How much is the car petrol?

At a nearby petrol kiosk, I noted the prices of different grades of petrol:
Silver : $2.186 per litre,
Gold : $2.260 per litre and
Platinum : $2.386 per litre.

A $70 bill can only buy 32.023 litres of petrol. An estimate of 15km (depending on various factors) uses 1 litre of petrol. So to travel a distance of about 15km, one pays at least $2.20.

Is travelling becoming more expensive?

Great Singapore Sale

The Great Singapore Sale (GSS) starts today. Armed with "Great on value, Small on price", many people will go all out to get value for money items.

Wait a minute, before you start your shopping spree, may I ask if you really need the items you have in mind or just simply want to have the items?

We must know the differences between "need" and "want". We need food. We want branded goods. Can you see the differences?

Yes, GSS is all out to entice people to open their wallets and take out their hard-earned cash. For me, I will exercise extra caution before taking out my wallet.

The inflation is at all time high. Things are getting more and more expensive.

Job security is always a real concern and one can never take his or her job as an iron rice bowl.

It is always better to save some money for rainy days.

School Holidays

The June school holidays will start in a week's time. 

For friends who have already signed up tours to overseas, please ensure you have bought your travel insurance. Do not let the unpleasant and unexpected events to spoil your fun.

For friends who have yet to decide what to do, would you consider a trip to Sentosa or the Zoo or even to some parks.

There is a promotion on Sentosa. Though there is some savings from this promotion, the prices are still quite steep for a family. But if you have not been to Sentosa for quite some time, maybe you can consider its offer.

http://www.sentosa.com.sg/UserFiles/Image/SCP-E-Poster.jpg

For parks, you may want to visit http://www.nparks.gov.sg/ for more info. 

I enjoy walking in the parks provided the weather is cloudy and windy. So  check out the weather first before embarking on a walking trail.

Happy School Holidaying.

I Wish...

Last year when I met a real serious problem, I wish I had study law and became a lawyer. I wanted to know more about legal knowledge to help solve this problem. 

When one of my family member has cancer, I wish I had study medicine and became a doctor. I wanted to know why cancer cells are so stubborn and so resistant to drugs and chemo. They were able to mask themselves and reappear elsewhere later. I wanted to find a way to kill all these cancer cells. Just like dumping rubbish, I wanted to get rid of them completely. The cells are so simple yet so important. They are living things but reproduce in a very unusual manner; they divide themselves.

When the severe earthquake struck Sichuan (China) on 12th May 2008, I wish I had study seismology and understand more about earthquakes which took away more than 12000 lives this time. The papers reported that thousands of frogs/toads were seen a few days prior the earthquake. These simple creatures were aware of the impending disaster but not the smart human beings.

I am nothing but a simple person.

Is Life Just Waiting And Waiting And Waiting?

I am lying in a bed in a ward of a hospital. There are five patients sharing the same ward as me. The one on my left looks weak, lying on her bed with visitors crowding around. The visitors brought soup and fruits. The patient can only have a small sip or bite.

The one on my left also have visitors crowding around. They look sad because their loved one lying on the bed has an oxygen mask attached. She has not been eating for the past 3 days. They do not know how long her heart continues to beat.

The one directly opposite is very happy despite coughing now and then. She has asked a nurse to help clean and put on her own clothes in the early morning. She will be discharged very soon.

The one to my far left continues to sleep. Why hasn't she sleep enough? She opens her eyes occasionally; just to let people around know that she is still alive.

The one to my far right looks fine today. After her breakfast, she has been using her laptop and made some calls using her handphone.

All of us share a similar hope and dream. We just want to leave this place and return to our home as soon as possible.

Here, there is not much difference between day and night. There are lots of nurses, doctors, people etc walking outside the ward. None of them have a familiar face that I know.

I wait and wait, hoping to see a familiar face; hoping to see a face that I remember of.

I want to go to relieve. I press the call button. Help came only after a long wait. I feel miserable.

I am hungry; meals don't come on the dot. When I wake up, I wait for breakfast to be served. After this meal, I wait for my lunch. After it, I wait for my dinner and then a small cup of milo before lights off.

I feel warm. I switch on the ceiling fan. After a while, I feel cold and I switch off the fan. My body feels itchy as I have only sponge bath. Lot of tubes are poked into my body. How I wish these tubes can be removed, so that I can have a good shower or bath. I have to wait for these tubes to be removed; only when I am better.

Make a trip to a hospital and you will realise how important good health is.

Pumpkin

Have you tried cooking and eating pumpkin?

The skin is rather hard and has to be removed carefully using a sharp knife. There are many seeds in the middle of the fruit and they have to be removed too before cooking.

I cook it with porridge and soup. It is quite sweet and taste like sweet potatoes. It is nutritious too. Do give it a try!

source :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin

Happy Mothers' Day

Hello friends,
How did you celebrate Mothers' Day over the weekend?

A few days before 10 May, I called up a restaurant along Alexandra Road to order a takeaway. To save some cost and have the comfort to eat at home, I always prefer a takeaway. I was asked to collect my food at 11.45am.

At 11.30am, I reached the restaurant to wait patiently for my food. At 12.05pm, I was getting quite impatient as my food was still not ready. The waitress told me that the chefs were still steaming my fish. Ok, I better don't make too much noise or else I would get a half-cooked fish instead.

At 12.10pm, I finally got my ordered food. The price was $98++. Since I ordered a takeaway, I paid only the 7% GST. With a calculator, the price was $104.86. But I was charged $104.90. It made no difference if I paid by cash or a credit card. I told the waitress that this didn't seem right and since I paid using a credit card, I should not be over-charged by 4 cents. She could not do much as this was a computer print-out.

This is my first time facing a "rounding up of cents" situation. I will not return to this restaurant for a long, long time.

Happy Mothers' Day to everybody!

regards,
bungerstar

A Minor Accident Opposite Bt Gombak MRT

There was a taxi stand just opposite Bukit Gombak MRT station. A dark blue taxi drove out from its waiting area, probably in a hurry without checking its blind-spot. A motor-bike swerved to avoid this taxi. As a result of a sudden and sharp turning, the motorist lost his balance and fell right in the middle of the busy road.

My heart missed a beat as this motorist was right in front of me. I was relieved that I did not drive fast. I was able to stop in time and left the motorist untouched. His right leg was trapped under his heavy bike. I stopped my car and immediately went forward to help the motorist. A passerby at the taxi-stand came up too. The motorist was able to walk and I assumed he was alright before continuing my journey.

The taxi driver sped off without giving this incident a hoot!

What kind of society we are living in?

Medical Bills

Since falling sick is certain, facing the size of medical bills becomes inevitable. The last thing a patient would like to have in mind, would be to worry about the payment of medical bills.

Most of the people would have at least some basic form of medical insurance against huge hospitalization and surgical expenses by having MediShield. This basic MediShield provides some reimbursement against medical expenses and usually meant for staying in a B2 ward or C ward of a government or restructured hospital. There are limits and caps on the reimbursement.

To have an inflation-proof medical insurance plan, many buy an "as-charged" medical insurance plan which has fewer limits and caps. 

As said, death and falling sick are certain in life. Getting a medical insurance plan when you are still young and healthy is a must. Buy insurance only when you don't need it.

If you have any queries, please feel free to email me at rogerlcf@aia.com.sg

A B2 ward in SGH

There is a common saying that there are only 2 things that are certain; death and tax. I would like to modify and say; only death and sick are certain.

Taxes can be minimized or even reduced to zero. All living things grow old and die. So passing on is just a matter of time. Falling sick is also certain.

One of my family members was warded in Singapore General Hospital. My family members take turn to visit her whenever is possible.

She is staying in B2 ward where she shares a big room with 5 other patients. There is no tv and washroom in her ward. There is only a ceiling fan for each bed. 

I have been visiting her for the past four days. I find that the "living" condition is still fine. The air-con is not necessary. Patients usually have a weaker immune system and tend to feel cold easily. So having an air-con blowing day and night, may not be good for the patients.

The shared washroom is just outside the ward. If the patient can move around even with some help, it is always good to take the chance to go to washroom to move around. I don't think it is healthy to lie on the bed day and night.

As for the tv, the patient is supposed to get ample rest. The tv is not necessary for the patients at all. In fact, there is a common air-conditioned room with a large flat-screen tv. Both the patients and visitors can watch tv programmes together.

Falling sick is already miserable, the most important is to receive quality medical care to recover fast and leave the hospital without worrying much on the size of the medical bills.

My Beloved BB

BB is a male shih tzu.

I came into contact with him since he was a puppy. I admit that I was a lousy and irresponsible owner. I did not train BB well. As a result, he was not well toilet trained. He can be quite fierce with strangers. He is stubborn but fiercely loyal as he guides my empty flat when I am busy with my job.

My neighbours are unhappy with BB because he has very sensitive ears. He barks when he hears any noise outside the main door. They complained that he was such a noisy dog and have gotten the relevant authority to get rid of him.

After about 2 years of such struggling, BB goes to SPCA today. Before leaving my house, BB knew. Unlike other days when the main door was opened and he would dashed out to sniff around, he was hiding under the sofa. He was unwilling to come out at all.

I weeped at SPCA. I weeped for BB. I was very angry with myself that I could not even protect him. I blamed myself for his ill-fate. I was responsible for his life. Look what I have done!

Any pet-owners here? Please take good care of your pets. Their lifes are in your hands. You can have many things but your pet has none. You are what your pet have.

BB,
I am truly sorry and please forgive me. I love you forever and ever.

Expect little respite from the heat

Temperatures set to climb as May and June are traditionally the hottest months here

By Diana Othman

IF THE weather has been sweltering lately, it is because May is on record as the second-hottest month of the year here. The fortnightly weather forecast by the National Environment Agency (NEA) indicates that up till the middle of this month, higher-than-average daily temperatures can be expected. There will be little relief from rain, and winds will be too light to cool things down. To top it off, a slight haze is also expected on some days between now and May 15. In the first five days of this month, the mercury hit 34.1 deg C at its highest. The average daily temperature for those five days was 29.3 deg C, slightly higher than the average daily temperature of 28.3 deg C in May in past years. Expect temperatures to climb still higher - perhaps to 38 deg C - heading into June, traditionally the hottest month here. Associate Professor Matthias Roth from the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore listed factors such as lower-than-usual humidity, dryness of the air and clearer skies for pushing temperatures up. He explained: 'Humidity actually absorbs heat from the sun's radiation. It has been less humid lately and, together with clearer skies, more intense sunlight is shining down on us.' The NEA also noted that April and May were 'inter-monsoonal months' - the period between the end of the December-to-March north-east monsoon and the start of the south-west monsoon, which prevails from June to September. April and May are marked by relatively strong solar heating and light, variable winds, it added. Although widespread thundery showers will fall between now and mid-May, they will be brief squalls that bring little respite. Several people The Straits Times spoke to have been taking measures to keep cool in the last week or two. Insurance agent Jessie Tan, 49, had the air-conditioners in the three bedrooms of her Jurong home cleaned to optimise the cooling effect. 'All along I felt that the air-conditioners made the rooms cool enough but, lately, I don't feel the cool air as strongly,' she said. Although her 14th-floor condominium unit is usually windy, the breezes seem to have died down. 'My daughter wants me to switch on the aircon every day now,' she said. Over in Bedok Reservoir, 67-year-old retiree Larry Chong usually throws open the windows and turns on the fan. But that has not seemed enough lately, so the air-conditioners have come on more often. 'If I don't, my house will feel like an oven,' he said. source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_234706.html

My comments: 

My utility bill for water and electricity is going to rise.

Stress

A young girl asked her mummy if there were many people who live past 100 years old. Her mum replied that there were quite a number and this number was quite high in some countries such as Japan.

The little girl asked again for the reasons and her mum said that one of the factors could be the Japanese like to eat fish. 

Yes, besides eating fish, a healthy diet, exercise regularly and control the level of stress are other factors which contribute to longevity. 

In Singapore, where can we get a healthy diet where most of our meals are either instant type or pre-prepared? Do you have some time left to exercise and de-stress in this rat-race society?

Even a child feels the stress when the school examinations are approaching, needless to talk about working adults.

Is Eating Out Becomes A Norm For You ?

Due to the presence of multi-races in our society, we have the chance to taste different dishes prepared by different races. Almost everywhere and anywhere, there would be at least an eatery, servicing many different type of food day and night.

As a result, cooking at home becomes unnecessary as delicious cooked food is readily available at a nominal price. This saves the inconvenience of whipping up a meal, preparing and cutting the vegetables and meat, cleaning and washing the dishes etc. In particular for a modern family where both husband and wife work extremely hard in this rat-race society, cooking at home becomes silly since the time spent on cooking can be used to relax, surf internet, watch tv programmes or with loved family members.

Is this a healthy trend? We are famous in out-sourcing and are we in the process to out-source our home-cooked too?

I welcome any comments on this issue and many thanks.

You're so old. Why are you cleaning toilets?

I have mixed feelings after reading the below article. If a senior citizen is still as fit as a fiddle, then there is absolutely nothing wrong to continue working and earn some money. He or she is actively contributing to the society. If this citizen is working because to make ends meet, then it is really pathetic because in terms of health and strength, a senior can't beat a young.

Why do some people ended up having not enough for retirement when Singapore is said to be one of the countries where citizens having the highest savings rates in the world? Where did the money saved during the working active years gone to?

One of our main sources of retirement funds come from CPF. Over the years, the CPF has undergone evolutions and can be used to fund housing which our citizens deemed very crucial to have a solid roof overhead, to fund children's tertiary education since paper qualification speaks the loudest, to pay for medical bills, to purchase various insurance and investment plans etc

In the end, do we still have much left for CPF? Before we continue to spend our CPF, do consider thrice. Though we don't see this CPF, it does not mean it does not exist and it is mainly meant for our old age.

source: www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_233804.html

How Time Flies

Hi friends and readers,
I apologize for not updating my blog more often and regularly. I have been terribly busy with both work and family.

Today is 2nd May and we are close to middle of year 2008. The second week of May is Mothers' Day. Have you thought of ways to celebrate this special day? I am looking for vegetarian takeaways. If you know any recommended outlets which offer such takeaways meant for say 4 persons at a reasonable price, please let me know.

Early May is for school exam and soon, the one month-long school holidays will start. I am sure many parents have already made plans to go overseas. Please don't forget to get your travel insurance. Nobody wants unplanned and unpleasant situations but accidents do happen when we are least expected.

As for myself, I decided to stay-put during the school holidays. I try to avoid this peak period where air-fares, hotel room rates, coach tickets usually selling at high prices. Maybe I will go to Sentosa and spend a whole day there. I pray for cooling weather as the weather during the past few days has been very unbearable. I am worrying that my electricity (for ceiling fans) and water (for more showers taken daily) bills will be going up again.

regards,
bungerstar