Friday, February 04, 2005
Singaporean Suckers

It had been just about 1 1/2 months since I last wrote anything on this blog...frankly,after not writing for so long,I've learnt really to live without it and maybe to just write according to my own fancies.I am sure a lot of you have probably given up looking to this blog for updates.Hahahah.In a way,that's a good thing but anyway,I can say that I am back again.But as for how often and for how long,I have absolutely no idea.Just take it one step at a time.

Still,I figure that it might be good to start a 2005 entry just to keep this blog running.Because it's certainly not like that I am erasing it or anything like that so why not add something to it,yeah?Whatever whatever whatever...

I went to Taiwan with my long-time mate,Bishop,for a short backpacking trip of 10 days late last month (18th to 27th).It was an enjoyable trip...managed to move around quite a number of cities and tasted most of Taiwan's well-known foods.I think A-Mei's adverts on tourism in Taiwan is seriously misleading...Taiwanese food is mainly just about ok.Very Hokkien style of preprartion with a lot of stew/soup-based dishes.Whether that's your cup of tea or not will determine how much you enjoy your trip.I am ok with most things so I could live with it.But there are some things which will perk up most people who goes to Taiwan.

1) Great Temperature

Actually any temperate country offers that so no big deal.But with temperatures ranging from 5 to 25 degrees (depends on which part of the country you are in),it can offer quite a wide spectrum.Most of the time though,tempearture is a cool 15 degrees or less.Which is really nice.Until the damn winds start blowing that is.

2) 士林大鸡排

If you make your way down to the re-organised 士林夜市,you will notice one particular stall at the front of the building (yes,it is a building.Built just like one of our old style wet markets or hawker centres)that has a long snaking queue of people in line.Grab one of the plastic bags that are on offer and join in the queue.It is quite nice really.And for 40NT(S$2),you get one big juicy 鸡排 that's like the size of half an A4 size paper.And I would also advise that you tell the fellow to go easy on the 调味 and 辣.The 辣椒粉 they use can be rather 呛.

3) CDs

Chinese (and also Japanese) CDs are slightly cheaper in Taiwan than in Singapore.If you are an avid Chinese or J-pop listener and do not buy pirated stuff or download pirated songs off the net(that naturally excludes Jubilee),thtis might be a good opportunity to stock up and bring back home.

4) Public Transport

I didn't really expect this actually but Taiwan's rail system and inter-city bus system (I refuse to talk about intra-city bus services because it's quite hard to take) is really excellent.You can't get lost when travelling from city to city.And in Taipei,you do have a good MRT system.But besides this,one good reason to recommend going to Taiwan is really because JetStar offers $99 tickets to Taipei.Ok,that's one way.But a two way ticket is simply $188 ($99 X 2) and with taxes,it adds up to just about $250.Now,is that cheap or what?And the planes are brand new...so new,I swear the leather on the seats came from cows that were slaughtered sometime in 2005. Think about that...gross isn't it?And JetStar...you better pay me some fees for advertising for you blokes.It's not FOC.

5) Taiwanese Girls

Generally speaking,Taiwanese girls are at the same standard of prettiness as Singaporean lasses,which is quite high (world-class) really.But they do have two things going for them.

First,their prowess of Mandarin.Let's face it.Singaporeans (not just girls) are generally F#$%ed up at speaking Mandarin.A lot of us are f#$%ed up speaking English...and even more of us are very f#$%ed up speaking dialects.So basically,we are f#$%ed up whenever we open our mouths.The Taiwanese,of course,speak perfect Mandarin and Hokkien as well.Their English,erm,only monkeys can understand.But anyway,listening to Taiwanese girls speak lilting Mandarin in their very girlish voices,I am convinced of two things.One:Most of them can be radio DJs in Singapore.权怡风 is nothing.Second:The way they speak is kind of sexy actually.

Second,GOD...look at their skin.Fair,creamy,soft and ooooooh aaaaaaaah.Fann Wong standard skin is all around on the streets.In fact,I think that anyone who actually sports skin not of that standard in Taiwan are actually those who cannot make it.Anyway,they do have the temperate climate for having such awesome skin.

Ok,I got to backtrack a little.Even though I did say that generally,Singaporean and Taiwanese girls are comparable in terms of prettiness.There is one thing that Taiwanese girls have an edge as well.There are more babes on the streets than can be spotted in Singapore,that is,one can spot a babe more often than in Singapore...now let me introduce my standard of grading prettiness.They are:

Pretty (I have a motto:All girls are pretty,one way or another.So when I say someone is pretty,it really means nothing because I would say that of anyone with XX chromosomes)

Quite Pretty

Very Pretty

Extremely Pretty

Babe!

So you see,babes are really 5 stars standard.Don't play play ah.

All these has nothing to do with my topic.Which proves one thing,you guys are suckers for reading so long...although you are not necessarily all Singaporeans.But anyway,let me go into my topic proper.

During the trip,I had many insightful conversations with Bishop.Mainly about what kind of guy he is (He asked me...so I let rip.Don't ever ask me what I think of you.I am brutally honest or if I don't trust you,I lie my teeth off),working overseas,life in general and then work.Now,work.That's an interesting topic.What say you.You are nodding your head in agreement too...ok,let me go on.

One of the things that he talked about in topics about work is that Singaporeans are teated as suckers by expatriates because their inabaility to say no to a bad deal.Yeah,they allow themselves to be bullied.And yes,I can tell you now.Those foreigners working with you are gleeful about it.Basically,we don't know how to say no.We don't know how to say f#$% off when the occassion warrants it.We just plough and plough and plough and just keep our heads down and work...the way our government likes it really...easier to control mah.

What conspired was basically just that a Croatian manager in Bishop's company has openly made the remark that Singaporean workers are suckers.We only know how to work.We never know when to turn down a bad deal.Someone hands us something,we just say a-ok and get down to doing it...even when the thing is stupid/not supposed to be done by us.Why?Why?Why?

Is it the way we are brought up?The way the government has programmed us into such automated working machiens that we no longer question whether something should be done or we are even the ones who should be doing it.It's quite amazing really.I am sure workers of other countries must be so aware of their rights and their work and will not be bullied or just fooled into doing things they are not supposed to be doing.And they don't even necessarily have to be well educated.They are just street-smart.While here,we have this "highly-educated" workforce who are really urban retards in reality.How sad that while we have all these education,we don't know how to survive on the streets.How to be world-class?World class dummies yeah lah.

I don't really want to offer anything here other than to plant a thought into your minds whether we are pushovers or not.And if we discover we are,maybe it's time to put a stop to it.Learn to say no.Learn to tell people to f#$% off.Know your rights and what you are supposed/not supposed to do.