[World's most expensive soup] 'Monk Jumps Over the Wall' US$44billion: Buffett to Gates: Spend It!

I took my article from http://www.spiritof.info/giving/articles/time/giving.time.story2.html

The costly question: “Should foundations focus on perpetuating their resources or spending them?”

It is reported in the latest Berkshire annual report that Warren Buffet states strict rules concerning the spending of his shares that will go to charity after his death. After the closing of his estate, he wishes that every dollar of his gifts must be used within ten years. For readers who still do not know what Warren Buffet has done, I would like to reiterate that he stunned the business world when he publicly announced that he would donate $44 billion of his Berkshire Hathaway fortune to charity. Imagine using up $44 billion within ten years. And this is $44 billion in US mind you. This is equivalent to buying 30,137 PS3’s DAILY FOR TEN YEARS! Charities are now put in a spot because Buffett’s endorsement is a landmark moment in philanthropy.

Charities rarely exceed the minimum spending ratio of 5% of their entire organization’s asset value because they operate with the intent of lasting forever. Buffet’s new condition has disrupted the plans of many foundations due to this “time-limit” factor. On the good side, this “spend-down model” will provide donors with a greater control over how their money is spent. This will ensure that money is put into good use and spent promptly because “as organizations grow over time, the risk of bureaucracy and mission drift grows”.

I feel that this “spend-down model” is quite an effective method in ensuring that money is used wisely because it forces foundations to plan out the use of money without letting funds drift around aimlessly. If funds are kept loosely without a predetermined agenda, charities run the risk of misusing funds.

I would like to bring up the example of NKF’s misuse of funds. NKF had been telling Singaporeans that its reserves of S$262 million (as of June 2005) would not last more than three years. However, even if NKF had stopped fundraising all together, it would still have enough funds to see through its operations for 30 years. NKF had underutilized its funds by spending far less on dialysis than the public had been led to believe. This perfect example clearly shows that a “spend-down model” is effective in ensuring that money is promptly put into good use to ensure that funds do not get wasted on other things like pay rises.

However perfect this model may seem, it does have its downside too- wild spending. In a bid to use up the funds, organizations tend to spend extravagantly and unwisely, which often results in wastage of funds too. A good and balanced management is essential for wise usage of funds.

So be it US$44 billion or 1 rupiah, be it the “spend-down” model or the “safe-up” method, do your part to help the less fortunate to make OUR world a better place.

word count: 476 words

Canned soup "MADE IN CHINA": China declares 'war' on tainted products

I took my article from http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/08/24/china.safety.reut/index.html

My response:

Made in China

The sticker on your microwave oven says ‘Made in China’. The tag on your pair of basketball shoes says ‘Made in China’. Even the words printed on your toothpaste say ‘Made in China’. These three words appear on virtually anything you use, wear, eat and own. The only thing in your entire house that probably does not have ‘Made in China’ printed all over it is your birth certificate. However, the connotations of such a label are not positive. Words like ‘inferior’, ‘cheap’ and ‘mass-produced’ are qualities that are attached to this label. Pushing quality aside, words like ‘hazardous’, ‘toxic’ and ‘unsafe’ now add on to the list of negative characteristics. People are now paranoid that these products will take their lives. So why do consumers have bad impressions on China products?

China’s product scares have hit the world’s panic button. Consumers’ worries are not unfounded. Millions of China-made toys were deemed hazardous due to use of improper lead paint and small parts that could be easily swallowed. Cough medicine containing deadly chemicals killed dozens of patients in Panama. Toxic toothpastes containing dangerous levels of diethylene glycol (DEG) were circulated all over the world. The list of examples doesn’t just end there. I have even read an article recently this year about cardboard being used in char siew baos as 60% of the filling. Unscrupulous vendors saved about US$132 a day by using this method due to rising pork prices from a supply shortage.

China is already trying to salvage their battered image by trying to stamp down on products that have dented consumers’ confidence. Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi has launched a four-month “war” on tainted food, drugs and exports in an attempt to “protect the health and personal interests of the public and to protect the reputation of Chinese goods and the national image” by using “an autocratic, top-down approach using campaigning methods”. It will probably require another few more years before people can safely buy Chinese products without having to examine the ingredients.

I personally think the problem lies within the producers’ ethics. This drop in quality has come about due to poor production conditions, low quality standards, weak reliability and unscrupulous business management. All these problems are a result of poor moral ethics. This problem does not just lie with China’s products but applies to exporters all over the world. Quality is plummeting as companies seek only to earn back the most from giving as little as possible because everyone is only focused on economic-growth targets. I shudder to think of the implications if this problem carries on, especially when more than half of the products we use are ‘made in China’. Safety has overtaken quality to become the underlying consideration for consumers. How can we work on saving the world from environmental problems if we cannot even save ourselves from brushing our teeth with toxic toothpaste?

word count: 484 words

Thin tagliatelle in puréed tomatoes with peas: "US schools ban iPods at exams"

This article was taken from Weekend Today in the Voices section on Saturday, April 28th 2007.

Savoy cabbage and cannellini beans in beef stock: "Response to article 5"

Using iPods to cheat in exams? To be honest, I initially thought that using an iPod was a rather Creative™ way to cheat.* However, I soon realised that the abuse of technology to cheat is definitely not something new. Cell phones were banned from examination halls when schools found out that these communication devices led to the spreading of answers. Students could save notes in their inbox and refer to them during tests. In the same way, this harmless music player is also capable of becoming a storage device for answers.

Objectively, I find cheating something that is impossible to prevent. As quoted from a 17 year old student from the article, “People who are going to cheat are still going to cheat, with or without [them].” People with the intent of cheating will cheat no matter the circumstance. With or without their iPods, they will find ways and means to sneak answers into the examination hall. Short of making it a rule to enter examination halls stark naked with only the bare necessities, schools will definitely be unable to clamp down on each and every individual case of cheating. However, even with such a rule in place, I still believe that some desperate students may scribble down answers on body parts or on their stationery. Thus, to completely eradicate cheating, confiscating the external cheating devices will not suffice. The solution lies with the removal of the main internal cheating device- the mentality to cheat.

People cheat for fear of doing badly because they lack confidence in their own mental capabilities. Often, students who cheat are not prepared for the tests or are just, if I may dare say in Singlish, “kiasu”. They are afraid to lose out to their fellow peers and think that having the answers with them will secure them with a definite advantage over the rest. Since all the reasons for cheating originate from the mind, the only way to prevent cheating is to tackle the source of the problems- the mind itself. I would like to quote our very own Rafflesian Principle of Honour. “In intellectual pursuit, I shall reflect discipline and passion for learning and in personal conduct, I shall live in integrity and regard individuals, groups and the community with kindness and respect, and in so doing, uphold the Rafflesian Principle of Honour.” This principle sums it all. By enforcing strict discipline and emphasizing on the fact that we should live in integrity, students will soon realise that cheating is something not worth committing. They are not only cheating the school but also cheating themselves because they will never be able to realise their true potential. By taking the test with an advantage over the rest, they are not only downgrading themselves but also losing the respect of their peers by cheating. Using technology is but only one method of cheating.

It is ironic that the apple, an educational symbol of good grades, now marks the new generation of cheating devices. **

* Creative™ is a strong competitor of Apple in Digital Entertainment products (especially in the area of MP3 players), with its Zen being comparable to Apple’s iPod.

** Apple™ is the creator of iPods

Word count: 498

Rasam with lentils and seeds: "Public transport system not quite 'first class' "

This article was taken from Weekend Today in the Voices section on Saturday, April 28th 2007.

Chicken noodle cream with celery: "Response to article 4"

I found the title of this article rather disturbing. I mean how would you react when you read ‘Public transport system not quite ‘first class’’? Haven’t we always been praised for our efficient and well-planned public transport system?

However harsh this statement may be, I could not help but agree with the many points brought up; the points about the inefficiency of buses, the long waiting times, the filthy or non-working air conditioners, the crowdedness and the low level of cleanliness in many of the buses. Yes, I continued nodding my head in agreement as I recalled all the many times I had to wait close to an hour for a bus, the numerous times I had to squeeze onto a bus carrying my heavy softball bag and still trying to keep my balance on the steps and the countless times I could not sit down because the seats were mouldy all over. I was in complete agreement with the article when it suddenly dawned on me that all this while the writer was only criticizing the bus transport system. As I scanned through the article, I found very few non-bus examples of a poor public transport system. The writer had written out of point by narrowing his view and only focusing on our poor bus system alone. As his main focus was on the hygiene level, he lacked elaboration on factors such as efficiency, accessibility or cost, thus making his criticism on the entire public transport system as a whole very weak. I find the title very inappropriate and should be changed to ‘Public transport hygiene level not quite ‘first class’’ instead.

However, even though the writer’s stand is rather harsh, we cannot deny the fact that much improvement can be made to raise the hygiene level. The writer accurately points out that the problem lies with “high touch” surfaces (pull handles) and dirty air-con filters. Though these problems may sound minor, my father told me about a friend of his who contracted Herpes Simplex Eye Disease just by rubbing his eyes after touching an infected blood stain on a pull handle. Shocking but true. Thus, I find his suggestions for the implementation of stringent operational maintenance standards for buses and trains to be cleaned and disinfected every day very relevant.

In conclusion, even though the article was quite well written, I found the title lacking in terms of precision. The title suggested that the main issue would address the poor public transport on a whole inclusive of factors such as efficiency or comfort but the article only seemed to focus on the poor hygiene level rather than on the big picture. However, it redeemed itself by identifying the health hazards and providing useful suggestions to raise the hygiene level. With more precision, I feel that this article would be effective in putting the message across to LTA that much improvement can still be made to raise the hygiene level in our public transport system.

Word count: 496

Lobster and tomato bisque: Apologies

To all my dear readers, I apologise for my inability to prioritise my time. The past few weeks have somehow zoomed by, leaving me with no choice but to publish my responses in... yes microsoft word -.- i shall now publish 2 responses at one go :)

Note: I have finally fixed the problem with my posting by shifting the content of each post around. The order is as follows from top to bottom:

Apologies
Article 2 and 3
Response to Article 2 and 3
Article 1
Response to Article 1
Welcome

Please grade me on Article 1 first, then 2 and 3. thankyou :)