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Current Affairs

NUS Sex Survey: 64% of NUS students have sex more than once a week — Oh Yeah?

March 12, 2008

I was stunned when I saw the heading on yesterday’s My Paper which was on NUS Sex Survey on the active sex lives of NUS students. What in the world?! I have no idea where and when on earth was the NUS sex survey conducted! And who conducted it? Seriously, I felt that this headline just served to make people jump into the bandwagon full of assumptions and unsupported conclusions. Asiaone even reported on this too!

Well eventually or just like 10 mins ago, my questions were addressed with a mere search on Google on the term ‘NUS Sex Survey’. It was conducted by our school’s magazine, the Ridge (which i often read) and I had no idea of their findings (apparently i might have missed out on that issue where they revealed such findings). Then there’s the issue of whether how credible the survey results are, how reliable and valid their measures are etc. etc.. (typical Psychology student who took a stats module with Dr. Why would be able to raise this questions, shame on you if you can’t! :P)

You can see for yourself the original survey findings over here.

I think I am not the only one who was skeptical of the finding. There are a couple of blogs which mention how the sample size is not representative of the entire NUS student population of about… mmm… 23,000?  Like what sakuranotoki mentioned, that the survey had a majority of Arts students (Ahem.. my fellow faculty mates) as respondents. And judging from the proportion of the survey respondents from the respective faculties, i don’t think it’s representative at all.

Ok, enough of the survey that was definitely not conducted with good knowledge and perhaps, expertise in Statistics.

Then again, the general idea that people have is that it’s 64%, what’s the big deal? Just like how Kawaii put it to be, “64%? C’mon… No big deal…” There’s that idea that things happen behind closed doors and the overreaction at the news is just uncalled for. But is our society really ready to except the fact that its youth may be hinted to be… ‘horny’ or even ‘promiscuous’ (man.. Nelly Furtado’s song is ringing in my head now..)?

Aldrich does bring in the fact that, there are actually such happenings that are taking place or have taken place even in other institutions (no comments as to whether HCJC or CJC have the honours of being the representatives of ‘other institutions’).. so why make a big fuss because of what – that they are NUS students?

This survey has got a lot of people talking, well at least at the VR-Forums and well, there’s more of poking fun at the survey rather than being critical of us, undergraduates (which would have been uncalled for.. i think). One thing I feel that is missing in emphasis is that majority of the undergraduates are at or above the age of 18 and well, I think it’s a personal choice that they have to make regarding the issue about sex.

Frankly, please give them (the uni students) the credit for being able to make their own decisions. Over in other western countries, by the age of 16 to 18, their youth are fully independent, self sufficient and able to make their choices. Likewise, so can we. Please stop thinking that Singaporean students lack the ability to decide properly for themselves because our education system has created us to be highly competent and knowledgeable members of society (or so I think) or at least, I think that the sex education that I underwent during secondary school was good enough to educate me on the dangers of having unprotected sex etc etc..

On a final note, I think that everyone shouldn’t take the survey as seriously as they have or how the media has devoted such media limelight on it. Because there are many doubts that are cast on how the survey was being conducted. The figures might not be even accurate to begin with. So, don’t worry yourself, namely all those who are going to cause an uproar over this issue of a percentage of 64%.. well, just be thankful at least it’s not 69% or that you caught 69 in action with your own eyes.. (oh gosh.. how corny..)

Anyway, it’s always good to look on a well, brighter side of things? Let’s just take the report as a ‘free publicity stint’ for NUS, now that the A levels are out, and the NUS Open House is coming up and that the 4 local universities are vying to attract as many applicants as possible.. I think the survey has not only increased the public’s awareness of the university but might have even boosted our popularity with people saying that they wanna come or should have come to NUS to do their studies. Well, just look at what Markie said!

Don’t lose sleep over these figures. This matter will soon be blown over by perhaps another similar-to-Edison Chen sex saga or perhaps another survey that might just arise from the corners of Singapore – perhaps the NTU sex survey? the SMU sex survey? or even the SIM sex survey.. Check out your daily newspaper for the next shocking headline to come! 😛

Current Affairs

Singapore Loses a Talented Comedian, ‘MC King’ Jimmy Nah

January 4, 2008

I’m a person who doesn’t regularly watch the chinese news because well, there’s a bit of an understanding problem. 😛 But one news certainly caught my attention and that was the death of ‘MC King’. He is a local comedian who has been in the local showbiz industry for as long as I can remember.

Members of the entertainment industry such as the reputable local director, Jack Neo appear as shocked as the public at the news. The word ‘sudden’ has been used so frequently in the media reports that I believe that it was beyond their expectations that he departed so early.

This piece of news brought back memories of a friend, Suresh who has passed on for almost 2-3 years. A classmate who was a talented performer and who also departed so suddenly that it caught the entire class by surprise and shocked all of us speechless on a faithful afternoon.

Looking back and hearing today’s news, just affirmed something – certainly, these people will be and have been missed because of the impact they have had on other people’s lives. The impact that they have had on other people is created because of their friendships, their fun, laughter and joy that never failed to brighten other people’s lives. They created this sense of loss.

It’s always good to remember the people around us despite our busy lives and treasuring the relationships that we have with every single person. Because life is unpredictable and you never know when you might lose the chance to ever hold them or speak to them again.

Let ‘maintaining relationships’ be one of your ‘new year resolutions’ today because it’s not too late. Then again, do make sure that your new year resolutions are not made with the knowledge that you’re going to break them pretty much the very next day. 😉

 

Current Affairs

Code of Conduct for Bloggers and Readers?

September 9, 2007

I was reading a past article on the Straits Times’ Digital Life section and was quite intrigued by the topic “Do bloggers and readers, need a code of conduct?”

Everyone regards the internet as a tool for them to communicate as well as at the same time, allow them to conceal their real identity. People can thus freely air their views online without fear of ever being identified. But this poses as a real danger to people, especially the young ones because information posted on their blogs may indirectly affect or influence the ideas of people who read it.

Do you agree with the statement, “Bloggers need a code of conduct, be it formalised or unwritten”?

Personally, I feel that it is unnecessary. If there were such a code of conduct, it’s going to restrict a lot of freedom on what people can write about, give their opinions or basically bitch about. The code of conduct serves as a boundary for bloggers because now, they would have to take into consideration the consequences of what they blog or say. It may make blogging seem more rigid.

That however implementing the code is not naturally bad. Words can be hurtful especially if it were directed for just impulsive and petty reasons, can thus be prevented (but i doubt it can prevent much). Moreover, bloggers who come under the fire of readers for their opinions would thus more protected by the online community, so long as they abide by the code.

Perhaps the code of conduct will serve to protect the bloggers more than the readers especially if it was implemented to protect bloggers from criticisms and attacks from blog readers. But one must recognise that these days, blog readers are also quite vengeful in the words that they leave as comments on the blogs.

I certainly think that it’s good for people to observe basic online etiquette such as leaving your name and contact email if you were to leave a comment on a blog and perhaps bloggers can also be more aware and self-impose a code of conduct on themselves (where they don’t blog vulgar, toooooo personal and too obscene stuff).

It’s good to make sure that the online community is a safe haven for people to be in. Because only then, can interactions online be fun, enjoyable and interesting amongst bloggers and blog readers.

Blogging, Current Affairs

Did You Know That Motherhood Is Taken To A Whole New Level?

May 14, 2007

Firstly, Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers in the world! Hee..  

I was reading the Straits Times Newspaper’s Digital Life section (dated 8 May 2007) and there was an article titled “Kids Play Blocks, Mums Write Blogs”. It really intrigued me that I left it around in order to blog about it. And now, I’m finally here to do so!

Well, I feel that the article has captured the full essence of what blogging is all about and how it has evolved as a Web 2.0 application. Everyone has a blog and are capturing all the details of their lives. Their blogs allow them to share with the entire world the events that happen around them, their frustrations, their bliss, their questions and their answers etc etc. There’s really nothing under the sun that they can blog about. Why except politically controversial issues I guess.

For these mothers, well, blogging has allowed them to network with each other, share photos of their babies, interesting tips to do with motherhood and peer support. They achieve all these with the use of a humble blog in a corner of the HUGE internet space available.

Social networking, coupled with blogging, enables people who may be alone and feeling alone in one part of the world, to be still connected to people and interact with new people as well. It gives stay-at-home mums a better way to interact and maintain a social life while caring for their children and their family.

Now, motherhood is not merely just taking care of the child/children but has progressed to interacting with others to find out what is best for her child/children. With the Internet, information is readily available, mothers can be well-educated in the area of child development through online resources and the peer support that they receive through online groups, blogging communities, can help them to overcome depression or any frustrations that they may be facing in their daily lives as a mother.

But though the internet sounds like the perfect haven, there are still precautions that have to be taken such as the child’s personal details and also family particulars as well. Mum bloggers or actually, any blogger should always aim to protect him/herself from the dangers of the internet such as Identity Theft. And the basic rule to follow is “Never divulge any information online that you will not give to a stranger in person” such as credit card information, address, contact numbers, identification number, passport number etc.

As mothers are blogging about their children, they will need to have a greater sense of responsibility because they are involving not only their lives but their children’s. But nonetheless, so long as precautions are taken, blogging and social networking can and should be integrated into everyone’s daily lives.

Here are some recommended mummy blogs provided by the article which I think you might be interested to check out:

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