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I remember not so long ago in the course of my life, both at work and casual, I come across Singaporeans that can tell me 'I don't understand Mandarin' when I spoke to them in Mandarin. Good thing is, my English is equally good, thus I have no problem communicating with my own fellow countrymen. Fast forward to current day; It seems to me that nobody tells me that anymore . Suddenly all those 'Ang Mo' sect understands Mandarin now; what a change Have you had this encounter before?

5 MAJOR FACTS ABOUT SINGAPORE THAT EVERY SINGAPOREAN SHOULD UNDERSTAND http://theinfluencermedia.com/2014/07/20/5-major-facts-about-singapore-that-every-singaporean-should-understand/ Lately there has been an ongoing trend of Singaporeans lashing out at the government, voicing out unhappiness and dissatisfaction. We saw a article of how we are ranked in the top most expensive cities, we had Roy Ngerng causing a huge stir about the CPF system, we had photo comparisons of what a 3-room flat in Bishan can be like a bungalow in Pennsylvania. Many people are saying that our ministers are getting paid too high and there is a large widening gap between the rich and the poor. To make things worse, the recent boom in foreigners has caused upset amongst Singaporeans, citing that Singapore has less Singaporeans than foreigners. We love comparing to successful first-world countries. Oh, look at how great Germany is doing. Look at how wonderful it is to live in the Scandinavian countries. It will be so much better to migrate to the UK or Australia. What I can tell you is that if you are someone who follows world news, global economics and politics closely, you will realize that every country has their own problems as well. 1) Population Control A.K.A. Why are there so many foreigners in Singapore? No, Singapore is NOT the only country that is facing an immigration issue. The United Kingdoms, Germany, Australia, United States of America, Canada is also facing the same issue. Ironically, these are the countries that Singaporeans want to migrate to because they believe they can enjoy a better lifestyle there. Before you start to tell everyone about your dreams to migrate, have you considered that when you migrate to a foreign country, you automatically become one of those foreign immigrants which Singaporeans are so upset about? Here is the hypocrisy when Singaporeans point out they are not happy that so many foreigners are overtaking Singapore, and Singaporeans say they want to migrate to other countries, and eventually they end up being a foreigner in a different land. And this is exactly how our first-world counterparts feel. People in Europe and the U.S. are complaining that there are so many Asians flowing into their country. Their own local populace is also crying out that there are too many people coming into their country. And this is why we must look into the reason on why immigration happens. People immigrate in hopes of finding a better lifestyle than staying in their home ground. Countries allow immigrants to come in, if they can provide the countries with benefits. Why has Singapore become a hotspot for immigrants? Let me introduce to you jobs which pay about $1,600-$1,800 a month, to do cleaning services, waitressing, laundry, bus operators, cashiering, clerk assistants or construction labor. Too many proud, and elitist mindset Singaporean graduates want the easy life and cannot handle hardship. If every Singaporean refuses to do blue-collar jobs, who will do it? Who will be the ones who keeps our streets clean, construct awe-inspiring buildings like the Esplanade, Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, operate our MRT and bus services, serve our food at restaurants, maintain proper roads and infrastructure? 5 marina_bay_singapore The governments and employers have no choice, they need to open up the job offer to anyone outside our country, who are hungry for jobs and dont mind taking up the offer. And yet certain, bad-mouthing Singaporeans still complain that they get bad service from foreign workers. The notion here is, If you think you can do a better job than them, go ahead and do it instead of complaining 2) Treating the CPF system like it is a complete scam A certain blogger Roy Ngerng has churned out many infographs about how menacing the CPF system is. While the the information cannot be proved to be true, what we can comprehend is very clear. Personal income tax in Singapore averages 6.5%. The top marginal income tax you could ever hit is 20%. CPF contribution is also another 20%. This may sound harsh to you, but please take note that in other first-world countries, their personal income tax is higher than our maximum 20%. Some countries go up to 50%. Thats like an employer promising you a $4,000 salary but you only get to take home $2,000. In Singapore, we may only take home 70-80% of our net supposed salary. However, 20% of that amount is still technically yours. Unlike other countries, our government has not completely removed that 20% away, never to be seen again. It is simply kept in a retirement account. And the bonus is that you can still use your CPF to pay off any medical bills, insurances and housing bills. The CPF money can still be used and planned to a certain extent. I dont know about you, but I much rather have 20% in a retirement account than have it completely taken away by income tax. No matter how bad you might assume CPF is, its already a system that is much better than 90% of other countries. If you blatantly say you just want to migrate to other countries because there is no CPF there, you are forgetting something called 2-3x higher income tax rate 3) Complaining about Real Estate and Car Prices Thousands of motorists sit stuck in the Ladies and gentlemen, this is what our roads and highways will look like if the government makes car prices as low as that in the United States ($20,000 avg.) If we let every Singaporean have the privilege of owning a car, we will have infinite traffic jams, and even commuters who choose to take the bus will find themselves caught in these massive jams. Even motorcycle users will be affected. Air pollution indexes will raise higher than what our forest fire hazes have given us, and everyone will have to walk out with N95 masks everyday like the situation in Beijing. Is this what you want? Low car prices? Flash news! Singapore is an island state that is no more than 42km wide. It is irrational to blame the government for having such a small island to work with. Since we are born into a small country state, maybe its time to accept the fact that not everyone can be allowed to own a car. The COE system is put in place so that people with higher status, eg. businessmen, professionals, managers, politicians who have a bigger need for cars can afford the $70,000 to travel around. The notion here is that if you cant afford a car, simply settle for public transport. It only takes a maximum of 1 hour 15 minutes to travel from Tampines to Jurong via MRT. Anyway, if you are a financially educated person, you will know that owning a car is having more liabilities, which is a bad financial decision especially if you are aiming to get rich ASAP. In a way, the government is discouraging people from buying cars, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Which brings me to my point of soaring real estate prices in Singapore. HDB_10_2_1 We simply love comparing that our $400,000 3-room flat in Tampines/Bishan can afford us a freakin Villa (complete with poolside and balcony) in Thailand or Mexico. Let me emphasize again that we are a small island, so it is simply irrational to blame the government for having such a small island. We cannot build 1,000,000 Villas for the 1,000,000 households in Singapore for everyone to live in. There is not enough space. This is common sense that you cannot fit so many big houses into a small country. Take a look at other countries who are suffering from land shortages. Real estate prices in Hong Kong are more expensive than Singapores. Japans real estate prices is almost similar. Everywhere in the world, real estate prices are generally rising due to demand and supply from people who need a house. Another notion here is, if you cannot afford to buy a big house, settle for a small one, or just rent out a flat. And if you really want to live in a Villa with $400,000, please consider migrating because you wont find anymore hope here. 4) Difficulty of finding employment, even with a degree In agreement to point number 1, its really not the case that its hard to find employment in Singapore. Its more about us Singaporeans being too elitist and picky for own good. What do most of us always say we want to be upon graduation? 9168898_orig Oh, I wanna be a [insert industry here] manager Well, captain obvious, if the entire population dreams of becoming a manager, who will become the employee? Think about that just for awhile. Working as an employers assistance, I have posted out job listings calling for receptionists and customer service executives needed for SMEs. The pay given was $2,200, which includes potential commission if sales deals are closed over the counter. I specifically stated that the education level required was not necessary, as long as the applicant knows how to speak fluent English and their natural mother tongue. The catch? You must commit to a 6-day work week, 9 hours a day. This sounds like a grind, but, I got 0 replies from Singaporeans, and 20 replies from foreigners. You see, its not that its hard to get a job in Singapore. Its just that if everyone wanted to become managers, theres simply not enough. Once again, simple demand and supply concept. As for people who rant about how so many foreign workers are taking up managerial positions and commanding Singapore employees to do jobs instead, I believe that from a HR perspective, these foreigners have already achieved a good reputation through networking and work experience. Because honestly, if you are a Singaporean with a good track record of experience, and your foreign rival has no experience at all, any logical HR manager will hire you instead. Before we start jumping to conclusions, we need to take a step back and appreciate that some foreign workers indeed have the necessary years of experience required and have displayed good working habits in order to get the promotion to a managerial role. Trust me, if you set up your own business one day, and get a chance to be your own boss, you would also choose your employees based on their work attitude, personality, and years of experience. Nationality is a very weak subject in the world of employment. 5) No explanation needed Singapore-River 1_marina_bay_night_2012 Our government has transformed Singapore from 3rd-world kampung island to 1st-world global recognized state in a matter of 40 odd years. If you cant even appreciate this fact, its time to do some self-reflection of whether you can do a better job in their shoes, if we reset time to 1965. Jackie Loh Writer The Influencer Media

Recently, I see a few cases where criminals have been granted to escape the death penalties... I understand the law was amended to allow judges to have discretionary powers in deciding on death penalty. BUT: 1) Shouldn't the new law start from a date in future and only applies to cases which are not decided yet? 2) Why is it criminals who have been sentenced to death in the past are now reviewed? New law can be back-dated? 3) Those criminals already sentenced to death a few years ago - why are they still ALIVE today? Shouldn't they been dead a few years ago?

http://therealsingapore.com/content/prof-b...t-say-singapore Can anyone explain to me the meaning of this article? I dun get it...

interesting

Was doing DVR shopping and saw this sample video. Cannot understand how this driver get his license.

Seriously I don't understand how does COE benefit me at all.... It says its to control car population so that roads will not be too conjested. However, if it so expensive that I cannot afford a car, then how does clear roads benefit me at all? At the end of the day, isn't the purpose of COE simply to allow rich pple to enjoy driving on non conjested roads? Since rich people makes up just a minority of the population, then whats the point of having COE? The vast majority does not benefit from it at all.

Posted by "Jan" Being an expat myself who also lived in Singapore for a year back in the mid 1990's I have to be completely honest and say that I really think the Singaporean Government should try to stick a finger in the ground and listen to its own population for once. Even I as a foreigner much prefer the The Singapore I experienced 18 years ago from the Singapore today where everything seems to be aimed at creating a higher GDP on paper for show with the result that Singaporeans are being made secondary citizens in their own country. It is really no wonder that ordinary Singaporeans feel they have had enough. Due to the Governments stance on labour laws it has been possible for employers to virtually make Singaporeans extinct within certain industries. The service sector in Singapore is today virtually void of local Singaporeans. When I go to Changi Airport to fly anywhere the only place I meet local Singaporeans is in Immigration. Honestly, a people should never have to feel alienated in their own country. A completely unnecessary accident as the described just fuels the feelings already deeply rooted in most Singaporeans and that is only the lasted case. Why is it possible for somebody else than Singaporean citizens to occupy HDB flats? Why has it been allowed that some foreigners have been able to stay in the PR scheme almost indefinitely? Why are many Singaporeans treated differently in hospitals and educational institutions just because you have foreigners standing there waving money? I can only recommend the Singaporean Government to wake up and look at the realities. A very real scenario may reveal itself in 2016 and maybe that is about time as well. I am not a Singaporean nor can I ever become one but I do have enough common sense to understand that there is something very wrong in Singapore when local Singaporeans are being put second or further back in line to pretty much everything while some foreigners, who's only asset for Singapore is money, take first row. Maybe The Singaporean Government don't even care how some of these newly rich have actually aquired their wealth. Many of them may not really be people you want to be associated with like this irresponsible crazy PRC moron who by his splendid show of stupidity managed to take the lives of two innocent people of which one was just an ordinary family father who worked to provide for his family. Link

is the court the right place to conclude what went wrong with the mrt and then make a decision how to improvement it...and i think I heard from the news that the judge say it is not to find who is reponsible...but to find out what went wrong ??? well...unless it is act of god...else definitely someone or more than one person is responsible...to point to the fault is as good as pointing to the person... then we have all these lawyers involve...I thought what we need more is CSI !!! isn't lawyers use for defending and seeking legal advise??? MRT break done got something to do with legal meh ??? I thought it is only man and physics ??? Then with so many type of pple involve....who is footing the bill ??? [confused] [confused] oh oh edit...so mrt breakdown....some laugh and some cry !!!

why not just visit the prostitute house and ask her to expose and show to you then say not nice don't want keep on doing like this until you see finish all the prostitutes in the house then you will feel good enough already why must guys still pay the money to visit and see only 1 when you can save the $$ and see many?

Salary not that high Can earn commission from sales Customer very keen to buy big ticket item Through inexplicabe reasons, worker dilly dally and never follow up with customer Customer sian by 1/2.... sales lost Local worker by the way.

From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1176921/1/.html Pay not a primary factor for PAP team: Chan Chun Sing By Monica Kotwani | Posted: 15 January 2012 1637 hrs

A very brilliant and prominent thinker (the one on wheelchair, a scientist/maths genius) ever said: WOMEN!!! If he's right, how to understand a bit more? Hope on day someone can invent a scanner to scanner their brain and see exaxtly what's inside So far, my wife is quite predictable, but the first few years were quite 'trail n error' in terms of avoiding land mines

Duh! Want gahmen give him free car ah COE domination by high-end marque buyers an unhealthy trend Published on Dec 7, 2011 http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/...ory_742009.html Share 0 inShare</span></span> Purchase this article for republication Buy SPH photos LAST Saturday's report ('High-end cars winning market race') puts a different twist to acquiring a certificate of entitlement (COE) which, thus far, has been viewed as a commodity. The fact that the premium car brands are getting the lion's share of the COEs available, to the detriment of the mass-market car brands, indicates that the financially well-off in Singapore are the winners. By extension, most Singapore motorists who own or aspire to own a car are average income-earners and, at most, can afford only a lower-end brand. It is highly likely that those who own the premium car brands may already have one or more cars, an advantage that an average Singaporean does not have. The slowdown in the number of cars scrapped further suggests the possibility that the average motorist needs the car for a number of valid reasons, even though he must pay a progressively higher road tax for the privilege. Seen in this light, the COE may turn into an issue that will add to unnecessary unease among heartlanders. One can even imagine blogs and other social media spinning the cynical view - that the building of more expressways and Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantries will serve to ease congestion for the Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis to zip along quicker. In a way, the spike in the number of COEs available between 2004 and 2008 was an acknowledgement of the pent-up desire among average income-earners to own a car. Their inability to do so may be a source of potential discontent. It is clear that the authorities must lower the annual allowable vehicle population growth rate, wielding the COE as the tool of control. The solution is perhaps to create clear quotas for each category, to enable bidders to see that there is some equity in the system. In the current pool system, the taxi companies (as they have a profit-oriented objective and deeper pockets) and the financially well-off will continue to dominate in the bidding for COEs. First, we should re-categorise COEs into commercial and non-commercial vehicles. Next, there should be a quota for each category and sub-category by engine capacity. Should there be unallocated COEs after the bidding, the authorities can then channel them into the other categories. The system will then be seen to be fairer as the average income-earner can have a fighting chance to achieve his aspirations. Johnnie Chia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNsrl86inpo Does the new Siri OS5 understand Singlish? "Ang Mo Kio, how to go?" "CTE or PIE faster?" "Weather si pei hot, what temperature, ha??". :)

Our building got only 180 lot but the season already taken out 150 lot.. every morning sure got people trying to get in the building car park using the hourly entry when its already full.. Worse is they will just chop the entry till me the season entry also cant go in.. Best is the management got put sign far outside along the main road & yet there is still some idiot turning in to the building.. :excl: Good things for me is i get to test my horn every morning... :D

Sorry guys gt something that is bothering me right now n hope someone who noe the system can help mi. Does excuse heavy load = excuse full battle order? meaning during mod manning, i dun have to carry my FBO back to camp? I asked my camp MO n he say yes, ask my current company manager who was a ex csm, he also say yes. but my reservist camp CO say no. he say as my pes status is C9L2, i still deployable outfield which means i need to carry FBO. I am downgraded to C9L2 due to slipped disc. tks for reading n hope someone out there can help mi.

This is an abstract from asiaone...check it out for All men http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews...604-282344.html

I am scouring the market to get another car as my 3rd kid is gonna pop. Some cars I saw had CNG installed. I believe when these guys purchased the car, they had a rebate. How much was the rebate? A car dealer told me that when such cars are sold or when scrap, deduct 40% off their OMV cause of the rebate the car owners got when they bought the car, is that correct? Anyway, CNG is a dying fad? All comments welcome.

very interesting mtv by mrbrownshow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw7jIOGJLq4&NR=1

Is this really imported? Or is the dealer trying to be funny? If it is really imported , I dont see the point.. Why bring in a car that is already so common... http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.ph...322&DL=2062

I was browing through the items for sale @ SgCarMart.. Suddenly , I dont know why.. backside itchy went to see BMW rental how much.. at the side got one ad showing a 1992 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Manual for rent... But , look at the ad.. http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?autoco...mp;product=4307 Look at the pictures the company provides.. One is the real car , then look at the other 2 photos.. Showing a current Altis's interior.. -_-

Didnt know there is so much to consider when want to upsize or downsize rim and tire.

A small 1. Something car dare to push a 2.5L monster ? Today one black Suzuki sedan don't know what model quite ugly type with round lights maybe called Rush Rish whatever start with R one ... Push me on BKE when I was 110kmph I go to lane 2 and pace him then I shout how much is your car!? Then I took off way ahead then wait for him and pace with him and show him my pinky finger indicating his ride is small kanah...