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It is a good thing that i don’t work in the city. ERP has been going up and more gantries have been built and activated and to me, it is getting really ridiculous.
Gantries are popping up and the prices are going up. In good times, it is fine. It doesn’t really make sense to me that they are doing all this now esp when the cost of living is going up due to oil price increase. At times, it makes me wonder if the govt is really in sync with the ppl on the ground and if they really know how bad times are. Or they just take a microview that “traffic flow is bad and we must regulate the flow !”. If their intention is to force ppl to take public transport then it is a total failure. If that is the case, then i think our scholars and ministers ought to be sacked. I feel that ERP is just a easy way out to regulate traffic flow.
Every gantry built and every increase in ERP charges creates a domino effect in Singapore. Once the ERP charges is increased, cabs are reluctant to go into city to pick up passengers bcos the fare might not cover the cost of going in. And once that happens, the next thing that will happen is that taxi companies will raise fares to attract cabs to go into the city. According to Wifey’s uncle who is a cab driver, if a person is taking a cab to Chinatown or City during peak hour, the starting fare is $12 (inclusive of all the surcharges, ERP) and that is even before the journey starts. This would most probably force ppl to take buses and mrt. So now, is our public transport system fit enough to handle the demand? If it is, what about the livelihood of the taxi drivers? Now, ppl will have second thoughts about taking a cab and maybe they might consider buying a car and then our traffic flow will not be any better. It is a vicious cycle and when will the increases stop?? How much more would they raise? If LTA’s idea is to regulate traffic flow, what is the domino effect to cost of living and business cost?
If the intention is to modify ppl’s behaviour and take public transport then LTA should scrap all ERP charges for taxis and buses. This would drive the cost of taking public transport down and more people will be glad to take a taxi or bus to City. To me, i think that LTA must take a more holistic and board view and adjust their policy rather than taking the easy way out of just building gantries and raising prices.
Got this funny “ad” in my email. Seems to be an Australia-based.
The irony of it is the statements that they have on their websites.
Shell
Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemicals companies. With 104,000 employees in more than 110 countries, we play a key role in helping to meet the world’s growing demand for energy in economically, environmentally and socially responsible ways.
ExxonMobil
We are committed to meeting the world’s growing demand for energy in an economically, environmentally and socially responsible manner.
ExxonMobil made US$11 BILLION last quarter
Shell made US$3.6 BILLION last quarter
Chevron made US$4.72 BILLION last quarter
Socially responsible ?? Pfffttt.. Don’t make me puke. With such huge profits, i don’t understand how they can justify the increase in pump prices in tandem with crude oil increase.
Petrol prices have sky-rocketed in the past 2 years and it doesn’t seem to be stopping. I am not sure what is the cause of all this. Some say that it is due to the US economy, the boom to the China & India that is the cause of all this. I think it is more to unscrupulous speculators who are the cause of this. I believe that it wouldn’t have been so bad if crude oil prices didn’t push past the US100 barrier but some joker decided that he will be the first one to push the price beyond that. And after doing that, nothing bad happened to the world economy and so now, it is a no-holds-barred time.
Of course, it is not only the traders. The petroleum companies are partially a problem too. They are quick to raise it but when crude oil prices drops, they are slow to bring down the pump prices. If the petroleum companies could just hold the pump prices and not increase it every time crude oil goes up, i think that it should stabilise the crude oil prices too.
Anyway, i doubt that they(traders and companies) are that socially responsible and the only way to get things back to realistic level is to have a stock market crash which causes these speculators get their fingers burnt and go bankrupt.
Blah ! I think it is time to take public transport / cycle / walk !
It is irony at its best and a vicious cycle to boot…
Public transportation sucks bcos of timing issues and space = Raise fares to buy more trains, buses
More trains & buses = Raise fares bcos higher operating cost
Raise fares= Ppl calculate and decide to pay slighter higher to take a cab to work due to greater comfort and it reaches their doorstep
More ppl take cabs = Not enough cabs
Not enough cabs = Raise fares
Raise fares = Ppl calculate and decide to pay slighter higher to have a car
More ppl buy car = Congestion
Congestion = Raise ERP
Ppl calculate and decide to take public transport then what will happen?
The cycle continues…
Let’s put aside the owners problem, Rafa problems, tactics etc etc and for once, we focus on the players..
After the West Ham game, i commented that this bunch of players lack a certain something but i didn’t know what it until just now…
I don’t buy the “we-must-have-a-first-team-players-otherwise-there-is-no-understanding-and-cohesiveness” theory” or “rotation-is-bad” theory..
Frankly, this bunch of overpaid-posers are paid to play football day in day out. If they train day-in-day-out and still no understanding with their teammates, i would say fire them.. To say that bcos rotation = no understanding on the pitch will equal that WE, the fans are wasting our bloody money supporting the club.. It is like throwing money into the sea bcos they are just taking money and not working hard enough to establish understanding with ppl that they see everyday.
Freaking hell, i have said this many times.. If those who plays social football(once a week) can understand their team-mates characteristics, i don’t see why these inept overpaid posers cannot do it..
During the past few month, i have hear a lot from the players about “we will do better”, “i will score”, “we will put off-the-pitch issues out of our minds”. But time and time again, they only walk the walk but never talk the talk. And now, the reason is clear in my mind…
My opinion is that WE LACK LEADERSHIP ON THE PITCH !. This is a tough period of time where we need the real men to stand up and drag the entire team towards victory. When the going gets tough, every player just disappears and that includes Carra and SG. It is as simple as that. It is evident that no player wants to pull up their socks and say, “SCREW THIS ! JUST PASS ME THE BALL AND I DO WHAT IS NEEDED TO WIN”. NOBODY!!
We just don’t have leadership on the pitch. It doesn’t matter if we strip SG and pass it to Carra. Carra can scream, rant and shout but can he drive the team forward ? I don’t think so.
Look at teams who have won the EPL.
LFC had great captains like Daglish, Souness.
Arsenal had Vieira.
Man U had Robson, Cantona, Keane.
Would these players allowed the nonsense to continue on the pitch? Is it any concidence that Man U domination kicked off when they got Robson, Cantona and subsequently, Keane? Is it any coincidence that their nearest challengers were Arsenal who had Vieira? Is it any coincidence that we won the CL, FA due to SG’s influence?
So why can’t we do it in the league?
If Keane or Vieira was our respective captains for today’s match, i would believe that they would have fight for the ball, drive forward and demanded more from the players. And it will gear up the entire team to do the same. It is true that a team is made up of 11 players but a captain responsibility goes beyond flipping a coin and choosing who to kick off first. His responsibility is to be the LEADER on the pitch, to demand that the players put in as much effort as he is doing and drive towards victory.
If the captain cannot drive the team, then some other player should step up and show the way. We see glimpses of it when Yossi stepped up against Havant to lead LFC to victory, SG lead LFC to victory against Derby with his surging run and Torres who often save our asses by taking on the responsibility. But it seldom happens.
WHERE WAS HE or better still, WHERE ARE ALL OF THEM!? WHERE ARE THE LEADERS !?
Everybody is waiting for somebody to do something. Freaking hell.
SG has the ability and desire to be a great captain but he needs to get his head sorted out and become mentally strong for the team and it is time for his to start acting like one. Otherwise, i just pray to God that we can somehow find one from somewhere
Only then, we can win our bread and butter..
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv…-name_page.html
Tom Hicks: We lined up Jurgen KlinsmannJan 14 2008 WORLD EXCLUSIVE by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo Jurgen Klinsmann TOM Hicks and George Gillett held a secret meeting with Jurgen Klinsmann to line him up as the next manager of Liverpool FC. Hicks today insisted the talks would not have resulted in the immediate dismissal of Rafael Benitez and that Klinsmann was only “an insurance policy.” He told the ECHO: “We attempted to negotiate an option, as an insurance policy, to have him become manager if Rafa left for Real Madrid or other clubs that were rumoured in the UK press. “Or in case our communication spiralled out of control for some reason.” The ECHO can also reveal: * Had Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League the club’s owners would have tried to replace Benitez. * A deal was almost agreed for Dubai International Capital to buy a minority share in the club in the autumn, only for talks to collapse over the valuation of the club. * Hicks is hopeful for a financial restructure and that plans for the new stadium will be released by the end of this week. |
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv…#story_continue
Jurgen Klinsmann only an insurance – Tom Hicks and George GillettJan 14 2008 EXCLUSIVE by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo THE ECHO today reveals how Liverpool co-chairmen Tom Hicks and George Gillett met Jurgen Klinsmann to ask him to consider replacing Rafa Benitez as manager. In an extraordinary interview, Hicks details the reasons why the duo wanted the former Germany manager to commit himself to the club in the event that Liverpool and Benitez parted company. The meeting took place at Hicks’ second home in southern California in late November during America’s Thanksgiving vacation – the very same week when Benitez gave his now infamous “I’m going to concentrate on coaching and training my players” press conference at Melwood. Klinsmann was joined by his wife Debbie at the meeting and was told he would be the ideal man to take Liverpool forward if Benitez either left the club or was dismissed. Hicks today insisted that the offer made to Klinsmann – who was named Bayern Munich’s new manager at the end of last week – was no more than an “insurance policy” and that Benitez now has his full support. But his admission that talks reached such an advanced stage is unlikely to dampen speculation that the Spaniard is on borrowed time at Anfield. The Dallas-based multi-millionaire admits that doubts about Liverpool progressing in the Champions League following their defeat by Besiktas coupled with “communication problems” with Benitez were the reasons why he thought the club needed a contingency plan in case the manager was either dismissed or left of his own accord. Klinsmann, who guided Germany to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2006 but who has never managed at club level, was that contingency plan. Hicks told the ECHO: “In November, when it appeared we were in danger of not advancing in the Champions League, weren’t playing well in our Premier League matches, and Rafa and we were having communication issues over the January transfer window, George and I met with Jurgen Klinsmann to learn as much as we could about English and European football. “He is a very impressive man. We attempted to negotiate an option, as an insurance policy, to have him become our manager in the event Rafa decided to leave our club for Real Madrid or other clubs that were rumoured in the UK press, or in case our communication spiralled out of control for some reason.” It was only when Hicks and Gillett sat down with Benitez for clear the air talks at Anfield following the defeat to Man United on December 16 that the club’s owners decided not to take their interest in Klinsmann any further. And Hicks insists Benitez now has the full support of both himself and Gillett. He said: “After George and I had our long and productive meeting with Rafa following the Man United match, we put all of our issues behind us and received Rafa’s commitment that he wanted to stay with Liverpool. “We never reached agreement on an option with Jurgen, and we are both pleased for him that he has a great opportunity to return to Germany and coach a great club team. “Rafa has both of our support, and our communication has greatly improved. “Foster, Rick Parry and Rafa now have regular meetings at Melwood on Monday mornings. “The two families always try to have a telephonic meeting on Monday afternoons, so we all are on the same page. We all want to win more games.” Klinsmann is set to take up his new post at Bayern Munich on July 1 but had Liverpool failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League or had Benitez not ironed out his differences with his bosses, the German could easily have replaced him as Reds manager. |
Blah… Stupid n/w is so slow and it takes forever for my files to be check into Sourcesafe. So i take this time to write this blog entry / rant about the stupidest decision made by taxi company.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/316573/1/.html
Anyway, i had a discussion with Wifey in the car.. She was pointing out that even with the new price, ppl are still taking taxis. Then we talked about the new pricing structure and how taxi drivers’ destiny are not in their own hands.
My opinion is that the new price structure only solves the symptom and not the root cause of the problem. By increasing the CBD surcharge, the 35% watever-nonsense and peak hour starting from 5pm till 11:59pm, it is only creating another massive problem. Now you will have drivers trying to stay out or hiding away from the CBD till 5pm as there is no incentive for them to go in even earlier.
By giving them so many “incentives” to go in, it doesn’t solve the problem as he taxi drivers still wield the power NOT to go into CBD before 5pm.
But it comes back to the question, why should taxi drivers be given an incentive to go into the CBD to pick passengers up? It doesn’t make any sense at all.
I feel that the best solution will be the following:
- Scrap the surcharges
- Increase the flag-down rate to $3.50
- $0.20 per 385 metres of travel for the first 10 kilometres. This will go up to $0.20 per 330 metres for journeys beyond 10 kilometres.
- $0.20 for every 45 seconds of waiting time.
- Midnight surcharge to stay at 50 per cent of the metered fare
- Give all drivers who are unable to get a passenger within 15 minutes of entering the ERP zone an ERP rebate
This will create a better platform for both passengers and taxi drivers. In my opinion, $3.50 for a flag down is reasonable at the current oil & inflation rates. By taking away the surcharges and the rebate of the ERP charges, the taxi drivers won’t have any “incentive” to hide around and waiting for surcharges to kick in. They would have to go into CBD during peak hours as there would be a huge demand and that will solve our “disappearing” taxi problem.
Haiz. I already told myself not to be affected by the TNP’s stupid reports about LFC defeat to Reading.
But still, i am damn pissed with what i have read ! Liverpool going the route of Leeds !? And Liverpool losing to lowly team like Reading !? Give Man U the title !?
Sheesh.. Fucking bias shit from our tabloids. I really starting to think that they write this kind of crap on purpose to drive up my blood pressure and to get readership.
I wish that LFC will win the EPL title and we can shove their comments back into their freaking ugly face.. Totally hate that “experienced” coach, Peter wat-ever-his-ugly-name-is and his nonsensical comments. The worst part is his dress sense.. Purple suit with pink tie..
Leave my club alone !
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