Piracy is a crime. Or is it? It's so common it's becoming the norm nowdays.
Many people in Singapore are downloading pirated stuff nowadays, from songs on various P2P software such as Limewire, to downloading videos from youtube, and it does not just apply to animae. This, in the government's eyes, is illegal, bu they are not doing anything about it besides promoting 'piracy is a crime' advertisements and 'commercials' on every video you buy, or in the films. They aren't really cracking down on offenders of this crime, and now they refuse another company's claim to sue the offenders. This just will encourage people to download more illegal stuff as they know that the government is making very little effort to nab and fine the people who are doing illegal downloading, and teenagers who don't really care about the consequences because they think that the government will not bother to care that they are downloading and nab them might just be right.
The fault also lies in the company. Firstly it is making a large amount of profits by selling their VCDs for an exorbitant price. The CDs only cost a matter of 10 or 20 cents and the rights to the video will cost about 10 to 20 dollar per copy. But ODEX is selling animaes at a price of 50-80 dollars, which makes their profit about 50 dollars. And their focus audience of the animae is the students and teens, who do not earn any money and get little pocket money. By doing this, it discourages teens from buying because they do not have enough money and their parents are not willing to spend that much money on a matter of a matter of 1 or 2 videos. Thus teens will resort to piracy where they can get the same thing with comparable quality, and the best thing is that it doesn't cost a cent.
Let's look at this, if prices are high, less people will buy and turn to illegal downloading. And when less people buy, the company has to increase cost of the video to make up for it's producing costs, and the vicious cycle continues. But if prices are lowered by the company and the government makes a strong stand on piracy and takes action on offenders, then people will turn to buying real stuff which are affordable and the profit of the company will increase too even though they earn less per vcd as more people buy, and this is a win-win situation for both the consumers and ODEX.
Seriously, who cares about 'illegal downloads' when you can download them for free and get away scot-free for it. That is the attitude of teems who don't care about moral issues. But why should they care when the government doesn't care too. The government might think that this might serve as a warning to the illegal downloaders, but it will turn out the opposite. It should instead set an example to the people by showing that piracy is NOT tolerated and bothering to go sue and nad the people who do that.
As usual, ODEX is suing the illegal downloaders because of company profits. They have lost money because people have downloaded illegally instead of buying the real thing, and they are trying to claim back the money. But claim of $5000 when the stuff they downloaded cost only about $50 of their profits. A bit too much?
The only group that seems to have been not criticised yet is the individuals who download the stuff illegally. It might seem unreasonable to criticise them as firstly they are unable to afford the vcds, and secondly they government does not care so they won't care too. But have they forgotten their morals. It's not acase of bring the most witty and smartest by getting the 'best deals' but on the morals of downloading. Yes, the costs might be too high, but does it give teens a reson to download these illegally? NO It's like stealing a computer from a shop because the costs are too high and you cannot affort it. It goes against the issue of morality. Teens also have the misconception that piracy is not stealing, but it actually is, excapt that it is not material theft but software theft.
To the government- Just let ODEX sue the illegal downloaders and let them bear the brunt for what they have done, and teach them a lesson they'll never forget, however at a slightly lower cost of maybe $500 as a first time lesson. But first, ODEX- lower your cost of animaes.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20070825/tap-odex-had-no-right-of-civil-action-ag-231650b.html
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
CA for CA: U.S. envoy expects North Korean nuclear talks to restart soon
When two inreasingly stubborn countries come together and try to form an agreement between the two of them, each one refuses to compromise and as usual, they break down again. But this time. its's different. Pongyang somehow agrees to shut down it's nuclear reactor, but of course, it comes with a cost to the US government too. But the question is not on the cost, it's about why the US wants to close pyongyang's nuclear reactor down?
Why does US of A have so many nuclear weapons while it is trying to get other countries to stop production of these weapons of mass destruction. Their stand is that the other countries pose a threat to the peace of the world and that it is their duty to stop these and 'protect' the peace of the world. But let me ask them, if they treat themselves as the 'big brother' to the world, shouldn't they set an example to the rest of the world and destroy their own weapons first. And what is the purpose of having nuclear weapons to the US, is it to destroy other countries, or is it to protect themselves? If it is to protect themselvs, North Korea can also have weapons because they want to protect thmeselves too. Anyway US must remember that it is the only country to have used a nuclear bomb on humans, and they are the major culprit, not the North Koreans or Iran. If they want to prevent this from happening again, they should make sure that NO country in the world should have nuclear bombs, and they should start off first and set a good example to the rest of the world.
Another complaint is that North Korea is not reliable and could detonate the weapon to kill many people. But we question and ask whether the US is reliable, it could just detonate its weapon on anybody it doesn't like. And the US also says that North Korea is a threat to the world because it has nuclear weapons. But doesn't the US have nuclear weapons too, and certainly more than North Korea, so that makes the US a bigger threat to the world
The reason USA is doing this because it wants to protect it's status and interest. It wants to be the major superpower in the world and wants to protect their own country. Another question is why is US so concerned with the nuclear situation in North Korea? The parties in the six coumtry nation talks are Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, North Korea and the US. Do you realise that the US is ther furthest country from North Korea in the rest of the 5 nations, so why is the US so 'kaypoh' and interfere in the talks? It just wants to show to the world that it is powerful and that they are 'really' concerned the the affairs of the world to protect the security of everyone.
Even the complains on the US is not able to dispell the fact that many people think that North Korea is a threat to the world due to the fact that is is a commmunist state and its not open to the world. What makes it even threatening is that North Korea is not transparent and the world is unaware of the recent developments and whant is going on is North Korea, which makes them even more suspectible.
US is just trying to protect it's own country and status as a superpower and big brother and does not care vbout the rest of the world even though the claim that they are doing so. They should just leave the matter till pongyang decides to do something or should leave the matter in the hands of the countries around North Korea which are mostr affected
Why does US of A have so many nuclear weapons while it is trying to get other countries to stop production of these weapons of mass destruction. Their stand is that the other countries pose a threat to the peace of the world and that it is their duty to stop these and 'protect' the peace of the world. But let me ask them, if they treat themselves as the 'big brother' to the world, shouldn't they set an example to the rest of the world and destroy their own weapons first. And what is the purpose of having nuclear weapons to the US, is it to destroy other countries, or is it to protect themselves? If it is to protect themselvs, North Korea can also have weapons because they want to protect thmeselves too. Anyway US must remember that it is the only country to have used a nuclear bomb on humans, and they are the major culprit, not the North Koreans or Iran. If they want to prevent this from happening again, they should make sure that NO country in the world should have nuclear bombs, and they should start off first and set a good example to the rest of the world.
Another complaint is that North Korea is not reliable and could detonate the weapon to kill many people. But we question and ask whether the US is reliable, it could just detonate its weapon on anybody it doesn't like. And the US also says that North Korea is a threat to the world because it has nuclear weapons. But doesn't the US have nuclear weapons too, and certainly more than North Korea, so that makes the US a bigger threat to the world
The reason USA is doing this because it wants to protect it's status and interest. It wants to be the major superpower in the world and wants to protect their own country. Another question is why is US so concerned with the nuclear situation in North Korea? The parties in the six coumtry nation talks are Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, North Korea and the US. Do you realise that the US is ther furthest country from North Korea in the rest of the 5 nations, so why is the US so 'kaypoh' and interfere in the talks? It just wants to show to the world that it is powerful and that they are 'really' concerned the the affairs of the world to protect the security of everyone.
Even the complains on the US is not able to dispell the fact that many people think that North Korea is a threat to the world due to the fact that is is a commmunist state and its not open to the world. What makes it even threatening is that North Korea is not transparent and the world is unaware of the recent developments and whant is going on is North Korea, which makes them even more suspectible.
US is just trying to protect it's own country and status as a superpower and big brother and does not care vbout the rest of the world even though the claim that they are doing so. They should just leave the matter till pongyang decides to do something or should leave the matter in the hands of the countries around North Korea which are mostr affected
Monday, July 23, 2007
Forget to remember, remember to forget
Should I remember, or forget. It pains to remember, because I hope that it could start all over again, but it's not going to happen. To forget... then the 8 days there will be a waste of time.
Should I?
Should I?
Miss the ppl
I'm starting to miss everybody. From my teamates and facilitators in my group at the camp, to the person who sat next to me on the plane on the way to Taiwan. I just wish I could go back into time and experience the wonderful times we had, but I noe it's impossible, we all just have to move on.
Keep the memories...
Keep the memories...
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Quotes from Taiwan
Here are three most important stuff I learnt from 秩敦哥
- 如果要他high，就要先自high, 但不可以过度high
- 你们别问我，一起跟朋友讨论，想出办法，如果真的不可以才找我
- 如果有东西要问就去问，以后回想时就不会后悔，而自己会觉得满意
我永远不会忘记的话
Other quotes kopped
- 累只是一种过程(红豆)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Back from Taiwan
Yes. I'm back from taiwan after a week. Missed one week of school but had lots of fun there. Made lots of new friends, learned lots of new stuff and had lots of fun. Took about 500 pictures on my handphone because my camera wasn't good but the pics were of quite low resolution. Took China Airlines, which had personal tv on the way there with touch sereen. The flight on the way back was horrible, no personal tv and the seats were very old. We had one day of lectures, another day of team building activities, 3 days of preparing for the event and the final day which was the event where we hosted the visually impared children to a day of fun and games. Only managed 4 hours of shopping from 10pm-2am on the last night. No taipei 101 visit too. Sigh,,, back to school.
Heard there is another trip to Dwen An in November...
Heard there is another trip to Dwen An in November...
Monday, July 09, 2007
Taiwan Dwen An Service Learning summer camp 2007
Whee... will be leaving for taipei later in the aftenoon today. now it's 1:35 in the morning and I can't sleep. Too excited. Will be ponning skool for one week + one day and will miss a physic quiz and some praticals and practice for chem and physics. Anyway I hope to have fun and improve my Chinese there, even though it's so hard to understand the words because they are in fan2 ti3. Anyway to those reading my blog, have fun in school....muhaaah (Ivan laugh)
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Burnout
Wah. These few days damn busy lor. Only wednesday and total burnout already. Today kena late for skool.
Monday: Youth day, but had to reach skool at 9.30 am for briefing. Then bring the Taiwan Dwen An students for amazing race around Singapore till about 9pm. Reach home still got to do ERP. Slept at 2am.
Tuesday: Usual skool. Got PE, then after skool rush down queensway to pick up class shirts then rush to RGS where the Taiwan ppl were. Then played lot's of sports and games and finished at 10pm. Went home and rushed ERP and RE. No time to revise for maths TA. Slept at 1.30am.
Today sure fail maths TA lor. Never revise. Tmr still got chinese du zhe test.
Sigh... tired
anyway, 4 more days. Heh
Monday: Youth day, but had to reach skool at 9.30 am for briefing. Then bring the Taiwan Dwen An students for amazing race around Singapore till about 9pm. Reach home still got to do ERP. Slept at 2am.
Tuesday: Usual skool. Got PE, then after skool rush down queensway to pick up class shirts then rush to RGS where the Taiwan ppl were. Then played lot's of sports and games and finished at 10pm. Went home and rushed ERP and RE. No time to revise for maths TA. Slept at 1.30am.
Today sure fail maths TA lor. Never revise. Tmr still got chinese du zhe test.
Sigh... tired
anyway, 4 more days. Heh
Monday, June 11, 2007
Mid year hols- Part 1
Ah well... as usual, no work is done, or has been done. Who cares. What's important is that I had fun. Work's coming and is going to be done later in the next two weeks.
Week 1- Interact camp. Damn fun leh. Left the air con on in the junior blk class for 3 whole days, amazing race around half of Singapore, war games where everything got stolen, Macs for dinner, playing cards, baseball and soccer in the room, and playing soccer on the Astroturf at 3am. What more can you expect from it. SMO senior was the only 'spoiler' during the camp
Week 2- Yong GEMS camp. All the way at Republic Polytechnic at Woodlands for 1 whole week, but worth it. Went shopping during the camp, 'busking' (giving out free stuff) on Orchard Road, service attachment at SMRT corp (slack but very insightful technically), performance, friends, service, smiling, blah... Cool eh.
Week 1- Interact camp. Damn fun leh. Left the air con on in the junior blk class for 3 whole days, amazing race around half of Singapore, war games where everything got stolen, Macs for dinner, playing cards, baseball and soccer in the room, and playing soccer on the Astroturf at 3am. What more can you expect from it. SMO senior was the only 'spoiler' during the camp
Week 2- Yong GEMS camp. All the way at Republic Polytechnic at Woodlands for 1 whole week, but worth it. Went shopping during the camp, 'busking' (giving out free stuff) on Orchard Road, service attachment at SMRT corp (slack but very insightful technically), performance, friends, service, smiling, blah... Cool eh.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
NAPFA 2007
It's always like this: beofre I do my NAPFA I akways think I'm going to not be able to do enuff situps or IPU, but it always turns out better than ok.
I round up my results after my 2.4 or Wednesday.
Situps- 47 (A)
SBJ- 249 (A)
Sit and Reach- 46 (A)
Shuttle Run- 9.5 (A)
IPU- 30 (A)
2.4 run- 12.23 (C)
28 points and a Gold. Whippee.
I round up my results after my 2.4 or Wednesday.
Situps- 47 (A)
SBJ- 249 (A)
Sit and Reach- 46 (A)
Shuttle Run- 9.5 (A)
IPU- 30 (A)
2.4 run- 12.23 (C)
28 points and a Gold. Whippee.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
CA for CA- Singapore government pay increases by 60 percent
The huge financial problems around the world, including in Singapore, yet the Singapore ministers give themselves a pay rise of a whooping/shocking 60% pay rise to S$3.1million a year. One question being asked by Singaporeans is, why are these ministers getting a pay rise, and do they deserve it?
Our ministers pay have not been increased for many years and I think an increase will be suitable not so as to peg our salaries to the top few percent of the working sector. These words, to some degree of similarity, was quoted from Mr Lee Hsien Loong, which shows his reason for the pay increase. You have to accept the fact that ministers' salaries have not increased for many years, and that they have done quite a good job of handling the country and so do deserve some sort of a rise as an incentive to work even harder, but why so much increments, and why must the government peg their pay to the top few percent of the Singapore's working force, shouldn't they peg it to the bottom few to show fairness and that they want to geuninely serve the country and are not here for money?
George Bush works 24/7 serving a country that is thousands of times bigger than Singapore, and he only gets one-fifth of a Singapore minister's salary who works part-time as a minister. Fair? Surely not. George Bush's pay is not even in the top 5 precent of the highest earners in his country, and the hugeness of his country makes it an even harder one to manage.
When running for elections, the main thing the minsters have promised is to serve the people, but it comes with a very heavy financial cost. By serving the people, the ministers have decided they need a increase beacuse they have 'served' the poeple very well. But what does it mean by 'serve'. To serve the people and give themselves huge benifits is not serving, but instead 'working' for the people.
The recent increasing income gap also makes it less a reason for the ministers to increase their pay. When some people in the country are not doing financially well at all, the ministers should go all out to help those in need instead of sitting in parliament and discussing on their pay rise. Why don't the government decide to not increase their pay, instead put their supposed pay rise into a fund or plan to close the vast income gap though financial help and the implementation and finding of new and skilled jobs so the people can earn money.
Singapore is 'democratic', so why not exercise this voting right on how much the minister's pay should be increased by. The citizens can determine the ministers' rise on the amount of work and contributions they have made to the country, which will be a fair reflection and judgement. The citizens also won't complain of the pay rise as they have determined it themselves.
However give credit to the ministers when it's due. Several ministers have agreed to donate the pay rise to charity for the next few years, including the Prime Minister. This indicates that what the ministers want is not money, and want to prove to Singaporeans that they want to use their earnings for a good cause, which is good. However, why not just take away the pay rise and put it into a fund instead.
Yes, the ministers should take a pay hike, but not as much as 60%, perhaps 10% or 20%. To them, it might be just a matter of a peanut or two, but to the working class, it's like 50 bags of peanuts. So to all ministers, why don't you take away some of your peanuts and throw it down for us to eat and we'll be contented.
Word count: 638
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070411/3/47rb4.html
Reflection: WHat I think was good about this article was that I managed to show both views, the view of a minister and that of a citizen. I also managed to relate the pay hike to some issues such as the increasing poverty gap in Singapore and the use of democracy here.
Self rating: 16/20
Note: Ms Yong, if you are reading this, I have two other blog posts somewhere in Feburary, one about the Indonesia floods and one on the Crazy Horse. You might have to look in the archives. thanks.
Our ministers pay have not been increased for many years and I think an increase will be suitable not so as to peg our salaries to the top few percent of the working sector. These words, to some degree of similarity, was quoted from Mr Lee Hsien Loong, which shows his reason for the pay increase. You have to accept the fact that ministers' salaries have not increased for many years, and that they have done quite a good job of handling the country and so do deserve some sort of a rise as an incentive to work even harder, but why so much increments, and why must the government peg their pay to the top few percent of the Singapore's working force, shouldn't they peg it to the bottom few to show fairness and that they want to geuninely serve the country and are not here for money?
George Bush works 24/7 serving a country that is thousands of times bigger than Singapore, and he only gets one-fifth of a Singapore minister's salary who works part-time as a minister. Fair? Surely not. George Bush's pay is not even in the top 5 precent of the highest earners in his country, and the hugeness of his country makes it an even harder one to manage.
When running for elections, the main thing the minsters have promised is to serve the people, but it comes with a very heavy financial cost. By serving the people, the ministers have decided they need a increase beacuse they have 'served' the poeple very well. But what does it mean by 'serve'. To serve the people and give themselves huge benifits is not serving, but instead 'working' for the people.
The recent increasing income gap also makes it less a reason for the ministers to increase their pay. When some people in the country are not doing financially well at all, the ministers should go all out to help those in need instead of sitting in parliament and discussing on their pay rise. Why don't the government decide to not increase their pay, instead put their supposed pay rise into a fund or plan to close the vast income gap though financial help and the implementation and finding of new and skilled jobs so the people can earn money.
Singapore is 'democratic', so why not exercise this voting right on how much the minister's pay should be increased by. The citizens can determine the ministers' rise on the amount of work and contributions they have made to the country, which will be a fair reflection and judgement. The citizens also won't complain of the pay rise as they have determined it themselves.
However give credit to the ministers when it's due. Several ministers have agreed to donate the pay rise to charity for the next few years, including the Prime Minister. This indicates that what the ministers want is not money, and want to prove to Singaporeans that they want to use their earnings for a good cause, which is good. However, why not just take away the pay rise and put it into a fund instead.
Yes, the ministers should take a pay hike, but not as much as 60%, perhaps 10% or 20%. To them, it might be just a matter of a peanut or two, but to the working class, it's like 50 bags of peanuts. So to all ministers, why don't you take away some of your peanuts and throw it down for us to eat and we'll be contented.
Word count: 638
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070411/3/47rb4.html
Reflection: WHat I think was good about this article was that I managed to show both views, the view of a minister and that of a citizen. I also managed to relate the pay hike to some issues such as the increasing poverty gap in Singapore and the use of democracy here.
Self rating: 16/20
Note: Ms Yong, if you are reading this, I have two other blog posts somewhere in Feburary, one about the Indonesia floods and one on the Crazy Horse. You might have to look in the archives. thanks.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
APR April
The first APR of the year is out, and these are my results:
English- 69, 3.2 (half mark for any assignment would have gotten me a 70, 3.6)
Maths- 77, 3.6 x 2 (too much weightage on CCT, which i ony got 65percent)
Higher Chinese- 68, 3.2 (ok lah)
Social Studies- 89, 4.0 (hah)
Geography- 90, 4.0 (imba)
History- 80, 4.0 (ok lah)
Physics- 67,3.2 (most likely 3.6 if they had counted pratical)
Chemistry- 66, 3.2 (sucks. worst subject)
GPA: 3.56
I don't thing it's a good grade, but some of my friends all think it's good. Wad do u tink?
English- 69, 3.2 (half mark for any assignment would have gotten me a 70, 3.6)
Maths- 77, 3.6 x 2 (too much weightage on CCT, which i ony got 65percent)
Higher Chinese- 68, 3.2 (ok lah)
Social Studies- 89, 4.0 (hah)
Geography- 90, 4.0 (imba)
History- 80, 4.0 (ok lah)
Physics- 67,3.2 (most likely 3.6 if they had counted pratical)
Chemistry- 66, 3.2 (sucks. worst subject)
GPA: 3.56
I don't thing it's a good grade, but some of my friends all think it's good. Wad do u tink?
Monday, March 19, 2007
JTC
Sigh... It's been 2 days since I got back from RR JTC camp but I'm still feeling the hangovers of it. Still quite tired even though I slept 14 hours the night I came home. The camp was fun, but only slept 4+2+3= 9 hours in 3 nights. Still got quite a bit of homework to do. Posta bout the camp another day.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Screw it
I think I sort of screwed up my first 2 years in RI. It didn't really start off on a good note in sec 1 orientation camp, seemed sort of a complete joke, as in me. Then the gym allocation, which really screwed up my first 2 years, ponning and being the brunt of all jokes whenever I went. I think I didn't really take the first 2 years that seriously, like playing around, slacking and stuff. Ok. I had quite a number of friends, but it didn't seem that perfect. I don't know, but looking back, it seems screwed.
One of my biggest regrets was not becoming a prefect. I dunno wad's the hype in me about being a prefect, but is it the credentials, the willingness to serve and return back to the school or just being able to ponn stuff to support RI
This year is better and worse. The better thing is that I'm trying harder to improve my grades and it's going quite fine now. The bad thing is that the GE people have been split up and I feel slightly more lonely, juz talking (as in really talking) with 1 to 2 friends in class, and they are mostly geepers.
Hope the year improves.
Note: I may sound a little screwed here, but I' actually quite sastisfied and happy now.
One of my biggest regrets was not becoming a prefect. I dunno wad's the hype in me about being a prefect, but is it the credentials, the willingness to serve and return back to the school or just being able to ponn stuff to support RI
This year is better and worse. The better thing is that I'm trying harder to improve my grades and it's going quite fine now. The bad thing is that the GE people have been split up and I feel slightly more lonely, juz talking (as in really talking) with 1 to 2 friends in class, and they are mostly geepers.
Hope the year improves.
Note: I may sound a little screwed here, but I' actually quite sastisfied and happy now.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Prefects Investiture
Prefects Investiture today was in the new hall. Definitely bettee than last year.
Looking back at Sec 1, I realised that the 3 people I voted for CEC in Sec 1 are all prefects now.
Coincidence or superb foresight?
Looking back at Sec 1, I realised that the 3 people I voted for CEC in Sec 1 are all prefects now.
Coincidence or superb foresight?
Thursday, February 22, 2007
CA for CA: Poor Turnout closes Singapore Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse troupe performingAnother one comes and goes just as quick as it came. Crazy horse, the cabaret show, so famous in Paris but a ho-hum to Singaporeans, closed its doors in January, just more than a year after its opening.
You are in school and your friend runs up to you and say, "I watched Crazy Horse yesterday night, there were long queues and the show was a sell-out, and it was fantastic to watch." There are 2 loopholes in this scenairo. Firstly your friend will not be able to watch the show as he is under 18, and secondly the show has never been a sell-out (except for once).
Social Perspective
But why don't the Singaporeans watch these shows where in Paris, the show has been running for many years and recieve a good amount of viewership every day? Firstly, compare our museums and heritage sites in Singapore to those in Paris. I think our museums have more wax figures that visitors in them, but in Paris, just look at the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, etc. which are bustling with visitors every day. Another comparism is their shows we watch to those the Parisians watch. We watch almost meaningless shows like Singapore Idol, the Dance Floor, Project Superstar and other comedy and competition shows. What the Parisians watch is soap operas in which they really appreciate. It just goes to show the type of culture we apprecite and what the Parisans appreciate. It's not surprising that the two crazy horse situations are so different. I mean, if Singaporeans want to watch half-clad women dancing, they can just watch it at home on their computers. Technology is so advanced now that people can do everything at home, on their computers, compared to 30 years ago. Other examples of falied cabaret shows now is Neptune, which also closed not long ago. It was very popular in the 1970, where people didn't have computers and wanted entertainment, so they watch these shows, but the situation is so different now and people don't like to watch these shows, and the Neptune's viewership has dipped since the 70s. Singaporeans' mindsets are sterotyped- if you watch these shows, you are not appreciating culture but you are a 'dirty old man'.
Political Perspective
You are in school and your friend runs up to you and say, "I watched Crazy Horse yesterday night, there were long queues and the show was a sell-out, and it was fantastic to watch." There are 2 loopholes in this scenairo. Firstly your friend will not be able to watch the show as he is under 18, and secondly the show has never been a sell-out (except for once).
Social Perspective
But why don't the Singaporeans watch these shows where in Paris, the show has been running for many years and recieve a good amount of viewership every day? Firstly, compare our museums and heritage sites in Singapore to those in Paris. I think our museums have more wax figures that visitors in them, but in Paris, just look at the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, etc. which are bustling with visitors every day. Another comparism is their shows we watch to those the Parisians watch. We watch almost meaningless shows like Singapore Idol, the Dance Floor, Project Superstar and other comedy and competition shows. What the Parisians watch is soap operas in which they really appreciate. It just goes to show the type of culture we apprecite and what the Parisans appreciate. It's not surprising that the two crazy horse situations are so different. I mean, if Singaporeans want to watch half-clad women dancing, they can just watch it at home on their computers. Technology is so advanced now that people can do everything at home, on their computers, compared to 30 years ago. Other examples of falied cabaret shows now is Neptune, which also closed not long ago. It was very popular in the 1970, where people didn't have computers and wanted entertainment, so they watch these shows, but the situation is so different now and people don't like to watch these shows, and the Neptune's viewership has dipped since the 70s. Singaporeans' mindsets are sterotyped- if you watch these shows, you are not appreciating culture but you are a 'dirty old man'.
Political Perspective
What the Singapore government is trying to do is to promote this show to both Singaporeans and tourists.But it isn't doing much to help improve viewership of these shows and expose Singaporeans to appreciate new cultures. Firstly, the government has too many restrictions on the shows, for example banning advertisments on the Crazy Horse shows on bus stops and on newspapers, beside the Movies section in Life. The government also ins't doing anyhing to promote these shows. Maybe they could have a minister watch Crazy Horse so he can 'endorse' the show. This might abolish the steryotype that make Singaporeans scared to watch the show. As for tourists, why would they want to come here to watch a second-rate show where they can go to Paris and watch the real and original performance. The atmosphere here is also not 'conducive' and the theater will be almost empty. Tourists go to different countries because they want to see the countries' specialities, which for Singapore is the food, warm weather, shopping and our 'kiasu-ness', and not to watch these shows. Perhaps when the 2 IRs are open more people from Batam and other parts of the world will come here to gamble, and convinently enjoy some form of entertainment through the cabaret shows. But not for now.
Source:
Source:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070125/5/singapore254709.html
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
CA for CA: Indonesia Floods Leave 145,000 Homeless
Residents use a makeshift raft to help a motorist cross a flooded street in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007. Severe storms caused the worst flooding in Indonesia's capital in five years, forcing rivers to break their banks, inundating thousands of homes and businesses. [AP]
Hey, all you people sitting in your comfortable chairs, sipping your coffees (or soft drink or milk, if you are) and reading this post on your computer, have you ever thought of how lucky you are to be in your current situation. Just look at the 145,000 people in Indonesia who are homeless. They don't even have a roof to cover their heads, much less the computer you are sitting in front of now.
You many say that it is just another flood (after the Malaysia floods), just a natural process which just happens to certain countries and not others. We know that they are homeless and despearte for help. But we cannot understand what they feel, because we have not experienced it, thus cannot empathise (not sympathise) and it will be hard for us to put ourselves in their shoes.
Needs and Wants
Our society, the upper class society is talking all about what we want, good food, computer games, the 5Cs, and even though we have a lot already, we want more and more and more... even though we got what we actually targeted. But people who are working very hard to make ends meet, like atking up 3 or 4 jobs a day, all they care for is things they need, not want, like basic necessities such as clothes, and they would be grateful to even get a little of those. So we ask ourselves this question, are we demanding too much?
We think that going to school is a boring process of life that we go through everyday just beacuse the government forces us to, and we are sick and tired of it, and we want air-con, more recess, blah blah blah... but in Indonesia, the children would be estatic just even to be able to go to a basic school wih no fans or air-con, and tables and chairs made out of wood, and dusty blackboards.
Effects in Indonesia
The floods have brought out the best in some and the worst in others. When someone is in distress and see fellow people who are in the same boat as them and need help, people will lend a helping hand and try to the best of their abilities to help others (as shown in the picture above). That's what I think is one of the positives that can be taken from floods. However, looting is also common after floods, where looters break into other people's homes and steal anything they can find. The reason why they do this is because they too, are desperate for money and goods and so resort to looting, and in some way we can sympathise with them. But looting is immoral in the first place they they should not have done it.
The floods will also teach the Indonesian government an important lesson in what they have gone wrong in by having poor urban planning and not having an adequete sewerage system.
So just spare a thought for the people who are so very homeless and desperate for help, and be thankful that you are not in their shoes and appreciate what you have.
P.S. Donations Welcome too
Source:
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/070204/ap/d8n2m9tg0.html
Monday, February 05, 2007
CA for CA: Indonesia Bans Sand Exports
Land sand for exportThe Situation and reason
Oh...so Indonesia has banned land sand exports. I don't know if Singapore was prepared for this, but this came as a sudden thing to those who only read the newspaper (which is quite a lot for kids like us these days). However it has hit the republic island quite hard, considering that most of the sand which comes here is from Indonesia, after Malaysia banned the same thing in 1997. Note that people think that land sand is used for reclaiming, but in fact it is used for producing cement, essential in the construction industry. Indonesia has banned the sand due to environmental reasons and to protect Indonesia's borders. However it is stated that much of the sand mining is done inland, and is unlikely to affect outlying islands and Indonesia's borders.
Effects on the 'little red dot'
As stated earlier, lots of sand used here comes from Indonesia, and by this ban, will have an impact on the construction industry. However the government and BCA (Building and Construction Authority) states that the impact will not be significant, and won't really slow down the construction sector, in which they can use sand from their reserves. The fact is that at this time, major works are happening in Singapore, the building of not one, but two IRs (Integrated Resorts), the MRT Circle Line, Marina Barrage, and lots more. It would be difficult to say that we would not face problems in the coming future.
Solutions
What Singapore will have to do when her reserves run out is to import land sand for concrete from other countries further away around the region, and there will undoubtedly be higher costs. Eventually, the higher costs will have an effect on the people and consumers (that means US) will have to pay for this increase in costs when they buy or use facilities. What we can also do is to use sustainable construction methods to build buildings and stuff, and the BCA states that it will cut consumption of sand by 60 to 70 percent.
The ban takes effect on the 25th of February 2007 and gives exporters us to 5th February 2007 (today) to honour it's existing sand export contracts.
Reflections
Indonesia
I felt that this ban by Indonesia was something that would be expected someday or another, and it just happened today. Indonesia's decision to ban the export totally at one go was in my opinion, a little too sudden. What I think they should have done was to inform on the ban a few months before to give the countries which obtain the sand from them to find other sources before the ban kicked into place, or maybe they could have phrased out the ban, which will allow countries importing the sand to deal with the situation slowly and gradually, and eventually have time to come up with ways to solve this problem. However you have to look at Indonesia's situation and know that they are losing lots of sand and they need to protect their borders. There is also environmental issues, where animals will lose their habitat and erosion will speed up, thus causing more land to be lost.
Singapore
I thought that even though the ban came as quite a shock to the countries that import sand from Indonesia, especially Singapore who imports most of its sand from there, the BCA (Building Construction Authority) has done quite well in preparing and foreseeing this might happen by having lots of sand in our reserves and having other sources around the region where we can import sand from. The government has also done quite a good job by providing subsidies and cheaper rates to those contractors and building companies which have been affected by the shortage of sand and the price hike. However, I think that this can only be a short-term solution because eventually, we either switch to sustainable construction methods which do not use sand or look for other countries around the region for sand to import, and this will certainly increase costs eventually and thus the people who will pay more will be the consumers too, us.
Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/254450/1/.html
Singapore
I thought that even though the ban came as quite a shock to the countries that import sand from Indonesia, especially Singapore who imports most of its sand from there, the BCA (Building Construction Authority) has done quite well in preparing and foreseeing this might happen by having lots of sand in our reserves and having other sources around the region where we can import sand from. The government has also done quite a good job by providing subsidies and cheaper rates to those contractors and building companies which have been affected by the shortage of sand and the price hike. However, I think that this can only be a short-term solution because eventually, we either switch to sustainable construction methods which do not use sand or look for other countries around the region for sand to import, and this will certainly increase costs eventually and thus the people who will pay more will be the consumers too, us.
Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/254450/1/.html
Tokking about CA (current affairs) for CA
Sigh...Homework's here again. This time it's an English CA thingy on CA (Current Affairs). For the time period of about till end of Term 2, there will be some posts on Current Affairs. Anyway, will still continue to post.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Sec 3 OBS
Back from OBS. 5 days 4 nights. Was with more than half my class in a group called Dhanabalan (don't even know who he is, juz noe he's some minister)
Day 1-
Got to skool same time as usual, took a bus to some ulu punggol jetty then got onto those OBS bumb-boats. Went to camp 1 so we were residential, 2 nights in bunks and 2 nights in bashas (mobile ppl had 4 nights in tents). Our instructor/trainer was Cindy and so first we did some admin stuff lik taking away ur wallets and handphones and doing a little bit of icebreakers. Lunch was at the canteen, had catered food which consisted of rice, 3 dishes and a soup. Food tasted ok, similar to the dining hall one. After lunch was kayaking. where we fisrt learned some drills such as capsizing before going for a 2 to 3 hour trip to Pulau Ketam (Crab island), cutting thru the mangroves halfway before going back to camp 1. Heard Manek capsized 6 or 7 times. Nightime was dinner in the canteen again and we got our rations for the next 2 and a half days.
Day 2-
Morning and some part of the afternoon was spent doing some activities about trust, like blindfolding urself up and ur friend leading the way. After that was learning how to belay and then doing something like rock climbing but vastly different from it. Lunch was at the canteen again. Then we camped to camp 2 carrying our heavy bagpacks which was somehow straining my lower back and we managed to get to camp 2 in 23 minutes (record time according to Cindy), berting her other groups' record of 24 minutes. We cooked rice for dinner which was slightly undercooked and anchovies in chilli and mushrooms with minestrone soup. We also pitched our baashas. Dinner was considered quite good for first or second timers and then we intended on taking a powder bath but after looking at the female shower cubicles in the far end of the campsite with proper doors and of camp 1 standard, we decided to have a shower. After that we decided to sleep...
12.30 am. Woke up feeling wet on my socks and shirt. Realised that it was raining. We moved over to the holding area where we slept on tarps on the hard concrete floor for the next 5 hours. Very hard...
Day 3-
Woke up at 6am and ate breakfast, changed and went to do business (big) in the cleaner ladies toilet. Then headed off 1 hour behind schedule at 9am. We started trekking around Ubin Island, looking for yellow plates on the way. Halfway,...
To be continued...again
Day 1-
Got to skool same time as usual, took a bus to some ulu punggol jetty then got onto those OBS bumb-boats. Went to camp 1 so we were residential, 2 nights in bunks and 2 nights in bashas (mobile ppl had 4 nights in tents). Our instructor/trainer was Cindy and so first we did some admin stuff lik taking away ur wallets and handphones and doing a little bit of icebreakers. Lunch was at the canteen, had catered food which consisted of rice, 3 dishes and a soup. Food tasted ok, similar to the dining hall one. After lunch was kayaking. where we fisrt learned some drills such as capsizing before going for a 2 to 3 hour trip to Pulau Ketam (Crab island), cutting thru the mangroves halfway before going back to camp 1. Heard Manek capsized 6 or 7 times. Nightime was dinner in the canteen again and we got our rations for the next 2 and a half days.
Day 2-
Morning and some part of the afternoon was spent doing some activities about trust, like blindfolding urself up and ur friend leading the way. After that was learning how to belay and then doing something like rock climbing but vastly different from it. Lunch was at the canteen again. Then we camped to camp 2 carrying our heavy bagpacks which was somehow straining my lower back and we managed to get to camp 2 in 23 minutes (record time according to Cindy), berting her other groups' record of 24 minutes. We cooked rice for dinner which was slightly undercooked and anchovies in chilli and mushrooms with minestrone soup. We also pitched our baashas. Dinner was considered quite good for first or second timers and then we intended on taking a powder bath but after looking at the female shower cubicles in the far end of the campsite with proper doors and of camp 1 standard, we decided to have a shower. After that we decided to sleep...
12.30 am. Woke up feeling wet on my socks and shirt. Realised that it was raining. We moved over to the holding area where we slept on tarps on the hard concrete floor for the next 5 hours. Very hard...
Day 3-
Woke up at 6am and ate breakfast, changed and went to do business (big) in the cleaner ladies toilet. Then headed off 1 hour behind schedule at 9am. We started trekking around Ubin Island, looking for yellow plates on the way. Halfway,...
To be continued...again
Thursday, January 04, 2007
School- Sec 3
School's started again. Feel a little wierd, waking up at 6.15 every morning. 3J this year, 28 ppl in class, 3 scholars. It's been quite ok so far, the only major difference is the new teachers and the non geepers, which seem to have quite different characters from the us, more rowdy and noisy (doesn't apply to all). FT is Mrs Ho Wai Lin and many of the teachers teaching us this year are quite un-GE and quite new. Classes have been quite ok so far, except for Geography. Mrs Yak is our geog teacher and my class is so wierd that I dunno hu I can do project work with. Anyway OBS is next wk and I haven packed my bags yet.
Kudos and have a good year ahead.
Kudos and have a good year ahead.
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