Saying hello to a friendlier society

I am referring to the article"Saying hello to a friendlier society" of the "Home"section of The Straits Times. The article is about three students promoting kindness by getting poeple to say 'hello'.

"Hello"says a lot- and no, these three are not selling anything. Students Andrew Zhan, Adam Teow and Eu Simin are getting Singaporeans to say the word as a start to showing kindness i their Hello Campaign. They launched their nationwide exercise last month on a mearge $1000 budget, and it has been no easy task. They estimate that each of them must have said more than 1000 "hellos"to strangers in the last two weeks.

Reactions have been varied. There were some who were super friendly, the ones who stop in their tracks and ask what they were doing- or selling. It was not easy but after a few hours, something changes. 'Hello' becomes something infectious- like laughter. Working with the Singapore Kindness Movement , the three aim to sign up 500 volunteers to their cause. This troop will then set out to Orchard Road on April 11 to promote friendliness by - you have guessed it - saying hello.

In less than two weeks, the group's Facebook profile has attracted nearly 700 members, following its two lead-up events this year - the first at SMU and other at Clarke Quay last week. But the three have also encountered cynics who have either dismissed thair campaign as a waste of time , ignored them or, worse, hightailed it in the opposte direction.

That is a pity, said Miss Eu, 20, a student at the Singapore Polytechnic, because when a connection is made, it may lead to something meaningful.

Mr Teow, 22, a SMU business student, said he had often been a loner in school. But he has opened up and expanded his social circle since taking part in the group's activities.

Mr Zhan, who describes himself as not being a naturally friendly person, agreed. He said that going up to a stranger to say hello is "an act of courage".

Outside Tangs department store, the trio - armed with "Hello, My Name Is" name tags and cardboard cut-outs of "Hello!"speech buddies - dished out random greetings to shoppers walking by. They were met mostly with looks of bewilderment. Mr Teow, who was dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, lamented that he had worn the wrong clothes, saying in jest that he looked like he was selling insurance.

However, the group's efforts were soon rewarded. They had collected, in 90 minutes, the names of 50 strangers who said they would take part in their cause.

In conclusion, I feel that saying hello to strangers would encourage and affirm someone and brighten up his or day. It would also make our society a more lively and friendly one.

Job fair draws 120 000 visitors

I am referring to the article "Job fair draws 120 000 visitors" of The Straits Times.

There was no doubt which were the main attractions at this jobfair. Despite having more than 400 exhibitors, many of the 120 000 visitors to the Career 2009 and Education 2009 fair yesterdaymade a beeline for booths set up by Resorts World and Marina Bay Sands.

The two inegrated resorts, which were offering thousands of jobs, drew them all: young and old, Singaporeans and foreigners, the retrenched and those with jobs. Interest in the IR jobs were so high that the Resorts World at Sentosa booth received more than 1000 job applications within the first 90 ninutes of the fair's opening. By the end of the day, it had received over 5000 appplications.

But though many took a shine to the IRs, other booths received a fair bit of attention too. Operated by employers big and small, including the Ministry of Education, the National Healthcare Group and Prudential, they received between several hundred and several thousand applicants.

The annual fair, which runs till Sunday at Suntec City, also offers other highlights, including a Career Profiling Corner, which visitors can find out more about their inherent strengths and abilities using personality test available on-site. There is also the inaugural Arts Pavilion, which serves to provide information for those seeking to pursue a career in the arts industry. The 120 000 visitors yesterday eclipsed last year's opening day of 90 000 visitors.

In conclusion, I strongly feel that this job fair is useful for those retrenched and those looking for new jobs given the current economic situation.

Dry run for mums-to-be

I am referring to the article " Dry run for mums-to-be " on the home section of The Straits Times. This article is about a charity buying dolls which behave like real babies, to prepare unwed teenagers for motherhood, and get them to think about their ability to raise a baby.

Sanctuary House, a charity that reaches out to women facing unwanted pregnacies, has bought 10 of such dolls. The director of the charity's programme, Mr Noel Tan, said that a lot of mums they see have fanciful, unrealistic ideas about babies. They think, 'How difficult can it be to look after one'.

Indeed, many teens refuse to put their babies up for adoption because they think they can cope - until reality bites.

The charity believes that if these young mothers are prepared for the crying, night feeds and constant attention babies demand, they will be less likely to take their fustration out on their children. The volunteers take care for these unwanted babies while their mums decide whether to keep them or give them up for adoption.

The charity stressed that the charity is not a "baby drop, or a place to leave unwanted babies. The bulk of the pregnant women there give their babies up for adoption. For some, it is because the baby's father had left them; others have financial problems or are mentally ill. Among these mothers-to-be are a handful of teens who have been given one of these dolls to look after for a day or two. Many emerged from the experience saying it was a "scary but useful experience". They did not realise that a crying baby can drive one nuts, and sleep deprivation can do things to them.

Some professionals who counsel young unwed mums, however see pitfalls in using thse dolls. They were afraid the girl was so traumatised by the doll that she falls into depression and decides to abort the baby.

The charity plans to give talks at secondary schools on relationships and use the dolls to give students an idea of the responsibilities of having a baby. Sanctuary House's initiative comes at a time when counsellers are seeing moreteens grappling with sex and boy-girl issues.

In conclusion, I feel that teens and mothers should think twice before having a baby. They should try not to give them up for adoption.

Fast-food chains are expanding

I am referring to the article"Fast-food chains are expanding" from the home section of The Straits Times.

Singapore is set for a fast-food explosion in the coming year. Fast-food restaurants from established names names such as Mcdonald's and Long John Silver's, to new players like Carl's jr. have expansion and hiring plans. Sandwich chain Subway, for instance, will open ten outlets this year, Pastamania will open one outlet next month and McDonald's is opening five more outlets this year. The success these restaurants are enjoying comes from their affordable well-loved meals, served up in pleasant settings. And the fact that they are doing well spells good news, in turn, for the job market- all 10 chains are recruiting crew members for their new outlets.

Given the current economic situation, in which many people will be looking for jobs, it is a good opportunity to hire more people, and fast-food restaurats are seizing this chance. The reason why fast-food restaurants are doing well is because of in this economic downturn, people are trading down from pricer restaurants to them. Some consumers feel that fast-food dining is a lifestyle choice and that they are a more economical option for family gatherings.

However, the boom in fast food has a downside: Nutrionists are warning that over-consumption can lead to obesity and related ailmentssuch as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. Recommended fast- food consumption is once or twice a week. Nutritionists cautioned that high levels of cholesterol and salt in fast food cause problems such as high blood pressure, which cannot be rectified by merely excercising. A healthy lifestyle comprises both regular exercise and healthy eating habits.

In conclusion, I believe that there is no wrong in eating fast food but we have to eat in moderation.