Tacher - Student Relationship = Safe Or Harmful?

Check out this link on The Straits Times webpage: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_342222.html

It shows a news report on how a 32 year-old ex-teacher, who was already mothering 2 children, had an intimate relationship with a boy she had taught during primary school.

Firstly, I think it is a serious breach of trust on the part of the teacher as an educator, as she, as a teacher, was supposed to teach the right moral values into her student, and by doing as such, she has breached the rule, and deserves to be punished.

Furthermore, the boy with which she had an intimate relationship was a MINOR. Meaning a boy below the age of 16, and thus rendering him under the 'still mentally immature' category. The ex-teacher had set him a very bad example, and therefore, another breach of trust.

An educator's role had always been to TEACH. To implant in them the fundemental skills required for life, so as to prepare them to face the real world. But is such an action considered morally correct?

I understand that in different cultures, there are different intakes of 'adulthood' and 'childhood', but this should not have been a problem with the sentence. We, as Singaporeans, have put our trust in her, to successfully educate our students in preparation for the competitive global economy, and here she is, having an intimate relationship with a child! So, I believe, that the sentence given was not too lght at all. It's a fact that she had breached our trust. Therefore, she should recieve the punishment she deserve.

~Markie

ANIMAL ABUSE~!

I recently watched a Stomp! video showing a taxi driver running over a cat, and then driving away and leaving it to die.

As a dog owner, I think that such actions are UTTERLY BRUTAL. So what if they're only animals? They are still living ceatures! How can you be ignorant of their feelings as such? They have thier own lives! Stop treating them like inferior creatures, but as friends and brothers.

Also, the NEA only responded after nearly 24 hours. They apparently take injured or wounded animals as a higher priority than dead animals. But, what is the problem of giving a kindred spirit killed in cold blood a decent burial??

Is this an example of the Singaporean spirit we boast so often about? Are we so complacent as to think of ourselves as a higher class than the surround nature? We all have to trace back to our roots - Weren't we primitive creatures, raoming the land, just like any other mammal, in search of food? As a Singaporean myself, I think that some people seriously need an attitude change.

Also, measures to prevent such incidents have been proposed. One of them is to let one of the witnesses of such an event to take the wounded animal to a vet. But it caused a lively discussion - Who will pay for the vet fees?

HELLO PEOPLE! IT'S A LIFE AT STAKE HERE! I understand that due to the current economic crisis, many people are strapped for cash, but what is the problem of lending a hand to someone in need? Is this another example of our Singaporean spirit, or is it just the money-mindedness of Singaporeans nowadays?

~Markie (Not in a good mood. D=)

Best Job In The World?

Check out this link -> http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_341974.html

It's about the 'best job in the world', which consists of the employee to become the 'caretaker' of a tropical island off the Great Barrier reef. It apparently had been named the 'best job in the world' due to its high pay and low workload. It pays about A150,000 (SGD150,000) over a period of six months, and it also pays for the travel expenses of the employee to white beachers and clear water. A perfect job for someone who does not like to work.

Ah, the key phrase. "Does not like to work". This job might seem attractive, but what is the point? During your period in this job, you learn NOTHING AT ALL. No job experience, et cetra. You just loll about. This wil, perhaps, backfire on you, causing you to lose your basic life skills, and when you return to the society, you find yourself unable to adapt, and thus become stressed out.

And also, in this news report I am able to find some f the factores wherein why the Straits Times used this as a news report:

-Exeptional Quality. It is not everyday you see a job popping out when all you have to do is enjoy life!
-Human Interest. it is human nature to wish for a relaxed life - And this job perfectly fits their dream.
-Prominence. Even Dean Martin's son, Ricci and a Barack Obama impersonator applied for this job!

~Markie

Teenage Sex?

I just watched a short clip on razorTV related to sex. It apparently states that teenage sex is constantly on the rise. One supporting evidence is a 13 year-old boy whose name was not revealed, fathering a child after having sexual intercourse with his 15 year-old girlfriend.

But why is teenage sex constantly on the rise? One factor might be the web.

At first glance, the world wide web might just be a simple, easy-to-use application that allows you to roam the internet, downloading games, watching movies, and interacting with friends.

But when you dwelve deeper, you realise it is not that simple. Pages of pornography and other such pages lurk in the dark. Be unaware, and you might chance upon such pages. But what is the problem of doing so? One word: Addiction. Addiction would be the keyword. I have talked to some of my ex-classmates who watched pornography, and whos name I shall not reveal, and they all sate that the reason why they watch it, is because of addiction. At first, they had only the innocent will of finding out more about the activity many movies, novels and television shows nowadays talk so much about. but when they really find out, they become addicted and in the end they cannot break away from the pornography. And in the end, they talk to and influence others into 'finding more about themselves', and they too become addicted. It's a vicious cycle.

But what does pornography has to do with teenage sex? As more and more young people nowadays watch pornography, they are attracted by the way people engage in sexual activity, and all the talk about 'immense pleasure' drives them to want to try it out. And thus, teenage sex.

Some other factors might constitute of peer pressure and media influence. Media influence mainly roots from what the celebrities do in movies. Say, the James Bond movie, the Quantum of Solace. Within the movie, here is a sex scene. James Bond is a very popular character in teenage culture - Majority of teenagers nowadays know who James Bond is, and watching him engaging in sexual activity conveys a single mesage: Sex is cool. Such examples can be seen in many other movies as well, mainly targeted at 15 year olds to 18 year olds.

Peer pressure is self-explanatory. people who try out sex and find it 'pleasurable', try to influence their friends into having 'innocent fun'. But obviously, the fact that people actually get influenced might be the wish of being noticed, being accepted. But people don't realise, if they have such friends who 'takes them over to the dark side', they aren't actually true friends. But being teenagers, and not really emotionally mature, many people do not realise that.

Family matters are also a major factor. The children who come from broken families might seek love, in the wrong way. But also, they might also think that this was the new way of 'having fun'. Obviously they have the wrong idea of 'fun'.

Basically, the whole reason people are talking about teenage sex is because of teenage pregnancy, a huge problem nowadays. Many teenagers nowdays are not emotionally, nor financially prepared to care for the raising of a baby. So, when they realise that they/their girlfriends are pregnant, they immediately go for abortion, and thus wasting a life. Many migth also suffer from trauma.

The reason for teenage pregnancy is that most teenagers do not practice safe sex. Like using a condom, et cetera. Many think it is uneeded and that it was a waste of time. Even though they are aware of the risks of pregnancy and STDs, they have this simple mindset that, "No, it wll never happen to me', which happens to be a shock when they realise that it did.

Currently, there is no answer on how to stop teenage sex and pregnancy. So, all we can do now is try to enforce preventive measures and think as hard as we can. Do you have an answer?

Flowers For Algernon WS - Discussion Question 6: What makes the ideal human or the ideal life?

Ideal human? Ideal life? In my opinion, there is no such thing as an ideal human or life. It's all in your own opinion. This can be proven very easily.

Example 1: You are a person living in poverty. You admire Bill Gates and his wealth alot. You think he is able to laze around all day and enjoy life. Obviously you think his life is the ideal life.

But have you thought about other matters he has to attend to and you do not? Being the prisident of a huge enterprise, he has many matetrs to attend to, stressign him out mentally and physically. Moreover, he might have to worry about family matters, and outside matters. Is this the ideal life?

Example 2: You are a girl who is looking for a boyfriend. You chanced upon a extremely beautiful and handsome boy. You instantlly have a crush on him, and think it's "love at first sight". You think that he is the ideal human.

Are you completely sure? Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. For example, that boy you think is perfect might have a bad temper, or maybe he is very fickle and might reject you, breaking your heart. Furthermore, it might just be a one-sided love. He might not treat you well, and might not be faithful to you. But will he even accept you as his girlfriend? Is he the ideal human?

Everyone hopes to have an ideal life, or be the ideal human. But unfortunately, there is no such thing, and there never will. And as I said, it's all in your own opinion.

Well, in my own opinion, the ideal life would be becoming the big boss of a world-renounced law firm, becoming very rich, and be successful in love. Of course, now it's all a dream. I'd have to work hard to make it reality. =)

->~Algery~<-