CNA - Talking Point: Values and Character-building in schools

Watched the CNA "Talking Point: Values and Character-building in schools" episode... wow... education seems so important after the London riots incident... Some interesting points that caught my attention:

(1) Other than the host, the show got a JC Principal, a Sec Sch HOD, a COMPASS member, a Parent Link member, an undergrad previously from SJI (wow...) ... but strangely, No "PURE" TEACHER is involved in this "talk"... What??? !!!!!! ... Amazing CNA... This calls for "salute" 5 times.. This is especially weird that there were some related topics / discussions on eg. responsibilities on teachers (to deliver the teaching of character excellence)... So how to know their POV?

(2) Talk of the CME values Wishlist - resilience, team working, interaction of different cultures, integrity, compassion / empathy... hmm....

(3) Values are "taught" or "caught"? Hmmm... In my personal opinion, kids take the "value" into them and probably deeper if they can "feel" the "value"... ie. the "caught" / teachable moments... What is "taught" may not stay inside, or stay for long... But nevertheless, in providing an education for the mass, we can't rely entirely on seizing teachable moments ("caught"), almost impossible, so still need the "taught"...

(4) CCA - Will schools be telling that the students that it is "NOT IMPORTANT" to win, and sportsmanship is more important? ... Hmmm...

(5) Character / Holistic development should be both at home and in school, I agree with... Point is, the "talk" did not mention at which stage would this begin, and at where, and which comes first...

(6) A discussion broke out on : Parent Link member mentioned that teachers (maybe) are too stretched out to show compassion, to "walk the talk" for the students (something like this, and a GOOD POINT raised!) ... and guess what, the JC Principal says "... I don't know whether we are looking at one teacher and then blowing it out of context and therefore it becomes all teachers being this way, being stretched..." Wow, amazing statement made... So is she saying she does not know, or... ? Hmmm.... wow... I'm stumped, loss for words... sigh.... Well, we know we'll always tell our kids to be MORE OBSERVANT, don't we?

(7) Class size (reduction) : How to care for 40 students in a class when 3 kids at home already "up to here (head level)"... I salute you, Parent Link member!!! Another Good point made!!! ... and best thing is, there is no reply to this suggestion, neither by the Principal nor the HOD, nor any other person... I also "salute" you folks for this - this no-talk spirit and attitude should be shown to the soldiers in the POW course...

(8) Agreed with the COMPASS member on correcting the student's inappropriateness, eg. rudeness, before him going for, say, remedial lesson...


Kudos to CNA for organizing this topic for Talking Point!


(If you would like to see the episode, google keywords - CNA, talking point, values in school... )

Its.... SMELLY TAU FOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!

Paar Malam is running in Bedok Central... and when I saw this stall, I am extremely delighted, because it is selling SMELLY TAU FOO !!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!


Has been my craving since trip to Taiwan, and has been lazy to drive around to search for local stalls/shops if selling, so WOW, after months, finally sent a piece of stinky mouldy bean product into my mouth (& stomach)!!! Hahahaha.... GO AND BUY!!!! DON'T WAIT!!! Especially the stall seller is so slow... and blur, hahaha... Of course, taste is 3 levels below the ones I eaten in Taiwan, but, hey, I'm not complaining!

Haul of this evening's Pasar Malam's mum-mum...

Congratulations to Bro CYQ & Sis XiuXiu!!!

Awesome Dinner!!!!

Had dinner at around 8pm... About 4 hours before that was watching 食尚玩家 - 就要酱玩, and the hosts were eating a big bowl of Moi Chye (梅菜/梅干)rice... and we (me & my folks) were discussing about the moi chye... Then later, we realized we still a pot of mui chye and some braised pork leftovers, voila!!!!



The fried egg's yolk is not fully cooked, so break it and some will flow into the rice... mix with the sauce and everything... DELICIOUS!!!!!

Stupid AHM...

Stupid organization / routing for AHM that is held today... Did not put up notice boards in early part of closed roads... Get stuck & cannot get out until after 1hr.... Spoil plan to bring folks to Chinatown brunch trip... In the end now eat in T2... Ok, time to enjoy my meal!

And Singapore has a new Elected President...

... by 35.19% of the total valid votes, just 0.34% more than the closest candidate... wow.. hmm... ok... so got to 'tan' (Hokkien for "wait") for 6 years to vote for next President... if any... wait... just need another 5 more years to vote in GE... 2016... wow... hmm... ok... sigh... Oh, had a good meetup / meeting with my old friends to discuss for his wedding plans and recce the routes... Long time did not go to Cheesecake cafe liao...

Quick Review of Marina Bay Sands Casino

Went over to Marina Bay Sands casino the other weekend... Is really built for "higher level beings", not really for the commoners... the shops around there are branded... even the "foodcourt" sells at a higher price, don't dare to think of the celebrity chef restaurants...

The casino overall is not impressive. In comparison with the RW Sentosa counterpart, MB Sands is/has:
(1) Slightly lesser smoke, which is probably 1 of the only 2 advantages it has over RW Sentosa (RWS).
(2) Less mouldy smell (from carpet) the 2nd and last advantage....
(3) Get your drinks yourself. Yes, there are staff OCCASIONALLY push carts to bring beverages to you, but they shout out like drink sellers at a soccer match in old National Stadium (unlike the RWS, the aunities ask you personally warmly and with a smile). No biscuits.
(4) Coffee (with milk) is as good.
(5) Milo is as good.
(6) Bottled drinking water NOT available. Only seen once when the staff pushes the cart, only once in the middle of the night... No plain water, sigh...
(7) Earn Member points as easy, but....
(8) Member points CANNOT redeem meals! Can change points into Premier$, but is 1 point to $0.50. So if compare to RWS which effectively converts 1 point to $2, anyone can do the math and know which is worth... There are around 3 restaurants inside the casino. We tried 1, the service is good, but the price is... even after deducting around 32 points, still have to pay $12 plus... 32 points in RWS can redeem around 2 meals for 3 person... of course RWS is self service, but personally prefer to have "free" food...
(9) Food is ok though, not bad...
(10) About same journey time...
(11) Need to pay $100 levy for local as per normal...
(12) Casino has POOR design in terms of layout... imagine an oversized Tampines Mall of 3 floors... Slots machine are placed around the oversized "walkways". If in "2nd" floor, you have to walk ONE BIG ROUND to get to the other side of the slots machines!!! Sigh...
(13) Machines are lousy... not fun...
(14) Queue up a LONG time just to make the membership card.
(15) Card sometimes is difficult to be read in the slots machine.
(16) Entrance & exit gates are CONFUSING!!!!! You'll know what I mean when you go there... RWS entrances & exits are so much clearer how to approach...
(17) ID card sensing system slow and easily cock up. Once when going out to take a breather, I accidentally moved my card instead of quickly moving it out of the laser barcode scanner, and the alarm sounded, and have to go to the side to "quick reset" my status...
(18) POOR STAFF SERVICE. Especially 1 of the security (in suit) at the entrance, ask him where to go for making membership, he replied that must go inside casino to make, and when I remarked "oh, so casino inside got counter", his immediate no-thinking reply is "Of course lah, inside sure have one what..." ...

So my folks and I unanimously conclude that : we will NOT go back to MB Sands again. Should we want to go to local casino (although unlikely, since now only left 2/3 pay... ), it will be RWS.