Video Of The Month (March)

A truly touching video reflecting the powerful connection between a father and his disabled son.



For more information regarding Team Hoyt, please click HERE and HERE.

Parents Or Friends First?

Log into Facebook and you see a screen inundated with status updates from your friends. They share their daily experiences with you and the rest of their buddies. Facebook has become a comfortable venue for us to air our grievances or lightheartedness among our peers. We know that someone is there when we are down and that he or she may drop an uplifting message to keep our spirits high. Moreover, we also know that someone is there when we are joyful and that he or she may join in and celebrate the happiness with a joke or two.


















As the process of 'emotional amalgamation' continue to grow among our friends online, I believe that we may be less attached to our parents in the future. When we share our miseries with our peers online, we know and expect that they will be there to support us in overcoming the difficult period of our lives (such as relationship breakups and failures in examinations). After all, they are of the same age as us and are most likely to have the same set of thinking as us. This cannot be said in the case of our parents who may decide to hold a tongue-lashing exercise with us instead.

Let me provide you with a simple example - the dreaded relationship breakup. We usually share our relationship problems with our closest friends. In Facebook for example, the shattered love is even made evident when friends change their relationship status from being 'engaged' to 'single'. What follows next are usually consoling comments by concerned peers. By contrast, in most cases, we do not usually inform our parents when love cracks start to emerge. Somehow we feel awkward or nervous when we try to do so.

I am not sure if we teenagers are not drifting away from our parents. However, I am pretty confident that we are developing 'new families' with our friends. We are spending more time with them than our parents. We reveal the ups and downs of our lives to our buddies more often than we do to our parents. Our friends have metaphorically become like another family for us.

Technology plays a crucial role in the structuring of the 'new families'. In fact, it accelerates the whole process. Technology is evolving so fast that our parents are struggling to keep up with it. Mobile phones are turning obsolete and new communication gadgets and utilities are entering the market such as iPhones, social networking websites and many more. The digital divide between teenagers and their parents is the essential component that helps sew a stronger bond among their peers while having an opposite impact on the connection with their parents.

When teenagers start believing that their friends are taking over the roles as their parents, society will change. In the future, teenagers may no longer learn about the birds and the bees from their parents. Instead, they seek for knowledge from their friends. Teenagers may no longer share their problems with their parents. Instead, they rest their shoulders on their friends. Teenagers no longer spend their leisure time with their parents. Instead, they prefer organizing outings with their buddies.

















I always believe that our parents are the ones that keep us back on the right track when we are lost in life. When we are drowning with all the hardships in life, they are the first ones to rescue us and bring us back ashore. If the connection between teenagers and their parents is weakened, then we teenagers will be left alone when trouble arises. We are now left to make our own decisions alone. Join the wrong group, and our future may be in jeopardy.

This may be the cause of all the social problems teenagers are facing now. Abortions rates and teenage pregnancies have doubled over the years. Sometimes we wonder if our friends really know what they are talking about when they offer us advice or if they are merely pretending to know everything. When teenagers hide the truth from their parents, they are sending a wrong message to them. Parents may be misled to believe that their children are enjoying their lives and as a result be more willing to pay more attention to other areas of their lives, such as work.

Can you see the whole picture now?

In conclusion, the reality now is that teenagers are sharing their roller-coaster lives with their friends more often and readily as compared to with their parents. They are more easily influenced by their peers now than ever. Moreover, parents are also granting too much freedom to their children as they are given a false impression of the real state of the children's lives. In short, the connection between both parties is waning and this may be why there is a rise in the number of social problems among teenagers.

In a family, arguments may strain the thread that holds us together but it will never break it. However, in a friendship, a simple misunderstanding can snap the thread that has kept us together for many years, in just a split second.

Dang! Science Students Are More Likely To Remain As Virgins

The Arts students have finally got their revenge. A most recent study published by Sexual Health noted that Science students were more likely to be virgins than Arts students. Researches in Australia conducted a survey with 185 men and women, aged between 16 to 25, at the University of Sydney on their sexual history and STD knowledge. The result showed that Arts students were younger and more likely to be sexually active.
























Assuming the above-mentioned survey has a 99% probability of being true (a 'brave' assumption I must say), then what could be the most likely reason for Science students to be more likely to remain as virgins as compared to their Arts counterparts? I often hear rumours that Science students do not go out as frequent as the Arts students as they are often consumed in their piles of homework. The rumours often claim that Science subjects (such as Chemistry, Biology and Physics) are more time-consuming than Arts subjects (such as Geography, History and Literature) as the former requires students to take more time practising their application skills as compared to the latter (which are believed to be only about memorizing, memorizing and more memorizing).

I don't think that is the reason though; Arts subjects can also be as time-consuming as the Science subjects. I believe Science students are more likely to end up as virgins due to the fact that they know too much about (in this case) procreation. This is especially true for Biology students I supposed. They may be very cautious about engaging in a sexual intercourse in fear of the possible viruses (taught during Biology lessons) that they may contract from their partners. On the other hand, this may seem contradictory but I also do believe that Biology students should be curious about how our sexual reproductive organs work in real life (reminds me of the practical lessons joke).

A Red, Red Rose
Robert Burns. 1759–1796

O MY Luve 's like a red, red rose

That 's newly sprung in June:

O my Luve 's like the melodie

That's sweetly play'd in tune!



As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, 5

So deep in luve am I:

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry:



Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi' the sun; 10

I will luve thee still, my dear,

While the sands o' life shall run.



And fare thee weel, my only Luve,

And fare thee weel a while!

And I will come again, my Luve, 15

Tho' it were ten thousand mile.

Another reason I believe could support the survey findings is the dose of emotions injected in Arts subjects (especially Literature). Perhaps Arts students are more matured when it comes to understanding about love and romance. Of course, Literature is not all about sex but the constant immersion in the feelings and emotions as written by poets may have helped developed the level of maturity in them. As a result, they are able to connect well with the opposite sex and the rest jut happens naturally.

In Singapore, whenever a new story is published in STOMP showing a teenage couple from a prestigious school fondling with each other in public, the first thing that often comes to our minds is that they are too stressed and had to resort to that to relieve the pressure. If our theory is proven true, then if a similar study is conducted in Singapore, the findings will definitely be the direct opposite.

Teenage Couples Smooching In Public: Acceptable Or A Bit TOO Much?

The boy was caressing his partner's breasts, arms and legs. Each stroke was a delicate one, making sure she remained aroused. Their lips locked as they simulated the whole sexual scene. The Ahhhhs and the Ohhhhhs reverberated from the love bubble and floated inside the bus. And then suddenly...

'SHUT UP!' wailed an old women who was seated across the other side of the bus.

That was exactly what I observed in an incident about four years ago in a SBS bus. The couple, who probably felt so embarrassed after being scolded in public, alighted from the bus at the next stop. It was shocking but funny at the same time. The couple might have the 'courage' to showcase their affections in public without a single tinge of shame hanging over them, but all that 'courage' seemed superficial when they were chided by an old harmless women.

So is it acceptable for teenagers to smooch in public? Or is it just too much? In my opinion, I believe such public displays of affection are a bit too much. Firstly, we must understand that Singapore is a relatively conservative society founded by Asian traditions and values. Kissing or caressing in public is like a taboo in our society. We should respect our cultural values and not let Western imperialism overwhelm it. Singapore must not lose its identity as an Asian nation to foreign influence. It is never too late to preserve our culture for future generations.
























Secondly, giving the green light to public sexual exhibitions could worsen the moral degradation among Singapore youths today. If the elderly woman did not stop the couple from kissing in the bus, they may develop the mentality that such activities are widely accepted. From there, our teenagers become more daring to experiment more 'ambitious' things such as oral sex in public. In fact, sex in public is experiencing a rising trend among youngsters today, as highlighted in a Berita Harian report recently. If the trend is perpetuated, then conservative teenagers may find it hard or even abnormal to stick to their traditional or religious values in the future.

Finally, it is also important to take note that we are living in a multi-cultural society. What our teenagers do represents how much their communities have matured, let it be Chinese, Malay or Indian. Nobody can deny the fact that racial stereotypes are still prevalent in today's society. And since Singapore consists of small minority groups, this provides little or no excuse for the respective groups to be experiencing social problems among their youths. Racial stereotypes such as the Malay teenagers being more sexually active (due to newspaper reports showing Malay youths having the highest rate of teenage pregnancies) may cause unnecessary tensions to arise. (Another example is how the African-American teenagers are stereotyped as more likely to commit crimes in their country.) Thus, witnessing a young Malay couple kissing in public may further deepen the stereotype.

Public displays of affection among teenagers are not acceptable at all. The multi-cultural Singapore society is not ready to accept them due to our conservative beliefs. We are Asians and we must be proud of our traditional values and beliefs.

Relationships In College: A Motivation Or Distraction?

Can being in a relationship actually encourage you to do better in your studies? Or will it backfire and distract you instead? I am not sure about you, but I think it really depends on how you divide your time for studying and spending quality time with your partner. Your level of maturity in dealing with the ups and downs of a relationship plays a significant role too.

I have seen couples who did well in their examinations. Either partner is proficient at a particular subject and tips are exchanged among each other. They motivate each other and improve on their respective weaknesses. Such activity is useful and helpful in producing better results, but we do not need to be in a relationship to do that, do we?

















So what makes engaging in a relationship better than the common hi-talk-bye friendships that we already have? I think it all boils down to love and the commitment that comes with it. Your boyfriend or girlfriend may be more dedicated to spend more time with you studying as compared to your normal friends.

Sometimes, our normal friends may prefer quality studying time on their own. I believe it is different in the case of our soul mates. They tend to grab any opportunity to study with us. It is known as love. And love connects people more than anything else.

Whatever that is written above actually happened in real life, and that is why I am able to share it with you. In other words, the above hypothesis had been proven true. One example I can never forget is the story of a repeat student from my Secondary School. It was as if he fell into a deep hole and was abandoned there for years before finally meeting someone on top working hard to pull him up back to the surface.

That person is none other than his beloved girlfriend and he eventually came out of the hole as one of the top students in school. He shared his story of how his partner sacrificed a lot of her time to coach him in his studies - something rare before he met her. I remembered clearly how he told us he was inspired by the sheer determination of his companion and wanted to do well in the 'O' levels not only for himself and his family, but also to make her proud.
























Nonetheless, it is vital to remind oneself that an overdose of love can 'kill' you and your results. Being in a relationship can definitely be a huge distraction for you, deviating your attention away from lecture notes and tutorial worksheets. Spending too much time holding hands, hugging and kissing replaces the plus and minus signs with breasts, lips, butt, sex and more sex.

And then comes the heartbreaking break-ups. Being able to get over it well and fast requires a high degree of maturity. What I mean is that only a matured person can fully realize that life needs to go on! Letting your mind pick up the shattered pieces of broken heart and attempting to glue them back means a lot of study time burnt. You may lose consistency, a key determinant of success in college.

Just remember that while love can be helpful, an overdose of it will definitely paralyze you. And one more thing, there are true friends out there who are also very committed to help you in your studies in whatever way he or she can.

Lets Make Babies!

Not now, of course. A dwindling reproduction rate was the top of the agenda for this year's National Day rally delivered by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. In his speech, he pointed out and urged singles to find a soul mate, get married and -you guessed it- deliver babies.

I remembered reading the newspaper about the latest effort by the government to teach Junior College students how to be involved in a healthy relationship. The objective is not to educate the tertiary students about sex; it serves as a workshop to improve understanding among the partners of the opposite sex. Interesting move, I must say.
























It is good to start a relationship when we are still young, so that teenagers can gain the experience and perhaps be better companions in the future. In fact if we look at the wider picture, this measure may be helpful in shaping our culture in the future. Now, the young is immersed in a materialistic world. We study hard, get a degree and apply for a high-pay job to satisfy our lust for the latest gadgets, fashion and many more. Marriage is no longer the bull's-eye young people are aiming for. The birth rate is going south.

Things have changed now. That is what our parents always remind us. As much as I try to disagree, what they claim is indeed true. As more and more Singaporeans become educated, the island is filled with more career-minded people. Success in life to them is wealth, a car, a huge house, you name it. Remember the quote which says, 'My car is my girlfriend.' in the movies? The past was very much different - having a happy family with a beautiful wife and children was everyone's dreams.

















If Singaporeans are taught about the value of relationships early, then we may heading to a new direction. The mentality of the future generation will change. Life will be no longer be about having a top career to raise one's affluence but about having a stable occupation to raise a family. Happiness is no longer defined as owning expensive (or trivial) things that we desire, but as having a more closer and intimate relationship with your family. The young will no longer think that having a baby means a huge pie of income forgone as a result of the expenditure when bringing up their newborns. Instead, having offspring means a blessing to them - observing how their babies grow over the years under their care is a priceless experience for them.

After writing all these, I guess I will have to work hard to overcome the first hurdle, my 'A' level examinations. After serving National Service, get into a university, hook up one lovely girl and graduate with a degree. Next, get a good job and date for another year or so to accumulate income for the grand wedding. After all that is accomplished, I can enjoy the first night finally. I aim to have 2 children, one girl and one boy. Ahh...what a dream.




















*wakes up* Oh no, I have yet to cover Vectors for my Maths paper next week! Hehe.

Father And Daughter Revealed They Had Baby Together

Written by azhar.

General Knowledge

Where have our ethics gone to? Has it been shadowed by the sexual lust and temptations that stimulates they way we behave today. A father and daughter have behaved outlandishly by openly revealing to the press that they know their acts of incest were wrong but still succumb to their emotions.

The family was reunited after 30 years and they soon start a physical relationship almost instantly after the death of the wife. The South Australian couple John and Jenny Deaves, have two babies during their relatioship. The older one died due to a congenital heart disease.

This was what the father had to say:

"I knew it was illegal. Of course, I knew it was illegal but you know, so what."


Share your views and opinions.