The Young and the Old

Dear Readers,

Today, I will be talking about the difference in how the young and the old solve a particular situation.

Previously, there have been many STOMP articles regarding students misbehaving in public places. In return, these witnesses post them up onto STOMP, supposedly to shame the school from which the students are from. Many classmates have already commented on these incidents like the ice-cream incident which happened in our school. It may be the hard and cold truth, but it is undeniable that posting articles on the Internet without considering the consequences is the way of the Internet-savvy younger generation. What about the older generation then?

Today, when I was returning back from school with my classmate on the bus, we saw four students from an elite school fooling around. There was a student sitting on the floor, whilst the other three were shouting at the top of their voices and laughing continuously. The noise suddenly grew unbearable and to be heard, we had to talk rather loudly (which was quite hard since both of us were having a sore throat). Of course, we know this is wrong as it would reflect extremely badly on our school, since we are wearing the school uniform.

My friend said that he wanted to take a photograph of the students and post it on STOMP. I guess he must have been joking, because he did not do as he had said. When the bus reached our stop, an uncle clad in a chequered shirt and listening to an MP3 walked towards them.

“When you are wearing the school uniform, you represent your school. If you don’t respect your own school, how do you expect us to?” he asked in quite an annoyed manner. The students looked down at the ground, feeling rather remorseful and abashed. I sympathised with the students, because I know how it feels to be scolded in front of a large crowd. The fact that the person who scolded them was a stranger did not help alleviate the situation, but instead worsens it a lot.

I agree that the uncle had done the right thing, but maybe it was not the best way to solve it. He could have said it in a nicer and friendlier tone, so that it went across more as just a lesson than a lecture or a scolding.

Now, comparing the younger generation and the older generation in the way which they settle issues, we see a distinct difference. The former adopts a more “humiliating” approach to point out the party’s mistake but does not teach him/her what is the right thing to do. On the other hand, the older generation tends to be able to teach him/her by minimising the humiliation or embarrassment the person feels.

Therefore, my ten-cents worth is that we, the younger generation, must definitely learn from the older generation in considering the consequences before doing something online, be it posting on a social media platform (as many, if not all, of us – the young and reckless ones – have done). Instead, we should think of what is the best way to do something, in this case, teach the person what the right thing to do is.

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Book Review: Joseph's Grace

Dear Readers,

I have recently read a book entitled “Joseph’s Grace” by Shelia P. Moses. Although it is an extremely simple book with the vocabulary of possibly a primary school student, it conveys a very strong message which I would like to share with all of you.

This book recounts the death of Jasmine, the narrator’s cousin whom he really loves to spend time with. The narrator, Joseph, is extremely upset. As Jasmine was killed by the companion of Joseph’s mother, Bow, she was extremely hated by Jasmine’s father. She came begging Joseph for money to buy drugs, and Joseph, being the filial boy, gave it to her. It was until one day when Jasmine’s mother, Aunt Shirley, wanted to put an end to it and called the police to bring Joseph’s mother to the rehabilitation centre for treatment. She at first was very rebellious, but gradually accepted the help by Shirley and eventually, under the care of Shirley and Joseph, she recovered.

This book shows the element of filial piety, which is seemingly absent in the modern-day metropolitan world, which many describe as “advanced in technology, but not so in the socio-emotional domain”. Joseph was willing to give his mother one chance after another to repent, although the previous one always did not work. How many of us would give our mums a chance, after they refuse to accept our help? (This seems rather ironical, after you read my previous post on Mothers’ Day.) Even when I was reading the book, I was urging Joseph to not give his mother a chance, for she would never repent! The novel is written in such a realistic way which really evokes the emotions from readers.

It also reflects many phenomena prevalent in our daily lives. One example would be underage relationships, whereby Joseph and Valerie, his girlfriend, consider whether to have a clean relationship as friends till they are older, or to start a sexual relationship. Others include friendship, and family bonds amongst all others.

The language is extremely simple to comprehend, and there is no bombastic vocabulary throughout the entire novel, so there is no need to worry that you cannot catch up! Descriptions are not so vivid, which I really like, because I find that too much descriptive and flowery language make the pace of the story much slower, and thus, is unable to captivate my attention...

This book really touched my heart at the fact that there are such saintly and angelic people living amongst us during our daily lives. This book is a must-read, and I really recommend it to all of you!

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

My Ten Comments for Term Two

Dear Readers,

This is the list of my ten comments which I have made on my friends' blog posts:

1. Nicholas (“Blog Prompt: Newspapers”)

http://nichtey.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-prompt-newspapers.html#comments

2. Ivan (“Newsworthiness”)

http://ivanlablog.blogspot.com/2011/04/newsworthiness.html#comments

3. Wen Hong (“SAF man lets maid carry backpack”)

http://language-artist.blogspot.com/2011/04/saf-man-lets-maid-carry-backpack.html?showComment=1303135099171

4. Daniel (“Socrates”)

http://swordofthedragonslayer.blogspot.com/2011/03/socrates.html?showComment=1303208665923#c2467683112855985925

5. Leonard (“STOMP”)

http://leonard-languageartsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/stomp.html?showComment=1304857356649#c5252943390244508051

6. Kenneth (“Thoughts on Hwa Chong on STOMP”)

http://lablogbypar.blogspot.com/2011/04/thoughts-on-hwa-chong-on-stomp.html?showComment=1304858194537#c2470484444244711015

7. Wen Hong (“Hwa Chong on STOMP”)

http://language-artist.blogspot.com/2011/04/hwa-chong-on-stomp.html?showComment=1304860981111#c2703699373750045311

8. Daniel (“STOMP”)

http://swordofthedragonslayer.blogspot.com/2011/05/stomp.html?showComment=1304947808731#c8322401285478501298

9. Daniel (“Singapore General Elections”)

http://swordofthedragonslayer.blogspot.com/2011/05/singapore-general-elections.html?showComment=1304948889354#c8899680305761405460

10. Ivan (“Emily of Emerald Hill – An Introduction”)

http://ivanlablog.blogspot.com/2011/04/emily-of-emerald-hill-introduction.html?showComment=1305030286179#c1131692155025128861

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Analysing: "Valentine"

Dear Readers,

Today, I will be sharing with you one of the poems which I personally like very much - "Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy. It challenges the normal perceptions of love, by offering an alternative viewpoint. The remarks made might seem harsh to most, but they are incredibly true.

Let me explain the poem stanza by stanza, very briefly and simply so that it is easy for all to comprehend and understand.

Not a red rose or a satin heart

This stanza shows that Duffy rejects the normal romantic symbols of Valentine’s Day. She does not treat love in the usual lovey-dovey way and feels that relationships are not simply romantic.

I give you an onion

It is a moon wrapped in brown paper

It promises light

Like the careful undressing of love

Here Duffy shows how an onion works as a love gift. The brown skin of the onion represents the wrapping paper while the whole onion represents the moon. When unwrapped, the light of the round, white moon is revealed.

The different layers of the onion represent the different characters of a person’s personality.. The peeling of the onion is likened to two people gradually discovering each other’s personality while in a relationship. Moonlight is used here as it provides a romantic setting.

Here

It will blind you with tears like a lover

It will make your reflection a wobbling picture of grief

Duffy is handing the onion to the other person. Just as our eyes tear while peeling onions , Duffy show that pain caused by a loved one also brings about tears and grief. Duffy feels that people in a relationship should admit that love also brings about pains and sorrow. The word “wobbling” is used because tears often blur one’s vision.

I am trying to be truthful

Here Duffy shows that she is direct, blunt and honest.

Not a cute card or a kissogram

Once again, the poet shows her disapproval of commercial tokens of love.

I give you an onion.

Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips.

Possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are.

Duffy shows that an onion is a good symbol for passion because its strong taste lingers on a person’s lips, just like the fierceness of a kiss which can stay with one forever. Duffy does not like pretence. She felt that love affairs should last only for the time that two people are interested in each other. When they lose that intense feeling for each other, she feels that the relationship should end.

Take it

Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring, if you like

Lethal

Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife

Duffy demands that her lover take her gift. Duffy seems to sneer at marriage, as she put it as an option, if you like’. The poet feels that marriage is lethal in the sense that it can kill love and passion. She feels that some people never recover from a broken relationship, as the word “cling” is repeated to show that feelings linger on even when the relationship has ended. “Knife is used here to link marriage to a wound.

To summarise, Duffy is criticising conventional ideas and empty gestures of love. She shows her wit and poetic cleverness by turning an ordinary onion into an unusual symbol of love and makes it seems more appropriate than the traditional Valentine gifts.

What do you think about this poem? Feel free to voice your views.

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Mothers' Day Special

Dear Readers,

Last Sunday was Mothers' Day, a worldwide celebration in tribute to our mothers who have taken such great care of us, sacrificed so much for us, and nurtured us to who we are today. For that, I salute all mothers. I have written an acrostic poem to express my feelings towards motherly love, and would like to share it with you:

My mother always

Understands what burdens I have in

My heart.

I am very touched.

Living with her is a blessing for

Our family - my dad and me.

Very caring, very nice, though sometimes

Easily angered, and ill-tempered.

Yes, that's my mother, the

One over there. How about

Ur mother?

No matter how much our mothers scold us, or even beat us, they really care for us a lot. They put us as first priority, while they put their interests behind. They have brought us up, nurtured us and taught us, helping us in our school work. When we grow up, we must repay our mothers' kindness by taking good care of them, just like they have taken good care of us when we were mere infants, who were incapable of doing so ourselves!

Well, may I ask you who on this planet would do anything for you? The answer is simple. Your mum.

My mother? Oh, she's an ordinary housewife, but is an extraordinary mother, who takes extraordinary care of me! She goes the extra mile for me, by staying up with me even on late nights, sitting by my side, as I complete my homework.

When I am ill, she would take great care of me. There was even once when I vomited all over the floor. The stench was nauseating, but my mother went up to the mess and cleared it up spick and span. After that, she could not stand it anymore, and vomited as well... Another time, I was down with a fever. She woke up late at night to help me take my temperature. It was not once but quite a few times already!

There was once when I forgot to bring something extremely important in primary school. Being the renowned 'goody-two-shoes' in my class, I was of course very afraid of being reprimanded. I immediately called my mother and asked her if she could help me bring it to school. She actually walked to my school and passed me the form!

Looking back at all these incidents, I have realised that my mother is the best mum I could ever ask for. I have also been extremely selfish, in that I did not consider my mother's feelings. For that, I am very remorseful.

Many find their mothers irritating. I do not deny. Sometimes, the nagging gets extremely annoying, and I would really like to defy her will. However, we must always bear in mind that our mothers are the only ones who would sacrifice their lives for us, for they are the ones who brought us into this world, nurtured us, and made sure we had a bright future.

For me, Mothers' Day holds a big significance. It is a day which commemorates all that our mothers have done for us. On this joyous occasion, I would like to wish everyone (especially mothers who have sacrificed all for their children):

Happy Mothers' Day!

母亲节快乐！

Selamat Hari Ibu!

ハッピー母の日

행복한 어머니의 날

Share your experiences with your mother with me :D Let's all celebrate Mothers' Day together!

Best Regards,

Nathan :)

The Failure Story of People's Action Party

Dear Readers,

Today, I will be analysing the failure story of the People's Action Party (PAP) in the recent General Elections (GE) just held yesterday. The message is clear to all Singaporeans: PAP is losing its stranglehold on Singapore.

Over the past ten days of intense campaigning, both the opposition and the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) have put up tough fights, in all parts of the country except at Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), which has seen a walkover for the PAP. Yesterday saw the end to the 2011 General Election.

The PAP had attained approximately 75.3% of the votes by Singaporeans in the year 2001, but this had drastically dropped by 15.2% to only a mere 60.1% in this election. This is an extremely big dip with regards to the support the PAP has garnered in the General Elections this year.

The PAP may have recovered Potong Pasir Single-Member Constituency (SMC), which has remained in the hands of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) for about 27 years already. However this is only possible after Mr Chiam See Tong of the Singapore People’s Party left to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

This election had also created a first in Singapore political scene. Aljunied GRC held by Foreign Minister George Yeo and first woman minister Lim Hwee Hwa, had fallen to the Workers’ Party (WP) “A” team comprising its secretary-general Low Thia Khiang and its chairman Sylvia Lim. With this loss, the PAP had lost two ministers too.

PAP new candidate, Desmond Choo, was also unable to wrestle WP stronghold, Hougang SMC, from new opposition candidate Yaw Shin Leong.

All these fully justify my claim that the PAP is losing the support of the people over these years.

The opposition parties are indeed of high calibre and rising in power, gaining much support from the people, especially the popular WP. They showed empathy and understood the issues closed to the hearts of their fellow residents, taking housing and healthcare as examples.

This is justified by the results of the elections and the votes cast for the opposition, where they lost by small margins. WP first time candidate for Joo Chiat SMC, Yee Jenn Jong, only lost by 342 votes, and SPP candidate for Potong Pasir SMC, Lina Chiam, lost by less than 1% of the votes. Even Reform Party, a newly-formed political party led by Kenneth Jeyaretnam scored a respectable percentage of 31.8%. Each opposition party scored an average of more than 30%, which is an outstanding result for the score sheet of the opposition in many decades.

There are a few reasons why I think the PAP is losing popularity amongst Singaporeans.

Firstly, the PAP has been extremely negligent towards the people’s needs and wants. They have aroused much dissatisfaction amongst the people of Singapore. For example, they have raised the Goods and Services Tax from 5% in 2006 to 7% in 2011. The cost of living is ever increasing, including the ever-rising electricity bills. The housing prices have also skyrocketed to prices never seen before, but the ruling party did not step in to counter this problem, causing much unhappiness amongst the people of Singapore.

Next, the PAP candidates can be said to be extremely old and have very few younger voices in Parliament, except for Tin Pei Ling, who has received much criticism ever since she stepped on to the political scene. The average age of a PAP is 47.66 ranging from 27 to 87 years old, whilst that of the opposition parties is 44.30 years, ranging from 24 to 76 years old. I believe this played an important role in PAP losing votes among the younger generation. The latter felt that their needs are not addressed by the government. By voting in more opposition in parliament,they may have a greater say in the administering of policies.

Besides PAP emphasis of Singapore’s move from a third-world country to a first-world country was unlikely to impact the younger generation and to influence them. These “after-75s” was born in a country of affluence and had not seen the efforts put in by the PAP over the early years of independence to propel the nation forward. PAP need to address this critical issue as these younger generations will definitely impact future elections to come.

The opposition candidates are no longer any Tom, Dick and Harry. Today, these people with impressive credentials move into politics with the mind and soul to serve the people. New opposition candidates like Chen Show Mao and Pritam Singh of the WP have also proven to be fantabulous speakers and have won the hearts (and votes) of many.

PAP cannot continue to be in a dazed state of mind, as it has been for the past few years. They have thought that their comfortable environment would last forever, but they have been proven wrong. This is definitely a wake-up call for the ruling party, to “slap the driver, when he’s sleeping”, as Low Thia Khiang of WP has said earlier.

The rallies of opposition parties, especially by the WP, have seen tens of thousands of supporters all over the shop, and have inspired many like me. The PAP must pull up their socks; else their governance over the people of Singapore would soon be wiped out a few elections after.

From the GE, I learnt that I should not take the people and things around me for granted. In the future, I will be more sensitive towards the needs of my family members and treasure them. I will also be more vigilant and hardworking in my studies and to be a better person.

Another lesson I learnt is that complacency comes before a fall. We should always be open to ideas, and listen to others’ suggestions, instead of thinking that we would always emerge victors and not work hard, for pride comes before a fall and complacency does the same damage.

To conclude, I sincerely think that the PAP should listen deeper and not remain apathetic to the needs of the people. They will have to revamp their policies accordingly, and for that I thank the opposition parties. Without them, we would not have received so many privileges, like neighbourhood upgrading programmes amongst them. The admittance of the mistakes made by the ruling party and after which the apology made by the PM may not have been possible without the pressure put up by the opposition.

What are your views and your thoughts about the GE?

Best Regards,
Nathan (: