Goodwill and Compensation are in completely different league

http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4953584

SMRT had actually referred to the $5000 offered to the Thai as goodwill. However, to the Thai parent, it is a form of compensation. So by whichever accounts, which are which? In the accounting stance, the money is to be classified as goodwill. Since goodwill=offer out of good gesture, often non-obligatory in legal aspect. That mean this $5000 is in actual fact, not a must (in the sense of accounting). Since SMRT has yet to task by the authorities to pay any compensation.

By offering compensation, it would be rather to like admitting that SMRT is at fault. Now, how could a world-class transport operator be at fault? Accordingly, the girl sort of fell by her own accord. She had giddy spells and thus fall into the train tracks. While on the tracks, she was knocked by a train. It's that simple, right? Now, there are 2 points into the case. First being she fell on her own accord. It is not because the floor is slippery or station marshals pushed her down. Second, she was "langa" by a train.

The first point, no argument. If you are sick, stay at home or consult your family GP. Now, in Singapore, there is at least 1 clinic within a 200m radius. Thus, no excuses you need to use the train.

Second point…there's some room for some argument. Like are there sufficient infrastructure in place? After x no of people had either died or injured at MRT, are there any infrastructure in place to prevent such incident. Like did the train have sensor to detect any obstruction on train track? If, for the elevated tracks, a dead bird (like pigeon or crow) was at the tracks and the train just ram over it, will there be an accident? Same theory. Does LTA actually believe that the girl's fate could be different if SMRT response faster? There are numerous CCTVs at MRT platforms…just how many are being monitored by station marshals? I'm sure a girl is much bigger and conspicuous than a small, suspicious looking bag. Are there any time lapse in between? If there are, how long?

Imagine some suicide bomber come to Singapore with a small pouch…or even a small handphone(that contain explosives). He/she (not being sexist here) jumped onto the tracks when train is arriving. Then the explosive exploded, killing and injuring many people. The bomber died (anyway, suicide bomber expect to die, so being crushed by MRTs is an option).

Ultimately, does SMRT have any terms and conditions binding that it is "at consumer risk" if anything happens to them, injuries and otherwise? If there isn't, then SMRT will be partially at fault. If there is, then SMRT is not at fault. So, now, in legal aspect, who will prevail?

Real food, located at Central

This is the Alfra-something juice which includes tons of fruits. And it is refreshing!!!

Cake...which is so wholesome delicious!

Menu is printed using the brownish paper! Looks so cool right?

Real food, located at Central (nearest MRT station- Clarke Quay) offers some of the most delicious vegetarian and yet organic food. And the pricing are quite affordable, since the food are all ORGANIC! And vegetarian (you could request for no garlic or parsley or egg-even the cakes are egg-less). Organic food are perceived to be beneficial to health, and also much more expensive because...(i still don't understand why organic food are expensive. It is just the same apple as your GM ones, just that GM ones are much more unorganic, with scientist playing with DNA of the apple to be more sweet and crunchy and pest-resistant.)
Overall, the food there is nice, delicious with lovely ambient 

Don’t call me Chorster, thank you very much!

160th post- Sushi Express!!!

There's a $1 promo at Sushi Express (it had since been over) recently like 2 weeks ago. So me and a friend went and the food there was nice. Nice for the price. With salmon and abalone at $1 each, free green tea and wasabi. Yummy! Usual price is $1.80/plate. But i hope the quality can be further improve!!! 

Like that of in Hong Kong or Taiwan.

And did i mentioned we ate 25 plates?!?!?! ALOT right! 

Birds chirping?!?!?!

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

Hope

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."