I have always ponder if there is a flaw with Singapore’s education system. Do you think we study too much and did not have ample chance to apply what we have learn to real life settings? That is how I feel.

I had an opportunity lately to apply knowledge I picked up in school into real life settings. Recently, a good friend of mine that goes by the name of Kamelia, hey kamelia! a shout for you, you can check her online portfolio here and her blog here and her twitter here and her tumblr here. I’ll stop, I guess there’s no need to post her facebook profile or myspace profile or her address hah!

As I was saying, we decided to open a little business venture. Hey, don’t look down on us, everyone start small somewhere. I’ll release more information about this when we have finalized things. I’m glad I’m doing something useful in my life at this age.

Since I’m in Information Technology, I learn about computers including managing of databases. I managed to apply what I learned in school into this little business venture by drawing the database schema, normalized it into it’s third form and initialized it. Basically, I created a database which will store our customer and their order’s information.

The database is hosted off a server. I’m accessing it via HeidiSQL. In my opinion, this is better than keeping our records in a Microsoft Excel document and emailing each other to keep ourselves updated.

Hence, I feel happy that I did learn something useful after all in school.

On a side note, I am elated that I finally managed to upgrade my Macbook and my iMac to the lastest installment of the Mac OS X. Mac OS X Snow Leopard, 10.6.X and being a makeup enthusiast myself, I finally managed to grab my first makeup item from the famous MAC Cosmetics.

School has been amazing. I prefer my new class so much more. Lastly, I finally managed to give my blog a much needed new look!

What made you happy today?

I’m Marié Digby’s Number 1 Fan in Singapore!

I’m kidding. The title might be a tad exaggerating.

I had quite an exceptional day. My parents and I went to look at semi detached houses.

In the semi detached house, it has 4 bedrooms and 1 maid room. 4 Bathrooms. 2 Kitchens. 2 family halls, laundry room and so on. It’s 2 story high. The catch is that the house is in Malaysia, it’s about 10 minutes away from Woodlands checkpoint. It’s pretty near. But it’s still freakin’ awesome.

I’m not saying that my English is down right spectacular. Some things really annoy the heck out of me.

One example will be Singlish.

Honestly, WHAT THE FUCK is Singlish? Singaporean’s version of english.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING WITH ME?

Are we dimwitted to the extent that we have to create a new so called unofficial language to suit our needs? Sure, some people might say, Singlish is something unique and something that sets Singaporeans apart from other english speakers.

I find it a disgrace because we’re just disgracing ourselves. Doesn’t it show how incompetent we are and how incapable we are of learning the proper English and using it.

I’ll admit that at times i do use Singlish because I’m lazy to actually say stuff in proper sentence with the subject and verb agreement thing.

An excerpt taken from Wikipedia regarding Singlish.

The Singaporean government currently discourages the use of Singlish in favour of Singapore Standard English as it believes in the need for Singaporeans to be able to effectively communicate with the other English users in the world. The government runs the Speak Good English Movement to emphasize the point.

Even the government discourages it and is trying to do some damage control by setting up this Speak Good English Movement.

No, foreigners do no view Singlish as something unique churned out with creativity. Look what BBC said, but firstly some background information.

Excerpt from Wikipedia

The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known more simply as the BBC, is the world’s largest broadcasting corporation.

Excerpt from BBC Site

Despairing at what it sees as Singaporeans’ falling standards in English, the government of the high-tech city-state has launched a national campaign to eradicate Singlish – Singapore’s own unique take on the English language.

But now the Singaporean government says Singlish has become so widespread that it is in danger of undermining the country’s competitiveness in the world economy.

Announcing the clampdown Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said English was the essential language of commerce, science and technology, while Singlish was incomprehensible to outsiders.

They use the word ‘falling’. Honestly what do you think they are trying depict? In my opinion, the word falling doesn’t seem so nice. Are they encouraging Singlish? Are they awed by the creation of Singlish?

“Incomprehensible to outsiders.” Indeed very true.

For an instance,

As you know Singaporeans became psychopathic over MapleStory. Since it made its debut you could hear the nonstop bickering of MapleStory here there and everywhere!

Debut means a person’s first appearance or performance in a particular capacity or role. And apparently i use it wrongly to describe it on MapleStory, I know and I don’t care because i like that word. Okay this is becoming a rather contradicting post because I’m annoyed at people who aren’t using proper English and I’m not using it myself.

Anyways, the private server pop out and everyone came to flood it. Guess who are the main players? Singaporeans. In the entire server, you’ll see players spamming Super Mega that contain Lah, Leh, Loh, Luh and Lih. I might be a tad exaggerating. The admins of that MapleStory private server were cursing that Singaporeans are incapable of using proper English, they are from Australia.

I shall not name anyone because my real intention of this post was just to vent out my thoughts and annoyance and not personally attacking anyone. MSN also known as Apple Windows Live Messenger, an instant messaging platform. At times when I chat with my fellow friends, I can’t understand them. No kidding.

So let’s pull up our socks and use proper English!

If you’re stubborn and still read the post even though i warned you at the top, please don’t get offended because my main intention of writing this isn’t to offend you, it’s to be aware of it and to vent out my annoyance.

Before i end, though you can’t take my account to credibility because i use one article to judge the entire foreigner’s population opinion on Singlish.

Wow! No shit! This entire post contains 695 words!

I need another five more!

I read Sebastian’s post about the living in singapore is rather an expensive thing. I’ve decided to pen down a few thoughts of mine since i find it rather intriguing.

Now, I’m not really a newspaper-reading type of person. Nor do i watch the news often.

As far as i know, recently there has been an increase to the price of food but I’m not sure of the cost. But i think i read it somewhere about the european countries decided to use i think about 15%? of their crop yield as a source of biodiesel.

While from other several sources, there was a Cyclone that hit Burma that cost 65% of its crops to be damaged. And other sources states that Indian government has completely stopped the export of non-basmati rice and levied more taxes for exports on basmati rice. The export prices, therefore, have risen, giving way to an increase in prices throughout the distribution chain.

Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of short chain alkyl (methyl or ethyl) esters, made by transesterification of vegetable oil, which can be used (alone, or blended with conventional petrodiesel) in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles.

I miss studying pure chemistry! That’s not the point! Anyways, that is i guess that is why the prices of rice has increase. It’s high time we eat less.(SHUT UP I DON’T EAT ALOT, I JUST DON’T HAVE ENOUGH OUTPUT) 

Water. A main concern for Singapore as Singapore doesn’t have its own source of fresh water. Because of this, Singapore has to buy water from Malaysia but i thought the contract is going to end soon or has it already ended?. Other then that, Singapore has the NeWater Plant and the Desalination Plant. If water is really a problem to us because it’s expensive, hop down to your nearest public toilet and bring back home some water!

The ERP Gantries. The Government did a practical choice even though Singaporeans hate it. Another example was years ago, the implementation of the COE. The government knew that Singaporeans will whine because they have to pay more for their car but they still did it. The reason is off course that the government does not want Singaporeans to buy cars everyday. Our city is small enough. We don’t need billions of car zooming down the highway.

Ohh zooming down the highway? I don’t even think that might be possible if the government didn’t implement the COE. The government did not want the roads of Singapore to be congested like Thailand and India. Where by you take aeons to travel to the nearest mall to get a pair of last minute camping equipment that you need.

The government isn’t out to get more money from it’s citizen by placing more ERP Gantries. As i’ve mentioned above, recently, COE price dropped for smaller cars i think. And there was advertisements going on about zero dollars down payment for your car. My brother and sister actually planned to buy a car of their own because of that.

Because of such occurrence, they are more cars on the road. I think the LTA? has noticed that some areas are congested. And they decided to add ERP Gantries to that area to relieve the congestions. However, Singaporeans, as ‘kiasu’ as we are, will try to find an alternative ways to avoid the ERP Gantries. Now wouldn’t that make the ‘alternative ways’ congested as well? Should the government consider adding the ERP Gantries to that also?

The government had to make a practical choice even though they will know Singaporeans will whine. Secondary four, Social Studies, Principles of Pragmatism bitches.

And i totally agree with the Singapore’s law of not allowing freedom of speech. If such laws never existed, mindless assholes will criticize the government that are uncritical of their own positions, unaware of the specious nature of their arguments and unapologetic of the irrational and illogical foundations of their ideas.

There are others however, who do nothing but engage in rumor-mongering, inciting hatred and anger and making personal attacks. That is hate speech. The sad truth is that vast majority of opposition singaporeans out there are only content to wallow in their own cesspit of ignorance and hate. Enough said.

Peak period. That is something inevitable. They did provide more buses and such. Not much elaboration here.

Indeed, the price of the taxi has increase, but we can’t blame the taxi, blame the oil that is finishing soon. If we know that taking taxi is so expensive, then avoid taking the taxi! Taking the taxi because you’re late? You should wake up earlier. Proper time management here aye.

I do agree that living in singapore is rather expensive but give a thought about the infrastructure here. We have good well built and smooth roads here unlike other countries, bumpy, full of holes and dangerous roads. All this ‘doesn’t’ cost money?

What about the great hospital technology we have? What about the newly built KPE expressway to alleviate the congestions? What about the public transport that are being build? What about.. and so on.

The point is that, what goes around comes around. We pay the government, the government helps to build great infrastructure around the city for us to enjoy. 

Other then that, Singapore, as fast-paced modern city. We are working around the clock till the government had to implement the 5 Day Work Week back then. And some company who made fake ghost video to warn off employees who likes to stay at night and work.

They shouldn’t have problems paying anything. Well the society in singapore is rather an affluence one ever since the rapid development of this country.

About the other section of the society that has monetary issues keeping up with the rising cost, there are certain associations such as the Mendaki and so on that provide monetary help. My mother said, everyone also get some incentives from the government. 

Furthermore, there is no corruption in Singapore. That is absolutely great. Why? Because the minister’s pay is high, corruption is not needed. That is what i remember what i’ve learn in Secondary Four Social Studies.

The point is that whatever the government does, it is to benefit the citizens. They are not out to torture us. 

Therefore my conclusion is that, we have to pay the price of living nicely in Singapore and the government in Singapore is great.

And most important conclusion of all is that,

STUDY YOUR ASS OUT WHILE YOU’RE IN SCHOOL. GET A GOOD JOB. GET A NICE FUCKING PAY. AND ENJOY.

There are several websites that i’ve used as my sources. I don’t want a lawsuit against me.

//edit

My post damn long! LOL!