On the (brief) recession which may or may not be over

"Growing up in a golden era with years of news screaming about more good times ahead, many Singaporeans seem oblivious to their country’s vulnerability to world turmoil.

The bigger story is of a struggling middle class (some two-thirds of the population) that is too badly affected to be able to buy luxury items. For the majority of workers, jobs have been lost and take-home pay diminished.

Almost all Singaporeans, rich and poor, have lost out in the recession, the worst being the poorer class. During the past two years, almost every Singaporean had to dip into his own savings to sustain himself, like the government did with its reserves in an effort to protect jobs.

The picture is different for the rich, whose number has been growing substantially through immigration. The crisis has decimated fortunes, but the bulk of high-asset owners have enough financial muscle (again like the country itself) to ride out the storm or even prosper from it. It is largely the spending habit of this group that fuelled the recent indulgence."

~Adapted from http://www.littlespeck.com/content/economy/CTrendsEconomy-091031.htm~

Show me the money

US$ 36,900

That is Finland's per capita GDP, the 16th highest in the world.

But unlike much of the developed world, economic success did not leave society raving mad exploiting the poor nor cold, ruthless with pragmatism lurking in every other corner.

Finland was recently named the world's Most Prosperous Nation--an accolade which is based on evidence that factors health, good government, and personal freedom trumping income as drivers of prosperity.

So, is capitalism really evil?

~ Information adapted from Newsweek, Nov 9 2009~

For a more detailed read: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f65e6192-c1ce-11de-b86b-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss&nclick_check=1

Life is a stage and it is not mindless entertainment

And we are all its actors. Humour then is the dramatic technique through which we drive the point home.

"Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Groucho Marx and Charlie Chaplin. They were very upset with the social condition and really upset with what they saw was going on. And tried to use their humour as a weapon. And so, some might say he’s ( Moore) doing this comedy, this schtick, this stunt , and somehow making the issue less serious, but actually, it is humour, ridicule, satire that is powerful , potent and when used with a mass audience, it is extremely effective politically."

~Documentarist and Entertainer, Michael Moore~

My Deepest, Deepest Apologies

Dear Students,

I have to attend meetings on the 5th and 6th, Thurs and Fri from 8am-5pm. In the light of these recent developments, consultations will have to be cancelled.

Please email me your questions and I will try my best to answer you online.These students are affected:

Thursday (5/11)
Osman, Pat, Karthik
Deborah
Fern
Vanessa
Jude
Han Xun, Freddie

Friday (6/11)
Fern
Ee Ling
Anton, Joseph, Darius, Song'en
Timothy, Floyd

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Prayer of the day:

"Dear Lord,

In your omniscience, you see and understand all our anxieties. We trust that you are a merciful God who takes care of the swallows and the lilies in the fields. In our darkest and most weary times, your unfailing love will likewise provide for us.

We pray that you will give us strength to turn our eyes upon you, that we may run and not be weary, persevere and not feel daunted.

In the name of Jesus, our refuge and strength: Amen."

As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. ~Daniel 1:17~

Take-aways

First of, there's a round of applause for all of you who turned up for the "Othello" Review. I was quite surprised at the high take-up rate and I do hope that all of you who turned up gained from Mr Pang's insights. Give yourselves a pat on the back for your effort! I hope, no, I pray that all of your hard work will pay off in the end.

Here are some tips/pointers which Mr Pang gave which I found particularly useful:

1. As Ms Narindar says: It is not what you know but how you apply it. Same rule applies for Literature. Regurgitation and character listing will not get you your As and Bs. Categorize your ideas to cover the entire play/novel.

2. For those of you who tend to slip into narration or characterization, try beginning your paragraphs with "Shakespeare" or "Dickens". To add to that, try beginning your sentences with a focus on portrayal i.e. "The use of..." Remember, it is not what happens that is important but HOW it happens.

3. When approaching the Unseen, I think the most practical advice is: If you don't know, don't include.

4. Don't oversimplify the issues involved. Develop the complexity of the argument. Buzzword for "Othello"--Irony. That said, please don't contradict yourself. Listen to what you're writing.

5. Theme--Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Close analysis is important but so is making a point. Especially for the context question--PEEL (Link back to the play in general).

Okay, that's all for now. All the best!

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Prayer of the day:

"Dear Lord,

We thank you for this opportunity to learn and for the gifts and talents you've given us. We praise you for your graciousness and mercy to the contrite, forgive us if we had been unfaithful to our duties and gifts. Please open our eyes and draw our attention to what would be most crucial for our examinations.

In the name of the Jesus, the comforter and provider: Amen."

Somali Pirates

I'm not sure if you're still reading the papers, but the recent spate of reports on Somali piracy caught my eye.

Here's an article that covers key issues from BBC News. It is a fairly light read, so do take a look.

Ideas which I thought were applicable for GP were:

1. The effects of crime on the effectiveness of humanitarian aid.

2. The benefits of crime on poor countries.

3. The role of criminal syndicates (one of the six key players
remember?) on local and international economies (globalised economy--again one
of the six traits of the modern world).

4. Piracy as an outcome of exploitation of corporations from more powerful
countries.

But did you know that the Somalis call their pirates "Coast guards"? Why? For an alternative view, read this article.

Remember, GP examiners place a premium on CURRENT affairs. So enough of examples from WWII and Social Studies textbooks!

Venues and Stuff

Please note the venues and some changes in time.

27/10 Tuesday
Great Expectations Tutorial
Audi Extension
9am-1pm

30/10 Friday
Mass Comprehension
LT6
10-1130am
* GP Reps/Treasurer, please collect the comprehension from the photocopying shop.

2/11 Mon
Othello Cramp Course
9am-1130 am
LT6

4/11 Wed
Mass Comprehension
900-1030am
LT6

6/11 Fridya
Mass Comprehension (For Tough Love)
9-1030am
Venue TBC