Last week I commented on Elaine's and Sonia's reflections.
P.S. Because of some technical problems, I post my response to ST Forum on the comment of this thread...
2010年1月31日星期日
Respond to "Taxpayers should not fund the policing of casinos
By: Kyle, Chen Youchen
Recently, the casinos in Singapore have become a hot issue as they are going to be built completely. Singapore government has carried out a series of policies to ensure the stability of society and avoid certain problems which the casinos may bring. And setting up a casino crime unit in Singapore Police Force is one of those policies. However, some people argue that it is not proper to use taxpayers’ money to protect the rights of casino operators. They suggest that the government should leave the problems to the casino operators themselves, which means they need to pay for detection of some fraud by themselves.
I do not agree with the author’s point of view. I think that the problems the casinos bring can not only be simply solved by the casino operators. People may think that such fraud would only threaten the safety of the casinos, while in fact; many other social problems would also be involved in such fraud. Outside the casinos, gamblers may fight and revenge on each other, which will definitely threaten citizens. Thus it is quite essential and necessary to set a special unit to protect the rights of ordinary citizens. Since the object is to protect ordinary citizens, it is not wrong to use taxpayers’ money to set such a unit.
Recently, the casinos in Singapore have become a hot issue as they are going to be built completely. Singapore government has carried out a series of policies to ensure the stability of society and avoid certain problems which the casinos may bring. And setting up a casino crime unit in Singapore Police Force is one of those policies. However, some people argue that it is not proper to use taxpayers’ money to protect the rights of casino operators. They suggest that the government should leave the problems to the casino operators themselves, which means they need to pay for detection of some fraud by themselves.
I do not agree with the author’s point of view. I think that the problems the casinos bring can not only be simply solved by the casino operators. People may think that such fraud would only threaten the safety of the casinos, while in fact; many other social problems would also be involved in such fraud. Outside the casinos, gamblers may fight and revenge on each other, which will definitely threaten citizens. Thus it is quite essential and necessary to set a special unit to protect the rights of ordinary citizens. Since the object is to protect ordinary citizens, it is not wrong to use taxpayers’ money to set such a unit.
2010年1月30日星期六
respond to"Govt's done enough, it's up to couples "
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_484044.html
Nowadays the DINK family has become a very common phenomenon, of course it is free for people to choose their own lifestyle,however the declining of the birth rate is besieging the government. To find the truth behind the DINK, i think this article present a good explanation to us.
"Finances are important when planning a family, but many couples choose to postpone parenthood to fulfil personal desires, like not wanting to be tied down, enjoying a longer exclusive spousal relationship or building their careers."
As the developing of technology and incerasing of economics, we are witnessing the rising of human civilization which provides us unpredented rich culture and material wealth. In this world full of chances and fascination, how can we not be reluctant to fulfill our dreams instead of babysitting at home?
What the government should do to improve the situation may not only to refine the fiance policy but also to teach citizens a better attitude towards their parentshood. The government should change the dream-pursants' mind on children from simply a burden to the source of love, happiness and better promise to their marrige.
After all, having a child is not that simple as i mentioned here, there will also be a lot of stuff behind the birth rate including the fostering of the child and so on...
In a word, i think people would make a balance between their dream and having a baby as our sense of value changing all the time.
posted by Lewis
Nowadays the DINK family has become a very common phenomenon, of course it is free for people to choose their own lifestyle,however the declining of the birth rate is besieging the government. To find the truth behind the DINK, i think this article present a good explanation to us.
"Finances are important when planning a family, but many couples choose to postpone parenthood to fulfil personal desires, like not wanting to be tied down, enjoying a longer exclusive spousal relationship or building their careers."
As the developing of technology and incerasing of economics, we are witnessing the rising of human civilization which provides us unpredented rich culture and material wealth. In this world full of chances and fascination, how can we not be reluctant to fulfill our dreams instead of babysitting at home?
What the government should do to improve the situation may not only to refine the fiance policy but also to teach citizens a better attitude towards their parentshood. The government should change the dream-pursants' mind on children from simply a burden to the source of love, happiness and better promise to their marrige.
After all, having a child is not that simple as i mentioned here, there will also be a lot of stuff behind the birth rate including the fostering of the child and so on...
In a word, i think people would make a balance between their dream and having a baby as our sense of value changing all the time.
posted by Lewis
2010年1月29日星期五
response to ST forum: subsidies should be balanced between full-time mother and working mother
forum source: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_483957.html
response: According to the article, I think the writer is suggesting government to apply subsidice and tax relief to family unit as a whole. I strongly agree with the writer's view. In the first place, there is no doubt that Singapore government are making great effort to encourage young couples to have more children so that they can contribute to the population. However, meanwhile, they want to spur women to work, to benefit the society. As a result, they intend to make a policy that allow working mothers to enjoy better subsidice. When this tentative idea is posted in newspaper, many Singaporean show different views on it. Some think it is such a practicle idea to boost Singapore econimic productivity while others hold the opinion that it is not fair for full-time mothers because they think these mothers actually also make tremendous contribution to society. Admittedly, how to promote the economic productivity and birth rate are both challenging to Singapore government. However, from my point of view, just as what the writer mentioned, government should take a look at the bigger picture and hopefully come up with another balanced proposal to satisfy more citizens' aspirations. I think anyway the fairness to both working mothers and full-time mothers should be taken into consideration. Whether the mother is working or paying full attention to caring her children, she is contributing to society but not in the same way. As a working mother, she is always trying to balance between work and childcare, which is not really that so-called a piece of cake. A full-time mother' job is also not that easy to cope with because she has to burden more in childcare and she has the obligation to make her husbund concentrate all his energy on his career. Considering fairness for both mothers,to apply subsidice to fimily unit as a whole is rather advisable so far. I hope government can balance well and think of a better way as soon as possible!
response: According to the article, I think the writer is suggesting government to apply subsidice and tax relief to family unit as a whole. I strongly agree with the writer's view. In the first place, there is no doubt that Singapore government are making great effort to encourage young couples to have more children so that they can contribute to the population. However, meanwhile, they want to spur women to work, to benefit the society. As a result, they intend to make a policy that allow working mothers to enjoy better subsidice. When this tentative idea is posted in newspaper, many Singaporean show different views on it. Some think it is such a practicle idea to boost Singapore econimic productivity while others hold the opinion that it is not fair for full-time mothers because they think these mothers actually also make tremendous contribution to society. Admittedly, how to promote the economic productivity and birth rate are both challenging to Singapore government. However, from my point of view, just as what the writer mentioned, government should take a look at the bigger picture and hopefully come up with another balanced proposal to satisfy more citizens' aspirations. I think anyway the fairness to both working mothers and full-time mothers should be taken into consideration. Whether the mother is working or paying full attention to caring her children, she is contributing to society but not in the same way. As a working mother, she is always trying to balance between work and childcare, which is not really that so-called a piece of cake. A full-time mother' job is also not that easy to cope with because she has to burden more in childcare and she has the obligation to make her husbund concentrate all his energy on his career. Considering fairness for both mothers,to apply subsidice to fimily unit as a whole is rather advisable so far. I hope government can balance well and think of a better way as soon as possible!
2010年1月17日星期日
A Helping Hand for Haiti
Name: Kyle
News source: New York Times
Name of article writer: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush
Date of article: 16 Jan 2010
News resource：http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/opinion/17clinton.html?hp
This news report is actually a speech made by two former American Presidents: Bill Clinton and George W. Bush after a meeting with President Obama on the American relief efforts in Haiti. President Obama asked the two former presidents to take charge of private-sector fund raising efforts. In this speech, two former presidents firstly appreciated the generosity of American people a lot by reviewing what American people did in face of previous disasters. Also they stated the object of fund raising and interpreted a concrete plan to allot the funds. They indicated that there were still lots of complicated work to do and American Government believed that Haitian government could lead Haitian people to rebuild their homeland successfully. At last, they called upon all American people to give a hand to their neighbor suffering in the earthquake Haiti.
Compared with the reaction to Sichuan earthquake, the reaction of American government to the Haiti earthquake showed that the U.S. took this matter seriously; also it seems that the U.S. valued Haiti highly. To be frank, I have to say that the U.S. really did a great job in their relief efforts. More than 10,000 American soldiers were sent to Haiti. Two former presidents, one is Democrat while the other one is Republican, joined hands to help with fund raising efforts.
The main reason, I think, is that the U.S. has been always regarded countries in Central and South America as its own allies, or its “backyard” in another word. However, as those countries like Brazil become stronger and stronger, they no longer follow the U.S.’s lead as always as before. Instead, they developed deeper relationship with other leading powers in the world like Russia, China and European Union. As a result, the U.S. is eager to strengthen its relationship with Central and South American countries. The horrible earthquake happened in Haiti is a perfect opportunity for the U.S. to show its power as well as its intention to continue the close relationship with those countries. Another important reason is that the U.S. wants to build a positive image in the world.
Anyway, it is still pleasant to see Haiti getting help from the world. Whatever reasons behind it, saving life is the most crucial work for now.
Avatar is causing depression
Name: Lewis
News source: The Straits Times
Name of article writer: N.A.
Date of article: 14 Jan 2010
News website:
As a comericial movie, there is nothing wrong with Avatar's composition. However, it is this "watery" movie that makes many people feel depressed and confused about life. Would that be very starnge?
Nowadays, the whole world is developing in a extrodinary fast way which still keeps accelerating. We have to keep updating all the way through with the surrounding in order not to fall behind. Which makes us feel shagged. Yes, we live in a society full of pressure and competition.
Avatar depicts out a world where people live in the harmony with nature, with people themselves, they have their faiths and belief, they share and respect everyone in the tribe, no matter alive or dead...
That is the way we are looking forward to, as well as the 3-D effect, no wonder why there are people who would feel depressed and confused. Think about it, one day you wake up and a completed new world is for you, everything could restart, there is no pressure and no pain. you can live in a much more natural and healthy way.
To some people, the 3-D effect may not be that perfect, but they would rather believe the movie is real.
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_477251.html
Avatar is a movie, but truly not as simple as a movie.
Despite the fantastic 3-D technology which brings us the wonderful visual effect, some people find the the content is quite conventional without creation: another story about prince and priencess, a story about hero and evil forces, it is so ordinary that many could guess the result halfway the movie.
Avatar is a movie, but truly not as simple as a movie.
Despite the fantastic 3-D technology which brings us the wonderful visual effect, some people find the the content is quite conventional without creation: another story about prince and priencess, a story about hero and evil forces, it is so ordinary that many could guess the result halfway the movie.
As a comericial movie, there is nothing wrong with Avatar's composition. However, it is this "watery" movie that makes many people feel depressed and confused about life. Would that be very starnge?
Nowadays, the whole world is developing in a extrodinary fast way which still keeps accelerating. We have to keep updating all the way through with the surrounding in order not to fall behind. Which makes us feel shagged. Yes, we live in a society full of pressure and competition.
Avatar depicts out a world where people live in the harmony with nature, with people themselves, they have their faiths and belief, they share and respect everyone in the tribe, no matter alive or dead...
That is the way we are looking forward to, as well as the 3-D effect, no wonder why there are people who would feel depressed and confused. Think about it, one day you wake up and a completed new world is for you, everything could restart, there is no pressure and no pain. you can live in a much more natural and healthy way.
To some people, the 3-D effect may not be that perfect, but they would rather believe the movie is real.
2010年1月13日星期三
Studying social networking websites becoming part of school curriculum is advisable
Name: Sonia
News source: Telegraph
Name of article writer: N.A.
Date of article: 12 Jan 2010
News website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/6970839/Pupils-could-study-Facebook-and-Twitter-for-new-English-GCSE.html
The news indicates that some social networking websites study may become part of the school curriculum under plans for a new English GCSE. Some hold the opinion that this course effectively encourage students to develop all kinds of abilities like reading, anlyzing, critzing and planing differnent types of text since it is based on the students' interest on digital texts and the changing needs for study; however, some people regard this course as an overwhelming risk because it may be a big distraction to the things that they should be learning if they are going to contribute to the world in future.
In my view, putting the course into the school curriculum is a wise action. First of all, to define the things students should be learning for future wellbeing is needed so that we can determine whether there is a need to do so. Are the so-called things students should learn still be simply gaining a grasp of English grammar and English literature? I don't think so at so. The 21st century is such a grand era of information explosion that everyone are in a keen competition. Only we have enough ability to handle all kinds of information, can we survive better in it. Besides the need for studying these social networking websites, I think studens will be very likely to handle this course well just simply because they have great passion for digital texts. This course may become a good way to enhance self-confidence in learning English and consequently it may stimulate students to master English grammar and English literature better. In this case, this course is not distracting students from the so-called things they should learn and contrarily it does contribute to students' English leraning. To sum up, I think this course can be put into the school curriculum, and let us looking forward to the progress students will make later on the way of learning English confidently.
2010年1月12日星期二
Oil Kills People
Name：Puluo
News source：The Straits Times
Fossil oil does kill people. From ancient times, there have been always two ways for fossil oil to kill people. One is being drunk carelessly and the other is explosion. But I think in the modern society, especially nowadays, the fossil oil has a new way to "kill" people--its high price. Because of the high price, many Chinese young people are afraid to buy a car. And for many young people in the city in China, if they want to marry their lovers and to form a family, cars and houses are considered very seriously. Since most of them are not financially capable enough to buy a car, the marriage would probably be delayed, or even cancelled. In fact, some girls give up their lovers exactly because of their boyfriends with no car or house. Therefore, the high price of the fossil oil has detroyed some young people's love invisibly.
Name of article writer: AFP
Date of article: 11 Jan 2010
News website:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Money/Story/STIStory_476015.html
News website:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Money/Story/STIStory_476015.html
Oil prices have jumped up to a peak again, near US$84 a barrel, since October 2008. According to the news, there are mainly two reasons why the oil prices become higher. Firstly and most importantly, Chinese oil imports data of last December was strong. Secondly, the freezingly cold weather attacking the northern hemisphere has increased the demand for the oil.
Fossil oil does kill people. From ancient times, there have been always two ways for fossil oil to kill people. One is being drunk carelessly and the other is explosion. But I think in the modern society, especially nowadays, the fossil oil has a new way to "kill" people--its high price. Because of the high price, many Chinese young people are afraid to buy a car. And for many young people in the city in China, if they want to marry their lovers and to form a family, cars and houses are considered very seriously. Since most of them are not financially capable enough to buy a car, the marriage would probably be delayed, or even cancelled. In fact, some girls give up their lovers exactly because of their boyfriends with no car or house. Therefore, the high price of the fossil oil has detroyed some young people's love invisibly.
Moreover, because of the high price, many factories in China should limit their scales of manufacture and some even are shut down. As a result, the workers lose their jobs. Their financial resource has been cut off. Then, they might not have enough money to purchase necessary daily things related to fossil oil such as petrol. They might suffer from the cold in winter, and sweat more in summer. The high price of fossil oil seems to add difficulties to their hard life. Conclusively, the high prices of fossil oil DO trouble people, and might even "kill" people--let them feel depressed, and people might...suicide...
Therefore, how to reduce the prices of oil and to keep them stable is really an urgent problem for government lah...
2010年1月10日星期日
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