I remember watching this nice movie Pay It Forward back in around year 2000. It's about a boy who has helped a lot of people and asked them to pay it forward, to help 3 more people, instead of paying him back. I like the story, and it's quite touching.

Now, Singapore also have a pay it forward culture. But it's not as nice as the culture in the film. When someone do something back to you and run away, you do the same thing to other people next time. When your car in the parking lot is scratched by other cars, next time when you scratched other cars, run away. When you misplaced your phone, and call back and fins that it's been switched off, when you find a phone next time, just switch it off, take out the sim card and put in yours.

I've heard many a times. "When I lost my phone, they never return me what". "My car also kena scratched by others what". What bullshit. I would thought that since yours was taken by other people, you should know the anguish and not cause it to other people. We are such a sorry bunch of people. So selfish and myopic.


fyi: I just lost my old T610i. Left it in the 4D shop, and the guy who found it happily pocketed it and switched off my phone immediately.

Much has been said about Minister Lim Hng Kiang and his reponse to the issue of high inflation rate in recent times. Please refer to the views of experts for more info, while I try to provide some background information here before I give my 2 cents worth.

The cost of living has been increasing, and when questioned about it, Mr Lim said

Switching to cheaper products can reduce the cost of living despite a rise in the CPI

As many have said, switching to cheaper products doesn't reduce the cost of living. It reduces the standard of living, which cost less to maintain. If I used to live in 5 room flat, and I changed to a 3 room, it cost less for me, but my standard of living is lower. Same if I used to eat at meat with rice, I can switch to beansprouts with porridge.

What I am disturbed about is this, isn't it the government's duty to increase the standard of living for the citizens? Why are we paying our ministers a world-class ministerial salary to tell us to lower our standard of living?

I've been thinking. I like Steven Gerrard. He gives his all for Liverpool. He put in maximum effort, he drives the team forward when the going is bad. He scores goals. But I think he is a luxury. Not that I am looking to sell him, I am just voicing an observation. I don't have the figures to back me up on this I am too lazy to do the research, so if anyone can show me figures to refute or support my claims, I will be happy.

I seem to remember that when Steven Gerrard doesn't play, we don't really miss him. We still win games. For all his telling contributions when he plays, there's no big holes to plug when he doesn't. Alonso didn't play, and Liverpool midfield are holding badly. Especially when Agger is out as well. In the Arsenal game, we started losing the plot when Alonso was substituted. In the Everton game, we won it after Steven Gerrard was substituted. I am not saying we won because he's substituted. But that his absence to not weaken us.

This leads me to the conclusion that Gerrard did the spectacular things well. And hence his contributions are very important when he plays. But if he is not around, we are able to cope with no problem because our basic foundation is good. But Alonso does the basic things for us very well. So when he's not around, the team crumbles, or at least stutter. So that makes Gerrard a luxury. Good to have around, but won't miss too much when we don't have it.

If your loved one is sniffing drugs, you would try your best to stop him right? Or if you have a brother having an affair with a married woman, you would probably try to talk him out of it. Or if you have a sister who are spending all her salary every month on a jobless boyfriend for the past 3 years, you would also try to get her to leave him right?

The answer probably yes to most people you ask. Why? Because when we see our loved ones do something wrong, we would want to help them. To pull them out of the hole they dug for themselves. The question is, are we really right when we think we are right? When do we cross the line from being in the best interest to being over bearing? When do giving our loved ones freedom become neglect?

I've known girls who forbids their boyfriends from smoking and drinking. Half of us here will agree with them, while the other half will say that they are being overbearing. Their boyfriends are old enough to make such decisions for themselves. I am sure there are people who forbid their s.o. from eating oily or unhealthy food. Is that being caring or overbearing? There are a lot of Singaporeans who complains that our government are too overbearing.

The thing is, everybody have different values. It will be good if our loved ones share the same values as us. But if it's different, how are we going to handle it? I am more for letting the individual make their own decisions. What we should do is to advice and make our points heard, and yet support them if they insists on having their way. To be ready to give them a helping hand when things get out of control. Either that, or leave them.

I went to Lunar pub last night. I like the place. You can pay $388 for membership. 1 of the benefits is that they will give you 2 bottles of whiskey or brandy, but you have to consume them within a month. In addition, you don't have to pay cover charges, and you are entitled to 10% discounts. It sounds like a good deal and i signed up. Then I realize that unfinished bottles can only be consumed on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday... And I still have 1.5 bottles left there.......

Kids with special needs needs permission to go NTUC

Follow the link below to read the article. This is really ridiculous. I would like to see the executive make a public apologies to the students. Fat hope.

Link