Setting: Crowded Beach

  This is my description of a crowded beach.Oh,and in advance, I wish all viewers a very Happy New Year!
The sand felt like metal,as I squirmed around on my flimsy mat.The haphazard sand threatened to break my "lifeboat"  on "lava".Dogs were barking,children screaming,adults shouting.I pulled down my touristy sunglasses that my Mum had described as "cute",without commenting about its durability.Sun-tan lotion dripped off my reddening skin.I clutched my head and reached out for my glass of lemonade.Touching wet sand,I opened my eyes,urning to see how precise a grinning kid had aimed his frisbee.As the Sun grew braver and the clouds cowered,a sweaty plump lady decided to make camp beside my territory. As her horrible BO invaded my nostrils,I prayed, for rain, for a drink,even for a tsunami. Where were the volleyball players and girls? I sighed.All because of a cup of coffee......

Singapore-Threats to racial harmony?!

 We all know that Singapore is a multi-racial society.So is it important to be able to relate to the other race,the other religion, the other culture?I was born in a Chinese family, as a free-thinker.Sent to  a christianity-based Primary School,it was there that I started to meet people of different races and religion.Malays,Indians, Buddhists, Catholics and more.I  must say that we were okay with working with one another,in fact one of my best friends is a Malay and I do have friends from other races or country.
  The book that sparked all the controversy,"Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going"published by Singapore Press Holdings(SPH) from Lee Kuan Yew has been flying off the shelves and had became a much talked about topic in Singapore,even across the border in neighboring Malaysia.Apparently,he said when asked about Singapore's progress in racial harmony:
"I have to speak candidly to be of value, but I do not want to offend the Muslim community. I think we were progressing very nicely until the surge of Islam came, and if you asked me for my observations, the other communities have easier integration - friends, intermarriages and so on, Indians with Chinese, Chinese with Indians - than Muslims. That's the result of the surge from the Arab states."
"I would say, today, we can integrate all religions and races except Islam." He added: "I think the Muslims socially do not cause any trouble, but they are distinct and separate."

  More than 70% of Singaporeans are Chinese.So does that make us a society that is Chinese orientated?That's what some people feel about Lee Kuan Yew sometimes.His comments recently had sparked the anger and unhappiness of the Muslims in Singapore.So much that Minister of Muslim Affairs Dr.Yaacob Ibrahim and PM Lee had to step out and give them an explanation.So the main question is,is what he said true or is Lee Kuan Yew really past his prime?
  Singapore is a multi-racial country.We need to integrate into the blend in community.This is especially so for new immigrants.They do a lot to integrate.I have  adult friends from China who send their children to local Primary Schools instead of international schools,some even when they are not PRs(Permanent Residents).So too do muslims.But perhaps most people do not feel comfortable with Muslims because of the "terrorist" stereotype of them and their perplexity of religion.They have to do more than usual to integrate.That's the catch.I believe that was what MM Lee was trying to imply.The problem lies with how society views muslims.They have to clear this cloud of fog surrounding them that they are dangerous,people who are deeply obsessed with religion like the "foot-washers" in To Kill a Mockingbird who believe that simple indulgence like enjoying nature is a Sin.
  That's the challenge for Muslims.Clear the stereotypical view.Other religions are not as much as shrouded by this kind of misunderstanding as them.People wonder why they have to go to Madrasahs(Islamic Schools) instead of a Primary School.It may sound unfair,but its the way of life and so I have to say that they need to put in more effort than the rest to integrate.To clear this misconception and educate others about their religion.And that as Lee Kuan Yew had mentioned is the "hard truth".
  Singapore is still a racially-harmonious country,but integration had became important with the large influx of immigrants.As Lee Kuan Yew says,'Attend local schools to integrate better'.I have to agree with him on that point.In local schools,especially Primary school,we are exposed to other children of other races and become sort of equal,it is where most of us make friends of other races.When we have friends of other races,we both build a bridge,to bridge the gap of misunderstanding about our culture,life,religion and more.We can finally appreciate each other's race.Just with a friend like that,our mindset had been etched freshly into our young minds.
   Friends are important,but so much more in this Little Red Dot of ours.

“Tiger” Mums in Singapore?

  I was reading this excerpt from a book “Battle hymn of the Tiger Mother” written by May Chua. It’s about the difference between how a Chinese parent and a Western parent teaches and treats their child. The writer feels that Chinese mothers are stricter and give restricted freedom to their child.You can read an excerpt from the book here. I am, after all, the product of Asian parents. When I read about this book in an article in The Sunday Times on Sunday, I got a good laugh. When I told my parents and grandma about this book, they naturally laughed and I am quite sure that they could perfectly relate to it. Of course they understood about how efficient this method is in dealing with and nurturing their children. This is my personal views.

  Singapore, as they say, is an open society, you can do whatever you want IF it is not illegal or harming. This is pretty much the opinion of Singapore parents, or more specifically, Chinese parents. Now, I was born four years after my elder sister and my parents carried out an experiment. They natured my sister on a more “westernized” form of parenting. They pretty much treated her in the Chinese form of parenting until around P5. That was the turning point. Her grades dropped, she went out till very late and had sleepovers with her friend. She had became rebellious and till today, my parents still have a hard time reigning her in. Of course, “Once bitten, twice shy”, they decided to bring me up on a stricter parenting style but still with a few tweaks.I got caned before,but I can stay out in school late and never heard them expelling any expletives at me.This is my own experience after all.so I should mention here that I can’t fully agree with what she says but I pretty much support what she says about the results of this kind of parenting. 

 Society had changed.Moral values and teachings and definitions of the past is not the ones of now. I agree that to teach a child along a strict guideline is essential,but not with an iron fist,or you'll get a revolt.Parents are changing with the wave of change over Asia,especially in Singapore,which is why many parents were unhappy with what May Chua had written as seen in The Sunday Times.Freedom is essential for a child to learn about what society is really like but restriction is needed,and the parents are thus the guides,the censors,the persons that will pull you back if you take a step out too much.The scenario that May Chua had described of teaching her child to play the piano is of deep meaning.In the western eye, it may be called child abuse, torture.But in my opinion,and perhaps the Asian's eye's view,it is a lesson,to the child that you do not give up that easily.
  I feel that  most Americans have perhaps overreacted to what May Chua had written.It seems to reflect the American point of view that Asians are cruel and evil creatures who enjoy sleaze and booze and also their firm stand on freedom of speech and rights.It kinds of contradicts their opinion that they view Asians in such a narrow-minded way and criticize the book so so much when they emphasize "freedom of speech".
  However,I am no professional caregiver,and I can't say what kind of teaching method is the best for a child.Different parents have different teaching methods that still have to be tweaked for every different and individual child.But I believe that we can learn from this book,what May Chua had said that what is perceived to be right can be wrong,and that no teaching method is foolproof.I  would say it is best to as experts say,"blend control and affection"so as to not let a child go astray but also gets the freedom and independence he or she needs.So if you're a American reading this,try to understand our culture and teaching method.Stop having the stereotype that Asians are cruel monsters that torture and mistreat a child  and stop criticizing us Asians as we are still learning from the West till today,so that one day,we can teach a child with a method that has integrated good points of both East and West methods and that our children can enjoy the best of both worlds.

Mindmap for LA

Here's the midmap on the American Civil War.Phew!Click on it to zoom in.
Or view it here.

Comical Relief

New Year Frenzy

Here's my online learning LA comic.

Yeah,it may feel a bit generic,but still.

So anyway,on to part 2.

TASK B:

   First things first,I wanted to create a  New Year Atmosphere as it is just one week away.I recently went to the Chinatown New Year Market and overwhelmed by the amount of people and variety of goods.I tried to create a great diversity of New Year produce to let people fell that New Year IS around the corner. 

Then these ladies,which in Singapore we call"Aunties" come along and go crazy over the bargain.As we all know,this is the typical behavior of these ladies in sunny Singapore.Especially around Chinese New Year.They usually are so excited about the produce and variety and bargains to stop and think if there is something wrong.Although it is true that the seller is also wrong,the shoppers to for they re the ones who had the greed and thus suffered for their misdeed.

  The thought of greed on the two ladies' faces,one of them even inviting her friends to come,shows why it is so often that people get cheated.Without greed,there won't be conmen.Hopefully,this comic showed that, and was humorous at the same time.As a chinese idiom goes,you must work for what you want. I hope all of you understood the theme of greed in this comic and enjoyed it at the same time.

To know or not to know?

 "Is it better to have never known something and to ultimately lose it later."
  Really?
  Humans have one of the best memories in the diversity of living things. They can remember an important event from 5 years,10years back,even a few decades before.Yet some say that it is a curse more than a blessing.To have known something or someone you love,you cherish,only to lose it all,it can be a heartbreaking process.Many say thet it is better to have not known,to not have even met or know something in the first place.I personally feel perhaps it is better to know.Why?People will ask.I know what it feels to lose something like that forever,when I lost my Grandpa at a young age.Even though my memory of him is blurry,I remember him as a cheerful person with optimism,and my dad and granma still to this day feels sad to have lost him.

  However,even though I understand that not everyone have the courage and mental strength to withstand this kind of heartbreak and yearning,I feel thatto have known is better than ignorance.there is a chinese saying that says,"It does'nt matters that you have something,what is important is that you had it before."I can sort of relate to what this means.I feel that it is more important to know something,for everything you love stays inside you and become part of you,and letting go and losing is just part of the cycle of life.In letting go,we gain something else.What is important is that it lives on in our heart.It may sound like some philosopical rubbish,but to know there is something great that we have once seen,or knowed about,is already a great privillege and we can't expect anything more, for we have no rights to own anything forever,so in letting go,perhaps it is more a grater achivement than anything else.

  Memory is a painful thing,but it can bring joy and nolstogia.It isn't easy,but knowledge is power and we must muster the courage to know and not despair when it is lost.

When is a lie justifiable?

 Last week commenced our Language Arts lessons and it had already been generating lots of thoughts and ideas well into its second lesson. So anyway,last Thursday, we were discussing a short excerpt from a movie called Big Fish. Big Fish is a film, that was adapted from the novel similarly named which was written by author Daniel Wallace in 1998. The film was directed by director Tim Burton,who had directed many films which includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the much talked about Alice in Wonderland.Big Fish is about a son(Will Bloom),whose relationship with his father(Edward Bloom)a salesman with a great passion for telling stories had became strained,,due to him can't standing his father's countless tell-tales .As his father nears death,Will recalls the stories that his father had told him and finally discovers how much of a great man Edward had been in real life.
  So it was thanks to Shuin Kang who raised the hot topic of the day.When is a lie justifiable?While most people seem to have the impression that there are two kinds of lies,white lies(A.K.A "good lies") and "bad" lies,I have another point of view.There are 3 kinds of lies,the first kind obviously being the "bad lies",the ones that do only you personal harm but not for others,such as saying our sister broke the vase when you really broke it.Then there is the "white lies",which in which lies the catch.There are two kinds of "white lies",one is the harmful ones,that are actually said with evil intent or having a negative outcome if found out.Only the second can be justifiable,the "good lies",which have no evil intent and no negative outcome,which means that if found out, doesn't cause anyone physical or emotional damage.However,these are rare and I've seen few cases like this.Ultimately,these kinds of lies are real hard to come by and the best thing to do sometimes is to tell the truth rather than letting it go and causing much unnecessary heartbreak and pain much later.
  Also,we were discussing about whether if we were Will  Bloom,would we have forgiven our father for lying to us?Our L.A teacher even raised a an example about a fake australian POW(Prisoner Of War) who posed as one and eventually becamenational president of the Ex-PoW Association of Australia, vice president of the Queensland branch and treasurer of a PoW's reunion group.when he never ever spent one moment behind bars.For more on this story,go to these URLs:

1. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/fake-pow-arthur-rex-crane-jailed-for-welfare-fraud/story-e6frf7l6-1225974534568
2. http://admpreview.straitstimes.com:90/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=9ddf6e132b31d210VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1690758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD

All these comes boiling down to one question,will you forgive them, if they were your father or grandfather?Is their sin a giant crime or something else?If you try to put yourself in their shoes for a moment,you may then finally realise that perhaps all they wanted in the first place was to be a hero,in perhaps your heart,in their child's heart?In the australian's case it was perhaps just a case of greed,but in Edward Bloom's case,perhaps that was all he wanted,to be a hero in his son's heart.Also,is it not true that blood is thicker than water?We are perhaps "obliged"to forgive our kin more easily than others,not perhaps for a big crime,but certainly a small lie told just to try to get us closer.
  What do you think?Hope to see your opinion on this.For now,that's all folks!

Being Part of the a......?

Once, I was part of a project group in Primary School and our performance in it will be reflected in our report books at the end of the year. Thus, it was a very important task. They were one member short but at the last minute, a person who did not have any group got allocated to our group.We did not really know him and my group members were quite reluctant to let him join However, we could not argue with the teacher’s arrangement. We then carried out the project while the other three members viewed me with a certain sense of skepticism. As we progressed with the project, they seemed to grow lazier and lazier, and threw  most of their work at him, he had no choice but to try to work harder and harder. However hard he tried,he never seemed to get the others to realize that he was the most hardworking person in the group.My group members did not treat him as part of the group,but ironically,he was the  one doing most of the work.
  I tried to help him, but was it peer pressure or my own greed,I'm not quite sure of.My group members,also my friends threatened to stop helping me in school if I continued to help the boy.My selfishness got the better of me, and wishing to keep the "friends" of mine, decieded to leave the boy alone.
  It was not surprising that a few months later, we did badly in the project. Our teacher approached us about it and was quite shocked to know what had happened.Punishment was of course given and I was quite remorseful about it.However,my groupmates were not happy about it and tried to taunt him.It was only after some pleading from me before they relented and stopped.But for the rest of the year,they teased him whenever they saw him.It is of course obvious that he alone could not have done the groupwork well,but somehow,they didn't seem to stop and think about that.
  This incident happened a few years ago and I have lost contact with the group mates who went to other classes.But I still can't help and think back and feel bad about how we treated the boy.In this school.where group work often takes place,I hope that if the same thing happens again,I will stand up against the black sheep and give every group mate the treatment they deserve.

Target for L.A in 2011

1.What went well last year?

 Last year, I was doing pretty well during the first term as I could get used to reading short stories and writing them when school first started and that was what was being taught. My LA teacher, for one taught us a few methods to write and analyze short stories such as the PEE method which stands for Point, Evidence, and Explanation. It helped me tremendously as I could use it to analyse the characters in the short stories such as Charlie Gordon and Doctor Kinnian ,in Flowers for Algernon. 

 2.What went wrong?

During the middle of the year, I started to stumble a little on Animal Farm but it was not as bad as when our L.A teacher suddenly got replaced and I got introduced to a completely alien topic for me,poetry. I started to stumble a on this subject.Thankfully, due to the help of some classmates and clarification,I got a little more understanding about it to get a A2 in the EOY exam.

3.What is my target MSG for 2011?

I hope to get at most an overall of 2.0 MSG for L.A this year.

4.How do I intend to achieve this?
By getting help from classmates and firends,as well as teachers and reading more meaningful literature works to get more used to Language Arts as a whole.I'll be continuing to update this part if I find better ways.

Welcome to my blog!

This is my new L.A blog for 2011. I hope you viewers will like this blog and comment. :D