After flying Singapore Airlines to Jakarta from Singapore (pp.) twice in a month, I can vouch for the uniquely Singapore Airlines' experience. The seat feels another notch higher than Lufthansa. The provision of hot towel is amazing. The feeling on hot towel on your face ebbs away a bit of your tiredness. The felt and at times practiced freedom to ask for the drink you wish for (as long as they have it on flight), the ability to choose between 2 meals, and the hard effort of the steward/ stewardess to smile are really worth the premium price! At least the meal from Singapore Airlines is decent, not like the burnt pastry I got from Valuair or pathetic Sandwich from Lufthansa.
Not a big wonder that many people around the world chooses to fly with Singapore Airlines despite having to pay higher price. The flight experience is at least 10 times better than budget airlines despite price difference of far less than 10 times. Hahahaha....
Perhaps people would argue that the flight is a mere 1.5 hour. Hence, if it's possible to save money, we should really save the money. However, on another note, the less convenient, or far less than satisfactory flight experience might really worth far more than the save money for many people.
It's a freedom to choose but perhaps noting the value instead of just staring at the price should sway the choice.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Valuair
A week ago I went back Jakarta with Valuair, thinking since it's a 1-hour flight, a little "suffering" should be okay. Furthermore, it saves me around S$60.00
Considering that Valuair touted itself as a budget carrier, despite having relatively higher costs than Airasia or Tiger Airways, I never imagine that that S$60.00 would buy me extremely better flight experience.
Valuair's seat gave me a feeling that I am seating on a car instead of a plane. The seat cover looks like some cheap leather that has not been cleaned well. Cracks lining on the seat cover appear here and there and amazingly, the flight to Indonesia was treated to a special meal, i.e. a measly pastry or a tasteless and bland looking fried rice (on my flight out of and back toi Singapore respectively).
Paying S$60.00 more would have allowed me to fly with Lufthansa with a real conventional seats found on "normal" passenger plane, same leg room, and more decent meal. The flight experience is really worth more than that S$60.00 difference! And at non peak times, I reckon the price difference should even be lesser!
If I am not really pressed for the date, I would never fly Valuair anymore, really.
Considering that Valuair touted itself as a budget carrier, despite having relatively higher costs than Airasia or Tiger Airways, I never imagine that that S$60.00 would buy me extremely better flight experience.
Valuair's seat gave me a feeling that I am seating on a car instead of a plane. The seat cover looks like some cheap leather that has not been cleaned well. Cracks lining on the seat cover appear here and there and amazingly, the flight to Indonesia was treated to a special meal, i.e. a measly pastry or a tasteless and bland looking fried rice (on my flight out of and back toi Singapore respectively).
Paying S$60.00 more would have allowed me to fly with Lufthansa with a real conventional seats found on "normal" passenger plane, same leg room, and more decent meal. The flight experience is really worth more than that S$60.00 difference! And at non peak times, I reckon the price difference should even be lesser!
If I am not really pressed for the date, I would never fly Valuair anymore, really.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Changi
I just came back from Jakarta after a few days trip. The trip makes me realize what really put Changi to the top in the realm of airport service.
Every time I step on Soekarno-Hatta, I harboured worry about the safety of my luggage or whether any lost of luggage will be compensated. The airport also does not have any drinkable tap water, not that many countries in the world has this feature. Changi airport is not expected to field a late service staff as well. In Soekarno-Hatta, some people have to stand waiting for more than 10 minutes in front of the gate since the staff of Valuair has not appeared to man the booth despite the board showing clearly "GATE OPEN" for some time prior to the queue.
On another note, taking Valuair makes me remember why people are choosing SQ. :-) I slept over the initial period of meal distribution. Upon my waking up, I asked the stewardess for my meal and she said okay. Yet my meal did not arrive such that I have to ask for it the second time with the lead steward :-) The gentleman sitting behind me was reminded by the same stewardess to fasten the child seatbelt at landing which the gentleman was never given at all. Hahahaha.. Ah well....
Every time I step on Soekarno-Hatta, I harboured worry about the safety of my luggage or whether any lost of luggage will be compensated. The airport also does not have any drinkable tap water, not that many countries in the world has this feature. Changi airport is not expected to field a late service staff as well. In Soekarno-Hatta, some people have to stand waiting for more than 10 minutes in front of the gate since the staff of Valuair has not appeared to man the booth despite the board showing clearly "GATE OPEN" for some time prior to the queue.
On another note, taking Valuair makes me remember why people are choosing SQ. :-) I slept over the initial period of meal distribution. Upon my waking up, I asked the stewardess for my meal and she said okay. Yet my meal did not arrive such that I have to ask for it the second time with the lead steward :-) The gentleman sitting behind me was reminded by the same stewardess to fasten the child seatbelt at landing which the gentleman was never given at all. Hahahaha.. Ah well....
Monday, December 17, 2007
How to be famous and rich
This is what a writer need to write to be famous and rich in 21st centuries:
1. Write a common sense that they can change their fate by behaving differently and trusting themselves (cf. The Secret)
2. Write that a certain religion needs its basic fundamental truth questioned (cf. Da Vinci Code)
3. Write that you need to invest money rather than just save them in the bank since the bank has lower interest rate than stocks investment or sort (cf. Rich Dad Poor Dad)
This is what you need to write to be "try" to be famous in 21st centuries:
1. Write a book to debunk topics you think is a myth (cf. The Secret of The Secret, Decoding Da Vinci Code, etc.)
2. Write a book that win you a Pullitzer Prize (normally these authors are famous for a little while and then they disappear into unknown)
1. Write a common sense that they can change their fate by behaving differently and trusting themselves (cf. The Secret)
2. Write that a certain religion needs its basic fundamental truth questioned (cf. Da Vinci Code)
3. Write that you need to invest money rather than just save them in the bank since the bank has lower interest rate than stocks investment or sort (cf. Rich Dad Poor Dad)
This is what you need to write to be "try" to be famous in 21st centuries:
1. Write a book to debunk topics you think is a myth (cf. The Secret of The Secret, Decoding Da Vinci Code, etc.)
2. Write a book that win you a Pullitzer Prize (normally these authors are famous for a little while and then they disappear into unknown)
Friday, November 30, 2007
MRSA and silver
The craze and fear of MRSA seem to benefit mostly hardware producers. I've read a number of silver related products being boasted on and on to supply protection to MRSA. Those hardware companies are jumping the wagons based on the MRSA fear. They seem to play it well. The fact left unsaid in all articles regarding the company and the product is that silver has been a controversy in the use of it.
Taken from http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2004/november/Thomas/Introducing-Silver-Dressings.html,
"In a laboratory-based study, van Hasselt et al [96] examined the antimicrobial properties of three types of colloidal silvers against a range of test organisms, showing a complete lack of activity and concluding that 'claims of its potency are misleading and that there is no place for it as an antiseptic'."
Hence, be very careful with the use of silver, not all silver formulation shows bactericidal activities. Not all effective silver formulation maintains its efficacy in body fluid. After all, body fluid has totally different components not possibly replicated in completion in laboratory,
Taken from http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2004/november/Thomas/Introducing-Silver-Dressings.html,
"In a laboratory-based study, van Hasselt et al [96] examined the antimicrobial properties of three types of colloidal silvers against a range of test organisms, showing a complete lack of activity and concluding that 'claims of its potency are misleading and that there is no place for it as an antiseptic'."
Hence, be very careful with the use of silver, not all silver formulation shows bactericidal activities. Not all effective silver formulation maintains its efficacy in body fluid. After all, body fluid has totally different components not possibly replicated in completion in laboratory,
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Facebook craze
Many people are active in facebook nowadays! I found myself spending quite some time in it to play defense of the ancients. Nothing beyond that though. There are just too many things to do there. It has such an open environment for numerous aspiring programmers out there that the applications are overwhelming for me. Imagine having 10 notifications on invite to use this or that application from my limited number of friends. Amazingly tedious just to click ignore, not that I don't appreciate their invitation. I just don't have the time to even click 'Ignore'.
Facebook may really reduce lots of productivity with its tonnes of application. I bet there are some people who spend their entire night gluing their stares to facebook. There should be a phrase called facebook addiction!
Perhaps those time spent on facebook should be spent in the real world calling or talking face-to-face with friends. It should enable more fruitful words exchange and emotional conversation. After all, virtual is still virtual. It's cold and will stay cold despite all the flowers and sort being sent.
Facebook may really reduce lots of productivity with its tonnes of application. I bet there are some people who spend their entire night gluing their stares to facebook. There should be a phrase called facebook addiction!
Perhaps those time spent on facebook should be spent in the real world calling or talking face-to-face with friends. It should enable more fruitful words exchange and emotional conversation. After all, virtual is still virtual. It's cold and will stay cold despite all the flowers and sort being sent.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Success
It has become a norm these days for wealthy businessmen/ businesswomen to say "Grades is not everything, the rich people are normally not the first class honours holder but those that merely scrap through the academic life". Normally, people nod their heads on this opinion. I, as one of those grateful of my good grades from my hard work, tend to feel discriminated and disregarded by the opinion. Somehow, nowadays, the consideration of success is in how much money you can make. It's so sad that the so much well-meant word "success" has degraded to such a level.
A search using wordweb dictionary gives the first definition of success as "An event that accomplishes its intended purpose". Hence, it's not really the wealth that should be the measurement of success. Those top students, who earn their grades, are actually successful people as well. After all, they accomplish what they set out, that is to be top students. But hey, why should al the rich people kind of condemn the smart people? Being smart and not rich don't give the wealthy to look down on them! Success should not measured by the wealth. Some people enjoy working for others. Some people enjoy just being as what they enjoy at the moment. Success is the feeling of accomplishment after all, not the wealth.
It's even sadder to see that some business people are looking at their success in terms of ability to employ the smart and work the smart people's asses off without paying them properly. I read that somewhere. Not many people look at the opinion of those wealthy men/ women as a discrimination, but I do feel discriminated despite the fact that I do feel successful having a job, a pretty and nice girlfriend, and many nice real friends. I feel hurt by the opinion and I do think that they need to look further than money as a fulfilment of life. :)
Money buys happiness in short term, but won't buy the real happiness.
A search using wordweb dictionary gives the first definition of success as "An event that accomplishes its intended purpose". Hence, it's not really the wealth that should be the measurement of success. Those top students, who earn their grades, are actually successful people as well. After all, they accomplish what they set out, that is to be top students. But hey, why should al the rich people kind of condemn the smart people? Being smart and not rich don't give the wealthy to look down on them! Success should not measured by the wealth. Some people enjoy working for others. Some people enjoy just being as what they enjoy at the moment. Success is the feeling of accomplishment after all, not the wealth.
It's even sadder to see that some business people are looking at their success in terms of ability to employ the smart and work the smart people's asses off without paying them properly. I read that somewhere. Not many people look at the opinion of those wealthy men/ women as a discrimination, but I do feel discriminated despite the fact that I do feel successful having a job, a pretty and nice girlfriend, and many nice real friends. I feel hurt by the opinion and I do think that they need to look further than money as a fulfilment of life. :)
Money buys happiness in short term, but won't buy the real happiness.
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