the ology of charm

Links

2006-08-21T00:13:00.000+08:00

Some pretty links for you:

Hear the Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva tell the U.S. to "shut up"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/worldservice/meta/tx/interview?nbram=1&nbwm=1&size=au&lang=en-ws&bgc=003399

Pick your poison: National Day Rally 2006 in text/ audio/ video
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/nationalday/rally/

Stressed out and anxious in Beirut

2006-08-05T23:54:00.000+08:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5248500.stm

5th August 2006

It is very disheartening to read about the immense psychological damage that citizens of Beirut suffer as a result of this terrible conflict. Children will definitely be traumatized by witnessing such horrific events unfold before them. What's worse, the government is in no condition to resolve the problem, and even the UN talks are not very successful. When will this violence end? People suffer from lack of power and fuel, life just doesn't function. The social impact of this is quite frightening, especially when you take into account the millions of people in the world who are comparatively safe. It just does not seem fair that there are so many people who could make a difference who choose to do nothing. I am sure that the world has such people. Of course it is dangerous and risky to do anything in the given situation (besides talking in comfortable conference rooms, of course), but if no action is taken, nothing will happen. The UN is there, definitely, but it should not be taken as a safety net for every peacekeeping need. Each country should take into account their own responsibility in the global arena, and act accordingly to the best of their abilities.

Christian anger at conversion law

2006-08-05T23:15:00.000+08:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5246328.stm

4th August 2006

How narrow-minded people are these days! Surely every human is allowed the fundamental right of which religion they choose to follow. It is extremely unfair to force people to believe in just one religion just because it is what the government wants. In this modern day and age, dictatorships and their kind of laws should be frowned upon, not revived. Every religion should be given equal chance to gain followers, and only by this way can they prove their true worth among the global communities. People may say, "All is fair in love and war." But this battle for followers among various religions should be fought out fairly and without people being forced. It will only cause discontent and, as this article shows, upheaval among the affected religous parties. The world is suffering from enough conflict as it is, especially between Israel and Hezbollah, we do not need more of any kind to create more rifts.

UN locked in resolution wrangle

2006-08-04T23:14:00.000+08:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5244572.stm
and
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/223224/1/.html

4th August 2006

Why can't France and ths US just come to a compromise? Granted, it is not easy when each country wants their own way, believing in their self-righteousness, but the suffering has gone on for too long. The need for a resolution to this problem is highly urgent, surely the two countries can put aside their differences and try and see things from the viewpoints of others, rather than think that their viewpoint is the best, or be so shallow as to think that their viewpoint IS the best for the Israeli community. It is apalling that even adults can be so stubborn even in the face of such terrible violence. I'm sure the international community (if they know any better, that is) will not mind if the UN chooses a solution that could potentially upset certain countries, but the priority here is to end the violence from an objective perspective, everything else should not be considered at an equal or higher level than this.

However it is understood that Israel is in a real rut in terms of options. Should they keep their military forces out there, the violence cannot stop. But if they pull back, they lose their defences. Thus it is best that the UN send peacekeeping forces as soon as possible to allow the Israeli army to pull back. A ceasefire force should be the first step even while the negotiations carry on, buying the UN more time to come up with a long term solution while acting as a temporary solution. There has been too much talking and not enough action. If they want any hope of changing the situation for the better, the UN really should act sooner.

New water filtration system doubles output of NEWater

2006-08-04T19:37:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/223158/1/.html

4th August 2006

Singapore has long suffered with the problem of scarce water. Water is a most precious and important resource, especially in the industrial sector. NEWater has, since it's introduction, been very useful for industries. Should the plant be able to produce more NEWater than the current rates, it will aid producers greatly. In the economic sense, when there is a larger supply of water, the price will fall and reduce the overall cost of production for the respective induestries. It will in turn reduce the price of products and the consumer's real income has increased in value. So from this we can see how small things such as this can make such an impact on the economy. In this area, every little bit helps.

'Anti-obesity vaccine' developed

2006-07-31T23:19:00.000+08:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5232150.stm

31st July 2006

This bit of news brings a lot more skepticism than it does hope. After all, such things seem too good to be true, what with the slew of 'magical' slimming or diet 'solutions' available on the market. Reading further would prove this to be true; taking this vaccine may cause detrimental effects upon the volunteer's brain. What's more, things like these are risky and cannot be undone. Say it with me: Only in America. Of course nothing beats a healthy lifestyle and correct diet to maintain a healthy weight. Haven't people learned from the Slim 10 incidents and all those stories about women who die needlessly from dodgy plastic surgery?

Looking around, we see this isn't true, not even by a long shot. You still can see advertisements for physical enhancement everywhere, claiming to be the perfect, fast-acting way out of a socially unacceptable physical appearance. The media is mostly to blame, being one of the most accessible and effective influences. Those people who subscribe to the idea that whatever our government gives us is propaganda, yet conform to whatever the media says is fashionable or acceptable are terrible hypocrites. If people were just happy with being healthy and how they were born to be, irregularities such as these weight loss pills etc. would never be a threat, and scientists would never be looking into things that aren't natural and tinkering with the system.

We all know that America has a very high percentage of obese people. This can be attributed to affluence and (again!) consumerism: the amount of foods with empty calories available in their local supermarkets are astounding. Vast numbers of candy and snack or 'instant' food that taste better and are more convenient than cooking a proper meal- or biting into a fresh fruit for that matter. Then there's the booming trade in fast food. (Ironic to think that this is the country that advocates the idea that stick-thin is beautiful.)

It all boils down to one question: Do we really need this vaccine? Humans have lived perfectly well without it for hundreds of years and they haven't complained yet. Scientists should invest their government's money in something more constructive that would benefit a large majority of citizens, both American and global.

Heat wave strains US power supply, shuts down MySpace website

2006-07-26T13:51:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/221248/1/.html

26 July 2006

It is very frightening that such heat would cause power failures all around the affected regions. Imagine the suffering that these people have to go through! Not only do they have to deal with the unbearable heat, but they also cannot make use of electric fans and other electricity-powered appliances to make life a little more comfortable. There will also be a lot of wastage incurred by this heatwave: food that requires freezing or cooling will definitely spoil, money-earning websites and others (such as MySpace as mentioned in the article) will cause monetary losses for the respective companies if their servers overheat and shut down. Furthermore, such extreme weather is likely to cause people to fall sick, if not to exaggerate existing illnesses. There is little that can be done for these unfortunate citizens with power failures, but perhaps small things such as stocking up on food that does not require refridgeration and batteries would aid them somewhat.

Israel rules out rapid truce as war jets bomb Beirut

2006-07-26T13:34:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/221223/1/.html

26 July 2006

This is very alarming, as yet again the conflict in Israel has caused not only expensive damage to infrastructure, but has also cost many, many lives. Most of them are innocent. Also, this has caused a lot of social upheaval as the delicate democracy of Lebanon is affected by this conflict. For the conflict to last longer would definitely cause much more harm and destruction, politically, socially, culturally and economically. It is very sad that such conflict exists in the world that cannot be solved quickly. It would have been much better if, instead of resorting to violence, the two countries involved utilized diplomacy.

Initiatives announced to improve teaching, learning of English

2006-07-26T13:31:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/221129/1/.html

25 July 2006

I think this is an excellent initiative, as communication is very important. I am sure that Singaporeans do not want to be known as the people who made a mockery of the English language (as I have heard a friend comment before). Even though we may not be the only ones doing this e.g Singlish and slang, still it is not an excuse for us to continue that way. Sure, some people may only be able to communicate in dialects, but in the future generations, even as learning Chinese becomes popular we must not forget the language that links people around the world together. It is still one of the most widely utilized languages and if our students, the future pillars of society, do not learn it properly, it would be most embarrassing and above all, a bane towards the future of Singapore. We are a developed country, and should thus have the characteristics of one, which definitely includes good language skills.

It is good that they are starting with young children as they are at the most impressionable age. I think it would be shallow to argue that it is merely government propaganda, as I have mentioned the importance of it to our country. I myself dislike hearing bad English being spoken (though I admit I am guilty of doing so), as it makes the speaker very hard to understand. One of the things that I feel must be addressed is pronunciation and enunciation. Good grammar only gets you so far; it is the clearly spoken word that can get the message across. As it is with me learning Chinese, spoken language would be the most important as it is the root of communication. Before pen and paper, typewriters and instant messaging, there was speech, which is the most basic and convenient tool for communication.

Singapore has had various "Speak Good English" campaigns and suchlike, but still the effort has to be kept up if we want our citizens to speak at least standard English, not to mention reading and writing.

Link to related post on learning to speak Chinese:
http://charmology.blogspot.com/2006/06/get-ahead-learn-mandarin.html

Observers impressed with Singapore's preparedness against flu pandemic

2006-07-24T01:23:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/220691/1/.html

22 July 2006

It's good to see one's country being so prepared for such a potential health threat such as a flu pandemic. It can give Singaporeans assurance and a sense of security that should anything out of the ordinary happen, we would be prepared to deal with it. Plus, nothing would catch us completely off guard or result in unnecessary panic that could affect the people's morale, and perhaps faith in the government. Certain things such as these do wonders for the mindset of the people, and this is an important factor in any society. One example of insecurity leading to social upheaval is when, afraid of a black uprising, only the whites were allowed to handle guns, and this resulted in a lot of carnage and suffering. We do not want a society where only, say, the intellectuals were allowed to handle drugs, resulting in pandemics and drug abuse of varying levels.

Iraq announces peace plan, refuses foreign interference

2006-07-23T23:24:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/220696/1/.html

23 July 2006

I think that this is a good step in the direction of peace. Even in the case that peace talks do not succeed, at least the intent was there. And I also agree with them on their stand of refusing third party interference, particularly from America. Sometimes conflict arises over cultural conflict that even the Americans may not be able to understand, and only the parties involved may be able to resolve the conflict due to these undercurrents. Americans should not presume that they know best. This has resulted in much resented Americanization, which, fortunately or not, is rather successful. I agree that Americans can sometimes be rather meddlesome, and if they really know best, ought to keep out of certain disputes which never did involve them to begin with.

Death toll from tropical storm Bilis rises to 170 in China

2006-07-17T21:41:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna/cgi-bin/search/search_7days.pl?status=&search=tropical%20storm%20bilis&id=219660

17 July 2006

How terrible it is that there are natural disasters claiming the lives of civilians everywhere. There was the tsunami, now a tropical storm. Perhaps these events are signs of how human activity has altered our natural environment so drastically that such extreme weather is experienced. I feel lucky that here in Singapore we are relatively safe from such things, and that the worst weather is probably not more than a thunderstorm.

One might wonder how these countries are going to deal with the aftermath of these natural disasters. After all, help from other countries can only go so far after the media spotlight moves on.

At least 37 dead as Indonesia's tsunami nightmare returns

2006-07-17T20:15:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna/cgi-bin/search/search_7days.pl?status=&search=tsunami&id=219685

17th July 2006

This is saddening news indeed, especially in the wake of the previous tsunami which still has citizens of affected regions reeling from the effects. This would definitely affect tourism and the economy, and it being the second tsunami that Indonesia has suffered, it is a double whammy.

So far the death toll stands at 37, yet this is a pending value as witnesses have stated seeing bodies all around. What is more, two inmates from a prison are missing, two militants on death row for the Bali bombings. This is very depressing. Not only are many dead, but two are possibly free who can cause more death.

Don't Fear The Future

2006-07-12T11:25:00.000+08:00

Newsweek, June 19 2006 Page 34

This article refutes the negativities of globalisation and states that, on the contrary, should embrace these changes in favour of our global economy. I think it is very important that all economies should strive, as far as possible, to openess as it brings plenty of benefit: 50% increase in world trade! Imagine how much we are losing due to inefficiency among the economies.

Furthermore there is the issue of protectionism, barriers that can limit trade. And while this may serve to benefit respective domestic economies, ultimately the most important thing is global benefit. All economies have become irreversibly interdependent on each other, so once global benefit has been achieved it automatically indicates benefit for all economies. How to go about this is spelled out in the article itself: with “global sourcing of goods and services”. The only problem here is getting the global public to understand that although globalization does cause a certain degree of unemployment, it also has its own benefits.

Every country has their own strength, and in this massive industrial and economic global restructuring, each should bank on their own strengths and be willing to share with other countries. Although this seems easy enough in theory, it will be hard to get countries to share willingly due to historical backgrounds, cultural differences and suchlike. My only hope here is that in order for global benefit all countries will be able to do what needs to be done, thinking not solely for themselves, but for the long term effect that it could bring.

The Impact of Oil

2006-07-05T11:29:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/217156/1/.html
AND
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/217166/1/.html

4 July 2006

This is indeed disturbing as it reflects the impact that oil prices have on the social aspect of things. Though many may think that the rise in oil prices has an impact that is mainly economical and not social, these articles show but a couple of the effects that the fluctuating oil prices have on us average citizens around the world. Taxi fares are rising, but the customers don't seem to be complaining. However, surprisingly the taxi drivers themselves seem to have a thing or two to say about it. One would think that they would be happy with the fare hike as this benefits them, but it seems that they'd rather be given petrol money than that little bit of extra fare.

In the second article, we can see how a shortage of fuel due to high prices (they are unable to pay for the fuel thus they cannot buy enough) compromises the security of mariners, as without the patrolling forces pirates are able to attack and loot defenceless merchant ships. Even worse off are those affected ships which were bound for regions which required aid, as those in crisis-stricken regions would suffer.

There is not much that can be done for these situations, however we as average citizens can do our part by conserving oil and fuel, for example by taking public transport instead of driving or not using electricity when it is not required.

US wants to close Guantanamo: Bush

2006-06-25T10:36:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/214943/1/.html
21 June 2006

After all the uproar that Guantanamo has created in human rightists across the globe, I think this move by Bush would create more upheaval among American citizens. Many of these convicts are there because they have been deemed particularly dangerous such that they don't need to go through a trial, and should these convicts be released, not just Americans, but the world would be more wary. First impressions die hard, and it may not be easy for people to come to terms with the idea that these people are no longer locked up.

Closing Guantanamo may not be the best solution to the problem, on the contrary it might cause more. This is just Bush's cowardly way of getting out of a problem. In my opinion the best thing to do would be to change Guantanamo by holding decent trials for every single convict there, and reconsider their sentences. Guantanamo's personnel might also want to rethink how they treat detainees there. Treatment that causes not one but three convicts to commit suicide? I think that's just too brutal, no matter what their nature is.

Japan's toilet ambassadors help Singapore scrub up

2006-06-22T17:28:00.000+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/215409/1/.html
24 June 2006

I've often stepped into a public toilet just to back out again, holding my nose and the urge. I think this is a good initiative to fix a glaring problem that even us residents have a share in, not just tourists. Of course, it adds to the whole "clean and green" image that Singapore has strived to achieve.

I wonder why, in the ages of dirty public toilets that have passed, did we not have a more solid solution to this problem. Most people have experienced the horror of disgusting public toilets before we even step beyond our shores. Why didn't we act like this earlier? It seems like pretty common sense to improve cleaning services. Although in retrospect, not everyone wants to be a toilet cleaner.

But this will change the way that we look at this job. Even if people aren't the tidiest of creatures, we have someone to clean up after us, those people who help to give our country a good image. They are no longer the people who couldn't find a better job. They are the ones doing us a service so that we enjoy clean toilets. That is not to say that we should not care about how we use public toilets. We still should, if we don't already, try and keep our toilets as clean as possible.

Get Ahead, Learn Mandarin

2006-06-21T23:23:00.000+08:00

Time, June 26, Pg 16

This sudden surge of people wanting to learn Chinese has prompted me to think a little more about my own education. Having been taught the language since I started school, or rather, 'force-fed' it, I harbour a rather bitter feeling against it. But if the world is doing it, what have I got to lose by working a little harder?

It's amazing what a bit of foresight can do. When all children were expected to be effectively bilingual, we never expected it to come in so handy, although this did cause a lot of parents to take their children out of local schools due to the inability to grasp the language. Even our Minister Mentor is taking up the language. After reading this however, I am rather convinced that Chinese is becoming increasingly significant in the world, and I am rather inspired to try harder in school. Of course from experience I know that it has given me an edge over the non-Chinese-speaking world in terms of handling certain situations such as finding where the toilet is and so on.

One day even foreigners will take over those Chinese people with a rudimentary understanding of the language. Chinese will stand alongside English as an international language. In order to remain competitive and be useful to society in order to get decent jobs, we should be more dilligent in studying what is our mother tongue. (For us Chinese, anyway.) And even in the event that this does not happen (who knows what the future holds?), it's always good to know more than one language. Besides, it's becoming increasingly common around the world to be bilingual. I think the next thing will be trilingualism, where one knows English, Chinese, and one European language such as Spanish or German. After most of the world has mastered Chinese (in this rush to learn the language), people will be looking for those with more edge. This whole idea of communication with common languages is becoming more important as the world is brought closer by technology. The most important thing is communication, so if we cannot get an edge by learning another language, we will definitely be losing out.

Let There Be Light

2006-05-22T12:58:00.000+08:00

Time, May 13 2006 (Pg 21)

I think that the massive amount of pollution in Hong Kong is disgusting. Things seem to be getting from bad to worse, and only now do people get really fed up with it. This problem should and could have been tackled a long while ago. However, as they say, better late than never. Hong Kong should really buck up and act fast to save the health of it's citizens. The pollution is really dangerous to people's health, not to mention doing damage to the image of the city. You can't see the sky at all, apart from advertisements for luxury apartments, which is rather sad as well, and tourists might be deterred from coming because of this on top of the health hazard.

Of course solving the problem isn't that easy when traffic is dense and pollution doesn't dissipate quickly. But that doesn't make the problem any less urgent. Hong Kong leaders need to put aside all airs and acknowledge the problem before it is too late, or the people of Hong Kong will suffer even more severely for it.

Most Teens Say No to Pre-Marital Sex

2006-05-10T21:45:00.000+08:00

Home, 9 May 2006 (Pg H4)

Statistics say that "95% of under-16s opt for abstinence, with moral considerations being the largest factor". As a follow up to the first blog post, I think this is rather heartening news . After all teenagers are the best group of people to reduce the occurance of pre-marital sex. This, in a way, could show the success rate of sex education in schools. Imagine the benefits to our community this news entails: hopefully reduced cases of STDs and underage pregnancies. Of course this isn't going to happen overnight, but the numbers do show the potential for this to happen. Add the fact that teens do indeed consider morals in the process, and I feel proud to say that Singaporean teens can be credited for more than our academic achievements.

The article also mentions how those teens who engage in pre-marital sex are often those who are misinformed. This is a minority, however. And one way of solving this problem is simply to pay attention during sex education. Perhaps the misinformed might like to take that into consideration. Sex isn't an initiation ceremony, it's procreation. I quote from the article when one girl said, rather naively, that "After me and my boyfriend are finishedm I just need to go to the toilet, urinate and force everything out lah." Looks like she needs a lesson in biology. It's just really funny how silly some people can be...

Mammoth challenge for WP against PM's team

2006-05-07T14:23:00.000+08:00

Home, 4 May 2006 (Pg H12)

Perhaps this is just because Singapore has been under the PAP since we ever had an independent government, and that people are afraid of change. While it might feel different to be under another party, change might not be a bad thing.

People have called the opposition party "wishful dreamers", among other nicknames suggesting inevitable "death". Although it's true that the PAP has a strong following, I don't think that means that there will be a walkover. It's good to encourage competition, I think, because otherwise it's unhealthy for the country. I agree that it's better if the PAP wins by contention and not walkover, as it says in the article. If the PAP wins by a walkover then other countries will really think that the PAP has done a good job of brainwashing Singaporeans to their propaganda.

Anyway, the PAP can't hold on forever. They can't be consistent in their views forever because people are inconstant. The original leaders will leave the party eventually. Nothing will be the same forever. So change, in a way, is good. We never know what the other party can show to Singapore because they haven't had a chance. And though it may seem likely that they will lose to PAP, it would have been a good exposure for them nonetheless.

Woman jailed for abusing maid

2006-05-07T12:49:00.000+08:00

Home, 4 May 2006 (Pg H15)

This is one of the many maid abuse cases that we have, and though this one seems rather minor, maid abuse is a rather important current affair. It shows how we treat our fellow human beings just because we have power over them. I think it's unfair, because after all the maids are doing their job and even if they're not doing it well, it's rather derogatory to hurt the maid like that. It's almost like treating the maid as an animal, and forgetting that she too is human and has flaws. She may be slow because she doesn't understand English or is in an unfamiliar environment or simply because she has but a rudimentary education.

Many maid abuse cases have blown up time and again yet some people still do this! If they weren't happy with the maid, why not just fire her? It isn't the best solution, but at least it prevents maid abuse. Why can't Singaporeans learn that maid abuse just isn't right? Even if the maid is doing bad things such as stealing, doesn't mean that they should stoop down to that level and abuse their maids. It's good that even minor cases are getting reported and that the offender gets due punishment, because any maid abuse at all reflects badly on us as human beings.

How Kaavya got busted

2006-05-06T21:36:00.000+08:00

Life! section, 4 May 2006 (Pg 12)

I think plagiarism is a terrible thing. It's like piracy, and just as bad. What happened to originality? Some people are just too insecure that they are not good enough such that they feel they have to copy from other bestsellers or some other works. If they can't produce decent work or aren't confident enough, then why send it to be published at all? Such acts of plagiarism only leads to horrible repercussions, such as getting slammed by the media and worse, being condemned by the public.

Perhaps publishers might be better off if they were able to spot the problems earlier and not publish. It would save a lot of people a lot of heartache and humiliation, particularly for themselves and the author.

Stem Cells That Kill

2006-04-24T12:44:00.000+08:00

Time, April 24 2006 (Pg 38)

On reading the title, I was shocked as I always had the idea that stem cells were beneficial. This article says otherwise: some stem cells cause cancerous tumours to form. However, as scientists are able to identify this cell, it is the first step to being able to actually isolate it and, in the end, eradicate it. This is a revolution in science as cancer has always been a stumbling block in the medical world, claiming many lives. Should it be possible to cure cancer, this will remove the tragedy in many people's lives.

Though I do not study biology I recognise that this is an important step in improving the lives of people and a way of keeping us healthy. In comparison to embryonic stem cells which have raised many ethical issues pertaining to cloning, this area of stem cell research is for the greater good and does not cause any ethical issuses. In fact, it could spawn new and better kinds of cancer treatment/ cures that could spare cancer patients such treatment like chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There are many great possibilities in this new discovery, and it brings hope to the world as we could be well on our way to defeating cancer once and for all.

**image from http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/images/stemcell.jpg

Sweet 16 and Spoiled Rotten

2006-04-21T23:06:00.000+08:00

Time, April 24 2006 issue (pg 56)

It's disguting to see how mere 16 year olds can behave in such a manner. Of course it may be due to the fact that my upbringing contrasts greatly with that of a typical American teenager, but still there is no need for such lavish celebrations that are, in a way, a glorified children's birthday party where the presents and toys are exchanged for money. The age of 16 is meant to mark one's coming of age, i.e. maturity. There is no maturity at all in these excessive parties where they literally let themselves go wild and lose all sense and decorum.

For all their sophistication and advacements, the Americans have a terribly ugly side to their youth. This makes me appreciate the relatively strict and conservative environment I've grown up in here in Singapore. Just reading the article or watching "My Super Sweet 16" is enough to make me feel corrupted...

Govt explains ban on political podcasts

2006-04-16T21:36:00.000+08:00

The Straits Times, Saturday April 12 2006 (Pg 3)

This is a follow up to the previous post about the banning of political podcasts. I do agree with the idea of banning such things, because after all the government is only trying to have a fair and serious election. Some people might say that the government is being old-fashioned and over-reacting to the situation. I say no, because in retrospect such technology is relatively new to the elections process. I reckon that the government is only easing such technology into the election process as society in general becomes more used to the use of podcasts and such.

Furthermore, such methods of spreading information are very influential because it is very acessible, especially for the more tech-savvy generations. There are a lot of sheep out there who believe in everything they are told. Also, with podcasts you can't really verify the truth. Who knows who to trust for information these days? The government's fear is that there will be slanted propaganda introduced, and this will lead to chaos as they are exaggerated and irrational.

Boy kept mum for 3 years after "body check"

2006-04-16T20:17:00.000+08:00

Home, The Straits Times, Tuesday 11 April 2006 (front page)

Personally, I am appalled that a teacher would even do such a thing to a student. Of course this isn't the first case but it is still shocking every time. What's worse, the teacher in question is facing a total of 9 molestation charges, shared beds with students and even asked them to massage him. It really makes one wonder at the mental state of this teacher. To be an educator is to be a leader, a guide, an example. It's sad indeed to see how someone with this role could act like this. It seems that some people have no integrity.

It is mentioned in the article that the boy was too afraid to speak up after he went through the "body check". He said he was afraid of how people would see him if he told all. I suppose that this is due to the social stigma that once one has been defiled (in a sense) one is different. Of course this is not saying that he has to go on as if nothing has happened, yet he should not be afraid to tell others because otherwise he would be harming only himself. Perhaps there should be more public awareness of this kind of molestation cases, especially the psychological damage and how to deal with the repurcussions. This way, society would not look down on those who are victims of molesters and perhaps it might be a happier place.

Google and the Future of Privacy

2006-04-09T20:47:00.000+08:00

Newsweek, April 2 2006 (Pg 40)

We are going to lose our privacy, and I find it quite shocking. Are we willing to sacrifice our privacy for higher standards of living? Although it is quite interesting to see how technology has improved, I think ethics are the most important thing at hand. Especially with the rise of identity thieves nowadays, who can hack into databases and make life worse instead of better as the technology was intended for. Furthermore the companies who will be making use of this technology are the big ones: Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL. Somehow it is uncomfortable knowing that they will have all this information just by watching us. 24/7. Who will we be able to trust? That's what worries me.

Political Podcasts, Videocasts Not Allowed During Election

2006-04-07T08:14:00.000+08:00

The Straits Times, April 4 2006 (Pg 1)

I think this is a sensible move because there will always be a case of someone using such things to spread negative propaganda. These people are very irresponsible to do so because they are jeopardizing the election by causing people to make decisions based by their force, thus skewing their perspectives and also their ability to vote according to their true wants. Although technology has advanced so fast that we have the luxury of these things, they should not be used to other people's disadvantage.

The PAP's 3 Rs: Retire, Renew, Refresh

2006-04-01T15:24:00.000+08:00

The Straits Times, April 1 2006

It is good that the PAP has this renewal policy. It is not good to have too little new talent in the party, as when the time comes and the veterans need to step down, there will be nobody ready to replace them at such short notice. Furthermore, new talent means new ideas, and this can help to improve our lives and our country as a whole. To ensure success with new members, they should be inducted early so that they have enough time to learn how to do a good job.

To make room for new members, it is inevitable that older party members must step down, whether they are loved by the public or not. This has proved to be painful and sudden for some, and I am glad that the PAP is taking action and trying to minimize withdrawal symptoms, especially for those most loyal to the party. These people have literally made our country what it is now, and it is the least that can be done for them.

I think that the renewal rate is good as it is, because if party members leave too late you will have the above-mentioned problem. On the other hand if they leave too early and too many new people join, the party will be deprived of the older member's experience. They are needed to train the new members and to be advisers besides fulfilling their existing roles as ministers.

One other problem as stated in the article is the trend of Prime Ministers being appointed later and later. Although there have been only three so far, it is definitely not a good thing. It means that the existing Prime Minister has less time to run the country, as age will catch up with him; he is not able to run the country forever. A new leader will have a different ideology compared to the previous one, and it will definitely take a while for the people to get used to the change. If this trend continues and the people experience various changes over a short period of time it will result in social unrest. One example in history is Russia, where the Communist Party had seven leaders over a period of 74 years (average term of 10.6 years), particularly from 1982-1985 where the party had 2 leaders (average term of 1.5 years), because the second one was too old and died (Andropov was 70). Considering that it takes at least 3 years to train party members to be proficient enough to be full ministers (as stated in the article) that is an alarming rate and should be prevented at all costs.

**image from here.

Japan Orders Revisions to History Textbooks

2006-04-01T14:37:00.000+08:00

The Straits Times, March 10 2006 (Pg 8)

There has been plenty of dispute over the controversial content over these textbooks. Although it is not clear as to the exact extent of these alterations, I am glad that at least they are facing up to the truth and doing something about this. The Chinese people who were violently against the textbooks will be thus appeased and this will not worsen Japan-China ties. They are already bad enough as it is, what with previous anti-Japanese protests in China over the approval of the controversial textbooks.

I think it is important that students today should learn the truth about their past, be they from Japan or anywhere else in the world. Even if it is a black mark on the history of the country, it will still be a lesson worth learning for future generations. Also as our world is run on a lot of information, it is vital that the information be accurate, whatever it is.

There is more in the article about Japan PM Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni war shrine. There has been a lot of conflict about this as well, as both China and South Korea are unhappy about it. They should make it clear once and for all whether these visits are to be considered as personal or official. As Prime Minister, Koizumi represents the whole of Japan and by making it "official", this would seem to others, especially the Chinese, that (as stated in the article) "Japan has not fully repented of its past". He should put the interests of the country first and do what is diplomatically correct for the sake of the country.

**image from here.

Don't Take Racial Harmony for Granted: Swee Say

2006-03-26T17:15:00.000+08:00

The Sunday Times, March 26 2006 (Pg 12)

Coming from a school which was mostly made up of students from Chinese backgrounds, I never really had a problem with racial harmony. We celebrated Racial Harmony Day as usual, but the group who were most diverse in race were just the teachers. Then I came to a junior college where there was a good mix of all races. In that particular college environment it was easy to make friends with those who were from different races. However when I travelled abroad during vacations, especially to western countries, I found racial segregation more rampant. This is when I fully understood and appreciated the Singaporean government's actions pertaining to encouraging racial harmony.

In the wake of terrorist attacks and potential attacks, it is obvious that the need for racial harmony is increasingly urgent. Especially since Singapore is so small, and the fact that we are surrounded by mainly Muslim countries. Our only resource is a human resource, and if that fails us then we have nothing left. Given the state of global affairs, especially the conflict in Iran and Iraq, there is potential for racial conflict to occur on a global basis. In which case, we would be easily subdued by the larger surrounding countries.

Though a majority of our population is Chinese, that doesn't mean that we are superior. Perhaps it is this that our government is concerned with: Racial harmony is not easily attained, yet it can be destroyed overnight. It’s not as if racism is non-existent in Singapore, just that it is minimized in comparison to other countries. This might be because Singapore is a small country and easier to manage.

Yet that doesn’t mean we can be complacent. As racial harmony extends into Total Defence, so we must be prepared as best as we can for anything: thus the message “Don’t take racial harmony for granted.”

**image from here.

Secret Lives of S'pore Teens

2006-03-26T15:12:00.000+08:00

The Sunday Times, March 26 (Pg 8)

I'm not very surprised to hear that teenagers (people my age!) are having sex and are sexually active. After all it's a natural process. I am, though, quite shocked at how some of them are so immature as to not use protection. It's not as if there is no sex education programme in schools to inform us about the potential dangers of having unprotected sex with various partners. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) for one. Also the burden of an unwanted pregnancy. The article also mentioned teens not being serious about sex. In my opinion, it was always something that could only be done AFTER one was married, not before. And for some of these teens, they even have more than one sex partner. Some of them even do it at home while their parent's are around.

I do not support these actions. Do they not have self-control? And what is so urgent about it that they need to do it the moment they feel like it? They may have a more liberal nature than I, yet it isn’t precisely the most sensible thing to do. There are still studies to concentrate on, and if one’s mind is preoccupied with sex then it’s a waste of education.

Of course one cannot say that it is entirely their fault, because after all the media is (just like the article says) charged with sexual content. The media, which has great influence on society, is full of it. Movies, fashion, and Hollywood glorify it. "Sex has become cool, abstinence is not." It's no longer a taboo subject to be hidden behind closed doors. This may be true for them, but not for me. Personally I believe in abstinence. There is no reason why teens should be jumping into bed with the first chance, besides personal preference. There is reason why they should not: as I have mentioned above, STDs and unwanted pregnancies. And all the responsibility and money and mental stamina that is required to deal with such a situation.

Singaporean teens may be ready for sex physically, but on the practical side it's not a good idea. But just because some people do it and the numbers are rising, doesn't in any way mean that there is no hope. These numbers are but a minority of the teenage population. As Mr Ong of Focus on the Family said in the article, "I sense that many people still believe in abstinence. All is not lost." I believe that Singaporean teens are generally sensible and mature people who know what's right and what's not.

**image scanned and cropped from AVA postcard.