Competition

Hey guys. Have you noticed how fast paced and challenging Singapore is becoming? Look at the ads on tv. Theres competition between Starhub and Singtel and then M1 got jealous so he joined in the under-belt hitting. Its despicable! Whatever happened to fair play... or fair competition for that matter? An old ad, showed a red(Singtel) timer running, and then stopping at 20seconds of use. The timer then rounds off to one minute. Then the ad says "Other mobile companies round off the usage time to the nearest minute". Then another green(Starhub) timer does the same thing except it stops at 20seconds. "Starhub only charges you for what you use. Unlike other companies like *cough* SINGTEL *cough*"

Singapore is really getting very competitive. Everytime someone comes up with something original, like a new service or a great business plan etc, a hundred others follow suit. Then eventually everyone gets sick and then all of them go bankrupt... INCLUDING the intelligent,brave person who created and initiated the whole idea. I was walking along a row of shops recently, and spotted a 7-11 and a ABC Discount house side-by-side. I was really puzzled so I walked into 7-11 and bought myself a Gulp.

Me: So errr... Eric hows the 7-11 business?
Eric(Cashier): Well not bad. that will be a dollar twenty.
Me: Hmm... arent you guys affected by the ABC discount house beside you? I mean they are selling stuff real cheap!

Eric: Of course not! The very idea that we are affected by them is laughable. erm.. Ha Ha. I mean their concept and strategy and aims are all totally different from ours. Our targets and aims are completely different. For example, They are fighting to be the cheapest store in Singapore. We on the other hand are aiming to become the most expensive store in Singapore. So you see we dont have a conflict in interest.

Speaking of originality... have you heard that the ticket prices for movies are going to be increased? Probably to $9. Hey! Great way to combat movie piracy!!! Make the prices higher, so that people don't want to watch movies anymore! I mean what the hell is the increase for? To pay higher staff wages? Cant be...they cut their staff wages. Im sincerely trying my best here to justify the hike in prices... but for the love of god!!!!!!! I cant think of anything that makes sense. Well unless you count the owner of the Movie Prices Regulation Board having to increase his fat son's allowance. Nah! That aint probable either. I made that department up. I guess its because oil prices are increasing. So all the CEO's and Directors of the movie and cinema companies figured they need more money to cover their petrol expenses.Hmmm that seems more likely.

Edmund told me a funny story about his bus driver recently. Haha! Well he has an Army bus that picks him up everyday to go to office, so he has to pay $50/mth for that service. Anyway he always spends his pay within the first week and then robs old ladies in lifts. I know what you are thinking... my grandma is at risk! Well no! I told him to stay away frm my grandma, unless he wants to get spinach poisoning. Well back to my story. His bus driver is a nice short hobbit looking man whose English vocabulary consists of less than ten words. Anyway, When they reached his camp he went to talk to the driver and said. "Uncle... I no money now... I pay you on the 20th Ke Yi?" (Ke Yi means Is that alright?" He tried using his fingers to express himself as well. The uncle looks at him and nods his head and says "Ke Yi... Ke Yi." So Edmund is overjoyed and walks down the steps but then realises that the driver might not have understood. So he went back up to check. "Uncle I dont pay you at all Ke Yi?" The man nods again and goes "Ke Yi... Ke Yi". So Edmund realises that he did not understand from the beginning. So he goes to slack in his office and asks his Chinese friend to write a note in Chinese asking the driver if he could pay on teh 20th. Now when it is time to head home, He goes up the steps and hands the note to the driver. The driver reads it then stares at Edmund and starts talking to Edmund in Chinese, probably cursing him or somthing. Gosh... the hardest bridge to construct is a brisge between language barriers!