I don't believe it. Its here again. Wow.
Here goes. After seeing so many of my friends' blogs having articles to do with the ministerial pay hike, chat room + teenagers = *censor*, and Tony Blair stepping down, I shall try to do something a bit more unique. Of course, it may not be, because this story is pretty well known. This article is about a teenager who used his neighbour's wireless Internet access using a laptop computer in May 2006. This article was written in November of 2006. It is taken from
http://mcpmag.com/news/article.asp?EditorialsID=1115. It is a societal issue.
- Blog of Personal Response to Current Affairs -
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Report: Singapore teen faces 3 years' jail for tapping into another's wireless Internet
November 11, 2006 - 2:05PM
A Singapore teenager has been charged with tapping into someone else's wireless Internet connection, a crime that carries a penalty of up to three years in jail, a newspaper reported Saturday.
Garyl Tan Jia Luo, 17, is the first person to be charged with this crime under the Computer Misuse Act, the Straits Times reported.
The report said Tan is accused of using a laptop computer to gain unauthorized access to a home wireless network on May 13.
The newspaper said a neighbour had apparently lodged a complaint against Luo.
Most notebook computers and personal digital assistants can detect unsecured networks and easily gain access.
Tan was released on a bail of 6,000 Singapore US dollars (US$3,855; euro3,000) and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
If convicted, Tan faces up to three years in jail and fines of up to S$10,000 (US$6,425; euro5,000) under the Computer Misuse Act.
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The offender was one Garyl Tan, 17 years of age at the time of offence, who connected a laptop to his neighbour's unsecured wireless network and used the access for online gaming and checking his e-mail. He was put on probation from using the Internet for eighteen months, given eighty hours of community service, and sent for psychologist consultation, already considered a extremely light punishment. This was the first ever reported incident of this nature in Singapore, and many worry that it would not be the last. There are a couple of problems on hand here, and they are rampant everywhere, in young adults and school-going teenagers.
First, there is the problem of computer gaming addiction. From the perspective of a typical gamer, they think that they are not addicted, because "my friends play more than me". Then the real question is, how far are you willing to go just to play those computer games, or chat with your friends? In the case of Garyl, a probation report said that he had few friends, and was addicted to online computer gaming. The evidence shows that he was prepared to tap into his neighbour's Internet connection to game, probably knowing that it was illegal to do so. Ignorance is no excuse.
The next problem is that of the access itself. Some people might argue that the neighbour's router was unsecured, and he was only checking his e-mail. I would like to rebut by saying that, if my house door was open, would that constitute a blanket invitation for strangers to come in without my knowledge or permission? Even if they had absolutely no evil intentions? The answer is no. The neighbour's neglection to secure the network does not justify Garyl's deliberate exploitation of it.
This is my stand on this issue. However, as I have stated earlier, this is not a distant, faraway problem existing in unstable teens. This is a current and ongoing problem. And it doesn't just apply to computer addiction. For example, how many of us have ever downloaded and exchanged copyrighted music files... for free? Handphone games? D.O.T.A.?
This brings out my last problem, and the underlying problem to this whole issue; what do we do when we think other people are not looking? This value of integrity and respect has tried to be drilled into us by teachers from primary school and up. Many of us put up facades, trying to live our life as a lie, even though we know - don't deny it - what we have done. We can hide from society for a lifetime. Up to now there is no solution which can be injected by others. The change has to come from within.
This is not a complete perspective of this issue; there are plenty more related factors and problems existing. However, the undeniable and eventual realization is that there is such a thing going on out there... and we are all part of it.
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- Blog of Personal Response to Current Affairs -
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100,000 plastic bags saved on Bring Your Own Bag Day By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia
Posted: 19 April 2007 2028 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore's first Bring Your Own Bag Day on Wednesday managed to save an estimated 100,000 plastic bags.
According to leading supermarket chains NTUC Fairprice and Cold Storage, they cut the number of plastic bags by up to 60 per cent.
They also sold about 20,000 reusable bags.
At one Cold Storage outlet, most shoppers say they do not mind if they have to donate 10 cents to environmental projects for every plastic bag they take.
"If they donate it, it's up to them, right? But I think I'll bring my own bag. It makes more sense," said one lady shopper.
"I have no objection because it's contributing to the eco friendly system. I think it's good! For us businessman, for shopping we don't carry a bag! But for housewives, yes, if they have time to bring their own bag then it would be a good idea," said another shopper.
But not everyone agrees.
"In the first place it's an inconvenience to me. On an everyday basis, some of us [are] in a rush, then it'll add up to a big amount. But I guess as a habit it's always good to recycle," says one customer.
Some viewers told Channel NewsAsia that paying "10 cents per bag is way too expensive".
One viewer said she saw "two women who went shopping at a mart without shopping bags and brought the (NTUC) baskets home".
Others argued that for families who shop in bulk, it is "not feasible to bring over 20 reusable bags just for that one outing."
There were also suggestions for supermarkets to waive the charges for plastic bags if you spend $50 or more.
So it looks like the habit of bringing your own shopping bag to cut down on the use of plastic bags will take some time to cultivate.
But with so many reusable bags available in all shapes and sizes, sometimes all it takes is a little planning in your shopping schedule and you too can do your bit for the environment.
One shopper says she has some 10 reusable bags, and keeps one in her car at all times.
"You know you're going shopping. You know you're going to need bags, so why don't you just use [or] bring them!"
Some retailers, like furniture store IKEA, plan to charge shoppers five to 10 cents for its plastic bags from this Sunday.
Therefore paying for the convenience may just be the start of a new trend in Singapore. - CNA/yy
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On the 18th of April, the National Environmental Agency launched the Bring Your Own Bag Day, just before Earth Week, a day meant to promote awareness of the Earth's rapidly depleting natural resources, and encourage the minimization of waste in Singapore. Major chain supermarkets such as Carrefour, Fairprice, and Giant sold trendy reusable bags. All in all, an estimate of 100,000 plastic bags were saved that day.
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This is one of many ways which have been devised to let Singaporeans develop the habit of recycling. Over the past decade, the government has tried many methods, such as the tri-coloured recycling bins we see in public places today, and now they are debating to introduce payment for our plastic bags; to let Singaporeans value their bags a bit more.
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However, first, let me disambiguate the figures a little. On average, Singaporeans use a total of over six million plastic bags a day. How much difference does a hundred thousand more or less make? Furthermore, knowing the Singaporean affinity for freebies and freebies only, coupled with the hustle-and-bustle nature of our lifestyle, most Singaporeans are usually too busy to bother remembering to buy, bring, or carry with them reusable plastic bags, rendering the act of selling reusable bags pointless. Most argue that bringing over 10 reusable bags is too much of an inconvenience on their part. It is clear that the idea of reusing plastic bags may take a while to even be accepted by the most open-minded, least of all everybody. I believe that the Bring Your Own Bag Day was a good but perhaps fuitle gesture on the part of tree-huggers and environmentalists.
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Nevertheless, it is a start. If the government decides to charge extra GST or service tax for each plastic bag, people would perhaps stop taking them for granted. Even a charge of five cents per bag would reap S$125 million of taxes each year. That money could go into other projects related to helping solve the problem of waste in Singapore. Such an act would be logical, and perhaps effective to a large extent.
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Still, the main problem here resides in the mindsets of Singaporeans. If we are not willing to accept a bit of inconvinience and sacrifice, no matter how many recycling bins and free reusable bags the government plants around, this problem can never be resolved. We need to be aware that Singapore has little land to dispose of its waste, and we have to cut down on the amounts which we generate. We need to take action, to have a feel for our environment, and not take even such minor amenities for granted. Only when everyone respects and cares for the environment, and to a indirect extent, the future, then can any project relating to environmental conservation be effective.
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Looking at my writing, it has definitely deproved since the my last post of personal response.
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