It was one of those Saturday nights when 2 niecese came over to our house to play with my daughter WL. At about 9 PM I suggested that we go for some 'teh tarik' like we do once in a while at the 24-hours prata place at Old Bedok Road. (Once, after one of these teh tarik sessions, I found that I could not sleep even at 3 AM, and I could hear the kids running and playing around on the floor upstairs oblivious to the fact they were suffering from the problem as me!)
That day, by about 10 PM the kids started pestering me to bring them for 'teh tarik'. I told WL that she will have to bring some money along (something I do quite often by now to teach her monetary concepts). So she took some money from her ang-pow collection and we went with grandpa, grandma and LL.
After the tea, the kids and grandma went for a stroll along the row of shops where the prata shop is. A while after that the kids came and told me enthusiastically about some poor kittens they saw lying on the five foot way. WL insisted I go along to see. When we got there the kids started talking about how pitiful the kittens looked and asked if we can bring them home. May be I did not look very enthusiastic about the idea so WL suggested bringing only one home. I disagreed and explained that their mom will be looking for them and will miss them if we take them away. On top of that the kittens were being taken care of by the people around there as there was some milk placed there for them to drink. The kids seemed satisfied with my explanation. So we left the kittens alone.
As we were walking back to our outdoor table at the prata shop, we saw an old man rummaging through the dustbin at the bus stop nearby. On the ground was some empty soft drink cans he had collected. Although I turned my head back to look at the man, I did not say anything. Did not even know that the kids noticed. It reminded me of a news report I read years ago about one such man who died after being knocked down by a car while going home late at night. That dead man was out with another friend of his to collect used cans in the middle of the night.
The next thing I knew was WL taking a 2 dollar note from her pocket and asking me if she can give it to the man. I said okay and left her to walk over to the man to hand over the money. From afar I could see that he was talking to WL and it took him like half a minute before he accepted the money from WL. I did not ask WL what the old man said to her but she came back to me looking quite happy with what she did. I carried her in my arms, gave her a peck on her cheek and whispered softly into her ear about how nice she had been with that gesture.
Interestingly, unlike the case of the poor kittens, her 2 cousins were not interested in the old man and did not partake in what happened.
Thursday, February 22, 2001
Monday, February 12, 2001
Loo's Grafitti
(Received this chain mail about graffitis. It inspired my little poem at the bottom)
Subject: Graffiti...hilarious!
Washroom Graffiti 1
Here I lie in stinky vapor,
Because some bastard stole the toilet paper,
Shall I lie, or shall I linger,
Or shall I be forced to use my finger.
Before he graduated to be a poet, he wrote this....
Washroom Graffiti 2
Here I sit
Broken hearted
Tried to shit
But only farted
Some one who had a different experience wrote
Washroom Graffiti 3
You're lucky
You had your chance
I tried to fart,
And shit my pants!
Perhaps it is true that people get inspiration in toilets
Washroom Graffiti 4
I came here
To shit and stink,
But all I do
Is sit and think.
There are also people who come in for a different purpose
Washroom Graffiti 5
Some come here to sit and think,
Some come here to shit and stink,
But I come here to scratch my balls,
And read the bullshit on the walls...
Toilets walls are also job advertisement places.......
Washroom Graffiti 6 (written high upon the wall)
If you can piss above this line,
the Singapore Fire Department wants you.
Ministry of environment advertisement
Washroom Graffiti 7
We aim to please!
You aim too! Please!
Washroom Graffiti 8
Seen above a urinal:
Please do not throw cigarette butts in our urinal.
We don't piss in your ashtrays!
Washroom Graffiti 9
On the inside of a toilet door:
Patrons are requested to remain seated
throughout the entire performance.
Washroom Graffiti 10
A sign at a swimming pool bathroom:
We don't swim in your toilet,
so please don't pee in our pool!
Washroom Graffiti 11
Another sign seen at a swimming pool:
Welcome to our ool.
Notice there's no P in it.
Please keep it that way.
This should teach you a lesson
Washroom Graffiti 12
Sign seen at a restaurant:
The hands that clean these toilets also make your food...please aim properly.
LOO'S GRAFFITI by CCK
Since we usually find the most creative graffitis in men's toilet, here's a dedication to them.
Hell knows no fury
than a man in hurry
to dispose of his carry
through his little furry
Therefore one can relate
if we can be considerate
that the loo we congregate
should not one desecrate
But not 'em wonderful graffitis
for they are cute little titbits
that make it easier a bit
for men to relieve their 'di' 'di's
Graffitis are what people scratch
on the wall and the ledge
with one hand on the catch
and a nice imagination to match.
Whooosh, pheeew and yeeees!
Subject: Graffiti...hilarious!
Washroom Graffiti 1
Here I lie in stinky vapor,
Because some bastard stole the toilet paper,
Shall I lie, or shall I linger,
Or shall I be forced to use my finger.
Before he graduated to be a poet, he wrote this....
Washroom Graffiti 2
Here I sit
Broken hearted
Tried to shit
But only farted
Some one who had a different experience wrote
Washroom Graffiti 3
You're lucky
You had your chance
I tried to fart,
And shit my pants!
Perhaps it is true that people get inspiration in toilets
Washroom Graffiti 4
I came here
To shit and stink,
But all I do
Is sit and think.
There are also people who come in for a different purpose
Washroom Graffiti 5
Some come here to sit and think,
Some come here to shit and stink,
But I come here to scratch my balls,
And read the bullshit on the walls...
Toilets walls are also job advertisement places.......
Washroom Graffiti 6 (written high upon the wall)
If you can piss above this line,
the Singapore Fire Department wants you.
Ministry of environment advertisement
Washroom Graffiti 7
We aim to please!
You aim too! Please!
Washroom Graffiti 8
Seen above a urinal:
Please do not throw cigarette butts in our urinal.
We don't piss in your ashtrays!
Washroom Graffiti 9
On the inside of a toilet door:
Patrons are requested to remain seated
throughout the entire performance.
Washroom Graffiti 10
A sign at a swimming pool bathroom:
We don't swim in your toilet,
so please don't pee in our pool!
Washroom Graffiti 11
Another sign seen at a swimming pool:
Welcome to our ool.
Notice there's no P in it.
Please keep it that way.
This should teach you a lesson
Washroom Graffiti 12
Sign seen at a restaurant:
The hands that clean these toilets also make your food...please aim properly.
LOO'S GRAFFITI by CCK
Since we usually find the most creative graffitis in men's toilet, here's a dedication to them.
Hell knows no fury
than a man in hurry
to dispose of his carry
through his little furry
Therefore one can relate
if we can be considerate
that the loo we congregate
should not one desecrate
But not 'em wonderful graffitis
for they are cute little titbits
that make it easier a bit
for men to relieve their 'di' 'di's
Graffitis are what people scratch
on the wall and the ledge
with one hand on the catch
and a nice imagination to match.
Whooosh, pheeew and yeeees!
Thursday, February 08, 2001
German Field Marshall's People Management Guide
Erich von Manstein, one of Germany's ablest field commander during World War II used to remind his military commanders of this people management principle.
He said there are 4 types of officers based on combination of 2 characteristics - smart/stupid and lazy/hardworking
1. Stupid but lazy ones: leave them alone, they do no harm
2. Stupid and hardworking ones: these people are a menace and must be gotten rid off at once (they will create all sorts of problems that require a lot of other people's effort to fix)
3. Smart and hardworking ones: keep them, they make excellent staff officers and make sure every detail is taken care of
4. Smart but lazy ones: they are suited for the highest office (for they will find the shortest way to get things done!)
He said there are 4 types of officers based on combination of 2 characteristics - smart/stupid and lazy/hardworking
1. Stupid but lazy ones: leave them alone, they do no harm
2. Stupid and hardworking ones: these people are a menace and must be gotten rid off at once (they will create all sorts of problems that require a lot of other people's effort to fix)
3. Smart and hardworking ones: keep them, they make excellent staff officers and make sure every detail is taken care of
4. Smart but lazy ones: they are suited for the highest office (for they will find the shortest way to get things done!)
Thursday, February 01, 2001
Difference Color and $20 Makes
Last Sunday, I cycled to the local Bedok South market to buy some soya bean drink. In front of a toy shop, the owner has installed a 3-track motorised Tamiya toy car racing circuit. When I first stopped to watch there was a bunch of about 10 or 12 young boys (Chinese and Malays who were no more than 15 years old) crowded around the track but I noticed something immediately. Only 2 of the boys, Chinese brothers, were placing their cars in the track. Even though they each had a toy car in hand, everyone else (Chinese and Malay kids inlcuded) just watched them silently. I noticed some of the other kids sheepishly slipping their cars into the track only when the brothers' cars were not in the track.
The cars belonging to the brothers were very fast and zoomed round the track. The other kids were obviously impressed. But that was not the only reason why they stayed out. I could see that the 2 Chinese boys whose father was standing behind them looked rather proud. And when one of the Malay kids looked admiringly at one of their cars as it was picked up, one of the brothers said to him in Hokkien vulgarity something like "what the fuck are you looking at?". I was shocked that the father did nothing but I figured that it must have been happening for some time and the man had done nothing all the while or probably worse condoned what his kids did. From then on I looked straight in the direction of those 2 boys and noticed that they knew that what they did was not right. For I could see that in their eyes when they sneaked a look at my direction once a while.
When one of the brothers' cars jumped the track, a Malay kid picked the car up and placed it back into the track but the Chinese kid did not even show any appreciation. Given his arrogance and his remark to the other Malay kid earlier I angrily told the Malay kid in Malay that those Chinese kids were bad mannered (kurang ajar) and they should not pick their car up for them anymore, and their cars were faster because they had better batteries. I wasn't sure but figured so as there were not many variations I could think of for such simple toys.
The Hokkien kid that said the vulgarity earlier sensed my displeasure at him and knew I was talking about the batteries. So when another Malay kid, a rather plump (in a cute way) kid of 10 or so, placed his car in the track but the car went in a much slower pace than the brothers, I asked him if he knew what caused the difference. And to my surprise, the perviously arrogant Hokkien kid joined in and offered his advice by shouting to the Malay kid to get "GP batteries". So I gave this plump Malay kid some money to buy some of those GP batteries which cost $1.20 for two. Another skinny Malay kid wanted a set too so I passed him some money and asked him to go get it.
As it turned out I discovered that there are faster motors that cost $19.90 while slower ones cost $5.90. And there were fast-drain batteries that were better than others. I asked the 2 Malay kids if there are rechargeable batteries and if they are better. They said yes and I gave them $50 to get them. They cost $10 a pair.
Also found that there are more variables. Some kids add lead weights to the cars and has foam tires instead of original rubber ones. So, I tried to explain to some of the Malay kids crowding around me then (they must have heard about my gifts by then) how they should play around with the variables or combinations and see what is best for the track, not necessarily one combination fits all etc. But I could see that all except the skinny one was not really paying attention (may be they just wanted some fun and not interested in figuring things out). The skinny kid also thanked me 2 or 3 times for the batteries. He will be grow up to be different.
At the end, I thought how arrogant the Hokkien kids were earlier and all because they had more expensive motors and batteries that probably cost no more than $20 each. I felt like going to get a few top end sets and give it to some kids to 'compete' against those arrogant brothers!
But first, need some quick education. Must surf the net to find out what Tamiya has to offer…..
The cars belonging to the brothers were very fast and zoomed round the track. The other kids were obviously impressed. But that was not the only reason why they stayed out. I could see that the 2 Chinese boys whose father was standing behind them looked rather proud. And when one of the Malay kids looked admiringly at one of their cars as it was picked up, one of the brothers said to him in Hokkien vulgarity something like "what the fuck are you looking at?". I was shocked that the father did nothing but I figured that it must have been happening for some time and the man had done nothing all the while or probably worse condoned what his kids did. From then on I looked straight in the direction of those 2 boys and noticed that they knew that what they did was not right. For I could see that in their eyes when they sneaked a look at my direction once a while.
When one of the brothers' cars jumped the track, a Malay kid picked the car up and placed it back into the track but the Chinese kid did not even show any appreciation. Given his arrogance and his remark to the other Malay kid earlier I angrily told the Malay kid in Malay that those Chinese kids were bad mannered (kurang ajar) and they should not pick their car up for them anymore, and their cars were faster because they had better batteries. I wasn't sure but figured so as there were not many variations I could think of for such simple toys.
The Hokkien kid that said the vulgarity earlier sensed my displeasure at him and knew I was talking about the batteries. So when another Malay kid, a rather plump (in a cute way) kid of 10 or so, placed his car in the track but the car went in a much slower pace than the brothers, I asked him if he knew what caused the difference. And to my surprise, the perviously arrogant Hokkien kid joined in and offered his advice by shouting to the Malay kid to get "GP batteries". So I gave this plump Malay kid some money to buy some of those GP batteries which cost $1.20 for two. Another skinny Malay kid wanted a set too so I passed him some money and asked him to go get it.
As it turned out I discovered that there are faster motors that cost $19.90 while slower ones cost $5.90. And there were fast-drain batteries that were better than others. I asked the 2 Malay kids if there are rechargeable batteries and if they are better. They said yes and I gave them $50 to get them. They cost $10 a pair.
Also found that there are more variables. Some kids add lead weights to the cars and has foam tires instead of original rubber ones. So, I tried to explain to some of the Malay kids crowding around me then (they must have heard about my gifts by then) how they should play around with the variables or combinations and see what is best for the track, not necessarily one combination fits all etc. But I could see that all except the skinny one was not really paying attention (may be they just wanted some fun and not interested in figuring things out). The skinny kid also thanked me 2 or 3 times for the batteries. He will be grow up to be different.
At the end, I thought how arrogant the Hokkien kids were earlier and all because they had more expensive motors and batteries that probably cost no more than $20 each. I felt like going to get a few top end sets and give it to some kids to 'compete' against those arrogant brothers!
But first, need some quick education. Must surf the net to find out what Tamiya has to offer…..
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