Facebook and Twitter's brainchildren in a brawl

- Dipo Doherty

Facebook, a company renowned for its innovation and revolution, brought about a new era to the world: the era of social communication. The company is headed by the far from charismatic founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who in the light of it all was able to convince the general public to ride on the S.S. Facebook. Fast forward a few years later. Twitter, a company with a different approach to social communication, showed the world that if you force people to do things your way (140 character restriction) and get a celebrity to frantically endorse your product, you just might be successful.

There comes a time in any company’s life cycle where the need for innovation is overshadowed by an overpowering need for growth. And as we can clearly see, both companies are approaching this peak. Just like any weary father, who is looking to protect his family’s lineage, they find worthy suitors to join the family.

Facebook made the jaw breaking bargain to acquire the new movie star on the block (Instagram) for over a billion big ones. A bargain which left some confounded as to the logic of spending so much on an app that hasn’t been able to make profits. Now we can keep arguing as to the real impact of Instagram has on Facebook, but we know its a done deal. Twitter seized a good opportunity, to acquire their latest weapon in their arsenal: Vine, a year before they launched. Vine incorporated some of twitter’s core values (restrict people even more and give them an opportunity to be creative), and this philosophy seemed to work.

At around 2pm on June 20th, Mark Zuckerberg and Kevin Systrom presented a new feature to the world, in a move to innovate and raise optimism for shareholders. This update featured the new and innovative Facebook video on Instagram. This new feature lets users of Instagram take 15 second video clips and share them with your friends. You could also apply a new palette of filters to these video bites, which seemed quite similar to the photo filters we’ve grown to love but thats fine. But here is the issue, doing this has put them in the boxing ring with Twitter’s Vine which does the same thing minus 8 seconds and the filters. Now I know a lot of critics have called this a cheap shot on Facebook’s part, a less than innovative way to join the video market. Lets cut it and go straight to the point, Instagram just pulled… continue reading 

A Look into the Modern Family

- Shamira Azlan

The twenty-first century American family has undoubtedly transformed to become undefinable. The inability to fit these new family dynamics into neat little boxes is in no way negative, but rather it represents new opportunities to erase established stereotypes and put in place new ideas of the modern family: a family not based on racial or even social factors, but on love and community. This progression is evident today, with most media outlet highlighting these new values in television shows, movies and even in modern art.

If we look back to the 1970’s, we can see sitcoms and television shows such as the Brady Brunch and Diff’rent Strokes representing the different family dynamics that were deemed as relatable at the time. Twenty years later we see the laughable, yet dysfunctional American family in shows such as Married with Children. Their dysfunctional dynamic was more relatable than the typical overplayed stepford family allusion that had been previously deemed as “ideal”. Fast forward to the late 90’s and the early 2000’s we see shows like Will and Grace and Queer as Folk showing an alternate lifestyle, representing the gay and lesbian community. Other shows that represented different families during the time included My Wife and Kids, Gilmore Girls and Everybody Hates Chris. Presently, family-focused television shows such as Modern Family- a sitcom focusing on the very different lives of three families- and Two and a Half Men, the dysfunctional makeshift family, has joined the myriad of shows that depict family lives in our community. These sitcoms and televisions shows are mere representations of stereotypes of what families are today and it is up to the public to deem which shows are relatable.

In addition to sitcoms, we have seen another genre emerge to tell stories of the American family: reality television. Today we see many reality television shows showing the lives of very different families, families most of us would probably have never encountered. Granted, some aspects of it are skewed to please the masses and increase ratings but… continue reading 

Organ Donation Dilemmas

- Kerry Hughes 

Organ donation is a topic that is rarely discussed, except when one is in need of one. However, they the topic is currently back in the news, particularly in the case of a 10 year old little girl, Sarah Murnaghan. Sarah has cystic fibrosis and is in need of both a lung and liver transplant.

Due to the organization of the transplant list, there are two separate lists: one for children under 12 and one for adults. Sarah would be on the under 12 list. The idea of separating the lists came from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which has handled transplant policy for the federal government since 2005. The reasoning for needing two lists was that children are smaller, so they need smaller organs.

Now, with two lists, adults and children can be sure to receive appropriately-sized organs. It is important to note, however, that children only receive organs after they have been offered to the adult list or in minimal numbers through their own transplant list. The fact is there are far more transplantable organs available for adults than children: 1,700 transplantable lungs were on the list last year, but only 20 came from donors under 11. 

Sarah’s parents and a PA congressman, Lou Barletta, petitioned the courts to allow Murnaghan to be exempt from the rule that places her on the list for under 12 year olds. Some transplant specialists stated that these guidelines have become outdated and that there is no medical reason not to transplant a matched organ, based on blood type and size. Appeals were made to the Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, but she chose not to intervene in this case.

In related news, there has been growing concern from the medical community that the courts are making medical decision instead of doctors. The worry is that a risky precedent is…continue reading 

The Morning After

- Kerry Hughes

The morning after pill will now be made readily available for women without a prescription in drug stores in the United States. The government has decided to stop trying to block availability of the pill based on age. Now a woman can walk into a pharmacy and purchase the pill without age restrictions. The Food and Drug Administration approved the lifting of age restrictions in 2011, but secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, overturned it. This limited the sale to people over the age of 17.

Due to Sebelius’s change to the FDA’s recommendation, there was a lawsuit filed by Women’s Reproductive Rights Groups. Judge Edward Korman ruled that two types of emergency contraception should be made available without restriction, age or prescriptions, but the court decided to wait and see if the ruling had ‘merit’. On Monday, June 10, 2013, the Justice Department and Obama Administration decided to allow Judge Korman’s ruling to go into effect. The Justice Department realized that the case may be lost in the appeals courts, which would then elevate the case to the level of the Supreme Court if pursued, and therefore the Department decided to drop its obstruction to the availability of the birth control.

Consequently, Plan B as well as other generic forms of the morning after pill will be available over the counter without a prescription. Judge Korman had ruled that the pills should be made available on drugstore shelves next to condoms and tampons. The FDA plans to drop its appeal of Korman’s ruling, as the administration has instead asked the Plan B manufacturers to submit an application for approval of an one-pill application. The type of morning after pill that is an EC or two pills containing hormones to prevent pregnancy will be made available over the counter immediately.

The move by the secretary to overrule the FDA and change its recommendations for the restrictions on morning after pills was seen as… continue reading 

Lingual Olympics

- Temitope Olofintuyi 

While delivering one of my favorite rap lyrics, I was quickly interrupted by a friend who asserted that I must never feel the need to utter those words again. I felt disappointed in myself—that I could not code-switch into African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) as smoothly as I would have liked. Yet I have always felt discouraged from using AAVE, as it is thought to be an inferior, constricting, and a rather invalid form of communication. I wonder, however, what makes one form of communication more legitimate than the other? After all, at times, where I have failed in communication with Standard English (the existence of which is questionable), I have succeeded with AAVE.

It’s a question well worth the exploration from various perspectives, though personally, understanding the function of code-switching required me to take an even more individualistic approach. Within my social parameters are many Nigerians, most of whom are of Yoruba descent. As an individual who was born in Nigeria, but grew up in the US, it is not uncommon when greeting relatives (all of whom we call aunties or uncles) or friends of parents to hear the perpetual joke about my inability to speak Yoruba fluently and I find myself only getting by with a rough mix of half Yoruba/half English. The joking never fails to remind me of an undeniable truth: without better command of the language, I am further from understanding the complex cultural roots and significance that define the ethnic group I identify with. The original ideas and experiences once/formally existed in full validity without the need for any operative- now standard- English. Accordingly, Yoruba cannot be denied full entitlement to its legitimacy as an effective form of communication, particularly within the group of people who share the common experiences that call its use into relevance.

Likewise, the experience that predicated AAVE cannot be... continue reading 

Keeping the DREAM Alive

- Shamira Azlan

Like most immigration reform acts, the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act remains a controversial legislation. The bill essentially would create a path to citizenship for the undocumented youth residing in the United States. This would allow these youth- who may have been brought here as children- attend college in the United States. The DREAM Act is in no way comprehensive, but it does provide a stepping stone for future immigration reform.

What is stopping the bill from being passed in Congress? There are a multitude of reasons, but the root of the negative criticism is simply ignorance. People are naturally defensive against new ideas and changes they don't understand or can't relate to, and most don't understand the need for immigration reform. These people's opinions are in no way invalidated, it is just going to take skillful advocates to guide the population on the path of empathizing for the undocumented youth. Empathy and general care for the people in your community can go a long way. If hearing the gut-wrenching stories of struggling youth doesn't convince the masses (and sometimes it doesn't), the projected economic growth which will occur if the DREAM Act is put into action should. The bill will help the undocumented youth further their education and thus promote innovation and creativity. In some cases, it can also lead to educated youths serving in the military.

The negative criticisms that the DREAM Act has received are in no way unique. They have been used to oppose immigration reform throughout the world. The arguments against this specific immigration reform bill include opportunities for current American students being taken away, unfair monetary benefits, and opposition to the DREAM Act providing amnesty. Advocates for the DREAM Act work to... continue reading 

China Kindergarten Poisoning

Kerry Hughes | 06.04.13

Kindergarten is all fun and games, right? Learning how to read, how to socialize, maybe with a built-in nap time? This may be a familiar picture, but in rural China, the picture of Kindergarten is changing rapidly due to the new emerging competitive market for profit private kindergartens.

This cut-throat environment framed the poisoning of two children in Lianghe. Cousins Ren Xinyi and Ren Zhaoning found a plastic bag on the way to school that contained a yogurt drink laced with rat poison. The two shared the drink, but Zhaoning consumed more and passed away due to the effects of the poison.

After investigation, a shocking and disheartening conclusion was found: one of the two perpetrators was the principal of a rival kindergarten (Pingan school), whose intention was to damage the reputation of her rival school, according to the official New China News Agency. The poisoned children attended Lianghe Central, and currently Pingan and Central have been shut down.

It was unusual that the town of Lianghe had two kindergartens for its size with a population of 2,000. Clear rivals, both schools charged about the same tuition- $16.25 a month- which is not much compared to the rates of urban private kindergartens at $500 a month per pupil. However, rural kindergartens can make hefty profits with higher enrollment. Pingan, with an enrollment of 56, lagged behind Lianghe Central’s enrollment of 217. In a world where profit depends on enrollment and reputation, there is much competition; especially because the Chinese government has started taking more interest in preschool education.

Furthermore, the increased in standard of living has had a direct impact on awareness of kindergartens and early education. This, in turn, has increased the level of competition between kindergartens…. continue reading 

Holi, A Festival of Color!

Image Source: http://www.soschmeckt.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/holi-festival-of-colors-2012_soschmeckt-3.jpg

This article on Holi is late, but you know what? My community’s celebration of the festival is too. But it's for good reason, you see, because the city I live in here in the States has a somewhat moody temperament with regards to the weather, and this was a particularly pissed off winter. So, while India celebrated the arrival of their spring a few weeks ago (March 27th), we here in colder areas wait for it to hit the 70s before we can lionize the festival of colors in honor of the arrival of spring.

In general, Holi is a gala time in. Celebrated in India and the diaspora, the religious festival of colors is literally that: About using waterguns and waterballoons to wet and color people- your friends, or on the street. It's about making rangoli (intricate designs with colored powder) on your doorstep. People either wear new white clothes and have them splashed with color all day long or wear faded clothes they don't mind getting dirty. To walk on the street means you're fair game; Don't risk it if you're not ready. There is a special Holi drink too, it's called bhang and it's made from milk, ghee (clarified butter), spices, and….cannabis. It's really popular too, rumor has it an adult neighbor once tried it before she was aware of its ingredients, and apparently, she had a good Holi.

For me, living in India, the celebration climaxed in middle school. That was when the war was still playful, but had just begun to get personal. We used eggs, water guns, powder, balloons, mud – I remember one of the biggest games I ever played was against my neighbors when I lived by the sea in Bombay. There, when I looked like a brown canvas that a child had used to throw globfulls of paint at, there was always the warm sea to lay in, reveling in the day's victories. That fat water balloon full of purple color I threw stealthily from afar at a neighbor boy. He was impressed, too. And not that new “safe” vegetable color either; the original kind, the one that lasted on your ears and neck for weeks to come.

As to the religious background of Holi; it's a Hindu festival, and in part, celebrates Prahlada's salvation. This I remember well, curling up to my grandmother in her small bedroom under the gentle creaking of her ceiling fan, and requesting her to tell it for the two hundredth time. It’s my favorite story from the Bhagvada Purana: the story of Prahlada. In a previous avatar, the Lord Vishnu killed a monster. His brother, Hiranyakashipu, wanted to avenge his death and so prays to Lord Brahma vehemently in order to be granted a boon that may help him in this goal. When Lord Brahma answers his prayer, Hiranyakashipu asks for immortality. Brahma says he cannot grant this, but that Hiranyakashipu can ask for a death bound by conditions, which he asks for. His conditions were that death cannot be from the hands of a creature living or dead made by Brahma and cannot be by animal or man, inside or outside, on earth or in space.

With that, Hiranyakashipu sets out to find Vishnu. But Hiranyakashipu's son, Prahlad, is a devout follower of Vishnu, and believes him to be the center of the universe. So Hiranyakashipu turns his attention to Prahlad and tries to kill his own son; each time though, Prahlad is protected by Vishnu in his new avatar Narsimah, who finally descends to finish Hiranyakashipu. Keeping with Brahma's boon, Narsimah appears in the form of a half-lion-half-man, in the threshold of the house (neither inside nor outside), places the monster on his knee (neither on earth nor in space) and eviscerates him with a nail.

Holi, then, is about Prahlada's deliverance. It’s a wonderful and glorious celebration and will always be a favorite of mine.

-Nikhita Venkateish is a proud jumbler and a student at the University of Virginia who will be graduating in 2013 with a B.A. in Biology and minor in Media Studies. She plans to work in the Media/Communications field and is currently looking for entry level positions in that field as well as in Advertising. You can contact her at nv5bs@virginia.edu and find her resume on LinkedIn at this link: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=230685366&trk=tab_pro

Go Big or Go Home

What car are you driving? Or if you’re in the transition period, what cars have caught your eye lately, and why? It’s probably safe to assume that one of the requirements for your car is space and comfort, right?

There’s a current car advertisement running that got us thinking. The ad is for the new Buick Lacrosse, and it’s celebrity promoter, or “size authority” as they refer to him, is Shaquille O’Neal. From start to finish, the entire ad highlights one main component: space. Buick boasts that the 2012 Lacrosse is spacious enough to comfortably fit even a giant like former Magic/Heat/Lakers/Suns/Celtics ( you get the point) player Shaq, who claims to have “shoes that are bigger than most hybrids”. Clearly, size and space are extremely important for Americans when it comes to cars. In fact, Americans have a “space” complex in general, but we’ll touch on that more later.

Today, the cars we drive are seen as an extension of who we are. Needless to say, we associate the brand names with certain standards and class. If you canvas different countries, it is interesting to see how certain cultures view cars. Across Asia and Europe, cars tend to be smaller and more fuel efficient. Most of these cultures, compared to the United States, tend to have a more advanced public transportation system that helps avoid using cars all the time and most of these countries emit (relative to population size) less toxins and pollution when it comes to cars alone. There are, of course, some exceptions in those continents, but the U.S. is definitely behind in waste management and the like.

Shaquille O'Neal: "I have shoes
that are bigger than most hybrids"

So why aren’t we crazy about smaller cars? It feels like hybrids and mini cars are constantly being talked about in America, but somehow not yet winning over the masses. Some years back, the Smart car was all the rage. Well, it certainly was the object of much joking and commentary. Americans weren’t accustomed to the tiny vehicles, and they couldn’t go unnoticed in between the Hummers and SUVs that surrounded them on all sides. Undoubtedly, the unflattering view of the cars lead to its declining popularity. People, men especially, would be less inclined to buy a smaller car because the stigmas associated with these vehicles aren’t particularly masculine or strong. In general, this creates an aversion to them in particular demographics. When our car is an extension of who we are, the reputation is very important.

For example, today the Toyota Prius comes with a certain reputation linked to the “green” lifestyle, as if anyone choosing a Prius is also a vegan or intense Greenpeace advocate. In all honesty, one of the greatest selling points of a hybrid car is the cut in cost and mileage, which is definitely a big advantage, even if you ignore the benefits to our environment.

So, despite these advantages, what is it that drives the lust for bigger, more expensive cars? Even in the throes of such a devastating financial crisis, the unquenchable American thirst for big cars could not be affected. It probably boils down to personal space. In general, Americans have a psychological “complex” about space. This, of course, is bred in the individualist society. Compare the U.S with countries like China and those within the African continent and notice the differences.

The other countries are “collective” societies, which, briefly explained, value and highlight the group over the individual. This is reflected in many aspects of the lifestyle, but an easy example can be found in the food culture. In those countries, eating off of the same plate or ordering meals for the table as a whole is the norm, contrasted with the American who orders a plate for him or herself when dining in a group. Furthermore, when finances allow, American families give each child his/her individual bedroom, computer etc. Much of this has to do with the societal norms that push everyone in different directions, but it is still interesting to note the difference.

A dog gets it's own seat in the car,
dozes off on a long car ride :)

The same phenomena is found with cars. Since plenty of Americans live in suburban areas with limited public transportation, it is vital to keep the flexibility that comes with having one’s own car. In families of three, both parents tend to have a personal vehicle. Add a pet or two, and that family of three will argue the necessity of a large van or SUV to accomodate the dog’s bed on long trips and the occasional carpool of a child’s friend. All jokes aside, the truth is, it’s more about habit than anything else for the majority. If it were required, a good percentage of families with SUVs could easily get by with a smaller car for the daily activities. The sale of SUVs and trucks are often to those who factor in only the occasional family road trip or home improvement venture requiring space, not simply those that actually use any of that space on a regular basis.

Alas, it doesn’t seem the small car craze will be catching on in the States still after all this time. For Americans, it’s go big or go home. Many take pride in their choice for SUVs or trucks, claiming that it’s within their right to choose to pay more for gas if they want. For some, it’s nationalism as well, since big cars have come to be a symbol of America and small cars are left for the “softer” Europeans.

I’m not sure, however, that the jumbler* generation will always be opposed to smaller cars and I can see many of them sticking with their smaller sedans instead of upgrading to SUVs for no particular reason. Perhaps in a few decades, we’ll all have grown accustomed to smaller cars and hybrids. If that happens, our environment will thank us as well.

N.W.S & F.E.A


*"Jumbler" is a new term more directly describing the age-group between the open-ended “young adult” and the broad “adults”. A jumbler is an intellectually sound and aware 17-27 year old with opinions and genuine concern or interest in the world around him/her as well as the issues affecting its communities.

This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.

Internet Privacy

Have you ever Googled yourself? I’m sure you have! But, recently? If you have a common name, have you tried searching your various usernames? Usernames, even more than full names, is where it gets interesting. Whereas the full name may find your awards or Linkedin profile, a username search might find you any public post you’ve made, liked, commented on or shared.

Internet privacy is always a pressing issue and it’s surprising to realize how unaware many people are about their online presence and accessibility. Today, more than ever, it is important to be educating our youth on the subject too. We should be going further than just teaching them to block and avoid any stranger online, to also teaching them the difference between sharing with a select group of friends and making a post public. They may be under the impression that public means only their accepted friends can see their posts and unaware that it is actually open to any searcher on the web. Teaching them the differences and how to choose will help them make educated decisions about what they share and with whom. Of course, the most important thing is to teach them that certain subjects or types of pictures should be avoided altogether online, regardless of who it is shared with.

It seems normal to me that schools would have classes or sessions that reinforce the importance of online privacy, since the age of children connected to the internet keeps getting younger and younger. Although it may ultimately be the parents responsibility to monitor online activity, we should all be pushing for this type of education to be added to schools as well; this can really help keep our children safer, but also help avoid serious repercussions for them years later. There is no harm in reinforcing what they are hearing at home when it will prove so beneficial to them.

The information age has us connected to the internet from a very young age. Even for those whose parents manage to keep their children off of Facebook and the like until high-school are connected at an age where they are still a bit naive or possibly too openly opinionated while not really thinking of the repercussions. They will realize that they have quite a bit of work to do once they try and delete all of their internet content at 21 when applying to jobs (the majority of, if not all, hiring managers today will at least search applicants on Google or Facebook).

Image Source: http://blogs.trb.com/news/opinion/chanlowe/blog/

Perhaps upon reading this you’ve just searched your own username again and found very old posts that would be better off deleted. At an older age it is easier to look back but the the real worry is for the youth who haven't yet defined their own values or identity and may make very critical mistakes when going through certain adjustment periods. Those comments or posts or poetry submissions will haunt them once they are of a more stable position or mindset in their late twenties or older. Even if they are okay with the posts, cleaning them up might be necessary depending on the field of work they choose to go into or the kind of example they want to set for their children. It could be easy to lose authority over your teen when s/he stumbles upon an old video of you engaging in some college prank or YouTube stunt.

It’s hard to have to think so far ahead or to know what you’ll prefer later on, but it’s important to be aware. For example, commenting alone can be quite troublesome. Those links and threads can all be traced back and googling a username can bring up all the past comments. Some apps or websites today don’t actually have a particular privacy setting and others still aren’t easy to manipulate without searching extensively (ex. The app Keek documents every comment made and shows each of them, in order, in a tab on your profile page for all to see).

Writing or stories get copied and stolen without permission since you've put it on a public forum, and now the issue of plagiarism comes into play. Pictures and videos are probably the biggest issues because your face is the most recognizable thing about you, which won’t soon be confused with someone else who has the same name or username. What's worse, at some point that video may have been shared elsewhere and you no longer have any control of where that particular post goes or whether it can be deleted. Even if you've only shared with friends, they can now re-post or re-share it and the audience has grown tenfold. Whenever someone is accessing it through their laptop or phone, they can not only download it if they so wish, but now can instantly take a screenshot of the picture or part of a video and this requires virtually no effort or time on their part. Deleting a friend later does not mean s/he won’t have any of your old pictures or posts saved. The unnerving part isn’t as much the worry about a malicious act from the friend, but rather the idea that it is no longer in your full control. Particularly for people you may not know very well, if you're inclined to add them it is better to add them as a restricted party first, allowing them only to see your public posts until you get to know them better, at which point you can change the privacy setting.

As we discuss this, it’s hard not to remember one of the first reality TV shows- The Real World- and wonder where the "stars" of the early seasons are now and whether they have children who watch their episodes. That show was particularly controversial when it first aired because of the types of things filmed and documented for the world to watch. Shock and entertainment was certainly the point, but did those early “stars” realize how long that behavior may haunt them? From that point on, they no longer have any rights to the footage, which can easily still be found on the web.

Being a contestant or “star” of a reality TV show wouldn’t be an easy thing to hide from your rebellious adolescent who has searched your name and witnessed all your youthful or carefree antics. Once found, it could easily undermine your authority and you would find it difficult to forbid actions that you yourself were a part of at that age. Even if you think you may be "that parent" who'd be proud to show off their adolescent ventures to their children, you may benefit from thinking twice. The truth is, it will all look different in hindsight as we change constantly and substantially throughout our lives.

If you need proof, just think back to your posts on AOL (remember when that was all you used?) or your first few uploaded pictures to Facebook at a relatively young age and tell me you've never gone back to delete them or reread them, wondering "What on Earth was I thinking? How embarrassing!". If you haven't already, you may want to do so now….

N.W.S


This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.

A Delicate Balance: Family and Career, With Dating Tips from the Government?

The modern "Alice In Wonderland" from the Singaporean fairy tale campaign. Her crop-top says "YOLO" and her license plate reads "live fast", reflecting her reckless lifestyle and rash behavior. Image Source: thesingaporeanfairytale.com

A government-backed campaign in Singapore recently started a project with aims to raise awareness about the benefits of starting a family at a relatively younger age rather than waiting until after 40, at which point childbearing risks increase and fertility drops some 95%. The campaign has rewritten fairytales, given them a “modern” spin, and targeted all women, particularly those ages 21-30. The new fairytales can be found online and are also being distributed on University campuses. Examples include a revamp of Alice In Wonderland, now a story of a young carefree woman whose rash decisions and actions take a toll on her health and cause complications when she decides to finally have children. Each story’s moral explicitly educates women about different risks that come with certain lifestyles and the benefits to having children before it’s too late. One such highlighted benefit is the ability for younger parents to keep active with the children in their early years. The government has already launched many campaigns and backed projects that in essence teach its citizens to flirt and promote activities like speed dating to help increase the younger population. In one of their publications, they have coined the term SNIP, “Singaporean New Independent Princess” to describe the country’s corporate women today.

So, why is this a pressing issue? Why is the government concerned with promoting relationships and starting a family? To find the answer one only has to look at certain social statistics: Singaporeans work the longest hours of any country worldwide and many corporate women are more concerned with furthering their careers than starting a family. Even those who want to start a family have difficulty finding the time given the heavy workload and responsibility in their jobs. For many, the issue is an afterthought and an eventuality that doesn’t necessarily require their full attention because they feel everything should fall into place in due time. Unfortunately, some are hit with the harsh realities of how fast time flies and the population is ageing fast with low birth rates. In addition, the government has passed a bill within the last month that grants citizenship to more foreigners and it is projected that by 2030, native Singaporeans will only make up around half of the population. It appears the population is truly at a critical stage, yet one can’t help but find the idea of government intervention with dating a tad…unnatural.

In many societies today, we hear jumblers* giving their own viewpoint on marriage. Opinions differ, but it seems that there has been a significant shift towards waiting before settling down. We want to cultivate our individual path, enjoy our youth and focus on building our careers before worrying about such a definitive and serious step. After putting such effort into our studies and accruing debt from student loans, it is only right that we give priority to our careers and supporting ourselves before anything else. What’s more, we are always hearing horror stories about high divorce rates and marriage trouble which seems none too appealing, at least not any time soon. Most of us require a certain level of financial stability for our couple, wanting even to own a home, before moving forward with marriage- let alone children- and this takes time to build. It’s clearly not just a matter of deciding to have children once we’ve hit a certain age, yet it is somewhat common to hear that jumblers* do have a general plan.

For many the plan is flexible, maybe a general aim of being married by 28 if we’ve met the right person. For others, particularly women, the plan can be quite strict because they do take into account the “biological clock”. Take this for example: a woman who hopes to have four children and wants to space each child two years apart might plan on having her first child by age 30 in order to still be under 40 when she has her last child, since she is aware that complications increase at that age. That being said, she doesn’t plan on having children the first year of marriage, but rather wants to allow for one year of marriage without children. Furthermore, she doesn’t want to jump right into marriage with just anyone but wants to be certain of her decision, requiring at least three years of dating before getting engaged and one year for planning the wedding, etc. In order for all of this to go as planned, she would ideally start dating her future husband by age 25. With the difficulties that come with making relationships work and finding someone compatible enough in the first place, one wants to allow for a certain cushion of trial and error. Given that the average age of graduation from undergrad is around 21 (keeping in mind that a good number of students opt for higher degrees and may not choose to date seriously while in school), this allows for about four years of “trial and error” before arriving at the deadline to have met a suitable partner.

Needless to say, just listening to (or reading about) these plans can be overwhelming, and it’s much easier to just have faith that things will work out. It is important, however, to note that plenty of young adults make the conscious and educated decision not to get married or not to have children, which is ,of course, fully within their right. At the same time, for those who do plan on starting a family, the current situation in Singapore reminds us that time is still of the essence and we may need to take more control than we’d like to, even if it feels a bit forced.

N.W.S

*"Jumbler" is a new term more directly describing the age-group between the open-ended “young adult” and the broad “adults”. A jumbler is an intellectually sound and aware 17-27 year old with opinions and genuine concern or interest in the world around him/her as well as the issues affecting its communities.


This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.


Sources: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/22/singapore-fairytales-warn-declining-fertility#
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/singapore-fairy-tales-female-fertility_n_2956993.html

Is Google Glass Here To Stay?

Image Source:  mashable.com

Today, it is difficult to imagine our lives without some type of electronic gadget coming to mind. We see gadgets like smartphones and tablets playing a more prominent role in our day to day routine.

As a result, it could be argued that we live in an electronics-dependent society, one that functions primarily with the use of some sort of technological equipment. It’s not hard to find evidence demonstrating how we rely on electronic technology to function in every aspect of our lives, starting with the use of appliances for basic feeding and extending to the use of social media and the internet to help keep citizens clued in and involved in a nation’s affairs or political endeavors. In this current age of highly advanced gadgetry, it is commonplace to wait in eager anticipation of the latest release of any gadget, even if the individual already owns a perfectly functioning version that could still last for a long period of time.

The idea of keeping up to date with the latest technology has moved from being a thing of choice to a basic necessity. We see software and other valuable updates only being created for the newest operating systems; therefore, in order to download a software created in 2011 or later, one would be required to have at least a 2011 OS because companies now only create products compatible with the newest operating system. If one wishes to upgrade any minor element, other updates become necessary as opposed to elective. Companies encourage this hyper-consumerism by constantly rolling out new ideas for products and even allowing premature access to limited public audiences in order to test their commercial viability.

Presently, the announcement of the latest array of gadgets includes the highly anticipated Google Glass: a pair of thin glasses that use built in apps to function in a hands-free mode. This glass boasts of being the “game changer” in regards to how we use technology to interact with society. Google Glass uses augmented reality technology to interact with the real world. This technology opens the gates to a whole new form of interaction, allowing users to instantly run a Google search on a stranger they ran into in a subway or instantly live stream a conversation or meeting via Google Hangouts. Much of the appeal is in its hands-free design, rendering tasks like video-recording events or activities significantly less troublesome and more enjoyable, as it only requires directing your line of sight to focus and capture the moment. What's more, this device can download and run many apps- not just Google software- which leaves its development and use open-ended.

Critics of this gadget claim that the entire project is an over-ambitious one, just like Apple’s “Siri” which was equally brilliant, but arguably irrelevant. Critics predict the devices will fail in the market because of several issues that plague its relevance and usability. These issues include privacy, comfort, cost and general ease of use. Critics believe this product would encounter a myriad of privacy issues because of its potential to innately gather and store information on surroundings and other individuals nearby without permission. A strong case against the success of this product is its whopping cost, it is rumored to become available to the public at an outrageous price of $1,500.

Optimistic critics, on the other hand, believe in the success of this product. They argue, similar to Apple’s Ipad, the world will be open to accept a technology that they previously had no idea they needed. So, just like the Ipad, the masses will eventually incorporate Google Glass into their daily lives. Others, still, believe that although the product may fail as a domestic entity, it shows potential for flourishing as a corporate tool. Departments, like the police force, will find this product particularly helpful in carrying out their daily duties.

Many are convinced that the Glass will be used in positive ways that cannot yet be foreseen, similar to how the reach in use of Microsoft’s X-box Kinect shocked even the creators when it went from being only a game to being used as an educational tool in lectures to guide presentations. As we wait in eager anticipation, only time will tell if Google Glass will be a commercial success and the revolutionary product it is hyped up to be or an unnecessary and expensive flop.

For jumblers*, we find this new product to be particularly exciting and innovative. We are used to seeing technology advance at a rapid pace and are ready to learn how to interact with the new Google Glass. It may not be long before we’re all sporting the glasses fashion trend. That is, of course, once the price has drastically decreased or when there are no longer daunting interest rates for private loans just to finance our technological cravings.

F.E.A

*"Jumbler" is a new term more directly describing the age-group between the open-ended “young adult” and the broad “adults”. A jumbler is an intellectually sound and aware 17-27 year old with opinions and genuine concern or interest in the world around him/her as well as the issues affecting its communities.

This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.

The Pressure and the Path

Image Source: http://www.rei.ase.ro/index.php?cat=24

The jumblers* of today, soon-to-be grads and recent grads alike, are all undergoing what I deem to be a somewhat unique experience. We've got the pressure of learning to survive on our own and provide for ourselves in an economic situation (yes, still) that makes it difficult to find jobs at all, nevermind jobs in the field you studied...and nevermind working for that one company you always had your heart set on. It's harder mainly because even if before now there were already a lot of recent grads applying for the same entry-level positions, we have to remember that now many recent grads are competing against much older applicants who may have been laid off but who at least can attest to the seven+ years of experience they have in the field and who don't mind starting off at a lower salary than they were once earning because, let's face it, it's better than unemployment. We're saved by the appeal of our young spirit and "fresh outlook" that hiring managers may crave but the situation certainly isn't raising our chances.

What's worse is that companies know this and since they, too, are in need of cutting back costs, they can get away with only offering unpaid intern positions that for the majority of recent grads is better than nothing and at the very least adds to their "experience" when applying to the next job. But at the same time, it doesn't feed or house them and at some point choosing the retail position at minimum wage is better than getting into serious trouble over failure to repay student loans and or having to live off of friends and family. There's something psychologically unnerving about having finally arrived as a graduate and intellectually sound adult whose mindset is adapting to autonomy, self-sufficiency, and the general trauma of realizing s/he is in the real world and not getting any younger....but at the same time living back with the parents, in the old house and possibly under some similar rules as when s/he was in high-school. Psychologically unnerving indeed. It's not easy and even realizing that a lot of us are in the same position doesn't really help ease the blow to our pride.

And the worst bit of it all is that a good number of those who end up having to take the retail job to pay back loans or simply pay rent won't end up returning back to the field of work or positions they had originally decided upon and instead will realize that three-five years have gone by and they are stuck in the same city or have taken yet another job that isn't bringing them any closer to what they had hoped for...but at least it pays the bills. Now, there are plenty who go on from undergraduate to continue studies for higher degrees. For many this was always the plan and then we have those who choose grad school simply by default after searching high and low for a good job. This, of course, is done in good faith that the higher degree will tip the scales to their advantage when applying again. Makes sense, but for some it only adds on more debt and more pressure as you pass yet another birthday and creep up the ladder of 20-something without a grand sense of security in the job market. Settling for anything starts to seem almost inevitable...

Yet, even this is not the unique part. The unique part now, and the curveball in this 20-something community, is the "start-up" culture. The prominence and accessibility of starting a business is influencing and motivating young minds with bright ideas. With a large number of them in the tech sphere (social media, games, apps, etc), young minds feel they have the best chances of becoming successful considering we are the generation that most appreciates, understands, depends on and uses this technology. Makes sense; easier to make something for a target audience when you can completely relate with said audience and many of us, in my opinion, truly do have great ideas for apps and social media sites. Putting it into place and sticking with it is the hard part, but with this start-up culture booming, it is probably easier than ever before to at least know which direction to turn and who to contact, if nothing else.

Image Source: http://elitedaily.com/elite/2012/generationy-launch-startups/

We see the older generation getting laid off from companies they've worked with for decades or once-secure government jobs and we're none too impressed. Why work for the man and let him decide your fate when we're young and innovative, creative and inspired!? Being your own boss, working for yourself, and really making something of your own name is much more appealing to some of us than working on a design, advertisement, article, report under our boss' name or the name of another company, big or small. We worked hard and slaved away at school to get the know-how and now we can build, write, plan, code, and design on our own. What's more, we've got plenty of friends in different fields who are talented in their own way to help with whatever skill we're lacking in order to really bring the idea to fruition. And the best part? There are plenty of start-up companies and investors and retreats and competitions that remind us it really is quite possible today to make it work. That certainly hasn't always been the case and those with our ideas in the past would have found it a much more daunting task to hunt for support and funding without a wealthy connection or family backing. So this motivates us and on any campus you'll hear talk of start-up ideas on a regular basis.

But as I observe this, I can't help but wonder....with so many of us trying, can we all make it? What will be the deciding factors?

It will certainly take character. With any business venture, there are particular personality traits and characteristics that make or break the entrepreneur. For the most part they are clear: leader who also knows how to follow and learn from others, creative, risk-taker, diligent, focused, resourceful, confident in the plan, dedicated to the realization of the goal, etc. The most important factor that always pops into my head however, when I listen to my fellow 20-somethings talk about business ideas or start-up ventures, is perseverance. Unfortunately, a downside to the fact that start-up talk is so commonplace allows people to forget the struggle any business requires in the beginning. Dreams of quick success, heavy investors or large acquisition payouts from a company who falls in love with the idea seem to be the talk of many, but let us not forget to be realistic. I'm not saying to not aim for that, if that be your goal, but I get the impression that many wouldn't know how to persevere with the idea once a year has passed without a big sell.

That being said, perhaps the determining factor for many will be their reason and motivation behind the start-up. Those who are really motivated by the project itself will have a better reason to keep pushing forward when success is not immediate because they have confidence in the idea and dreams of realizing the goal as opposed to dreams of just doing whatever minimal work to get a big payout. If the goal is only to become successful within the year then no matter how great the idea is, its success will completely be dictated by time. In other words, with goals like that, not meeting the right investor or choosing the right pitch/plan within 12 months means the project is dead because you lose hope, when in reality forging ahead may mean that by month 32 everything works out because in fact the idea itself was a successful one.

Image Source: http://adolfoplasencia.es/blog/category/startup/

Although we tend to hear a lot about those startups that are huge hits within the first two years (because those are the notable ones), I know that most business ventures take a good amount of time to grow, many of which won't see any substantial monetary success without decades of hard work. Those who will be easily discouraged by setbacks or having to tweak plans and timelines won't be able to make it. Perseverance and the ability to work diligently towards a goal of the future without seeing rewards right away is a must. The ability to sacrifice on certain fleeting pleasures for the benefit of the bigger picture is difficult but also necessary. Depending on the age, sacrifices may seem as simple as saving money for the project instead of buying loads of alcohol for that forgettable party or choosing to devote time to work instead of impulsive outings with friends. These can be difficult decisions at some schools where the norm is to spend downtime partying and socializing once schoolwork or that part-time job has tuckered us out for the day.

It's always impressive and admirable to hear students explain that they didn't go out because they were working on a side project or they really wanted to finish that draft of the business plan for which they'd given themselves a deadline. Staying in when you know you have a report due the next day and the deadline is given by your professor is much easier than being able to stay on track when it comes to a personal project and making that choice for yourself. Don't cut socializing out of course, but moderation is key and at some point, the realities of graduation will hit you and you'll be left wishing you started focusing earlier. As soon as you have that diploma you lose the excuse of "still being a student"/"'focusing' on schoolwork", etc. Officially overqualified for the "student" option on the drop-down tab for profession but left hanging in the balance...already lumped in a group with most of the same expectations as the 30+. You quickly go from "young and figuring things out" to "lazy and unfocused".

 I, for one, have high hopes for those venturing in this direction and definitely have an eye on some of my fellow 20-somethings who show great promise. It will be interesting in many many years to come to see what path they take and where they arrive. I sincerely wish us all the best of luck.

May we persevere.  
--N.W.S


*"Jumbler" is a new term more directly describing the age-group between the open-ended “young adult” and the broad “adults”. A jumbler is an intellectually sound and aware 17-27 year old with opinions and genuine concern or interest in the world around him/her as well as the issues affecting its communities.

This blog, JumbleTalk, and our news source website www.jumbletalk.com are completely run and written by jumblers, giving them a voice and outlet that reflects their influential, relevant opinions and their strong abilities and skills.