First, I must warn readers the term ‘Big Fucks’ is going to be used a lot here. I find it a more economical and better expression for ‘So what? Been done before, and better’.
Today my cash card died out on me. Today being a Sunday saved me a fine if I had gone through the few ERP gantries on a working day. I thought the reader in my car had malfunctioned so I made a slight detour to the nearest Vicom center but it was closed. OK, can’t begrudge anyone resting on a Sunday. Then I went to the nearest MRT station to get the new EZ-Link card, having remembered that it can be used for a whole array of new functions, including ERP deductions.
The tanned service person informed me, with a sunny smile, that the New EZ-Link card is not on sale at her booth, and that it can’t be used in the vehicle in-unit until later in the year, and no, they don’t sell the new card, only replaces lost cards and tops up values. You buy the new card at the other booth, which will be in operation later on today and no, she doesn't know the exact time, she smiled brightly. Here, have a brochure as she handed me a nicely designed flyer headlining ‘WHAT’S NEW ABOUT YOUR NEW ADULT ez-link card?’ Sigh.
The first highlight of the brochure reads NO TRAVEL DEPOSIT. Big fuck! Previously there was a deposit of $2 which is refundable. Now you must have a minimum of $3. How is that different? And how does that become a selling point? FYI, the Hong Kong Octopus Card lets you spend in excess to HK$35 (S$6.82).
Second highlight – CAN BE USED IN THE NEXT GENERATION IN-VEHICLE UNIT. Big fuck! Hello, the Cash Card from Nets has this feature from years ago and this feature becomes available only in the 2nd quarter? I shake my head.
Third highlight - $500.00 MINIMUM STORED VALUE. And you can insure its loss for 15 cents a day too. Big fuck! I fail to see how are they going to reimburse customers who pay cash for it? ‘Hello, I lost my card with $499 in it, when can you reimburse me hah?’ Oh, the 15 cts also insure against misuse of your credit cards too. Does this mean topping up online is susceptible to fraud? Someone, oh please, advise me how this works.
But, really, the increased stored value $500 would be a lot more welcomed in China. The Jiaotong cards are used widely greasing palms. No trace, nothing (I don't what the stored value limit of the Jiaotong Card). In whistle-clean Singapore, well, we are supposedly well-paid enough not to succumb to such petty temptations, the elites, anyway.
Imagine, if only a million citizens (PRs included in this category) store $500 each, that’s a staggering half billion smackeroos. Guess who is going to earn serious interest on that, not you peasants, that's for sure. Goddam, these LTA people are good!
I quickly scan through the brochure for any groundbreaking revelations seeing as how the 2 ‘NEW’s in <What’s NEW about your NEW adult ez-link card> were in 48pt font Ferrari red, but found only a reference to the new Singapore Standard for Contactless ePurse Applications (CEPAS).
Is this another first for Singapore? I decided to do a little researching. On the IDA website it says CEPAS is developed in-house (see below).
Note the words ‘develop’ and ‘world’s first’. Wah! Great job! Another Singapore first! Damm, my chest swelled with pride.
Then, I Wiki Octopus Card and this turns up:
Hmmm… the technology has been around since 1993. The MTR did not develop the technology ‘in-house’, Wiki goes on to clarify. The system was developed by an Australian-based company ERG Group based on the technology called FeliCa which was developed by Sony. Ah, it all becomes clear now.
You know, there has never been shame in adopting an idea. Really. It’s been done for as long as man has been around. You adopt something that is useful, and you improve on it. But adopting something and calling it your own? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Worse, adopting something and coming up with a lousier version? Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!
Why do I say lousier? Make your own judgement.
About the heading on the brochure, if you read it in a different tone, you’ll get what they are really, really trying to say.
‘What’s (the fucks is) NEW about your NEW adult ez-link card????!!’
Today my cash card died out on me. Today being a Sunday saved me a fine if I had gone through the few ERP gantries on a working day. I thought the reader in my car had malfunctioned so I made a slight detour to the nearest Vicom center but it was closed. OK, can’t begrudge anyone resting on a Sunday. Then I went to the nearest MRT station to get the new EZ-Link card, having remembered that it can be used for a whole array of new functions, including ERP deductions.
The tanned service person informed me, with a sunny smile, that the New EZ-Link card is not on sale at her booth, and that it can’t be used in the vehicle in-unit until later in the year, and no, they don’t sell the new card, only replaces lost cards and tops up values. You buy the new card at the other booth, which will be in operation later on today and no, she doesn't know the exact time, she smiled brightly. Here, have a brochure as she handed me a nicely designed flyer headlining ‘WHAT’S NEW ABOUT YOUR NEW ADULT ez-link card?’ Sigh.
The first highlight of the brochure reads NO TRAVEL DEPOSIT. Big fuck! Previously there was a deposit of $2 which is refundable. Now you must have a minimum of $3. How is that different? And how does that become a selling point? FYI, the Hong Kong Octopus Card lets you spend in excess to HK$35 (S$6.82).
Second highlight – CAN BE USED IN THE NEXT GENERATION IN-VEHICLE UNIT. Big fuck! Hello, the Cash Card from Nets has this feature from years ago and this feature becomes available only in the 2nd quarter? I shake my head.
Third highlight - $500.00 MINIMUM STORED VALUE. And you can insure its loss for 15 cents a day too. Big fuck! I fail to see how are they going to reimburse customers who pay cash for it? ‘Hello, I lost my card with $499 in it, when can you reimburse me hah?’ Oh, the 15 cts also insure against misuse of your credit cards too. Does this mean topping up online is susceptible to fraud? Someone, oh please, advise me how this works.
But, really, the increased stored value $500 would be a lot more welcomed in China. The Jiaotong cards are used widely greasing palms. No trace, nothing (I don't what the stored value limit of the Jiaotong Card). In whistle-clean Singapore, well, we are supposedly well-paid enough not to succumb to such petty temptations, the elites, anyway.
Imagine, if only a million citizens (PRs included in this category) store $500 each, that’s a staggering half billion smackeroos. Guess who is going to earn serious interest on that, not you peasants, that's for sure. Goddam, these LTA people are good!
I quickly scan through the brochure for any groundbreaking revelations seeing as how the 2 ‘NEW’s in <What’s NEW about your NEW adult ez-link card> were in 48pt font Ferrari red, but found only a reference to the new Singapore Standard for Contactless ePurse Applications (CEPAS).
Is this another first for Singapore? I decided to do a little researching. On the IDA website it says CEPAS is developed in-house (see below).
Note the words ‘develop’ and ‘world’s first’. Wah! Great job! Another Singapore first! Damm, my chest swelled with pride.
Then, I Wiki Octopus Card and this turns up:
Hmmm… the technology has been around since 1993. The MTR did not develop the technology ‘in-house’, Wiki goes on to clarify. The system was developed by an Australian-based company ERG Group based on the technology called FeliCa which was developed by Sony. Ah, it all becomes clear now.
You know, there has never been shame in adopting an idea. Really. It’s been done for as long as man has been around. You adopt something that is useful, and you improve on it. But adopting something and calling it your own? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Worse, adopting something and coming up with a lousier version? Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!
Why do I say lousier? Make your own judgement.
About the heading on the brochure, if you read it in a different tone, you’ll get what they are really, really trying to say.
‘What’s (the fucks is) NEW about your NEW adult ez-link card????!!’
