My take on Gangsterism

Nothing stole the headlines of newspapers in 2010 like the slashing incidents that happened across the island. Teenage gangsters seemed to be on a slashing spree with at least four separate incidents occurring between May and November of 2010.

These slashing incidences were mostly linked to teenage gangs. Take for example, the slashing that happened at Bukit Panjang on the 8^th of November. Eight youths armed with parangs (knife-like weapon) and metal rods went around attacking 20 innocent bystanders. The victims of the horrific crime were aged between 14 to 20 years old.

The attackers were heard to have shouted “sah lak kau” before charging at the innocent bystanders, which directly translates to “369” from the Hokkien dialect. “Sah Lak Kau” is a notorious street gang known for violence and misconduct.

Six of the victims of the Bukit Panjang slashings were brought to the hospital immediately, with two suffering severe injuries.

Since then, teenage gangster-ism and slashing incidences have been the hot topic around the water cooler.

When news of the slashing first broke, my normally easygoing mother would bark: “Don’t stay out too late! You don’t know what might happen!” Not that I needed to hear it, I myself was quite shaken by the possibility of being pounced on while innocently walking home.

More recently, it has been reported that members of gangs lurk right outside the premises of schools in hopes of recruiting new members. They have also been spotted loitering at neighborhood malls, void decks and gaming arcades with the same intentions.

So why do these teenagers go astray? Reports say that such gang members normally come from a background of family problems or grow up with a low sense of self-esteem. These adolescences feel the need to be accepted socially, thus seek solace in these gangs.

My opinion? Nobody is too cool for school.

Stay in school, kids. First of all, there is really nothing more commendable than working hard and making a clean, decent living. Getting an education might be a long-drawn process, but it’s one that will reap huge benefits in the long run.

Imagine how sweet that moment you finally receive your certificate, after all the hard work you’ve put into your education, would feel. Imagine having a stable job with a stable family and a stable life. Gangsterism will only lead you away from these accomplishments

Not to mention, gangsters are prone to being in fights. Not only are they dangerous and sometimes potentially life threatening, it is also an immature way of resolving issues.

Gangster-ism may sound like an easy way out now but the long-term effects are detrimental. In Singapore, nobody escapes the long arm of the law. The youths involved in the slashings were caught almost immediately. Following suit, more teens who were in possession of dangerous weapons (such as parangs or long knives) were also arrested.

Moreover, joining a gang does not make you socially acceptable. In fact, it has quite the adverse effect. People generally do not respect or view gangsters in a positive light. It is essential to differentiate respect and fear. People fear gangsters, not respect them. Becoming a gangster would in actual fact, leave you shunned socially as nobody would want to be associated with you.

Whereas in school, making friends is not as difficult as it seems. All you need is an open mind and a positive attitude! It’s really as simply as taking the initiative to talk to someone around you. You’ll be surprised by how friendly people can be.

If you are having problems at home, whether it is financially or emotionally, you can seek help from others around you. Inform your lecturers or your school counselor about what you’re going through. They are professionals who will try their best to help you in your time of need.

In a nutshell, one should always stay away from going astray.

Rising trends: Tattoos

Walk along Orchard Road and teenagers flaunting their tattoos are a dime a dozen. In today’s generation, getting permanently inked is no longer a big deal and is in fact, becoming quite a trend.

In recent years, more and more teenagers (aged 16 to 21) are taking the risk and getting tattooed. Seems that getting inked no longer comes with the stigma of having a questionable character.

Back in the days, tattoos were synonymous with the underground world of alcohol, drugs and sex. However, nowadays having one is not uncommon and is no longer frowned upon by society.

“Many treat it more of a fashion statement more than anything else and hope that it attracts attention” says Sonia Tan, a 17 year old student.

She is one of the exceptions to the norm and sees tattoos as “a form of disfigurement.” Needless to say she is not considering one at all.

With shows like Miami Ink and the spin-off series L.A. Ink, which follow the daily experiences of a group of tattoo artists in America, it’s no wonder teenagers are warming up to the idea. These shows are aired on MTV and have had great success here in Singapore.

Out of five teenagers randomly surveyed, four of them religiously follow the series, Miami Ink. Three of them even account it for sparking off their interests in tattoos while the other one claims that his friends influenced him.

A teenager who declined to be named defends herself, saying: “I got my tattoo done not just because it attracts attention and is the in thing nowadays. This is just a way of expressing myself, I don’t care what they think of me.” She has a dragon on her back and is the size of an A5 piece of paper. (Half A4)

Naturally, people of the older generation are concerned over this change in behavior. When asked about her views on the trend, Julia Leong, a 49 year-old mother of three expresses her concern: “I am shocked at how teenagers these days can draw on themselves like that! Times have really changed.”

According to the Ministry of Health, tattooing procedures carry the risk of transmitting infectious diseases, like HIV, hepatitis B and C. However, if sterilized or disposable needles are used and proper infection control measures are followed, the risk of infection is very small.

There is currently no legal age limit to getting a tattoo, although some shops will not accept clients under the age of 18. Others, however, require minors to be accompanied by their parents.

Attack of the Android Apps

Are you sick of listening to your friends boast about their latest iPhone or iPad apps? Seriously, does it look like iCare? Well, if you carry an Android phone instead, here are some cool applications (apps) to your rescue! For the uninitiated, Android phones are the newest generation of mobile phones developed by Google and Android Inc. These phones, fronted by a friendly green monster, are equally smart and less pretentious in comparison to its overhyped Apple competition. So, out of the apps available on Android Market, which are the best three for you?

Abduction! World Attack

Have you ever seen a jumping cow? Well in this adorable platform-jumping adventure game, you control a cow on a mission to save your friends who have been abducted by aliens! Inspired by the nursery rhyme, “The Cow Jumps Over the Moon”, you hop from platform to platform while avoiding floating bombs and save friends along the way. To maneuver your bovine friend, tilt your phone accordingly. It is easy to play, addictive and surprisingly engaging

Twidroyd

If you are the kind of person who tweets excessively about where you are, what you’re doing and even what you’re looking at, you’ll need a good Twitter app to satisfy your busy fingers. Try Twidroyd,which is a lot faster and neater than the basic Twitter for Android app. With its easy-to-read interface, quick updating speed and LivePreview of links and media through the split screen, it’s no wonder most Android users prefer to “twidroyd”.

PowerAMP Music Player

Many cite it as the best music player app for Android phones and it lives up to its reputation. It has all the functions of a music player, but it is the sleek and sexy interface that makes it most appealing. The winning feature is its 10-band graphic equalizer - with dials for bass, treble and volume that you can adjust according to your preferences. You can also add the PowerAMP widget to your lockscreen, to minimize the hassle of constantly unlocking your phone to switch songs. Good for long bus rides to and from school!

Fakeout 2010?

Zoukout celebrated its 10^th anniversary this year at Siloso Beach, Sentosa with a record 30,000 clubbers partying it up!

For the first time in a decade, fake tickets to the largest annual beach party have surfaced.

On the 10^th of December, ticketing organization SISTIC confirmed that there have been fake tickets in circulation for Zoukout.

Partygoers were warned of the possibility of holding onto fake tickets if they had purchased their tickets from a third party instead of the official SISTIC counters.

The difference? The tickets look exactly the same except official tickets have invisible security features embedded in them. These security features can only be seen when a black light is shined upon it.

SISTIC released a statement saying that holders of fake Zoukout tickets would be refused entry to the event.

Angry clubbers were seen gathering at the entrance of the event, trying to get entrance despite having their tickets rejected.

Don Ezra Nicholas, one of the bouncers at the event said: “We give them (fake ticket holders) the benefit of the doubt and help them cut the queue to buy another ticket."