Exactly what i have been talking about for some time now.
..............................................................................
Mid-Tuesday blues?
LONDON- NEARLY half of British workers say mid-morning on Tuesday is the moment when they feel most stressed at work, a study suggests.
The makers of the health supplement Bimuno polled 3,000 adults and found most workers coast through Monday getting their brain in gear and catching up with gossip from the weekend through social networking sites. But everything comes to a head at 11.45am.
'Traditionally, people associate Monday as the worst day of the week, but this doesn't seem to be the case - coasting through Monday means we're worse off on Tuesday - both in terms of workloads and stress levels,' Graham Waters, CEO of Bimuno-maker Clasado, said in a statement.
He added that people lead such fast-paced lives that stress naturally runs side by side with this uneven pace, especially when it comes to work.
Tuesday at 11.45am seems to be the time in the day when the real workload for the week hits employees and as a result stress levels rise. The study also revealed Tuesday as the day when workers are most likely to work through their lunch break due to the realisation they have a busy week ahead.
More than 53 per cent of those polled admitted cruising through Monday and one in 10 said they further delayed their tasks for the week by logging onto Facebook to view photos from their weekend antics. Almost one in five employees will leave the office late on a Tuesday as they work after hours to salvage their week after putting in a poor effort the day before. -- REUTERS
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Yet another article.. quite interesting.
Oct 22, 2009
'Adviser over MP' raises many questions
Who should manage lift upgrading at the constituency level?
By Sue-Ann Chia
THE official reply from the Ministry of National Development (MND) to justify why opposition MPs should not manage the Government's lift upgrading programme (LUP) in their wards raises many questions.
The MND's argument is as follows: The LUP is a national scheme that ought to be managed by government representatives, as elected opposition MPs are not answerable to the Government.
So the task falls to government-appointed grassroots advisers in Hougang and Potong Pasir. In this case, both are People's Action Party (PAP) candidates who lost at the polls.
To press home the point that opposition MPs have no right to manage the LUP, the National Development Minister's press secretary Lim Yuin Chien said in a reply to Workers' Party MP for Hougang Low Thia Khiang:
'Mr Low is mistaken when he cites the 'will of the people' expressed in general elections to justify why he should play a leading role in the LUP in Hougang.
'The will of the people expressed in general elections is to elect a government for the country as a whole; and not to elect separate local governments for each constituency.'
Mr Lim added in his letter to The Straits Times Forum Page: 'Singapore has a one-level system of government. MPs, whether People's Action Party or opposition, do not constitute a local government in their constituency.'
These arguments deserve a closer look. Let us first consider 'the will of the people', as expressed by the votes they cast in elections.
The general purpose of general elections here is undoubtedly to elect a national government, as Mr Lim points out. But voters also choose their local representatives: Members of Parliament.
The individual who commands the support of a majority of MPs becomes the prime minister and he forms the government. In most democracies, the prime minister is usually also the leader of the party with the most number of MPs in Parliament.
The Singapore system is quite different from, say, Israel's, where voters vote directly for political parties - not individual candidates - and parliamentary seats are divvied up according to the proportion of votes each party garners.
Here, we elect MPs directly; and the majority among them choose a prime minister. In our system, MPs do have the mandate of voters. We vest in our elected representatives the power to speak on our behalf and act in our interest. They are our particular, local MPs - not the representatives of the amorphous 65 per cent or 35 per cent or whatever who voted for particular parties.
Yet Mr Lim said Mr Low is wrong to assume that this gives him the authority to lead the LUP in Hougang. 'MPs - PAP or opposition - do not constitute a local government in their constituency,' wrote Mr Lim.
If that is so, it is a principle that should apply to all 84 MPs, equally. But only the two opposition MPs are denied the right to manage the LUP.
The MND's justification appears to be that the Government works through grassroots advisers on national schemes. PAP MPs are appointed as advisers to the grassroots organisations in their wards by the People's Association (PA). In the two opposition wards, the PA picked the PAP candidates who contested but lost in the wards in the last two polls as the grassroots advisers. Therefore, the Government should work with them, not the elected MPs, in those two constituencies.
This would imply that the Government accords more recognition to grassroots advisers than MPs. If this is the case, Singaporeans may ask: So what happened to their elected representatives?
To Mr Lim, the MP's role seems to be confined to that of running the town council: Collect service and conservancy fees from residents and maintain the estate. And yet town councils, he emphasised, should not be considered local government - for Singapore has only 'one level of government'.
This statement, however, contradicts statements that senior government leaders have made previously.
In the 1997 polls, for instance, then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong upped the stakes by getting PAP candidates to come up with detailed plans for their constituencies. The aim was to get voters to decide not just whether a candidate could make speeches in Parliament, but whether he also had concrete plans to improve people's lives, Mr Goh said.
'With town councils and community development councils, and my intention to give more power and responsibility to them (MPs), every election in a constituency is indeed a local government election,' Mr Goh explained at the annual PAP conference held before the polls.
At another event, he elaborated: 'In every constituency, there will be a local government with a local programme, and how you vote will affect immediately your own interest.'
His point was reiterated by then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew when Mr Lee commented on the PAP's 'local government' strategy. 'We know that if there is no direct stake, everything is the same, then the voter does not take his vote seriously. He would if he knows that he has a stake,' he said.
Then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong added: 'They know that the way they vote will influence their own personal well-being - their town, their neighbourhood, their property values.'
In the two elections that followed the 1997 polls, PAP leaders continued to invoke the 'local government' argument.
Singapore is not a federal state - so yes, there is really only one centre of power. But that does not mean that there is no local government - in practice and by policy.
When the Government announced in July that the LUP would be applied to ageing HDB flats in Potong Pasir and Hougang earlier than expected, many Singaporeans saw it as an act of political goodwill, recognising that all citizens - regardless of who they voted for - should benefit from national schemes.
Unfortunately, that act of goodwill was marred in its execution: In this case, MND's insistence on working only with the appointed grassroots representatives instead of the elected opposition MPs.
Oct 22, 2009
'Adviser over MP' raises many questions
Who should manage lift upgrading at the constituency level?
By Sue-Ann Chia
THE official reply from the Ministry of National Development (MND) to justify why opposition MPs should not manage the Government's lift upgrading programme (LUP) in their wards raises many questions.
The MND's argument is as follows: The LUP is a national scheme that ought to be managed by government representatives, as elected opposition MPs are not answerable to the Government.
So the task falls to government-appointed grassroots advisers in Hougang and Potong Pasir. In this case, both are People's Action Party (PAP) candidates who lost at the polls.
To press home the point that opposition MPs have no right to manage the LUP, the National Development Minister's press secretary Lim Yuin Chien said in a reply to Workers' Party MP for Hougang Low Thia Khiang:
'Mr Low is mistaken when he cites the 'will of the people' expressed in general elections to justify why he should play a leading role in the LUP in Hougang.
'The will of the people expressed in general elections is to elect a government for the country as a whole; and not to elect separate local governments for each constituency.'
Mr Lim added in his letter to The Straits Times Forum Page: 'Singapore has a one-level system of government. MPs, whether People's Action Party or opposition, do not constitute a local government in their constituency.'
These arguments deserve a closer look. Let us first consider 'the will of the people', as expressed by the votes they cast in elections.
The general purpose of general elections here is undoubtedly to elect a national government, as Mr Lim points out. But voters also choose their local representatives: Members of Parliament.
The individual who commands the support of a majority of MPs becomes the prime minister and he forms the government. In most democracies, the prime minister is usually also the leader of the party with the most number of MPs in Parliament.
The Singapore system is quite different from, say, Israel's, where voters vote directly for political parties - not individual candidates - and parliamentary seats are divvied up according to the proportion of votes each party garners.
Here, we elect MPs directly; and the majority among them choose a prime minister. In our system, MPs do have the mandate of voters. We vest in our elected representatives the power to speak on our behalf and act in our interest. They are our particular, local MPs - not the representatives of the amorphous 65 per cent or 35 per cent or whatever who voted for particular parties.
Yet Mr Lim said Mr Low is wrong to assume that this gives him the authority to lead the LUP in Hougang. 'MPs - PAP or opposition - do not constitute a local government in their constituency,' wrote Mr Lim.
If that is so, it is a principle that should apply to all 84 MPs, equally. But only the two opposition MPs are denied the right to manage the LUP.
The MND's justification appears to be that the Government works through grassroots advisers on national schemes. PAP MPs are appointed as advisers to the grassroots organisations in their wards by the People's Association (PA). In the two opposition wards, the PA picked the PAP candidates who contested but lost in the wards in the last two polls as the grassroots advisers. Therefore, the Government should work with them, not the elected MPs, in those two constituencies.
This would imply that the Government accords more recognition to grassroots advisers than MPs. If this is the case, Singaporeans may ask: So what happened to their elected representatives?
To Mr Lim, the MP's role seems to be confined to that of running the town council: Collect service and conservancy fees from residents and maintain the estate. And yet town councils, he emphasised, should not be considered local government - for Singapore has only 'one level of government'.
This statement, however, contradicts statements that senior government leaders have made previously.
In the 1997 polls, for instance, then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong upped the stakes by getting PAP candidates to come up with detailed plans for their constituencies. The aim was to get voters to decide not just whether a candidate could make speeches in Parliament, but whether he also had concrete plans to improve people's lives, Mr Goh said.
'With town councils and community development councils, and my intention to give more power and responsibility to them (MPs), every election in a constituency is indeed a local government election,' Mr Goh explained at the annual PAP conference held before the polls.
At another event, he elaborated: 'In every constituency, there will be a local government with a local programme, and how you vote will affect immediately your own interest.'
His point was reiterated by then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew when Mr Lee commented on the PAP's 'local government' strategy. 'We know that if there is no direct stake, everything is the same, then the voter does not take his vote seriously. He would if he knows that he has a stake,' he said.
Then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong added: 'They know that the way they vote will influence their own personal well-being - their town, their neighbourhood, their property values.'
In the two elections that followed the 1997 polls, PAP leaders continued to invoke the 'local government' argument.
Singapore is not a federal state - so yes, there is really only one centre of power. But that does not mean that there is no local government - in practice and by policy.
When the Government announced in July that the LUP would be applied to ageing HDB flats in Potong Pasir and Hougang earlier than expected, many Singaporeans saw it as an act of political goodwill, recognising that all citizens - regardless of who they voted for - should benefit from national schemes.
Unfortunately, that act of goodwill was marred in its execution: In this case, MND's insistence on working only with the appointed grassroots representatives instead of the elected opposition MPs.
What a stupid article in the other day's Straits Times…Teachers are the happiest? Haha.. my mum told me long ago that most people in the mental hospital today are ex-teachers.
With a score of 59.8 out of 100, that’s the highest score???!?!
...................................................................................
Teachers and trainers are happiest: Poll
Job portal also finds civil servants are happier than workers in private sector By Gabriel Chen
IF YOU want to be happy at work, become a teacher or work in the service sector.
That is the key message that emerges from an online poll of 5,460 working adults conducted by JobsCentral. The job network portal asked respondents across Singapore how satisfied they were with various aspects of their jobs to produce an overall 'happiness' score, with 100 signifying 'very happy' and 50 'neutral'.
Employees in education and training emerged the happiest of all, with a score of 59.8, followed closely by those in public relations who scored 58.8.
Individuals who work to ensure companies comply with regulations seem to be the least happy with their jobs, with an average score of only 52.9. The survey found that employees working for the Government are happier than those in the private sector.
From an industry perspective, employees in services - arts, entertainment, recreation and other services - are the most pleased with their jobs with a score of 69, while industries with low scores include the manufacturing sector. JobsCentral chief executive Lim Der Shing said people who work in the arts and entertainment industry, as well as teachers, have passion for their work.'On the other hand, layoffs in certain manufacturing industries and poor company performance this year could be a reason for manufacturing's lower scores,' he said. Ms Annie Yap, founder of human resource consultancy AYP Associates, agreed: 'In the educational and training sector, very often, they teach for passion, a strong interest to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.'
Mr Renny Yeo, president of the Singapore Manufacturers' Federation (SMa), admitted the manufacturing sector had been the hardest hit by the recent economic downturn, and that this could have been a key factor in employees feeling less optimistic and secure about their jobs. However, he remained confident that most SMa employers fostered active staff engagement through various team-building activities. 'This encourages better teamwork and productivity, as well as the establishment of a conducive and satisfying work environment,' he said.
Individuals contacted by The Straits Times seemed to support the poll's findings.
Mr Pierre Fong, 34, who left the engineering profession three years ago to become a full-time teacher, does not regret his career change. He recounts his experiences with children at Geylang Methodist School (Primary) with a sparkle in his eyes.
'I remember that I had this particular child in class who was very sloppy and lazy in his work,' said the English and science teacher, who admits he is unlikely to return to engineering. 'After a year, you see the gradual change. He is now so much more interested in doing his work and, as cliched as it sounds, it's really heart warming to know that you had a part to play in making that happen.'
Mr Tan Soo Jin, a director at executive search firm Amrop Hever Group and a former internal auditor, suggested that internal auditors who derived satisfaction from the job sometimes felt 'guilty' uncovering wrongdoers because they were usually sacked.
'Compliance is like policing. It can be tedious and time-consuming, so I wouldn't say many people would rate this important role to be an enjoyable one,' Mr Tan said.
With a score of 59.8 out of 100, that’s the highest score???!?!
...................................................................................
Teachers and trainers are happiest: Poll
Job portal also finds civil servants are happier than workers in private sector By Gabriel Chen
IF YOU want to be happy at work, become a teacher or work in the service sector.
That is the key message that emerges from an online poll of 5,460 working adults conducted by JobsCentral. The job network portal asked respondents across Singapore how satisfied they were with various aspects of their jobs to produce an overall 'happiness' score, with 100 signifying 'very happy' and 50 'neutral'.
Employees in education and training emerged the happiest of all, with a score of 59.8, followed closely by those in public relations who scored 58.8.
Individuals who work to ensure companies comply with regulations seem to be the least happy with their jobs, with an average score of only 52.9. The survey found that employees working for the Government are happier than those in the private sector.
From an industry perspective, employees in services - arts, entertainment, recreation and other services - are the most pleased with their jobs with a score of 69, while industries with low scores include the manufacturing sector. JobsCentral chief executive Lim Der Shing said people who work in the arts and entertainment industry, as well as teachers, have passion for their work.'On the other hand, layoffs in certain manufacturing industries and poor company performance this year could be a reason for manufacturing's lower scores,' he said. Ms Annie Yap, founder of human resource consultancy AYP Associates, agreed: 'In the educational and training sector, very often, they teach for passion, a strong interest to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.'
Mr Renny Yeo, president of the Singapore Manufacturers' Federation (SMa), admitted the manufacturing sector had been the hardest hit by the recent economic downturn, and that this could have been a key factor in employees feeling less optimistic and secure about their jobs. However, he remained confident that most SMa employers fostered active staff engagement through various team-building activities. 'This encourages better teamwork and productivity, as well as the establishment of a conducive and satisfying work environment,' he said.
Individuals contacted by The Straits Times seemed to support the poll's findings.
Mr Pierre Fong, 34, who left the engineering profession three years ago to become a full-time teacher, does not regret his career change. He recounts his experiences with children at Geylang Methodist School (Primary) with a sparkle in his eyes.
'I remember that I had this particular child in class who was very sloppy and lazy in his work,' said the English and science teacher, who admits he is unlikely to return to engineering. 'After a year, you see the gradual change. He is now so much more interested in doing his work and, as cliched as it sounds, it's really heart warming to know that you had a part to play in making that happen.'
Mr Tan Soo Jin, a director at executive search firm Amrop Hever Group and a former internal auditor, suggested that internal auditors who derived satisfaction from the job sometimes felt 'guilty' uncovering wrongdoers because they were usually sacked.
'Compliance is like policing. It can be tedious and time-consuming, so I wouldn't say many people would rate this important role to be an enjoyable one,' Mr Tan said.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Xu Liu Shan
On Powto's encouragement, i also went to find this dessert chain - Xu Liu Shan. After my boring cocktails, i went in search for it.
It was super crowded. The mango drink with mango fruit with coconut milk and jelly.
It was super crowded. The mango drink with mango fruit with coconut milk and jelly.
Yung Kee
As part of my belated gastronomical exploration of Hong Kong, I visited Yung Kee - the hallowed place for roasted meats. It was mentioned by two of my friends.
I arrived at 1050am. Closed.
Walked around for a bit to wait for them to open.
I couldnt decide on what to order. So i ordered everything i like - roasted goose, chicken and char siew.
Then it came a mountain of meat!!
Can you see how each meat type is stacked on the other? Amazing.. There was so much food i had to pack them..
That meal, with a pot of chinese tea and a bowl of rice, cost me S$60! Damn expensive man.
I arrived at 1050am. Closed.
Walked around for a bit to wait for them to open.
I couldnt decide on what to order. So i ordered everything i like - roasted goose, chicken and char siew.
Then it came a mountain of meat!!
Can you see how each meat type is stacked on the other? Amazing.. There was so much food i had to pack them..
That meal, with a pot of chinese tea and a bowl of rice, cost me S$60! Damn expensive man.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Private Kitchen
In a departure from my usual lazy fat-ass self, i actually asked out a friend for dinner when i was in Hong Kong. Decided not to waste my trips and eat hotel room service.
I asked her for somewhere local.
She suggested something called a private kitchen. It's one where it's a small area that is an extension of a person's house. You just go and pay up and they will just serve you a whole course of food that the cook was cooking that day. Yes, you have absolutely no idea what you'll be served that night, though each private kitchen has a specific theme like french, japanese, etc. The restaurant we went to was sichuan food.
Here's the new "restaurant".
At the end of the evening, the cook came out and started to sing a very high-pitched yun nan song.
The food was pretty good and comprised of about 8 courses, including two soups for each person and 2 bowls of rice for each person. I was surprised to be full and the meal only cost HGD280 - cheap by HK standards.
My friend later revealed that actually she had wanted to try the food at the Les Amis restaurant at this new hotel, the Mira or another one at the Upper House, another hotel, but i had asked for local.
Phew, else it'd have been hotel food again for me.
Coincidentally, after dinner as i walked down the Escalators to take a cab, i heard someone call out to me. it was, as some might remember, A&W girl!
I asked her for somewhere local.
She suggested something called a private kitchen. It's one where it's a small area that is an extension of a person's house. You just go and pay up and they will just serve you a whole course of food that the cook was cooking that day. Yes, you have absolutely no idea what you'll be served that night, though each private kitchen has a specific theme like french, japanese, etc. The restaurant we went to was sichuan food.
Here's the new "restaurant".
At the end of the evening, the cook came out and started to sing a very high-pitched yun nan song.
The food was pretty good and comprised of about 8 courses, including two soups for each person and 2 bowls of rice for each person. I was surprised to be full and the meal only cost HGD280 - cheap by HK standards.
My friend later revealed that actually she had wanted to try the food at the Les Amis restaurant at this new hotel, the Mira or another one at the Upper House, another hotel, but i had asked for local.
Phew, else it'd have been hotel food again for me.
Coincidentally, after dinner as i walked down the Escalators to take a cab, i heard someone call out to me. it was, as some might remember, A&W girl!
Conference
I cant remember if i mentioned that i was in Hong Kong for a conference but yeah i am.
I usually hate to attend conferences and its accompanying cocktails cos i hate to mingle and i dont know many people and therefore find myself standing at the counters just eating and not "networking". Wait a minute, that isnt that bad..
Tonight is the last night and i decided to skip the cocktail and back to go home. YAY!
My ex-boss didnt attend this one as he said he was travelling and he skype-chatted me to ask how it was.
Oddly, halfway he veered off-topic and mentioned he was in San Francisco last weekend and how the journey was long. Then he mentioned how when he and I went to New Orleans in 2007 and how his luggage got lost in Chicago. Then i mentioned how he had to wear his clothes for 2 days. Then he recollected how he had to go to Gap to buy new underwear but the underwear was too big there and he had to buy shorts.
Too much details dude.
Then he said he was actually wearing the same shorts as he skyped me.
*scary*
I usually hate to attend conferences and its accompanying cocktails cos i hate to mingle and i dont know many people and therefore find myself standing at the counters just eating and not "networking". Wait a minute, that isnt that bad..
Tonight is the last night and i decided to skip the cocktail and back to go home. YAY!
My ex-boss didnt attend this one as he said he was travelling and he skype-chatted me to ask how it was.
Oddly, halfway he veered off-topic and mentioned he was in San Francisco last weekend and how the journey was long. Then he mentioned how when he and I went to New Orleans in 2007 and how his luggage got lost in Chicago. Then i mentioned how he had to wear his clothes for 2 days. Then he recollected how he had to go to Gap to buy new underwear but the underwear was too big there and he had to buy shorts.
Too much details dude.
Then he said he was actually wearing the same shorts as he skyped me.
*scary*
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Yucky Dim Sum
I was late for a meeting the other day and decided to do a quick one by ordering a dim sum platter.
It suxs.
I officially denounce the dim sum at the Shangri-La Tsim Sha Tsui. Cost me S$40!! Look at the greenish dim sum which they make to look like a fat butterfly? I wonder why they'd think it makes it more appetising when shaped like an insect?!@
It suxs.
I officially denounce the dim sum at the Shangri-La Tsim Sha Tsui. Cost me S$40!! Look at the greenish dim sum which they make to look like a fat butterfly? I wonder why they'd think it makes it more appetising when shaped like an insect?!@
Humble House
After so many years, I finally went to My Humble House.
Furnishings inside is certainly not humble at all. Pretty good food at decent prices.
The dessert came and with it came a bowl and the lady starting pouring water into the bowl and dry ice started evaporating!!!! Scared the heck outta us!
Furnishings inside is certainly not humble at all. Pretty good food at decent prices.
The dessert came and with it came a bowl and the lady starting pouring water into the bowl and dry ice started evaporating!!!! Scared the heck outta us!
Friday, October 09, 2009
Trip
After not travelling for some time, making one final thrust before the year ends.
Going to Hong Kong/Dong Guan for a week this sunday.
Then to Ho Chi Minh City for hopefully less than a week. I hope the client doesnt drag me to Nha Trang.
Then maybe a trip to Shanghai after that.
Phew..
Going to Hong Kong/Dong Guan for a week this sunday.
Then to Ho Chi Minh City for hopefully less than a week. I hope the client doesnt drag me to Nha Trang.
Then maybe a trip to Shanghai after that.
Phew..
Monday, October 05, 2009
Yummy
I was at sushi yoshida on Friday. Yummy food.. the sushi mixed plate was fabulous and the beef was three sauces was yummy. Tempura wasnt that fab.. *burp*
Dumbass
Last week, I came to work and saw Advisor’s blackberry plucked into my laptop (I don’t switch off my laptop when I leave for the day), to charge his BB. I thought that was quite rude but I thought hey, I came in at 9:45am, I shouldn’t draw attention to that.
I came in this morning and found this.
One end of the cable was plucked into the BB and the other end was not plucked into anywhere?@?!?@!@? I brought my laptop home over the weekend.
Gosh, what a dumbass.
I called IT and asked them to give him a cable.
I don’t think he got a cable cos he had lost his handphone and said that the BB allocated to him was too fat. He was too cheap to buy a phone and then my boss gave him his old BB Curve. What a loser.
I came in this morning and found this.
One end of the cable was plucked into the BB and the other end was not plucked into anywhere?@?!?@!@? I brought my laptop home over the weekend.
Gosh, what a dumbass.
I called IT and asked them to give him a cable.
I don’t think he got a cable cos he had lost his handphone and said that the BB allocated to him was too fat. He was too cheap to buy a phone and then my boss gave him his old BB Curve. What a loser.
Sale!
It was some anniversary sale at OG and this is a picture of some aunties discussing with each other how to maximise the points to buy more Tefal woks at the cheapest price. OG should use this as a poster for their adverts.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Highlight
You know your life isnt rosy when the only highlight of this week is the printer you ordered finally arrived after 1 month.
This is my very first personal office printer. Brought me 5 mins of cheer before I realised that the printouts have an orange tinge.
This is my very first personal office printer. Brought me 5 mins of cheer before I realised that the printouts have an orange tinge.
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