GENDER ROLES AND MEDIA

SUMMARY:

(1)Media as entertainment also has a subtle influence on society’s way of thinking
(2)Every message you see or hear will have some impact on you, however small
(3)By including more and more important female roles, the media, including books, movies, television series, and video games can avoid portraying gender stereotypes that ultimately form society’s perception of gender roles
(4) People are constantly exposed to various forms of media. Possibly the greatest influence is the television. The television has become a central part of the American lifestyle. It is an easily accessible, relaxing source of entertainment.
(5)People are constantly subject to the media, whether it be via television programs, newspapers, billboards, or other advertisements. All of this media, intentionally or not, subtly promotes certain beliefs and opinions.
(6)Women contrary to this description are seen as bad,rebellious,submissive, sensitive, and domesticated
(7)Men, on the other hand, are shown as “fearless, tough, decisive, a man of action” (Martin). Men are often portrayed as commanding and authoritative. They have no fear, and never show any weakness.
(8)The fact that the country is predominantly run by males helps “to confirm the image of men as people who make decisions; people with authority who can command respect” 
(9)The media has improved greatly in the past few years. Women are slowly gaining leading roles, and it is not uncommon to see men and women depicted as equals, working along side each other in equally challenging settings
(10)this stereotype becomes embedded in the human mind, and is passed on from generation to generation as an acceptable view of male and female gender roles.

OPINION:

The television influence the minds of the young by filming many more action shows like superman and batman in which the male looks stronger and that he have more control. This makes the children think that man are relatively stronger than females and that the female is the weaker one and the follower of the man. This makes them think that man have the higher authority. The past few years, television have now improved by including woman as the lead roles and depicts the scene of woman and man as equals and that they work together.

VIRAL VENGEANCE

SUMMARY:

(1) Justine Sacco, 30 years old and the senior director of corporate communications at IAC, began tweeting acerbic little jokes about the indignities of travel.

(2)This is an outrageous, offensive comment.

(3)The furor over Sacco’s tweet had become not just an ideological crusade against her perceived bigotry but also a form of idle entertainment

(4)By the time Sacco had touched down, tens of thousands of angry tweets had been sent in response to her joke.

(5)Within minutes, the news was everywhere.

(6) started to wonder about the recipients of our shamings, the real humans who were the virtual targets of these campaigns

(7)those people that were shamed publicly were mostly unemployed, fired for their transgressions, and they seemed broken somehow — deeply confused and traumatized.

(8)simple disturbing jokes can sometimes lead to a backlash from the other end of the political spectrum

(9)people have been publicly shamed as a result of messages they posted on social media

(10)

OPINION:

I think that although it is very easy and accesible to talk bad about people online, i think that it is wrong. These digital platforms make it easy for the public to see and comment and snare the picture. The public shaming can be done in a different way, or a less harmful way that leads the person that posted the picture or video to feel ashamed and that their life would be ruined.

Fast-ageing population in Singapore

Summary:
Singaporeans are growing older but there are less babies produced. Hence, the elderly will only increase while the number of young people will decrease, leading to less people in Singapore. As there are increasing number of people aged 65 and above, government should invest more in elder-friendly facilities. Furthermore, the number of citizens in the working age band of 20 to 64 needed to support one older citizen- is decreasing rapidly.

Opinion:
I think government need to have some solutions for this situation as it will become worse as the time flies. If nobody fix this problem, the number of elderly will continue to increase while working age band will keep decrease until the elderly will not have a people from working age band to support them like the law in Singapore government. Hence, I think government should take an action to solve this problem.

synonyms:
governance: government
toil: exertion/travail
exert: put into strenuous action
pressure: oppression
tax: duty

Family ejected from Cathay Pacific flight after Chinese boy, 3, refuses to wear his seat belt.

Summary:

A family who boarded the flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong were being sent out of the plane due to their three year old son who did not want to fasten his seat belt. Before the plane start to take off , the air attendants asked him to put on his seat belt however he did not want . His parents, who did not cooperate told the air attendants that the boy will seat on their lap. Due to safety and their policy, all passengers are to put on their seat belt . Thus, in order to not stir and argument and to obey their policy, the captain eject the family out of the plane.

Opinion:

I feel that what the air plane staff did was the right thing. In order to ensure all the passengers safety and to obey their policy , the not cooperating family should be ejected out of the plane. If the air attendants are to allow this family to board the flight , an accident may happen, The air attendant have the full choice of allowing the passengers to board the plane.

Respect towards elderies

Summary:
Ageing is an avoidable thing that everyone will experience. As we grow older, our body becomes fragile and weaker. However, our thinking becomes more critical, general knowledge-based and wise. For example, our grandparents or even parents know what life is better than us, the younger generation. They have already experienced life before. Whether it was eventful or boring, they are able to give us many tips while living. Hence, we should accept growing older even if our body changes as there are side effects for everything that happen in our life.

Opinion:
I feel that we should not avoid getting older but accept it as a process of our life to get more knowledgeable.

Respecting Elderlies

Summary:
One day, all of us will get old. It might seem obvious to treat the elderly with care and patience, but sadly this is not the case in most scenarios. Above all, we have to learn to appreciate their knowledge, wisdom, grace and fortitude.
Firstly, we tend to associate being older with being outdated. This is hugely mistaken, as some elderlies might have worked with computers when they were younger, and would have more experience on how to use them. If they do not understand something and proceed to ask you, we must answer to our best knowledge.
Secondly, we have to start noticing elderlies around us. In their own way, they are contributing to our society, and are to be respected, even admired. We also have to care for them, as they might not be as physically able as us.
Lastly, we should not assume that they are helpless, but instead, we should share our personal memories with them. If we are lucky enough, we might even get to hear their precious experiences in the past, and compare it with present life.

Opinion:
We have to respect the elderlies' knowledge, wisdom, and experience but sadly, most youths these days tend to look down on the elderly, sometimes even taking advantage of them. Although it might seem a world away to us, we must always remember that we too will one day get old, and should treat the elderly exactly how you would want your grandchildren to treat you. We should also not be impatient as them, as unlike us, they did not grow up with electronics surrounding them. In recent years, many digital breakthroughs have been made, but we have to remember that even though we are accustomed to them, our elders aren't, as in their childhood, games meant playing outdoors.

Summary :
Chinese New Year is a festival where families come together to have a break , reunite and have fun. To some , Chinese New Year is a great time where people can come together to enjoy different types of activities. No matter what it is we do ,it would always be great fun for us and our family.
Opinions:
To me , Chinese New Year is a time where I would visit my relatives in malaysia or vise versa. It is also a time when I can relax and have fun, eating goodies ,playing fire crackers and many more. Hong baos, oranges new dresses and new year decorations are also an essential part of Chinese New Year.

Education,Fiona

Summary:
Education is an important part of our lives. Education is imporant as it helps us develop thinking skills and increase our knowledge. In Singapore, all PR and singaporeans have to complete their primary education. This is to ensure that almost all the people in our society are educated. However, some children lament that their workload is too huge and they are under too much stress during exams.
Opinions:
I think education is necessary as we can gain more knowledge through it. I also think that children's workload should be manageable. Usually, it is because of a lot of tuitions that make the children's workload unbearable and as long as they study for their exams, children have no reason to be stressed out.

How To Respect Older People

SUMMARY: Everyone will be a elder one day. Respecting their wisdom, knowledge, grace and fortitude should come second nature to younger generations but it isn't always the case. We should always consistently remind ourselves the importance of respecting elders. Firstly, we should reflect on our ageism. We always think that old means outdated and a lot of assumptions are made about aging and most of these assumptions are unhelpful generalizations that prevent connection and knowledge sharing. We should start throwing aside assumptions about people based upon their age. No matter our age, we are still unique individuals, with the same range of values, gifts and flaws as any other person.
Many retired people still continue to work in their field, often for free, contribute to world knowledge. Others are taking considerable care of grandchildren or other people's children through care arrangements in home or at childcare centres, ensuring that the next generation is getting the best start possible in life.Be considerate of older people's well-being and show respect through manners that acknowledge the greater breadth of wisdom and life experience of each older person. Avoid assuming helplessness and help aging people keep their autonomy as long as possible by not doing things for them that they can do for themselves. All in all, we should care for our elderly more as they are aging and all they wish for is someone to accompany them.

OPINION: I think that respecting the elderly plays an important part in our lives as it brings out the compassion and respect in us. We should treat them the same way in which others would treat us when we are older. We should not belittle the old aged, thinking that they are useless and are only a burden. On the brighter side, they can help the society with their past knowledge and their efforts to bring up what the world is like today.

Falling Oil Prices

Summary:
In July 2014, oil was going for $100 per barrel. However, now it has been reduced to $60 per barrel. This is due to the increase in supply, mainly from Libya. Another factor was that OPEC could not agree on production cuts, therefore there is more supply than demand, leading to a drastic drop in prices. Although this is good news for consumers, it can be a blow to government funds in countries such as Iran or Nigeria, where they depend heavily on oil revenues to fund government programs.
Opinion:
This article has taught me that we always have to look at both sides of a story. Although a fall in oil prices may be good news to consumers such as us, who use it for fueling cars or cookers, we have to remember that countries that depend on oil to provide money for their government will be facing  hard times, and we must appreciate what we have. I also learnt that we have to think of the worst case scenario so the times of hardship, we have something to fall back onto.

Website Link

Fiona Ong, environment

Summery
Quite a few species of trees are on the verge  of extinction due to rapid deforestation and climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)'s research shows that only about 3% of the world's tree species are actively managed. The FAO have even formed a plan to save species of trees from extinction. However, governments also have to follow that plan of action in order for it to work. There are many benifits we take from trees. Some trees have medicinal value while others are a type of staple food for us. Furthermore, if the trees become extinct, the entire ecosystem might be affected. 
Opinion
I feel that the governments should take action to protect the nature. We have learned so much from nature. We should give back to it in some ways or at least try to preserve it. If we continue deforestation, the climate might become too unbearable and most of the trees might be cut down. If we continue deforestation at this rate, our future generations might not be able to see any more rainforests. 

ISIS terrorists

Summary:
ISIS - Islamic state of Iraq and Syria, which is also known as ISIL - Islamic state of Iraq and the Lerant. the ISIS is a muslim Islamist rebel group lead by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their motto, Remaing and expanding. The ISIS is known for its well-founded web and social media propaganda, which includes beheading of soldiers, civilians, journalists, non-muslims and especially Jews and Christians. They have also threatened to behead Mr Obama in the white house.
Opinion:
In my opinion, not everyone has to be under the same religon. People have the right to choose what they believe in. I also feel that these ISIS terrorists should not be so harsh on the non-believers and kill them.

Ebola crisis by Clarice

Summary:

Ebola is a widespread virus disease. It was founded in 1976 with a total of 22,091 suspected cases and 8,810 deaths. It began in the Sub Saharan Africa and in December 2013 was spread to Guinea. The early symptoms of the Ebola virus include - fever, severe headache, joint and muscle aches, chills and weakness. Overtime, the symptoms become increasingly severe they include - nausea and vomiting, diarrhea that might contain blood, red eyes, raised rash, chest pain and cough, stomach pain, severe weight loss bleeding mainly in the eyes, bruising, and internal bleeding. Some people are not taught about Ebola, therefore cannot handle it and prevent it from infecting them.

Opinion:
In my opinion, ways to prevent getting sick are to watch your personal hygiene. We should also be considerate, for instance u have caught a cold. You should be considerate and cover your mouth and nose with a mask when you are outdoors. This will reduce the amount of germs in the air, which will reduce the amount of people getting sick.

Ebola patient zero by Fiona

Summary
Ebola has struck fear in hearts of people but,patient zero's farther is still struggling. Ebola first started with Emily Ouamono ,he live in a rainforest village in southern Guinea. Ebola killed Emily's mother,grandmother and sister. Since  then ,the disease has spreaded. The village is now free of Ebola but the effects of it are still there. Families reject infection children and family members.
Opinion
I think that Ebola could have been prevented if Emile had gone for the treatment. The family members should still care for him just not going too close to him. I hope that the Ebola crisis would end soon.

'Human tetris' jam at Lakeside Mrt platform by Kent

Link : video

Summary: During the peak hour at Lakeside Mrt platform commuters on a particular train  were instructed to get off , and at the very same time, a new batch of commuters were heading to the platform on the escalator . Thus , this lead to the platform to be fully packed. People were just non-stop taking the escalator up the platform , not knowing what was happening. When they reached the end of the escalator, they were forced to squeeze into the crowd. This gone on for 30 secs and one of the commuter taped it down . The SMRT staff then took action and stopped the escalator .

Opinion: I feel that the SMRT did not do their job professionally and ending up causing commuters hurt . I feel that they should have planned well on where to ask the commuters to alight the train especially during peak hours. This incident has left a very bad impression to the public. 

Why is this so important to us , especially Singapore : I personally feel that this matter is important as many of the public in Singapore uses this type of transport to travel around. Mostly uses it during peak hours , example to work or going back home. This incident may have lead to injuries or may cause death if there were no security and boundaries . People may just fall into the tracks or may cause people to stomp onto each other. Secondly , it gives a very bad impression to foreigners who are taking the same transport. They may feel or think that Singapore is a very rowdy and unorganised country . Hopefully this problem doesn't come again and if it does , hopefully SMRT and commuters are able to solve it in a professional and safe way.            

Underwater World Singapore criticised for ‘sub-standard’ animal living conditions

Summary:Animal welfare groups have called on Underwater World Singapore (UWS) to cease all animal shows and have called on the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) to respond, noting that UWS appeared to have violated laws by making an injured dolphin perform in shows.Health checks are conducted regularly and the results show that, apart from the cancer, which is being specifically treated, the dolphin is generally in good health,” said a UWS spokesperson, adding that it does not participate in any performance or programme.

Opinion:In my opinion, I think that animals should not perform when they are sick as some diseases are contagious and may spread to people. The animals should also not perform when the are seek as they would have to receive stress and will be felling worse.

Virtual GirlFriend by Fiona

Summary

Opinion

Middle East Conflict by Jian Xiang

SUMMARY: About 400,000 of Gaza's residents were displaced by Israel's recent 50-day 

military operation. Some 18,000 homes were also destroyed and many more were 

damaged. One of the worst affected neighbourhoods was Shejaiya, near the eastern border,

 where the Israeli military says it targeted Palestinian militants and their tunnels. On the 

night of Saturday 19 July, Shejaiya was attacked by heavy artillery, mortars and air 

strikes sending up columns of thick, black smoke. Within a day, dozens of Palestinians and 

at least 13 Israeli soldiers were killed. There was a chaotic scene as thousands of locals 

tried to flee to Gaza City. It was a place where they could seek shelter at United Nation`s 

schools and Shifa hospital. There at that time were many casualties. Soon, battles were 

erupted between the Islamic troops and Hama militants in the streets. Through this attack 

on Shejaiya, many became homeless and the houses would take a very long time to be 

rebuilt. After this 50 days of terror, the conflict have finally ended with a truce. However,

the damage has already been done.


OPINION: I think that this massive destruction could have been avoided if both countries 

had talked over nicely. Had not been so rash, they would not have angered others and thus, 

retaliated the attack. It would be so much more peaceful and less painful as both sides 

suffered heavy losses. We should all learn from this incident and not to start such a conflict.

21 confirmed dead in tugboat capsizing in eastern China by Jian Xiang

SUMMARY:

Authorities confirmed 21 people dead in the capsizing of a tugboat with an international team on a test voyage in eastern China, after rescuers dragged the overturned vessel to shallow waters and scoured it on Saturday. However, there is still 1 person missing and rescuers continued to search the cockpit of the vessel as well as nearby sections of the Yangtze River in the province of Jiangsu. The newly built, 30-meter Wanshenzhou 67 was on a test try when it suddenly capsized. Three Chinese were rescued , including one man identified as an interpreter who was freed when rescuers cut through the bottom of the boat's hull early Friday — a full 14 hours after it went down.

OPINION:

In my opinion, i think that this type of incident could be avoided if they were much careful out at sea. Thankfully there were not many people on board the ship, if not, the consequences might be much more serious. fortunately there were 3 survivors. I hope that the last remaining missing person might survive this ordeal and be found as soon as possible

In Venturing abroad, S’pore students should not look too far

Summary: In the lecture that was held earlier last month, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong stated that in order to sustain Singapore’s economic growth, we need two wings like a bird. The domestic wing and the external wing. One cannot do without the other. Media reports that many students from SMU, Ngee Ann Poly and NTU has tried to apply for internships not locally but overseas. Mr Goh Chok Tong emphasizes that although Singapore’s domestic market is too small to warrant many senior local positions, Singapore has been remarkably successfully in wooing multinationals to locate their regional headquarters in Singapore.

Opinion: In my opinion, these students are willing to go out despite the risk of going for an internship overseas. Although Singapore’s Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong emphasizes that we must have our internship in Singapore, I find that there are not many business opportunities locally so I find it very logical why many local students from NTU, SMU will go overseas to look for jobs and be a permanent resident there. As you can see how many senior managers are local. Mostly from other countries such as Malaysia, China, Philippines and even Myanmar people are taking up these jobs and not leaving any for local.

Ebola by Kent Ong

Summary : Ebola was found since 1976.  During 2014, there was an outbreak of Ebola. Ebola is a disease that can cause death. At first , Ebola was started at Uganda and Sudan, however last year's outbreak started at Guinea which was unexpected as it was not infected before. Ebola can be spread through close physical contact with infected people.When a person has died from Ebola, their body will have a very high viral load. Bleeding is a usual symptom of the disease prior to death. People there are affected badly as hugging , kissing , touching and washing is part of their religious worship when someone dies. People there are not educated thus do not know how to handle and prevent themselves not getting infected. Thus this resulted in the outbreak of Ebola. 

Opinion: In my opinion , personal hygiene is very important. Keeping oneself clean can help to prevent such diseases. Being considerate is also very important . Example when you are infected with a virus which has a symptom of cough or flu , wearing a mask will help to not spread the virus as it can be spread through the air. Lastly , I think that education is very important . Education not only teaches us a subject but also teaches us how to protect ourselves.