gp blog

comment on national day rally

2007-09-01T20:46:00.000+08:00

The Prime Minister put forth several ideas and plans regarding education in his National Day Rally. How realistic do you find these plans and do what extent are they important to the future of Singapore?

In his rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong addressed the education policies in Singapore. New initiatives are being introduced too. He saw the need for the younger generation of Singaporeans to be more familiar with different languages, instead of being just a bilingual. We should not be complacent with knowledge of English language and our mother tongue. In my opinion, it is an intelligent strategy to implement the Malay Special Programme. By knowing a third language, greater social interaction between the different races is encouraged. In addition, the Regional Studies Programme which is going to be introduced in some secondary schools will create more opportunities for students to participate in exchange programmes and visits to some Southeast Asia countries. It helps to promote our ties with our neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia where the vast majority speaks Malay. Moreover, we can made use of opportunities like overseas trips to deepen our understanding of each country’s culture. It is essential to constantly maintain our ties with other countries in the region given the fact that Singapore is a small country with limited resources. Hence, we have to make preparations and pave the path for any emergencies where we have to seek help from the neighbouring countries.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also mention about the plan to build a fourth university in Singapore to create more university places for students. I think it is essential to expand the number of university places for students in order to cater to the number of students. When there are limited vacancies in the university, many will turn to alternatives in getting a degree like for instance, pursue the education abroad. Certain conditions like less stressful lifestyle, higher paid jobs can cause those who are studying overseas to put off their plans in joining the Singapore’s workforce. When this occurs, Singapore will be facing a loss of talents to boost the quality of our workforce and we cannot let this happen. It is a price that we cannot afford to pay if we want to stay competitive in this challenging economy where quality and efficiency of the workforce matters. Therefore, by building a fourth university is important to the future of Singapore.

commentary on top 3 blogs

2007-08-25T21:35:00.000+08:00

I refer to Fiona Cher’s commentary on the article “5 out of 100 points enough to enter varsity in Taiwan”.

With regards to this issue, I share her sentiments. The purpose of an education system is to boost literacy rate and prepare students for employment. The so called “cream of the crop” is selected based on criteria like the university admission requirements. They have to meet a certain standard to ensure their capabilities. However, when minimum university admission requirement is lifted, everyone will be able to get promoted even if they are not up to the standard. Hence, Getting into university and graduating with a certificate will be a norm.

Forsake quality for equity? Yes, it is essentially important to ensure that everyone is given equal treatment. However, this situation is similar to entrusting an arduous task to an incapable person. The result will not be ideal. Similarly, undergraduates would not form a high quality workforce and may not be ready to face the challenges in the competitive world of today. Hence, as compared to equity, quality should be preferred.

It seems rather unfair that students in Taiwan are able to secure a place in the university with such low aggregate. One of them even managed to enter the university with a score of less than five points out on average out of 100 for each of the four subjects. On the other hand, the education system in Singapore is so different. As compared to the situation in Singapore, students are required to ace every of their subjects to get into more competitive courses like medicine law. We are taught that only the better ones can “survive” in this competitive society where education holds a significant degree of importance. Only the “cream of the crop” can be promoted to higher education. Thus, we are constantly reminded by parents and teachers to strive and excel in studies to keep up with the changing world. Hence, I think it is not a wise idea to relax university admission in Taiwan.

2007-08-18T14:13:00.001+08:00

Can poverty ever be eradicated?

According to Kamala Sarup, Kathmandu, in order for a poor country to be relieved from poverty, it must certain technological abilities. Therefore, a poor country must import technology that produces more and better goods and services for its own people and for producing goods and services for trade with foreigners. However, this requires much capital which the poorer countries are lacking in. Despite loans from organizations like WTO, World Bank, poorer countries may not be able to achieve success in technology due to other factors like geography, economy and polity. The fact is irrefutable. In some cases, in desperation to spur economic development and rid poverty, poor people's basic technological needs are generally overlooked in this process. Local communities' knowledge and skills go unrecognised, and they are given little or no role in choosing, controlling and assessing the impacts of imported technologies.

Though it may be difficult in the process of eradicating poverty, but we should be optimistic about it. I agree with Jeffrey Sachs that we can help people to become more productive through various means like improving health, education, infrastructure and soil. For example, in South Africa and Zimbabwe, they have benefited from the transfer of simple technological solutions such as rainwater harvesting, seed conservation and drip irrigation. With these methods, they would be able to grow crops more efficiently. In some other areas, community-based disease control initiatives like the Practical Action Eastern Africa's community programme in Kenya have decreased the incidence of Chagas disease and the population of tsetse flies respectively. They will be less prone to certain diseases and standard of living can be improved.

These transfer of technologies from other countries marked the progress in these less developed areas and these are signs of success in the expedition to combat poverty. Hence, we should be optimistic towards the success of eradicating poverty.

Are you for or against the death penalty?

2007-08-11T18:52:00.001+08:00

Though many countries like Europe, Pacific states such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Latin America have abolished the use of capital punishment, other retain it. Countries like The United States, Japan, India, and Singapore retain the use of death penalty and it served as a punishment for murder, treason, military justice, adultery, drug trafficking, human trafficking and serious corruption cases.

The death penalty debate has led us to ponder on the pros and cons of capital punishment. Opponents of capital punishment may argue that death penalty is an infringement of human rights. However, we cannot deny the fact that death penalty has its advantages. It served as deterrence to serious crimes as the fear of death can deter people from committing similar crimes. Most criminals would think twice about committing murder if they knew that they are putting their lives at stake. Thus, it is deem necessary to carry out execution on people who have committed egregious crimes such as murders or treason.

As compared to life imprisonment, capital punishment seems like a wiser choice when it comes to the preventing a loss of innocent lives. There is a possibility that the criminals can be released early from imprisonment. This will endanger the lives of many others and people will fear that these criminals may strike again. We should not assume that these criminals would be repentant after they are sentenced. Hence, the death penalty is essential for serious crimes like murder.

Moreover, through the use of death penalty, citizens would be more confident in the government. For example, the impartiality of the Singapore’s government is portrayed in many drug trafficking cases. In 2005, an Australian drug trafficker Van Tuong Nguyen was arrested in Singapore for drug trafficking. Though the Australian government had tried to plead for clemency, the Singapore government refused to give in and punished the offender accordingly. He was executed by hanging. This incident proved that retaining capital punishment will earn the government a better reputation.

Hence, given the many advantages of capital punishment, death penalty should be retained.

The effect of booming economy on the environment

2007-08-04T15:35:00.000+08:00

An example of such cases will be China. Its growing economy is taking an adverse effect on its environment. One of the impacts is the water pollution in China’s coastal waters. The water pollution is believed to be caused by spilling sewers which are threatening the areas reserved for tourism or aqua-farming. According to a survey published by the State Oceanic Administration, more than two-third of the polluting outlets in China are discharging more pollutants than permitted by the authorities. Despite so, the local paper in China, the China Daily, tried their best to assure that the pollution will not pose any threat to the seafood security.

From this example, it can be observed that there are advantages that we can reap from a growing economy like affluence. However, we should not neglect the disadvantages generated and the impact on our environment. Despite the assurance by the China’s newspaper, we should not underestimate the effects of such pollution. In my opinion, it is a known fact that large scale water pollution can affect marine life. This can in turn have an undesirable effect on the human population when we consume this poisoned seafood. Thus, it is unwise to be complacent and be assured. Instead, it is necessary to be on alert.

To prevent the worsening of water pollution, it is essential for the authorities to take action against the problem and devise a plan. Firms are polluting much more than permitted and hence, a more stringent measure should be implemented to step up the control on the issue of pollution. The world is already facing a climatic crisis caused by global warming and the effects are felt by people worldwide. It should be a global effort to save the environment and everyone has a role to play. Therefore, people should not adding burden to the earth by polluting.

with reference to
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Asia/STIStory_145474.html

What do you think are some of the challenges facing Singapore as the country plays host to more people from different backgrounds and cultures?

2007-07-28T21:15:00.000+08:00

Singapore needs to encourage Singaporeans to accommodate the influx of foreigners to prevent unnecessary social disorder. Due to the need to attract foreign talents to boost our aging workforce, the country may face conflicts due to the fierce competition of jobs between locals and foreigners. The locals may not see eye to eye with these foreign talents as they are seen as a threat to their position in the society. There is a possibility that locals may treat these foreigners with an unfriendly attitude, be it in the workplace or in public places.

Foreigners working on construction sites mainly comprise of workers from countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. For many of these foreigners, they faced marginal discrimination in the society. For instance, when taking public transport, people normally shun sitting with them. It is pretty sad to see such incidents occurring in our society. Thus, one of the challenges is to raise awareness among the people on the need to embrace these foreigners instead of being suspicious of them. The locals must also understand the reasons for attracting foreign talents and how they have contributed to our economy.

Not only that, the country should also do their part by making these foreigners feel at home. For instance, several events can be organised just for them to cater to their needs. This is to convey to them that they are not neglected in our society and we do care about their welfare. It is essential for such a movement in order to let them blend into our society and become a part of us.

Hence, there is a need for the Singapore to promote good relationship between these people. Singapore has always wanted to achieve a harmonious society. Thereby, Singapore has to tackle these inevitable problems in order to attain its aim.

In your view, what are the likely political and socio-economic impacts of the demographic changes we see in the world today?

2007-07-21T20:40:00.000+08:00

Some countries are experiencing a population boom where the population is almost doubling. In India, arranged marriages are commonly practised. Girls in their teens are match-make with older men who are in their twenties or thirties. Moreover, cultural norms like the preference over males are deeply embedded in the vast majority in places like India and Africa. Sons are favoured because they provide the manual labour that is needed to plough the farmland. Moreover, they bear the burden to carry on the family name. Thus, many married women are being burned or killed by their in-laws or husbands when they failed to produce a son.

It is sad to see such tragedies occurring due to the preference for boys. Additionally, because of such early marriages, most young girls are forced to drop out of schools. This led to a decrease in literacy rate and lowering of women status because their entire life revolves around managing the household and reproducing children. Furthermore, countries with a population boom are experiencing a lower living standard due to high cost of living incurred by the large family. This had led many to contract the deadly HIV aids virus. In places like Kenya, young women are forced to sell their bodies to make ends meet. Hence, this increases their susceptibility to the virus.

In the other extreme, countries like Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan are going through an aging population. Women undergo education and are able to pursue a career. This has helped to increase their social status. However, it is also due to such a phenomenon that aging population has resulted. More working people are placing more emphasis on their careers instead of starting a family. In countries like Japan, some believed that women with babies are considered a burden and that marriage is a dependency. Thus, to some women, they rather forsake marriage to secure their position in the competing society. Therefore, the population size starts to shrink.

With the improvement in the field of science, disabilities of elderly are reduced and they are able to have a longer life expectancy. The trend of aging will eventually lead to a decrease in the number of young people entering the workforce and to support the elderly. With a lower population size, the number of consumers will inevitably be reduced. An aging society will also lead to an increase in pension spending but it can be mitigated by rising the retirement age. Older folks also have more political influence as the older people will hold more votes than the young since the young can be forbidden to vote under a certain age limit. On the contrary, the advantage of a shrinking population is that the money spent on developing more childcare facilities can be channelled to the creation of more jobs and for other economics purposes.

With reference to the video “world in the balance”

Live Earth Concert – how effective is it?

2007-07-14T13:22:00.000+08:00

The Live Earth was conducted last Saturday on 7^th of July 2007. It was a series of concerts designed to raise awareness about man made climatic change and promote environmentally friendly living. The concerts was held in seven continents in the world and broadcasted to the global audience through radio, television and the Internet.

This major joint movement by the different countries to advocate for a more environmental friendly lifestyle is quite successful to some degree. Reports revealed that it had attracted more than ten millions viewers worldwide. Indeed, to a certain extent, it had raised our awareness to the climatic changes that are occurring globally. More than 100 artists were invited to perform in various cities for a good cause - help to spread the message to the public and in a way, influence them to be involved in a greener lifestyle. Climatic effects and measures to minimise the effects are shown on videos which are easily accessible on television and the internet, to educate the public on their roles in the campaign for a greener environment.

However, an irony was seen after the Live Earth concerts ended in the different countries. The purpose of the Live Earth was to change the mindsets of the public to save the earth, hoping that they would internalise this knowledge and put it to use. However, the aftermath of these concerts was disastrous. Plastic bottles and cups were strewn on the grounds by spectators involved in the concerts. There was no sense of environmental friendliness. Moreover, the amount of waste left behind by the audience was horrifying. Reports again revealed that the travel and energy consumption of the artists and spectators involved amounted to 31,500 tonnes. This was more than 3,000 times the annual average carbon footprint of someone living in Britain. This had led us to realise that old habits die hard. By generating this huge amount of waste, we are not saving ourselves and our homes. But instead, doing more harm to our planet Earth.

It may be time to reflect what we, the guardians of the Earth, want to achieve at the end of the day. There will be limited success to any movement to save the earth if we do not kick the habit of wastage.

2007-07-07T17:03:00.000+08:00

Increasing number of foreign workers hit by dengue - is it due to poor living quarters?

Reports had revealed that out of over three thousand dengue cases, more than 1000 cases involve foreign workers, which means one in three patients is a foreign worker. When the public heard about this, some may link this problem to construction sites which are their workplace and where they spent most of their time. But statistics show that there are only 5 constructions sites in dengue areas and only about 14 cases originate from these construction sites. Hence, the number is too small to explain the sudden surge.

Another explanation for the staggering number will be their living quarters. Investigations by the National Environment Agency (NEA) had uncovered that the workers are living in cram and shabby environment. As many as eight workers are packed into one room. Furthermore, they had to share facilities like, bathroom with about 50 other workers.

The failure of the companies to provide proper and suitable housing for these workers had lead them to reside in these unsuitable conditions, leading them to be more susceptible to the disease. These workers could not object and dare not object when they are housed there. They knew that they had to oblige to the situation if they wanted to earn a living. Moreover, they are not equipped with the necessary information to tackle the disease.

Companies should be humane enough to provide at least proper housing for these workers. Though they had to cut costs and expenses, but it is morally right for them to provide the appropriate housing for them, or perhaps improve the current situation, for instance not cramming eight workers to one room and a bathroom to be shared among 50 workers. In addition, everyone should have the initiative to take the necessary measures to counter dengue including companies. They should be playing a role in this by educating the workers on the necessary measures and precautions to take to prevent the spread of dengue among workers. It is only through collective effort, the life threatening disease can then be eliminated.

With reference to the article "1 in 3 patients is a foreign worker" published in The Straits Times on June 30, 2007.

Effects of media on kids

2007-06-16T15:15:00.000+08:00

In April, an advertisement by the Singapore Health Promotion Board was aired on television as part of the anti-smoking campaign. The public had expressed their concern over the issue, on the possible negative effects it can bring to young children. The advertisement was then rescheduled to be aired only after 8pm.

It is understandable as to why the public especially parents are showing much concern over an advertisement like this. In this particular advertisement, there are some gruesome and unpleasant scenes which can be rather disturbing to young children. There is a possibility for them to develop nightmares. Instead of worrying about them, parents can seize this opportunity to educate their children on the harmful effects of smoking.

Their concern shows that parents are well aware that advertisements do have an effect on people, whether it is positive or negative. Moreover, they are also indirectly manipulating people, and it can be classify as a good or bad cause.

We must admit that this advertisement is indirectly manipulating people for a good cause. The government is trying to educate the public on the detrimental effects of smoking and attempt to deter people from developing this bad habit of smoking. The government are constantly promoting its anti-smoking efforts such as putting a restriction on smoking in public places like coffee shops and hawker centres. But the success rate has not been quite ideal. It may be due to such reasons that they decided to take a new approach of airing a gruesome advertisement on the most commonly used medium of entertainment – television.

On the other hand, ads can be indirectly manipulating people for a bad cause. A report in Newsweek had stated that American kids are watching a staggering number of television advertisements for candy and junk food in the United States. It is believed these advertisements are exacerbating the national obesity problem. According to statistics, they are exposed to 21 food ads per day. As such, kids tend to be persuaded to consume more candy and junk food which cause the problem of obesity.

Advertisements do take an effect on children. The effect is becoming more pervasive as television has become one of the most commonly used medium of entertainment. Hence, we should be prepared to face any possible effects that can be brought to our life through this medium of entertainment.

With reference to www.onestopofopinions.blogspot.com

Freedom of expression

2007-06-09T11:54:00.000+08:00

Singer believes that freedom of expression is essential to any democracy and therefore should not be limited. On the other hand, Szilagyi believes that more focus should be placed on social responsibility. In the context of Singapore’s multi-racial society, where there is cultural and religious pluralism, which author’s view do you think should be adopted?

As quoted from Singer, “freedom of speech is essential to democratic regimes, and it must include the freedom to say what everyone else believes to be false, and even what many people find offensive”. I disagree with that. Though freedom of speech may be essential to democratic regimes and should be encouraged, it should come along with some restrictions. It should not include the freedom to say what many people find offensive. Being democratic does not mean that it should not be damaging the social stability of the regime. Instead, one should be more sensitive and try to put oneself in other people’s shoes. I agree with Szilagyi that it is not possible to ensure the freedom of expression of all its citizens and protecting the collective interests of society. In my opinion, I think it is more essential to protect the collective interest of the society. We should not let those individual judgements affect the overall welfare of the society.

It is more important for the people or media to take on social responsibility especially in countries which are sensitive to racial issues. An example will be Singapore. Singapore is a multi-racial and religious country which has been placing great emphasis on promoting racial harmony. Though we promote democracy and the media is able to act on freedom of expression, but the media should not be discussing about racial issues like addressing media messages to a specific racial or culture group. Different racial groups will be offended if we are to comment on their religion which they believe in and hold dearly to themselves. Social and political tensions can be inflamed through the transfer of messages. Singapore has been putting in much effort to prevent such possibilities. Everyone has the responsibility to maintain social stability instead of creating possible conflicts. Hence, we should not be undermining the racial peace we have been trying to maintain.

Any form of punishment that is effective in maintaining law and order is justified. Do you agree?

2007-05-26T21:19:00.000+08:00

I agree that any form of punishment is effective in maintaining law and order is justified. As long as it is lawful and able to deter people from committing similar crimes, it is right to exercise them. In the example of Togo, they have a unique way in dealing with the offenders. When they need to distinguish the real culprit between two suspects, they will apply their punishment. The two suspects need to dip their hand in a pot of hot, scalding liquid to retrieve a ring in front of the whole village. This will put their courage to test. The people believed that the guilty would not be able to retrieve the ring and will be scalded by the steaming liquid while the victim will remain unscathed. This punishment is pretty effective as the real culprit will be overcome by fear and not have the courage to take the test. On the other hand, the other party who wants to prove their innocence will be willing to take the test. If one is found to be guilty, the offender will be embarrassed and known by everyone and has to bear nasty remarks from the villagers.

Another example of shaming will be in Albania. People have been convicted will be asked to carry a signboard stating the crime they have committed. They have to carry it around and “publicise” themselves. For instance, if an offender had been convicted of murder, he will not be sent to jail but instead asked to make a sign board with his offence on it. He will be asked to carry it on the roads, informing pedestrians and motorists of his offence. This type of punishment will invite nasty remarks and acts from passer-bys. The offender himself will be embarrassed especially if they are told to perform the punishment in a familiar environment where they will be recognised by perhaps their friends or neighbours. Report has shown that such punishment is effective in deterring similar crimes. Hence, I felt that it is truly justified to employ any form of punishment that is effective in maintaining law and order.

New law by 2012 to help seniors get rehired

2007-05-18T17:50:00.000+08:00

As we faced a problem of a shortage of manpower due to issue of an aging population, we do have to implement several measures to remain sustainable in this changing economy. It is essential to tap on the aging population since the number is increasing at an alarming rate. By 2020, there will be 500,000 people aged 65 and above.

Under the new law, healthy senior citizens will be automatically rehired on reaching the retirement age of 62. Companies do not have to fret over the issue of hiring senior workers, worrying about their abilities to cope. This law will enable the companies to make a clear decision. This will also enable the senior citizens to be financially-able, earning a sum of money for their old age and for their family.

The number of taxpaying workers is shrinking while the number of older workers is increasing. Soon, the working population will have to pay more taxes to support the non-working population. Thus, another benefit of this law will help to alleviate the heavy burden on taxpaying workers to support the retired workers.

Another proposal is to help older women to rejoin or stay in the workforce. Facing the problem of old age, they may need to leave the workforce because they may be lacking the ability or being replaced by the younger generation. Some women may need their wage to support themselves because of unstable financial status. However, the proposal should not make it compulsory for older women to stay in the workforce. This is due to the fact that some may want to spend more time with their family in the old age and do not want to continue working.

With the persistence of the issue of aging population, Singapore needs to come up with more measures to counter this problem. Learning from the Japanese model in tackling the aging problem, Singapore may be able to generate more solutions and measures to minimise the effect of the aging problem.

Bullies in school – should they be intimidated or otherwise?

2007-05-12T19:42:00.001+08:00

Bullies are people that act mean and hurt others. Bullies sometimes hit, kick, or push to hurt people, and they sometimes use words to call names, tease, or scare them. A bully might say mean things about someone, grab a kid's stuff, make fun of someone, or leave a kid out of the group on purpose. Some bullies threaten people or try to make them do things they don't want to do. They hurt their victims just to seek pleasure.

So should they suffer in silence and let bullies have their way? A prudent decision will be to stand up against them. They aim to gain a sense of authority over others, seeking people’s attention just to make their existence important or gain popularity. Hence, they like to antagonise the same children repeatedly. They tend to target children with common subjects for ridicule. For example those who are overweight, wear glasses, or have obvious physical differences like severe acne problem. But the differences don't have to be just physical. Children who learn at a different pace or are anxious or insecure can also be targets for bullies.

School children that are being bullied will develop certain symptoms. Some of the symptoms are inventing illnesses to skip school like stomachache or a headache. They can be missing belongings and money or even have sleeping problems like having nightmares. Psychological barrier can formed and it will be difficult to counter it if treatment was not received early. It will affect the child psychological development.

It is necessary for us to strike back against them because of the undesirable consequences. Children may have difficult getting along with people as adolescent or adults. Other problems are having a low esteem, depression or they can even turn to drug abuse. They will lose their confidence and think that they are incompetent. Depression will affect their daily activities and social network.

Thus, it is not wise to suffer in silence and just keep it to yourself. Confide in parents, friends and teachers, and discuss a solution. Punishing the bully will benefit not only the existing victims but also potential victims. So do not feel intimidated, instead stand up against them.

Are children of today too coddled and overprotected by their parents?

2007-05-05T13:00:00.000+08:00

It is a way to express their love for their children, some parents may argue. Kids are meant to be care and love for. Yes, indeed. But when there is an overdose of such love, dire consequences may results.

Whenever I stepped into the toys section in a departmental store, kids could be seen whining for toys. Frankly, this method is very effective on parents. In the end, parents will end up buying the toys for their children so as to put a stop to such whining. When kids knew that this method is effective in ‘persuading’ their parents to obtain their wants, they will start to use it for the 2nd time, 3rd time… Unintentionally, parents fall into such traps. It has becomes so pervasive that they took little notice of it.

Kids are becoming too pampered because of the little things that occur in the everyday life. Parents can actually stop this phenomenon – not letting children have their way. If this kind of practice sinks into them, what will happen to them when they grow up? If they are not able to get hold of the thing they demanded, will they let their inner desires overwhelm them and resort to treat it lightly.

In this era of overly protective parenting, parents are the ones making decision on behalf of their kids. It is a norm to see parents watching, guarding, defending, and shielding their children, afraid that their kids will come to harm. This kind of parents sought for the best for their child and wants them to grow up in the environment that they had built for them.

Children under such circumstances may grow up to be having low self esteem, shy or rebellious. The former may result when the child are so used to staying in their comfort zone. Once they get out into the real world, they do not know how to handle it. If the parents have been covering up for their child’s mistakes, the child will not be able to handle failure due to lack of experience. This may even result in panic disorders. If they had not been given a chance to interact with people when young, they are most likely to become shy and lack confidence in themselves. The latter will result if children especially adolescent get tired of not being able to go with their friends or go to places because they are too young. Even though in some case the children are old enough and are capable of making good decision on their own.

These possible consequences can be prevented. Parents can let their children practise decision making when they are young. This will build up their sense of responsibility. Children should also be allowed to interact with people from young, equipping them with a sense of confidence. Parents play an important role in the development of their children. Hence, they should be helping their child preparing for the real world challenges and not let them live under an illusion.

2007-04-28T16:54:00.001+08:00

Should the law on gun control in U.S. be refined?

Citizens in the United States are granted the right to own a gun. Any individual 18 years of age or older may purchase a rifle or shotgun from a federally licensed dealer in any state and any individual 21 years of age or older may acquire a handgun from a dealer federally licensed to sell firearms in the individual's state of residence under the gun law in the United States. Statistics had shown that about 59.1 million adults in the United States personally own a gun. Roughly 93 million adults or 49% of the adult U.S. population are living in households with guns. these have shown us that it is a norm for the people in U.S. to have their own firearms.

This norm has resulted in the widespread handgun violence in America. People are given the right to own a gun for safety and security purposes. However, some are actually abusing the right entitled to them. Gun has become a tool to help fufil their private desires. The recent Virginia tech massacre sparked off a series of debates on the gun control law in U.S. Despite his stay in a Virginia psychiatric facility, shooter Cho Seung-Hui was able to purchase a handgun leading to an outrage from gun control advocates.

In my opinion, the gun control law should be reformed. Currently, under the federal control law, anyone who had been committed to a mental institution involuntarily would be prohibited from buying firearms. However, nowadays people are committed into such mental institution willingly. The issue of concern is that the possibilities of patients suffering a relapse after their recovery are very high. This means that they will still pose a danger to the public despite receiving treatment. Thus, the law should be refined to include people with disabilities who had been adjudicated to be mentally ill and a danger to oneself or others. These people should be judged by doctors to prove that they will pose a threat to the society.

The Americans should stop tolerating gun laws and condemning thousands of innocent deaths every year. It is essential to reform the law to prevent a repeat of such a horrifying incident. The Americans should adopt the action taken by the Australians to limit the availability of guns in the country. The Australians had banned most types of semi-automatic weapons after the 1996 shooting spree by a man with a semi-automatic rifle who killed 35 people in Port Arthur, on the island of Tasmania. Such tougher restrictions would be able to minimize the number of innocent deaths each year and Australia has experienced the success. Reforming the law will certainly change the current situation in one way or another.

with references to:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,161377,00.html

Is the use of torture ever justified in dealing with criminals and terrorists?

2007-04-21T19:53:00.000+08:00

Personally, I think that torture is not justified in dealing with criminals and terrorists. Torture, in my opinion, is an act whereby pain and agony is being inflicted on a person, be it physically or mentally. Indeed, criminals and terrorists had committed serious crimes and ought to be punished. But is it really necessary to use means of torture to force information from them during interrogation?

In my context, torture is in fact a violation of human rights. Photographs shown on the internet are proof of such violation. One of which shows US prison guards with German shepherd attack dogs snarling at Iraqi prisoners like in some Gestapo jail. Another photograph shows an elderly Iraqi woman, stripped naked and being ridden like a donkey. Well, they may be criminals, but does that fact entitled anyone with the right to hurt and humiliate them? In the example of Abu Ghraib, a series of abuse is being used, from physical to sexual abuse. People should not be abusing the power or authority bestowed upon them – the authority to investigate and interrogate.

Interrogation is a skill, not a legal standard part of wanting tighter command and control. Using harsh interrogation methods on criminals had breached the humane principle of democracy. Investigators are willing to forgone their humanity for certain benefits. They may be able to “gain” power and more authority with important information obtained from these criminals. Moreover, applying torture may not necessary boost the productivity. The example of Abu Zubaydah cited in the article proved the point. Despite the application of brutality, information given by him was mostly useless. There is actually no guarantee that torture will work every time. So why are they still using it when there is no guarantee results?

Perhaps unexpected yield may be received through these coercive interrogation methods. But an indelible stain will be left on the honour of the American military. The pervasive torture, the humiliation, sexual degradation of prisoners, the gratuitous beatings, rapes and outright murders will eventually damaged the national security. Moreover, efforts to bring peace to Iraq and win the war against terrorism will be undermined. One should have thought of the consequences he had to bear. One of the consequences that occurred to the Americans is that no matter how hard they tried to suppress their scandal with regard to torture, it had already tarnished their international stage. Those photographs shown on the internet served as irrefutable evidence of the depravity of the US leaders and this will be etched in the memories of many.

With references to:
http://www.internationalist.org/iraqtorture0504.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/torture/talk/index2.html

New Media - Power to the people or threat to stability?

2007-04-14T14:04:00.000+08:00

We are living in a world of email, blogs, instant messaging, mobile phones, internet along with other technological advances. Almost everyone have access to these technological products and this had made it easier for people to make use of media to create trouble. People have a command over these sources, and this authority have enable them to use these sources to distort facts, create false impressions and even causing instability. In the middle east countries, the Muslim's public views of the West have been poisoned. In the example given, the false story of the Koran was spread to people through the various channels like internet and magazines, sparking off riots in Afghanistan and Pakistan. People have a control over these media and thus could easily employ them to create disorder.

People has also found power in blogging with the rise of the blogging phenomenon. Other than using them to voice out their grievances and regain confidence by receiving feedback over their post, it has also aid them in establishing career. In addition, they are able to fight for their own rights with blogs. People in Morocco have made use of blogs to advocate for the independence of Western Sahara. Egyptians bloggers have held a campaign hoping to educate the world on their situation - that is free activists are being arrested and imprisoned because of comments made over their posts. Such movement actually won the Freedom of Expression award presented by Reporters Without Borders. This has proved that people are indeed having power to fight for their own rights and able to gain recognition with this.

Some forces stood up to fight against the internet censorship because the government was applying it to the people. For example, governments in some Middle East countries and in China have banned political websites which they thought have would be sensitive. Thus, people wanted to challenge the government because they think they should have the freedom to express themselves. Indeed, some have succeeded in the battle. In Pakistan, the Pakistani have access to blogspot blogs after they protested against the government ban. they have made use of the internet to connect to bloggers worldwide, inviting them to join in the protest. The government had lifted the ban after coming under increasing pressure from the community. This has once again show that people are gaining power from the media and this power is actually great enough to influence the government and empowered them.

Can the media ever be relied upon to convey the truth?

2007-04-06T15:50:00.000+08:00

The media is supposed to be liberal, supporting or allowing changes in political or religious affairs and encouraging self-expression. It should be a source where people are able to obtain first hand information, facts and truth. However, media in today's society are not delivering the truth and some have proven to be unreliable. Even in countries like America, where democracy is highly emphasized, the media is not that reliable too.

The media can forsake the truth for a lie just to earn credit. The example of Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s has shown us that the media should be blamed for the spread of the big lie. When he said he was holding on to a piece of paper that contains the names of communists who were employed by the America's State Department, the media believed and reported the news. In the end, it turned out to be a lie. This incident prove that they do not care to question the reliability of the source of their news and just reported it to the public, causing them to be fooled. So how can the media be relied upon when what they reported was just a fabricated story?

As quoted from the passage, many of the decisions made by the media are based on the 3 "P's", Popularity, Prejudice and Profit. In order to gain popularity, the America corporate-controlled media was likely to report news stories that they thought will be sensational enough to attract the audience. They tend to focus more on terror attacks, death and injuries. Take for instance the Iraqi war, the body counts of US killed or wounded are often accompanied by the tales of disillusionment on the part of Iraqi locals which will arouse the audience's feelings.

The media can be prejudice too. They have the freedom to choose their interviewee or edit news based on their personal judgment. The example in the article, where the journalist chose to interview a white instead of an African-American, show the biasness of the journalist. Her white audience applause for her actions, but in my opinion, she was unprofessional. It is alarming to discover that prejudice is actually exercised by premier journalist openly. In addition, the writer's personal encounter with the editor and his experience of such censorship showed us that the media would alter news as they wish. So can we still trust the news stories being reported by the media?

Corporate-controlled news are also profit driven. To increase profit, they "manufacture" and "market" news, treating news as a product. As stated in the article, analysis given by individual can be condensed to "sound bites". This will be manipulated to bring across the desired message. I think that this is equivalent to deceiving the audience, hood-wink them into believing the "processed" stories. The media is actually diminishing their own reputation as they sacrificed the truth, impartiality and ethics in exchange for ratings and profits.

The greatest concern of the media today is in fact their survival. Being government-controlled, they had to observe some rules. The US media coverage was polarized between 'good news' and 'bad news'. The media had to toe the line between a 'good news' and 'bad news'. In the debate "Iraq-Is the media telling the real story?", people are arguing about the reliability of US media. Lt Col Boylan who returned to the US as the chief spokesman for the US military said that there were less coverage of Iraq in the US media on his return than he expected and the complete story is not being told. A columnist for the International Herald Tribune, Roger Cohen said:"If you write a 'good news' story from Iraq you are immediately identified as an apologist for the administration...and if you write something critical then you're in the other camp." If journalists had to obey to these rules, they will not stick their neck too far out when reporting contentious issues. They will then not be able to bring the tuth back to the reader since they have to consider the classification of good and bad news.

Thus, the media can never be relied upon to convey the truth since it has not done its job as a pillar of democracy. If they continue to act in their way and manipulating facts, the detrimental effects will be felt for years to come.

2007-03-31T12:55:00.000+08:00

I think Mother Teresa had made a significant impact in one of the field of human endeavour. She has produced a dramatic shift in the understanding of human rights. She had done numerous charities and helping the less fortunate.

Mother Teresa was also known as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was already different from other children of her age when she was young. At the age of twelve, she felt strongly for the call of god and knew she had to be on a mission to help spread the love of Christ. Therefore, at the age of eighteen, while her peers were furthering their education, she made a decision and embark on her mission to spread love to others. She left home and joined the sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns. She was then sent to India and took her vows as a nun. It was in India that her mission truly commenced. She committed herself to working among the people, helping the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. She wanted to free them of their agony and hardship or at least minimised it. She managed to set up a school for slum children despite the lack of funds. Her hard work paid off. Voluntary helpers joined her in the work and financial support was at hand.

Mother Teresa then went on to extend her scope of work instead of confining it to just one area. On October 7,1950, she started the Missionaries of Charity and its mission was to help the less fortunate around the world. In her words, the mission was to care for "the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the blind, the crippled, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout the society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone". Her words was encouraging and showed her determination to help those in need around the world.

Indeed, the Missionaries of Charity extended their work worldwide, setting up orphanages, hospices, charity centers. Mother Teresa also expanded her efforts to communist countries when the walls of Eastern Europe fell though they had once rejected her help. There wad a time when the Missionaries of Charity was criticised for standing against abortion and divorce stating. Mother Teresa was not dissuaded when all these criticisms set in. Yet she said " No matter who says what, you should accept it with smile and do your work." This prove that her determination will not be easily swayed and stay true to her belief.

Mother Teresa's work had been recognised throughout the world. She was awarded with numerous awards. Some examples will be the Noble Peace Prize and Balzan Prize in 1979.

Mother Teresa had helped many people and minimised their misery. It leads us to understand that anyone can be loved or cared for. Anyone can also be that someone who show care and concern for others. I really admire her determination and perseverance in staying true to her beliefs despite encountering setbacks in her work. It is something we should learn from her and apply it to our daily life. I believed she had inspired many people to contributed to the society by doing charities and helping the less fortunate. Her efforts will continue to influence the lives of many others.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa and
http://nobleprize.org/noble_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-bio.html

my profile

2007-03-24T10:25:00.000+08:00

My name is sihui. I am from 32/07. I have two older brothers and they are working. My birthday falls on August 9th, national day. I came from zhonghua secondary and i was previously in choir. My current cca in ajc is photographic society. I was in Nanyang jc for first 3 months. My hobbies are watching anime, reading comics, watching tv programmes, surfing the internet, and chatting on msn. My favourite food are chocolate and ice-cream. I enjoy singing but i do not want to join choir again because i think it will be very stressful. Moreoover, i am not very confident about my singing. I had always wanted to learn piano and other instruments but i was not given a chance. I have no idea of what i want to be in the future. I want to study either mass communication or accountacy in the university.