Quote of the Day 26/6/2007

"So... how many new males have you had in your inbox?"

-Anonymous-

There is no hope for the human race.

Phreaking Hell

Yes. Lost my mobile phone.
Nothing to do with dropping the phone in a taxi or dropping it in a toilet bowl though.

Still, am very sad.

Sigh.

Those who are reading this pls drop me an sms or something. Lost all my contacts.

And I hope the bugger who kapo-ed my phone gets AIDS.

*curses*

Of Werk

Its a chore dragging myself to work nowadays...

Surrounded by pointless work...

Sigh.

I really feel like quitting now.

But I can't.

Not anymore =(

Be Careful

Was on the way home, when I saw this poster at the LRT station.

"You cannot be sure he is not a molester"

Which seems at first glance to be a perfectly fine poster targeted at children warning them to be careful of strangers.

But then again, there's a double negative, which is not exactly really easy for children to understand. Then again, kids nowadays are damn smart. They may not be able to spell properly, but they sure as hell know how to use computers and the funny programs on your DVD player.

Lets consult that all-knowing repository of knowledge.

"Litotes is a rhetorical device which uses double negation to emphasise a statement. By denying its opposite, the double negation cancels itself out and resolves to a positive..."

Essentially, 2 negatives cancel out to a positive and thus:

"You cannot be sure he is not a molester"

So each person you don't know is a molester?

Uh oh... looks like I gotta start being more friendly in the daily commute to work. Gotta know more people so less people think I is a molester okie.

Not that anyone would.

Rabbits are harmless creatures =)

Stylo Mylo Anime

Devil May Cry

Devil may cry 01 part 1

Very tempted to get the game now. Heh.

For JC

Eh. This is for you, who always go Indonesia but complain got nothing much.

http://www.kennysia.com/archives/2007/06/jakartas_nightl.php

If this is nothing much, then you must be damn happening sia. We tell xp then you know =p

Quote - 13 Jun 2007

I'll bend over backward for you. Now you bend over forward for me.

=D

I is Lazy!

Yesterday: Happy Birthday nomis!

Today: Happy Birthday SCB! No matter what you say, you'll always be SCB. hurhurhur. =p

Of a Dinosaur

*Disclaimer: This is a rambling discourse and in no way reflects the true situation facing the average Singaporean citizen today.*

And yes I'm speaking of a certain electronic payment company.

Today, let uncle rb dissect the reasons behind a certain electronic payment compan'sy debate for you, and offer a way in which the consumers (with abit of help from a certain private company) can hit back at a certain electronic payment company.

a certain electronic payment company's says...

"The reality is that if we want to ensure its future presence, it has no choice but to bite the bullet and re-align its business model to continue operating in a sustainable manner. Should we chooses the option of inaction, Singapore retailers would ultimately be left with only a debit payment service run entirely by international card schemes which charge higher rates."

Well, most bloggers and analysts have already derided that as bullshit. In order to be more competitive, you charge higher rates? HELLO?!?!?!

And we have the online opinion, which is:
brown-san: "Go back to cash"
Cowboycaleb-san: "I agree with mrbrown and will be paying by cash or credit card from now on. If enough of us do this, we could demonstrate our unhappiness to a certain electronic payment company in a very effective way."

Sorry guys. I like what you write, but I think you're wrong in this case.

Why?

Take a look at the shareholders of a certain electronic payment company. They include the certain financial entities.

I've been reading a book on game theory recently, so lets apply abit of that and step into the local bank's shoes.

Option #1: A certain electronic payment company continues to operate
All fine and dandy, status quo just that with higher profit margins. Good.

Option #2: The citizens vote with their wallets and debit/credit cards.
A certain electronic payment company closes down. What then? Mode of payment becomes exclusively debit/credit card, and what happens is that Visa/Mastercard/Amex could very well be laughing all the way to the bank. Or from the bank, as the case may be.

But frankly... will this hurt the banks? Think about it. A certain electronic payment company charges the merchant effectively less for the same service as a debit card. Closing down a low margin investment, trimming operations, cutting costs and giving up a thin margin which will probably be offset by higher prices charged by merchants. There are places in Singapore which will tack on a surcharge if you pay by debit/credit card. We all know where they are.

Well... I'm sure the banks will be crying and screaming to themselves: "why oh why did we raise the charges! A certain electronic payment company has closed down!" Get real.

So, dear reader it seems that we're screwed either way. Unless we use the extremely troublesome option of carrying prodigious amounts of cash around.

The way out? The way to hit them where it REALLY hurts?

Pay by a certain contactless card system. If that company could tolerate a short term heavy infrastructure investment, offering retailers tie-ups for electronic payment, and here's the clincher: GIRO for free top-ups to your contactless card system card, won't you then be more willing to pay by an alternate method? Heck, Citibank offers GIRO top-ups at a nominal fee to your contactless card system credit card anyway.

As a sidenote, rumours have it that a certain electronic payment company's office is really spartan, reflecting their total commitment and suffering. They only have facilities like large, comfortable sofas in their KTV room, a glass-walled gym next to the KTV room and a pool table so people can play pool while waiting for their turn to sing. They is suffering ok. Gotta give up a bowling alley to stay competitive.

Auditor Recommended Reading

For the girls who get forced to drink at functions:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/10/asia/10korea-web.php

Of course, for those who WANT to be drinking... don't let it hold you back =)

And then the Frog King Croaked

Pun intended.

Ya... watched Shrek 3 yesterday, where the frog king passed away *spoiler alert*.

Somebody's favourite green ogre is next in line for the throne, but I guess he just doesn't have the "king" pattern. Well, as in I'm quite sure he's somebody's favourite green ogre, but not really mine.

So what to do? He has to go some place far, far away from far, far away (the king-less kingdom) to bring back the only other person in line for the throne, Arthur Pendragon *spoiler alert*

Accompanying Shrek on his journey (which includes journey of self discovery) are the usual 2 sidekicks, Donkey and Puss in Boots (I think the most popular favourite character) who and magically swap bodies thanks to a screwup. *spoiler alert*

Not too bad, and everyone seeks their happily ever after. *spoiler alert*

As will I. =D

Winged

"Never underestimate the temptation of wings to the creature who longs to fly, nor the joy of the creature that is finally able to"

-rb (2007)-

Of Hypocritics

I read with interest this article, which is not surprising given the rightful fuss over food from China these days. So apparently the former top drug regulator has been sentenced to death.

Uh-huh. So much like the previous case in Singapore, there should be a HUGE OUTCRY over it right? People threatening to boycott China, the works.

So far? Nothing at all from the people who were so outspoken against it.

I wonder why.