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Day 1. The daunting task begins.

I have never really had problems letting go of anything in my life. However, this, this was special. It has been a habit that had stuck with me through thick and thin for almost 7 years. To leave this old friend behind, would be to remove a part of myself entirely. I'm sure most of you have had to go through similar experiences, having to leave something behind, be it a relationship, a place or whatever you hold dear to you. Today I will be leaving that bit of myself behind, be it whether for better or for worse, as I had made a promise to myself that I should keep.

Singapore Insurance Policies Creating Bad Drivers?

Typically the insurance for a motor-vehicle in Singapore is obviously not cheap. Hence, it has led me to ponder, why do we even have motor-vehicle insurance in the first place? Vehicle Insurance is to ensure that in the case of a motor vehicle accident, there would be sufficient money to pay for the damages to the third party and sometimes to the first party, which of course would be oneself.

So, in view of the above, motor insurance is supposed to be good, no? In case you have a very serious accident that maybe piles up 10 cars plus a barrier ( not cheap! SGD4000 a piece! ) and a small tree ( SGD5000 a piece! ) you would still not be bankrupted or have to borrow from your parents/friends and perhaps even loan sharks to pay for the damages.

However, think about those whom drive with care and caution and do not get into accidents. Well as an incentive they are given the NCD ( No-Claims Discount ). I like to think of it as ( NO-COUNT DISCOUNT ) because in general they would discount you 10% and tell you the price has gone up 20% this year! Well this is not a rule across the board but it happens every so often. Do the math. This compounded with the fact that Singapore is a small country with a dense population of people and vehicles, many of the insurance companies   have very strict restrictions on their policies which drastically portions their market share. Most Except.... NTUC INCOME! Now, does this sound like a familiar problem in Economics?

Monopoly Never Felt So Good.

This is not accusatory or anything. However, the prices of insurance in Singapore are rising steeply, especially with the young and mobile now being able to afford better both in quantity and quality. In this case, the irresponsible drivers/riders tend to tax VERY heavily on those whom are careful. This is because an insurance policy is decided by the number of risk points which is derived from statistical/demographic evidence. These people have made an effort to abide by the law and not drive like tossers. Yet, the statistics are against them, simply say, because they would prefer to own a specific make & model of bike or car, or maybe due to their age. All because someone else knows that their next romp with another motorist or the barrier will be fully paid for. 

Already, Drivers/Riders in Singapore have earned themselves the reputation as being as "kiasu" as they are in everything else and they have also topped in terms of rudeness and blatant disrespect for others on the road.  It does not help that some have the idea that one could bank on the fact that his insurance would cover his indiscretions. This kind of mindset would lead to eventually, the development of more sh*tty c*nt c*ck s*cking drivers. It would be ludicrous to claim that all the drivers/riders around act the way they do simply because they have insurance. However, if one looks at it objectively and logically, it is easy to see that part of the reason why these drivers/riders are more brazen to commit the type of offences and get into accidents could be attributed to the fact that they know they will be backed up by a combined pool of money (The insurer) and the overall cost to them to have an accident will be minute. This breeds lazy, reckless, rude and inconsiderate drivers or riders.

2cents Worth On Relationships

Since Valentines Day is coming up, here is something for you guys and gals to think about.
Imagine this situation, it is regardless of whether you are a girl or a guy.

After many years of being in the relationship the guy gets "lazy" (of course this is in the eyes of the girl)

and he comes home, sits in front of the television and watches the television, not bothering to ask the girl how was her day and not bothering with romancing her. He even has the audacity to forget certain special occasions! OH The HORROR! and in general, he has become unromantic or less romantic than when they were dating.

This is almost to a point of being Mundane and Droning.

Before I start, I would like the readers to know that I am open to your opinions or critiques as I do not think that this situation would apply to everyone. There are too many variables and factors that would lead to a situation like this, but i would like to bring up a factor that is not often raised.


Everyone has emotions, however from an early age, girls have more developed brains and tend to emote better than their male counterparts. They also tend to emote better and display a wider range of emotions, be it in the negative or positive range of emotions. Girls are also often primed, perhaps by their parents, peers, seniors and even the media to appreciate grand gestures of love. The gestures in the movies where a guy sends Nine-Hundred and Nine Flowers to a girl that obviously despises him and he wins her over, the guy who runs after the car as the girl is crying and driving off, the guy who..... You get the point. Girls may not always admit this, but they are often sub-consciously craving for that grand gesture of love from a guy. A little part of them wishes for that grand gesture. However in everyday life these gestures are difficult to come by but when something that grand is done, the gestures get posted online, by word of mouth, sometimes even reaching the conventional media.

She tells him to go away but he persists even against the odds.

This obviously spills into their relationship, and they often forget the little things that their boyfriends/husbands might do for them that is kind and loving. Perhaps maybe when the girl is being cranky (PMS?), or gets hungry in the middle of the night and the guy shows patience when dealing with her crankiness, buys or cooks her a meal in the middle of the night even when he's tired out from a day of school or work. Often to most people, regardless of gender in general, they think "Patience? That is expected of you, what kind of c*nt are you to expect me to give you recognition or appreciation for your bloody patience?". The girl might momentarily appreciate the warm food, but she will forget the opportunity cost, that the guy has to forgo his sleep. This is so because it will be considered, "It's just a small sacrifice that I've asked from him, and it is expected that he does it because he lubb me". She might thank him but there is this feeling the vibe, I mean guys, I do not quite know if you feel this way sometimes, that she sort of expects it from you and that thank you is like a routine like an action and re-action. 


When the next argument arrives, sometimes mere seconds after he passes her the food cause maybe he forgot that she does not like vegetables, her crankiness takes over and she immediately throws all her emotions at him, expecting the guy to show patience to her because she's "pms-ing". The guy might then show patience, maybe once, twice, three times, and he realizes that "Shake it once thats fine, shake it twice its okay, Shake it three times, you're playing with yourself" I mean not that he realizes that he is playing with himself but he starts to think, "Why am I doing all this when she does not even appreciate it?", the seed is planted. Humans need gratification or appreciation, and with this, the guy feels dejected and jaded and this leads him to eventually stop trying. 

Imagine you are a worker and your boss, does not pay you your wage

and you have to work knowing that you might never get paid.

you would quit the job.

The girl then sees this as complacence and she gets dejected and jaded with the guy. This then goes on and on until everything goes to s*it. The girl might leave for thinking that "that lazy ass should be sorry" or the guy might leave as he feels jaded and worn out from the feeling that he is not appreciated by his significant other.

The grass is not greener on the other side.

All this,started by something that, a few years down the road, the guy and girl would not even remember, and it is because of the compounded actions and re-actions, that eventually caused the situation to be blown to epic proportions.

In closing, I would like to humbly say with a pretty P-please, girls show more appreciation for your man, even if it is a small gesture that he is showing and never forget that even the small things are also important, and guys, every time you feel like giving up, remember the reason why you held on for so long.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

P.S: This is a little anecdote I found on Facebook related to my post ;)

 LESSONS IN LIFE

My husband is an Engineer by profession, I love him for his steady nature, and I love the warm feeling when I lean against his broad shoulders.

Three years of courtship and now, two years into marriage, I would have to admit, that I am getting tired of it. The reasons of me loving him before, has now transformed into the cause of all my restlessness.

I am a sentimental woman and extremely sensitive when it comes to a relationship and my feelings, I yearn for the romantic moments, like a little girl yearning for candy. My husband, is my complete opposite, his lack of sensitivity, and the inability of bringing romantic moments into our marriage has disheartened me about love.

One day, I finally decided to tell him my decision, that I wanted a divorce.

“Why?” he asked, shocked. “I am tired, there are no reasons for everything in the world!” I answered. He kept silent the whole night, seems to be in deep thought with a lighted cigarette at all times. My feeling of disappointment only increased, here was a man who can’t even express his predicament, what else can I hope from him? And finally he asked me:” What can I do to change your mind?”

Somebody said it right, it’s hard to change a person’s personality, and I guess, I have started losing faith in him. Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered : “Here is the question, if you can answer and convince my heart, I will change my mind, Let’s say, I want a flower located on the face of a mountain cliff, and we both are sure that picking the flower will cause your death, will you do it for me?” He said :” I will give you your answer tomorrow….” My hopes just sank by listening to his response.

I woke up the next morning to find him gone, and saw a piece of paper with his scratchy handwriting, underneath a milk glass, on the dining table near the front door, that goes…. My dear, “I would not pick that flower for you, but please allow me to explain the reasons further..” This first line was already breaking my heart. I continued reading.

“When you use the computer you always mess up the Software programs, and you cry in front of the screen, I have to save my fingers so that I can help to restore the programs. You always leave the house keys behind, thus I have to save my legs to rush home to open the door for you. You love traveling but always lose your way in a new city, I have to save my eyes to show you the way. You always have the cramps whenever your “good friend” approaches every month, I have to save my palms so that I can calm the cramps in your tummy.

You like to stay indoors, and I worry that you will be infected by infantile autism. I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes and stories to cure your boredom. You always stare at the computer, and that will do nothing good for your eyes, I have to save my eyes so that when we grow old, I can help to clip your nails, and help to remove those annoying white hairs. So I can also hold your hand while strolling down the beach, as you enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful sand… and tell you the color of flowers, just like the color of the glow on your young face… Thus, my dear, unless I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do… I could not pick that flower yet, and die.. ”

My tears fell on the letter, and blurred the ink of his handwriting… and as I continue on reading… “Now, that you have finished reading my answer, if you are satisfied, please open the front door for I am standing outside bringing your favorite bread and fresh milk… I rush to pull open the door, and saw his anxious face, clutching tightly with his hands, the milk bottle and loaf of bread….

Now I am very sure that no one will ever love me as much as he does, and I have decided to leave the flower alone…

MORAL LESSON: That’s life, and love. When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away, and one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace and dullness.

Love shows up in all forms, even very small and cheeky forms, it has never been a model, it could be the most dull and boring form.. . flowers, and romantic moments are only used and appear on the surface of the relationship. Under all this, the pillar of true love stands… and that’s our life… Love, not words win arguments.

Pray.

Valentino Rossi

When I set eyes on this photo which was taken at Sepang during the Pre-Season testing of the Ducati Team. It made me think, why does hope and prayer exist in society, even when you consider a fair image of our society today bases itself on knowledge, science, risk and probability, that certain things are predictable through systematic logic and calculation.

Who Prays and What do people pray for?

Humans have unlimited wants, versus limited resources, a basic principle of economics. The poor looks at the middle class and think wow if only I could have what they have, but even the rich look among each other in the attempt to "one up" one another. Such is evident that even in the world of motor GP racing, where Valentino Rossi is a legend, he quietly kneels down beside his bike before every ride and spends a few moments in prayer. 

"Now the moment has come to look for new challenges; my work here at Yamaha is finished. Unfortunately even the most beautiful love stories finish, but they leave a lot of wonderful memories, like when my M1 and I kissed for the first time on the grass at Welkom, when she looked straight in my eyes and told me 'I love you!"'

- Valentino Rossi

Well we can honestly say that Valentino Rossi had quit Yamaha due to dissatisfaction, where his wants were not met level with the factory team at Yamaha. His departure from Yamaha was in hopes that the Ducati team had more to offer him, to grow his potential as a rider.

It is there and then that the ideology of prayer and hope becomes a very real deal. One can safely say that almost everyone prays, whether or not it be to god or simply a quiet wish or a silent scream of hope, everyone prays at some point.

Why do people even Pray or Hope?

Some people would think that it is stupid that others would place the trust of their fate in a being higher or other than themselves. However it is a strong vent or outlet for the anxiety and pressure that the future holds. Also, it means that you have something new to pursue, a new adventure to embark on, a new acquisition usually when you are on the edge of making, discovering or acquiring something new. There is always that anxiety present. Imagine if you could not shift that anxiety and place it in the back of your mind, trusting that the future would be better and you lived all your life anxious at what the next second has to uncover. Well a good picture of what that might be like would be people who suffer from anxiety disorders, or neurotic disorders. Jittery, afraid to try new things, afraid of new places, and even new people. Those who have lost hope would also find everyday life extremely mundane and sometimes even terrifying to deal with. The ideal of hope and prayer is to make these unbearable circumstances bearable.

The beauty of hope in modern society.
Where even in our cynical society, where nothing is placed on good faith and hope, even the very idea of probability enforces hope, where earlier in the post I had claimed that probability bases itself on a systematic calculation to make things predictable, it is not a hundred-and-one percent full proof that everything can be predicted. This is where I believe Hope fills the void of the unknown or the probability of the probability where external influencing factors, even though taken into account might change, and these changes even minute as they may be may change the entire equation.


Hence, one could concur that hope is something that everyone should remember, cherish and never discard as there will always be choices to be made and even choosing not to make a choice is still making a choice, which renders actions and re-actions. 

Ducati 1199 Panigale, Checkmate.

Ducati has never ceased to amaze with their line of motorcycle which combine artistic form and performance.

The new Ducati 1199 Panigale! Ducati claims a 195hp at the crank!! The specs of the bike are below! Lets home one comes to Singapore Soon!

Honestly Honestly Stunning.

1199 Panigale Technical specification

Chassis
Frame	Monocoque aluminum
Front suspension	Marzocchi 50mm pressurized and fully adjustable usd fork with hard anodized aluminum lightweight slider
Front wheel	10-spoke light alloy 3.50" x 17"
Rear suspension	Fully adjustable Sachs unit. Adjustable linkage: Progressive/flat. Aluminum single-sided swingarm.
Rear wheel	10 spoke light alloy 6.00" x 17"
Front brake	2 x 330mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc M50 4-piston callipers ABS optional +2.5kg (+5.5lb)
Rear brake	245mm disc, 2-piston calliper
Fuel tank capacity	17l (4.5 gallon US)
Dry weight	164kg (361.5lb)
*Wet weight	188kg (414.5lb)

Engine
Type	Superquadro: L-twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid cooled
Bore x Stroke	112 x 60.8mm
Power	195hp (143kw) @ 10,750rpm
Torque	98.1lb-ft (132Nm) @ 9.000rpm
Exhaust	2-1-2 system with catalytic converter and 2 lambda probes. Twin stainless steel mufflers with alumimum outer sleeves
Transmission
Clutch	Slipper and self-servo wet multiplate clutch with hydraulic control

Trip to Port Dickson: Riding Around Port Dickson Pt 3.

The view from the hotel cafe which is situated next to its boathouse on the last day of my stay there.

Don't ever want to leave this bed.

The Sunrise from the room.

All in all the cost of the hotel amounted up to about 300rm for the 3 days but it was well worth the trip, the security at the hotel and the views of the area was stunning.

Now started the long 300km ride back to Singapore from Seremban Via the North-South Highway.

This is going to be a long way home.

We rode by the same route back to Singapore except we did not stop for lunch at Malacca as we had already   had our fill to eat at the hotel. Down the road I was hoping that there would not be any problems with the Duct Taped Fairing from the trip up.

The trip home was pretty uneventful except the stunning views of the hills, 'Kampongs' (thatched houses) and farms that greeted us on the way back to home.

similar views from the same road. :)

3/4's of the way back along the Johor Stretch of the North South Highway things managed to get a little interesting.

Somewhere Just about there.

I was cruising along at about 140km/h when I saw a rider pushing his Honda Hornet 250 On the side of the road. I pulled over to see if I could offer him any help. I was mentally prepared for an engine breakdown, coolant leak, oil leak or something serious of that sort. Turns out he had ran out of gas. The nearest gas station would be about a mile and a half away. So I took out a water bottle to give him some gas.

Once again by the side of the Malaysian North-South Highway

I gave him about 500ml of petrol which would be enough to get him to the next petrol station. He was extremely grateful for it and he tried to pay me for the petrol. I was content with simply just being friends. I was surprised to learn that his Honda Hornet had actually been bought in Singapore for about SGD1500!! God that bike looks fantastic!

And so we set off after exchanging contacts and his father contacting me and thanking me for helping his son out later was a warm and nice gesture.

That pretty much sums up the fill of the short 'roadtrip' getaway from Singapore to Port Dickson!

10 Things I have learnt while riding in Singapore Pt 1.

These are a couple of things I have learnt about the roads around Singapore in the minute number of miles since I got my licence.

1. If no one saw it, it did not happen

This definitely happened, Dude.

This is the "heck care" or lackadaisical attitude that most Singaporeans tend to take when driving and if they hit someone or something, most of the time, they would say things like "WHERE GOT? WHERE GOT? I DID NOT HIT YOU!" [ what they are trying to say is: "I did not even feel my large heap of metal turn you into paste" ] and if they are caught red handed, they will simply act as if there is no damage to your vehicle  or persons whatsoever. 

2. Car drivers do not care whether you are in the lane and will simply pull out as and when they wish 

your next trip to the hospital.

3. The hot and humid weather and a tad bit of ignorance leads MANY riders to dress as if they were in their homes, eg. Singlets, Shorts and Slippers.

you might think that's cool.

If she takes a fall in that position she is probably going to have a dislocated pelvis and it will not be pretty. Most riders in Singapore do not take safety seriously enough, and it is common sight to see even younger supposedly more educated riders often riding without any safety precautions in place.

4. Old taxicab drivers would scream at you in Hokkien if you squeeze them off after a tiff even if it was initially their fault

5. Both Cars and Motorcycle lots are often misused by really crabby people; this usually happens at the times when one simply wishes to park his/her vehicle in a crowded carpark to proceed on with their activities.

Even a blind man can park better than you

Parking in Singapore, pronounced by most locals as "Pah King" can be a living hell, sometimes you wait almost half an hour for a lot and some guy just "steals" it away from you. Especially in a small country like Singapore the parking can get a little more than a little cramped on a daily basis. To avoid people from cheating and not paying their parking fees in the carparks by not tearing the relevant coupons and such.

This sells better in Singapore than 4D/Lotto Tickets

The Government or "Gah Ment" / "Ah Kong" [Meaning Grandfather] has installed electronic gantries with cameras and all the other bells and whistles. 

Cringing at every cold and mechanical beep

Honestly, this does not really help the problem as it makes it more likely that people will take up 2 Parking spaces with one car, or park in a non specified place all the more, as the good old fashioned policing is no longer in place, where an attendant would come and manually check on cars/motorcycles parked in the area at that time.

Part 2 To be Up Soon! =d

NS and Riding FAQs

For all of you riders whom are soon going to wear green or are wearing green and going to get a bike licence, Here are a few FAQs about NS and Riding. In the past few weeks I have had fresh NS Full time Servicemen (Fresh out of BMT) asking me, a "lau peng" ( A personnel whom is about to complete his 2 years of service or a reservist personnel) about riding into camp.

Procedures for riding into SAF camps and certain other installations inclusive of certain civillian engineering sectors:

1) You are REQUIRED to attend a minimum 1/2 day Defensive Riding Course.

The defensive riding course will be reimbursed by the SAF provided you apply for it through your man-power branch OR your admin branch, where you would have to fill out some forms. The waiting time in general is about a month or two before you can take the course if you do it that way. The course would then be held at SSDC ( Singapore Safety Driving Center ) . There are faster ways of getting around this by applying for your defensive riding course at CDC (Comfort Delgro Driving Center) or BBDC (Bukit Batok Driving Center). Applying at these centers directly would mean your waiting time would be cut to about a week.

 However the defensive riding course if taken at CDC or BBDC WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED.

There is no way to cham siong (meaning to try to negotiate to get yourself out of a spot of trouble) and you will not be allowed to ride into SAF camps without a defensive riding certificate.

2) You have your Defensive Riding Cert, Now What?

If you already posses your defensive riding cert, you would have to go to camp and exchange it for a certain agreement "contract" with the Man-power Branch or Military Transport Line. It comes in the form of a book. You will have to Sign the undertaking and so will your superior (usually a regular serviceman) to allow you to ride into camp. 

3) I've Signed the Undertaking so what proof do I get that I have attended the course?

After signing the undertaking, flip to the back of the book and remove a circular disc sticker about the size of a 20cent coin and stick it on your 11B (your replacement Identification Card for the 2 years) preferably. Such as below on the bottom left hand corner of the Identification Card the Singapore Armed Forces Crest and some random writings below.

Things to take note of:

1) You are not allowed to take a pillion to and from camp or place of duty if you are under 24 years of age.

2) You are to ride responsibly when in uniform and when in camp

3) The Military Police on the road may stop you and check you if you are in uniform so try to book out in civillian clothing if possible.

4) Defensive Riding is not a test, there is no "pass" or "fail" to worry about so simply go there and enjoy the day!

The failure to abide by these 2 main rules may get you a disqualification of your defensive driving "licence" following which you will no longer be allowed to ride into SAF camps.

RIP Simoncelli

The passing of one of the motor-sports elites, Marco Simoncelli during the MotoGP 2011 at Sepang is a sad moment. It also goes to show that even with the gear and rider at its very best as possible within the limitations of our current time, taking a fall does not always have a happy ending, so on your next ride, treasure your life and advise your loved ones to treasure theirs.

Sometimes, having the right gear or even having something as simple as the right mindset whilst riding could save your life.

R.I.P Marco Simoncelli