I read from the blog that a newly open bak gua retail shop name Kim Joo Guan which was told is the supplier of Lim Chee Guan for years has decided to sell its own bak gua to public recently.

I shall go down some of these days to test on the bak gua see whether the quality is similar to Lim Ghee Guan.

回家...

13.01.2010
在这里实习第二天啦! 基本上还算习惯, 公司规模并不是太大， 也没有讨厌的办公室政治，只希望能够尽快熟悉运作，接手部分的工作。

这几天都是住在老板的apartment 里头，还真的不能对马来西亚的apartment期望太大！电梯的楼层按钮得按13A楼，出来的时候lift lobby显示的却是13,但是这楼层的单位号码确是12楼的单位号码！“西北”混乱！每次都把我搞糊涂而去错楼层… =(

好想回家哦~

不值得的廉价

12.01.2010
9:55am的廉价航空公司航班飞往梳邦机场，既然是廉价航空嘛，就决定廉价到底！邻里短程巴士 – 地铁 （Woodlands – Cityhall – Tanah Merah – Airport T2 – Shuttle to Budget Terminal），看起来就是很复杂，但是还是决定试一试！

大清早6am起床7:11am踏出家门，准备到楼下乘搭短程巴士到去地铁，这也就是我恶梦的开始！等了10几分钟，巴士才慢慢的驶向已经人满为患的车站！巴士趟次不是应该更频繁吗？

好不容易到了地铁站，我这个“山龟”又被三条排队拿免费报纸的人群楞住了！三条队伍加起来足足有30公尺，何其壮观啊~ 回过神来，继续赶往月台搭地铁咯！在Cityhall转搭往机场方向的东西线后，路程算是完成一大半啦！原本就沾沾自喜的我在看到出口顶端的路线灯显示此列车将直接通往机场是更是乐翻了！应该不会有什么问题吧？指示等和广播都是明确提示列车是开往机场，应该不会错的！但是，当列车在离开Tanah Merah后竟然开往Simei! 指示灯也突然停止操作，广播也突然又车长口述前往Pasir Ris!怎么可以这样！晴天霹雳的我只好从Simei下车再往回搭，也耽误了将近20分钟…!!! 最后大约9:30am才到达廉价机场！也差赶不上班机！一趟小小的新加坡，也花了我将近2个半小时的时间！算了，以后还是花点钱搭德士吧！

重回牧场

11.01.2010

今天是咖哩小胖从回牧场的第一天，也是离开草原脱离吃草的日子的第一天！离开办公室生涯已经有14个月的我生活真的太不习惯啦！Official的工作时间是8:45am到5:45pm，虽然早上到办公室有岳父专车接送还得7am就出门，上班时间的交通特别繁忙，边堵边走也得将近8:15am才抵达工作地点！但是看在能够坐在车中舒舒服服的抵达而不需要赶巴士挤地铁也就忍耐着点吧！也许之前的工作地点的关系，一趟巴士就能直达公司，习惯了轻松舒适的上班方式，现在需要双倍的乘车时间，还真叫人吃不消！=(

办公室目前只有三人，总经理，业务助理还有财务。说好听点我就是这里的二把手咯！呵呵…(**臭美）没有啦！总公司在KL，目前正准备把KL的operation部门转移到新家坡来！办公室也即将装修扩充，并增聘员工。其实还蛮像当初刚加入前雇主是的情况！难道历史即将重演，又来个5年么？应该不会吧？！这回心中有数，希望慢慢筹划一步步迈向梦想！=)

下班回家的路途是心跳加速的，是精神紧绷的，是嫉妒疲倦的，也是令人气煞的！地铁人流的尖锋时段，已经习惯较慢生活节奏的我，似乎对周围上班族快速的步伐有点不知所措，人们不断从身旁擦肩‘呼啸’而过，渐渐的也不自觉的把步伐加快！

明天，办公室生涯的第二天，就得飞到KL总部接受培训，熟悉公司的运作并为接下来的交接做准备。一连4天的培训，也是婚后第一回离开wifey出远门，还真的舍不得neh~ :’(

老婆，老公不在时要照顾自己哦~

Save Earth Save Pocket (1)

I walk 25 minutes to swimming complex to swim, and walk back after that.

Saving: $0.69 x 2 = $1.38
Benefit: more exercse.

3Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

People nowsaday are getting more aware of the environmental issues, global warming has been mentioned almost everyday through all kind of media, it's a hot topic today. However, the number of people who really put those idea into action are insignificant.

Governments are putting more effort to educate the public how recycle is important in the saving our gaia. However, the golden rules of waste management has been generally neglected by the public. The golden rules of waste management means 3R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

The sequence is much much more important because wastage come from getting something which you not really need (not a must). You can directly reduce your wastage by not consuming any things that are more than your basic needs. Yet, this is contradicting to the economy development. The deveopment of the country's economy comes from the vast consumptions from the consumer, this create faster pace of business activities, the effects of dollar multiplier are created and boost the economy. It's not likely to strike a balance between economic growth and saving environment because governments cannot afford to ask the consumer stop buying as they are the key to the economic growth. That's why you can only see all advertisement on media trying very hard to lure the buying sentiment of consumers and not persuading you to stop buying.

To reduce, try to differentiate a MUST and a NEED. Eating is a must to give yourself enery, of course, not eating excessively. A collection of branded bags is just a need (not necessary most of the time) which can be replace by one or two decent, durable bag which suit most of the occasions. Remember, every single thing around you are actually extracted from our mother earth's resources, are you fully ultilise them as a must to you? Uderstand the difference ad you will greatly reduce your wastage at the front line.

Reuse is the 2nd stage to avoid resources wastage, you definitely having something that are not using and kept for years, and end up throwing away or for recycle. Share it with the rest who might need it while you're not. Join the SgFreeCycle Group, to give away things you don't need, meantime, you might get things you want for free instead paying for a new one.

Recycle is the final stage before wastage, it should be done last after Reduce and Reuse. How frequently do you clear your rubbish bin, I believe the answer is at least once very 2 days for most household, and definitely is carried by a PLASTIC BAG, do you know the amount of one year rubbish of a household are more than enough to fill up your bathroom. Think twice before throwing your rubbish, some of it can be recycle effectively. You cn actually dispose your recyclable items through National Recycle Program.

Remember, a dirty product cannot be recycled and can contaminated the rest of the products in the bin, take a few extra minuted to rinse out containers and clean off food scraps, to help ensure the recycling process is a success.

Play your part a member of earth, the earth can survive without us, but we can't survive without earth.

Intesting DVD:
Human Footprint, National Geograpic Channel, 2008
NLB Call Number: English 304.280973 HUM

Recycle - Scientific Calculator

Giving away my scientific calculation which was kept in my storeroom for years, still in working condition. Do drop me a email at gordon_bhliew@yahoo.com if you're interested. =)

CASIO fx-350TL