How our Telco earn money Part II

This week the National Day quiz had shifed to Channel 8.

They upsized.

Now each SMS cost $0.30.

Sad!

How our Telco earn money.

Yesterday was watching the news on channel U and they started a segment to give viewer a chance to win a pair of National day Parade tickets.

All the viewer got to do is to answer a simple question and to text it to a specific number, and of cause each SMS cost $0.20.

Now here is the catch, I would have thought the winner should be picked by a lucky draw or the first correct answer.

But those clever blood sucker states that the winner should be “The one with the correct answer and the most SMS”

Bloody conman.

Rather then let this be a “get to know you nation more” event, I felt that this is just another money making exploitation by our Telco.

Sad.

Our dumb Bank.

Recently I am experiencing some problem with my POSB ATM card and so I was thinking of changing it.

However POSB is charging $5 for any card replacements.

Not that $5 is a very big amount but I think why should the consumer make to pay for putting our money into YOUR bank and shouldn’t the ATM card be part of the bank services.

I think maybe, just maybe, the $5 charge is there to prevent people abusing the system by changing their ATM card as often as they can and also to prevent forgetful people from keeping on loosing their card.

But which idiot has nothing better to do that he want to change his ATM card every months? And losing an ATM card can be quite dangerous and I am sure nobody wants to lose their card purposely.

So how to beat the bloody system?

I just called POSB hot line. Now they limit one ATM card to each person, which you could link up to 8 accounts. (Try to make you damage the card as soon as possible with so many usages so they can earn your $5)

But when you open a new POSB Saving account, you are given a free ATM card.

So what you can do is to cancel all your bloody GIRO payment services and close your POSB saving account, return the damaged ATM card, then on the same spot, open a new POSB saving account with a new account number and this come with a new ATM card, FREE.

The only hassle is that you have to redo all your GIRO arrangement. I am considering this option, but I will not arrange for new GIRO arrangement, maybe put my money in another bank and do my GIRO from there.

I can pissed POSB off by closing this new saving account in 6months, (think this is the minimum you need to keep it open) , and open another new saving account with a new passbook and new ATM card.

STUPID BANK.

What it should have been.

July 15, 2009
Including opposition wards for upgrading a gracious move

IT WAS heartening to read yesterday that residents in the two opposition wards will benefit from lift landings on every floor under the Lift Upgrading Programme earlier than expected ('Potong Pasir, Hougang to get lift upgrading').

This is a most welcome 'queue jumping' and win-win situation for residents, the Government and people of Singapore.

It further exemplifies the Government's commitment to the people to rejuvenate HDB estates - in good and bad times regardless of whether they reside in opposition wards.

I salute this pragmatic and magnanimous move. It reinforces my belief in the Government's 'Triple A' rating. It is a government that has displayed transparency and astute long-term planning, fostered social cohesion, inculcated self-renewal and intelligently made leadership its main catalyst for change, enabling the nation to stay relevant, while engaging the future.

Whatever critics may say about our system of governance - and though I am the first to acknowledge it is not perfect - it is as perfect a system as you can get anywhere. And it is still being tweaked as it evolves to tackle the vicissitudes of the economic environment.

Show me any other government that is able to house 85 per cent of its population - nearly all owner-occupied - complete with modern facilities comparable to First World standards.

Credit must go to opposition MPs Chiam See Tong and Low Thia Khiang too. Both have shown total commitment to their constituents' welfare and are the kind of opposition Singapore needs more of.

Clinton Lim



Er…. Hello? Shouldn’t we asked why in the 1st place opposition wards are not in the scheme in the 1st place.

Don’t forget people statying in Hougang and Potong Pasir are paying taxes too you know.

Guess the PAP finally realised that lift upgrading is not a carrots they can use in election anymore and they are trying to pacified the resident or hope that they can sell they flats are a higher price now and moved out of the opposition wards before the general election.

So I can safety predict that election in in 2 years time. Watch this space.

Rewards = Good Company?

MacDonald's bags top prize at HR awards
SPH clinches awards for corporate social responsibility, among others. -

ST Mon, Jul 06, 2009The Straits Times
By Francis Chan

FAST-FOOD giant McDonald's took home the top prize at the Singapore HR Awards last night by winning the inaugural Corporate HR Champion Award.

The new category recognises organisations that have consistently demonstrated creative and proactive human resources and people management practices.

Over three consecutive years, McDonald's - a consistent winner of HR accolades - managed to clinch the award thanks to its continuous emphasis on staff development, said the event organisers, the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI).

'Winning this award is proof that our people-first culture drives every HR action and decision at McDonald's,' said McDonald's Singapore general manager Alex Yeo.

The fast-food chain was joined by 43 other public and private sector organisations in receiving the HR awards from the Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon.

Mrs Yu-Foo told about 600 industry leaders at the Raffles City Convention Centre that the award winners deserved praise for raising the standard of HR practices and making Singapore 'a leading economy with well-trained and well-managed human capital'.

McDonald's, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Singapore this year, is no stranger to such awards.

In April, management consulting firm Hewitt awarded it the Best Employers prize, an accolade it also won in 2007.

Despite the downturn, McDonald's has almost doubled its investment in staff training to around $3 million this year.

As part of its training curriculum, it sent its first batch of 23 restaurant managers to Las Vegas in April for a diploma course in food and beverage services with more to follow.

'In this economic downturn, we will continue to invest and support our 7,000 people with training and developmental opportunities,' said Mr Yeo.

While McDonald's took much of the limelight last night, the SHRI also launched the HR Advocate Award, which was conferred on 11 firms.

This award recognises organisations that have won the Leading HR Practices Award for three years within a period of five consecutive years.

The Leading HR Practices Awards itself acknowledges firms that have conceptualised and implemented innovative HR practices.

Other award recipients included a variety of firms such as IBM Singapore, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore Power, SingTel and Republic Polytechnic.

Media group Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) was also among the big winners, clinching four awards last night.

SPH took home the HR Advocate Award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); Leading HR Practices Award for Talent Management, Retention & Succession Planning; and a Leading HR Practices Award for CSR.

It also received a Special Mention for Compensation & Rewards Management.

'We are happy to be conferred the HR Advocate Award for Corporate Social Responsibility at this year's Singapore HR Awards,' said SPH chief executive Alan Chan.

'At SPH, we pride ourselves on being a responsible corporate citizen, actively engaging all segments of the community through various events covering the arts, charity, sports, education and conservation.

'Some of our notable initiatives include the SPH Gift of Music series and the annual SPH Group Giving to charity.'

The SHRI said the number of award submissions this year increased from 169 to 201.
First-time entrants and award recipients included industry leaders such as Chevron Singapore, Standard Chartered Bank, Starbucks and public sector agencies like the Singapore Prison Service.

SHRI executive director David Ang said that with the downturn, HR practitioners need to be 'change agents' and better manage human resources.

'Times are bad and companies are tightening their belts. HR plays a pivotal role in helping to save cost, prevent job losses and be a strategic business partner within the organisation,' he added.

Somehow I wonder how these awards are awarded.

Who are the people on the panels of Singapore Human Resource Institute that are giving out these awards?

If you ask me, whether MacDonald deserve to win these BEST EMPLOYEE award or not, the best way is to interview its staffs and not some people sitting on a panel is some aircon room.

My mum has been working for MacDonal for about 20years (WOW so long liao) and from the stories I heard from her I think MacDonald suck big time as an employer.

I don’t know how many General manager was there before Alex Yeo in this 20 years, but here are some crap stuff Macdonal are doing with their employee.

1. At one point. MacDonald stop hiring older worker. Too slow?

2. The manager at my mum’s branch keep trying to con her to work at a lower wage packing those fork and spoon for Big Breakfast. (F**K U) If my rate is $6 an hour you jolly well pay me that no matter what job you assigned me.

3. Worker are only to allow to eat a certain among of food. And some food are off limit to staff.

4. Worker are not allow to used those plastic tray for their chillie sause. (HELLLLOOO how expensive is that bloody piece of plastic)

5. Those so call social activities like Christmas for staff organized are not sincere at all. Present given out to staff are those left over MacDonald toys.


I think awards can always be “bought” and it does not really reflect what the company really is like. One company may look nice from the ouside as it portray a false images to outsider but to truly know how it is like you got to ask its people.

Maybe Macdonald is good at training people in the management grade but treat those aunties and uncles in the kitchen like crap?

I think those joker from SHRI should work undercover for Macdonald next year before deciding should it deserve to four times in a row.

Transformer Toys

In view of the Transformer movie, just to show some of my Transformer collection.

Shown here are my Binaltech collection. These are from Takara Toys company and gotta say the robots articulations are quite impressive.

Birthday Present

Am Happy with it.

Taipei 2009

Belated post.

Went for a short trip to Taipei in May. As usual the food is fantastic.

I used to think that the food in Hong Kong food is good now I find the food in Taipei can really rival fthose in Hong Kong. Also the service and dining environment is much better too.

Again went to鼎泰丰for the小笼包. Fantastic!

You can forget about the 鼎泰丰 小笼包 here is Singapore.

Taste totally different.

In fact you need to go to the鼎泰丰 at XinYi Road if you are in Taipei. Heard from the local it tastes better then other branches.




Also celebrated my birthday oversea this year. (Again!)

The hotel is thoughtful enough to send me a cake and a birthday card from the General Manager. Good service!