Singapore table tennis team wins championship. Is there any glory?

The Singapore Table Tennis National Women's Team made history by upsetting the defending champion, China in the World Team Championships at Moscow. The team which consist of Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu and Sun Beibei beat China 3-1 in the final of the World Team Table Tennis Championships. Thought representing Singapore, all the team players are from china, so the quuestion is: "Is there any glory in the winning?"

Quoated from a forum, a Singaporean said: "As far as i'm concerned, it was China A vs China B and the B Team won, that's all! These Chinese sportsmen representing other countries are just rejects that were not good enough to represent China and they sold their skills for foreign money, they have not the slightest shred of loyalty for their own country!!"

From this comment, it can be clearly seen that this singaporean do not feel proud about the winning of championship by our fellow Singapore team. He feels that the Chinese table tennis players are rejects of China and thats the reason why they are coming Singapore instead of representing China. He also stated that those players are not loyal to their country.

On the other hand, other Singaporean applaud for their success.
Quated from a forum: "I am delighted that our table tennis players have done Singapore proud. Congratulations to them!"

This shows that the people feel there is indeed glory in the winning of the championship. The word 'our' is used. It shows that people accept the chinese sportmen who come from China, as our own. They regard them as our table tennie team which represente Singapore in games and competitions, on a national level.

Several people look at the winning in this manner: "If u need a country to denote it, its Singapore, but still,the people who won it, are from China." While others may rejoice in the winning of our Singapore team regardless of the nationality of the players.

I feel that there is glory in the winning of championship. When they win, the country 'Singapore' was lifted up. People in the world, do not see them as 'imported talent', but acknowledge the winning by the country by its name which is Singapore.

I feel that people should not critise the nationality of the players because they have indeed made us proud by winning the championship. We should not critise or make remarks to comment on the 'fake glory', but take pride in the winning by being proud of it.

Written By : Chan Jia Yi

Flyers: Are they like chewing gum?Should they be banned?

Flyers; a graphical piece of paper used for advertising and creating public awareness. Many businesses function consistently due to the help of flyers. There are various advantages of flyers. Besides promoting and enhancing the sales of the firm, flyers are also easy to distribute and design. They are cost-effeicent as well, since it is cheaper than other sources of commercialising. The target market is huge as flyers can be posted anywhere and everywhere around our island. This marketing medium is also used to update the public about their services. Hence, people can access the services they want.

However, are flyers really that useful? It comes across as problematic as well. It is not a very convincing marketing tool. They are also not interactive and do not have a long-term impact. Since the it is a cheaper alternative to print flyers, they are printed out in huge amounts unneccesarily. Many of these flyers,hence go to waste. It also becomes a public nuisance when there are flyers sprewn everywhere and becomes unsightly. This instead causes the public to react negatively to flyers and hence they refuse to take interest in them.

There is also a high chance that reader might miss out the message as flyers are not considered important or persuasive. Printing out too much of flyers causes much wastage. Many trees are cut down to make needless messages and commercials through flyers. It also contributes to land pollution as older, unwanted flyers are torn down to be replaced by new ones.

In conclusion, I think that distributing flyers should not be banned as it is a constructive way of spreading a message. However, there should be limitation to the number of posters to be printed out. Flyers are in way, like chewing gum in the aspect that they pollute our island. However, chewing gums have not much use for us except for freshening our breath. Flyers however does good in publicising.

Yours truly,

Pavitra S.

Flyers : Should they be banned?

What is a flyer?
Flyers are leaflets used for advertising. It is also a channel to make the public aware of any information through reading from a piece of paper. Flyer are forms of communications methods used for people who want to engage or inform the public but do not have the money or desire to advertise over the internet, or use other means of advertising.

Flyers is a one way communcation method. They will be no feedback given by people who reads it. I feel that it is not a very effective way of advertising.

Sometimes, flyers are seen all over the floor. These are done by inconsiderate people who throw them on the floor after reading and reciding that they no longer need that piece of flyer. This causes land pollution and affects the beauty of the environment that we lvie in. This should not be the way how flyers should be treated. The printing of flyers cost money. People should only take the flyers when they think they need it, instead of taking it for fun and throwing them on the floor after they finished reading it. This is litering and is not a gracious act.

If flyers are carefully treated and used, there will not be litres of flyers all around singaopore and resources would not have to be wasted to print those flyers.

Sometimes, old people are seen giving flyers in heartland areas of singapore. I feel that this is the only source of income they have and I will take the flyer from them even if I may not need it. However, I will make sure that I will throw it away only when I see a trashbin and not throw it on the floor.

Hence I feel that flyers should not be banned but they should be used carefully with consideration to cost and the environment. People should dispose it in the right place, if they do not need it anymore.

Written By: Chan Jia Yi

Singapore emerges victorious in World Table-Tennis Championships

The news was all over the world. In the net,on television and published in the newspaper. Our home team had won a gold medal in the World Table-Tennis Championship. The competition which was held in Russia, Moscow was the finale and showdown between the two remaining teams, Republic of China and our very own Singapore. After a gruelling duel, Singapore was declared the winner due to the teams' skills and accuracy.

However, that was where the problem stemmed from. The trio who made this victory possible are permenant residents living in Singapore but were however born in China. Hence, this caused an outrage and upset many Singaporeans who believe this win can only be accepted if the trio were Singaporeans and not foreigners. According to this group of people, its like this foreigners are parasites, coming to Singapore to enjoy the benefits and later steal oppurtunities from the local talents. Besides that, for them, winning this title is equivalent to China winning the championship since the players are of Chinese origins.

Our people also see this win as something with no value and to take pride in. Afterall all the credits still goes to China since the winners are from China and in the end,it would be China that has all the talents. This news also set netizens questioning as to what happened to our locally bred talents. A netizen even commented that even if Singapore won the title wouldn't it still be China that won in the end?

I had a hard time deciding on which side I am, the non-supporters or the supporters. However, in the end I clearly decided to disagree with the latter's train of thoughts and go with the supporters. It would make no sense to put down this trio who have left their homeland to come here. Not only have they shed sweat and tears for this outcome but they have also left behind their family just to come here and slog for our country's victory.

On top of that, the three of them sang our national anthem, carried our flag and represented us with honour. Hence, I beg to differ with the view that the Chinese do not deserve the credit just because of where they were born. Nationality is not an issue when it comes down to who they finally fought for. The ones who brought us this title fought a battle against their own country because they really wanted to this win for our country.

Such people are WAY BETTER than those Singaporeans who commit crimes and other shameless acts disgracing our country. Also, when we look back at Singapore's history and lineage, most of our ancestors were foreigners who migrated to Singapore for a higher standard of life. So instead of lamenting on how this champions do not deserve merit due to their nationality, we should warmly welcome them for choosing Singapore to represent and live in.

Yours truly,

Pavitra S.

Flyers

You will see some people giving out the flyers everywhere, especially in the MRT station. It is a common scenario in Singapore. I was always taking the MRT, there were people giving out flyers. As I always have to habit to ‘help’ these people by taking the flyers, obviously they were more than happy to give the flyers to me.

Somebody says that flyers are just like chewing gum. When Singapore government has not banned chewing gum in Singapore before, you can see the chewing gum was stick to the ground, wall and etc. You can see the flyers are threw everywhere now. Hence, should it be banned?

In my opinion, I feel that it should not be banned. Flyers are the most direct, cheap and effective way to the young and small business to introduce their products and service to customers. Hence, it is a chance for them to earn the maximum profit and success in their career. The students, retired and some disabled will usually be hired to do this kind of job. Giving out flyers doesn’t need any professional and great skills. This job gives them a chance to earn money. If flyers have been banned, the businessman will lose a way to promote their products and services and the people will lose an opportunity to earn basic living expenses.

Banning flyers is not a correct way to solve this problem. Government should hold some activities to tell the Singaporean the way to solve this problem together. School should give a talk to the student about this topic which is directly related to the environment problem. Singaporean should also put more concern about this topic. They should behave themselves and make sure that do not throw the flyers everywhere if they do not need the flyers. They can recycle it if they don’t need it. Hence, flyers will not be described as chewing gum if flyers are gave and received in correct way.

~PeI LiNg~

Singapore table tennis team wins championship!!!

SINGAPORE lifted its first table tennis world title in Moscow on Sunday night.
The Republic's team of Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu and Sun Beibei stunned mighty China 3-1 in the final of the World Team Table Tennis Championships.
The China-born but Singapore-raised trio of Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu and Sun Bei Bei stunned reigning champions and arch-nemesis China 3-1 in the final held in Moscow on Sunday.

While some Singaporeans feel that ultimately, it is still a “China versus China” competition and that the win is no big deal, others disagree, triggering a fierce online debate. To date, the post has garnered close to 600 comments within the first 12 hours of the post being published.

One Yahoo! Fit To Post user, Raj, comments, “What’s the point anyways, aren’t this kids Chinese migrants (sic)? Most athletes are imported in Singapore anyways, it’s just a sense of hollow value. Hardly any pride in it.”

Many others, however, beg to differ.
“Regardless of the nationality issue, this achievement is outstanding,” says reader Ignatius Albert Wijaya.

“The players might not have been locals but they train to become the players that they are in Singapore. I hope Singaporeans can show their respect to the players. That’s the least we can do,” he adds.

There is too many comment about this topic.
I think everyone should be proud of them despite of their home country.
They should give them applause instead of say something insultation.
They represent Singapore to compete with other country, they strive to get champion for Singapore.
They were trained to be a Singapore players in Singapore.Singapore provide everything good to them.
Hence,
Singaporeans should show some respect to the players and support them.
Singaporeans should proud of their outstanding achievements.

~Ivy Lim Pei Ling~

Do teens need etiqutte lessons in school?

'Please' and 'Thank you' are basic etiqutte that everyone should adopt. When requesting for something, it is only right and gracious to say 'please' and 'thank you'. However, it is not the common lanaguage among young people these days. Young people may feel that practicing etiqutte is not cool and they don feel it a need to do so.

Teenagers do not have good manners when they talk to their teachers or parents. This may be due to the upbringing they have at home. In school, we see that teenagers are talking back at teachers, not respecting teachers or even scolding the teachers. Even when teenagers are with their family members, they are not behaving themselves.

Nowadays, teenagers lack the basic courtesy and manners. I believe that teens need to be taught etiqutte in school. Schools can start introducing etiqutte classes which can be conducted outside of cirriculum timings. It can be in a form of workshops where a speaker will talk to students about the importancy of practicing etiqutte. Students can also learn to practice etiqutte through case study given by the workshop. I believe that it can give them a better idea on etiqutte and how it should be carried out. I think that schools is the best way to improve students's etiqutte.

The society can be such a better place when the young people of the country can be gracious people who practice social etiqutte.

Written By: Chan Jia Yi

Do teens need to be taught on etiquette?

This week's topic would be on whether teenagers nowadays need to be taught on basic manners and social etiquettes. Youth's nowadays are seen as the lost generation by the older crowd. Their behaviour and body language is seen as offensive and vulgar. Adolescents are seen as ego-driven slackers with their head held up high and views said out loud. The elders who have been brought up in a different reality from the current generation show resentment when they see such attitude.

In the earlier generations, teenagers were forced to obey and follow traditons. It was also of utmost importance to be thankful and respectful to people who were older than them. They had to endure the harsh and sometimes insensitive words of adults. They were not allowed to retort or give snide comments to the people older than them even if they were right.

Hence, it comes an advantage that teenagers nowadays are more assertive and fight for their rights. So instead of just taking in whatever is hurled in their way, they take it in their stride and handle these situations by themselves. Adolescence would be the stage where your a kid yet an adult simultaneously. Hence, it comes by hard to make the right decisions as your childishness in you wants to take risky decisions whereas your maturity resents it. When your a teenager you also become more aware of life and find ways to release the steam and pain. Hence indulging in such nonchalant behaviour.Teenage angst is very much misunderstood. Teens do not want to forced into decisions and fight for freedom. Therefore, they oversee the norms and traditions. Adults see this as arrogance and see their walk as swaggering. However, teens are also partially at fault.

Their attitude overwhelms them and they later tend to overdo it. Some teens behave in an irksome attitude on purpose to annoy others around them. Research shows some unbelievable statistic. Whilst kids take 30% risks and adults take 20% risks; adolescents take 80% risk. Their free will attitude transforms into a 'why do i care' attitude. This also drives them to adopt amore violent and offensive behaviour. The unneccessary use of expletives and profanities increases. They refuse to listen or take advices from experienced and older people. This is where teens need to be taught on how to control themselves. Seesions or lessons on how to behave gracefully needs to be conducted. In Singapore, the goverment has made it mandatory for civil moral educations to be conducted in all primary and secondary schools. However, these things cannot really be taught or forced upon, it should come voluntarily.

Etiquettes coming from within also goes back to the background of the teenagers and the environment they have been brought up in. Alot of teenagers have gone through emotional or psychological pain and have received no family support. Or worst, their family are the ones making their lives worst by their discouragement. Hence, their escape from this hell would be their defiance.

In conclusion, I think that teens need to be taught etiquette and the perfect time to be taught would be when they are in primary and secondary school. They also require some counselling sessions to be emotionally stable. However, besides that, i think it depends on how they were brought up and what they have gone through. Teenagers are just plainly misunderstood. Adults also need to know that they are growing up and need to give them more space.

yours truly:PAVITRA S