Threats.

i formed this theory in secondary school -
an individual, upon entering a bus, (if given a choice and appropriate circumstances) will sit next to someone whom the individual deems the least threatening based on one's instinct to survive.

today, my theory was proven correct yet again: a lady entered the bus, and walked to the back where a few others and i were seated.

i observed as she looked around for a seat - she looked at the guy (a gruff-looking chinese man) at the back, and turned away. she walked towards my seat, got a good look at me, and turned to the side - only to meet another gruff-looking person (a malay man this time)

she then noticed a lady seated in front of me, and took the seat.

it all boils down one one's primal instinct - survival.
one would automatically choose the route which would prove the safest and not pose any danger to one's well-being.

"What if I choose to sit next to a girl on a bus because the girl is totally hot?

The theory is incomplete!"

in response to this: it depends one one's natural instinct to reproduce (which would produce the hormones responsible for the attraction), which would THEN link to one's instinct to survive. in order to survive, one must continue the lineage of one's species, and therefore the urge to reproduce would rely on the instinct to survive as well.

and of course, it does boil down to personal choice - but that's a different topic altogether. ;)
PS: no bmr concepts please, wei-xun. havent you got enough? haha!







it's interesting when one discovers the many little things that makes the world turn.

PREPAID ELECTRICITY BILLS IN THE FUTURE.

you've heard of prepaid sim cards..
now presenting: PREPAID ELECTRICITY BILLS.

Smart meters to check power use
By Tania Tan

Singapore households will soon have a smarter way of keeping tabs on their monthly power bills.

Energy meters, which tell consumers exactly how much electricity they are using per hour, will be tested in 1,000 households in the east and west under a pilot project launched by the Energy Market Authority.

These advanced electricity meters give consumers more detailed information on their energy usage, including electricity rates and hourly consumption.

The trial run will also allow volunteers to buy 'electricity credits' at peak and off-peak rates, instead of the current flat fee of 25 cents per kWh, which they buy exclusively from SP Services.

Under the trial, SP Services will offer participating households electricity priced at peak and off-peak rates.

'It's like buying mobile phone plans,' said EMA director for consumer safety and crisis management Seow Kang Seng.

Consumers can pick packages which 'best suit their lifestyles', he added.

Participants will be able to buy electricity online, or at two vending machines in Marine Parade and West Coast. The areas were selected because they give the best mix of HDB, private housing and small businesses.

And with the help of smart meters, consumers can monitor their hourly usage - down to the cent, he added.

'If they think they're using too much, then they can switch off certain appliances, and scale back usage,' he said.

The six-month trial which starts in November, simulates what consumers in 1.2 million households could be doing in about three years' time, if the Electricity Vending System is implemented.

source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_272514.html

Lip-synched girl at Games 'depressed, confused'
BEIJING--The girl who sang a song lip-synched by another girl at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, has become depressed, according to her teacher. Yang Peiyi, 7, of Beijing, sang a patriotic song at the Aug. 8 ceremony, but it was Lin Miaoke, 9, also of the city, who appeared in front of the audience. The ceremony's music director later revealed Lin's performance had been lip-synched. Yang "seems hurt and depressed," the teacher wrote on her blog, adding that the young singer was somewhere "far away" because her parents do not want her to have to deal with more media attention over the incident. According to the blog, on the night of Aug. 18 Yang watched a TV show in which Lin appeared. The show's host did not explain that it was Yang's singing that was heard during the Opening Ceremony. Yang went to bed after the show ended, looking depressed and without saying a word. The following morning, teeth marks could be seen on her arm, suggesting that she had bitten herself. The teacher says she thinks Yang is at a loss to understand why she keeps having to be hidden from the public. "Don't hurt her any more," the teacher said in the blog.

Source: http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20080824-83944.html

OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAND!

Since everyone's talking about Michael Phelps (click here for wikipedia link!), i decided to jump on the bandwagon.

now we all know how he manages those jaw-dropping feats!
phelps is a saiyan!

Old Friends.

Friends are like silver
old friends are like gold
however, sometimes
friendships run cold

time waits for no man
and no friendship too
as time passes by
grow rusty, friendships do

the feeling of loss
and emptiness burns inside
but time forces one to move on
and we are pushed forward by its tide

however, as paths cross
and one meets an old friend once more
one finds a new adventure waiting
and opens the waiting door

meeting an old friend
and seeing a familiar smile
lifts one's spirit up again
and makes the journey worthwhile

catching up with an old friend
and sharing joy and pain
removing the cobwebs
and rediscovering the friendship again

even as time passes
and once again friends must part
but deep inside the friendship burns strong
in a little corner of one's heart

one does not lose friends;
we merely walk away
somehow, somewhere
old friends will meet up again and smile..

someday.

Sometimes..

i wonder if there's such a thing as caring too much.

maybe there is.

maybe i should stop caring about people.

it's hardly worth it, isn't it?




.... yeah. it's hardly worth it.

Hitler + ERP + MRT = Funny.

the much-spoofed clip from "Downfall (click here!)" has yet another incarnation:

Long Rumber.

this dude called my handphone when i was eating at 85 market today.
the moment i picked up the phone, a whiny male voice was on the other line:

"ah nie, ni zai na li? wo zai den ni chi fan, den le hen jiu le."
translation: "ah nie, where are you? i'm waiting for you to eat, and i've waited for ages."

so i went
"sorry, i think you've got the wrong number." (remember, i don't speak chinese.)

the dude went:
"ah nie, ni bu yao pian wo la."
translation: "ah nie, don't bluff me!"

and i said yet again
"sorry, i think you've got the wrong number."

he went on to say:
"bu yao pian wo la. zhe shi bu shi *reads out my handphone number*?"
translation: "don't bluff me lah. is this *reads out my handphone number*?"

i repeated for the third time:
"sorry, i think you've got the wrong number."

he asked:
"ni ke bu ke yi jiang hua yu ah, ah nie?"
translation: "can you speak chinese or not, ah nie?"





i cut the line.



how many times do i have to repeat that it's a wrong number?

edit: IT WAS A PRANK CALL.

Bigfoot.

here's a photo of a supposed carcass of bigfoot dated August 12.



it was big enough to be on FOXNews.com (which can be seen here (click!).)

further links include:
the press release (click here)
the initial analysis (click here)

the world offers something new everyday doesn't it?

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease PSA.

At long last, the PSA starring some of the SYRENS.
a great big thanks to you fellas who made it possible.

Enjoy.

Old Friends.

lately i've caught up with quite a few old friends.


the paths people take are mysterious - one never knows where the road may lead.
and indeed, some paths do cross as people journey together.

however, there will come a time when the paths diverge, and comrades have to bid each other farewell as their paths take them down their different ways.
though paths may not (or never) cross again, the memories still remain - the
footprints on the path of life.


and sometimes these paths meet again, not crossing; instead touching ever so slightly.

meeting old friends brings back many memories - of the folly of youth, the various adventures throughout schooling life and the many ups and downs that the journey had to offer.


though time may pass, and people often change - but memories don't. these footprints are where one can look back and remember what has happened; one cannot change them, but they do bring smiles to faces, and old friends can once again laugh and converse like they once did.


meeting old friends and dusting off the cobwebs, revisiting old haunts, reminiscing and talking - what more could one ask for?



blessings abound.

Happy National Day.

this year's National Day Parade burned my eyes..
i honestly think the designer of those bird costumes - and the person who organised the whole bird performance thing - should be shot.

aside from yet another NDP, i went to the National Museum to take pics of the events and the people - and here they are:
WARNING: MANY MANY MANY PICTURES AHEAD.
SOME MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN BELOW 16.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Enjoy.

THE AWESOMELY ADORABLE KIDS.


The People.


The Events.


AAAAAAAND The Customary Shots Of Me.


and the cell gathering later on in the evening.

That Thing You Do.

one of the few reasons why poly rocks so much more.
work that brain and press "pause" to the left before playing the embedded vid.



more vids of the other classes can be found here.

next post: PSA proposals.
KFC Youths who starred, keep an eye out for it!

Light In The Darkness.

i once saw the glass as half empty, but now i see it as both half empty AND half full.

It's kinda ironic, but i think i'm beginning to see the brighter side of things.
*GASP SHOCK AND AWE!* THE EMO BOY HAS STOPPED BEING EMO!

sometimes i feel that people face the wrong direction far too often - they mope and wail while facing the darkness, and totally ignore the brighter prospect of things: it could have been worse.

one might laugh at moths - their existances seemingly insignificant. however, even moths know how to seek the light when they find none, be the sources of light candles or a computer screen.

moving on from darker things is much better than just staying there and being whiny and emo. it's only natural for one to seek solutions for a problem - dwelling on it would thus be unnatural. yes, you read that right. UNNATURAL. ABNORMAL. WEIRD.

picture this: you have a huge gaping wound staring at you from your arm.
yes, i know you're looking at your arm and thinking "there isn't a gaping hole".
now picture there is.

would you stay there and let the wound get infected, or would you rather wash and disinfect it?
sure, you might get used to the pain when staying there and moping around - but the wound's gonna get infected.
moving on and tending to the wound might be painful for a brief period - but it prevents infection of the wound and saves oneself from hours of pain and displeasure in the near future.

same thing with humans - staying there and pitying yourself about the things that have happened won't change a thing - it'll only make matters worse: the wound will fester and burn until it eats away your insides.
moving on, though painful, would leave you far more free to do other things and will also help the wound faster.

problem is, most people don't have the courage to budge even a teeny step, preferring to pity themselves until someone picks them up - they'll never learn to stand fully on their own two feet.

give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day.
teach a man to fish, and you'll feed him for a lifetime.

for the friends that know someone who's moping around in a pool of self-pity:
comforting someone is one thing - but helping the person learn from their experiences will benefit that person.
telling the person everything's gonna be okay when you know it's NOT is gonna kill that person in the long run.

self pity's a killer.

remember the times when you forked out note after note for your bus/mrt fares?
now you can relive them again - and even more frequently!

hooray for democracy!
more good years ahead!

SBS Transit, SMRT submit applications for fare adjustments By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 August 2008 1938 hrs SINGAPORE : The wheels are in motion for another round of public transport fare hikes. Singapore's two public transport operators, SBS Transit and SMRT, have submitted their applications to the Public Transport Council (PTC) for fare adjustments. However, both companies would not give specifics as to the quantum requested. SBS Transit and SMRT attributed the need for a fare increase to soaring energy and fuel prices. SMRT said even a maximum fare adjustment of 3 per cent will not fully mitigate the inflationary pressures. The company said its energy costs rose by 18 per cent to nearly S$90 million due mainly to higher electricity and diesel prices. Diesel cost for buses amounted to more than S$42 million, 17 per cent higher than the last financial year. SBS Transit said it is proposing to keep concession, children and students fares unchanged. While the new fare formula allows for the maximum adjustment to be capped at 3 per cent, the PTC has said that any increase this year is likely to be less than the 1.8 per cent hike imposed last year. Bus fares went up by 1 to 2 cents last October, while train fares remained unchanged, because the PTC deemed that SMRT had healthy profits last year. The PTC will decide on the adjustment in September, and the new fares will take effect in October. Separately, the Competition Commission of Singapore has rejected the Singapore School Transport Association's application to impose a fuel surcharge and the need for a collective price recommendation. It said guidelines restrict independent pricing decisions, which is against free competition. However, the commission has no objections to fare increases, so long as it is decided on individually by bus operators. It added that it is monitoring the situation and will launch an investigation if it has reasons to suspect that prices are being coordinated among the school bus operators. - CNA/ms

source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/364326/1/.html