I strongly believe that young people should opt to study locally, especially if they are pursing a university education. The switch between junior college life and university life is very difficult to cope with. The school environment is going to be different, the people unfamiliar , the school syllabus will be more challenging, and all these changes take quite some time to get adjusted to. Studying overseas would do nothing to alleviate the pains of the switch, but instead aggravate the problem as young people will have to face a completely different schooling system in a foreign land. Thus, students should opt to study locally so that their transition from junior college to university will be more manageable, as they will have a slightly better idea of what they will be in for when they enter the school.

The drama really got me thinking. I believe that it was an attempt to reflect the increasing trend of women replacing men in bringing home the larger share of the bacon. More importantly, it tries to remove the stigma associated with men who choose to be “househusband”.

 Somehow, “housewife” is considered as an occupation but not “househusband”. It is still uncommon to find men who readily accept this role, because it has been so ingrained in our minds that men should be breadwinners. Men fear being the anomaly among their peers should they choose to take care of the household and leave their spouse to be the one who takes home the bacon.

Honestly, i do not see anything wrong with that. Are women less capable than men ? NO ! Are men always bad at doing housework ? NO! Afterall, aren’t the most famous world cooks men ? Then , why the prejudice ? Why this stigma ? Perhaps, as a society, the time has come for us to slowly abolish this old , outdated set of thinking .

Much can be done to alleviate this stigma and eliminate this mindset. Making a drama to highlight the fact that families can still go on normally with husbands at home and wives going out to work is a good way to start. Hopefully, more will become receptive to this idea and men will not think that it is shameful to be househusbands, nor feel that it would be a dent in their pride should they not have a career to boast of. Similarly, wives should be supportive of husbands who desire such a switch by encouraging them.

Maybe househusbands can start an online forum as well to communicate and share difficulties encountered with others , so that they would not feel isolated. Knowing that there are other househusbands out there will certainly be a comfort to know for those who are one or plan to be one in the near future.

 I am uncertain about what else should be done. Maybe campaigns by the relevant government agencies ? In all, i really hope that in time to come, no stigma will be attached to men who choose to stay at home and become househusbands.

I am utterly horrified that such thoughts even cross the minds of people. My answer to this question is a resounding NO. Before we go any further, i would first like to question what in the world is the so-called ” core values” of Singapore ? I really don’t get it, so i don’t see how anyone is going to come up with a test. Afterall, what kind of questions can be asked ?

And, having such a test is not in line with our nation’s continual efforts to promote the country as a cosmopolitan and vibrant city where people of diverse cultures converge. I am aware that many Singaporeans are already feeling the pressure due to the rise in the number of expatriates and foreign talents here. Many express their contempt and disregard for them by citing reasons such as ” they are unable to speak english”, “they are not loyal and intend to stay here till they earn enough and then pack their bags and return to their homeland” or that “they just can’t seem to assimilate into the society and culture”.

The last reason given is most probably a factor which gave rise to considerations for a test on “core values” to me carried out. However, i have a pertinent query, and that is how can we possibly test them without even letting them in and giving them a chance to assimilate? In an exam, students will be given time to study what would be examined. Surely it would not be fair to test foreigners on anything relating to Singapore even before they are allowed to immigrate settle down and learn and understand and appreciate what Singapore is about.

In conclusion, such a test is uncalled for. I am certain that potential immigrants who plan to come over would voluntarily take a step forward and attempt to understand whatever “core values” Singapore has, considering the fact that it would make things easier for themselves in terms of adapting to our country and communicating with locals. 

Hopefully, such a test would not be implemented. I believe that there are other feasible alternatives in ensuring that immigrants assimilate . Issuing citizenship to foreigners who may not be a welcoming thought  for locals, but, lets not get too harsh on them , shall we ?

The scene depicted two extremely great friends who had just fallen out , and were trying to  resolve the issue in an amicable way. Lets call them A and B.

Setting: A huge, empty cinema with just the two of them,and a movie was screening.

A: Can you remember that in the past, the both of us used to watch this movie ? We watched it many times, didn’t we ? Probably more than 10 times…

……….. ……………. ……………. ( continued discussing the issue. However, it was apparent that a resolution could not be reached due to differing opinions and the fact that neither was willing to compromise. B got really agitated and walked away. But, after a few steps, he stopped in his tracks and said this )

B: 11 times. Its 11 times. If you are a friend who can remember that we watched this movie 11 times, such a thing would not have happened.

Yup, and he stormed off. The line B uttered was truly impactful , as in the drama, he played an arrogant character who exuded an air of superiority  because of the immense wealth that his family possessed. Plus, on the appearance, he did not seem like a person who cherishes friendship. Yet, that line totally contradicted the impression that he gave others, as if was a person did not treasure friends, he would not have taken note of such details. It simply shows that when with friends, words are not needed to express your feelings .

Actions are good enough.

Perhaps, in life, we neglect some people who care for us, simply because we can’t seem to feel their concern. Yet, it never did cross our minds that perhaps the bright smile flashed in your dirction everday, a friendly pat on the shoulder, or even an occasional text message or email from people around us is genuine concern expressed in a different form.

Friends are not people who are with you all the time. They are people who know when you need them , light up your day and bring a broad grin  to the face  when you meet them despite having lost contact for some time .

What do you think ?

Shalyn

A: C

I am deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. It is appalling to realise the hygiene conditions of the stalls there. The stall owners ought to be berated for not taking responsibility of the cleanliness of the food they sell.  As stallholders, they are responsible to ensure that the food they sell is absolutely safe for consumption. It is also extremely disheartening to see that people become complacent with their hygiene just because there had been no recent incident to remind them about its importance.

But then again, i am certain that the guilt of having caused so much sufferings to affected customers must be weighing down heavily on the stall owners. I reckon we still have quite a long way to go in improving the general hygiene level of the public in our nation. The cleanliness in shopping centres and their washrooms are generally fine.

Nonetheless, much still has to be done when hawker centres and coffee shops are concerned. Perhaps the relevant mininstries may consider carrying more random spot checks . Managements of the coffeshops should also strive to heighten hawkers consciousness on the importance of proper food handling procedures. Full clean up exercises should be held regularly as well.

Hopefully, this incident will serve as a lesson and reminder to all of us, including me, about the importance of hygiene. Okay, i am stopping here for now. Got to eat my dinner. Of course, not forgetting to wash my hand thoroughly first !

Shalyn

Shalyn

Christmas , also referred to as Christmas Day or Christmastide, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that marks and honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.The birth of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini system of dating, is thought to have occurred between 7 and 2 BC. December 25 is not thought to be Jesus’ actual date of birth, and the date may have been chosen to correspond with either a Roman festival, or with the winter solstice.. Isaac Newton argued that the date of Christmas was selected to correspond with the winter solstice,which in ancient times was marked on December 25.In 1743, German Protestant Paul Ernst Jablonski argued Christmas was placed on December 25 to correspond with the Roman solar holiday Dies Natalis Solis Invicti and was therefore a “paganization” that debased the true church. In 1889, Louis Duchesne suggested that the date of Christmas was calculated as nine months after the Annunciation on March 25, the traditional date of the conception of Jesus.

Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas. Santa is generally believed to be the result of a syncretization between St. Nicholas of Myra and elements from pagan Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have originated in 19th century media.

Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. The holiday is celebrated around the world. Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for many retailers.

Yup, so that’s what wikipedia stated . Should be quite accurate

Shalyn

The actor with MediaCorp disclosed this at a church Christmas event on Friday night.
Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease. While not life-threatening, it is incurable and causes progressive muscle weakness.
I was relatively shocked when i read this piece of news in today’s Straits Time papers. It is indeed saddening to hear of his current plight. This illness will gradually affect his mobility, that’s for sure. Plus, his kids are still so young(aged 4 and6, if i am not mistaken) . In my opinion, it is sometimes quite scary to be diagnosed with an incurable disease or illness as you know that from the day you are aware of your condition , there is simply no ticket to the road back to the original, complete healthy you.

 For instance, i have scoliosis, which refers to the slight curvature of one’s backbone. The cause is unknown, and there is no cure for it either. What doctors can only do is to try prevent the condition from worsening. But, i thank God that my condition is relatively mild and it will not affect me in any way regarding my mobility.
I admire Chew Chor Meng for the courage to announce his condition to the whole nation and face it head-on. Though you can’t recover, i believe that with God’s blessing , your condition will degenerate at a very slow pace. All the best !