Topic: Singapore Youth Olympics 2010
by Terrence Tan 1125
What happen - it was a multi international sports event which took place in Singapore 2010. About thirty- five thousand of athletes of age ranging from 14 to 18 participated in this event. Singapore was announced the host country in 2008.
Why did it happen - For the individual it aims to promote YOG as a balance of sports, culture and education? They wanted to educate, engage and influence the athletes to develop true sportsmanship and also the Olympics values namely, excellence, respect and friendship. And at the same time, have fun. As a whole, Singapore can use this chance to generate additional income for its country as there will be spending by the participants.
How was it significant - For the country, this can serve as a platform for Singapore to be internationally branded known for hosting the first ever youth Olympics . The YOG has helped to effectively and positively profile us to an international audience. Now, even before they knew that we are a safe city and efficient city, but now everyone knows that we are a beautiful, vibrant, dynamic, exciting, creative global city where people from all over the world will want to visit, live, work, play and invest in. The games were watched by over 2 billion viewers and at a point of time, the YOG channel was the most viewed channel on YouTube. Economically - S$260 million worth of local contracts went to our local companies. The Singapore Tourism Board had earlier also estimated that the YOG will bring in S$57 million in additional tourism receipts. Visa International recently reported that spending on foreign Visa- branded payment cards in Singapore went up by some S$154 million during the Games period.
What are the consequences of the event?
Positive - The YOG experience has laid a strong foundation for building our sporting culture, particularly in the areas of spectatorship, community involvement, as well as volunteer engagement. With this experience and knowledge and the networks that they have forged, Singaporeans, both officials, volunteers and staff are now better equipped than ever before to host world class sporting events, as well as to prepare our athletes to compete at highest levels. Good opportunity for us to reach out to our young Singaporeans, inspire the youth to pursue their dreams of being a sportsman and representing Singapore. As it allows local Singaporean youths to participate and represent Singapore for such a major event.
However, to the rest of the Singaporeans that are not involved 90% of the 4000 people surveyed are not interested in the YOG. But due to success of this event, this can cause them to change their mind set and hopefully instil a sense of national pride in them. The IOC initially projected in 2007 the Youth Olympic Games would cost US$30 million to stage. Singapore won its bid in 2008 with a budget of US$75.5 million (S$105 million) with strong government support. The budget was later increased to U$284 million (S$387 million), thrice the original amount. This had cause a major uproar within the country and globally. With debates to use the extra money to help the poorer and needier people within Singapore. There are also debates on students being ' volunteered' out to help in the YOG and are rewarded with extra/co-curricular activity-related points, necessary for graduation and/or application for the next higher level of study.
How is it relevant to the present world? - The Olympics games is something that take place consistently. Thus this can serve as a learning point for the upcoming Olympics games. The planning stage is the most important and crucial stage. We can also use this to bond people of different culture and backgrounds together. As through sports, athletes forge strong ties with each other. This can promote mutual understanding as people set aside their difference and work together to reach the same goals. This also shows that as long as you put in effort you can achieve what you want. As Singapore is only a little red dot on the map, and to be able to host such a massive event, it really shows something about us and can also be a role model to other countries out there to work harder.
Implications - economic - To create a broad and lasting impact for the local economy, the Singapore government and Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee have made great effort to ensure the involvement of the business community in the Youth Olympic Games. In recent years, Singapore has seen an increase in sponsorship by large as well as small and medium sized companies for local sports events, indicating the increasing focus on the sports industry. Social - this can motivate more youths in Singapore to take up sports as they will be given a chance to take part in such events. Thus Singapore sports industry will improve without importing foreign talent. Because many Singaporeans is very unhappy about the fact that foreign talents are representing Singapore to take part in such competition.
Conclusion - organising large scale events will have its pros and cons. This is especially important if a slightly less developed country for example, South Africa, to host to 2010 world cup. The extra boost in national income during the time period will help the country grow. Not only short term, but also long term as it is globally branded. People will feel safer and want to invest in the country development.
Topic - WikiLeak by Joel Ling (1125)
– Jesus Christ, Luke 12:2-3
“The best way to hide a misdeed is to refrain from committing it.”
– Chinese proverb
What happened?
Classified information revealing details of unaccounted killings of civilians by the United States Armed Forces in the Middle East was released on Wikileaks. This includes the Iraq war logs (released 22 October 2010), Afghanistan war logs (released 25 July 2010) and gunsight footage of a helicopter airstrike in Iraq (released 5 April 2010). Officer Bradley Manning was prosecuted under the Espionage Act of 1917 and Wikileaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange wanted as a result of the releases. Manning’s confessions to a stranger over the Internet, Adrian Lamo, were used against him after the latter turned in the chat logs to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Why did Manning and Assange choose their course of action?
Manning hoped that the leaked information would spark “worldwide discussion, debates and reforms” so that people may “see the truth” and “make informed decisions as a public” [Activism?]. His actions could have also been rash, considering that he was facing a life crisis during the period, when he admitted to have lost all emotional support. On the other hand, the purpose of Wikileaks, according to co-founder Assange, was to make “unjust systems … exquisitely vulnerable to those who seek to replace them with more open forms of governance” [Worldwide scepticism towards leaders and authorities].
How is this significant?
This incident raised important yet difficult questions such as to what extent should the public be informed of government actions, whether whistleblowers should be protected or prosecuted, and most importantly, whether we should honour or doubt the judgements made by people put in power over us [Post-modernism, Generation Y], and what should the bottom line be when it comes to deciding between following rigid yet necessary work ethics and breaking the rules for a greater good. It has also demonstrated the power of information and communications technology and its potential as a weapon in psychological warfare, besides reinforcing the view that unified, objective moral standards are extremely difficult to define.
What were the consequences?
Following the release of the Afghanistan war logs, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said at a Pentagon news conference, "Disagree with the war all you want, take issue with the policy, challenge me or our ground commanders on the decisions we make to accomplish the mission we've been given, but don't put those who willingly go into harm's way even further in harm's way just to satisfy your need to make a point. Mr Assange can say whatever he likes about the greater good he thinks he and his source are doing, but the truth is, they might already have on their hands the blood of some young soldier or that of an Afghan family." While this may be true, these disclosures have also changed the perceptions of the public towards war. Many people around the US rallied for Manning’s release, and he was even one of the 241 candidates listed for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.
How relevant is this to the present world?
This incident is very relevant to the present world as information disseminated on the Internet is still largely accessible by people around the world due to difficulty in regulating large amounts of encrypted communication passing through a sprawling network across jurisdictions. Coupled with the popular culture of activism, this poses a threat to governments worldwide and is likely to prompt more surveillance and control over what is shared on the Internet. A legal “coming of age” of the Internet would result in decreased freedom and privacy, thus threatening the ideals of the current generation brought up in an environment defined by user-generated content on the Internet [SOPA, PIPA].
Further questions
Why is espionage against the US a crime punishable by death while the CIA is still actively in operation?
Has Lamo betrayed Manning? Consider the example of a clinical psychologist whose client reveals plans of committing homicide. Should the psychologist make a police report? Consider also, the example of a soldier ordered to kill.
Insights and conclusion
At the end of the day, perhaps the most important question we need to ask is this: who are we truly accountable to? What do we base our decisions upon? Who can tell us what is right and what is wrong? What is the best thing a human being can do when faced with difficult moral decisions? In my opinion, the best thing one can do is to acknowledge the fact that even the best decisions we make are somehow flawed, and that what we know to be true often turn out to be insufficient when we face such decisions in life. If one believes in God – as the motto of the United States of America declares: “In God we trust” – then perhaps the best thing for him to do is to ask for mercy and guidance from the One whom he is accountable to, and whichever path he chooses, he must live with its consequence.
Topic: Deepwater Horizon oil spill by Janice Chen 1125
Background information on the oil spill
The BP oil spill, also known as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, is an oil spill in the
The BP Oil Spill, being a major event in the world has greatly affected everyone in the world somehow or another. The global economy had its downturns and affecting the whole world not only economically, but socially and environmentally as well. Was it all BP’s fault? What can my country learn from this incident?
Background information on Keppel and SembCorp
In my own country,
Singapore's oil rig to the rescue in BP oil spill
How can
With enough background information on Keppel Corporation and SembCorp Marine, we can now learn many lessons from the BP Oil Spill that Keppel and SembCorp can apply if a major oil spill were to happen in
In addition, with
The world’s reliance on old, fossil-fuel based technologies is devastating for the planet, for society, and for business. This spill is in many ways an expected result of the path we have chosen. Given the declining stocks of easy-access oil, our addiction is forcing us to dig up extremely remote oil — something very, very hard to do that comes with enormous complexity and myriad risks of catastrophic failure. This calls for a source of alternative energy.
Conclusion
With oil as a necessity and as worthy as gold to countries, we must be careful when drilling for oil, and in case of oil spills, we must be able to think quickly on our feet and adapt to changes fast to minimize the negative impacts of the oil spill, as well as to learn from past mistakes like the BP oil spill and to not let history repeat itself. Though Science is not the only way to protect the environment as we can always prevent it, it is the most efficient way to protect the environment since it is the relief oil rigs that ultimately resolved the oil spill.
Topic: US Gulf Coast Oil Spill by Chew Min Yu 1127
Background/Event- BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 people and unleashing the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. More than 200million gallons of oil contaminated the ocean and Gulf coastlines, while the Centre for Biological Diversity began decisive action to expose illegal activities and lax offshore drilling regulation. They had launched 11 lawsuits and ratcheted up the pressure on politicians to reform offshore oversight, halt dangerous drilling, save imperilled species and hold the federal government and BP accountable.
Cause of the spill- BP has the worst environmental and safety record of any oil company operating in America. Even after the 2005 Texas City Refinery blast that killed 15 people, BP has continued to rack up safety violations. Despite the dangerous nature of all offshore oil drilling and BP’s own egregious safety record, the company’s exploration plan downplayed the possibility of a spill, repeatedly asserting that it was unlikely or virtually impossible. Amazingly, Secretary Salazar’s Minerals and Management Service approved BP’s exploration plan without any consideration of the environmental consequences of an oil spill.
Why?- Due to the disastrous effects of this still-unfolding catastrophe, many of the fundamental dangers associated with offshore drilling remain unaddressed, despite the massive scope of the Gulf disaster. This creates a cause for worry as BP may continue with its risky projects if there are no organisations to stop them.
Significance- This controversial oil spill triggered a domino of hot, fervent discussion and debates around the world. Oil plays an essential role in the life of city residents and it affects the economy of oil buyers. It will also adversely affect neighbouring countries in the aspect of tourism etc. However, the greatest significance is still in the detrimental effects on the environment and ecosystem.
Consequences (the nation)-
(i) Reflects badly on BP’s ability to handle off-shore drilling projects and lax in safety regulations/precautions
(ii) Need to account for the demolition of the natural diversity/ecosystem
(iii) High tax imposed on BP by the administration
(iv) Decline in tourism industry due to the damaged coast. The Gulf itself is home to dozens of threatened and endangered species, as well as commercially important fish, crab and shrimp that provide much of the basis of the Gulf Coast economy.
(v) Fishing industry will suffer negative repercussions: marine animals (e.g. squid/ fishes/shrimps may be covered in oil slick, causing the ocean to be covered with dead species which cannot be sold to the market
Consequences (the world)-
(i) Oil shortage cause a rise in oil prices from other oil-producing countries
(ii) Contribute to the risk of extinction of certain species (e.g. sperm whale, dolphins)
(iii) The world may avoid consuming seafood from U.S. as the animals may be affected by the spill causing them to be unsafe for consumption
(iv) Large flocks of seabirds and other imperilled species (e.g. the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, piping plovers and sperm whales) flocked to the Gulf to spawn, migrate and feed just as the spill happened. For many of them, there was nowhere else to go. And in a distressing development, large numbers of sharks, fish and other marine animals were seen gathered in shallow inshore waters, believed to be seeking areas where oxygen hasn’t been depleted by oil and the microbes that eat it. Marine animals can die when oxygen levels in the water drop below two parts per million — which was observed even in some inshore areas. Moreover, creatures congregating near the shore risked getting trapped between shore and the oil and depleting oxygen levels in even these refuge areas.
Relevance- The Gulf Oil Spill is a classic example to showcase the shortcomings of technology and the lack of government supervision. Although the government already acknowledge BP’s incapability to handle projects such as the off-shore drilling, the government still permit them to do so as BP repeatedly assert that it was unlikely or virtually impossible of an oil spill.
Response- Beyond the Gulf, the Centre for Biological Diversity continues to fight to the dangers of offshore drilling, especially in the Arctic, where an oil spill would be disastrous. They are pushing for a permanent ban on BP’s offshore projects, such as the “Liberty” project in Alaska and opposing the Obama administration’s new offshore drilling plan, the largest offshore expansion in 30 years.
Implications (immediate):
(i) Soar in oil prices
(ii) Huge cost of tax
(iii) Person to hold responsible for the spill must make decisive decisions
Implications (long-term):
(i) Destructive impacts on the vast oceanic diversity
(ii) Fall in the reliability of U.S. oil companies to handle major oil drilling projects cause investors to lose confidence in them. Hence, this deterred many future investments for these oil companies
Questions raised:
1. Should oil drilling be banned totally due to the high risk of oil spill involved?
2. What kind of precautions should BP or other oil producing companies do to prevent an event of an oil spill?
3. Should we blame BP and the government for the incident totally?
Conclusion/ Insights- From the research, I learnt that there are some issues which cannot be resolved easily. In order to meet the demand of the world’s oil consumption, humans have to constantly explore/sought new oil rigs and ways to extract oil. However, every exploration and endeavour comes with great risk. The Gulf oil spill is something that is unpredictable and inevitable. There was no way to predict an oil rupture. Therefore, I assume that the best solution is to look into other sources of energy in order to reduce our reliance on oil. By exposing ourselves to more alternatives, we can reduce the risk of an oil spill and the dire consequences that comes with it.
