Back to old age.

A shirt from New Urban Male, taken at Wheelock Place.

This is an example that the chauvinistic male lives on… perpetuating that women are treated like objects with a certain lack of respect.

Of course some people say, take it as a joke don’t be so straight-laced! Now, is it funny to you? You laugh because… it’s true? Or because you think it’s funny that women are being ‘recycled’?

I always tell Mr E.B the same thing. When jokes aren’t funny, it’s not worth cracking and sign off with, “I’m just joking!”

Filed under: Ramble , new urban male, shirt, singapore

$310 million to build city harvest- self glory?

Let me be upfront about my religious orientation. I believe in God and I don’t think there’s any problem with feeling proud about your religion and glorifying it. What I don’t agree with or believe in is the self indulgence. of extravagant spending.

What truly angers me is this:
If you see a handicapped musician playing in the underpass, do you stop by to donate your change to them? Your answer is more often than not, no.
Now, imagine all the commuters passing this man, there is a huge chance a couple of these commuters are from city harvest. What are the chances of them donating?

Now, pray tell the difference between having the grandest church through donations and aiding the poor and under privileged for 1/3 the amount or less.

Self glory for a grand church on a pretext of a loving and kind religion? Don’t even claim it as that because its just offensive.

Filed under: Uncategorized

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Filed under: life

How can a food lover be fasting?

Today is day  1 of my ridiculous challenge.

Fasting for 3 days in the name of detox. It’s the Neera Detox plan.

It’s now 3:20pm and I haven’t had anything to eat yet. Not for another 2 more days! How can I do it? I am already fighting the urge to want to eat delicious food.

Here are the ingredients:

Filed under: Health and food

Consumer rights in SG: NONE

6 Months ago, my family decided to purchase a car from a parallel importer at a road show. It was our first parallel import car and considering its publicized credentials, we have gone ahead with an immediate deposit for the car.

The delivery date was to be two months after and COE price is guaranteed for, with no top-up costs.

6 Months later, we have no car, we’ve been through ‘war’ fighting for our money back from the parallel importer who have now dishonoured their agreement and wants us to top up several thousands for a COE which was already guaranteed for (in our contract), and to get our $30,000 back (in deposit and second payment), we have to engage a lawyer as the small claims tribunal will not entertain us.

With the lawyer’s letter, the importer now says he wants $5,000 compensation from us- and it seems outrageous that a retailer who have taken $30,000+ in deposit, dishonour their agreement, is now asking for compensation.

We have gone to see our resident MP, made a statement with the police, and now, to the lawyers because apparently CASE (Consumer Association of Singapore) can only blacklist them and cannot help us out. Also, if you go to the CASE website, this is what it says:

Online Submission (For online complaints)

Case Submission All applications must be accompanied by relevant documents such as receipts, agreements, credit card slips, letters, etc. As we are an Association, a consumer needs to join us as a member for us to handle a case. Membership Fees

 

No. Type of Membership Amount 1. Life $400 2. Family $30 per annum 3. Ordinary/Single $25 per annum

 

If a case is taken up by a CASE Officer an administration fee is charged according to the claims. Please let our officers know if you are: - Working for a company that is a CASE Corresponding Member; - You are a member of a Trade Union or Association that happens to be a CASE Institutional Member; - You have a Insurance Policy from NTUC Income; In the above, your membership fee will be waived and you only have to pay the administration charges. Administration Charges

 

No.	Range of Claims	Admin Fees
1.	Below $5,000	$10
2.	$5,000 to $10,000	$20
3.	$10,001 to $20,000	$50
4.	$50

Even the car importer is not afraid of law enforcers and says, “Go ahead and go to the police.”

As ordinary citizens of Singapore like ourselves, we find ourselves caught in an unnecessary ‘civil’ battle with an unscrupulous dealer, who is still operating legally and there is virtually nothing we can do about but engage a lawyer to help us, who will prove to be pricey.

My question now is, could this have been prevented with stricter laws on businesses as such? Have many Singaporeans like us, simply gave in to a nominal ‘compensation’ to solve the arduous battle against an unscrupulous dealer? What if we could not have afforded a lawyer and between paying $5,000 and risk losing our $30,000, we have given them the money with no valid reason? Is this our only solution: To pay an unscrupulous man to get your money back or to pay to hire a lawyer to get your money back? Essentially, everything is money. Even going to small claims and CASE, there are a thousand and one ‘admin’ fee to be charged. You are being punished for allowing a business system that approves the legitimacy of companies that practices con jobs under pretense of a proper business.

Where does the government/gatekeepers step in to protect their people?

The latest update as of today is that the lawyers have been trying to track these car dealers down to submit the lawyer’s letter. It seems that going to their new store, they are now trading as a granite company. I will not reveal the name of the car company since the lawyers are still trying to work this out, but:

WHEN will it constitute to a cheating case where the police can step in?

Filed under: toughies , buying a car in singapore, cars in singapore, CASE Singapore, cheating, consumer rights in singapore, parallel importer in singapore, police efficiency in singapore

Christmas in Singapore 2009. I just want this year to be different.

I really want to do something different this Christmas but now that we’re back in Singapore and we don’t have our own place, it’s really hard to do anything much in this expensive city. 

As usual, all businesses are out to get as much money they can from financially strapped consumers like ourselves and it’s really tough when you just want to have a good time. 

I guess that’s probably why my past Christmas-es have always been relatively quiet. 

For some reason, this year, I just want it to be different. I want it to be loud. Extravagent, boisterous. I want it to have some presence. Some love. 

What shall I do this Christmas?

Filed under: life , christmas in singapore

Singapore as one?

We are made to believe that Singapore is a very safe place. Full of just and void of corruption. This belief has made many of us very complacent and we are paying a price for it.

Recently, I have heard of a friend’s story (first hand experience/source) that a furniture company gave her the wrong product and has been extremely unscrupulous about it. Angered and principled, she has gone to the Small Claims Tribunal and it seems that the case was hers when the furniture store owner did not turn up, but after a small appeal with a less than acceptable answer, the case is opened again for mediation. On top of it all, time and money is wasted and taken at the victim’s expense.

My own story is when my family tried to buy a car from a seemingly reputable parellel importer (huge signage, big ads every weekend- you would think they are reputable), and ended up in a half year long battle to get back our $30,000 deposit for undelivered goods. Apparently, the police doesn’t seem to think this was cheating.

Now I understand that when a contract is in place, the police is unable to do much when it comes to a breech of contract. What puzzles me is that if a business is run by a person of dubious character and with dubious practices, shouldn’t the authorities step in to suspend them from further continuing these practises? If the police lets this go, this means they can continue to ‘cheat’ others of their deposits and not give them the goods as promised in the contract? The store owner probably thinks that Singaporeans are too mild or too timid to file for a lawsuit because that means more money and expense and would take back their money if all the con man wants is $5,000 to ’settle’ this.

That’s what most of us have become. Pretty much spineless, and apathetic. Authorities don’t care until the matter is plastered across our only paper’s front page news.

BE AS ONE? That’s been the message that has been sent across the country island of ours. That we should all be as one to prevent terrorism from happening to us. We focus on all the big things: our CBD is probably comparable in world’s standards, our transport system is one of the best, we are a racially harmonious country: Yea, we’re great on all those big and fancy and commendable things- but what about the really important stuff that affects us on a daily basis?

A big corporation like Sheng Siong plans to take over a wet market in Singapore to build “air conditioned market places” and giving traditional old timers a contract which they probably don’t understand to sign away their rights.

Who fights for them? Can they afford to hire a lawyer to help them out? Most likely no. How about the authorities? Can they step in to regulate? Some form of heritage preservation considering that wet markets are decreasing at an alarming rate? WHO WILL HELP THEM?

The answer comes with silence.

When I was young, I believed that the governement really cared about the people. I believed that despite the fact that no country could be perfect, at least we have a strong set of law to protect the people. Now? What have we become?

Here is a story of a person’s father whose stall is being taken away from him:

My dad is one of the affected wet market stall owner in one of the 5 wet markets that Sheng Siong bought over.

He’s only been running the stall for a year and had signed the agreement with Market Holdings till 2011 and last two weeks he received a letter to vacate within 3 months.

How devastated can a man be when he has ventured almost 20k owing that money from relatives to start of the business and now he can’t even recoup all his money back and on top of that he still have to pay the money that he owes.

He’s 60 and for his age now its impossibe to start anew considering that he’s not well educated and this is his only trade from the age of 14.

When I heard the news, I felt insecure here in Singapore that the Government allow such inconsiderate act, snatching away their rice bowl.

It seems that the Goverment aren’t bothered about the people’s welfare let alone Sheng Siong whose only concern is to earn money. They did call us for a meeting which infact is a waste of time because they are not out to hear about our sitiation or pleas as their decision has already been made.
Are we suppose to be thankful to them for extending another three months and than out we go? Where can we go?

These setback could lead people like my dad end up borrowing money from loansharks to pay their housing loan, car loan etc.

And what next, when they can’t take the pressure they commit suicide? So who are we to blame? Sheng Siong for buying over or the Government for approving them?

Deeply affected

Filed under: Ramble, toughies , sheng siong, singapore, unity, cheats, police, government, singapore law, sheng siong taking over wet markets, wet markets, singapore society, singapore culture, singapore and money

Storage Ideas for our new home

I’ve been thinking alot about how to create a proper storage system in our new home.

Mr EB has always been complaining about messy our home in Sydney was. Saying that I have so many things around. To be honest, he’s been very sweet and accomodating and have always let me be (most of the time) so I want to think carefully what I want to do in our new place.

So far, I’ve thought about a few boxes for specific purposes. I used tiffany boxes cus I just love the packaging. :p Would be nice to alot of them around!!! hehee… Who knows. maybe I’ll get one in Tiffany blue and make them real boxes for my storage!! :p

Filed under: Happy days, activities , decor, new home, storage

Do you feel the same?

I read this from a blog called 101 ways to love your wife…

Not sure how good an advice the following is, but it sure makes a hell lot of people bad husbands and bad wives I guess.

Let’s think of love not as a word but an action. Instead of saying “I love you.” Show you wife that you love her. Be more loving! How can a man show his woman he loves her? By doing!

Forget about the box of chocolates and flowers. Any man can go buy these things. But any man cannot show love to his wife on a whim. The chocolates get eaten and make your wife fat and cranky; the flowers wither and die in three days. What about showing your love by doing things that you know your wife will enjoy?

~How Should A Husband Love His Wife~

When was the last time you wined and dined your wife? What about a mini-vacation? Are you the romantic type? If not find out how you can amaze your wife by being a romantic guy. What would that involve?

A woman likes a man who can cook. How about cooking her an intimate candlelit dinner for two? Don’t know how to cook? Get a cookbook and do it anyway. Have some fun in the kitchen and enjoy yourself.

Don’t forget, you wife likes to be touched and hugged without the pressure of sex looming in the near future. Sometimes the hugging and coddling is more important to her than the actual sex act. Not that she doesn’t like to orgasm but that she wants to KNOW that you love her more than the sex act itself. Hug her and cuddle her and you’ll most likely get what you want later.

The most important way to show your love is through your acceptance and validation. Are you the kind of guy that discounts his wife’s choices, desires, and needs through invalidation? This kind of behavior will cause all kinds of trouble in the marriage. Let me tell you why.

By invalidating your wife in whatever manner, you have essentially rejected her. She will feel as if her opinions, decisions, and beliefs don’t count and shouldn’t be regarded with importance. She will hold this within her consciousness and it will come back to haunt you later on in the marriage. This won’t be on purpose but mostly because you have hurt her. She loves you and when you invalidate her feelings, thoughts, actions, beliefs, views, and opinions, she gets hurt!

Let me tell you a big secret about woman, which also includes your wife. Your wife may ask you for your opinion on something because it is in her nature to get a second opinion but that does not necessarily mean that she will go with your opinion or your opposing viewpoint.

I’m not talking about the submission thing here either. What I’m talking about is just everyday thoughts and actions of your wife. If for some reason you really feel that it is best that you disagree with her thoughts and feelings, do so AFTER you have said something positive about the way she thinks and feels. Be understanding! If you actually validate her she will see it your way on her own, even if she won’t admit it.

Your wife may also like to vent her feelings more then you, not because she needs for you to find a solution so much as just being a sounding board. Give her validation in what she has to say, and then ask her if she is looking for an opinion and or solution first before giving her one. This doesn’t make much sense to you, but to us women it makes a lot of sense.

~How A Wife Should Love Her Husband~

It is my firm belief that it is easier to make a man happy than for a man to make a woman happy. I believe this because men really don’t ask for much. If they can camp out on the hard ground with the ants and other bugs how hard can they be to please? Yes, I know this sounds superficial but think about this for a moment. Have you noticed how much happier, and less stressed out your man is when he has his two most important needs met, sex and food?

It is also semi-true that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. They love to eat and they love to eat good tasty meals. When their stomachs are full, and they have been taken care of physically, a man doesn’t ask for much else.

Don’t forget, the home is a man’s castle. Knowing this, make every effort to keep his castle tidy and free of stressful situations that could upset his equilibrium. He has worked all day long and wants to come home to a loving and sweet wife, not a grouch and a TV dinner

Be appreciative of every little thing your man does around the house. Make your man feel like a man by being a woman. Give him a hug and a kiss where it counts, talk about your day together. Don’t reject your husband sexually. Make him feel good about himself by telling him so. Respect him for who he is and what he does!

Basically, a woman needs validated and intimacy, and a man needs sex and good food. Find ways in which you can give of your self in the marriage by being more loving in these areas.

And men, after you have shown your wife how much you love her, then you can buy her the chocolates and flowers.

Angie Lewis has written five books on how to have a happy marriage. In her books she offers marriage tips, tools, techniques, and wisdom filled answers for you to apply in your marriage. From issues such as adultery, addiction, pornography, emotions, beliefs, forgiveness, communication and submission – it’s all here!

Angie’s latest book ADULTERY PANDEMIC is about the prevalence of infidelity among the Christian community and what you can do to protect yourself and marriage. If you or your spouse have been unfaithful, this book will give you the spiritual insight and wisdom to overcome this devastating battle to heal yourself and restore your marriage.

Author: ANGIE LEWIS

Filed under: Ramble

Traditional Soups and drinks

Before these recipes get lost in the younger generation, I asked my mum to tell me about the traditional recipes in chinese culture.

I’ll probably try to add more as my mum remembers more!

1. Cantonese Soup, to ‘cool’ the body and balance the ‘heatiness’ and the cool. (yin & yang)

• “guan bo” seaweed
• si nu pi (“si” cow skin)
• da(3) sang(1) dey(3) – try to pronounce in cantonese

Note: Make sure it’s washed properly as they have loads of sand and boil with water and simmer!

2. For treatment of jaundice

• man(3) tian(1) xin(1) (to get from herb shops)
• mi(4) zhao(3) (brown in colour)

3. Strengthen the body

• Peanut roots with peanuts (to get from herb shops)
• Chicken breast meat
  - Simmer with water

4. To Lower Chlorestrol

• hei(1) mu(4) er(3)
• hong(2) zao(3)
• Add in some ginger slices

Once again, these traditional recipes are by no means proven by science! I take no liability for anyone who has tried them and feel that it doesn’t work for them!

Filed under: Health and food