Integrity

in.teg.ri.ty ( P ) (n-tgr-t)
Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.

Suddenly, I find this quality is important to everyone. Integrity. No matter what you do, you must have a clear conscience. Let your conscience be your guide.

A few years back when I was taking the bus, I overheard a conversation between a mum and her son. The mother was telling the son that if she forgot to top-up his EZ-Link card, just tell the driver nicely that and the driver might give him a free ride. Then the son reply, "so good? Then why not I everytime say I no money, then everytime can get free ride!". The mother immediately react, "no. If we have money, means we have money. Don't fake that we have no money."

Yea, pardon my poor story telling. I'm not good at telling stories. The mother is just trying to teach her son to live to his conscience clear without guilt. Ever since that, I have been telling myself that too. Whichever thing I do, I must be proud of it and have a sense of integrity. Don't you agree?

So, before you do something. Ask yourself, is what you are doing right? Are you shameful of it? Do you feel guilty? Is your conscience clear?

The big I word: Integrity.

Can Singaporeans handle emergency?

I don't think so.

A few weeks back my mother told me that she met a MRT accident. Or incident. A lady in her 40s got her hand stuck in the train while her body is outside. This happen because she is trying to rush into the train when the train's door is closing. (See? This is what happen if you try to do thing at last minute.)

So, there she is, standing on the platform with her hands got clamped by the door. Some screamed, some stare at the hand at loss, some acting like nothing has happened and continue reading the newspaper, some try to help.

Help? What help? A middle-age uncle tried to communicate with the MRT driver through the emergency button but he has no idea how to use it. I think most people in the train did not use the stupid red button before. Is it just press and talk? Where is the microphone to speak to? Do we need to hold the red button? Will I get fine since this isn't a big issue? Will I get stare from other passengers?

See? We aren't capable of handling emergency cases. Are we taught on this in school? Do you know how to use the hammer at SBS buses in case there is emergency? Just take and smash? We did not have enough teaching (hands-on experience) regarding this.

Although there is regular Civil Defense exercise, do we actually give a damn about it? We would just listen to the siren and says "it's here", "it's over". We don't even bother to do anything extra. Without experience, we don't learn.

Me? I guess I would be at lost when some emergency happen. I will just hide in a corner not knowing what I can do.

Singaporeans, wake up!

Breath in clean air!

Singapore has the cleanest air compared to other developed country. Our air standard is closely monitored and serious air pollution is punishable by law.

Every morning when I wake up, walk to the door and take a deep breathe. *breaths in* My mind don't feel refreshed. No pure oxygen to freshen my mind and body. I consume car gas, dirt particle from the construction site and second-hand smoke. Is Singapore really clean?

In an effort to clean up Singapore's air and protect the non-smoker from second-hand smoke, an islandwide anti-smoking campaign is launched. It's more of a law than a campaign. A few months back, smoking is ban in all bus interchange with poster everywhere reminding smoker. Coming next month (July 2006), smoking in coffee-shop and hawker center will be ban too!

That's really good news for me. One reason why my brothers and I dread going to coffee shop for meal is because of the second-hand smoke from hardcore smoker. I wonder how do they smoke and eat at the same time.

Of course, only "42 of 117 hawker centers islandwide have chosen to go completely smoke-free". Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060616/5/singapore213967.html (Yahoo! news). The remaining 75 hawker centers will have a designated smoking area of not more than 10% of the indoor space. I'm not a smoker so I don't know if this is good news or bad.

Overall, I think smoker will start complaining. "What? Smoking also need to go smoking area?" "This coffee shop no smoking area?" Smokers, read this. If you want to smoke, go somewhere else to smoke. Hawker center is a place for everyone to eat and drink. Don't inject other people with your filthy smoke. Spare a thought for the others (non-smokers). Don't be selfish.

Same those to the idiots smoker at bus-stop. In case you don't know, bus-stop is also considered as a NO SMOKING outlet under the law. So, please stop contaminating the air and our lungs with your smoke.

As for the non-smokers, cheers! We can finally breath in clean air!

Gamble

xcode's theory: Gambling never wins.

After some research, if you buy $2 ($1 big $1 small) on 4D and it strikes the first prize, you will be rewarded with $6000! Think that's alot? Think again.

Chances of striking first prize in 4D is 1 out of 10,000 (0000 to 9999). So, let's do the mathematics. Each time you pay $2 for 4D, 10,000 times would cost you $20,000. Win one only gives you $6,000. That means you still lose $14,000.

Okay, I know that is just an probability calculation which is not at all accurate. Some people can forever strike first prize, some people never strike first prize till the day they are dead.

It all boils down to luck. If you are lucky (or unlucky), you will get it. If not, no matter who keep the ticket for you (yes, talking about Cindy), the result will be the same.

Superstitious is always an issue in gambling. Praying to the dead or wearing red underwear don't help. Winning numbers are randomly generated by the computer system. All is fair (in Singapore).

Point of this topic: Gambler never wins.

Credits: Wee Khiang (for helping me calculating the odds) and Joy (for talking alot of gambling nonsense to me even I don't really listen).

na de qi, fang de xia

I just want to forcus on the first 6 words, which is my blog title too. It means when you have something, prepare to lose it too. Whatever bad things may happen, think on the bright side.

Sounds easy huh?

(NO! The above are not the criteria I'm looking for in my future girlfriend.)

Been reading my friend's blog for a few weeks already. He's sad that his girlfriend has become his ex-girlfriend. I didn't ask much, I don't like to ask too much about other people's sad thing. What I want to say is, since this is the outcome, accept it. Not everything is easy to accept but life still has to go on isn't it?

Same goes to my guildmate (in MapleStory). We all know you love her and you are really committed. The relationship ended due to some unexpected reason. There's nothing you can do. Accept it or work for it? We already advised you. Go.

Don't abuse your life. "Life is wonderful, without it you would be dead". How much agreement can you not have? Ya, this is not a phrase by me, I didn't invent it.

When you have something, prepare to give it up. Afterall, "we are all born naked, wet and hungry". (This is a phrase by some famous people, I forgot the name.)

Life is full of ups and downs. I know you heard of this stupid phrase alot of times but I still want to say again, life is full of ups and downs. It's never smooth sailing. Just like when you are a baby, you will stand up and try to walk again when you fall down. (If not, you won't be walking now.)

I think my point is already very clear. No summary needed.

Ponder through it.

Taxi drivers, please slow down

Taxi, the most luxurious and expensive public transport (not including water taxi, aeroplane and rocket).

I'm not really a fan of taxi. I only take taxi when I'm late or I'm tired of waiting for bus. Reason for me avoiding is that the cost is too high. One simple ride from my house to school cost $4+! That is higher than my total daily bus trip for one week!

Another reason is that most taxi drivers have the "Initial D" attitude. No, not because they like to drift around corners. It's because they like to drive very fast and recklessly sometimes. Once, on my taxi ride to Tampines Mall, the taxi driver just speed past the traffic light when the light is obviously RED! I feel like telling him, "Uncle relax, I'm not rushing for time." I don't dare to say because he looks fierce. LOL.

To them, time is money. They don't like to wait unless they are tired.

Maybe I'm just unlucky, most of my taxi ride are as thrilling as dead. I got the feeling "oh-no-dead" whenever I got a taxi ride.

Taxi drivers, please slow down and relax. We will tell you to go faster if we are rushing for time. Luckily I'm still young. I can't imagine if it were for my grandma.

Flag day

Flag day is NOT a day where everyone gathers around to show off their flag. It's NOT a public holiday neither. Flag day is a day when students gathered outside trying to do community work for an organization. Students can also earn CIP (Community Involvement Project) hours from it; a minimum of 6 hours is needed every year as part of the academic requirement.

This morning I saw a flock of students queuing up outside Tampines MRT station waiting to collect their tin and stickers to start the donation drive. I make it sounds as if those students are really excited about it.

My youngest brother always complain to me about how he hate such events. It's only a waste of time. He confessed that he will just laze around at some shopping mall or even come back home to play computer during the period which he is suppose to be pleading the public for donations under the scorching sun. Maybe he's right, those donations that they worked their sweat for maybe don't even benefit the intended.

I think that's the thinking of the majority of the students too. I saw them sitting around in group chatting, waiting for time to past. Guess all they want is the CIP hours.

What if those charity organization really needs the money? Not all charity organizations are managed by TT right? Volunteers also woke up early in the morning, getting everything ready, hoping to raise some money for the organisation. Yet students don't appreciate it.

Don't know. Would you work hard for the donation or just slack around? What would your mind be thinking? Scam or truth?

One more thing. I saw them giving out $2 to each student together with the donation tin and stickers. WOW! Helping out with donation can get $2?! What a good deal. That time during my secondary school days, we don't even have such benefits. Curious on what is the $2 for, I went to ask one of the students. "It's for us to buy drinks." Oh, refreshment money. Nowadays flag day is so good.

Whether 100% of the money collected will go to the needy or not, it's not important. What important is that you know that part of the money which you raised will go into helping the needy. Even if it's only 10%, it's still something. A short effort goes a long way.

Some pictures to spice this boring post up (yeah, I rarely post pictures):


Students queuing up to collect their donation tins and stickers (and the $2).


Students gather up in group to slack around instead of going around asking for donations.

2 pictures only. Minor credits: Joy (for helping me upload the pictures)

Please don't die

Pig is perhaps the most intelligent animal because they are lazy. They know that they will be butchered anytime to make food for human so they just laze around doing nothing. That's my what primary school teacher told me.

Maybe it's true. Pigs are born to be dead. But this is not the case for human. We are not born to be dead. No one is born to be dead.

The newspaper yesterday prompt me to write this entry. Article link: http://www.tnp.sg/news/story/0,4136,107511-1149112740,00.html? Why did he had to die? He's still so young. I know that asking this stupid question is making me stupid. I just hate to see death. I guess no one likes it too.

Eariler this week, heard another sad news. Cindy's grandma passed away. Can't help feeling sad again. Maybe it's good, Joy says. Joy says that Cindy's grandma has been suffering from illness. Maybe it's good that she's dead. I don't know. The only thing I know is that no one deserves to be dead.

Since last week, my grandma is feeling giddy too. Yes, she got high blood pressure. Everyone in the family is getting tensed up over it. Me too. Hope she can get well soon. My unreasonable request: I wish for my grandma to be able to look after my children for me.

To whoever who's living: please don't die.