Taxi Tale

The word "taxi " comes from the word "tax." Every year you have to pay the government money for taxes. The amount of money you give the government is based on how much money you make. Riding in a taxi is very similar because the amount of money you pay the driver is based on how far he or she takes you. The drivers "tax" you, so their cars are called taxis.

Singapore taxis are from 8 operators each with their own choice of colours.

Comfort, blue

CityCab, yellow
SMRT, white
TransCab, red
Premier, silver
SMART, green
Prime, copper
Yellow-Top, black

Right: Taxis @Singapore


Taiwan taxis all yellow color. Women passengers are advised to call a taxi company for pick-up for safety reasons.
The first yellow taxis appeared in New York around 1907. A man there was buying taxis from France to use in the city. He found out that yellow is the easiest color to see from far away, so he painted all of his taxis yellow. Ever since then, yellow has been a popular color for taxis.

Taipei Taxis

Hongkong cabs are in 3 colours but mainly red ones features.

Red taxis serve Hong Kong Island and Kowloon; green ones in the New Territories and blue taxis on Lantau Island

By law, all of Hong Kong's taxis can only run on LPG now.

Hongkong taxis

So we have red, yellow, blue...but wait, a purple cab ?

Taxi @ KL

The 1 kilometre high building

The world waits anxiously in anticipation for the start of constructing the tallest building mankind has ever know. The Nakheel tower, over 1 km up in the sky, a truly skyscraper. Some information are still secrets to prevent rivals from coming up with even higher tower.
But these are known:
• more than 200 floors and 150 lifts
• 30,000 workers involved
• 10,000 parking spaces
• more than 19,000 apartments
• 3,500 hotel rooms




The exact construction cost was not revealed, but using the US$4b tag on the Burj Dubai it can sound scary.




Even before construction begin, the logistic part is mind boggling. The quantity of the reinforced steel bars, the expected half a million cubic metre of concrete etc.
How to get the concrete up to that dizzy height is a challenge itself.
And yes the construction will take 10 years, where a child grows from primary one to secondary four !

American Idol 2009

The finals has thrown up unexpected result, but who cares. More interested in the guest stars.
Queen, with Brian May and his custom Red Special, hand made with his father, Harold.



Brian May - Queen, Right - Red Special


Kiss with trademark painted faces and guitar smashing.

KISS, Right - Washburn P.S.

And a mellowed Carlos Santana strudding his stuff.

Santana, Right - PRS Santana II

And that's not all. Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie...best final ever.

Queenstown Cinema, Bowling Centre

There seem to be renovaton works going on at the abandoned Queenstown Cinema complex. It used to be the in-place, with the Queenstown Bowl and the then popular Kentucky Fried Chicken packing them in.




Maybe it will become a cinema again ? With bowling too ?
But the lease is for short term, as this building is not slated to be preserved under the Dawson Remake, so lessees will not spend astro sum to fit a cinema or a bowling alley.
It can become another food court, as no other business can make money in this depressed time.





The old market will be preserved, with upgrading, to become a community area.




Which will look like this...

And this was how it all began...The Straits Times, 30 May 1975

                                                  

                                                 

TOTO Fever

Tomorrow is TOTO $5 million anniversary draw, so the faithfuls make their ways to the hot spots, the most popular outlet is at Yishun.
The queue has already formed and never seem to get any shorter.
Not that the counter girls are using their toes to enter the POS, in fact it was moving rather fast. But the queue is just there !

7-11 @ yishun

So I placed some bets like the others in the queue, hoping for the big one. Got a system 7 plus a couple of ordinary tickets too. So wait for tomorrow D-day.

TOTO hopefuls @ Yishun

From the 7-11 store the strong smell of durians drift from a nearby stall, and like true blue Singaporeans ended up with two boxes of well, what do you know, Red Prawns durians which I know nothing about. Tagged at $8 a box, pretend not to be interested then become $12 for 2 boxes.

Red Prawn Durian

When Will it End ?

The severe economic depression has gone on long enough. Many who lost their jobs may or may not have found alternative employment, while the lucky ones are clinging to theirs, albeit unsure of the future.

According to a survey, 61 per cent of Singaporean respondents still go to work when they are sick because they are scared of falling behind on their work; the highest rates of 6,000 polled across 20 countries including the United States and Japan.
52 per cent of Singaporeans fear that too many sick days could go against them, while 50 per cent did not want to be perceived by superiors and peers as not working, the highest rates among those surveyed.

Ships anchored in Singapore waters

Things are so bad that many ships flocked to Singapore to anchor because it has few storms. Many vessels were staying just outside the port’s limits, where they do not have to pay port fees.

Singapore has complained to the countries of registry about 10 to 15 ships that have anchored in sea lanes in violation of international rules in the last two weeks.
A freighter close to Singapore was hit last December by a chemical tanker that could not make a tight enough turn in a crowded anchorage; neither vessel was seriously damaged.

Port Cranes

April containers volumn fell to 2.09 million TEUs, (twenty foot equivalent unit) down from 2.19 million TEUs in March and 2.53 million TEUs in April 2008.

Jurong Port saw steady volumes handled at 56,000 TEUs in April. Year-on-year, however, throughput plunged by 32.5% from 83,000 TEUs handled in April 2008.

Ships are not the only casualty. Aircrafts too are not spared. Idle planes are parked at USA desert storage yards. How long is anyone's guess.

Planes Storage, California

Law of the Garbage Truck

The internet seem to be abuzz with an article by David Pollay titled "law of the garbage truck"

http://davidjpollay.typepad.com/david_j_pollay/lawofthegarbagetruck.html

His idea of avoiding trouble may work in his country, but in face-conscious Singapore, losing face is akin to losing life ! If someone jut into your lane causing you to hit the brakes and honking at him, he replied with the middle finger.
What will you do ?

According to Pollay, just walk away, or rather drive away.

No way. Here you would hit the car horn and probably return the middle finger. And before you knew it, that bloke (the "garbage truck") would wildly gesture to stop by the roadside to settle the problem.

Orchard/Scotts Junction

This was what happened in April 2007 at Scotts Road.

Mr Alex Lim 30, was driving his girlfriend home for dinner, but along Paterson Road, his red Mazda was involved in a minor collision with a taxi. Both drivers then parked along Scotts Road and got out of their vehicles. An argument ensued.

Before it was resolved, cabby Lee Yuet Kong 68, who was carrying a passenger at the time, allegedly got back into his taxi and tried to drive off.
Mr Lim, wanting to get Lee's particulars, stood in front of the cab, but Lee reportedly drove on, throwing him onto the bonnet.
He later allegedly braked abruptly, causing Mr Lim to fall backwards and hit his head on the road.
Mr Lim died a month later without regaining consciousness.

Legendary Guitarists and their Guitars

Lor Mee

Most of us would normally take our meals at the food centres and kopitiams without actually looking at the signboards or the type of food described on the stall's panels.

I have been eating lor mee at this stall at Telok Blangah Drive HC for few times and enjoyed the food so far.




Last Saturday, while waiting for the lor mee to be ready, I fleet over the signboard and was surprised to read "crispy shark meat lor mee".

And all the time I presumed the fried battered piece is ordinary fish meat.

Is it really shark meat ?
Think I will take a risk and ask the tow kay neo next trip there.

Crispy Shark Meat Lor Mee

Vesak Day

Yesterday was Vesak day, and as usual the Buddhist faithfuls made their way to temples, one of which is at Telok Blangah St 31. Besides offering prayers, there is the act of "showering the buddha" where followers pour flowered water over the statue, and asking blessing for well being for the year.

Shower the Buddha

This temple is sited on a plot of land which has its lease expired. To renew the lease for another 30 years, the sum of $800,000 need to be paid to the Land Authority. Therefore a fund raising exercise is now in progress. So far the faithfuls are not stinting on their part.

Statement of Account

Note the GST added to the renewal payments. I wonder why the Land Authority do not waive it since this is a non profit temple for the community. Anyway right in front of the temple is a project under DBSS - design, build, sell scheme. The feng shui masters would be favourable of the location.

DBSS @ St 31 Telok Blangah Towers

Checkers, Draughts or Dum

Dum, as the locals call it, is a favourite board game played by many, particularly the retired. They can be easily found in the heartlands, at the void decks, under a tree, or near a kopitiam.

How did the name come about?

Dum in the heartland

Dameh was the name the Eqyptians gave to a board-game that was recovered in old tombs. Archaeologist excavated ancient ruins in Egypt found checkered gaming boards and circular pieces made out of Ivory and Jade. Such boards were also found in Iraq, long before religions came into existence.



In most non-English languages (except those that acquired the game from English speakers), draughts is called dames, damas. It is known in Great Britain as Checkers or Draughts.
The malays learned the game from the British but use the name Dama, as the indians called it. Evolving through the years, Dum is today commonly known as such.

Dum in the heartland

Guitars

Many teenage dudes must have one time or another try to learn and play the guitar.
A few good ones go on to form a band, and a few good ones go on to make a name for themselves.
There are many brands of electric guitars, but the more popular makes are Fender and Gibson.

Such branded guitars do not come cheap. $2,000 - $5,000 is what wannabes need to fork out.
For good hard rock, many are prepared to do so.

Gibson Range