Coffee & TV

Hiking Phenomena

Saturday, June 04, 2005 / 2:36 AM

Hiking Phenomena

It is a great sunny Saturday afternoon and you, ever the social butterfly decide to have an enjoyable day out in town. Let us say you want to catch a movie and following that, dinner. Deciding that the gang should all meet at one of the gazillion pillars holding up the Orchard MRT Station, you start to plan your route.

Routes: (Take it that you live in the lovely award-winning town Tampines)

a) Take a feeder bus to Tampines Bus Interchange, following an MRT ride to Orchard Station

Estimated cost: ~ $0.63+$1.30= $1.93

b) Take Express 518 and drop at TANGS and walk to the rendezvous point

Estimated cost: ~ $2.30 and highly activated sweat glands (walking in the blistering heat)

c) Drive there.

Estimated cost: Petrol+Parking+ERP(tentative owing to the govt. debating about implementing ERP on Saturdays) ~~~$_$!

Not to mention the sunk cost involved in getting your driving licence. However since it is sunk cost we will not include it in the above computations.

Now that the govt. gave the go-ahead for the hike in public transport fares, we will see a maximum of three cents increase. On one hand, we understand that Singapore's public transport fares are rather cheap compared to developed countries. I suppose Singapore, which was conferred the status of Highly Developing Country despite certain self-proclamations of us being Highly Developed Country but sadly we are not; in a bid to emulate the models of certain Highly Developed Countries decided to 'emulate' their public transport fares first.

HC's lament: WHY! WHY! Travelling has become such a luxury! Coming from someone who never had to worry about transport costs (it was previously fixed at $27.50/month: concession) but was plunged into the world of adult travelling prices when I am not yet an adult... This is too harsh! For a period of time I took to walking home from work where the company bus drops me 6 bus stops away (about a good 25min walk) in order to save some transport money. Great exercise. That was when I had income. Now I am unemployed. Imagine the burden. ARGH.

Back to the story of the fluttering social butterfly. Since it is a Saturday, your movie ticket will now cost you... $9.50! You willingly part with it as you can only find free time on Saturdays. Opportunity costs will be too high for you if you decide to catch your movie on a weekday/workday.

Well, for this part I am glad to say that I never had to part with $9.50 to watch a movie on weekends (yet). KUDOS TO JERM! *raise a glass of lemon shiver* The battle between the cinema operators and us movie buffs resulted in us delivering the triumphant blow to the enemies with a funny card. KUDOS TO THE FUNNY CARD!

Well, after spending that great amount of $, you would definitely decide to eat something cheap. N.Y.D.C? No way. You head out in some silly fella's car, since the person decided to drive to town despite the hefty cost, to *drum roll* fengshan block 85 food centre! Palatable food at affordable prices. Finally, something worth waiting for.

HC's in conclusion lament: Do not forget, issues and tissue-ers that we saw an increase in our G.S.T rate and various other little things. Yes I agree that things will never stay constant, and with the increase in our living standards our cost of living will definitely shoot up. However, I BESEECH. Spare a thought for the middle to low-income family units! By increasing G.S.T (the regressive tax) and transport fares, who are the most badly affected? Us! Middle to low income family people and unemployed teenagers who are unable to pay student prices when we are not adults! I am so for the idea of the government increasing other stuff, i.e. progressive tax and whatnots, maybe increase tobacco tax even, rather than increasing the regressive taxes. Increase tobacco tax! Since cigarettes are sooooooo price inelastic (meaning the quantity demanded of cigarettes do not correspond to a relatively significant change in it's price/ hardcore smokers will still smoke!) In that way, we poor commuters would not have to pay increased bus fares but still have to face this scenario of standing under a bus-stop crowded with smokers on a rainy day.

ARGH!

Sidelines- just ranting. Will try not to rant next time because this makes issues and tissues look like a common blog, but I ... ARGH X3! Pardon me but I must get this off!!!

I hate inflexibility. It makes a fool out of everyone. Stupid Red Tape. I hate red tape too. There is a stupid rule in the driving school (I shall not name the school to protect it's reputation though I am so sure 99.995% know) stating that we can only cancel practical lessons 48h before, if we want our money back. "Oh you are not feeling well? M.C. by the doctor? Sorry then, we cannot help you. You just have to miss the lesson. Thanks for donating $58.80 for the betterment of the lives of the wealthy shareholders who run this place! See you again!" Crap. I was not sick but missed a lesson nonetheless. Took things for granted. CRAP!!!

Went to 85 last week. Stupid uncle selling drinks chased us away from 'his area' because we did not order drinks from his stall, right under this sign, "Customers are liable to sit anywhere regardless of which stall they order from- East Coast Town Council". The nerve of that arh-pek. Thank his lucky stars I did not get into law faculty. See what I mean about inflexibility now?

A-R-G-H. Sing it together. A~R~G~H.


Journals weiling yuqian jermaine elisa erienne ruiyi yingxi priscilla sarah sivam jonathan ee jun kristie tracy 03S1A dalveer a.k.a. davi weiteen shawn marcus purplelashes h.carrot kayatoast caramellin nicole-ink Board Archives Archives April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 December 2005 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 October 2008 December 2008 January 2009 April 2009 May 2009 July 2009	Hiking Phenomena Saturday, June 04, 2005 / 2:36 AM Hiking Phenomena It is a great sunny Saturday afternoon and you, ever the social butterfly decide to have an enjoyable day out in town. Let us say you want to catch a movie and following that, dinner. Deciding that the gang should all meet at one of the gazillion pillars holding up the Orchard MRT Station, you start to plan your route. Routes: (Take it that you live in the lovely award-winning town Tampines) a) Take a feeder bus to Tampines Bus Interchange, following an MRT ride to Orchard Station Estimated cost: ~ $0.63+$1.30= $1.93 b) Take Express 518 and drop at TANGS and walk to the rendezvous point Estimated cost: ~ $2.30 and highly activated sweat glands (walking in the blistering heat) c) Drive there. Estimated cost: Petrol+Parking+ERP(tentative owing to the govt. debating about implementing ERP on Saturdays) ~~~$_$! Not to mention the sunk cost involved in getting your driving licence. However since it is sunk cost we will not include it in the above computations. Now that the govt. gave the go-ahead for the hike in public transport fares, we will see a maximum of three cents increase. On one hand, we understand that Singapore's public transport fares are rather cheap compared to developed countries. I suppose Singapore, which was conferred the status of Highly Developing Country despite certain self-proclamations of us being Highly Developed Country but sadly we are not; in a bid to emulate the models of certain Highly Developed Countries decided to 'emulate' their public transport fares first. HC's lament: WHY! WHY! Travelling has become such a luxury! Coming from someone who never had to worry about transport costs (it was previously fixed at $27.50/month: concession) but was plunged into the world of adult travelling prices when I am not yet an adult... This is too harsh! For a period of time I took to walking home from work where the company bus drops me 6 bus stops away (about a good 25min walk) in order to save some transport money. Great exercise. That was when I had income. Now I am unemployed. Imagine the burden. ARGH. Back to the story of the fluttering social butterfly. Since it is a Saturday, your movie ticket will now cost you... $9.50! You willingly part with it as you can only find free time on Saturdays. Opportunity costs will be too high for you if you decide to catch your movie on a weekday/workday. Well, for this part I am glad to say that I never had to part with $9.50 to watch a movie on weekends (yet). KUDOS TO JERM! raise a glass of lemon shiver The battle between the cinema operators and us movie buffs resulted in us delivering the triumphant blow to the enemies with a funny card. KUDOS TO THE FUNNY CARD! Well, after spending that great amount of $, you would definitely decide to eat something cheap. N.Y.D.C? No way. You head out in some silly fella's car, since the person decided to drive to town despite the hefty cost, to drum roll fengshan block 85 food centre! Palatable food at affordable prices. Finally, something worth waiting for. HC's in conclusion lament: Do not forget, issues and tissue-ers that we saw an increase in our G.S.T rate and various other little things. Yes I agree that things will never stay constant, and with the increase in our living standards our cost of living will definitely shoot up. However, I BESEECH. Spare a thought for the middle to low-income family units! By increasing G.S.T (the regressive tax) and transport fares, who are the most badly affected? Us! Middle to low income family people and unemployed teenagers who are unable to pay student prices when we are not adults! I am so for the idea of the government increasing other stuff, i.e. progressive tax and whatnots, maybe increase tobacco tax even, rather than increasing the regressive taxes. Increase tobacco tax! Since cigarettes are sooooooo price inelastic (meaning the quantity demanded of cigarettes do not correspond to a relatively significant change in it's price/ hardcore smokers will still smoke!) In that way, we poor commuters would not have to pay increased bus fares but still have to face this scenario of standing under a bus-stop crowded with smokers on a rainy day. ARGH! Sidelines- just ranting. Will try not to rant next time because this makes issues and tissues look like a common blog, but I ... ARGH X3! Pardon me but I must get this off!!! I hate inflexibility. It makes a fool out of everyone. Stupid Red Tape. I hate red tape too. There is a stupid rule in the driving school (I shall not name the school to protect it's reputation though I am so sure 99.995% know) stating that we can only cancel practical lessons 48h before, if we want our money back. "Oh you are not feeling well? M.C. by the doctor? Sorry then, we cannot help you. You just have to miss the lesson. Thanks for donating $58.80 for the betterment of the lives of the wealthy shareholders who run this place! See you again!" Crap. I was not sick but missed a lesson nonetheless. Took things for granted. CRAP!!! Went to 85 last week. Stupid uncle selling drinks chased us away from 'his area' because we did not order drinks from his stall, right under this sign, "Customers are liable to sit anywhere regardless of which stall they order from- East Coast Town Council". The nerve of that arh-pek. Thank his lucky stars I did not get into law faculty. See what I mean about inflexibility now? A-R-G-H. Sing it together. A~R~G~H.