I hear, I see, I post: May 2011

Birds chirping?!?!?!

It's a long time birds are chirping, or at least I could hear them. Perhaps I'm death all these while???

In the eyes of what we see, there seemed lies a glitter of hope. Hope, which is so elusive, yet so exclusive. Hope, it's so shiny, yet so dull. Something so helpful, but when use in the wrong context, could be potent. Hope against hope, and you're so dead. But if you rely and hope with hope, you're helpless, and vulnerable. Oh, this world is such a cold, unfeeling place.

Societies ill

You know what beats me?

The fact that the society today is getting more and more ignorant, shallow and unthoughtful. We look down on others. Others who are not as privileged, rich or lucky like we are. Now, I'm not saying that I don't do this sometimes. I also have the tendency to forget what I would normally not do or the least, forbid myself not to do. I am human and humans forget sometimes.

Everyday, we ignore those who seem insignificant to us, those who we presume are not worthy or not important. Like garbage collectors, or waiters. We forget to say thank you or offer a smile to them because in our minds, they simply do not matter at all. Its as if they are invisible or transparent because our eyes don't see what they don't want to see. But what we don't seem to understand is that they indeed ARE important to us, they are important to our society.

Time and again, we descriminate against people who are different than us. But has it ever crossed our minds that without different people, it makes our world extremely boring, dull and undiverse? Then, everyone would be the same. This way, everyone would have the same job, everyone has the same personality and religion. Everyone will be the same. Has it ever crossed our minds that without dissimilar humans, there wouldn't be anybody to sweep the roads or to collect trash from our houses?

God created every person for a reason. Everyone plays a role in ensuring that a balanced, beautiful world exists. Everyone is important, regardless if you're a maid or a construction worker.

So the next time you pass by your school janitor, offer him/her a smile. After all, a smile costs nothing but worths everything. You might just make their day by them knowing that they are appreciated for their effort poured into making your school a cleaner place. Perhaps,you could say thank you to your waiter next time he brings you your bill. He did, after all serve you your coffee.

My point is, acknowledge those who aren't as fortunate as you. You never know, you might be in their shoes one day, craving for that scarce bit of acknowlegement that people rarely grant you.

Pirates of Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

The fourth part of "Pirates of the Caribbean" is back! Back with the ever so comical, so humorous Captain Jack Sparrow!

This fourth movie, directed by a new director, lack the typical feel of previous franchise of POC. The initial introduction to the storyline is typical. Perhaps I've been expecting too much since the previous installment packs a punch. It is likely more of an individual preference whereby I dislike any movies which tells you directly what the movie is all about.

In the start, the movie shows some sailors fished a man who later revealed to us about this fountain of youth. In order for one to attain the effects of the youth at this fountain, one shall need several items to conduct this ritual. Some items includes the tears of a mermaid.

Ok, so before I get into too much details with too many spoilers, I better shut up.

So what is very unexpected about this movie:

It is unfunny. The bits where it is supposedly to be funny is not funny, and kind-of expected. Some includes when Jack was in the palace and tried to eat a pastry, but failed miserably, and how it get struck on a chandler. And at the end, while he escaped, he managed to eat the pastry.

However when the movie progressed further, the funny bits are funny. Like when Jack planned a mutiny, which failed (because blackbeard is in fact on board the ship) and the mutineers were caught, Jack reported there is a mutiny on board, and is willing to name the mutineers.

There is also more comic relief from the serious storyline, with the character of Phillip. Actually, I think Philip stole most of my attention, and I'm actually more interested on the huge role Philip played as the storyline progresses. He was neither on the side of Blackbeard, not Jack when questioned by Jack during the mutiny. There too, are recurring jokes on a voodoo doll of Jack, where this doll was thrown down a cliff to test if Jack would die of he jump down the cliff. Jack did in fact survived and jumped down!

So back on Phillip. This character is actually a kind soul who believes that each and every soul can be saved. Since the crew members on board are supposed to find mermaids for the ritual, Philip actually fall in love with one. And before you know it, this movie is all about love.

Some spoiler: Captain Blackbeard died, so as his daughter would retain her youth. And the daughter told Jack the truth in order to fool him. Sounded complicated? Watch the movie to find out more.

So the sound effect weren't that awesome, with inappropriate BGM. Like the march when Jack was sent to the palace in the beginning. However, the choice of BGM was great during the swordfight, at the fountain of youth.

There are some puzzling points, like when Jack's father told him about the test of the fountain, I still do not understand about the test. I think the test might be on kinship, since Captain blackbeard wanted to sacrifices his daughter life so that he could be youthful and live to a ripe old age. However, Jack stumped on the cups and thus, Blackbeard died.

And did I mentioned on the love. The power of love between the mermaid and Philip? It was touching and a majority of the audience cried. Love really could prevail all odds.

"I could heal you, you just need to ask."

"I want to seek…..your forgiveness."

Fezs are cool

But so are bowties! Blue ones, to be exact and where's my police box? Small on the outside, big on the outside.

Scare you to Death!!!

:(

Just don't probe.

On the day when the sky is blue

The sky is always blue. No, sometimes its black, pitch black. Sometimes it's white, covered by the clouds. But yet as always, life is again under the vast blue sky. Life would still continue, and after today, there's a tomorrow, and many tomorrow to come. Even after your death, there still is a tomorrow, because tomorrow could never stop coming.

Yet another new day, not a new beginning. It is a new day to start with the unfinished business of yesterday or to some, yesteryears. Like fulfilling the promise and agreement made yesterday/weeks ago on going to the movies. Or perhaps to head over to the local amusement park. So that is to proceed with the unfinished business of yesteryears.

Oh…what on Earth am I talking about?!?!?!

Never mind, just continue.

It was just so interesting on Friday. Scarring people and all that silly stuff one would actually not do. It was more of a prank or some sorts. But all in the name of good fun, with sporting people who patronizes with their faked screaming and "Ahs". It was just like a certain someone…KQ. Humph…just where on Earth he is now???

Never mind, the sky's blue and everyone is under the sky.

Social Stratification

Is Singapore's education system working effectively, where children whose parents are of a higher social background having an advantage against their not so well to do peers? This is relatively common in Singapore's mainstream society. And it is of a great concern for Singapore, since Singapore strongly believes in meritocracy, whereby intelligence and not how affluence one is are valued strongly. It seemed like in the education system of Singapore, there are some kinds of social stratification. Since the richer children attended the more prestigious schools, while the not so well to do children attends neighborhood school. This had been the trend for over a decade or two already.

One must be reminded that a child social position is ascribed once he or she is born. It thus meant that if the child's family background is rich, the particular child would be born rich, with a silver spoon in their mouth. Thus, this would in a way be a major influencing factor in the child's formative upbringing years.

For instance, if the child is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, his lifestyle would be different from a child whose parents are not so well to do. He would be enrolled at Morris Allen pre-school, and not PCF kindergarten (in the case of the not so well to do parents). The richer child would be learning the multiplication table at 3 years old, while the other child would just start to count from one to hundred.

Upon their enrollment in Primary school, since the richer child's parents are very rich, they would be staying at some huge bungalows along District 10. Since their houses would be situated within a 5 kilometers radius of the prestigious schools in the vicinity such as Raffles Girls Primary School, Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School and the likes, they would be given a priority for their child to enroll in the schools.

This thus gives the not so well to do parents a certain disadvantage. Since they are most likely to be living in a HDB flat at a working class district like Woodlands, which is quite a distance away from the prestigious school. Thus, because they stay far away from the school, it would be virtually impossible for their child to enroll at the school.

So, this clearly illustrates to us that social stratification does not truly benefit everyone.

This clearly is in conformance with the conflict perspective whereby every society will be stratified by power. Where the rich and powerful would fight for scared resources and this would thus led to social inequality.

The scared resources in this case would be the slots allocated in the prestigious schools. The rich who are staying in the area would thus be automatically given a place. However, the not so well to do would be deprive of an equal standing. This thus does not allow both the rich and the not so well to do an equal footing. Also, the rich would ensure the poor would not be given a slot in the school.

This thus shows us that people of different social class would be granted certain benefits. The richer ones would have the money and power to ensure that their child would be able to enroll in the prestigious school, while the not so rich parents are not able to do anything. Since it is likely where both parents are working and is not likely to have spare time to volunteer in the school for their child to enroll in the school under admission phase 2B.

It meant that people of different social class would be treated differently. The richer one would be treated with more respect and dignity than the not so rich one. The richer one would be able to enroll in the prestigious school automatically.

So in the case in Singapore, social stratification does have its bane.

A long bus ride

It was a long time since I've had really immerse myself into a long bus ride, especially in the double deck kind. In the sense where I'm able to just sit there, and have a seat, past caring where the bus currently is. I still remembered I loved seating at the front of the double deck bus, at the top. That's where I could have a clear view of the surroundings. AND IMAGINED I'M THE BUS CAPTAIN STEERING THE BUS. Perhaps this is the last ever bus ride of this kind.

Basically, what is so fascinating about long bus ride is how people can never communicate with the one sitting next to them. As in I'm seated next to this random complete stranger and we can actually not talk. Like an excuse me when you want to disembark the bus. But you could just stand and he would just get the signal. Singapore is such an amazing place. Perhaps it too, is a taboo to talk to strangers in the bus? I think Singapore is one of the few developed countries in the world where one could actually commute by bus for 45 minutes and not talk to a stranger, staring into space and perhaps listening to their MP3.

Taking a comparison, if one is in Japan, even in Tokyo, complete strangers would still talk. As in saying the excuse me. In spite of the fact, that their lifestyle is much more hectic than Singapore. Or take London, where commuters would sometimes engage you in a conversation. Maybe I'm a foreign looking object over there.

One of the best things I love doing is to stare into space. Perhaps that's why I love long rides. And observing people. How one interacts with the bus. Some would blast their MP3 players, others reading the paper, others starring at other commuters. I love how one commuter stared at the MRT map for 10 minutes. It was like she's completely glued into the map. Perhaps that is one point one could take note of, Singaporeans could not cope with boredom. Because if they are forced to be in a room with nothing to do, their minds would most probably wondered, where they might have been, the new shoes they saw at Soho and much more. They just could not relax. That is one thing that amazes me.

Expectations and all the sh*t

In the start of yet another new semester, let us all say "Au Revoir" to the past year, with the tough projects and near impossible assignments. Somehow, I got through it, and however I'm going to breeze through again this semester…kinda discouraging.

With new semester comes new projects. With new projects come new projects grouping. With new people come new expectations and all that. Like what is their standards and such. But why should people be soooooo mindful on how others perceive them??? Shouldn't humans have some self-deserving basis reserved truly for themselves? Like not give a hoot over if what others would think of their work. Just produce what one think is of their own's best? NO! Humans love to manipulate others, especially at the beginnings. Things like let's hang out after xxxxx or if there's a chance lets go xxxxx. There's tons of times I would wished to say this right into their face, but I've not the opportunity, "GET A LIFE!" because life is not all about hanging out in a group.

Nothing bad actually among them, but just, well, humans. And no humans are perfect, because it is the imperfection that makes them humans. Like a simple firm handshake…can makes one think a lot. Like what the hell are you doing??? Social awkwardness and such. Like there this guy, walking in the same direction as a friend of mine. I just wave to my friend and this guy just came up to me, and stand beside me, talk to someone and that someone (his friend) left, he turned to me and said, "It's you right?" just change the "you" to my name. and he proceeded for a handshake. Weird people.

And regarding on the random annoying people…on the streets. They are not harmful, I know. but just insensitive on certain things. Like cutting you path…which occurs so many times. A very good and pretty stupid example is like there's a pavement. Beside the pavement is a patch of grass. Now this path is quite narrow, and is not wide enough to accommodate the large group of people. So this group of people walked on the grass patch. Now I'm on the pavement minding my own business and this large group of people just cut into my walk of way. because this group of people have a lot of people, 15 people, and suddenly cut into my path. Aren't they annoying???