Friday, February 20, 2004
TODAY: LETTERS
MARCH 15, 2994
“FACE IT, NOT AVOID IT”
I refer to Mr William Lee’s letter, “Ban monkey bars to prevent injuries” (TODAY, March 12).
My daughter fractured her wrist some years ago while playing on a set of monkey bars.
After she recovered, I encouraged her to continue playing them – under my guidance and supervision – as I felt it was a good way for her to develop agility. …
…I urge parents such as Mr Lee to encourage and support their children, instead of denying them the joy of sporting activities, even if the children have suffered injuries on the playground.
Given this encouragement, children will develop the resiliency to overcome challenges in later years. In the absence of such support, children may instead make a habit of avoiding risks and failure owing to their parents’ fear of what they consider “dangerous child’s play”.
ROLAND ANG
* * *
STREATS: VOCAL
FEBRUARY 20, 2004
“LIGHTEN UP, IT’S JUST A SHOW”
After reading the letter “Act against breast-baring at MTV Asia event” (Streats, Feb 18) by Ms Nancy Tan, I cannot understand why some of us still fuss over the act by Ms Suzanne Walker.
I do not see anything offensive with her act, which was quite appropriate on such an occasion, especially at an entertainment event like MTV Asia. It was part of showmanship, after all.
If we are to take action against Suzanne for her act, then what about those girls who dres to show their navels, buttocks and other revealing parts of the body?
It is time we keep up with the times.
JEFFERY LAW LEE BENG
STREATS: VOCAL
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2004
If, say, there were a couple where the man was like Mr Lee, and the woman like Miss Tan, I PITY the child.
Either this child will be frustrated with being kept a parents’ boy and wish to break free from the bonds of his overprotective parents, or he will just live in comfort all day long and when it is time for him to go into the world, he breaks down and cries for his mama.
That is how you have people who never stray from the rat race – they hate their lifestyle but they don’t want to admit it because they will then loose their comfort; people who don’t dare to take risks because they see failure as a humiliation that is worth hara-kiri.
* * *
With regards to Mr Law’s letter:
There is a story that the Abbot told Chu Chu in the period drama “Love is Beautiful”
An old monk and his disciple were travelling to the west to obtain Buddhist scriptures. Along the way, they came across a swollen river whose only bridge had been washed away by the storm. A lady was standing along its banks, wondering how to get across. The old monk offered to carry her on his back and they waded across the shallow river. Once safely across, the old monk put the lady down and resumed the journey.
The disciple, however, was unhappy with the incident. Day and night he kept thinking about it. Finally, he couldn’t tolerate it anymore and decided to speak up to the old monk: “Teacher, something has been bugging me for months. You said that as monks we are not allowed to make contact with the opposite sex. Why is it that you made contact with that woman?”
The old monk laughed heartily and replied: “As soon as I reached the opposite side of the river I put her down, and thereafter I forgot about the incident. However, you have been thinking about it for three whole months!”
The moral of the story is “To live and let live.” Let us not grouse on any particular unhappy incident for the rest of our lives. To Miss Tan: did the small incident offend her so much that she makes a hullabaloo out of it in the newspapers? What about the time Janet Jackson bared her breasts? It was only a mistake. In this case it is for the sake of showbiz. Can’t she see, blush, and try to forget that she had seen something offensive? Like what Randy Jackson commented after the “Nipplegate” incident: “Why such a big fuss over a boob?” Are we suppose to accuse people who, by pure accident, forget to zip their pants, of not cultivating values of what is acceptable behaviour in public and what is not?
Such attitudes reflect badly on our society. These people are probably the kind who do not accept mistakes or failure. They are the ones who will make sure that those who are defeated will never climb back up again. Because they will keep bitching about it in the press, on the Internet, over the phone, anyway and everywhere! This kind of people will hurt our country in the future, because they are unwilling to look further and keep up with the times
* * *
A new addition to my ongoing compilation of “Terok Pura”
“PEDESTRIANS CONFUSED BY TRAFFIC SYSTEM”
I refer to the Land Transport Authority reply, “Pedestrian crossing lights respond to conditions” (Streats, Feb 18) by Mr Han Liang Yuan.
I think Mr Han missed the point altogether. The current situation is that if the pedestrian button is not pressed, the green man will not light up even when vehicles stop at junctions. This causes confusion among pedestrians, especially the young children, older people and foreigners, who would be wondering whether to cross or not.
Moreover, many people are not aware that we have to press the button for the green man; most of them assume that it is automatic.
I have personally witnessed at least three near-accidents caused by this confusing traffic system, and would implore the LTA to look into the matter.
JOHN TAN
One comment: DAMN TEROK. ¶ 2/20/2004 11:48:00 am
MARCH 15, 2994
“FACE IT, NOT AVOID IT”
I refer to Mr William Lee’s letter, “Ban monkey bars to prevent injuries” (TODAY, March 12).
My daughter fractured her wrist some years ago while playing on a set of monkey bars.
After she recovered, I encouraged her to continue playing them – under my guidance and supervision – as I felt it was a good way for her to develop agility. …
…I urge parents such as Mr Lee to encourage and support their children, instead of denying them the joy of sporting activities, even if the children have suffered injuries on the playground.
Given this encouragement, children will develop the resiliency to overcome challenges in later years. In the absence of such support, children may instead make a habit of avoiding risks and failure owing to their parents’ fear of what they consider “dangerous child’s play”.
ROLAND ANG
* * *
STREATS: VOCAL
FEBRUARY 20, 2004
“LIGHTEN UP, IT’S JUST A SHOW”
After reading the letter “Act against breast-baring at MTV Asia event” (Streats, Feb 18) by Ms Nancy Tan, I cannot understand why some of us still fuss over the act by Ms Suzanne Walker.
I do not see anything offensive with her act, which was quite appropriate on such an occasion, especially at an entertainment event like MTV Asia. It was part of showmanship, after all.
If we are to take action against Suzanne for her act, then what about those girls who dres to show their navels, buttocks and other revealing parts of the body?
It is time we keep up with the times.
JEFFERY LAW LEE BENG
STREATS: VOCAL
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2004
If, say, there were a couple where the man was like Mr Lee, and the woman like Miss Tan, I PITY the child.
Either this child will be frustrated with being kept a parents’ boy and wish to break free from the bonds of his overprotective parents, or he will just live in comfort all day long and when it is time for him to go into the world, he breaks down and cries for his mama.
That is how you have people who never stray from the rat race – they hate their lifestyle but they don’t want to admit it because they will then loose their comfort; people who don’t dare to take risks because they see failure as a humiliation that is worth hara-kiri.
* * *
With regards to Mr Law’s letter:
There is a story that the Abbot told Chu Chu in the period drama “Love is Beautiful”
An old monk and his disciple were travelling to the west to obtain Buddhist scriptures. Along the way, they came across a swollen river whose only bridge had been washed away by the storm. A lady was standing along its banks, wondering how to get across. The old monk offered to carry her on his back and they waded across the shallow river. Once safely across, the old monk put the lady down and resumed the journey.
The disciple, however, was unhappy with the incident. Day and night he kept thinking about it. Finally, he couldn’t tolerate it anymore and decided to speak up to the old monk: “Teacher, something has been bugging me for months. You said that as monks we are not allowed to make contact with the opposite sex. Why is it that you made contact with that woman?”
The old monk laughed heartily and replied: “As soon as I reached the opposite side of the river I put her down, and thereafter I forgot about the incident. However, you have been thinking about it for three whole months!”
The moral of the story is “To live and let live.” Let us not grouse on any particular unhappy incident for the rest of our lives. To Miss Tan: did the small incident offend her so much that she makes a hullabaloo out of it in the newspapers? What about the time Janet Jackson bared her breasts? It was only a mistake. In this case it is for the sake of showbiz. Can’t she see, blush, and try to forget that she had seen something offensive? Like what Randy Jackson commented after the “Nipplegate” incident: “Why such a big fuss over a boob?” Are we suppose to accuse people who, by pure accident, forget to zip their pants, of not cultivating values of what is acceptable behaviour in public and what is not?
Such attitudes reflect badly on our society. These people are probably the kind who do not accept mistakes or failure. They are the ones who will make sure that those who are defeated will never climb back up again. Because they will keep bitching about it in the press, on the Internet, over the phone, anyway and everywhere! This kind of people will hurt our country in the future, because they are unwilling to look further and keep up with the times
* * *
A new addition to my ongoing compilation of “Terok Pura”
“PEDESTRIANS CONFUSED BY TRAFFIC SYSTEM”
I refer to the Land Transport Authority reply, “Pedestrian crossing lights respond to conditions” (Streats, Feb 18) by Mr Han Liang Yuan.
I think Mr Han missed the point altogether. The current situation is that if the pedestrian button is not pressed, the green man will not light up even when vehicles stop at junctions. This causes confusion among pedestrians, especially the young children, older people and foreigners, who would be wondering whether to cross or not.
Moreover, many people are not aware that we have to press the button for the green man; most of them assume that it is automatic.
I have personally witnessed at least three near-accidents caused by this confusing traffic system, and would implore the LTA to look into the matter.
JOHN TAN
One comment: DAMN TEROK. ¶ 2/20/2004 11:48:00 am
