Wednesday 30 September 2009

FW: ANUG Talk - 27 September 2009

 


From: Heng HJ [mailto:heng0502@pacific.net.sg]
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 10:58 PM
To: @pacific.net.sg;
Subject: Fw: ANUG Talk - 27 September 2009

 
 

南洋大学毕业生协会 ANUG

The Association of Nanyang University Graduates

417A, Jalan Besar, Singapore 209017

请勿错过!

本年度最后一场校友讲座

好消息!

南洋大学毕业生协会主办

校友系列座谈会(七)

 

" 电脑盲当自--

有伊妹儿 "

 

* 你有伊妹儿
*
 分享伊妹儿,找信刺激
*
 找个部落哥,抒心情
*
 流网站,找好帮手

介:


英校友, 南洋大学第16届政行系誉学位毕业.
毕业后就在报馆工作,从始的 《星洲日》,到 合早 到目前的 《新明日》。从法庭者,到教育线、政治线记者,到采访主任、财经主任,新主任,特稿编辑,到目前的编辑
英校友将与大家分享她接触电脑创设自己部落哥的, 并由她的部落哥稿中洞其人生的起伏与新心境的大巨, 也向与会者引荐几个有趣的网站.

 

日期:27/09/2009(星期日)

时间:3.00 PM 5 .00 PM

地点:南洋大学毕业生协会会所

417-A JALAN BESAR

SINGAPORE 209017

敬备茶点, 为方便安排,请尽早回复

(点击此处或下面链接:)

RSVP (ANUG)

 

***********************************************

校友座谈会

 

各位校友,自去年以来我们举办了6次校友座谈会,承蒙校友们的踊跃参加,取得交流与叙旧的成果,平均每场出席校友超过50人。再次谢谢大家的支持,希望今年继续给我们鼎力支持,并鼓励更多校友前来参与。

 

 

    

                   七月份讲座

 

欲知最新消息, 请浏览:

协会网站   www.nantahalumni.org.sg

 

 

欢迎校友同学,踊跃出席,

同时协助传播讲座消息。

 

会所见!

 

 

 

 

To Unsubscribe :-
We respect your privacy, to unsubscribe :-
Simply email to : heng1616@singnet.com.sg
  subject: unsubscribe

 

Disclaimer This email is intended solely for the abovenamed addressee(s). It may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information. If this email has reached you in error, please delete it immediately and inform us of the error. Thank you for your co-operation.

Internet communications cannot be guaranteed to be secured or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, arrive late or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any error or omission in the context of this message which arise as a result of Internet transmission


 

Monday 14 September 2009

SIGN OF THE TIME: STANFORD PHD BECOMES TAXI DRIVER

10 September 2009

SIGN OF THE TIME: STANFORD PHD BECOMES TAXI DRIVER
Driven to driving a taxi despite having a PhD

Bio-chemist Dr Cai Minnjie who failed to land another research
position after losing his job last year now happily prowls the streets
as a cabbie.

Star, Malaysia
August 29, 2009

INSIGHT: BY SEAH CHIANG NEE

SINGAPORE'S fraternity of taxi drivers, with its fair share of
retrenched executives, has now an exalted new member – a PhD
bio-chemist from Stanford University.

Prowling the streets of Singapore today is 57-year-old unemployed
scientist Dr Cai Mingjie who lost his job at Singapore's premier
A-Star biomedical research institute last year.

The China-born naturalised citizen with 16 years of research
accomplishments said he began driving a taxi last October after failed
efforts to land another job.

The news shocked this nation, which holds an unshakable faith in the
power of an advanced university education.

One surprised white-collar worker said he had believed that such a
doctorate and experience was as good as life-long employment and
success.

"If he has to drive a taxi, what chances do ordinary people like us
have?" he asked.

I have met a number of highly qualified taxi drivers in recent years,
including former managers and a retrenched engineer.

One cheerful driver – a former stock-broker – surprised me one day in
giving me detailed reasons on what stocks to buy or avoid.

"At a time like this, the taxi business is probably the only business
in Singapore that still actively recruits people," said Dr Cai.

To me, his plight is taking Singapore into a new chapter.

"(I am) probably the only taxi driver in the world with a PhD from
Stanford and a proven track record of scientific accomplishments ...,"
blogged Dr Cai.

"I have been forced out of my research job at the height of my
scientific career" and was unable to find another job "for reasons I
can only describe as something uniquely Singapore".

The story quickly spread far and wide over the Internet. Most
Singaporeans expressed admiration for his ability to adapt so quickly
to his new life. Two young Singaporeans asked for his taxi number,
saying they would love to travel in his cab and talk to him.

"There's so much he can pass on to me," one said.

Others questioned why, despite his tremendous scientific experience,
he is unable to find a teaching job.

His unhappy exit is generally attributed to a personal cause (he has
alleged chaotic management by research heads) rather than any decline
in Singapore's bio-tech project, which appears to be surviving the
downturn.

The case highlights a general weakening of the R and D (research and
development) market in smallish Singapore.

"The bad economy means not many firms are hiring professional
scientists," one surfer said. "Academia isn't much of a help – there's
a long history of too many PhDs chasing too few jobs."

While the image of taxi drivers has received a tremendous boost, the
same cannot be said of Singapore's biomedical project – particularly
its efforts to nourish home-grown research talent.

"It may turn more Singaporeans away from Life Sciences as a career,"
said one blogger.

One writer said: "In my opinion, PhDs are useless, especially in
Singapore. It's just another certificate and doesn't mean much."

Another added: "The US is in a worse situation. Many are coming here
to look for jobs."

"I won't want my child to study for years to end up driving a taxi,"
said a housewife with a teenage daughter.

The naturalised Singaporean citizen underwent his PhD training at
Stanford University, the majority of his work revolving around the
study of yeast proteins.

His case is not unique. US research-scientist Douglas Prasher, who
isolated the gene that creates the green fluorescent protein (and just
missed the 2008 Chemistry Nobel Prize) faced similar straits.

Prasher moved from one research institution to another when his
funding dried up, and he eventually quit science – to drive a courtesy
shuttle in Alabama.

"Still, he remains humble and happy and seems content with his minivan
driver job," said a surfer.

With an evolving job market as more employers resort to multi-tasking
and short-term contracts, more Singaporeans are chasing after split
degrees, like accountancy and law or computer and business.

Others avoid post-graduate studies or specialised courses of a fixed
discipline in favour of general or multi-discipline studies.
"Experience is king" is the watchword; there has been a rush for
no-pay internships.

"The future favours graduates with multiple skills and career
flexibility, people who are able to adapt to different types of work,"
one business executive said.

During the past few years, as globalisation deepened, there has been a
growing disconnect between what Singaporeans studied in university and
their subsequent careers.

It follows the trend in the developed world where old businesses
disappear – almost overnight – and new ones spring up, which poses
problems for graduates with an inflexible job expectation.

I know of a young man who graduated from one of America's top civil
engineering universities abandoning the construction hard hat for a
teaching gown.

Another engineer I met is running his father's lucrative coffee shop.
Lawyers have become musicians or journalists, and so on.

Cases of people working in jobs unrelated to their university training
have become so common that interviewers have stopped asking candidates
questions like "Why should a trained scientist like you want to work
as a junior executive with us?"

In the past, parents would crack their heads pondering what their
children should study – accountancy or law or engineering, the
so-called secure careers – and see them move single-mindedly into
these professions.

A doctor was then a doctor, a biologist generally worked in the lab
and a lawyer argued cases in courts – square pegs in square holes, so
to speak.

Today the world is slowly moving away from this neat pattern.

o Seah Chiang Nee is a veteran journalist and editor of the
information website littlespeck.com

Editor's Note: See Dr. Cai's blog here.

Friday 11 September 2009

cabbystory - very open-minded or i am too old...

http://singapore-taxi.blogspot.com/2009/08/very-open-minded-or-i-am-too-old.html

very open-minded or i am too old...

2009年8月27日 星期四

very open-minded or i am too old...

this happen at woodlands... when i pick up 3 young lady about 17-18, look like girl next door...

when they come up my taxi...

girl A: uncle go boat quay, and we are late... faster please... and uncle my 2 friends wanna change, please do not turn back...

i was like blur, there's back mirror which i can see them also... think they dunno...

girl A: wah!!! u wear half cup red bra!!! can see your nipple!!!

girl B: where can see my nipple... a bit only...

girl A: when u put up your hand, can see lah... try try...

girl B: look at girl C, she wear see-thru bra!!! this then can see all the nipple!!!

girl A: wah!!! sexy!!! where u get this... i wanna buy!!! my boyfriend sure like it very much...

girl B: wei, u got no boyfriend why wear so sexy???

girl C: aiya... who know later i got one-night-stand...

then they start to poke or play each other's breast... and make lot of noise...
i am trying very hard to drive and not to look too much into the mirror... and these 3 lady treat me like i am not there!!!

girl A: oh ya... u got your pay from tuition right... so treat us today...

girl B: aiyo, teach u 2 how to act also cannot... always got cancel after 1 lesson!!!

girl C: we cannot teach lah... anyway can always find guy to treat us drink and sent us home later...

girl B: alya, like that time at sentosa, when we wear bikini out to take taxi... all uncle look at us, and remember we choose a young taxi uncle, after talking to him for 5 min, he sent us back free... hahahhaahah

girl A: ya ya... today u 2 take off you top and show... sure can get free taxi home...

at this point i just cont to drive... and not to think too much... and they started to make up...
at least got some peace...

when reach boatquay, uncle can stop here liao... meter show 19.60...

girl B: uncle can take $15?? i give u a kiss...

me like blur, and dunno what to say... and tell them dun need dun need... and they just left...
they look like call-girl, totally diff from them when they come on just now.

cab The most irritating recorded voice message ever ...

The Most Irritating Recorded Voice Message ever…

Has anyone tried dialing for a Comfort Cab lately? Perhaps a little
recap might help…

"From 1st March 2008, under the new LTA's regulation, taxis can now
pick and alight passengers at taxi stands and bulidings with private
driveway in the CBD. The regulated hours are from 7am to 10 pm,
Mondays to Saturdays."

Noticed anything wrong with the above message? I almost flipped when I
heard it for the first time.

Firstly, "…under the new LTA's regulation…" Is there a NEW LTA? I
think they meant "the LTA's new regulation…"

The second error was so blatant I'm wondering why they still choose
not to amend it.

"…taxis can now pick and alight passengers at taxi stands and
bulidings with private driveway in the CBD…" Erm…you mean in the past
taxis were NOT allowed to pick and alight passengers at taxi stands
and buildings with private driveways???? And does that statement also
imply that traditionally, taxis were not allowed to pick up fares in
CBD? It sure sounded like it. I'm no language expert but this is how I
would phrase it,

"From 1st March 2008, under the LTA's new regulation, taxis within the
CBD may ONLY pick and alight passengers at taxi stands and bulidings
with private driveways. The regulated hours are from 7am to 10 pm,
Mondays to Saturdays."

Doesn't this sound more appropriate? Seriously, I think ComfortDelgro
should do something about the message…it's embarrassing.

cab The Cabbie Man Can

cab My thought on the new CBD rule

March 24, 2008My thoughts on the new CBD rule
Filed under: Political & Social — by rojakgeekiness @ 6:14 pm
Tags: CBD, government, Singapore, taxis

Imagine that you are stepping out of the building in which you had
just finished an important meeting where you wore your very best. And
to your dismay, it was raining cats and dogs outside and you have no
choice but to wave a taxi and go to whatever your next location is..

Well, if it was in Singapore, i would say that is a deluded thought,
thanks to a new ruling made

Yes, i am talking about the new rule about taxis not being able to
stop anywhere they want in the CBD area except in taxi stands from
7am-10 pm, Mondays to Saturdays. So now, instead of being able to take
a taxi anywhere ( which i think is pretty much the advantage of
boarding a taxi), you would have to go to the nearest taxi stand (
which could be at the doorstep if you are lucky or around 100m away if
you are really unlucky). And get drenched in the process. People can
also amuse themselves at people having to run or walk fast to the
nearest taxi stand with the taxi trailing behind them before being
able to board the cab which they flagged just now. ( i swear this is
true also)

However the worst people who are affected are not the people who have
to wet their Arman or Gucci suits in the rain if they dun carry an
umbrella. No. The people that is most affected are the tourist and the
physically challenged person.

When i was boarding a taxi last saturday, the driver told me of how
people who stayed those hotels which have no taxi stands ( usually
those medium sized hotel) would have to stop at the nearest taxi stand
and then call the hotel personnel to carry their heavy luggage from
the taxi stand to the hotel. Now, i would say these people were
fortunate. Why do i say that? Well, to be frank, they could have only
called the personnel with the taxi's driver phone and how many drivers
are there who is so kind? And what if the hotel personnel refuse to
carry the luggage from the taxi stands? In that case, the tourist
would have to find their way through a foreign land, carrying heavy
luggage, and let me assure you that it is not a wonderful experience
to have. Moreover, SIngapore has waned to attract more tourist and it
is possible that with the 2010 Youth Olympics that tourist would be
swarming from all over the world. Is this how they want the first
impression of Singapore to be?

And for the physically challenged people, what can i say? Very often,
the reason for taking a taxi for them would be to cut down on the
distance to be travelled. Moreover at the CBD area, i would say that
the crowd isn't exactly very civilised and thus making movement even
worse that in the suburbs of Singapore. So imagine having to travel a
distance using a crutch or a wheelchair. This, i assure you, is not a
good experience to have as well.

I know that the government had implemented this rule to ease the
traffic for buses especially in situations where the bus lane is
occupied by taxis alighting or boarding customers. But i feel that it
is just a stopgap measure from the government. Firstly, it is not
tourist and physically disabled friendly. Also, it does not stop the
root of the problem at all. This measure is akin to just damming the
river without letting the water flow. This would only cause the
problem to get bigger and bigger and only cause th dam to burst one
day. WHy not just ease the problem one by one? AT least, that would
lessen the problem and not cause another problem on its own.

cab Taxi rule not tackling the root of the problem

cab Cynical AngMo's Blog

Thursday 3 September 2009

cab TrackGEM for taxi

cab Prime Taxi - 花红原来不是花红?

15司机指受百胜德士公司传单误导 花红原来不是花红?
(2009-09-02)
● 胡洁梅

百胜德士公司总经理陈顺财回复本报时说,公司是在听取一些司机反映"驾了好几年德士却没有积蓄"的心声后,决定从每日租金拨出6元3角充作司机的"储蓄",五年约满后归还司机。公司与司机签约前都会说明所谓的"花红"来源,合同里也有交代。司机一次过得缴付5000元按柜金,不可能没搞清楚就贸然签约。

胡洁梅 报道

  几名德士司机声称被公司传单误导,以为5年约满后,就可获得一笔1万1000元的花红。

  但事实上,所谓的"花红"是公司从他们每天缴付的租金中拨出6元3角,五年合约满后,将这累积的数额(约1万1000元)归还给他们。

  这15名平均加入公司有两年时间的百胜德士(Prime
Taxi)司机声称,在与公司签约时,公司未把这点交待清楚,让他们误以为花红是公司给予的额外款项。他们对此感到不满,想中止合约,但由于他们未做满五年,若终止合约,之前缴付的按柜金就无法取回。

  百胜德士公司总经理陈顺财回复本报时说,公司在2007年成立,一直都以从69元起的低租金吸引司机,只要同意至少服务五年,并缴付一笔5000元按柜金,驾满五年后,就可拿回按柜金,外加约1万1000元的现金奖励。

  他说,公司是听一些司机们反映,驾了好几年德士却没有积蓄,于是决定将每日租金的一小部分拨出,当作司机的"储蓄",约满后归还给他们。公司与司机们签约前都会说明所谓的"花红"来源,合同里也有交代。司机们一次过得缴付5000元按柜金,不可能没搞清楚,就贸然签约。

  不过,一些德士司机却认为,在传单上使用"花红"的字眼,是在误导他们。公司所谓的"花红",其实是司机自己缴的钱,因此其中几人在六月底找律师协助,加入"抗议"行动的司机渐渐增加到目前的15人。

  他们昨天在李明辉律师的陪同下,召开记者会向媒体申诉不满。

司机陈锦昌说,他前年加入公司,同年因父亲过世,公司停止收租三天,但每天仍扣除6元3角。他觉得奇怪,查询后才知道公司每天从租金抽出一笔钱,好让他们在五年后能得到所谓的"花红",所以即使当天没还租金,也得缴付这笔钱。

  另一司机周雄伟(53岁)受访说,他原本在另一德士公司服务,要不是所谓的"花红"让他心动,他才不会转公司。他声称没有机会仔细阅读合同就得签名,当天也没能拿到合同副本。

  公司总经理陈顺财说,德士司机都可向公司要合同副本,一些司机可能认为公司有存底,没有提出要求。他们也曾把合同让有兴趣者带回家参考,合同没有什么好隐瞒的。

  他说,传单只是一种吸引公众的宣传工具,不认为"花红"字眼有欺骗成分。他们开业至今,一直在用,若真的引起误解,会检讨是否纠正。

  一名没有参加投诉行动的百胜德士司机林保发(51岁)说,公司在签约前确实有清楚解释"花红"的来源,也认为这样的储蓄计划很好,他表示没有向公司拿合同。有十多年驾驶德士经验的他之前在别的公司服务。

  另一杜姓司机(46岁)驾驶的是以汽油驱动的德士,公司从每日的租金中拨出约2元7角作为"花红",做满五年后就可拿回约5000元的"花红"。

  杜姓司机说,他每天的租金是74元9角,他当初知道这样的计划时也觉得奇怪,曾问公司可否不要"花红",干脆让他缴付72元2角作为租金就好,但公司表示这样的计划是要鼓励司机们长期为公司服务,他觉得这算合理。

  但他也了解其他司机的感受,可能他们真的误解了,生意现在也难做,又得被"绑死"五年,可能借此发泄。

司机希望中止合约
拿回按柜金

 代表律师李明辉说,司机们目前未采取法律行动,只想和公司达成协议,中止合约拿回按柜金和应得的每日"花红",若公司不答应,就希望他们能在5年约满后,遵守承诺给予额外花红。李明辉事后曾代表他们,发信件给公司,对方的态度坚决,指合同上白纸黑字清楚列明,未触犯法律。李明辉认为,合约上的细节还有商榷。