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.

Independent Post 9

                      Is youth really the best time of one's life?

           Adult life is full of ups and downs, with office politics and people who are difficult to handle. Adults deal with such situations on every other working day, with weekends for rest. According to the United Nations, youths are persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years. During this time, youths are not faced by the immense stress of adult life. Does this mean that youth is the best time of one’s life? I feel otherwise.

            Firstly, as youths, we face our own forms of stress. There are mainly two sources of this stress. One is from education and the other is from other compulsory activities. The stress caused by education is mainly due to competitiveness in the education system. We compete with one another to achieve a better grade so as to acquire good academic achievements which are a stepping stone to a successful job. Everyone wants these achievements, but only a limited number of people can acquire them. Youths thus study very hard to get these achievements. When one youth studies till ten at night, another then studies till eleven, hoping to stand a higher chance of achieving a better grade.  As youths grow older, there is more complex content for them to learn. It just gets tougher, and the amount of stress increases. On top of this, there are activities which youths have to attend. Some are Community Involvement Programme and Co-Curriculum Activities which are made compulsory by the government. Such activities usually take up a lot of time, and tires each individual out. Participating in activities like these would help a lot when one wants to apply for a scholarship as there would be one or two takeaways from every event participated. However, these activities actually add on to the stress youths face as the time spent on them could perhaps be better spent on studying or doing something that they enjoy.

            Secondly, youths have huge responsibilities which cannot be taken lightly. They have school projects to complete, important events that must be attended and leadership roles. A youth has to juggle between studying and these responsibilities and must find a balance between the two. Sometimes it is difficult to find this balance as they may have to forsake one for another. Also the timings of the events may clash, and youths have to decide to attend the more important one. For example, there is a project meeting on a Tuesday and there would also be trainings for a basketball competition on that same day at the same time. The youth must then choose between going for the project meeting or attending the basketball training. Youths thus have to prioritise. Sometimes it is difficult to do so as both events are equally as important. Missing the project meeting means that the project may not be completed on time and the student may end up getting scolded by the teacher. At the same time, missing the basketball training equally entails the student getting scolded by his coach and perhaps even taken out from the main team. As much as the student wants to be responsible, he must forsake one event for the sake of the other.

            On the contrary, some may argue that youths have fewer worries compared to adults. Adults face office politics every day, with some backstabbing and unreasonable demands from their bosses. All youths have to do is to ensure that they attain a reasonable grade for their exams and attend activities which are of a higher priority, without the need to deal with backstabbing and unreasonable demands. Most youths also do not have to worry about having a roof over their heads and the constant worry of being fired.

            I disagree that youth is the best time of one’s life because they face their own form of stress from education and heavy responsibilities. However I do acknowledge that youths have fewer worries compared to adults. Youth may not be the best time of one’s life but it is definitely better than adulthood.

Independent Post 8

                    Should advertisements be taken out from television programmes?

                 What are advertisements? They are a form of communication intended to persuade an audience to take some action. These colourful animations are aired between television shows. More often than not, they are aired at the exciting moments of a television series and viewers get very frustrated when the programme they are watching is disrupted. Imagine the show is reaching its climax and advertisements interrupt, replacing the show for the next three to four minutes. Now, wouldn’t it be a bliss if they be taken out from television programmes? No, I feel they should not. There are pros and cons about taking advertisements out of television programmes, but I personally feel that the bad outweighs the good.

                Firstly, advertisements are usually aired when the programmes reach their climax. The viewers then feel very frustrated. The advertisement usually lasts three to four minutes. During this time, it may be torturous for viewers to have to wait for the advertisements to be over. Taking advertisements out of television programmes would mean no interruption during the programme. The programme would just continue until the end.

Secondly, advertisements usually have catchy tunes. Some have more catchy ones than others. These advertisements come in a large variety. Such advertisements may become tiring to watch after numerous repetitions, and may start to bore the viewer. Those with very catchy jingles may get stuck in one’s head, like for example the Harvey Norman jingle. Viewers may experience difficulties falling asleep with this jingle “buzzing away” continuously in their heads at night. As for people who are working or students who are doing their homework, they may experience difficulties concentrating. Taking advertisements out of television programmes would mean no more of such catchy jingles, no more tiring and boring advertisements to look at, but just the programme.

                All of the above may appeal to one, but there is a downside to everything that appears good. A television programme without advertisements would lose viewers at a considerably fast rate. Imagine watching two movies in a row. It may be as exciting as Spiderman would be to a kid. However, there are no advertisements to intervene, which mean no “breaks”. Therefore, it is tiring to watch two movies in a row. One may say, “Then take breaks in between!” This is possible, but the question is, when? You could take breaks during the show itself or during the start where the music plays. This is possible, but these theme songs are largely designed to catch people’s attention, like the SpongeBob Squarepants theme song. These songs may be rather short at times, which means these breaks are also short. Furthermore, a one-minute break is very little in comparison with three to four minutes of break. As such, television programmes without advertisements become tiring to watch, instead of being fun and exciting.

A television programme without advertisements would mean no separation between two different shows. Advertisements usually come on around every fifteen minutes. In between shows, there is also another round of advertisements. Without these advertisements, a viewer may experience difficulty keeping track of time. Also, without the advertisements in between shows, it is difficult to tell when one programme is over and when the other is starting. Imagine the credits of a drama serial are being displayed on screen, with the closing song. Viewers would then know that the show has come to an end. The instant the song is over, another song plays. This time, it is the opening song of another serial. Viewers may be stunned. They may be wondering why there is another opening song playing. The previous show had only just ended! They would also be wondering what show it is and what is going on.

Finally, a television programme without advertisements would put viewers at a disadvantage. Advertisements sometimes have details on sales and promotions. A television programme without advertisements would mean its viewers would be unaware of such events, thus causing them to miss out on such sales. Also, advertisements sometimes show offers on the latest mobile phones, television, computers and so on. Others inform viewers about the existence of several products, ranging from leisure to daily necessities. Viewers of the television programmes are likely to miss out on such offers and as a result, would be unable to enjoy discounts on various products.

                I feel that it is best if a television programme has little advertisements during its airtime, and some in between programmes. This would allow viewers to have ample breaks, have a little suspense and at the same time, be informed of the latest news and offers.

Independent Post 7

Facebook – A blessing or a curse

Social Networking sites are used by people worldwide, and most people use it on a daily basis. It is convenient, efficient and free. It enables people from all over the world to communicate, free of charge. Does this mean that it is good? It’s not. Social Networking sites do have their advantages and disadvantages.

                Firstly, social networking sites are harmful to one’s health. Facebook is on the internet, which can only be assessed through a handphone, computer and internet television. These devices are harmful to the eyes. They cause many problems like deteriorating eyesight and addiction. Deteriorated eyesight is difficult to correct. Doctors worldwide would recommend wearing spectacles. They help correct one’s eyesight, and at the same time allow one to see things “perfect eyesight”. However, spectacles aren’t cheap. They can easily cost up to hundreds of dollars. Also, the lens would have to be changed as one’s degree increases or decreases. The lens itself is costly, with prices reaching a hundred dollars. In addition, deteriorated eyesight is very inconvenient, and if it continues to worsen, may result in blindness. Addiction is another major issue with Facebook, especially among the younger generation. This problem affects students more than anyone else. Students are young and are still learning. Most students, especially younger ones, are unable to exercise self-control. Thus it is very easy for them to get addicted to Facebook. Chatting online with friends may appeal to them, or the games Facebook provides are entertaining for them. Once hooked onto Facebook, it is difficult to break out of it. It’s just like a fish which got hooked onto a fishing hook. Escape is near impossible.

                Another problem with Facebook is its status update feature. This feature enables us to post and update everyone else on what we are doing. This may sound convenient and good but no. This feature has a negative side to it. It gives rise to what is known as “Facebook Stalking”. Some people exploit this feature to check on others, and see what they are doing. This makes it perfect for Office Politics. Adults can stalk each other on Facebook and make negative comments on others or backstab them. The status update feature may cause one to be in deep trouble. Posting what one does through status updates is bad. Anyone can view these posts, and someone with bad, evil intentions would exploit this to find out more about his or her target, and strike at the perfect time. Should this happen, no one can guarantee that one would not have an emotionally scarring experience.

                Finally, there is the problem of hacking. Some features on Facebook require money, like Facebook credits. Credit Card numbers would have to be used to purchase such credits. A hacker can hack a Facebook user’s account and get hold of the information of the user, which includes his or her credit card number. The hacker can use this information to his benefit, and do countless things. Once this happens, the victim may end up owing banks millions of dollars, and his or her fate would rest solely in the hacker’s hands.

                On the other hand, Facebook is a blessing. It has helped the police solve crimes, helped people find their loved ones, brought people together and made chatting online easier and more convenient. By helping police solve crimes, justice is served. By helping people find their loved ones especially after an epidemic, Facebook did a good deed. By bringing people together, Facebook helps people to get to know each other. By enable convenient online chats, Facebook helps people to socialise. However, there are also problems regarding to the chat on Facebook. You would never know if the user you are chatting with is who he or she claims to be. The situation of wolves in sheep clothing is thus very common. Still, all these problems can be avoided if one were careful about his or her posts and always remain cautious about who he or she may be in contact with to avoid unnecessary trouble.