Posted on: 26 April 2009 comment(s) - Drop us a message?
This poem was written by a close friend of mine, Conor. I'd have to apologise to him once again because I promised illustration for the poem. Unfortunately, time does not permit me to do so :(
The thoughts that float inside my head They're filled with horror, and filled with dread Because, don't you see? The world is dead All morals are gone, it is a disaster Every criminal, every crime, has it's own master Everything's failing, it's a world filled with tears Some kid's at school, are covered with jeers Self-esteem breaks, they think nothing of themselves No-one bends over, or offers to help So today you people, who have a good life Offer a hand, and help to end strife
I find that what the poem says is really true. Especially the part that reads 'All Morals are gone'.
Recently, there has been a stand-off in Singapore within AWARE between the old guards (who are supposedly for homosexual behaviour), and the new guards (who are strongly against the behaviour).
I'm a strong advocate of what Josie Lau and her new team are doing. I have to admit that I'm afraid. I'm afraid that homosexuality would be taught in the Singapore education as a "socially" and "morally" accepted action. Before anyone starts talking about the rights of homosexuals, let me make this clear. I do not condemn the person with a different gender preference. Rather, I condemn the ACTION of engaging in immoral activities that harm the society in more ways then one.
For those who have given feedback to me regarding my February 2009 post, about me mixing homosexuality with Christianity, I thank you for your feedback - they have played a huge role in the crafting of this post. I will not attempt to use religion to explain my distaste for the promotion of "homosexuality as an accepted behaviour".
Firstly, someone wrote in to say that "People with gender-orientation issues are born that way". I beg to differ. From Narth.com (which is not a religious site), "The inaccurate concept that homosexuality is solely biological is extremely misleading. Many therapists tell their clients that homosexuality is biological and therefore unchangeable. These therapists encourage their clients to embrace a gay identity, even when such clients are seeking change for their orientation.". This might not necessarily be prevalent in Singapore in the present, but it might be in the future - which is the reason I applaud the new team of EXCOs for taking a stand.
Secondly, activists claim that they are being discriminated against. However, my stand is that as long as they have basic rights to what any other Singaporeans should have, they have not been discriminated against. The only thing that the society / me condemns is the action of trying to break family values etc. If we want to give every ACTION a right to exist, it would also mean that we cannot condemn terrorist acts, suicide, mutilation etc. There has to be a clear line between what should be accepted and what shouldn't .
Recent events around the world have made this issue more pressing. Ms California (Carrie) was posed a question by one of the judges on what she thought about gay marriages. This had not only cost her a title in the Ms USA pageant contest (she was a strong favourite), it had led to a public backlash. Perez Hilton, the judge, slammed her in his blog following the answer. A quick search online would bring up Perez's derogatory remarks. Again, I applaud these people for their courage in standing up against the act of marrying someone of the same gender.
Go on, I'd love to hear your comments about this issue. Please do not start by correcting my grammar or spelling. I prefer response to my content. =)
Posted on: 20 April 2009 comment(s) - Drop us a message?
My Prophecy / Bold Prediction made in March had come to past. However, this isn't something that I particularly feel happy about. In fact, on 17th April, I had been praying earnestly that it would not happen - but it did. The Catholic High School Edward Becheras Choir achieved a GOLD award for SYF. In all the choirs I've been in, they've achieved Bronze (SAJS), Silver (SAJS), Gold (CHS) and Gold with Honours (CHS).
However, I did not participate in this year's SYF. To put it bluntly, I wasn't selected.
Even as I'd correctly predicted the results of the choir, I believe that there is a lot to learn from this incident. People need to fall. It is a necessity. So in a way, we should be thankful for the sudden change in results. This would actually help up to eradicate complacency, arrogance etc. in future. This isn't specifically aimed at the Choir. The Catholic High School basketball team had also lost their first two matches in 4 years - a result I welcome with open arms. The juniors need to know that the result doesn't just fall from the sky or grow from the ground. Achievements only "arrive" as a result of hardwork, teamwork and strong leadership.
I'd like to apologise to my friend, Conor. I had promised to do an illustration of a poem for him (and post it in my blog). Unfortunately, my time has been rather limited these days with preparations for 9 Prelim Papers and 1 O' Level paper. I'll get to it - I promise :)
Posted on: 12 April 2009 comment(s) - Drop us a message?
Litter left on tables. Commuters jostling their way into the train carriages in search of a seat, disregarding the elderly or handicapped. Social graces are lacking so much in Singapore; the probability of striking lottery is significantly higher than seeing someone give up their seats. These acts, committed consciously or unconsciously, have a negative impact on the reputation of Singapore and the strength of our social cohesion. This is a cause to be alarmed.
Singaporeans are quick to gripe about almost everything - not offering any constructive feedback. We chastise people for not extending a helping hand when we fall. We blame the society for anything that has gone awry. However, many do not realise that the reverse is also true. This does not augur well for us as individuals and as a nation.
We should tackle this problem at its roots. The problem certainly does not lie with the laws or campaigns aggressively aimed at solving this impending disaster. It lies with us. It begins with each and every citizen; we have the responsibility to teach our younger generations and inculcate the importance of social values into them.
Firstly, humility is of utmost importance. Humility to help others and treat fellow Singaporeans as equals. Invariably, there will be cases of people conforming to elitism and other forms of segregation. This is a huge impediment to our progress towards a gracious society in Singapore. As Singapore becomes more competitive through the years, there will be times when ranking and position takes priority in our lives. Only by humbling ourselves before our fellow citizens can we better communicate with other groups of people, promoting social cohesion and understanding amongst each other.
Secondly, but no less imperative, is showing consideration towards fellow citizens. A simple act of allowing passengers to alight from trains before you board can be classified as a high level of graciousness and consideration. This goes beyond improving traffic flow in train stations. It is about setting good examples and encouraging others to do so. If we can see this in the same light, irresponsibly leaving litter behind, refusing to give seats up etcetera would be a thing of the past.
Finally, a simple word of praise or encouragement has more positive impacts than criticising others. For example, Temasek Holdings has been receiving some criticisms following her losses incurred in her investments. We question the effectiveness of this "company" are are quick in passing hurtful comments. Did we realise that it was this "company" that was also responsible for our country's healthy reserves? Encouragement over criticism is the way to go.
If we can make kindness and those values mentioned above part of our lives, Singapore will become a more gracious society.
Posted on: 10 April 2009 comment(s) - Drop us a message?
My poor attempt at cross breeding a Praying Mantis and a Penguin...
Arghhh - I'm down with a fever today... I guess it's because I stayed up beyond 12am for 3 consecutive days to finish up on my homework. Guess homework will have to take the back seat whenever I'm feeling tired :/
iPhone Shuffle
Posted on: 08 April 2009 comment(s) - Drop us a message?
With the release of iPhone 3G, many wonder what is in store for them. When Steve Jobs gave his first keynote on the iPhone, he mentioned something along the lines of 'The iPod. The iPhone. They are not two separate objects.'
Well, perhaps we should 'review' that statement. "The iPod. The iPhone. The Shuffle. They are not three separate objects. Introducing, the new - iPhone Shuffle!"
Below is the video:
For those of you whom are still living in your own world, this is just a spoof video.
Posted on: 05 April 2009 comment(s) - Drop us a message?
What a breathtaking address by Pattie Maes and Pranav Mistry.
In her presentation, she was demonstrating how the use of a "Sixth-sense device" might become a reality. With just a camera, projector and some other equipment hanging from your neck, you could easily do your daily stuff with some simple hand gestures.
Will this ever turn into a reality? I'll leave you to decide on that one. For the full video, please go to Ted.com and do a search on "Pattie Maes" :)
Posted on: 03 April 2009 comment(s) - Drop us a message?
Notice how the line "research has shown that..." is being overused in our daily lives. Almost every other time, when a "research has shown that" something could happen as a result of something, it's never true. It is just like the debates on how healthy alcohol is for your body; if underwears can be eaten; or even if defecating causes heart failure. We'll never understand how these "researchers" come up with their conclusions...
That aside, I was tickled when I saw this cartoon. I'm sure you'll like it as well:
If you have difficulties reading the text in the image, right-click and select "Open Image in New Tab". This would work most of the time, unless of course you're still using the buggy IE 6 (you'd have to Open Image in a New Window in this case).
