Wednesday, 31 March 2010

i was reading through the forums at myecitizen when i came across the topic:
"Is car a luxury or necessity?"

car is very expensive in singapore compared to other countries.. in the eye
of a foreigner, owning a car in singapore may be a luxury.. coe, erp, road tax,
fines, petrol, parking charges, insurance, maintenance and servicing cost..

based on a monthly expenses, the instalment and all these expenses easily add
up to $1-2k for a 1.6L and below car.. a 2L car should be around $2-3k monthly..
and i'm talking about japanese car, not BMW, Merc or Volvo.. owning a car
in singapore is indeed a kind of "luxury"..

having said that, many girls in singapore want to have a bf who drive.. well..
unless the guy earned a monthly income of at least $3k-$4k to barely sustain
having a small car.. to make thing worse, some girls will look at your tiny car
and said "That's your car? I would rather take a taxi.." lolz..

in other countries its ok for girls to expect their bf to have a car.. a 1.6L car
in Australia can be bought for around $10k and a used car juz a few k.. coe
price now alone is $36k.. you got to pay a paper for $36k first before you
can buy a car here.. ya laugh if you're not a singaporean reading this..

a young couple getting married and have started out working not long wil
not have much money to buy a HDB flat, much less invest in a car.. HDB flats
are getting expensive too.. in this case, their concern is getting a house
so that they may start their own family.. getting a car for two people as
this stage is considered a luxury and most lower and lower-middle income
earners are definitely unable to do so..

fast forward 10 years in their lives, they have climbed the corporate ladder
and have two or three active young children to take care off.. there're the
daily chores and groceries shopping that have entered their lives that was
previously non-existent.. at this stage of their lives, they would have saved
a substantial amount of money (assuming they have done proper financial
management) and have a much greater need and practical use of a family car..

at this time it may look like a car is a necessity now.. but at the same time,
the couple have much more expenses too.. not all family own a car in
singapore.. the govt. know that owning a car in singapore is expensive,
thus they keep improving the public transport system and recommend
singaporeans to take public transport..

so to the girls especially singapore girls.. its really abit over to expect your
bf to have a car.. and please don't laugh or insult when you see him drive a
small and old car.. cos i'm driving one.. -_- afterall, its still not easy to
maintain one in sg..

0 comments
dreamed of racing on 11:46 am

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这是一个迟来的真实故事。然而，却告诉了我们“人人都有佛性”及“放下屠刀，
立地成佛”的事实。故事发生在上个世纪九十年代末的美国洛杉矶的闹市中。

话说在1999年7月25日上午，一名持枪的劫匪冲入闹市中的一家银行，举枪要求
银行的出纳员把钞票放入黑色的旅行袋。出纳员机警地用脚尖踩动警铃，警车带来
大批苛枪实弹的警员，团团地把银行包围了。

劫匪情急之下，顺手在银行内拉过一个人当人质，用枪口顶着人质的头，向外突围。
突然，人质大声呻吟起来，劫匪急忙喝令人质住口，但人质的呻吟声却越来越大，
最后竟变成了痛苦的叫喊。慌乱中，劫匪注意到人质原来是一名孕妇！她那痛苦的
声音和扭曲的表情，表明她在极度惊吓之下马上就要生产——鲜血已经染红了衣裙……。

劫匪内心的交战，让他作出一生的选择；一边是漫漫长夜般的牢狱之灾，一边是即将
出生的小生命，意味着善与恶的选择，若选择了这一边便要放弃另一边，而每一种
选择都是无比艰难的。四周静得出奇，空气似乎凝固了，包括警察在内的人们都
屏住呼吸，注视着劫匪，希望能够出现奇迹。因为劫匪即将作出的选择，是一场良心
与金钱、道德与罪恶的较量。劫匪仍在犹豫——“较量”也仍在进行，时间一分一秒地
轻轻划过。终于，劫匪缓缓地举起了枪，“啪”地一声——枪被重重地摔到地上。
警察一拥而上，将手铐戴在他的手腕上，人群发出一阵欢呼与赞叹。

孕妇已不能自持，众人准备将她送往医院。正要走向囚车的劫匪忽然说：“请等一等，
我是医生！”警察迟疑地看着劫匪。“她已无法坚持到医院，随时会有生命危险，
请相信我！”劫匪继续说道。警察打开了劫匪的手铐，却依然怀疑地注视着他。“哇……”，
一声悦耳的啼哭，刺破了人们的担心和焦虑，人群发出一阵欢呼。劫匪的双手沾满鲜血，
脸上挂着忏悔的微笑和职业的满足。人们向他致意，似乎忘记了他是一名劫匪。

警察将手铐重新戴在他手腕上。“谢谢你们让我尽了一名医生的职责。”他说：
“这个可爱小生命是我从医以来第一个在我枪口下出生的婴儿，他的勇敢征服了我，
也使我重新看到了自己的价值，出狱后我仍然会做一名救死扶伤的医生！”

这名劫匪的最终选择，证明了佛陀曾经说过的：

“一切众生，佛性本具；放下屠刀，立地成佛”。

2 comments
dreamed of racing on 9:18 am

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Monday, 29 March 2010

an oldie i have been hearing since young..



Such a feeling's coming over me
There is wonder in most everything I see
Not a cloud in the sky
Got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream

Everything I want the world to be
Is now coming true especially for me
And the reason is clear
It's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen

I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Something in the wind has learned my name
And it's telling me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasing sense of happiness for me

There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here

Top Of The World by Carpenter
Written by Richard Carpenter / John Bettis
Arrange by Richard Carpenter
Album: A Song For You (1972)

0 comments
dreamed of racing on 10:39 am

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Friday, 26 March 2010

Formula Drift Singapore 2010



Stay tuned for more details as Formula Drift returns to Singapore in 2010!
Ticket Prices:Early Bird Special (23 March – 31 March)
Grandstand : SGD35
Walkabout : SGD15

1 April – 23 April
Grandstand : SGD40
Walkabout : SGD20

24 – 25 April (At the door)
Grandstand : SGD50
Walkabout : SGD30

Tickets can be purchased via Sistic now!

0 comments
dreamed of racing on 4:46 pm

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Tuesday, 16 March 2010

some quotes to shares..

"Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who do not. Believe everything happens for a reason."

"If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it."

"The best vitamin for making friends...B1"
"The heaviest thing you can carry is a grudge"
"One thing you can give and still keep...is your word"
"If you lack the courage to start, you have already finished.”

0 comments
dreamed of racing on 12:32 pm

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Tuesday, 2 March 2010

Though Pastor Rony Tan has already apologised for his gross
misrepresentations of Buddhism in his video interviews, many of these
misrepresentations remain unclarified in a point by point manner.
As the videos are publicly viewable, clarifications on them should be
publicly available too.

Since the videos are full of misconceptions, please do not view them
without also reading the clarifications. Please do not circulate them
without the clarifications either. May this article serve to create more
right understanding of Buddhism. May all co-exist in peace and harmony.

Click here for clarifications of the misconceptions..

0 comments
dreamed of racing on 11:46 am

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