While the general feel that I get is that people don’t really like to read/subscribe to straitstimes.com, but I thought this might be of interest to those who do.

Apparently, all Starhub Hubbers (that is, you subscribe to all 3 services - MaxOnline, CableTV and Starhub Mobile) are able to enjoy free access to straitstimes.com for 1 month by registering at http://creative.asiaone.com/2007/IA/hubclub_IA071024/. If you are surfing free pages at straitstimes.com, you may also have come across the following image:

So, if you are contemplating about trying out straitstimes.com, you may want to try this out. Terms and conditions may apply - and I have not read it. Do read it first, especially the fine prints, before signing up. =)

Disclaimer: This is not a PayPerPost and Simply Jean is not affiliated with Starhub nor Straits Times.

You get up a bus and started searching for a seat - and you found one just next to the exit. Eagerly, you move towards the seat and sat down next to an elderly person- hey, you don’t want to be left standing for the rest of the entire 45 minutes journey. A few stops later, a pregnant lady and her husband boarded the bus. Looking around the husband walked towards you while the bus started moving off.

“Hey! You shouldn’t be sitting here”, he said, and whipped out his 3.5G HSDPA phone with a 3.2 Megapixel camera and proceed to snap a photo of you.

“What are you doing?”, you exclaimed, totally bewildered by the man’s behaviour. “How can you just take my photo?”

“Well, you are sitting at a designated seat that’s meant for pregnant women and the elderly. I’m reporting you to the police”, and the man proceed to send the photo wirelessly to a Web 2.0 police report filing portal.

Obviously fumed, you asserted, “How do you know I am not pregnant? I’m 2 months pregnant, you know? How can you do something like this?”  However, oblivious to your demands, the photo was sent and you’d probably be hurled down to the nearest police station 2 weeks later to explain your case.

—

This is probably the scenario that you might potentially get if the person in the letter below get his way. I’m not saying that he’s wrong to stand up for his pregnant wife, but can you imagine what kind of society we would become if such rules come into place? People will simply stop becoming gracious (I still believe that people are still gracious) and just act according to rules - as long as there are nothing to penalise them, they’d just do it.

When I was overseas, such things seldom happen. True, we may have a case or two of inconsiderate people, but at the end of the day, it’s the graciousness of people that keeps a society going (in some sense). Overdo it with fines and there will be chaos. Perhaps we are just moving too fast economically.

Slap those flouting ’seat for pregnant, elderly’ rule with $500 fines

MY WIFE, who is eight months pregnant, has to take the MRT to work during peak hours and the journey usually takes 45 minutes.

As the train is crowded, she has to stand all the way until her destination. Even though MRT trains have designated seats close to the door for the pregnant, disabled and elderly, they are often occupied by people who do not belong to any of the above. They would pretend to be sleeping or they would avoid eye-contact so that they do not have to give up their seats to people who need them more.

I urge the authorities to make it mandatory that these seats be used only by people belonging to the above category, similar to the concept of parking lots in carparks for disabled persons. Anyone who does not belong to the above category caught occupying the seat will be liable to a fine of $500.

This may seem a bit harsh but the reality is that kiasuism has made Singapore an ungracious society and only a stick approach can make the people realise that there are others who may need the seat more than them.

David Teong Lang Hin

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 3rd November 2007

I am not sure how many people know about this - but exam questions are set somewhere during the 3rd week of the semester. That means the lecturers/professors are obliged to teach a particular set of materials for the entire 13 weeks of semester.

However, this is always an estimation and some lecturers may:

1. have been too enthusiastic about an earlier chapter
2. realise that he missed some concept chapters
3. have to answer more questions than required
4. have to spend more time getting students to understand some fundamentals
5. realise at a much later date that the students may not understand enough to answer the exam questions he set earlier

In addition, each class is different from the previous and he may have one class which was stronger in one area while the class before strong in another area. So, what happens at the end of the day?

1. They drop hints during lectures
2. They start to rush through some chapters just to “cover” them towards the end of the semester
3. They start explaining some concepts during “revision week”
4. They keep saying that certain chapters are important

Well, for a start, here are somethings that you should take note of:

1. Most sections that the lecturers say are important, are really important.
2. Theories that the lecturers explain again during “revision week” is usually somewhat important - good enough for you to pass, may not be good enough for that A-, A or A+
3. Most sections that the lecturers say you just have to read it through usually means that it’s good to know - you may not have to study for it, but probably just know it

Of course, no lecturers want to fail their students. If you attempt an exam, then you’d have a chance at passing (or aceing) it. Conversely, if you don’t then your assignments probably can’t help you pass it either.

Speaking of assignments, do spend some time doing it - at least putting in a conscientious effort in completing it. It usually weights between 15% to 40% of the overall marks - depending on the performance of the students for that year. The reason why the lecturers do not want to fix a percentage is so that, in a low-performing year, they have the liberty to give more weightage to the assignments so as to bring everyone up. This beats having to moderate marks because moderation is a very tough process in that they have to consider the amount to moderate.

Lastly, do not hand in a blank answer for a question - scribble, draw, doodle - do anything, you might just get a mark or 2; and in doubt during an exam, ask. The invigilator/your lecturer might just enlighten you enough for you to move on. =)