Expired food

I just went to Candy Empire in Vivo this afternoon. Guess what??? I found a packet of expired food. It should have been thrown away since August (I think they should dispose it right after the expiry date, means that they keep selling it after 2 months!!!)

Do you spend enough time for your family?

This post is a commentary on an article taken from The New Paper (03/08/08)-'Wishing for more family time'

After I read this article, I remember my time before I moved to Singapore. The article was about MPs who felt that they do not spend enough time with their family because of their busy daily schedule. They said that they must put the residents and communities at the top of their list, but still family was number one for them. I agreed that residents and people are important, but family is too. However, their professions are time consuming. One said that he cannot have dinner or with his children on weekday and one said that outing with family on weekend is priceless because weekend is the only time he can spend with his family. Time on weekday is not enough for them to spend in their office and at home.
I recounted my life 10 months ago when I still live in Indonesia with my family. Time is definitely not enough for me. Yes, me, a secondary 3 student now; I was a 9th grade student then. You may say that my case is different since I am a student and they are a working adult and it only happens to adult, not to children. You may think that it is only to children whose parents are working. But, for me, children also feel the same and it is even worse for children whose parents are working.
I had piles of projects and homework when I was in my year 7 until year 9. One hundred questions for homework were just a daily bread for me. I always sit down in front of my desk and start to do my homework after around 7pm or 8pm everyday, after I went home from tuitions and had my dinner. It took me about three to 6 hours to finish my projects and homework. I did not procrastinate. The teachers assigned projects to be done on the next day, ignoring the other homework they had given before. During those three years, I rarely have time to speak to my family or to just watch TV shows with them. It was really hard to spend time for leisure when you always went to sleep around 2-5am every school day. Moreover, during school breaks on July or Christmas Holiday on December, I just could not spend my time with my parent since they are working. I just merely played with my brothers or sat in front of my computer. If I had extra time, I would rather to spend it with my friends instead and my parents understood me. I did it because I do not feel comfortable to be near to them and also because I interact with my friends at school everyday.
Also I saw that other children or teenagers also had the same problem like me, same amount of homework and similar case of parents who work in their offices. I realized that limited time to interact with family made a huge impact to our family. Our blood is easily to get boiled for simple problems and we felt that we are strangers for others.
Albeit, I personally regret that I did not spend enough time with my family and try to find the timeslot in my packed schedule to interact more with them when I was able to despite my limited time because of the assignments and projects. Now, they are thousands miles away and there is really no way for me to interact with them unless I wanted to spend hundreds of dollar for my phone bill. Now, I want you to think if you are living my life. Have you spend enough time with your family?

Vandalism. I think not.

A commentary of article:En bloc tussles take nasty turn as market cools (by Lim Wei Chean, Melissa Sim, The Straits Times, 11/08/08)

I wonder if there is no other way to persuade people effectively besides using vandalism. In Laguna Park case where vandalism is used to persuade residents who do not want to sell their units in the en-bloc sale. I guess that the residents in favour to the collective sale are trying to terrorize who against them and hence, the deal between all the units’ holders and the investor will prevail thereafter.
However, I do not want to talk about persuading people via vandalism. What I want to highlight here is expressing emotions via vandalism. In Laguna case, we can infer that the motif behind is not only because of those in favour are persuading those not-in-favour, but also because of the pending deal between them and the investor. They cannot wait to sell their property in this cooling property market to avoid the fall of the price of their units. They need something to express their feeling towards those who against without using any verbal method, but with vandalism.
More than a decade ago, the similar issue rose to the height when Michael Fay vandalized public facility to express his emotion. His action brought furies over the people reside in the island and also the government. It continued to happen until finally he, with his fellow ‘gang’ members were charged and caned. The latter caused protest from foreign government and human right activists due to the action taken by the government as the punishment for them.
Vandalism, as what we know, is an action of obstructing or destroying property (ies). This may caused fear from people who worry that their possession will be destroyed by vandals and they will suffer from material loss.
Vandal may say that vandalize people’s property is the only way to show their hate to the particular people if they cannot speak out their emotion and expression. They say that this is merely a way to speak out. If it is a way to express views and emotions, what is wrong about it? Should it be considered as good?
We live in a society where freedom to speak is protected as long as it does not offend other groups of people, touch sensitive issue such as race and religion and cause loss or damage materially. Thus, vandalize is totally wrong as it does not fulfil the requirement of not causing loss or damage materially. Vandalism is not a way to express views or emotions; it is a destructive manner of irresponsible people who damaging other’s possession for their own pleasure in expense of the possessor. The action can be described as a crime and the vandal could then be punished.
On the other hand, there are also people supporting this cause as a freedom. They put it as freedom of expression. People have the right to speak up and express their emotions. I dare say those people never take into account that there are people agonise from the action of vandals. It is a freedom that seizing others’ right to obtain security in life due to the anxiety to suffer from losses. It is no longer a freedom if it is depriving people from their own freedom, freedom to live safely. Should we still say that it is a freedom of expression or maybe should we call it a freedom to oppress and terrorise?
Vandalism, once again, is wrong. If people keep ignoring this issue and it grows in this society, people will inevitable feel vulnerable. Thereafter, it may fuel distrust to each other and slowly but surely will dynamite our peaceful society to a society full of havoc.

The Criminal - an adaptation of 'Hitch Hiker'

Life is hard. This is my feeling towards my job as one of the CEO’s assistants after 1 year. I abhor my boss. He always approaches me in the way that I am not comfortable with. I just hate the way he looks at and talks with me. He also makes me stay alone in the office until midnight everyday with tons of paperwork. Actually, I am not alone all the time. He is in his office until midnight everyday and always offers me a ride home. But anyway, two weeks ago, he threw all of my 9 colleagues ‘weekend homework’ on my table so that they could spend their weekend with him. I do not know why do my colleagues compete everyday to be invited to his penthouse everyday. Well, I have no idea and I still reject his offers until now. My friends think that I am weird. They are wrong, I am just different with all of them. I do not have such green eyes like them and I am a good person. That is all. Everybody in this office talks behind my back. They think I know that he likes me and I create such an image that I am not loose. I am not and I mean it. Ladiesman like him is not for me.
Back to two weeks ago, I left my office at 1.30am. My boss had gone home with my colleagues, 9 of them. I peeped into the window of the guards’ office and heard a very loud snores from inside. After standing by the guards’ office for a few minutes, I flagged a taxi down to get to the City Central station. My house is in the suburb outside this megapolitan city. That is why I must take a train, not a metro or a taxi to my house. I do not use my car because the road pricing and gas are very expensive nowadays; I park her instead.
I arrived at City Central Station at 2.00 am. The taxi stopped at the maingate and I paid the cabby. I strolled a few metres to a small foodstall selling a savoury fried rice. It is for my very early breakfast. I was so hungry because the last meal that I had was my lunch. My boss asked my to go out for dinner with him since he knew that I had not had any food since lunchtime. I thanked him, but I rejected the dinner and continued my works. After I ordered my meal, I dragged the stool and yawned. “Aaahhh….” I felt that I was freed from a death sentence. The tasks were just a lot and it was good that I could finish it so I could spend my weekend with my friends and hung out to anyplace we wanted. Nevertheless, I am very lucky to have this job, you know? The salary I earned is worthwhile for me to strive for it. It is just the paperworks that had to be done that causes me loathing on my job, and also the boss’ behaviour. After I finished my meal, I stomped down the platform to embark on the last train.
The trip took about 45 minutes. It was 2.45 am when I got on the train. “Pshh…” the train signalled the passengers that it was leaving the station. I looked through the glasspane and stared outside. Nothing else was outside but absoulute darkness. I could smell the alcohol from the person at the end of the car. He was drunk. The smell of fragrance from the lady behind me made the arome of alcohol vanished. I kept staring at the darkness and it came. My childhood fears cross my mind. I scared of darkness and bogeyman. My sister was kidnapped and mutilated. The person who have done that to my sister was released by the court. The court considered that it was a matter of self defence. It was not logical. Why was my sister mutilated if it was juat a matter of self defence. I just did not get it. My parents had tried to appeal the court, but the court dismissed it. The criminal, that is how I called the murderer was a tycoon and I was very sure that he bribed the judges and juries in the court. That is life. Money rules. However, I still remember the time when my sister’s body was found. It was more than lamentable that my family feels, but we are sure that she lives in a beautiful place up there.
“Littleville. Please mind the gap. Thank you for travelling with XpressTrans.” The recording woke me up from my bemusement. I trotted towards the parking building. I heard the sound of shoes behind me as I walked. Someone was following me. There was no enough light to illumitate the basement. I walked faster and faster until I reached the only Honda Jazz at the corner. The sounds of my heels echoed, adding some eerieness to my mind.
I inserted my key in a hurry. Someone was approaching me. My heart pounded heavily. I was ready to open the door when I saw a sillhouette behind me and felt a tap on my shoulder. I shrieked and turned my body to see the creature. I felt that my mind had prevailed. It was not. It was a graceful old lady standing right behind.
“I am really sorry, madam to scream at you. What can I do to help you?” I apologized and asked her with the remaining energy of my possession.
“It is fine, darling. I know how it feels for a beautiful young lady like you to be alone here at a wee hours in the morning. Anyway, would you give me a ride, please? I have been here for 3 hours, waiting for my chauffeur. I just came back from my friend’s house in the other city.”
“ Do you have any children, ma’am?”
“ My children live abroad. It is all right if you drop me in the middle of your way if you are in a hurry. Would you mind?”
“Sure madam. It’s my pleasure to help you.”
I opened the door for her and she slid in. She looked at her watch. I accidentally lingered through the window and saw her wrist. Oh my God. Her wrist was very hairy. Her wrist remindes me of the criminal. He was very hairy too and his height was just the same with the lady, 170 cm. She or he was the bogeyman. I was very sure that he was looking for another victim. “I had to get him off my car now” my mind whispered. My brain raced, trying to find the best solution.
I pretended to ignite my car. “Drtzddd… Drtzddd… Drtzddd… Drtzddd… Drtzddd….” My car released sound like that, convincing enough to show that I had some problem with my car. I turned my head and asked the criminal-like-woman in a fake-guilty manner.
“I am sorry, but this awful car signalled that there is something under her boot. Would you mind going out to check while I try to ignite her on?”
“No problem dear, as you wish.”She alighted from my car and left her bejewelled purse on her seat.
As she stumbled towards the boot, I pushed the lock button. She heard the clicking sound and knocked hard the metal skin out of confusion. I turned the key to the right and drenched my foot on the gas pedal.
I raced until I could calm myself. I felt a bit guilty to poisoning the well. She might be just as hairy as the bogeyman. I turned the direction and headed to the nearest police station to eased my guilty. I reported to the officer on duty and gave him the pearl purse. He opened the purse and surprised of what he saw: a dagger, a gun, a black tape, an axe and an ID card. She was the criminal. I was right about it. I was saved from his bloody hand. Maybe, it is my sister who reminded me to beware of this ‘lady’ when I was in the train.

Female Suicide Bomber

First, what do you have in mind when you are exposed to the words of 'female suicide bomber'? Do you think of an extremist woman who is willing to die to 'defend' her belief?
I watched a National Geographic documentary by Lisa Ling about the life of female suicide bomber and their reason to commit such action. I was quite amazed to learn that it is not only because of her blind faith but also her miserable life due to poverty or torture from family member or spouse. The unbearable fate causes the suicide bomber to choose die in warfare rather to commit usual suicide instead. By going to the frontline, she could be considered as a hero. As such, her family social status would be raised and she might bring pride to her family.
There was a case where a woman is abused by her husband and she just could not bear it anymore. After her husband left her, the people around made such a rumour that bring shame to her family. Until finally, she decided to kill herself in warfare and inevitably, when her dead body was taken home, her family was treated with respect and honour.
In that way, it explains that harsh life is one of the main reasons why there is a bunch of woman willing to sacrifice their life as a suicide bomber. In many countries, respect and honour are often seen as the most important things to achieve in life. It is to achieve it in no time; the only possible choice is to become a suicide bomber.
If we want to end up this case, I appeal to all people, not to do something to the belief, but take into consideration their personal life and surrounding. If one could fix this and improve their quality of life, I believe that suicide bomber case will come to an end. It is wrong to blame all to the belief as no belief teaches people to do harm towards others.

Democracy. Is it good or bad?

Introduction

In democratic countries, people hold the role as the ruler of the nation through institutions, namely legislative institution, executive institution, judiciary institution (Trias Politica). The people in the mentioned institution are elected by the people in election. In election, people have the right to choose the candidates who they are fond to. The people should not be suppressed by the incumbent government as to give advantage to the government by itself so that the government can be re-elected. People have their representatives in the legislative body. Legislative body is known as parliament. The representatives propose laws and policies which the people need to the legislative assembly. The laws and policies are implemented by the executive body. Executive covers cabinets, president and the staffs. The job of the judiciary body is to monitor the laws and policies to be on the track with the constitution. The laws and policies which are proposed and implemented must not against the constitution. Thus, through election of the representatives and president, people are on the top of the hierarchy of a democratic system. But, although people are on the top of the hierarchy, the government appears as the most supreme. It is because people give the government a mandate to control over them through election.

The implementation

As the legal matters are in the process of trial and error in public, NGO and civil organization monitor the implementation of the laws and policies of the government in the grass root society. These organizations, comprising a group of people as the members, evaluate the progress and the impact of the legal matters in the society. They can criticise the government on the flaw of the rules as an input for the government to evaluate these within the 3 democratic bodies.

This is why the freedom of speech is important in democratic country. Most of the democratic country allowed the people to air their own voice. In this way, the government can reflect on their policies and laws. The acts of the government must benefit the people they ruled. Freedom of speech has lots of forms in many societies. The form depends on the society. It is to fit the need and the culture of the people, so that the forms of the freedom of speech are different from one society to another.

Freedom of speech holds a crucial role in the democratic society. Without the freedom of speech, the government act as an autocracy and totalitarian government. It cannot be evaluated and may not fit to the need of the people. The government can act as the people inside the inner circle of the government want. It is because of that, the one of requirements of a democratic system cannot be fulfilled as it is not serve the need of the people.

In a society where there are majority and minority groups, democracy is tested. Why do I say so? As I mentioned, the government is formed through an election. As the majority votes, the minority has such a small chance for its representatives to get into the government. The government mainly formed by the representations of the majority. It is hard for the minority to air their voice through the wall of majority representatives. But in certain country, the ruling party has wings for the minority groups to ensure that minority voice still exist in the parliament.

Conclusion

In my personal opinion, democracy is good since it is the voice of the people which run the country through mandatory leader. Also it is the right of people to evaluate the government programs so that the programs can really hit to the spot of problems. Although I said it is right to evaluate, we must to it in such a manner which would not harm anything along the demonstration process. The democratic system can be effective if all the groups and bodies actively involved in the process.



 

Comment on The Evolution of Goodness

This article is taken from ‘The Straits Times 16 April 2007’ and written by Dr. Lee Alan Dugatkin

Goodness is a state of being good or perfect of something. There are a lot of examples of goodness, and so are the kinds of it. Dr. Dugatkin raised the topic about altruism in this world, human altruism and non-human altruism. Altruism means unselfish regard for the welfare of others, or willing to sacrifice for the sake of others’ benefit.

Scientists have been questioning the relation of altruism and blood relationship. Darwin failed to link altruism that challenged his theory of evolution by natural selection. In his natural selection theory, he explained that organisms can survive if they are able to adapt in the environment. He did not get it from his exploration of bees and their hives. He saw that the bees in the hives were protected by other bees that were willing to scarify to defend their hives. He was wandering on the behaviour of the bees to defend their homes that led to natural selection.

Another case, Huxley argued with Kropotkin whether blood relationship has something to do with altruism. None of them could agree to each other argument. Their argument was observed by Hamilton, a British biologist. He formulated the mathematical formula about it. From his investigation, he concluded that altruism is close with costs and benefits, along with genetic relatedness. He explained about the behaviour of organisms that are willing to do something good to others if there is benefit for the organisms themselves. In other words, the occurrence of altruism cannot be separated with mutualism between creatures. Yet, it is not for all that Hamilton said that.

For me personally, altruism has something to do with blood relationship, like what Huxley supported and what Darwin observed. But, I do not think that altruism is all about to gain benefits from others. Yes, it occurs sometimes, but not always. Either animals or humans have a strong bond with those who descended from the same ancestry, in general. We can see that from people or animals around us. People usually are willing to help their relatives and do not expect any for returns. It will lead us to personal satisfaction of helping people. It cannot be explain scientifically, but we can feel it inside our heart. In reality, people that are helped feel that they must return the goodness sometimes, even though the helpers do not oblige it for the people that are helped by them. It is not obligate, but in social life, people have put it in the context of what to do.

Organisms have the tendency to sacrifice themselves for the well being of their family or the continuity of the family line as a matter of the existence of their kind. It is natural to secure the next generation of the family so that the line will not stop at one individual.
If we see from other perspective, altruism can lead to Darwin’s theory of natural selection. We use the life of the bees as I have mentioned above. The willing-to-sacrifice bee is the creature that in the position of the eliminated creature and the bees that live with protection in the hives are the creatures that preferred by natural selection.
Unfortunately, in this real world, I must admit that reciprocity has relation to altruism. Human ego and selfishness are the main cause of the reciprocity altruism. There are very seldom occasions or individuals that are willing with their heart to help others without anything that they demand in return.

I have my personal experience regarding to this issue. One day, I was in Medical Certificate. I did not go to school for 3 days due to fever. The day before I went back to school, I went to my so-called friend to borrow his notes and homework so I can hand the assignments to the teacher when I felt well enough to go to school. He lent me his. He said that it was okay and no problem. He also mentioned that he was really ‘sincere’ enough to help me. When I went to school and spend the whole day in the school, nothing happen. In the evening when I returned from school, he called me. He asked the answer of the homework for the following day. I refused. He kept telling me that I have to do something in return because he had helped me. It really did not make sense. If he called because he was not clear about the instruction, it was all right. But, he called me so that he did not need to do his homework by himself. He said that he was too lazy to finish his.

Hamilton made his formulae based on the relation of individuals and the benefits behind it. People tend to help their relatives first before they looked others and helped them. Closeness matters in this problem. The closer you are to a person, the more you will help that person. I link back to the reciprocity of altruism. I give you an example. You feel that you are close to A. One day, A and B need your help. You are not very close to B. You probably will choose A first. One day, if you need help, who do you think will help you, A or B? You may think that A will help you because this person is close to you and because you have helped this person, right? It can be true if A feels that you are close to him/her. If B is a very kind person, you will get help from him/her. I do not talk about goodness in this way for now. It is altruism and relatedness that I highlighted.

I think it is easier to go through this with the examples of human rather than animals. Why? It is because as a human, we hardly understand how animals think and behave. We have our limit to approach animals’ ways of thinking. Animals live with their instinct, but humans use their mind and little portion of instinct. Altruism is not all about reciprocity, but also kindness that human has. As a human we should diminished our ego and selfishness to make a better environment for all.

my adventure in march holiday ( 10 March 2008 )

I went to Indonesian embassy today. After I took my passport from my guardian at 10.00am, I with Kevin, Jason, Alvin went to the bus stop on marymount road. Yes, it was only four of us. The other 3 persons were going home for holiday. We took bus 132. Our destination was Chatsworth Road, near Tanglin Road. We rid a double decker bus and we sat on the upper deck. It was a really nice view from there. I just put my heart on the map that my senior lent me the day before. Upper Thompson, Ang Mo Kio, Hougang. Wait a minute, why was I here? Hougang? Oh my... I took the right bus from the wrong bus-stop. "We should be going to Tanglin Road, shouldn't we?" I asked the others. So all of us had to get off the bus and found the same 132 bus to Tanglin. "But we have no time!" said Jason. " Just use the MRT instead." We agreed and we took the North East MRT from hougang-dhoby ghaut, changed to North-South from dhoby to Orchard. We took the exit to Orchard Boulevard and there was a shower when we raging the site. After a long debate about who's the wrong today and where're we now, finally we arrived at the embassy. The officer prohibited us, but Jason to go through. He wore pants and Kevin, Alvin and I wore bermudas. After a while, the officer said that the embassy was going to closed at 1.00pm. What!! After all we got nothing?? So we must go there again for the second time tommorow......

( Misuse of ) Alcohol and the Youth

Link to the article that inspired my to write on this topic : http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/23/drink.detox and http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/23/youngdrinkers

Alcohol and youth are two different words that cannot be separated in this present world. Most youth know what alcohol is. Some of them have their own experienced with it. But hold on, I’m not talking about alcohol that we often see in the hospital or in Guardian right now. I’m talking about the alcoholic drink and the ‘good’ relation between youth and alcohol. Anyway, why did I put the word good inside the inverted comma? I provide some clues for you to derive to the answer.

Frankly speaking, there’s nothing wrong with alcoholic drink. The one that deserve to be blamed is the user. The user admits the misuse of alcohol and makes this happen. It is not fair to blame alcohol without including the user as the one who should take responsibility of it.
The people who addicted to alcohol consider alcohol as a good companion of this life. It will never betray you and always give happiness as a result of the freedom that people feel when drink it. It is when the people who were addicted to alcohol were asked what their view about alcohol is; they will answer the contradictive statement from the people who addicted to it. Their point absolutely will be like this: don’t you waste your time with alcohol, listen to me or you will regret when you realize that what I’m saying now is true.

Alcohol evil side shows up when people drink alcoholic drink in large amount or to make it simpler, drink until drunk. The simple word of drunk causes lots of problem across the countries in the world. Criminality holds the first rank of problems caused by alcohol abuse, while health problem, traffic accident and amorally behaviour follow as the second rank and so on.

Some example of criminality which can be caused by misuse of alcohol: raping, inter-gang fight, misuse of fire weapon, and many more. These kinds of crime affect the society, so do the youth. Misuse of alcohol is one of the triggers for youth active-sexual activity. Yet the main trigger is the influence from environment around them, alcohol is just like the vitamin or food supplement to the bad influence. When criminality and alcohol stated together, I think that there’s nothing wrong if youth with alcohol always illustrated as bad role model for other youth.

People said that alcohol can lead people to drug and drug lead people to death. For some reason it is true. As a matter of fact, people who are addicted to alcohol seem easily addicted to drug, just like tea and cookies, they are just a good friends.

Let me end this topic. I discourage you to drink a lot. It would be okay if you keep consuming alcohol with full responsibility, but don’t you ever consume it above the safe limit until you drunk. I don’t want to see your face to appear in the criminal section of the news programme on TV tomorrow.

My comment on YouthInk Articles ' Singaporeans' lack of social graces a social disgrace '

I disagree with the writer of this article because I seldom meet Singaporean who is like that. I have met one, but I cannot generalize all Singaporean, can I? I want to share my own story regarding on this issue. Please read it and give me your feedback or comment.

When I went to Bishan Community Library, I went to the information counter as to ask how to become a member. When I was talking to the man in the counter, suddenly there was a man, about 40 years old, interupt my conversation with the library officer without seeking any permission from the officer and me for his interuption. He didn't say sorry to me at all. Maybe he was in a hurry, but that's not an excuse for me.

That's the only disgrace that I ever met here. I haven't found the other one yet. I hope that I won't. The MRT issue, it is just the prople who don't want to catch the next train because of the limited time that they have.

In my opinion, we can still improve our social graciousness. As a matter of fact, social graciousness is a good habit for all of us.

Introduction

I'm Sergio Rinaldi. I think this is my first official blog. I've never written a post in English before. Please do correct me if I'm wrong. I'm trying to post resgularly, I will try. I hope that what I've posted can be read. Please do correct me if I made a mistake(s). Thank you so much and happy reading. Enjoy yourself!