chernobyl 25 years on

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. On 26 Apr 1986, what started off as an experiment resulted in one of the worst nuclear incidents in human history.

On this occasion, Spot Image, a satellite imagery company, has published a flipbook on the satellite images over Chernobyl.

With the recent Fukushima nuclear incident, people are comparing it with Chernobyl, and many are having serious doubts over nuclear power. Like I said in a previous post, people should try to understand more about the issues before making a stand.

It's like, people have been using light bulbs for some 2 centuries but how many complain about getting burned by the hot surface? If you can't take the risk, you can always settle for burning firewood.

give up for enjoyment

They always say, give up your seat to those who need it more that you. But do some people deserve it less than others?

The other day I was on the train. I saw this woman with a big tummy, standing with one hand holding onto nothing, and the other hand holding her iphone up, looking at the screen intently. I guess she was a pregnant lady, and I guess she was watching some video clip if not drama on her iphone. Then someone offered her seat to the pregnant lady. It wasn't THAT Reserved Seating. She took the seat, and continued watching the drama or video or whatever on her iphone. No glance up. No thank you. Cos she had her earphone on and she couldn't hear her own voice even if she had thanked the kind person.

I'm not trying to be heartless, but she herself wasn't even making an effort to stabilise herself by holding onto the handgrip. In fact, not missing a split-second on her iphone seemed more important to her than keeping balance.

I can't decide if a person who needs a shut-eye deserves the seat more.

general electrician

The electoral boundary map never fails to amuse me.

Next time when you say you are going to East Coast or Aljunied or Marine Parade or Tanjong Pagar, make sure you say clearly which part of that place you are going. Hey, Pulau Ubin is part of East Coast! Whole new meaning to cycling in East Coast... And oh my goodness, shopping in Serangoon = shopping in Marine Parade!

chinese driver and chinese passenger

Yesterday I was on this feeder bus. A Chinese woman in her 60s boarded the bus and asked the driver if the bus goes to "Street 22". The driver, apparently a Chinese National, replied that the bus goes to "er shi er jie". It seemed to take the woman a fair while to realize "er" = 2, "er shi er" = 22, "jie" = street, and "er shi er jie" = Street 22.

Later on through the woman's conversation with her friends on the bus, I guess she is those "ang mo pai" (English-educated).

You may say that being in the service industry, the driver should've known how to speak English. But similarly the argument is true that a Chinese should know how to speak (and understand) Chinese.

Who knows, the driver actually speaks Queen's English when talking to non-Chinese passengers.

reserved role

I was on the train ride back when I saw something not very right.

It was a crowded train. Knock-off timing. A very old man was seated at the "Reserved Seat". Very old man, in his 80s or even higher. He was like skin over skeleton. So at one station, this old man suddenly stood up, put his bible/dictionary-like book on the seat, stumbled over to the next train door to offer his seat to a younger lady, probably in her 60s.

You see, in society everyone has a role to play, and to put it frankly, the ah pek's role should be to sit still and stay safe. Everyone was looking intently, fearing that he might lose his balance or what-not. He seriously was risking his life to offer a seat to one who did not need it more than him. In fact, someone else offered the seat to the lady already.

So, just play our role.

quote of the day

colleague: are you aware that scholars during school holidays have to come back to work?

me: so President's Scholars must come back and work as President for a month or two?

the unspecified job requirement

I realize one thing: even if the recruitment ad did not say "candidate must be able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment", it is still a requirement.

what exactly is limitless

We went to catch the preview of the movie Limitless. Starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, Limitless is a thriller that provoke thoughts in many aspects.

Ok, the title itself doesn't leave many clues. The movie starts somewhere in the middle of the story and brings audience back in time. The centre of attraction is this small little translucent pill which may not have the same power as the ones in Matrix, but still, it wakes the remaining 80% of your braincells up. That makes genius. Or, geniuses, whoever manages to lay his hands on it. There's always the spoiler at wiki :)

The movie brings up many issues. Do you think it is wrong to take drugs which make you smarter? Now sustainability is such a big word, once we got hooked to the drug, should one stick to it, knowing full well that it brings about side effects such as eventual death? But you may ask, isn't this like coffee? (no, no death) I know many people can't think without coffee (or nicotine, I know). Near the end of the story when the main character managed to find an eternal solution to smartness, do you think that is wrong? You know, I've always thought if Higher Order grants me one wish, I will wish for infinite number of wishes. And one more, do you think it is wrong to do wrong things for a good cause? The woman in the story ate one pill to save her own life, but she was sober enough to know not to get addicted.

The movie isn't really action-packed, but there are enough twists and developments in the story to keep your mind following the plot. Oh, think of loanshark who got smart.

*p/s was a little disappointed with Robert De Niro, he was kind of expressionless.

soya bean offer (so you've been offered)

Hawker centres sell some of the most delicious and cheapest food in Singapore, and one of my favourites is the 40-50cents soya bean milk. Can't find them in food court or coffee shops.

Lately I've switched from coffee/tea to warm soya bean milk. So today during lunch I went to the soya bean stall to get my fix, but the symbolic green container was empty. It seemed like the stall was done for the day as the uncle was also washing stuff up inside the stall. I took my chance and asked the uncle if there was any left, and he seemed to know / recall that I preferred warm ones, he replied that he was only left with the cold one. Alright, I made do with that.

I ordered size S. The uncle said there was some left, and asked me to "drink away" some from my cup so that he could pour the remaining soya bean milk into my cup. I almost choked trying to desperately sip the white liquid up the straw, and was feeling quite guilty I didn't pay for the extra portion. I could have ordered size L (can I call it grande, if the other one is tall?).

Oh well, I was his last customer for the day and guess he didn't have to pour away the leftover. That makes me feel less guilty.