Whether it is the new 21 or not, here’s to a brand new sparkling 31 and more good stuff ahead for me.

No idea what’s in store for me - it’s all a hush hush surprise, but I know I will love it just the same.

Time to review the list of goals! And for starters, I find this list quite cute. And yes, I have conquered all them skills, after all I am 31.

Cheers.

And no, she is not ‘going through the next year’s syllabus’ as what I have heard from some parents’ intentions. Poor kids - are they the victims of their parents’ over demanding expectations or the society’s punishing pace and pressure? I don’t do this not only because I want to retain whatever vestiges of childhood she has, I also don’t want to risk her getting bored because we have been through the syllabus. After all, someone had been known to get up to no good when she gets bored.

Anyway, we have been swimming in the mornings, going to the library, taking walks and having games at home so far. She’s still having her ballet weekly and will be going back to school for intensive netball training. She’s been selected for the school team next year and will be in Sports Class - something that she had been aiming for. It’s not the first time I feel glad that I have enrolled her in this convent - where the culture and spirit encourages values, principles, character and belief in self.

After all, efforts at home need to be complemented by a corresponding system and culture in school. That is also why I was not interested in a ‘top school’ where there will definitely be an over emphasis on academic results, homework, holiday classes and what nots. I am quite pleased with her results, even though the Chinese was less than ideal because she missed out an entire chunk of questions at the back due to time issue.

When I told her she has to learn to manage her time in examinations instead of saying ‘not enough time’, she glibly told me that there were people who scored worse and they did all the questions. To which I gave my usual refrain - look not to the bottom but to the top. I wanted to start on my ‘you are your own best and worst competitor’ spiel but she was starting to roll her eyes.

Having a game of reversi with Ger

Having a spot of tea with the girl
When I am watching my CSI/ Dexter/ Monk etc, I like to have a pot of tea on with some finger food. Sometimes, the telly is on while I surf the net, do some crafts or flip through magazines. Any fellow multi taskers out there?

Malay kueh kueh

Weak brew of Lapsang - I love this cup. Big bought it for me - he knows I like old school stuff.

But the need to share is probably greater than the fear, which in any case shouldn’t be allowed to dictate our lives. And as long as one takes responsibility for one’s musings and doesn’t care about the judgement of those who do not matter…

So I blog because bloggers form a community of some sort. There is inspiration, support, information, ideas, beauty e.g. lovely photography. There is voyeurism, voyages, videos, memes, lucky draws and even cookies exchange.

And it is so true. Why blog if it is not your true voice, your true thoughts or your true feelings? After all, our blogs are our online voices and for some of us, an indication of what and who we are in real life.

That is why I get very nonplussed and even irritated with guru like posts telling you how to blog, what not to blog about, how not to blog and even what kind of blogs to keep. This is ridiculous because the uniqueness of the blogging platform is then torn away - leaving in its wake another regimented and dwarfed form of communication. The beauty of blogging is the freedom to express our thoughts, interests, feelings, idiosyncrasies and what nots. The size of your readership is quite another matter.

In a person’s blog, we see what kind of person he or she is, be it narcissistic, attention seeking, sharing, friendly, arrogant, pompous, overbearing, opinionated, deliciously snarky (that would be Dooce), irritatingly snarky and so forth. To me, to try and dictate another’s blogging style is not only pompously delusional, it is arrogant and unsolicited, even unwanted. Stop being an online Hitler.

On the other hand, if you are not making enough money from blogging to have financial freedom, I don’t think a post on how to make money from blogging would be very credible. Similarly, if you let your pompous arrogance blind the fact that you are nothing but a whiner high on leadership pot giving bourgeois tips on how to live life and how to be a winner in guru-like posts, sorry I am afraid I have to burst your bubble by clicking on that little x in the corner.

Yes, going by my advocacy in blogging freedom, I won’t (and can’t) stop people from writing things that don’t sit down well with me, but I do have the right and freedom to click that little x and that’s what readers will do once they sense you are a phony.

And even though I blog, I am not actively involved in the blogging community offline. Perhaps I did too much of the socializing and PR party thing in my previous jobs and am taking a long term hiatus now. I am most comfortable being alone or with a very small select group of friends. If the truth be known, I don’t really like the petty arguments, ridiculous gossiping, time wasting politics that go on in large groups or communities. Also, in any large community, there is bound to be someone or a few people who have their heads stuck far up where the sun don’t shine. So, you also won’t see me attending any PR or blogging event for the socializing - though I might if the product or topic interests me. Besides, I have enough on my plate, what with my writing, business and family taking up a lot of of my time. Whatever time I have left - I spent it wisely reading friends’ blogs to ‘catch up’ and blogs that are of value to me/ interest me.

So why do I blog?

I blog because I enjoy writing and articulating my thoughts on a common platform to share with friends and like minded individuals. I also miss the literature dissertations, analysis and essays in school so this is somewhat of an outlet for that. What you see here about my family, my children, my life - is what I am comfortable sharing. I don’t refrain from ‘bitching’ here because the idea of self censorship somewhat compromises the voice of my blog - this is who I am and with such an acerbic sharp tongue, I am certainly no Ms Prim and Proper. LOL.

So it is with my humble and heartfelt thanks to my readers who accept me for who I am and who keep coming back for more ‘abuse’ What started out as a reader base of friends here in the region has extended out to all over the world and if Google Analytics is to be believed - really unexpected places like Iceland, South Korea, Japan etc.

Thanks folks.

		Almost all 100 people polled by The New Paper on Sunday found that the white tigers should not be blamed for the zoo cleaner’s death and should stay. — PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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ALMOST all 100 people polled by The New Paper on Sunday found that the white tigers should not be blamed for the zoo cleaner’s death and should stay.

Ninety-nine of them said the tigers should not be sent away or ‘punished’ in any way.

Even the lone voice of dissent did not want the tiger to go. Instead, she suggested that the White Tiger exhibit should be closed - just temporarily.

TNP on Sunday said the majority felt that the big cats were behaving according to their instincts.

Mr Jeff Yeo, an events organiser, told TNP on Sunday: ‘It is not the tigers’ fault. Animals, being what they are, will retaliate if provoked, or if they feel they are in danger, especially in their territory.’

He added that even if the tigers had escaped from their enclosure - which they had not - the zoo should be held culpable, not the animals.

Mr Kenneth Tan, 30, a writer, said that the tigers should stay as it was the man who had leapt into the tigers’ way.

‘We might as well shut down MRT stations since people jump onto the tracks there too,’ he said.

Others cited the white tigers’ beauty and the fact that they are an endangered species as reasons for maintaining the exhibit.

But some felt that the zoo could do more to safeguard its employees and visitors.

Mauled victim did not want to die

Meanwhile, a new video provided to TNP on Sunday by a reader has shown that the cleaner Nordin Montong, 32, fought tool and nail to stay alive.

TNP reader Aziz Ansari, 16, a student, filmed the initial part of the horrific attack with his handphone.

The video clip showed Mr Nordin’s desperate fight to save himself, first by trying to get up and back into the moat, then by kicking one of the two tigers.

Mr Nordin’s body was flown back to his hometown in Kuching, Sarawak on Saturday afternoon and buried in the Kampung Sambir Muslim cemetery, more than an hour’s drive from Kuching.

About a dozen people were at the cargo terminal to receive the body, including Mr Nordin’s father, Mr Montong Sahom, 54, his mother, and close relatives.

Later, 80 relatives and friends gathered for the burial, which took place at about 5 pm.

Many among them remained puzzled about what happened.

Mr Nordin’s mother, Madam Baduyah Ahmad, 52, who was closest to the victim, the eldest son, said he had called her on Thursday morning, and he sounded fine.

1. Food - good and relatively cheap hawker food
2. Healthcare - at least there is an A&E when I need it
3. Libraries - everytime I go to a library, I almost forgive the incompetence of the government. Almost.
4. Parks - I wanted to say parks but I remembered that I could be fined for dozing off if I get too relaxed.

I tried to think of more but seriously, I am too peeved by two incidents to think of more.

Free lunch - but just not for the Singaporeans

While locals hanker and bleed their brains out for a place in the ’space constrained’ education institutions here, the government is giving out places to foreigners on a platter and basically whoring out for a hope that these people will stay. Well, here’s a reality check. These people don’t owe you anything and they won’t hesitate to kick you in the face if need be.

Our government should know better. After all they are champions at advocating the dog-eat-dog system where welfare is the most vulgar word possible.

Town Councils sink S$12 million in structured products

I wonder what our dear MM Lee will say about town councils who have also ‘went in with their eyes open’ when he had previously commented the same about ‘educated and young investors’. Town councils who are trigger happy with lawsuits when people fail to make their conservancy payments - just look at the queues at the Night Court every Tuesday. Town councils which are apparently cash rich with their massive sinking funds and what nots. Town councils which have made staggering losses in these investments which they have ‘went in with their eyes open’. So how now brown cow?

Time for someone to come out and say, “It’s an honest mistake, let’s move on”.

So yes, the two party system won’t work in this case - the incumbent might be too easily toppled, what with such an impressive array of red marks in the report card.

Change must come to PAP

By Li Xueying

PM Lee said it not PAP’s job to build up the opposition or to split the party into two because ‘it’s hard enough to find one team’ to take charge of the country. — ST PHOTOS: LIM WUI LIANG

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CHANGE must come to Singapore - but within the ruling People’s Action Party rather than in the form of having a two-party system.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday stressed that the PAP must constantly evolve to keep up with the times. This means renewing its membership and leadership ranks, and coming up with fresh ways to engage Singaporeans.

Mr Lee, who is secretary-general of the PAP, said: ‘Change has to take place in Singapore but change must take place not (between parties) but within the PAP.

‘As long as the PAP changes itself, and continues to provide clean and good government, and the lives of Singaporeans improve, the country is much better off with one dominant, strong, clean, good party.’

Addressing over 1,000 cadres at the annual PAP Conference at the Toa Payoh sports hub, Mr Lee acknowledged the desire for change among electorates across the world.

‘It has happened in Australia, it’s happened in New Zealand recently,’ he noted. And most notably, in the United States too, where Democratic candidate Barack Obama swept to victory on his campaign platform of change.

Observed Mr Lee: ‘So the country is set on a new direction. And if Obama succeeds, that’s good.

‘If he doesn’t succeed after four years or eight years, the Americans will try again with a new President, change party, the Republicans set a new direction.’

But while the US is a big country with a big pool from which to find political talent, there is no such guarantee in smaller countries, he said.

‘In Asia, it very seldom works because having two or more parties has not guaranteed good governance or progress,’ he added, citing Taiwan as an example.

In the last decade, its unhappy voters had swung from the Kuomintang (KMT), to the Democratic Progressive Party, and back to KMT again.

‘By Western definitions of democracy, Taiwan qualifies because it’s got two changes of government - in, out, in.

‘But it is not a political system which is working properly. And I don’t think you want that kind of political system in Singapore,’ he said.

He added however that this doesn’t mean that the PAP has a blank cheque: It has to account to voters at the polls every five years. New parties will emerge quickly to take it on if ’something goes wrong with the PAP’, he said.

Neither did it mean it was the job of the PAP to build up the opposition, he added. ‘It’s hard enough to find one team to look after the country. How can you find two? As a small country, we must have a first division team, an outstanding group of people who can make up for our many limitations,’ he said.

The PAP has managed to survive more than 50 years because it kept itself ‘vigorous, lean, relevant, able to win elections’, and adjusting its leadership styles to ’suit new generations of Singaporeans,’ he noted.

He cited initiatives such as the PAP Policy Forum in which younger party members discuss policy making issues, intra-party elections to district committees, and establishing a presence in the new media.

It is difficult for political parties to stay vigorous, he allowed.

In Japan for instance, the Liberal Democratic Party has been in power for half a century, but ‘has not sustained its vigour’. With no nurturing of younger talent, there is a loss of energy and fresh ideas, observed Mr Lee. ‘So for more than a decade Japan has had a series of weak governments.’

China’s Communist Party, on the other hand, is trying to keep itself strong, vigorous and tied to the ground. This was why it was very interested in Singapore’s political experience, and sent many study teams here.

Mr Lee cautioned however that this did not mean the PAP had found the magic formula to keep itself strong. ‘It is always difficult to carry out self-renewal, to respond creatively to new challenges, to reinvent ourselves. But it is vital for the PAP to make every attempt,’ he said.

Sigh, seems like yesterday when Ger was such a geram little baby!!!

So cheeky!

So geram!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmm, I don’t know why she looks so ‘mabok’ here. LOL

Fond memories of her wearing a dress.

Earnest little schoolgirl

At a friend’s home

She looked ‘kuailan’ in this pic! LOL

Another one of her in a dress.

Sigh, and now she is ten going on twenty. How time flies.

Ger very gamely took the video of her sister dancing which was very sweet but really, her video cannot make it. She was trying to take the footage of everybody and in certain sequences, her sister was cut out! We are so buying the official DVD. LOL

Suddenly I feel that my baby is growing up so quickly and it seemed like yesterday when she was just a geram little baby. Sigh.

I love how the kids make their own entertainment. LOL.

And of course there were idiots who don’t know how to read signs and insist on smoking and polluting the air. Common sense to know not to smoke in places where people take relaxing walks right? Apparently not.

I personally never had a maid - am too much of a perfectionist anal retentive privacy fanatic Ms Gotta do it all herself to have a maid. Come on, it is a matter of common sense after all. If you know you are the fussy or intolerant type, then spare yourself the grief. Don’t employ a maid and then bitch about it endlessly. I had a full time job and took care of the kids myself just fine. We got a part time helper to come in 2-3 times a week after I had my slipped disc problem. She doesn’t clean as well as I would like to, but I tell myself to lighten up.

My family had employed maids to care for my grandmother while she was alive and to take care of the house and garden. We never bought into the nonsense that our helpers cannot eat at the same table as us, or cannot eat the same foods as us. And we never had a ‘list of rules’ for our maids. Before you splutter and go “a list of rules?!” I kid you not. I append a sample list, which was posted in an online forum, below. The ones in bold are those that I deem very interesting. And yes, the ‘Kids’ was really written with a capital K.

• Do not steal anything. Stealing is an offence, punishable by law.
• Do not use/consume any items that do not belong to you like perfume, creams, chocolates, chicken of essence, tonics, etc.
• Honesty is the best policy. Else it would eliminate your credibility and our trust in you.
• Respect everyone in the family. This will show good examples to children
• Be courteous to everybody, no talking back and smile!
• Say please, thank you, sorry, good morning.
• Before you eat/use anything, think about whether Sir, M’am, Kids, have eaten/have enough.
• Ensure everyone has a portion of the food/snacks/drinks. M’am does grocery shopping during weekend.
• Do not open/read any letter that is not addressed to you.
• Do not touch or use family members’ personal items. Check with M’am if unsure.
• Do not show temper or pull a “long face” to M’am/Sir/children. If you have any concerns that disturb you, please raise promptly to M’am’s attention.
• Do not open any cupboards, drawers or cabinets unless instructed.
• Do not go into any bedroom when a male family member is in there.
• Do not interfere when M’am/Sir is disciplining / talking to Kids.
• Do not befriend strangers.
• Do not open the door to strangers unless advised by M’am/Sir beforehand.
• Even if visitors claim to be from the government/company, or claim to know anybody from the family.
• If they continue to disturb you by making noise outside like banging on the door, etc, call M’am immediately.
• Strictly no visitors when M’am/Sir is not in.
• Do not give home telephone number or address to outsiders.
• Do not gossip with people in the neighbourhood.
• Do not go out of the house without permission except going downstairs for school bus. Do not bring Kids to pool.
• Always lock main door and remove key.
• If there is an emergency at home, call M’am/Sir immediately.
• Do not use the telephone for your private use without M’am/Sir’s permission.
• Do not waste water, electricity and gas
• Switch off the water heater, lights and fan when not required.
• Use only the amount of water required.
• Do not turn on air conditioner without M’am/Sir’s permission.
• Keep room clean.
• No moonlighting on your off-days as it is illegal
• Off-day is only given from 7th month onwards.
• It is set to be the last Sunday of the month. If M’am needs to change, M’am will inform you in advance.
• 10am - 8pm. Do not be late as the children need to be asleep by 9pm and you are sharing room with them.
• No going to doctor/hairdresser/etc without M’am’s permission
• M’am will not top up the difference in S$ if you go to a more expensive place than what M’am recommends
• Eat whatever M’am gives you. Do not skip meals or be choosy with food
• Take 3 meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner).
• The same goes for sundry items, e.g. shampoo, soap, toothbrush/paste etc.
• If you do not like what M’am buys for you to eat/use, you may use your own money to buy.
• Have sufficient rest - sleep around 10 pm. You can do some light reading / write mails but you cannot do this in expense of your sleep time.
• Always stay close to M’am when going out.
• Be polite to guests. Say hello and serve drinks.
• No offensive materials like drug, cigarettes, etc. Check with M’am if unsure. Do not keep food in bed room.
• Love, protect and be patient to Kids
• Example of love - Always give them the fleshiest part of the fish as there are no bones that could hurt them.
• Example of protect - Do not let them go near fire, iron, fan, etc. Do not allow them to draw curtains.
• Example of patience - Be patient when feeding Kids , reading to Kids , supervising them in their homework.
• Take care of their cleanliness
• Wash their hands with soap before eating. Bathe them twice a day.
• Wash kids’ and your hands after you bring her to the toilet.
• Call M’am immediately if Kids are sick, falls down or is injured.
• Inform M’am when child misbehaves or is disobedient. Do not take discipline (e.g. scolding or beating) into your own hands
• Speak good English to Kids
• Be neat, tidy and clean at all times
• Wash your hair every night.
• Hair length no longer than shoulder.
• Finger and toe nails to be short. No nail polish.
• Bathe at least twice a day. Wear clean clothes after bath.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after using toilet, cleaning house and before handing food/drinks.
• No putting on of make-up, perfume/fragrance or jewellery.
• Be appropriately dressed at all times.
• No wearing of revealing, body hugging clothes/pyjamas.
• No wearing of very short shorts.
• No wrapping of towel after bath and walking to room to change clothes.
• Taking care of children is the NUMBER 1 priority. Safety comes first!
• You are required to do housework and take care of Kids.
• When both tasks require your attention at the same time, you should attend to the children’s need first.
• Do all tasks properly and quickly by following work schedule that M’am had prepared
• Take initiative. Do not need to be told what is next.
• Do not take short cuts in housework.
• Keep the house neat and clean at all times.
• Ask when in doubt to prevent misunderstanding.
• Prepare all ingredients before you start cooking to reduce cooking time.
• If Kid is alone at home, ensure she is doing something useful and safe before you start cooking.
• Close kitchen door before you cook only if someone is in the house looking after Kids.
• Turn off fire and cooker switch immediately once cooking is completed.
• Always ensure gas knobs are in the correct position after cooking. Do not just check for fire as M’am’s house is very windy.
• Do not take anything from the house without permission.
• Handle all items with care. Inform M’am of any breakage, spoilage.
• Do not throw away anything without asking M’am.
• Inform M’am when groceries/toiletries/washing aids are running low. E.g. rice, salt, coffee, toilet rolls, dish washing liquid, etc.
• Ensure all doors stick to door magnet as M’am’s house is very windy.
• Be careful with clothes during hand-wash/ironing. Check with M’am if unsure. Eg how long to soak before hand-wash, the setting on the iron for ironing.
• Check with M’am before you throw away leftover food / anything.
• Be careful not to scratch the car when washing the car.
• Send mails only to your family members within reasonable timeframe
• No sending of mails to pen pals.
• Reasonably, there should be no more than 1 mail per week.
• Only letters. Do not send other things without M’am’s permission (e.g. Photo, small items, money, etc).
• You can ask to purchase a phone card - cost will be deducted from the pay
• Ask permission for the use of phone from M’am/Sir before using the phone.
• Use of phone should not affect your attention to the children or work.
• You should also advise your family members to not call you after 10.00 pm.
• Reasonably, there should be no more than 2 calls per month.
• No buying or owning of mobile phone. Mobile phone will be confiscated by M’am and only returned to you upon completion of contract.
• Incoming calls to you should only be from your immediate family members in hometown.
• Greet the caller - Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening.
• If M’am/Sir is not in, inform caller “M’am/Sir is not in” and hang up phone IMMEDIATELY.
• Do not answer any questions over the phone from any callers except questions from M’am/Sir/Kids

Damn, I think the job of this maid is tougher than mine, and definitely way underpaid.

**

While I poo poo the unrealistic idea of providing maternity benefits to maids, I think we need to have a basic understanding to treat our helpers with basic decency - a trait, like common sense, seem sadly deficient. I see and hear things like maids not getting to eat at restaurants, carrying countless bags while the sluggish employer saunters empty handed, having to wake at 6am in the morning and getting to sleep only at midnight - the list goes on. The stupidest has got to be the one who treats her maid who takes care of her very young children in a shabby manner. Hey look, I don’t need to tell you how stupid that is right?

By Elena Chong, Courts Correspondent

Maselly Abdul Aziz (right) is on trial for using heated substance to hurt Ms Badingah, 29, at her rented flat at Jalan Minyak between June 2 and July 26 last year. — ST PHOTO

A HOUSEWIFE allegedly poured boiling water on the private parts of an Indonesian maid after the maid had used hot water to bathe her four-year-old daughter, a district court heard.

Maselly Abdul Aziz, 38, is on trial for using heated substance to hurt Ms Badingah, 29, at her rented flat at Jalan Minyak between June 2 and July 26 last year.

Maselly, who is defending herself, is also accused of using an iron rod to hit the maid and instigating her daughter, Nur Rizan Mohamed Sazali to extract two of her front teeth.

Nur Rizan, 18, is serving 26 months’ jail for abusing the maid, whose employer, Elsa Elyana Said, 25, was given 17 months’ jail recently for helping to extract her teeth and punching her.

Maselly’s son, Mr Muhammad Iz’aan, 20, has since served five weeks’ jail for using a cane to hit the maid on the back.

Ms Badingah testified that she jumped out of the second-storey flat off Chin Swee Road on July 26 last year after Maselly had threatened her with two knives.

Maselly is said to have told her in a mixture of Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia that she would kill her if she did not return $60 to her.

Ms Badingah testified that Maselly had instructed Nur Rizan to pull out her teeth after blaming her for stealing.

‘Maselly often lost her money and handphone, and that applies to her family members. Maselly then accused me of stealing her handphone and money. So she told me that if she loses an item, she would extract one of my teeth,’ she said.

She said Elsa held her head while Nur Rizan pulled out her tooth with a pair of pliers.

Several hours later, her second tooth was forcibly pulled out by Nur Rizan with Elsa’s help.

The trial continues.

Detective jailed for maid abuse
By Selina Lum

Lawrence Lim Hwang Ngin (left) was sentenced to a year’s jail for abusing his Indonesian maid. — ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA

A DETECTIVE from the Criminal Investigation Department was sentenced to a year’s jail by the High Court for abusing his Indonesian maid.

Justice Kan Ting Chiu, in sentencing Lawrence Lim Hwang Ngin, 35, noted that he had abused his position as a police officer and caused fear in the maid.

The judge found Lim guilty of kicking and hitting the maid on five occasions.

He pointed out that the circumstances leading to the assaults were ‘minor domestic matters’.

Lim was convicted in August of kicking and hitting his maid on five occasions.

However, he was acquitted of seven charges of sexual abuse, including one count of rape.

Lim has appealed against his conviction for maid abuse and is out on bail of $70,000.

Woman jailed for maid abuse By Elena Chong, Courts Correspondent

Tay Wan Leng, 41, pleaded guilty to pinching the right arm of Indonesian Istikomah, pulling her shirt and slapping her face, back and head several times at her home in Woodlands on Jan 22. — ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

A WOMAN administrator was jailed for five weeks on Monday for maid abuse.

Tay Wan Leng, 41, pleaded guilty to pinching the right arm of Indonesian Istikomah, pulling her shirt and slapping her face, back and head several times at her home in Woodlands on Jan 22.

A court heard that Tay lashed out at the maid after discovering that the 27-year-old had not followed her instructions to soak her husband’s and her clothes.

That was the second day in a row she had abused the maid.

A day earlier on Jan 21, she punched the maid on her chest and stomach and pulled her hair but this charge was considered during her sentencing.

Ms Istikomah, who started working for the family last November, ran to the maid agency on Jan 23.

She was taken to hospital and warded for a day.

Defence lawyer Tang Gee Ni said Tay was under emotional and mental stress and strain when she committed the offence.

He said she had compensated $700 to the maid and would pay for her airfare home.

Tay could have been jailed for up to 18 months and fined up to $1,500.