Polonium 210. Huh?

P/S - Hi! I'm back after being away with no and/or very expensive internet connection for about 2 weeks. Felt so handicapped...

P/S - Pic taken admist my solitude onboard of cruise along Strait of Malacca.

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I have learned a new term a few days ago.

Polonium 210 is a radioactive element usually used a trigger for a nuclear bomb. The smallest traces of this toxic poison would render major organ failures and thus death within hours upon consumption or being exposed to it. Can you be exposed to it? Yes, if you are very near to it or exposed to faeces, perspiration, saliva of the victim.

How did I get to know this?
An ex-Russian spy was killed by consuming Polonium 210 as reported over BBC on Saturday 25 Nov 2006. A first such murder in UK and possibly in many civilised worlds. It is alleged that he has been assassinated by Kremlin.

Why do I care?
I am saddened that the world has taken another step, backward.

For the first time in recent years, radioactive materials have been exposed to civilian population.

Imagine the disaster of London being exposed to a dirty bomb!!!

Who inspired me to blog?

The man I am listening to right now should be credited with my formal entry into the blogging word.

I had to be coerced by a dear friend to blog about a year and a half ago. But I couldn't ask myself to express in words for world to see. In those days, I only see blogs where individuals poured their life. It was just a digital diary to many individuals then.

Until this man here demonstrated to me the real potential of blogging. I made a mistake in trying to build a website which had cost me too much time. Thank goodness that effort broke down and somehow went into the blogging world.

Blogging has given all of us a voice, especially to Edgar. The technology is here in my hand. I am blogging with my phone right now. The blogs have encouraged me to open my eyes to events occurring around me to provide the materials to write on my blogs.

The world is changing. And changing rapidly.

"My friends, be involved, quickly and responsibly", I urge you.

Watching football is going to be more expensive!!

In Hong Kong, PCCW bought the broadcasting rights to English Premier League matches for 2007-8. PCCW beat iCable, the incumbent broadcaster, to the deal.

How much?
The Standard newspaper this week quoted unnamed sources as saying the price tag was actually HK$1.56 billion (about $300mio). To give you an idea of the rate of increase, the right was acquired at the price of HK$800mio back in 2004. Almost doubled in 3 years!!!

The cable TV market in Hong Kong is significantly larger than Singapore. PCCW has 650,000 subscribers while iCable, 770,000.


In Singapore, the same broadcasting rights will be contested by Singtel and the incumbent operator, Starhub.

I don't hate animals !!!

Not unless they are "manufactured" as consumer products placed for sale in pet shops.

"Manufactured" means artificially breed to the colour, shape and size to be adored by human beings for profit.

I respect fellow animals and their rights to their domain. But we are intruding into their homes.

Can you imagine human beings spending tons of monies preping their pets eg. shampoo, food and even clothes while millions of other human beings die of hunger and thirst elsewhere?

While I understand that some old or lonely people may need pets as a cure to their emotional void, who else and why do you need pets?

During my ignorant youth, a rabbit and many fishes died in my hands.
I said to myself, "No more."

Are coffee shops for human?

Are interaction with pets reducing the barrier for disease transmission?

Sigh...

Impending tidal waves!!!

Yes, 7% GST is coming !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What will you be buying soon to avoid the 2% higher cost to be borne for the poor consumers like us?

My shopping list:-
- a pair of working shoes
- pants
- socks
- etc

What's yours?

7% GST for Singapore has been announced!

Today in parliament by PM Lee.

Why?

• It is better now when in good times.

There will be a comprehensive compensating package. What is it?

Lookout for Budget Speech in 15 Feb 2007! (a week before Chinese New Year?)

So accounting software developers, students of Jul 2007's batch of ACCA Paper 2.3 and Paper 3.2, retailers, wholesalers and whoever else dealing with GST, IT IS COMING !!!!!

ESPN, please change the design

May I appeal to those guys at ESPN working on EPL programming , to change the design thingy on the top left corner of the screen?

I don't know what the design is intended to be but it is occupying precious screen space.

I want to see more of the football game, the players and the ball, of course.

I thought a larger TV would help, but your design thingy just got bigger.

If it is not contributing to your branding effort, please redesign it.

Much appreciated.

Singtel got to wait for now!

My broadband contract is expiring next month. Singtel has been attempting to get me to recontract through their call centre and today, a sales promo letter.

Why am I hesitating?

• I am not too sure of what the wireless network all over Singapore, to be ready next year, would be for me.
• But I am sure that the prices of broadband would drop, since more than a year ago. Thus my decision then to keep the contract term short despite the heavy promo at that point in time to encourage consumers to sign long term contract.

What am I going to do now?
Wait for the coming computer fair in early December!

A Short Reprieve

I was at this place last evening looking for a reprieve from WORK and traffic jam from the Bull Run and the welcome rain. There were so many human beings and cars.

I finally sat myself down on this comfy sofa with a book and a glass of wine. For those who know and had drank with me, I do cherish a good glass of white wine.

While my official classes have ended for this term, I feel the babies are not delivered until the exam results are out. Thus for those students of mine who have supported me in class, it is time you support yourself by getting that good results.

Take care ...

Curry puff de parfume

Dear friends,

Do you notice that you smell of food after walking near the small little food shops hawking a lot of fried stuff sprouting out at ground level of shopping malls?

I avoid walking along the covered pedestrain walkway of this particular mall in Tampines. Hmmm... I wonder where the smell comes from. As I look around, I see the exhaust outlets just above my head attempting to bellow the fumes of fried bread, fried prawn, fried fish ball etc etc towards the roads but were instead blown back towards the poor souls like me walking along the walkway . See picture for an idea.

The property owners have transformed areas originally not designed for food outlets into food outlets.

Should we insist that these property owners use more of the rental income collected for a better solution?

I hope this will help to raise awareness for you and I don't have to say this to you, "Hei! Are you using the new curry puff de parfume?"

If I were a woman...

...I will stand up for my "toileting" right.

If you visit shopping malls, exhibitions, any public events etc, chances are you will see queues snaking out of Female toilets.

This is a phenomenon that is explainable. There is a mismatch between the number of "stations" available to do "business" and the time needed to do the "business" for the respective sex.

What are the possible solutions?
- convert existing some male toilets to female's for existing buildings
- ensure more female architects leading projects for new buildings

I have observed a commercial school with a significantly larger female student proportion taking the initiative to convert some male toilets. Guess who?

My colleague made this interesting remark:-
"In a golf course, you need more space for men. In a shopping centre, you need more space for women.

Golf courses have "toilet/washroom/changing room" space in the ratio of 70/30 for men to women.

So, shopping centres can consider 30/70 for men/women."

If only I were a woman... sigh...

To Ambassador of Indonesia in Singapore with due respect

This is my imaginary letter to the Ambassador of Indonesia in Singapore.

Dear Sir,
It is after many clearing of my throats and seeing others falling sick due to the haze before I decided to write to you.

It is an annual unfortunate incident and yet misunderstood or even under-understood by many friends and foes outside Indonesia.

It is unfortunate for the following reasons:-

• many thousands of Indonesians and other residents in the neighbouring states will have some sort of diminished long term health situations;
• a few may been aggravated to death by the haze;
• loss of goodwill to Indonesia and SEA to the rest of world;
• consequently translate to economic loss in tourism, etc etc;
• Earth's eventual demise is further hastened by this systematic rape of nature;
• blah.. blah ... blah ...

Yet I understand the necessities of the action of those who need to do it.

The World did not cry foul when the West exploited their natural resources for economic prosperity. We were at the infancy state of awareness of the potential damage to environment. Some may still be ignorant today but some of us are now awake.

Is there light at the end of tunnel? As suggested by some think tanks, perhaps the First World countries can adopt the green forests in 3rd World countries through annual grants to encourage preservation.

Indonesia could then be the largest exporter of fresh, clean air to the World.

Hurry! Before we all choke to death.

Yours humbly,

Edgar Wong (cough! cough!)

Some Questions you should never ask

"If you could date one of my friends/colleagues, who would it be?"

"Do I look fat?"

"How do I compare with your past boyfriends (or girlfriends)?"

Go have a good read at page 28 of ST 22 Oct 2006.

What my web-hosting company is telling me

Dear Friends,

I wish to share my experience on my renewal of domain name through a web hosting provider. The provider is appointed by SGNIC.

My intention was to renew for one year.

At about 10.30pm on May 31, 2006, I proceeded to renew my registration for one year for $44 online through the provider's website. As there was apparently no response nor acknowledgement, I proceeded to redo the submission about 2 hours later.

When I received my credit bill showing two charges of $44 each, I seek a refund for $44 on July 7, 2006. The basis for refund is for a service yet to be provided in 2007.

Here is their response on July 12, 2006, I quote,
"We regret to inform you that we are unable to refund the entire amount that you have requested as the renewal is done at the registrar database with SGNIC however we can help you to refund back $5 on your card which is the difference when you renew the domain name for 2 years once."

When the matter was brought to SGNIC's attention on July 21, 2006, I am given the impression that SGNIC's automated system of registrations and renewals of domain names is too rigid to facilitate amendment and adjustment. Has good sense been relegated behind computer systems?

I seek the relevant authorities to review the matters.