The Dark Shadow Shrine

embrace the darkness; that you may see the light nestled within it......

Thursday, July 26, 2018

A face Russia needs to show off more

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Note the Russian doll metaphor, which is good for ur BANGs!

Note the tytical negative image of Russia fed to us by the media before the advent of the World Cup....

Take note of how Russia uses the hosting of the World Cup to re-brand itself to the world, arguably to much success.....

Note also that the very media that causes the problem (i.e. giving us a slanted portrayal of Russia) is also the very same media that 'corrected' our negative perception of it, esp for those of us who have never been to Russia first-hand, as well as never had friends who had been to Russia whether before or after the recent World Cup. Recall a common chinese saying that the person who is needed to untie the bell, is also the very same person who tied the bell there in the first place.

Now do you see why certain govts want to control what the press report? esp if if's a widely circulated press read by its own people?
It becomes a bit more difficult to control the international press meant mainly for the international audience, so what govts try to do is to create postitive things that the international press find worthy of reporting....

Qns:
1. To what extent does the media influence our perception of reality?
2. Hosting major sporting events creates more problems than benefits. Do you agree? (Cam. 2005)
3. Can the media ever be relied upon to convey the truth? (Cam. 2003)
4. Is regulation of the press desirable? (Cam. 2017)

Monday, July 23, 2018

Inequality is not just unfair, it's also bad economics

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For qns on inequality....(duh!)

Protecting the natural heritage

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If can't access above link, click HERE

Qns:

1.     In your society, how well are the demands of the economy and the environment balanced? (Cam. 2015)
2.     To what extent are the rights of animals protected in your society? (Cam. 2012)

China censors posts, articles on vaccine scandal amid outcry

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See also related post HERE ("Xi denounces vaccine safety scandal as vile and shocking")
"Changchun Changsheng Biotechnology's illegal production of vaccines is vile in nature and shocking," Mr Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Premier Li Keqiang slammed Changsheng Biotechnology for having crossed a moral red line and called for swift action.
"Yesterday it was milk powder, today vaccines. What will it be tomorrow?" another wrote, referring to a major scandal in 2008 when several infants died after the industrial chemical melamine was added to milk powder to raise its protein levels.
For qns on censorship and telling the truth....and business ethics....

Qn: Is it realistic for businesses to be socially responsible when profits are their main concern? (NYJC J2 Mid-Yr Exams 2018)

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Why can't I recycle my old TV or fridge in Singapore?

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If can't access, click HERE

more content on the effectiveness of recycling .......

Qn: "Recycling is troublesome and unnecessary." Do you agree?

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Victory a testament to support for growing young talent: Tharman

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think of sporting achievements as one of the ways to promote recognition and greater acceptance of minority races and migrants.....inclusivity can start at sports and filter down to other levels in society....

Sports is one of those areas where u ability to score goals matter more than how u look i.e. pretty or ugly, skin colour white or black or yellow....Notice that some of the greatest names to emerge from the recent World Cup are those of migrant origins and not fair-skinned e.g. the precocious 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe...And the greatest name in soccer history is Pele, who is black. Other soccer legends include Maradona, who is short and does not exactly have much to boast of in the looks department.....But these people are worhsipped as gods by legions of fans the world over....And what about our own soccer legend Fandhi Ahmad? May not the achievements of these people in sport (soccer) and their fans' adulation of them pave the way for more inclusivity and less racial discrimination now that these people have show us what they can be capable of despite their race or skin colour? They are living embodiments of the worth and potential of other races that serve to shatter the racial stereotypes we have come to associate with certain skin colour. Think also of how Yao Ming, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal were revered as star basketball players in the west despite not being fair-skinned Caucasians....

Qns:
1.     Hosting major sporting events creates more problems than benefits. Do you agree? (Cam. 2005)
2.     Does sport merit the vast sums of money that are spent on it? (Cam. 2010)
3.     To what extent are people judged more by their physical appearance than by their abilities? (Cam. 2017)
4.    Can racial discrimination ever be eliminated?

Russia on right track after hosting success

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Note the various pros and cons of sport:

-Fifa, which would have made billions from broadcast rights, sponsors, merchandise and ticket packages

-infrastructure is in place with 12 new or refurbished stadiums across 11 host cities.

Three stadiums will reduce their seating capacity to 30,000-35,000 to fit long-term needs, and plans are already afoot to prevent them from turning into white elephants....Besides the stadiums, a significant portion of the US$12 billion (S$16.4 billion) hosting costs also went to building new airport terminals in five cities and a new airport in Rostov-on-Don, as well as three metro stations and 12 new roads and junctions....."The infrastructure benefits - particularly for the railways and airports - will have lasting benefits to the country and the general population in a huge nation where long-distance travel has a completely different meaning compared to most countries.
-"For so long, Russia has been a black box to international travellers with its challenging visa regime, distance, climate and reputation as an unfriendly location that doesn't welcome foreigners.

"Those who visited for the World Cup will tell a different story though - of welcoming locals, clean and beautiful spaces, and a friendly country packed with culture and history. Those who watched on television would have been inspired to plan visits after seeing the sparkling architecture of Moscow and St Petersburg in particular.
Note useful stats:
the US$12 billion (S$16.4 billion) hosting costs


Qns:
1.     Hosting major sporting events creates more problems than benefits. Do you agree? (Cam. 2005)
2.     Does sport merit the vast sums of money that are spent on it? (Cam. 2010)

Monday, July 16, 2018

Fitting finale for France caps a fantastic World Cup

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The World Cup threw up a few issues:

1) the impact of technology i.e. VAR
Perisic became the villain though as he conceded a controversial penalty - for a handball - which was awarded only after a video assistant referee (VAR) review. Frenchman Antoine Griezmann converted the spot kick...This was the most high-profile example of the impact of VAR, which made its debut at the World Cup. Its intervention led to 11 of the record 29 penalties being awarded.

2) Teamwork and Cooperation 
Teamwork was a hallmark of this World Cup, with Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Spain suffering shock defeats by sides with less talent but greater unity...Even France's victory, for all their individual talents, was built on selflessness and esprit de corps.

3) Benefits of Hosting: stoke national pride and repair tarnished image
Hosts Russia had much to celebrate too. Their team defied the odds to reach the quarter-finals while the country's image, marred by sports doping and political issues, has received a boost for its successful staging of the event.

4) recognition and hence acceptance of minority races?
multicultural team of "black, blanc, beur" (black, white and Arab) players


Qn: Hosting major sporting events creates more problems than benefits. Do you agree? (Cam. 2005)

Friday, July 13, 2018

Rescue will remain etched in memory for the many acts of selflessness

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If can't access above link, click HERE .

Useful well-known example on the topic of helping each other, cooperation, etc.

Those who just did the oral, hint hint!!!! 

Compared with places like Japan, where disaster response is largely government-led, countries like the Philippines, Bangladesh and Thailand rely on local communities and social networks. Such community-based, bottom-up resilience tends to be messier, but is probably a better measure of a society's resilience.

The kampung spirit that has eroded as a result of urbanization:
Villagers call on elders to check on them, readily share food with one another and help out at weddings and funerals, and at the local temples. "It is an old way of life that I remember from childhood, when people still lived in a real village culture, in a real community where people do take care of and look out for one another....This way of life has disappeared in most places, but in some pockets, you still have it. Remember that this (cave site) is remote."
Link also to ideas like how heroes are born in times of crisis; it takes a crisis to bind a divided nation together; how disasters bring out the best in mankind....

Nature expert threatens to leave Mandai discussions

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Like an earlier post on what's happening in Queensland, Australia (see HERE), Singapore has a similar situation. Limited land means that as the urban sprawl continues, it will encroach into the forested areas where the treasures of Mother Nature reside....Currently, the relocation of the Bird Park to Mandai, and the expansion of the zoo means that some of the forested areas in the Catchment Nature Reserves will have to be compromised.....And if the CRL MRT line is approved to go through (technically, it's go UNDER) the Catchment Reserves, the problem may be exacerbated...

 Qn: In your society, how well are the demands of the economy and the environment balanced? (Cam. 2015)

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Civilians and War The Reith Lectures, Margaret MacMillan

Click HERE for the BBC podcast on war that I happened to chance upon the other day....very good content filled with some thought-provoking ideas.....
More importantly, with the Oral season in or near its full swing, I think it's good exposure to you where good English is concerned....Sometimes, it may be less stressful to listen than read...

Use the audio clips for:
1) pronunciation and 'roller-coaster' (P4 & P3) [try repeating some of the words that u caught after the lecturer]
2) listening (P3)
3) pick up vocab (P1 & P2 & P4)
4) pick up useful content or reinforce existing content (P1 and P4)

If you like what u have been listening to, tune in to 2 other parts of the lecturer's speech on the same theme of war:
1) Fearing and Loving: Making Sense of the Warrior
2) War and Humanity

Arts and culture build a city: Panel experts

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it is not infrastructure but culture that holds a community together, and that a deep-seated multiculturalism is central to a city's liveability.

Artists who take funding cannot have pure autonomy ..... "If artists are there just to achieve a certain government agenda, they're just like pets. That's not what I understand artists to be - if we want artists to be pets, that's not the full gamut of artistic expression."
without culture and the nurturing of a national identity, a country risks having its young generations go abroad with no desire to return.


Note the beautiful imagery below....perfect for BANGING and for weaving into your Spoken Interaction part of the Oral -- like adding a splash of colour to your writing or speech...But note that it is only local arts that can bind one to one's roots (r/f Q1 below):
"Before you give somebody wings, you have to give them roots. They can fly anywhere else but they will always come back, and you teach that in the realm of culture, identity and the arts."

For qns on the arts and culture...

Qns:

1.     To what extent should the arts in your society focus on local rather than foreign talent? (Cam. 2015)

2.     ā€˜For the majority of people, the Arts are irrelevant to their daily lives.ā€™ How true is this of your society? (Cam. 2014)

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

French food culture under attack

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Cruelty is still sometimes presented as an unavoidable path to fine gastronomy.

And with the animal-products industry generating ā‚¬26 billion (S$41.5 billion) in annual revenue and employing thousands of people, these concerns have often been shoved aside.
Organisations such as L214 seek to change that, including video-taping and releasing evidence of animal mistreatment.
Note the French cuisine is renowned world-wide for its fine-dining....it is hard to imagine French food that does not involve meat....In fact, the kind of food we eat is part of our cultural identity:
According to the butchers' lobby, the trend threatens "a whole part of French culture that owes so much to artisan butchers, farmers, fishmongers and cheese shops". And that threat is now right at their doorsteps.

Qns:
1. 'You are what you eat'. Discuss.
2. To what extent are the rights of animals protected in your society? (Cam. 2012)


Queensland's quandary

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Note the catchy title using alliteration technique...

Note how deforestation is not just about releasing CO2 into the air and destroying the 'carbon sink', but also destroying the natural habitat of the fauna, which can lead to their extinction....Singapore is in a sense guilty of this as we need land for housing and urban sprawl (as opposed to argiculture in the case of Australia). Our intrusion into the water catchment area in recent years has caused wild animals like deer, pythons, monkeys and wild boars to encroach into our living envmts, resulting in some of them even knocked down dead by cars in the Bukit Timah Expressway....If the plan to build the CRL (CRoss island Line)MRT line goes through, it will go under the catchment area, causing perhaps more disturbance....

Qns:

1. Assess the view that attempts to control climate change can never be truly effective. (Cam. 2017)
2. In your society, how well are the demands of the economy and the environment balanced? (Cam. 2015)

HDB exploring floating solar panels in open sea

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Other than placing solar panels on the surface of reservoirs, now we're contemplating putting them on the surface of the sea.....
BUT hey, won't this affect our busy shipping lanes? And as with the use of reservoirs, don't we need the reservoirs and the sea for recreation (think kayaking) and appreciating the beauty of nature?

Qns:

1. Assess the view that attempts to control climate change can never be truly effective. (Cam. 2017)
2. Should there be any controls over the production of energy when the need for it is so great? (Cam. 2015)

New signs point to a thriving Kampong Glam 200 years ago

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Note how evidence unearthed many years later can thrown our interpretation of the past in a new light....esp so with advanced technology like carbon dating, etc....


Qn: ā€˜The past is not dead; it is not even past.ā€™ Discuss. (Cam. 2017)

Singapore's defence worth the cost

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Technology will be leveraged more to build a next-generation SAF that is smarter, leaner and more lethal. The second quality is important because the SAF will have to deal with a one-third reduction in manpower resources amid Singapore's declining birth rates.

plays a crucial role in preserving the country's autonomy of action - even among non-adversaries and friends. For a small state, it would also be irresponsible to become addicted to, and dependent on, the strategic largess of friends......

Note the example of the US to EU on this:

It is often said that nations have no permanent friends, only permanent interests
Qn: Examine the extent to which expenditure on arms and the armed forces is justified in the modern world. (Cam. 2014)

Waste-sorting not catching on in Beijing

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Good example of limitations of recycling (Hint: Oral)

Role of the common man in contributing towards saving Mother Nature....

Note recycling needs to be supported by infrastructure and a change in the lifestyle habits of people, who may otherwise find it too troublesome....

Hundreds of local and foreign volunteers help with rescue

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Good example of kind acts between countries....(Hint: Oral)

Friday, July 06, 2018

Execs linked to deforestation allegations quit Wilmar

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If cannot access the above link, click HERE.

A good example to show the watchdog role played by the NGO Greenpeace in exposing and bringing to task the wrongdoings of MNCs like Wilmar which are engaging in business practices that are harmful to Mother Nature.....Exposing such deeds, esp in the media, applies pressure on these errant MNCs to clean up their deeds and toe the line by threatening them with the punitive measures of the law, or more importantly, via tarnishing their image and inciting consumer boycotts that will hurt their profit margins....

Note that environmental responsibility is split among four major players: the govt, the business sector, the consumers, and the NGOs.

Qns: 
1. Assess the view that attempts to control climate change can never be truly effective. (Cam. 2017)
2. 'The sole objective of doing business is profit maximization.' Discuss.

Can We Eat Our Way Out Of Climate Change?

Click HERE

Listen to the podcast from this BBC World Service page above....
Thought-provoking content, not to mention some good impeccable pronunciation for those of u preparing for ur upcming 'O' level Oral exams....

Content-wise, note that eschewing (i.e. avoiding) a meat diet is one of the ways to fight climate change. The rearing of cattle contributes to carbon emissions, hence global warming, as the cattle burps and farts, releasing methane in the process, which is more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat....But how likely can we be persuaded to steer away from meat in our daily food intake? esp in increasingly prosperous nations which are consuming more meat....

Qn: Assess the view that attempts to control climate change can never be truly effective. (Cam. 2017)

Thursday, July 05, 2018

Najib pleads not guilty to four charges; trial next year

Click HERE

This article caught my eye coz:
At the defence's request, Judge Mohamad Sofian Abdul Razak agreed to issue an interim court order barring discussions on the merits of the case outside the court, especially in the media. Tan Sri Shafee said the order would stop anyone from making speculative or false reports against his client.....The gag order will be in place until Aug 8, when the matter is heard.
Like molest or rape cases where the identity of the victim (and sometimes the perpetrator, if related to the victim) is withheld, the muzzle is placed on the press to prevent what is called 'trial by the media'. The intense discussion on the media may risk pronouncing the defendant as guilty even before the court does so, and this is unfair to the defendant. Sometimes, the media pressure could also influence the eventual court verdict as the court comes under tremendous public pressure generated by the media to find the defendant guilty or innocent. A miscarriage of justice could thus ensue where the court is hled hostage by public sentiments  fanned by the media. In an ideal situtation, the court or the judiciary should be left to arrive at its own verdict without any inteference by the media or public is there is to be a fair trial and fair verdict. This is esp the case if the public is uninformed or uneducated and easily swayed by the spread of fake news in believing that the defendant is innocent or guilty.
See similar cases below in the Singapore context.
But on the flip side, if the judiciary is corrupt or incompetent, then the interference  of the media to apply pressure on the judiciary to do the 'right' thing will be a welcoming thing. Left to itself, the court might deliver an unfair verdict,  resulting in a miscarriage of justice. The intervention of the media as the 'watchdog' or the 'Fourth Estate' will help to rectify this imbalance.

Note that for the media to effectively play the role of the watchdog or the "Fourth Estate", regulation of the media should be reduced....Only then can the media be an effective check against powerful organizations, including corrupt govt, to ensure that they toe the line and refrain from any wrongdoing....

Note useful analogy or imagery for BANG!:
As a watchdog, if u muzzle its mouth, it cannot 'bark' if it sees an intruder or someone doing a wrong deed. But if u totally do not muzzle this 'dog', it will go around not just barking loudly (even when there is no intruder or wrongdoing) -- hence misleading the people, creating unnecessary panic and false alarm -- but also biting innocent people. This is the dilemma confronting the regulation of the press.....
Qn: Is regulation of the press desirable? (Cam. 2017)

No-win choices for the poor when resources are limited

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A pair of good rebuttal here. Poverty is not just due to poor (as in bad) decisions; it is also due to poor options available to them, i.e. the circumstances they are in that leave them with no choice but to settle for a poor/bad option.

Qn: 'When people are poor, it is largely their own fault.' Do you agree?

Taiwan lake deserted by Chinese tourists

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A good example to show how tourism is vulnerable to political events....
Be careful though; for the qn below, I don't think Taiwan qualifies as a 'poor' country.

Qn: Should poorer countries develop their tourist industry when the basic needs of their own people are not being met? (Cam. 2007)

Monday, July 02, 2018

Close social ties can help older people cope better

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Qn: Nowadays, people live longer than ever before. What problems does this present and how can these problems be dealt with? (Cam. 'O' lvl 2007)

Beware of US' influence operations, too

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A timely reminder that it is not just China, but also the US that is trying to exert 'soft power' on other nations....Actually, all nations try to do this at one time or another, as this helps to advance one's interests and help ensure one's survival. But the bigger nations tend to do this more often, for the simple reason that they have the means to do so. But at some point, a line is crossed and self-preservation becomes greed and ambition....

 The US spends no less than China on military and economic aid and engages no less in influence operations, including direct intervention, like in the 1953 Iranian coup d'etat, the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, to name a few.

It is easy for a Western-educated person like me to instinctively side with the US, having been brought up on Enid Blyton books and Walt Disney shows (and later on Time magazine).

But that historical gratitude, combined with a linguistic and cultural affinity, can numb our critical evaluation of the US' objectives and methods in global diplomacy in today's context.

I no longer see the US as this benign big friendly giant deserving of the benefit of my doubt, but as a giant like all other giants - something to be wary of because it thinks only of its own interests and plays by its own rules.


Qns:

1. Does the presence of a foreign power ever help a country with problems? (Cam. 2008)
2. Is foreign intervention in the affairs of a country ever justified?

Sunday, July 01, 2018

An expose of how states manipulate other countries' citizens

Click HERE
IF cannnot access above link, click HERE.

Qns:
1. Does the presence of a foreign power ever help a country with problems? (Cam. 2008)
2. Is foreign intervention in the affairs of a country ever justified?

India's uphill battle against deadly spread of fake news

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If cannot access above link, click HERE

Note how the uneducated are the most vulnerable to the spread of fake news....

Also, the use of video clips which provides the sense of sight (as opposed to only the sense of sound in radio) heightens the sense of reality for the viewers, provide 'evidence' that what the news transmits is 'true' and 'real'....

Qns: 
1. To what extent is our reality influenced by the media?
2. Can the media ever be relied upon to convey the truth? (Cam. 2003)

Football and VAR: For better or for worse?

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If cannot access above link, click HERE

Equally important is to accept that he is human, like footballers, capable of the most artistic creation as well as the most ghastly error.

It is the same with life.

Everyone makes mistakes and they can make us stronger or weaker, more determined or lose hope.Perhaps we should not call them mistakes but turning points along life's unpredictable journey. What we cannot do is to go back and try to change what has already happened. Football should accept this simple truth as well.
For qns on:
1) impact of technology on sport.
2) attitude towards failure

Extreme wildlife protection laws could hurt conservation

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Some thought-provoking ideas on the consequences of ceding too much rights to animals:

would be disastrous if passed, as hobbies like fishing could be affected.

The single biggest threat to species survival in Singapore is habitat destruction....Designated protected areas should stay that way if possible, without being compromised by urban development (for example, expressways) or by reclamation.

Child development will be affected by preservationist ideals which are not realistic in the world of climate change and habitat loss.

By creating a disconnect between the public and wildlife, it sows the seeds of conservation failure and has the potential to punish young children with an interest in nature.


For qns on whether animals should be given too much rights....

Tackling tough or sensitive topics with a touch of humour

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IF cannot access above link, click HERE.

"Tough topics are discussed constantly and openly in the US, often in the form of satire. We wanted to start such conversations here, too"

Qns:
1.     How far, in your society, should unpopular views be open to discussion? (Cam. 2013)
2.     Can humour ever be serious? (Cam. 2012)

New South Wales may ban smartphones in schools

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Australia's most populous state will consider banning the use of smartphones in schools to try and prevent bullying, stalking and distractions during class time.


But critics of the ban say smartphones are an important part of today's schooling, and outlawing them will lead to "underground" and hidden use.

phones help to teach students about communication and data collection in ways that allow immediate feedback.
"If school students want to investigate, collect data, receive personalised and immediate feedback, record media, create, compose, or communicate with peers, in and beyond the classroom, then using mobile apps is ideal
"Also, if they want to learn at a place, time and pace of their choosing, for example on excursions, or working on projects with friends in more informal spaces like homeā€¦ then mobile devices are needed."


Qn:  Do electronic devices, such as tablets or smart phones, help or hinder students in their studies? (Cam. 2015)