Term 3 Independent Post 5

            Global Warming. This is something we all know exists. Global Dimming, however, is not as “hot”. Global Warming is the result of enhanced greenhouse effect. There is an increase in gasses like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thus retaining too much heat on Earth. Global Dimming, however, is caused by the amount of pollutants in the air. With more pollutants in the air, water droplets can condense on even more particles to form rain. These droplets of rain are smaller than natural ones. Many small water droplets reflect more light from the sun than the natural big but few ones. The clouds act as a natural mirror, reflecting light from the sun back into space. Thus, the amount of sunlight received on the Earth’s surface is reduced, cooling the planet down. When you solve the problem of Global Warming but not Global Dimming, the Earth would become too cold. However, when you solve the problem of Global Dimming, the Earth becomes too hot due to Global Warming. To tackle the situation, you have to solve both at a time.

            The way to solve Global Warming is to reduce the amount of Carbon emission. Ever since industrialisation, carbon emissions had increased drastically and the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the air shot up tremendously. This, in turn, increased the global temperature by a few ^oC. The way to solve Global Dimming is to reduce the amount of pollutants in the air burning fuel more cleanly. However, what is the root cause of all these? Human nature.

            Humans, by nature, are greedy and selfish. We want the best for ourselves. We upgraded ourselves from being animals and cavemen to what we are now. We pampered ourselves with air-conditioning, entertainment and a comfortable home while depriving our friends of our ancestors, the animals, of their rightful homes like rainforests. We heat up the entire globe for all the inhabitants living in it just for our benefit, to get air-conditioning. We alter the natural order of things, for our benefit. However, we would pay the price. It is like a chain effect. Sooner or later, these acts of selfishness and greed would affect us. For example, due to Global Dimming, some countries are deprived of rain, which usually causes droughts. We are paying a price for the air-conditioning we enjoy, for the electricity we take for granted. Not just in the form of money. The generations to come would pay the price. It is a heavy price indeed. We are enjoying at the expense of others.

            Now, can we undo all these? Can we downgrade ourselves to become the cavemen we once were? No. The wants such as air-conditioning and electricity has become needs. Are we willing to downgrade to a world void of electricity and air-conditioning? Void of consoles, television and sources of entertainment? Are we ready to live without the lights we take for granted? Are we ready to enjoy life without all these things? It is difficult to let go of all these things. However, is there really a need to downgrade ourselves to become cavemen? No. We can do our best to conserve the environment. We can cut down on carbon emissions and not necessarily get rid of the idea as a whole. We can burn fuel more cleanly, to reduce the problem of Global Dimming.

            Not every problem can be solved by man. Men had encountered many problems, like lightning and fire, and have never learnt or understood it fully, let alone control it. Who says we can control the problem of Global Warming and Global Dimming? There is no guarantee that no accidents would occur. There is no guarantee that fire can never accidentally burn someone. If the need arises, are we ready to give everything up?

Term 3 Independent Post 4

                                       NDP 2011 Penny Low

                Penny Low is the MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. She “rose to fame” when during the NDP National Anthem. Every Singaporean was singing the National Anthem, while she, she on the other hand, was Facebooking. An MP Facebooking during such an important event? This catches everyone by surprise, or at least it caught me by surprise.  She apologises publicly and posted her apology on Facebook. She explains:

“I was so caught up in the wonderful NDP 2011 and felt so proud of being a Singaporean, that i wanted to capture that moment of pride, at the very tail end of the anthem, to share on FB with my residents. If in my enthusiasm i offended anyone, please accept my apologies. NDP is a time to unite not divide. Majulah Singapura!”

            How we find a person depends greatly on what qualities we choose to look at. Most netizens find that Penny Low is disrespectful. However, she was the only one amongst the Cabinet members who actually wanted to share this moment with her residents. However, she still should have waited till the end of the anthem. She is in the wrong, but when we look things from different angles, we have different opinions.

            As for her apology, I don’t find it sincere. She posted this message online, and probably did not take time to type it. All the “I”s except for the one at the front of the first two sentences are not capitalized. I feel that the sentence “NDP is a time to unite not divide. Majulah Singapura!” is actually an indirect way of saying, “Don’t make a fuss. We shouldn’t do such a thing during NDP.” However, some people interpret it as Penny Low lecturing Singaporeans on being united. They feel that she was lecturing other Singaporeans even though she is in the wrong.

Term 3 Independent Post 3

                       A fair deal in Court

                A fair deal in court, can it be achieved? No. Why? We have to look into how the court operates.

                Usually, there is a jury, unlike special case, which decides if the prosecuted is guilty or not. This jury is made up of a group of people “randomly chosen”. Everyone is prejudiced; it’s just a matter of whether he or she shows it to the world. This prejudice can make a lot of difference in a court case. An example would be the court case in “To Kill a Mocking Bird”. This book is about discrimination. Tom Robinson is a black and was accused of raping a white woman. The town, in which the story resides in, Maycomb, is prejudiced against blacks. The people feel that all blacks are criminals. The jury, even without looking at the evidence, has a preconceived notion that Tom was a rapist and he is guilty. Later on, despite all evidence pointing otherwise, the jury still found that Tom was guilty. The judge, who decides the sentence, has no say in whether he is guilty or not, although he knew that Tom did not rape the woman. In the above example, the jury is prejudiced against Tom, and the outcome of the court case was inaccurate.

                In order for something to be “fair”, perspective is very important. Take the Osama assassination for example. Should he be given a fair court trial? Or should he have been assassinated immediately like what has been done? If you choose to assassinate him there and then, the world would be a safer place to be in. This would be a fair thing to do if you look from the perspective of the rest of the world. However, if you look at things from Al Qaeda’s perspective, it is unfair as Osama did not stand a chance, not even given the opportunity to go to court to stand for a trial. For something to be fair, it’s all about what perspective you look at the issue from. When something is fair from one point of view, it is unfair from the other. Things can almost never be fair in a court, as there is at least 2 very contrasting points of view. You can never have the best of both worlds. Nothing is perfect, just like a court case.

Term 3 Independent Post 2

                        Increasing the Price of Transportation
            SMRT and SBS wanted to increase the price of their fares a few weeks ago. This has caused uproar amongst the members of the public. The cost of living in Singapore is already very high, and transportation fees for adults are not cheap either. This isn’t fair to the public. However, there are advantages for them to increase the price of transportation fares.

            In order to increase the transportation fares, SMRT and SBS have to apply to the government. As a private organisation, the goal for SMRT and SBS is to reap as much profits as possible. One way is to increase the transportation fares. However, the government would only approve of the increase if they the public is satisfied. To satisfy the public, SMRT and SBS have to improve their services in to win the public’s favour and “silence the majority”. In such a scenario, it is a win-win situation. Both parties benefit.

            Train services and bus services are forms of public transport. They should be cheap and make travelling within the country easier. However, train and bus services are run by private companies. One can never have the best of both worlds. If the fares for train and bus services are very cheap, there is no reason for SMRT and SBS to work so hard to improve their services as their profits still remain low. As a result, the conditions of the train and frequency would not be has good, and passengers would suffer. However, if the fares for train and bus services are high, the private organisations would strive to keep their passengers happy lest they demand for a decrease in price. In the end, service is good and everyone is happy.

            We cannot blame SMRT and SBS for wanting to increase the price of transportation fares as they are private organisations. Private organisations want to earn as much profits as possible. That is where the government comes into play. The government acts as the voice of the public, disapproving of the increase in price if the public is unhappy. If the government doesn’t disapprove of the increase when the public is unhappy, the government would lose the support of its people in the next election. There are other areas SMRT and SBS can earn revenue from like advertisements. They can increase the price of advertisements as doing so does not affect the general public but only companies. This would keep everyone happy.

Term 3 Independent Post 1

Ministerial pay

                There has been a huge uproar about the minister’s pay recently in Singapore. The ministers of the little red dot receive a pay far more than that of the US president Barak Obama. The president in Singapore takes home US$2.7 million per month while Obama only earns US$400,000! Obama is the president of the most important country, and yet his salary is lower than that of a comparatively insignificant red dot, a red dot which most people in countries like UK do not know of.

                Where does this US$2.7 million come from? It comes from the tax payers in Singapore. Money flows out of our pockets and into the minister’s wallet. We can accept this, if the minister is doing a very good job. However, George Yeo, who lost his seat in Parliament, earns $2,000,000 every year due to pensions while seating in his home doing nothing. On the other hand, Barak Obama is working very hard to earn US$4,800,000 while George Yeo earns around US$1,000,000, a quarter of what Obama earns, for doing nothing. This money is not taxable! Also, if he knows he only has one more month to live, he can ask for and get 14 years of pension ($28,000,000) up front in a single lump of money! Why should we be paying a former minister who is currently doing nothing $2,000,000 every year when he can go out and find a job to make a living? In addition, if a minister is eligible for pension (served at least 8 years), he would receive his pension and his salary concurrently.

                The Singapore Government testified saying that this was a means to prevent corruption. By paying the high salary, the ministers earn so much that they do not think of corruption and keep the government corruption-free. With this high salary, it is very difficult to determine why the Singapore ministers are leading the nation. Is it truly because of their urge to serve the nation, or is it because of their urge to pocket the money which comes with the job?

                So, is there really a difference when serving the nation for money or from the heart? When serving the nation from the heart, decisions made by the ministers do not benefit oneself only but the country as a whole. For example, a minister is faced with a decision, and there are two options: One would benefit the whole country but not himself. The other option allows him to add a few thousand to his monthly salary at the expense of the rest of the country. A minister serving from his heart would choose the first option while a minister serving for money would choose the second. This is the main disadvantage when you have ministers serving for money. It is very clear which is the preferred type of minister. However, can Singapore afford to reduce the salaries of its ministers in an effort to sieve out all ministers who serve for money and not from their heart? The answer is no. Singapore is a small country, with a small pool of talents compared to the other countries. Among these talents, only a few are willing to serve the nation, and among the people who are willing to serve the nation, maybe only half is willing to serve the nation from their hearts. Given the low salary, those talented people who want to serve for the money would find other jobs which can give them a decent income. Without the high pay, only these few people who are willing to serve the nation from their hearts would join the government, leaving a lot of seats empty. Either the people who are willing to serve all take up multiple roles in government, adding to the stress each of them face, or just leave them empty. The high salaries the ministers receive help attract more people to the government, and pulling in the people who serve for money to fill up the empty positions. With the high salaries, the ministers would not bother to use underhand techniques and risk losing their jobs. Also, when it comes to decision making, they would not want to make a decision which would benefit them as they may risk losing the next elections too. In other words, there is an invisible force forcing them not to make selfish decisions but only those which benefit the nation generally.

                As a whole, without the high salary, there probably would not be enough talented people filling up the vacant seats, but with the high salary, it is unfair to Singaporeans in general as they pretty much pay to have a government which should not be the case.

Arranged Marriage

                An arranged marriage is marrying someone who one does not get to court with and find out more about. It is almost like marrying an acquaintance. The decision to marry is usually done by the couple’s parents. In the past, they look at how reputable the family is and at their wealth. Nowadays, most people do not practice arranged marriage anymore as the importance of individual rights increase. I too disagree with an arranged marriage. However, there are some countries where people actually agree with arranged marriage!

                There are some advantages to an arranged marriage. It gives youths more time to enjoy their time being youths, without having to worry about a relationship and the responsibility which comes along with it. Arranged marriages also allow people who are physically handicapped or socially inept to get married. This is an advantageous situation for them. According to a website, I read that Indians, who practice arranged marriage, base their relationship on commitment and not on feelings. “An Indian woman described it as "Here, we get married without having feelings for the person. We base our marriage on commitment, not on feelings. As our marriage progresses, the feelings develop. In America, you base your decision to marry on feelings, but what happens when the feelings wane? You have nothing left to keep the marriage together if you get married according to feelings and then the feelings go away."” This woman has a point. There is a chance that their feelings wane. If the couple base their marriage on feelings, there is a chance that this may result in a divorce, as there are no feelings for each other anymore.

                Most Westerners cannot fathom the idea of marrying someone they do not love. Instead, they believe that a marriage should be based on feelings. They believe that marrying without having feelings for each other would not bring happiness. Having the chance to court one’s girlfriend or boyfriend gives him or her chance to better understand the other party’s likes and dislikes, his interests and what he hates. From there, one can decide if the other is a suitable mate.

                I feel that it is very important to have understanding in marriage. With understanding, you would be able to know what the other party likes and dislikes and from there deduce if he or she is a suitable pair. With this understanding, the couple would be able to communicate better and minimize the chances of quarrels and misunderstanding. The second most important thing in a marriage would be commitment. If the other party is not committed and decides to part halfway, it would bring one lots of sorrow. Thus, commitment is the next thing I would look out for in a relationship. Finally, I would look for virtues. This would be the final thing I would look for in another person before marriage.

Should America have dropped the Atomic Bomb on Japan

                The atomic bomb is a famous bomb. The mushroom-like shaped smoke is both magnificent and terrifying. Radiation from the atomic bomb caused many Japanese to suffer, even the younger generations. Scientists predict that this would affect the generations to come. Many died in the hands of the bomb, and buildings collapsed due to a single explosion, one which changes the lives of many. This was the very bomb which was amongst the factors which caused the Japanese to surrender. This was one of the reasons which caused World War II to come to an end. It is also the very reason why some Japanese are born disfigured. Should the US have dropped the atomic bomb on Japan? No.

                As mentioned earlier, the bomb has quite a punch, along with radiation as a “complimentary gift”. The bomb instantaneously melted some Japanese. The people who survived are disfigured and are affected by exposure to high amounts of radiation. Their lives can never be the same again. Furthermore, their children stand a chance to be born disfigured. Almost all innocent lives were ended within that area, including babies and children who are new to the world. As for the survivors, when they have children, there is a high chance that their children would be disfigured, and a possibility that when they too have children of their own, their children too would be affected by the radiation through various means. This is a bomb which has a large “target audience”, affecting not only the people alive, but the people of the future too. This is one among the reasons why US should not have dropped the atomic bomb on Japan.

                New to the world, the atomic bomb was never tested out before. No one knew the extent of its power, not even the American Scientists. America issued an ultimatum, warning Japan that if it does not surrender, the atomic bomb would be dropped on them. Even American Scientists did not know of its power, let alone the Japanese. It is like telling someone who has no idea what urine is to share answers during a test, and warning him that if he doesn’t, you would splash urine on him. You tell him that it is smelly and disgusting but the most disgusting and smelly thing he has seen in his life is sewage water. He may think that there is nothing in the world that is dirtier that sewage water and is thus willing to take the risk. Of course, you splash urine on him and he may fall ill due to diseases in the urine, possibly ending up taking antibiotics. Japan did not know the extent of the atomic bomb’s power, and probably thinks that it was not so powerful and therefore takes the risk. The Americans should test out the atomic bomb first on a smaller scale before dropping it as it is a nuclear weapon. However, we cannot blame them as it is a war and everything is chaotic.

                The dropping of the atomic bomb was unnecessary. Japan was fighting a war on too many fronts, and the amount of troops it has is very limited. It would just be a matter of time before Japan surrenders due to the lack of troops or completely run out of troops and is vulnerable to external attack. In addition to that, when a country fights a war on too many fronts, it tends to perform poorly. In other words, Japan would ultimately surrender. It is just a matter of when.

June Hols Post 2

                The Tanjong Pagar Railway Station will be relocated to Woodlands Train Checkpoint. The train services would cease on 1 July. There is a huge surge in passenger load as Singaporeans rush to take the train for the last time.

                I took the train recently and felt that it was a one-of-a-kind experience. When I entered the Railway Station, I was greeted with old paintings and grey walls. The Railway Station is not very well maintained and cleaned. At the platform, the chairs and fans were mostly spoilt. The train was old and rusty.

                Before I entered the train, my passport was stamped by the Immigration Officers at the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. The stamp said that I had arrived in Malaysia. The train ride is a trilling one. The grass and weeds at the sides of the tracks were considerably tall, some reaching up to a meter. The trees, unlike those you see along the roads of Singapore, were bent towards the train track. The train ride was a long one, and finally the train arrived at the Woodlands Checkpoint. There, the Singapore authorities officially states that I am leaving Singapore. Then, I boarded the train and left for Johor Bahru.

                Now, what happens if someone commits a crime on the train while it is still in Singapore? Would he or she be prosecuted under Singapore or Malaysian law? Physically, the culprit is in Singapore, but according to the passport he has already arrived in Malaysia. I feel that the culprit, in this case, should be prosecuted under Singapore law. Although Malaysia authorities acknowledged his arrival in Malaysia, the Singapore Government did not acknowledge his departure. Since the Singapore Government did not acknowledge his departure, and there is no stamp or record of him leaving Singapore yet, he should be prosecuted under Singapore law. After all, he is still within Singapore. However, if the crime were committed after the Singapore Government acknowledged that he has left Singapore, he should be prosecuted under Malaysian law.

June Hols Post 1

                Toyota is the company which used to be the world’s largest car manufacturer. Toyota cars make up the majority of cars here in Singapore. They are cheap, affordable and practical. Everyone knows of the Japan earthquake. Toyota is a Japanese company. It too is affected by the earthquake and the nuclear crisis. Therefore, production in Japan is very low. Fortunately, Japan has factories in other countries. But they too are facing difficulties. They are facing a shortage of parts. Just a few hours ago, BBC reported that Toyota would be halting all North American productions. Toyota states that production is likely to return to normal by year end.

                Due to the high demand for Toyota cars in Singapore, and the low supply, there is a high possibility that the prices would rise. No more cheap and affordable Toyota cars. The repairs for these cars wouldn’t be cheap either, due to the shortage of parts.

                People who want to buy a particular Toyota car model may be unable to purchase it due to part shortage. This could cause a lot of inconvenience for people. Also, Toyota risks losing its business and support from its customers, which would severely affect Toyota’s future and determine if it would continue to sell or just fade out gradually from the market and become part of history.

HBL

                It was a beautiful sight, if not for the pieces of metal and debris floating on the Red River. I was approaching Hanoi, seated in the M151 MUTT we took from the US military. The jeep was moving at a relatively fast speed. I sat at the front while two lieutenants sat at the back. I constantly heard them chanting “Please no mines…Please no mines…” They were trembling madly and uncontrollably. In a few minutes, we arrived at Hanoi, which is situated north of Ho Chi Minh City.

                The moment of peace was short lived. “Incoming!” The general shouted. I looked up. There was an odd mix of awe and fear. There were 3 B-52s! “It’s them! They are here!”  The lieutenant behind me screamed. Within seconds, everyone, including me, disappeared. We hid and braced ourselves for the impact. Curiously I looked up. I have heard rumours of the B-52, and many stories depicting it as death itself, but I have never seen what it was capable of before. Many experienced its wrath before, but few live to tell its tale. A long, long line of bombs streamed down from the base of the massive bomber. It was a bomber like no other. The number of bombs dropped is unfathomable. There were at least a hundred airborne coming down for us, and there was probably another hundred waiting to be dispatched. I closed my eyes. Never before had I felt so helpless and powerless. I closed my eyes.

                A series of loud explosions followed. A huge surge of heat was felt as the ground shook. Pieces of debris flew into the air and countless buildings were flattened with ease. The explosions lasted 30 seconds. I cautiously peered over the wooden crate I hid behind. The entire landscape changed. Where buildings once stood, there is a mountain of debris. Amongst them are glass shards, which used to be windows. Most of our forces stationed here in Hanoi have been eliminated. Bodies laid sprawled on the ground, with blood splattered all over their faces, some disfigured. My heart was thumping madly as I saw the destruction. Death flew right past me.
                In the distance, I saw a civilian. He was struggling to breathe. I rushed to his aid and found that his entire lower body had been blasted away; in other words, he was legless. The rest of his body was red, covered in red spots and water bubbles. Seconds later, he departed on his journey to meet his maker. War, why war?

Independent Post 11

                A world without electricity

           Many things we have all taken for granted. For example: We tend to take our parents for granted until their last few years when we wake up and realise how important and precious they are in our lives. Of the many things we take for granted, electricity is one of them.

            Electricity is always readily available. When we turn on our lights, it is always there for us, allowing us to light up the entire room with just a flick of a switch. When we require access to devices such as the computer, we just turn on the power plug. We are really taking for electricity granted, using it to our convenience without thinking, what the world would be like without electricity.

            Without electricity, the taking the train would not be a pleasant experience at all. Firstly, you might be taking the train from an underground station. It would be all dark without electricity to light up the place. It is very easy for people to be killed due to accidents especially at the train doors. The train itself may be able to move as it may be relying on petrol. Yes, the train can move, but without air-conditioning and lighting which require electricity, the train would be hot, humid and dark, especially during peak hours and in tunnels.

            A world without electricity is a horrible place to be in. Midnight strolls would never be possible, although you may choose to carry a lamp with a fire in it during your little stroll in the nearby park. Yes, not everybody goes out for midnight strolls. But when the sky darkens, you wouldn’t be able to see a thing. At night, it would be very easy for someone to get lost and late night shoppers would have a really hard time shopping for the items that they want.

            Things such as light and air-conditioning which are require electricity would be non-existent. The closest comparison to a world without electricity is a blackout; just that a blackout is just temporary hell while a world without electricity is the real thing. We should really stop taking electricity for granted and really appreciate it, especially when it is readily available for our usage.

Independent Post 10

                              A pet rodent

They are generally small, fluffy and fit in the palm of your hand. They love to cuddle and adventure outside the door of its cage.  They are quiet and gentle and they sleep in the morning and awake in the night. What could they be? Hamsters. When we hear the word rodent, we think of the mice in the kitchen cupboard helping itself to food and the rats in the garbage cans scavenging for leftovers. However, hamsters make wonderful pets, small yet interesting.

            I have hamsters at home, and they are nocturnal. They wake up at around 8 each night. From there, they have an action packed list of things to do. In that cage of theirs, they can entertain themselves for hours. Watching them at night is going to be the most exciting part of the day. Hamsters do things that they don’t usually do in the morning. They spend time grooming themselves, straightening out their fur coat. They run on the wheel like an athlete training for a marathon. They gnaw on the grinding stone in the cage. They climb up and down the cage. They store seeds in their cheek pouch and gather together in their little house to enjoy their meal. They bring bedding into their house. They clean their house of all their faeces and waste. They cuddle together and play catching. In the morning, they sleep and are more inactive. It is a two in one, lazy yet active.

            Mas Selamat escaped from jail through the toilet window. That is nothing compared to a hamster. That’s right. A hamster is an accomplished escape artist. It can reach speeds of up to 6.8km/hr. Able to climb up surfaces with spaces which a hamster can use to cling onto with its “hands”, able to burrow into soil as it is a natural burrower and with an acute sense of smell and extremely good hearing, no maze would be able to render the hamster lost. No structure can keep the hamster caught. No puzzle can actually challenge a hamster. You can compare a hamster with a spy, a secret agent. Its natural gift of a strong sense smell and hearing puts the hamster a cut above most animals. Putting a hamster in a maze or puzzle of any sort is a very exciting thing to do. Watch as the hamster slowly works its way out of the maze, watch as the hamster gets itself out of a fix. Then reward it with a treat or two accompanied with a pat on its back.

            Hamsters are largely vegetarian, but eat meat occasionally if offered. They eat anything vegetarian, the leafier the better. Things like strawberries can be used as treats, and they are available at any food court or fruit store. These treats are inexpensive, and can be enjoyed by both humans and hamsters.

            Hamsters are lovable pets, and are exciting and fun companions. The next time you hear the word rodent, remember to think of the hamster.