High GDP, Low Birth Rate

Singapore is one of the top 5 countries with the greatest GDP, ranking at no. 5 with Liechtenstein, Qatar, Luxembourg and Bermuda ahead of her. Being one of the smallest country in the world and one of the richest, this may seem like an ideal situation that any country would want. However, this "ideal" does comes with a price; low birth rate. Singapore is official the lowest ranking country in terms of fertility rate, with only 0.78; 1.32 away from the ideal 2.1 kids per family. And with only 0.78, it means that not every family are producing at least 1 child to compensate for the increasing ageing population.

Singapore ranked no. 6 for the total net migration rate, which means that many foreigners wants to migrate into Singapore. It is also becoming more and more prevalent that you can see foreigners all around Singapore. We don't have enough Singaporeans in the labour force, thus the government allow more foreigners into Singapore to work to replace us. This may seem like it could work; but only for short term. We cannot keep attracting foreign talents to replace the lack of Singaporeans for they will eventually leave and go back to their home country.

Although we lack Singaporeans, but the irony is that we do not lack people at all. In fact, I feel like we're having overpopulation- too much immigrants in Singapore! Well, though not statistically proven, but take the MRT for example. Don't you think it's been squeezier and squeezier nowadays? The occasional MRT breakdown in the morning which might be due to overcrowding. The number of passengers in the train is too much to carry.

Then there is the ever-rising COE prices of cars which I feel is one of the measures of the government to want to reduce the number of cars on the road. However, there aren't any news about an ever increasing number of Singaporeans getting driving license over the years (not that I can find any...), so why are there more and more cars in the roads? Immigrats!

There is also the sky-rocketing housing prices. It is becoming more and more difficult to buy a house in Singapore because of the super high prices!

Many young couples marry late nowadays not because they do not want to marry early, but because they need money, many many more than the previous generations in fact. They need money to buy a house and build a family and seriously, Singapore is EXPENSIVE to live in. A typical 3 room flat can cost up to many hundred thousands depending on the location. An average salary of maybe 2k, if you deduct away your monthly phone bills, food expenses and other micellaneous fees; you don't even have much to save, let alone buying a house or start a family! Then comes to the immigrants (again), they don't just work here and go back, they need accomodations as well- which is also a cause of the high prices of houses because not only locals, but foreigners are competing for a place to stay as well. Don't you see more and more advertisements on rental houses these days? Which explains the increasing foreigners in our country.

There is baby bonus you say? What can a few thousand dollars, four-month maternity leave and six days of childcare leave do as compared to raising a child for the rest of your life? A few cans of milk formula and a few packets of pampers can easily spend away all those money and these supplies can't even last a baby for a few months. Morever the disheartening thing is that single mothers aren't eligible for these benefits! Are babies of single mothers not Singaporean? Ain't Singapore in need of local babies? I think that as long as babies are from Singaporean parent, they should also be able to enjoy these benefits and not be "stigmatised" in a sense.

In conclusion, I think that part of our high GDP is thanks to the foreign talents in Singapore but also thanks to them, our living expenses are ever rising. The fertility rate in Singapore is a call for concern for we are following the footsteps of Japan into a serious ageging population such that some parts of Japan like Kyoto and Tokyo has no such thing as retirement age. If fertility rate remains this low, people of our generation might also not have any retirement age and also the ratio for immigrants per Singaporean will bound to increase. Japan has come out with extensive measures such as the policiy Kodomo Teate whereby Japanese parents receive money to rasie their child until their kid turns 15 years of age. This definitely eases some burden of child expenses for parents. There's a saying "desperate time calls for desperate measures", so what would the Singapore government do to attract  more babies? Hmm...

 Singapore rank no. 5 in GDP per capita.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html

 Singapore rank no. 6 in net migration rate.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2112rank.html

Singapore ranked the last (no. 222) in total fertility rate.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2127rank.html

Single mothers should be given baby bonuses and other benefits: http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=3633

Dirty Secrets of China

China is one of the largest contributors to pollution and it is becoming very hard to find clean rivers there. However, one such river still exist- the Han River in China. The Green Han River Organisation is set up by a group of volunteers to protect their river from being polluted. It is very rare to find big river with good quality water like the Han River. As there is an increase in economic growth, the amount of pollution increases as well. Toxic waste products are everywhere to be seen. People living along polluted river banks are seen to water their crops with 'black' water. I'm sure the villagers are aware that these water from the river are contaminated but because of their rural settings, they might not have access to clean water and sanitation. The contaminated river bank is their main source of water.

Then there is the "A" Inc. where the workers there have been reported to be poisoned due to the long hours exposure of a chemical known as N. Hexane. This N. Hexane is a chemical used for effective cleaning of the "A" logo and screens, it reduces the time for drying up to 1 to 2 seconds but as a consequence, workers have been admitted to hospitals due to poisoning. The Apple factory is also not a big company with full length glass windows situated in business districts, but a small warehouse with little windows at the top of the walls for minimum light and air flow situated in secluded towns. Workers admitted to hospitals named a list of effects and obvious symptoms of their intoxications such as numbing of hands and difficulty to walk or run. Some, even when recovered from the poisoning, still experience aches over the body. Prolong exposure to N. Hexane can lead to breakdown in nervous systems, paralysis and et cetera. I'm sure cleaning of logos and wiping of screen isn't the key procedure in manufactring electronic devices. By using N. Hexane can indeed reduce the drying up process, but how less efficient can it be to use some other chemically more friendly products? Is cleaning of screens and logos more important than the health of employees? These people are literally giving up their health for low paying wages. But because of the increasing in population and unemployment rate, they have to secure whatever jobs they have, even if it means risking their health. In a sense, they are working to pay for their medical bills as most who are admitted can stay in hospitals for months.

Another part of rural area in China, people there, including kids recycle unwanted computer parts for a living. DCs would export their unwanted computer parts to them for "recycling", but in fact, it's just wanted thrash that they need to dispose out of the country. The people in that area would take plastic parts of unwanted electronic products to grind them to tear them apart, then wash them and it'll be ready for use- again. Because of the lack in technology nor the money to have these technologies, the people sort the different types of plastics by using cigarette fire to burn them and smell the fumes in order to sort them out. This would inevitably lead to brain damage and other health hazards like retardation. When a local Chinese was asked what does he think about this, he knew that it is bad but he simply answered “I don’t know.”

Then in the mountains/ highlands of China, lived a group of people that are also victims of pollution. There has been an increase in the number of deaths of villagers due to cancer and they blamed it on an incinerator factory that is used to incinerate biohazard medical wastes, was built near the village. Villagers reported 11 deaths of cancer within 2 years. Environmental lawyers went to pay them a visit to see what they could help. At the mountain, black fumes can be seen coming out from the incinerators and going towards the mountains. Plants along the mountains are covered in black soot. Though there had been an increase in the number of deaths of villagers due to cancer, there has been no solid evidence that the direct cause is due to the incinerator factory. A representative from the company stated that they are much more dangerous in terms of health than the people in the mountains for they are in direct contact with the incinerators and none of the workers in the company are having cancer because of that and adding that the government is planning for the villagers to move. I think that cancer has everything to do with the incinerator factory. Firstly, the number of cases increased since the factory was first built there. Secondly, though the workers have direct contact with the incinerator, but it’s the villages up on the mountains that have the direct contact with the air pollution made by them. All the fumes and smoke are drifting towards their village. Crops and plants are covered in a layer of black soot because of that and it’s the villagers that consume these crops and in turn consume the toxic gets cancer. It is unfair for the villagers to move as they have been living up in the mountains for many generations, but because of one company that contributes to pollution, they being the minority have to move.

In conclusion, at the rate China’s economy is expanding is astonishing, but in the expense of their natural environment. I feel inclined towards the quote of one member from the Green Han River Organisation, that wanting gold and silver mountains but losing green mountains and blue water. In the future, when gold can’t be eaten and silver can’t be drunk, the future generations are doomed and by that time, people will be wanting back the mountains and the seas. People are killing this natural environment for wealth, but soon, they’ll be spending even more trying to save this environment.

Picture taken from: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/images/stories/large/2010/01/25/Yantze_River_Pollted-73732956ch.jpg

Picture taken from: http://www.nvcdw.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/polluted-in-China.jpg

Picture taken from: http://blog.airdye.com/goodforbusiness/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/20091020luguang06-polluted-chinese-pond.jpg

Tsunami: The Aftermath

Tsunami: The Aftermath is a fictional movie based on the real event of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami that happened on the epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The tsunami also struck Indonesia's neighbouring countries such as Sri-Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand.

The movie is based in Khao Lak, Thailand where a young couple, Ian and Susie Carter from the United Kingdom with their 6 year old daughter, Martha Carter went to Khao Lak for holiday and unfortunately met with the tsunami that made them lost their daughter. The tsunami though significantly far from Thailand as compared to Indonesia, Sri-Lanka and Malaysia is still deadly that cause hundreds and thousands of death. Part of it due to the aftermath of diseases and poor accessibility to proper healthcare. The tsunami was caused by tectonic earthquakes below the ocean. Although the speed of the tsunami slowed down over the distance travelled to the coast, but it build up in height as a result near the shallow coasts that allowed it to engulf buildings along the coastal areas, thus destroying it. The strong backwash also pulled many people out into the sea.

Than, the Thai waiter in the movie was shown to be selfless and was trying hard by his own to help the villagers and grief over those who have deceased. He was grieving over the death of his sister and his grandmother, but quickly got back to his feet when he heard faint cries of help of villagers trapped under the debris. He promised to get help asap but was unfortunately mistaken for stealing foreigners' valuables and was caught by the police officers. By the time he returned, the people he promised to help had already passed away and he was very remorseful for not being able to live up to his promise and decided to dig out their corpse and did a simple funeral for the deceased villagers to pass on. I think it is very bravely of him to face all these by himself, which to me would be a very traumatizing event that I wouldn't know what to do. But he did not leave any time for grievience and quickly got back on his feet to do what he can to survive and help others in need.

Kathy, a Thai-speaking social worker was also trying her utmost best to help those in need and also acting as a translator for those westerners to communicate with the locals in finding their lost ones.

Nick, on the contrary is depicted as a "asshole" as I feel. He was only concerned about getting the latest news for the headlines back in UK. He wasn't symphathetic towards those who have died nor did he showed any respect to the deceased; taking photos of them moments before they were cremated and wanting to send the photos over to the press for headline news. He didn't care that this would result in uproar from people from other countries for burning those unidentified corpses and would most probably cause Thailand to fall back to it third world state. Rationally speaking, I think there is a need to cremate those bodies for Thailand is a humid and warm country which causes the corpses to disintegrate at a faster rate and this may cause an outburst in disease that eventually cause those who survived from the tsunami to die due to this aftermath. But what the monks could do is to maybe take photos of those that are to be burnt so that the family members and relatives can at least identify them and bring their ashes back to their home country where they belong. Though the surving members may be furious about the cremation but this is a preventive measure from the outspread of any disease and this decision must take into consideration of the whole surviving populations and not only those who are mourning over their dead family members.

Chai, Nick's Thai reporter partner is more symphathetic towards those deceased as he himself is a Thai and as most Thai are, he might be a Buddhist. Hence, knowing the basics of respecting the dead and prayed for forgiveness for Nick's ignorance.

It was showed that Martha was never found and Susie couldn't get over the fact that their daughter is missing, blaming everything on Ian for letting go of Martha's hands. They found a young girl that looked like Martha and Susie decided to keep her to substitute for the lost of her own daughter that she could never get over with. I feel strongly for Susie for losing her one and only child, but feel that it is wrong to keep the girl. The girl's parents might be looking for her and if she takes her away, she'll never get to reconcile with her biological parents. The girl seem too traumatised to speak up which all the more isn't right to keep for she couldn't speak to say anything like yes or no to follow Susie.

The movie also showed the relief efforts from international aid were slow in saving people, but restructuring plans were quick to rebuild new resorts over the disaster scene. It showed the different types of people during a disaster. Some like Than and Kathy would help those in need while people like Ellen and Nick are only concerned about their own interets and benefits. As well as those looters who would go to these disaster-struck places to steal people's valuables.

2004 Boxing Day tsunami, happened 2 or 3 days after I came back from a cruise trip on Starcruise Virgo to Phuket Thailand, therefore I felt deeply for the people there, Thinking about all of them while we tried to bargain for goods along the street-stalls near the coast and those that we took photos with were not most or all wiped away by the tsunami. I guess I'm really lucky to be alive for if I have stayed there a few more days, I wouldn't be writing my reflections now.

Picture from: http://data5.blog.de/media/191/3064191_020d96ba45_m.jpg

MEGASTRUCTURES: Singapore's Vegas

Nat Geo's MegaStructures season 6 did a report on one of the two Singapore's Integrated Resort, the Marina Bay Sands, owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp whom invested $5.5 billion USD into building the MBS. The challenges architects, designers and engineers faced when constructing the megastructure. Though most of the these architects, designers and engineers are world renown for their artistic masterpieces of infrastructure, but never before have they tried building such a massive structure of three 55 storey high hotel towers joined together by a 1 hectare sky park on not normal land, but with only 560 square metres of reclaimed land. Especially with the slanted design of the tall building and situated at the bay front where wind power is the strongest, there is a high possibility of the tower buckling on its own weight and collaspe. This weight alone on the reclaim land is worrisome enough, what's even more distressing is that the architects are adding "artwork" into the already seemed like a state-of-the-arts masterpiece by hanging 50 (or was it 15?) tonnes worth of steel in sophiscated shapes on air in the lobby of MBS. Have the engineers not thought of the possibility of the reclaimed land that might sink in future?

With the lessons learnt from the 2004 incident; collaspe of the Nicoll Highway due to soft marine clay, the engineers combat it by building giant concrete walls AKA diaphragm walls to allow easier constrcution of MBS without water coming in. I think even without the problem of marine clay, it is still very dangerous to build such huge project on a recently claimed land. Moreover, these diaphragm walls weren't created as a solid foundation to build MBS, but only to prevent sea water from entering. Moshe Safdie, one of the chief architect mentioned that this whole project was supposedly a 6 to 7 years project, but shortened to 3 years to complete. The number of years for completion is literally shortened by half and I can't help but link to the thinking that there might by some exploitation of workers involved and shabby work done with inferior materials. Though it may sound unlikely a place as strict as Singapore, but one may never know as it does indeed sound impossible for me to imagine completing such a huge project with only 3 years without constant overtime working of onsite workers. In addition, during the period of constructing MBS, there was a global crisis in September which made me feel even deeper of the possibility.

Forutnately, as of now there are no typhoons or heavy rainstorms sighted in Singapore or it would be very consequential to MBS. As mentioned, MBS is not only built on reclaimed land but it is also facing directly towards the bay front where wind power is the strongest. Strong wind can cause buildings to sway and may ineveitably damage the sky park if not constructed properly to withstand these wind. Engineers have came up with flexible construction of the sky park so that it wouldn't collaspe when wind blows. However, this is only if the wind power is within the calculations of what the engineers think the building can withstand. And these calculations are normally based on the average wind intensities faced in Singapore. If let's say Singapore that has never before been hit by a typhoon is hit by a strong one, then in my perspective I think that the building may, or definitely will collaspe. The sky park can only deform up to 200 millimetres (20cm).

If you think building the 3 hotel towers and sky park sounds dangerous and impractical alreasy, wait till you hear the ArtScience Musuem. It seemed even more unsound to have it built in water! But well, even if it's impossible, engineers and architects would have to find solutions to make the impossible possible. They built 3 pavilions in 6 metres under water in order to construct the ArtScience Musuem. Water is then pumped out of the pavilions into the sea. However, there is a danger of hydrostatic pressure where the increase in sea level would cause the water pressure outside the walls to increase thus damaging the pavilion. And surely, the pavilion walls started to show signs of leakages where the architects hired 8 professional divers to search for the leakage spots and plaster them up. Though I don't know anyway of solving this problem either, but I think that hiring divers to plaster up the leakages isn't exactly a good solution too. The water is too dirty for the divers to even see where they are swimming underwater, hence they only rely on the feel of the suction of water towards the walls and this "feel-only-and-plaster-up" solution doesn't sound safe to any of us. The divers may miss one or two spots that might be too subtle to feel it and in the future, with the completed ArtScience Musuem weighing on it, the cracks may widen and eventually the pavilion may be damaged, sinking the whole musuem.

I think that the MBS is indeed one of the wonders in Singapore's infrastructure, but these factors of where and how it was built make me dare not think of how it would become in the next decades to come.

Picture from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Marina_bay_sands_night_skypark_2010.JPG

The Cove

The Cove is a documentary about an activist, Ric O’ Barry,with a group of volunteer and friends from Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS) travelling to Taiji, Japan to try to uncover the truth behind how those dolphins are treated when they were caught by the fishing crew and also various interviews with the assistant chief of the whaling division at Japan's Fisheries Agency, Hideki Moronuki and some video footage of Dominica from the International Whaling Commission (IWC). In the beginning of the documentary, O’Barry states that Taiji is a little town with big secret. In a glance across Taiji, one may think that it’s a dolphin paradise but actually, it’s a living hell for the dolphins. Taiji is the largest supplier of dolphins to marine parks, dolphinarium and aquariums around the world. The dolphin drive period is around September to March. When IWC banned whaling, though it reduced the number of whaling activities, it brought negative effects to the dolphins. Within a year, the killing of dolphins and porpoises were tripled. And the movie also stated that 23k of dolphin and porpoises slaughters every year was not acknowledge, which significantly was due to the media cover-up. Ric O’ Barry went around Tokyo interviewing passer-bys if they were aware of the massive number of unacknowledged killing of dolphins and porpoises. All who were interviewed were unaware of it nor do they consume dolphin meat. Tetsuya Endō, the associate professor of the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido stated that the supposed “whale meat” which the crew brought to him for research from the market was in fact dolphin meat. And shockingly, dolphin meat are not safe for consumption, for dolphin meat contain large amount of mercury. The acceptable amount of mercury intake is 0.04ppm whereas dolphin meat consists of 2000ppm (50k times more!) Japanese fishermen view dolphin- killing as pest control as since 2003, Japan has cited scientific data blaming decline in global fisheries on dolphins and whales. They think that dolphins and whales are “overeating”their fishes, therefore a need to reduce their population. The activists went through extreme measures to grab footages from the prohibited zones in Taiji which showed the cruel and brutal way of how those dolphins were killed ;that contradicts what Moronuki said about the method of killing those dolphins have been improved over the years to shorten their suffering, which as what the footages show was not true. And Moronuki himself became speechless when they showed him the video of the killings in action and also seemed angered by them barging into forbidden zones to steal footages of that sort.

I have a very contradicting point of view. I think that the dolphin-killing is wrong. Many who were interviewed declared that they don’t consume dolphin meat, so why do the fishermen in Taiji kill all those dolphins which were not selected by dolphin trainers? Why do they not release them backin the wild? What was shown from the video footage about the killing was no worse than like a killing spree with no purpose I can think of. The methods to kill them are inhumane as well, spearing them continuously until the dolphins “gave up”, using a sickle-like thing to pierce into their body to hook them up onto the boat when they’re dead. It is scientifically proven that dolphins have self-awareness which makes the killing even more inhumane. Moreover, dolphins have been known to save human lives. What morality is left when people kill their life saviours? Not only that, we are bringing harm to ourselves as well; when disguised as food, dolphin and whale meat contain high amount of mercury,not safe for consumption and may cause mercury poisoning. However, in another perspective, I think that dolphin- killing may not be that unforgiving. As what the fishermen stated that killing dolphins and porpoises are like pest controls as they are overeating our fish supplies.It is therefore important to reduce the number of them to ensure we have sufficient fish supplies as well; keeping a balance in a sense. But I still think that it is inhumane to kill the dolphins the way people in Taiji do. For the people in Taiji, it is their “culture” and the way they live. It is their main source of income; selling living dolphins to aquariums can cost up to $150k and dead ones for $600. Japan proved that there is a declining number of fisheries, but Ric O’Barry failed to provide the exact number of decline of dolphins worldwide to an extent that needs concern. I think way to solve the problem of these killing in the name of "pests control", fishermen can set-up more fisheries out in the sea to commercially rear the fish we consume. This helps to increase the fish population so as to have enough fish in the wild for both fishermen and the whales and dolphins. Secondly, by rearing them in the wild, fishes adapt better and maintain their "nutritional value" (as what some says fishes in the wild taste better than those commercially raised in hatcheries.)

Ric O’Barry, once a dolphin trainer who spent 10 years building up his career and the dolphin show industry, used his own hands to catch the 5 dolphins in Flipper, ends up spending the rest of his life trying to tear it down. I do feel for him as he is trying very hard to amend for his mistakes, but with tourism becoming every countries’ important source of income, I don’t think tearing the industry down completely is going to happen,at least not any time sooner.

 Picture from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTDDGbF_c1C7emjhvg_GydekLroVNkRA8xNpE9bb30yZYTNVZZ97jHQnQQeyozzKfj63vNlMepQ7vJwX3ZtHm5GSVfLEhVRfHL3-klud82KZ_LPePwCrQF5sCKaGyprB5AaG2SwH1QFg/s400/Cove+Blood+Karen+Tom+12-09.jpg

South Park: Whale Whores

The Whale Whores is an animation made by South Park about the Japanese' whaling and dolphin-killing activities (in a much more comical and exaggerated way.) The animation showed a group of armed Japanese charging into aquariums and dolphinariums, killing every single dolphins and whales as well as those out in the sea. The protagonist of the animation, Stan, is upset and infuriated about this issue and asked his dad “why did they do that?” and his dad replied that the Japanese don’t really like Dolphins very much; not as much as “normal” people do. Stan decided to stand up against the actions of the Japanese and wanted help from his friends. However, Kyle was reluctant, stating that “they’ve been doing it for a long time, and it’s not like we are able to change how an entire country thinks. I don’t like it, but it’s just the way they are.” Cartmen and Kenny simply don’t care about the plight of those sea mammals claiming that they don't give two shits about stupid-ass whales. Stan was angered by their lack of concern saying, “you know, when all the whales and dolphins in the world are gone, people are gonna wish that at some point they’d taken a little time to care just a little god damn bit!” Butters then told Stan about the Whale Wars where there are people like him who would do something for those whales and dolphins. Stan eventually volunteered to be one of the activists and replaced Capt. Paul Watson into leading the activists to protect the whales and dolphins more effectively. Paul Watson was portrayed as a liar who would do anything to increase the ratings. In the end, Cartmen and Kenny joined the crews in Whale Wars under false pretence that they care for the animals, which in fact, they were only after the fame. In the end, Stan and his friends found out that the reason for the Japanese to slaughter all the whales and dolphins was because they piloted Enola Gay to bomb Hiroshima (which is not true.) Stan knowing that it’s a fake decided to give the Japanese the “real” photo of the killers- the chicken and cow. And the ending scene was the Japanese charging into farms to kill chickens and cows and Stan’s dad thanking him for making the Japanese “normal” like them.

After watching the animation, it is clear to me that Stan is the main protagonist, wanting to be an activist, to want to do something to stop whaling and dolphin- killing. The Japanese as obviously depicted as the antagonists, trying to avenge for the bombing of Hiroshima. Kyle and Butters are in the neutral position where though they are concern about the issue, but aren’t willing to stand up against the Japanese, merely letting things be just the way it is. On the contrary, Cartmen and Kenny couldn’t care less about what the Japanese are doing nor are they concern about the whaling and dolphin- killing.

I myself think that I’m standing in the position of in between Cartmen, Kenny and Kyle, Butters. Though I care, but don’t think I’ll go to such extremes as being an activist. Moreover, other than whaling and dolphin-killing, I think there are many other more serious issues to brood over than this; such as the economic crisis in Europe and terrorism. It is also not only the whales and dolphins are endangering soon, animals such as the white tigers and panda are even on the verge to extinction. Compared to these whaling and dolphin- killing activities (obviously not due to them bombing Hiroshima), sports hunting is a much greater issue to be concerned of as people hunt for leisure purposes. But I’m still thankful to those activists as in a way or another, their efforts do make a difference regardless a huge or a small one. It does indirectly help to slow down the rate of endangering these animals which might give the animals enough time to reproduce some offsprings.

Another issue, in the last scene, Stan’s dad mentioned that the Japanese who are now killing chicken and cows instead are “normal” like them. But in such context, how do you clearly define normal? Just because we kill chickens and cows instead of whales and dolphins means we’re normal? It depends on individual’s perception on how to perceive as being normal. Maybe to the Japanese in the animation, Stan and others are the abnormal ones for not killing whales and dolphins. I think that they are all the same, as they all kill animals, regardless of whether is it cows, chickens, whales or dolphins. In addition, cows and chickens are commercially reared and raised as food for our consumption, thus is not seen as a cruel act to kill them. So does it mean that if we commercially raise the whales and dolphins, it would not seen as being cruel to kill them? I think that Japanese being one of the largest exporters in the seafood industries kill whales and dolphins because there’s a demand for it, especially when their cuisine comprises highly of seafood products.

Picture from: http://foodandfoodiesinjapan.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/tumblr_ks9w8wqjco1qz53a0o1_5001.jpg

Why study Geography?

Geography is the science that studies the lands, the features, the inhabitants, and the phenomena of the Earth.

The above statement was what I found when I typed "Geography" in the Google search engine. I have never seen Geography as part of science. I have always viewed Geography as a subject by itself. I have not been studying Geography for quite some years and it certainly isn't a subject I enjoy, nor do I score well for it.

The lecturer, Mr. Ken asked us in class today "Why study Geography?" My subconscious quickly responded: "Because it is compulsory." and not only me, other classmates voiced that out as a reply as well. But then again, why is it compulsory? I couldn't think of any good reasons for I don't have any good feelings for Geography anyway; to me Geography is just a study about the Earth. Thus, I answered "to know why the Earth is structured that way." Again, Mr. Ken asked why, and I thought the reason was simply so that architects are able to build infrastructures safely and suitable for us to live, work and play in. But, Mr. Ken gave us some examples of anomaly weathers, architectually unsound buildings, the massive floodings in Orchard Road that has never happened in the past as examples that engineers nowadays aren't taking into account why Earth is structured that way.

To think of it, the number of natural disasters occurring around the world has increased in recent years and I think that is because human population is ever rising and land space is declining to build more land to fit more people. We only think of solutions to exploit more land for use for human activities and living, but did not take into consideration of how our actions are affecting the Earth. Hence, I feel that the need to study Geography is because we need to know the physical features of the Earth and to what extent can we "reconstruct" it for human purposes and where is the "threshold" we should stop these activities and start to conserve and bring its natural features back, as well as having a win-win situation whereby we can find methods to build more infrastructures while not harming the Earth at the same time. We need to compromise between developments and the Earth's natural resources. Living in "peace" with other living organisms on Earth by not altering how the Circle of Life and food chains should be. Geography also allows me to know better about where I live and my surroundings. How nature shapes out special landscapes such as the Lovers' Island in Adriatic.

References

Heart-shaped island highlighted by Google Earth becomes hit with lovers . (2009, February 11). Telegraph. Retrieved June 27, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4588838/Heart-shaped-island-highlighted-by-Google-Earth-becomes-hit-with-lovers.html