GM food

There are so many contradicting publications and study on Genetically Modified (GM) food. How could one feel safe consuming such food if there is no agreement on the safety. I wonder what's the difficulty of getting organizations like greenpeace and the producer of GM food to sit together and form a neutral party to study the GM food that is intended for release? The study result from a group of scientists consisitng of both contending party surely will calm the population, doesn't it? The uncertainty posed by GM food is quite real since there is no one on earth that can safely say that modifying gene A will not cause any harm or any other mutation or change of function of other genes. However, the potential posed by GM food is equal if not greater since GM food potentially allow better products as in bigger quantity or quality. Hence, I would feel that rationally both contending parties should really sit together to figure out how to resolve their differences for the sake of humanity. Just get a group of capable scientists, neutral, if not get an equal group of scientists supporting different stands and carry out a study on the GM food!

Israel and Gaza

I think the world has to learn that in all things there two sides of a coin.

When the world condemn Israel for the ground intrusion and calls it a terrorism, the rocket attack to Israel from Gaza should be equally condemned. It's strange that after millions of years, human never realize the chaos and bitterness that an eye for an eye causes.

MRT having more spaces for passengers

Recently I realized that more SMRT trains are having cars without seats, i.e. you can only stand in that car. It greatly increases the number of passengers that train can take and smartly, the "standing car" is alternate between normal car. I find it as a very smart and effective measure since when the train is very crowded, one would be more or less forced to stand all the way through in the standing car unless one finds it rational to squeeze through the other standing passengers to another car to test his luck in finding empty seat. This new train set up surely will make the shareholders of SMRT very happy people as it lowers the maintenance cost (i.e. no more seat to repaint and replace) and hence, the profit. It surely will supplement the increase of transport fare due to the oil price increase, which amazingly when the oil price drops, the minister said that the transport fare is NOT linked to oil price. What an amazing counter argument.

Backpack posture

I see a lot of teenagers in Singapore like to let their backpacks hang low to their buttocks. Perhaps to avoid feeling hot, damage to their long hair (for ladies), or simply due to peer pressure. A simple search on the net at http://www.livingposture.com/article.php?id=8 shows that it's not good to hang the backpack that low.

http://www.backpacksafe.com/N5_News_Detail.asp?pid=6&ID=7 even provides a good load of academic journal on backpack links to injury.

Nevertheless, I still use a backpack although I strongly advocate using the backpack snuggling fit to one's back and put it sufficiently tight to the body to evenly distribut ethre weight across the body.

Photography

I've just discussed about the recession with a friend of mine, a photographer. He was afraid that being a premier photographer, his business opportunity would be hit and people would choose stock photo. I told him, in my opinion, the contrary would happen. When an organization has money (cash) to spend, they may in fact choose to buy from internet stock photo. The reason being the wide range of choice so they can splurge on getting a lot of photo. A discerning organization in tough time like now in fact should spend on a good photographer in order to make sure they really get what they want with a specific payment. Furthermore, I believe you can say... wait for 30 days before making payment. I don't think stock photo from internet allow you to do that right? So, it may just be likely that premier photographers are getting more work.

Besides that, with the market going down, advertisement business should be becoming more relevant since people are fighting for whatever purchasing power left from the market. In addition, the price gap between professional and amateur price may just be narrower and increase the value of paying for premium photographers!

Condemning one side

The Arab world and others start condemning Israel for their attack to Palestina killing nearly 300 by now. The reaction is indeed swift and in no time spreading worldwide. But wait, where is the condemnation against Hamas's rocket attack to Israel? I know it kills only one but the world need to learn to be fair. For the world to avoid more terrorism or aggression, the condemnation for any kind of attack must be swift regardless of how many death. And it must be coming from any side of the story. None of such aggression should be tolerated.

Only then, the world would know peace. I am still waiting for such equal treatment of state to happen. I hope I will be able to see it in my generation.

An eye for an eye

Israel is pounding on Hamas-ruled Gaza for the second day hoping that their attack will stop the rocket attacks from Hamas. I wonder who has the confidence that their attack will help to stop the attack. Practicing an eye for an eye principle is rather primitive at this kind of age. I would say that Israeli may do better by thinking about how to cut off rocket supply to Gaza and helps the current president of palestina in improving the Palestinian's welfare. Haven't they understood the term hungy people are angry people? The world has so many hungry people, including those in Somalia and we know what happen to Somalia... lawless and full of pirates... Why? They need food and come on.. if one ransom can let them feed the entire village for 100 years (heard they are paid in average US$15 M per tanker), which rational people won't do the hijacking? After all, if they don't hijack, they still die of hunger. The entire world need to learn to share if we really want to eradicate terrorists and crimes.