Qn:What do you think are some of the challenges facing Singapore as the country plays host to more people from different backgrounds and
cultures?
As Singapore plays host to more people from different backgrounds and cultures, the main challenge faced by the country is how to close the gap between the "others" and Singaporeans. According to the article, the population of foreigners is on a rise. Yet, Singaporeans still find it hard to hang out or see them as part of "US". Singaporean minds still finds it hard to imagine white person as an integrated resident and not some overpaid expatriate, and they just can't stop assuming that mainland women are all predators out there to seduce old men of their CPF savings.
Foreigners don't factor into our daily consciousness unless we are "forced" to recognise them. For example, Filipino, Indonesian and Indian women are often known as maids. When we mention Philippine and Indonesia, the first thing came into our mind is maid, not their cultures or backgrounds. Same goes to construction workers-they are all illegal Bangladeshi workers. We all see them in our daily lives but they are far from being one of "US".
Though these foreigners contribute to our economy, they do not get what they deserved. For example, an illegal Myanmar worker who fell to his death while working on a block of flats. his death was not reported by his employer who simply dump his body at a car park. The failure to provide this poor exploited worker a dignified end is stunning. Though he ended his life BECAUSE he's building nice flats for us to live in, yet the incident did not seem to register with the average Singaporeans.
Another challenge faced by Singapore when it plays host to more people from different cultures and backgrounds is that the population of citizens is declining.
The 2000 population census showed that more than one in four people in Singapore is a foreigner. The jump in population from 3.05 million in 1990 to 4.02 million in 2000 comes mostly from the influx of foreigners. Citizens now make up only 74% of the population.
Also, foreigners are having a difficulty with mixing around with Singaporeans. Each side persists in hanging out with their own kind and the gap widens as the population grows.
As Singapore plays host to more people from different cultures and background, Singaporeans must stop resenting foreigners as those who take away their jobs, who seduce the old men and see them as lower class citizens.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Overpopulation in India
Last week, I watched a documentary on "world in balance". It talked about overpopulation in India and the trememdous drop in number of babies born in Japan. After watching the documentary, I went on to research on the overpopulation in India.
The world population reached 6 billion on October 12, 1999, and is expected to reach 9.3 billion by 2050. India is the second most populated country after China on this planet and is on it's way to being number one within the next fifty years. The government is very concerned about the size of India's population and has focused tremendous amounts of energy into combating India's growth.
India's population reached one billion on 1999. However, the poverty continues to bug India, 8 million people die each year because they are too poor to survive.
What is the cause of the population boom in India?
First of all, the education level. Most of the people in India are uneducated. They have no knowledge on birth control and spread of sexual diseases. In India, living standards is extremely low, thus the spread of diseases is very rampant. Families in India will thus demand the wives to give birth to more children as many could not survive to the age of adolescent.
Not only that, gender discrimination in India is still going strong. Husbands and mother-in-laws often demand the wives to give birth to only boys. When the can't produce male decendents, they are "forced" to give birth to more though they are reluctant about it.
Next is that most of the Indians have no knowledge on birth control. They are not taught how to use condoms and contraceptive pills to avoid getting pregnant.
To solve the overpopulation problem in India, the most important solutions is to educate them. WRONG MINDSETS must be changed. We must educate the people there, especiallt the males that giving birth to females is equally good. Not only that, wu must teach the people on birth control. Condoms and contraceptive pills must be made available to the public. Developed countries should help to educate the people from third world countries on how to use the birth control measures.
The world population reached 6 billion on October 12, 1999, and is expected to reach 9.3 billion by 2050. India is the second most populated country after China on this planet and is on it's way to being number one within the next fifty years. The government is very concerned about the size of India's population and has focused tremendous amounts of energy into combating India's growth.
India's population reached one billion on 1999. However, the poverty continues to bug India, 8 million people die each year because they are too poor to survive.
What is the cause of the population boom in India?
First of all, the education level. Most of the people in India are uneducated. They have no knowledge on birth control and spread of sexual diseases. In India, living standards is extremely low, thus the spread of diseases is very rampant. Families in India will thus demand the wives to give birth to more children as many could not survive to the age of adolescent.
Not only that, gender discrimination in India is still going strong. Husbands and mother-in-laws often demand the wives to give birth to only boys. When the can't produce male decendents, they are "forced" to give birth to more though they are reluctant about it.
Next is that most of the Indians have no knowledge on birth control. They are not taught how to use condoms and contraceptive pills to avoid getting pregnant.
To solve the overpopulation problem in India, the most important solutions is to educate them. WRONG MINDSETS must be changed. We must educate the people there, especiallt the males that giving birth to females is equally good. Not only that, wu must teach the people on birth control. Condoms and contraceptive pills must be made available to the public. Developed countries should help to educate the people from third world countries on how to use the birth control measures.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Daughter may give birth to mother's child?
I read a very interesting article this week titled "daughter may give birth to mother's child".
A girl aged seven has turner syndrome which makes her infertile when she matures. Out of motherly love, her thirty five year old Canadian mother had decided to freeze her eggs so that one day her daughter may become a mother herself.
This is the first time that a mother-to-daughter donation has been made, though there have been cases of sister donating to sister before. Donating eggs is nothing new, but there is a shortage of egg donors in Canada since legislation in 2004 prevented women from selling their eggs.
Some people are touched by the mother's act and agree with the donation. However, some strongly against this donation. Negativity has risen since this story was made public. The only negativity reaction had come from an ethics professor in Toronto who did not think that the interest of the unborn child had been taken into account. Experts who have spoken to the press have also expressed concern as to the psychological welfare of the yet unborn child.
I do not agree to such donation. I can feel the Canadian mother's love and concern towards her daughter but I am against to such donation.
If the daughter dives birth to a child using her mother's eggs, such a baby would be the sibling of the birth mother at the same time as the direct genetic offspring of the grandmother donor. we will be hearing more and more children suffering from identity problem. Giving birth to your own sister completely screws up the normal transition of life.
Furthermore, I feel that mother-to-daughter donation is not the only way to allow the daughter to experience motherhood. The daughter can get egg donation from people with no blood relation, this will solve the problem of identity.
Not only that, the daughter is only seven year old. By the time she reaches motherhood, technology may have been advanced enough to help her. This donation will not be necessary then.
A girl aged seven has turner syndrome which makes her infertile when she matures. Out of motherly love, her thirty five year old Canadian mother had decided to freeze her eggs so that one day her daughter may become a mother herself.
This is the first time that a mother-to-daughter donation has been made, though there have been cases of sister donating to sister before. Donating eggs is nothing new, but there is a shortage of egg donors in Canada since legislation in 2004 prevented women from selling their eggs.
Some people are touched by the mother's act and agree with the donation. However, some strongly against this donation. Negativity has risen since this story was made public. The only negativity reaction had come from an ethics professor in Toronto who did not think that the interest of the unborn child had been taken into account. Experts who have spoken to the press have also expressed concern as to the psychological welfare of the yet unborn child.
I do not agree to such donation. I can feel the Canadian mother's love and concern towards her daughter but I am against to such donation.
If the daughter dives birth to a child using her mother's eggs, such a baby would be the sibling of the birth mother at the same time as the direct genetic offspring of the grandmother donor. we will be hearing more and more children suffering from identity problem. Giving birth to your own sister completely screws up the normal transition of life.
Furthermore, I feel that mother-to-daughter donation is not the only way to allow the daughter to experience motherhood. The daughter can get egg donation from people with no blood relation, this will solve the problem of identity.
Not only that, the daughter is only seven year old. By the time she reaches motherhood, technology may have been advanced enough to help her. This donation will not be necessary then.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Race and the race
The article that i read this week is "race and the race". This article is saying that Americans appear prepared to elect either a black or a female president. But experience trumps both factors—and in a two-way race, Hillary Clinton, a women leads Barack Obama, a Black by more than 20 points.
2008 will be the next election year for America. Could 2008 be the year that Americans put an end to an unbroken 21woman or an African-American candidate for the office, according to the latest NEWSWEEK Poll. But those numbers drop significantly when respondents are asked whether the country is ready to accept a black or a woman in the White House.
Although 92 percent of the NEWSWEEK Poll’s respondents claim they would vote for a black candidate, only 59 percent believe the country is actually ready for an African-American president. Similarly, 86 percent of voters say they would vote for a female commander in chief, but only 58 percent believe the country is ready for one.
To me, i feel that we should not consider one's race and gender when deciding to vote for a president. Instead, we should look at their ability to lead a country to further success and their experiences to govern a country.
It is good to hear that Americans are starting to accept Blacks and women as leaders after decades of racial and gender discrimination. Not many countries are able to do this yet.
However, there are still cases where women are voted to be leader. For example, Philippine first woman president Arroyo. America will be the first country to have a Black President if Barack Obama is elected.
I wouldn't mind voting for a woman president or prsident of other races as long they proved to be effective and are able to provide fair and uncorrupted government for the people.
2008 will be the next election year for America. Could 2008 be the year that Americans put an end to an unbroken 21woman or an African-American candidate for the office, according to the latest NEWSWEEK Poll. But those numbers drop significantly when respondents are asked whether the country is ready to accept a black or a woman in the White House.
Although 92 percent of the NEWSWEEK Poll’s respondents claim they would vote for a black candidate, only 59 percent believe the country is actually ready for an African-American president. Similarly, 86 percent of voters say they would vote for a female commander in chief, but only 58 percent believe the country is ready for one.
To me, i feel that we should not consider one's race and gender when deciding to vote for a president. Instead, we should look at their ability to lead a country to further success and their experiences to govern a country.
It is good to hear that Americans are starting to accept Blacks and women as leaders after decades of racial and gender discrimination. Not many countries are able to do this yet.
However, there are still cases where women are voted to be leader. For example, Philippine first woman president Arroyo. America will be the first country to have a Black President if Barack Obama is elected.
I wouldn't mind voting for a woman president or prsident of other races as long they proved to be effective and are able to provide fair and uncorrupted government for the people.
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