China's One-Child Policy's Ripple Effect on Singapore and Beyond?

Outrageous. On Sunday, 18 March 2012, a PRC couple attempted to kidnap a Singaporean boy in the suburbs of Ang Mo Kio. Read reports here(CNA), here(ST), or here(inSing).

It is shocking that such an attempt was carried out in a public mall, during a Sunday afternoon with an ongoing event and high human traffic. The PRC couple was so brazen to strike during the few seconds a child was unsupervised, and if it were not for the mother's immediate confrontation with the PRC woman leading her son away, who knows what would have happened to the boy.

In China, the strict One-Child Policy restricts parents to only one child, and when compounded with the traditional Chinese preference of a male heir, adoptions of baby boys are commonplace and highly sought after. In this article (China frees 24,000 abducted women, kids in 2011), the report stated that the PRC Ministry of Public Security said that Chinese police have rescued 8,660 children and 15,458 women in 2011.

These children and women are all victims of human trafficking, and more than 2,000 children were discovered to have been abducted and sold for adoption. Additionally, adoption in China is seemingly less-regulated (there is a China Center of Adoption Affairs overseen by the Ministry of Civil Affairs) where couples can adopt children from any source.

Tellingly, the article also paints a grim picture of the fates of children and women abducted by human traffickers. Abducted women are forced into prostitution, even all the way to freaking Angola (which is in Africa by the way), and in 2007, Chinese authorities discovered and freed thousands of people forced into slave labour in brickyards and mines.

Read more about Slave Labour in China here(Time World/Slave Labor in China Sparks Outrage) and here(New York Times/Child slave labor revelations sweeping China).

In short, victims of human trafficking in China end up either as adopted children, slaves, or prostitutes (for the women only, I hope). And so far, all reported cases of abduction were domestic and confined within Chinese borders and territories. And if the PRC couple are part of a global syndicate, expanding abduction operations outside of China, I shudder to consider the consequences. Will more children be led away by women misleading them into believing that she will bring them back home, or worse, forcibly kidnapped or bought from impoverished and rural families in our neighbouring nations?

3 Years and more than SGD8000 later...

I've graduated with a Diploma.

Can't say I'm too pleased with the results of my final semester released today, but at least it marks the end of a journey.

In the pursuit of a perfect score each semester, I would become a monster, flaring up over tiny imperfections or misdemeanors of my classmates and group members. In the last semester, the internship was equally challenging even without tests and projects.

But in the end, as I glance at my graduating GPA, I ask myself, was it all worth it? Sure, 3.6 is above the average, and it qualifies me for local universities, although getting into a course in a local university is another issue altogether, but then, that's just it. 3.6 is not good enough.

And yes, there are no more chances left. I've graduated. So boom, this 3.6154 (down from 3.6205, it's all in the details innit?) is set in stone.

And that's it, there is nothing I can do about it, besides bitching and cursing at the opacity of grading internships, other than looking forward to the next stage of my life. And maybe put my feet down and finally start driving lessons to get that license.

The School of Financial and Business Reality

If our past experiences define our future, then clearly my life is one not meant for business. Specifically, financial success in business.

When I was 15, I naively spent all the capital granted to us for charity, and made a huge loss.

When I was 8, I had my first taste of entrepreneurship by offering my services to help my classmates buy the "cool" stuff they wanted but were unable to buy personally due to their parents' close surveillance. I failed to deliver.

From ages 12 through 13, I got caught up in the sale of digital music online and offered to buy and then burn songs my classmates wanted for a fee. Greed got to me pretty soon after.

Age 20, foolishly got scammed in an advance fee fraud case for several IT products. Wiped out half of my savings.

If I do continue doing business, will I ever taste success? Will I be able to look back one day and laugh, appreciating all the above experiences life has afforded me? Or will I just end up destitute and disillusioned?

Kids these days...

Trending news currently is about some kid named Aaron Tan who posted a video on YouTube, publicly mocking and demanding a public apology, on Facebook no less, from his 14 year old "love rival" Ryan, who has allegedly the balls to steal Aaron's girlfriend Nina.

(watch video here. viewer discretion is advised; moron ahead)

Despite sounding like a cheap drama plot, I could not help but draw certain parallels between this clown, and Nosey's old adversary, Little Roy. Indeed, at certain points in the video I thought I was watching Little Roy instead of this clown.

Which has got me thinking, what if, 3 years ago, the whole episode with Little Roy had happened on YouTube and Facebook? But seriously, kids these days.

Closure

I write this now, as a form of tribute, as a form of closure, as an archive of my memories, and as an expression of my thoughts.

This Sunday my maternal grandfather passed away, after the tuberculosis virus ravaged his health, and robbed him away from us.

I was present at the hospital ward, and witnessed the deteriorating condition firsthand, so I can say I was prepared to expect the worst.

My relationship with my maternal grandfather was never as close as would be ideal. In fact, it could be said that my relationship with my maternal relations were never as close as my relationship with my paternal ones. Perhaps it was the language barrier, perhaps it was the "culture", perhaps it was the people.

What I really regretted, was what happened earlier this year. We celebrated his 76th birthday in May, and I could tell my uncles and aunts put in a lot of effort into it. Yet, at the apex of any birthday celebration, when the cake was presented and we were all called to gather to sing the happy birthday song and take a photo, nobody made a move. My grandfather was sitting behind the cake, with my youngest cousin on his lap and my grandmother not far from him. The adults were calling and cajoling us 'kids' to go and "get in position". Nobody moved. We were just waiting for each other to make the first move.

At that point, I could sense the entire mood of the evening plummet, and my grandfather was sitting there insisting that its alright. That there is no need to go through all this trouble. Little were we to expect, a mere 2 months later, that would be the last time we would ever get to celebrate it with him.

I am filled with regret, that we, I, didn't cherish it. That we took it for granted. That that was the last time I saw him before this Sunday.

In closing, I want to pay tribute to him.

My maternal grandfather, now late, was a simple man. He ate simply, and dressed simply.

He never sought to create trouble for anybody, and avoided anything he felt would trouble anyone.

He was born in Malaysia, but settled down here, and married my grandmother.

He worked, to support my mother, and her siblings, working menial jobs all his life, until retirement in his 70s.

On normal Sunday evenings, when my family would occasionally go out to have dinner, he would always reject coming along when asked. Even to dinner functions, near or far, he chose to stay home. Always.

The extent he went to reassure everyone, to not let anyone worry about him, was noble.

It is unfortunate, from what I overheard from my relatives, that this quality in him may have indirectly lead to this state of affairs. That he refused to seek further treatment, and kept reassuring everyone he was getting better, that he was recovering.

His sacrifice for his family, his concern, his independence, and his humility and his simplicity.

These qualities I will forever remember him by.

Mister Right

Digging through a treasure trove of items, photos, playlists and memories of my secondary school days (especially the lower sec ones). Oh how things were so chaotic and yet so under control back then..

I guess things have changed over the years, I've changed. I've become much less idealistic and much more pragmatic. But I realised my ideas and philosophy have not really been shaped much by the times that heat people like clay. Instead, I've been much more dogmatic about certain things..

Now life feels different. I feel I'm less subjected to the forces around me that swirl ever so violently. Yet paradoxically, I feel more impotent now more then ever to influence my surroundings. I guess it's one of the things I appreciate on hindsight about secondary school. When things were oh so chaotic (especially in my lower sec days) but yet at the same time oh so controllable at my finger tips. But I guess I am merely just growing into my place as a member of this society I live in and a citizen in this global village.

Still pursuing my endeavours fervently, and I wonder what my book will say (on hindsight) about my days in NS.

Best of Web Fiction: INSTRUCTION FOR A HELP

Cropped for spoilers. Check out the date, though.

Instruction for a Help is a series of howto guides that are written in spectacularly mangled English that suggests some sort of a translator. Take this advice in Instruction for a Fruit: "Take a bad water and make a good water. A fruit loves a water twice a day." The language, and the articles' apparently insane notions ("The eyes of a fruit close and a tear comes") are written by Zack Parsons, for comedy website Something Awful. But soon the bizarrely humourous become bizarrely disturbing, and it becomes obvious that comedy is not the main thrust of the series.

 The readers of the "instructions" mostly call for people to love and respect nature, and to report to "THE CENTER" to be "diagoloised" and assessed for what we can safely assume to be reproductive activity, or as they call it, "formulating a babie"(lol). Having trouble with your "babie"? No problem, just ring for your neighbourhood friendly red worm. He is your friend, and will protect you from the mans from below, which incidentally, if you see him, you should open up his skin and "take out ALL his fluids".

This world where man and nature live harmoniously by all accounts, is flavoured with strange distorted images, becoming fragmented and broken as the series hits its climax, when the mythical "mans from below" threaten the status quo.

It ends rather ambiguously, but is tied strongly to a companion narrative, also written by the same author, called "The View From Below", which despite spoiling the mystery surrounding Instruction for a Help, The View from Below is what I would argue is the "meat" of the the actual story. The View from Below is an arguably even better story, this time with proper English and a much more straightforward narrative with the same setting. The setting of it, political aspects and all, are well-realized and believable; the plot twists and turns past an easy ending into an epilogue that is one of the more intriguing endings I've seen in Fantasy/SciFi.

It is quite long, but segmented into convenient chunks and is unusually well-written and original for internet fiction.

>>>READ IT HERE <<<<

Understanding thyself (and new age learning pedagogies)

I am an: ENTJ (extraversion, intuition, thinking, judgment)

ENTJs have a natural tendency to marshal and direct. This may be expressed with the charm and finesse of a world leader or with the insensitivity of a cult leader. The ENTJ requires little encouragement to make a plan. One ENTJ put it this way... "I make these little plans that really don't have any importance to anyone else, and then feel compelled to carry them out." While "compelled" may not describe ENTJs as a group, nevertheless the bent to plan creatively and to make those plans reality is a common theme for NJ types.

ENTJs focus on the most efficient and organized means of performing a task. This quality, along with their goal orientation, often makes ENTJs superior leaders, both realistic and visionary in implementing a long-term plan. ENTJs tend to be fiercely independent in their decision making, having a strong will that insulates them against external influence. Generally highly competent, ENTJs analyze and structure the world around them in a logical and rational way. Due to this straightforward way of thinking, ENTJs tend to have the greatest difficulty of all the types in applying subjective considerations and emotional values into the decision-making process.

ENTJs often excel in business and other areas that require systems analysis, original thinking, and an economically savvy mind. They are dynamic and pragmatic problem solvers. They tend to have a high degree of confidence in their own abilities, making them assertive and outspoken. In their dealings with others, they are generally outgoing, charismatic, fair-minded, and unaffected by conflict or criticism. However, these qualities can make ENTJs appear arrogant, insensitive, and confrontational. They can overwhelm others with their energy, intelligence, and desire to order the world according to their own vision. As a result, they may seem intimidating, hasty, and controlling.

ENTJs tend to cultivate their personal power. They often end up taking charge of a situation that seems (to their mind, at least) to be out of control, or that can otherwise be improved upon and strengthened. They strive to learn new things, which helps them become resourceful problem-solvers. However, since ENTJs rely on provable facts, they may find subjective issues pointless. ENTJs appear to take a tough approach to emotional or personal issues, and so can be viewed as aloof and cold-hearted. In situations requiring feeling and value judgments, ENTJs are well served to seek the advice of a trusted Feeling type.

Good to know. :)
and I'm back to my obsession with personal mastery

TOFU out

cry-sis

Been having a bit of trouble with my girlfriend lately...

alla damned. Sometimes I wish I was still swinging single.

The Moral Dilemma

So the stronghold of the GRC system was finally broken yesterday by the "star team" of the workers' party. I'm genuinely glad we now have a handful of opposition members in parliment. Honestly the number now is just nice for our government to be effective and yet maintain duality on the ground.

I have many thoughts on this election but I'll use Aljunied here.

I find it a pity that George Yeo, a mild and an extremely nice guy (mum had exchanges with him when George was a BG in the SAF), had to be the fall guy for the PAPs short comings. I very much rather a joker like Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan or Khaw Boon Wah go. But then again, no minister is indispensable. It just so happen George Yeo was in the firing sights of change.

The issue is apparent. Poor Singaporeans are suffering too much. In economics we learn that the purpose of the government is to intervene to ensure the "welfare" and the economic objectives of the people are met. This government has made policies which have allowed far too many poor people to fall through the nets of safety that current schemes provide for for the poor. The ruling government has shown in the past 5 years that they have been clearly out of touch with the working class. Living high and mighty up there like a club that is the PAP.

A friend recounted an incident that happened to him a few months back that made him question the moral authority of the current government to govern. His grandmother was hospitalised for 2 weeks. The bill came out to be over $10000 despite no special treatment being administered or whatsoever. When the grandmother was discharged, she had to take a lot of medicines to help recover fully. However, the family could not afford the many different disgustingly expensive medicines that the doctor prescribed. The doctor then presented to the family members the list of medicines that were deemed "not as important" and asked them which one they didn't want. My friend and his family were shocked. Under the current scheme, a person has to sell all his assests and be completely 100% unable to help himself (i.e. with his house sold etc) before the government will step in to save your life.

I'm not asking for a welfare state, we all know that will lead to disaster and rob the pockets of our children and grandchildren. But for a healthcare system to degenerate to such a level is just vehemently disgusting. It reminds me of Michael Moore's Sicko show that I watched a few years back. I thought then that this will never happen to Singapore. but in the past 5 years, things have proven otherwise. Singapore only spent 1.6% of her GDP on healthcare last year. Something is clearly clearly wrong.

There are many more heart burning issues I have. But I'll keep it for next time.

I think more can be done to help the poor who fall through the safety nets. The cry has one forth and I can only pray the government open it's ears.

Don't get me wrong. I still think a PAP government is best for Singapore, but I feel that the government has been so out of touch with the working class and the poor folks that they need to lose a few constituencies to wake up and realise something is very wrong.