猶然回首
四年前的今天
她送來一則短訊
閱畢，如甘露從天而降
滋潤乾草大地
一洗鬱悶天氣
唯有她
遠在天近在目
直到那1000封
卻不知她是誰
也許她永遠只能活在我心中
2012年3月28日星期三
当乌龟来到大池塘（一）
有时候我感叹，上经济课就好像游进一个大池塘里，里面各种形形色色的鱼儿：金鱼、马尾鱼、金龙鱼、鲤鱼、鳗鱼……当石斑鱼游进来时，池塘里的嘈杂声仍源源不断、不绝于耳，似乎对他的存在无丝毫兴趣。大家都是个别的自由经济体，选美的选美；演讲的演讲；上网的上网；吃饭的吃饭；对于大池塘里的指示充耳不闻，犹如战国时代。可想而知，别无其他，就只为了参加年度的比赛……
2012年3月12日星期一
樱花
樱花盛开的季节大概是在三月下旬至四月上旬这一两个星期的时间。因此，日本人都会特别珍惜与期待这美丽的季节。每年到了这个时候，东京与京都的樱花树便开始开花，为整个城市换上了粉红色的新装。全国各地的日本人都会到户外与朋友家人坐在樱花树下野餐聊天，享受一下令人陶醉的景观。他们把这叫做“花见”，即赏花的意思。在这短短的两周内，日本人仿佛将一切都抛开，尽情地去欣赏世外桃源般的美丽景观。 再多两个星期便是樱花盛开的季节了。今年发生了大地震，死伤惨重，无疑是对日本人的重大打击。但是，可以肯定的是，他们还是会继续“花见”的传统，因为日本人有种让人不得不敬佩的毅力和韧性。不管是天灾人祸还是不称心的事情发生在他们身上，日本人总能泰然处之，毅然面对着各种变数。 日本从九十年代到现在经历了重重困难，人口严重老龄化，经济萎靡不振，国民精神式微等，本来早已被世界遗忘了。这次的地震却让世界另眼相看，重新认识这美丽的国度。樱花盛开的季节并不长，却因为短暂而显得格外的珍贵美丽。与自己的国花一样，日本人尽管这次以受灾国的形象短暂地出现在世界面前，但是却让全世界都看见了他们最光辉的一面。 樱花的美丽，日本的灿烂，对我们也未尝不是一种启发。
jewel. art. novel. vintage. idol. nerd. (12/03/2011)
jewel. art. novel. vintage. idol. nerd. (12/03/2011)
2012年3月10日星期六
La dernière génération
We learnt to play in the street. When we were in primary, we are the first who have played video games, seeing black and white cartoon evolved into colourful pixels. In fact, we used to hang out at the amusement park, riding on the spinning Merry-go-round, sitting on the wheel and enjoy the full panorama from the peak.
We were the last to record songs on cassettes, and we are the pioneers of walkman and chatrooms. We learned how to program VCR than anyone else, played with the games notably Pacman, Digimon and other Nitendo developed application. In those times, we as the first badge of children staring in front of computers for nothing, believed that internet will be a free world.
Travelled in car without seat belt or airbag(it was not even exist) and lived without cell phones were our privileges. We used to ride our bicycles down the road towards town area without brakes, and it took just a quarter to print our footsteps every corner.
During our age, we never have phones but still keep in touch. We exchanged our household numbers and had to memorize them well. During our graduation, we would write our friends something in the autographs, before we waved our hands to each others. During that time, there was neither Friendster nor MSN existed.
We did not have playstation, Satelite television stations, flat or LCD screen, MP3, iPod or iPad, broadband, facebook but nevertheless, we had a great moment!
We, the last generation!
We were the last to record songs on cassettes, and we are the pioneers of walkman and chatrooms. We learned how to program VCR than anyone else, played with the games notably Pacman, Digimon and other Nitendo developed application. In those times, we as the first badge of children staring in front of computers for nothing, believed that internet will be a free world.
Travelled in car without seat belt or airbag(it was not even exist) and lived without cell phones were our privileges. We used to ride our bicycles down the road towards town area without brakes, and it took just a quarter to print our footsteps every corner.
During our age, we never have phones but still keep in touch. We exchanged our household numbers and had to memorize them well. During our graduation, we would write our friends something in the autographs, before we waved our hands to each others. During that time, there was neither Friendster nor MSN existed.
We did not have playstation, Satelite television stations, flat or LCD screen, MP3, iPod or iPad, broadband, facebook but nevertheless, we had a great moment!
We, the last generation!
Improvements in the quality of education needed to justify rising tuition costs
Judging by the relative lack of intense debate in the media or among our student population, not many students were surprised at the NUS's decision to increase student tuition fees for the upcoming academic year.
Tuition fees have been increasing annually over the last few years with the exception of 2009, when an economic downturn prompted a deferment. While the proposed tuition fee hike may be an indication that economy has picked up, the hike has raised the issue of the affordability of tertiary education for both local and international students.
It is heartening to know that the NUS Student Union (NUSSU) has been actively engaging the student population about the tuition hike. In a recent email, the union assured the student body that "it is our prerogative... to question rigorously, provide constructive feedback and implement concrete measures to safeguard the interest and enhance the welfare of students"
To their credit, the NUSSU has also been in touch with Ministry of Education to increase transparency of campus accommodation fees. Since a portion of the funds coming from the tuition fee hike will be channeled into the subsidization of campus accommodation fees, increased transparency on how these funds are used will enable the school be more accountable to the student body. Accountability is especially important given that there seems to be a general upward trend in tuition fees.
NUSSU's initiatives will go a long way towards building the students’ confidence and trust in the union as an organization that is actively and passionately agitating for their interests and is not merely a “talking shop” or one that is more known for its examination welfare packages.
However, it remains to be seen if NUSSU’s engagement efforts will cause the school management to be more receptive and the student body more appreciative.
This is because the increase in tuition fees, which is applicable to all freshmen, is expected to hit non-Singaporean students hardest. Foreign nationals face the highest percentage of fee hike, followed by permanent residents.
Tuition fees have more than doubled for international students, compared to that of four years ago. The university has announced a slew of measures aimed at mitigating the effects of an increase in education costs on students, in the forms of higher bursaries and a more flexible and efficient distribution of these financial aids. However, these measures are primarily targeted at Singaporeans and little has been mentioned of the financial aid for their non-Singaporean counterparts.
While a Singaporean-first financial aid policy is line with the governmental policy, a relative lack of financial aid coupled with ever-increasing tuition fees may deter prospective foreign students from choosing NUS as their preferred choice of university.
Several foreign students approached by the Observer are ambivalent about the recent hikes in tuition fees.
While the cost of education may have increased here, the cost of living in Singapore is cheaper compared to that in popular destinations like Australia and the United Kingdom. Yet with the recent trend of tuition fee hikes, there is no doubt that the cost gap is slowly closing. Therefore it is plausible that in the future, some foreign students regard the gap as an insignificant price to pay for choosing a supposedly more liberal learning environment.
Given the inevitability of rising tuition fees, I think that the crux of this matter lies in the quality of education provided at the university. If students, local or otherwise, believe that education quality has improved accordingly or even above expectations, fee hikes will then be perceived as justifiable or even a worthwhile payoff.The issue of tuition fee hike is one that is close to the hearts of the entire student population as it concerns the right of every person to quality education at a reasonable cost. While I applaud NUS's efforts in making sure that education is affordable, it's also important for the university to raise the quality of education in line with the rising tuition fees.
| By Janvin Teo | |
| Feb. 23 2012 Written for The Campus Observer : http://campus-observer.org/content/view/319/36/ |
2012年3月7日星期三
柏拉图的永恒
古希腊哲学家柏拉图（Plato）所代表的是一种爱情观。它是一种只注重精神上的恋爱，而不要求满足身体和物质上的欲望，是一种纯精神恋爱或柏拉图式恋爱（platonic love）。柏拉图的永恒，指的是永远维持那种纯洁的，不贪图肉欲的精神恋爱。只有这种纯精神的恋爱才是永恒的。当爱情为肉欲所玷污，它就变得不纯洁，而且也不能持久；精神恋爱则强调有爱无性，精神相交。不管是爱人、朋友还是家人，原理不变。 所以爱一个人的时候，虽然肉欲与物欲是无法避免的，但是如果能追求柏拉图式恋爱，那么这种爱情才能做到海枯石烂。这便是柏拉图的永恒。
jewel. art. novel. vintage. idol. nerd.
jewel. art. novel. vintage. idol. nerd.
2012年3月6日星期二
伤不起
郁可唯 - 伤不起 作曲：饶善强 填词：林夕
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