5th in Cycling?

5 best biking cities in Asia

If so, lets strive to be the best!

Nice quotes from spam comments

This blog has become a receiver of spam comments. Instead of just wasting my time rejecting each as they appear, not wanting to waste the good part of the comments, so I am posting here the nice quotes in these spam comments:

• 不論做什麼事，相信自己，別讓別人的一句話，把你擊倒。
• 心中醒，口中說，紙上作，不從身上習過，皆無用也。
• 雖天地之大，萬物之多，而惟吾蜩翼之知。
• 河水永遠是相同的，可是每一剎那又都是新的。
• 一個人的價值，應該看他貢獻了什麼，而不是他取得了什麼。
• 一棵樹除非在春天開了花，否則難望在秋天結果。
• 死亡是悲哀的，但活得不快樂更悲哀。

Majority penalized for the minority

Today my family had an experience with a failure of the Distance Fare system.

The bus we took somehow had its fare system not working after a couple of stops. So, all existing passengers could not tap out. After quite some time trying to reset it, and later more time spent trying to resolve the problem by talking to their technical support, still cannot make it work. In the end, almost all alighted and took another bus because we didn't want to waste time waiting for the issue to resolve, which seemed unlikely. Thus, all will be charged the maximum fare, and need to make claim in the following week. Then other bus captain told us that without a ticket from the first bus, we will have to tap in again.

Now, is $ the only issue here?

Wireless technology used in bike sharing

This should be the way. Technology is here, use it.

The Social Bicycle System from Ryan Rzepecki on Vimeo.

An education opportunity

My son is old enough to have some eagerness to watch the NDP fireworks. Also because he has watched it a couple of times. No, he is not old, only 2+, but we have watched it from far during the many past NDP rehearsals in the last few weeks.

Yet, today, the actual NDP day, he was sleeping during the fireworks display. My dad wanted to wake him up to watch, but I said no need. Because

Disappearing scenes

It may not be wise to pay for nice views of a property as nice views could disappear in this ever changing island.

A small area of the Macritchie reservoir still visible now will be blocked by the five 40 storeys DBSS The Peak blocks (now estimated about 20 storeys in the photo).

Another condo constructions will poke out from the faraway flat skyline soon.

The new distance-based fares

The new distance fare reminds me of the good old days (before MRT) when, as a student, I can make as many as transfers as I need with a monthly student bus stamp. With the new distance fare, I can again feel free, almost free, to transfer buses.

Previously, from Buona Vista to Toa Payoh, I used to take bus 105, which waiting time can be as long as 30 mins or more. Now, I have several options. My ultimate aim is to go via Whitley road, so my options are:

Take buses 100 147 196 198 to Mujahidin Mosque, transfer to buses 153 to TPY, or buses 93 855 to Farrer road, transfer to buses 153 to TPY, or buses 48 186 to Whitley road, transfer to buses 105 153 to TPY, or 151, 154 to Jalan TPY, transfer to the many buses that go into TPY.

Another example

Bicycle and water treatment

Read about a good use of bicycle in Singapore relief team helping flood victims

... portable bicycle ultra filtration water treatment system. Mounted on a bicycle the water treatment system can be operated by peddling bicycle and is very appropriate for use in remote disasters stricken areas, where the electricity supply is scares.By this system 600 to 800 liters of water per hour can be treated by removing sediments and bacteria.