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Almost two years ago, I was aboard a Lufthansa Boeing 747 descending over the palm-lined beaches along the shores of the Straits of Malacca, a vital global shipping lane once infamous for piracy, flying into Changi Airport in Singapore. This being my first visit to Asia, I was not only amazed by the spectacular design and dimensions of the airport which is indubitably one of the world’s best, but also by all the scents, impressions and noises I perceived as being so different from Europe and North America. Singapore, located on the tip of the Malay Peninsula between Malaysia and Indonesia just 90 miles north of the equator, is a Southeast Asian city state that is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It boasts the busiest container port in the world, the lowest crime rate, the highest level of hygiene and one of the most harmonious, well-educated and most diverse societies in the world. Each traveler who disembarks an aircraft on the island for the first time will understand how this unique urban ecosystem strives to achieve more and outperform anything else.

Out of curiosity about foreign places, I was already very familiar with the countries recent history. Given this background, I was admiring how advanced and futuristic everything is, knowing that when Singapore gained its independence from Britain in 1965, it was a relatively small, developing world society that comprised several ethnic groups from different cultural, religious and language backgrounds. The only unifying factor was the fact that these people shared one tiny island which takes less than one hour to cross by car.

The person who had probably the largest influence on the new nation was Lee Kuan-Yew. He was leading the country from 1959 to 1990 (TIME) and comparing what he took charge of in a turbulent time in the late 1950s to what he left his well-prepared successors with is mind-boggling. Singapore in its early years was a tiny island, lacking resources, creditworthiness, infrastructure, education, international support, the ability to defend itself and a national sense of unity. It was Lee and his party, the People’s Action Party, that gradually fought off communists, criminals, pirates and colonists to build the foundation for a modern state: A very strict legal system was established, that strengthened the government’s control over society and gave Singapore the nickname “fine city”. Even today foreigners might be disturbed seeing signs warning people of what fines they will have to pay if they break any of the countless rules. These signs can be seen virtually everywhere and read like the following examples I encountered:

In the subways,  smoking a cigarette costs $1,000, eating or drinking results in a fine of $500. Bringing flammable goods costs $5,000,  jaywalkers get charged $500 (up to $2,000) and those who use a cell phone while driving a car have to pay $1,000. Drug traffickers are sentenced to death. A little less lethal but still extreme to many foreigners is the $500 fine for eating or possessing chewing gum without prescription (Singapore, the FINE City).

During my first days in Singapore, I was watching my behavior in public extremely carefully to avoid breaching any of the countless rules. Once I overheard a conversation between an American tourist and her travel mate: The lady said “This is not my city,” after having had to pay a fine for lighting a cigarette at the airport station. I got especially cautious when walking by at some of the many machines where fines can be paid electronically which can be found in most stations and government institutions.  As I explored Singapore and the lifestyle of its people, I realized that the enforcement of the rules has become a little more lenient over the years in an attempt to not scare away foreign tourists and investors. There is hardly any police presence visible in the streets. Only spectacularly designed advertisements on the subway windows seeking recruits for the Singapore Police Force gave me an idea of how a local police officer would look like: Neatly dressed in a dark blue, tight uniform with short black hair covered by a police cap. Nevertheless, surveillance cameras can be found virtually everywhere which sort of reminded me of the book “1984″ by George Orwell who anticipated a surveillance state. This impression is reinforced when seeing the Supreme Court Building in the city center which has the shape of a flying saucer towering over the government district with the ancient colonial palaces of the British.

While a number of Western visitors that I met during my stay expressed how uncomfortable they felt being constantly watched by “Big Brother”, it did not bother me too much and the trade-off between privacy in public and extremely successful crime prevention, cleanliness and convenience seemed to be worth it. Literally at all times of the night and day I was roaming up and down the avenues, elevated walkways, underpasses and intersections of the city, without having to fear for my safety.

Another priority of the first Singaporean governments was to build a world-class public infrastructure. The roads, public transport, electricity, waste water treatment, port, airport and law enforcement infrastructure are efficient, well-maintained and convenient. Schools and universities are amongst Asia’s best, recreational facilities are advanced and the tax system is highly transparent and attractive for businesses. As of 2010, Singapore was number one of the Transparency International Index for the least corruption. (Reuters)

One of the issues Singapore was confronted with in the early years was poverty, homelessness and crime. To counteract these hindrances to growth and stability, the government started a humongous public housing program. Even today, roughly 80% of Singaporeans live in high-rises built and subsidized by the government to provide accommodation for those in need and bring the cost of living down. (Clammer 40, 111) Within these public housing units, the government tried to maintain the same ethnic ratios as on the island-wide level to avoid the formation of “ghettos”(Clammer 40). Instead, Singapore’s northern territories comprise numerous “new towns” that seem like semi-urban communities, providing its residents all the amenities of urban living. Even the daily commute to work is not much of an issue since the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) subway network stretches out to the most remote settlements on the island.

Facing the challenge of forming a unified nation out of several ethnic groups, Singapore has embraced multiculturalism from the beginning (Neville 251). According to the CIA World Factbook, the vast majority (76.8%) of the population are ethnic Chinese, even though the cultural differences with mainland Chinese are significant. The second largest ethnic group with 13.9% of the population is Malaysian while Indians account for 7.9% (CIA) The remainder includes all nationalities, mostly Europeans, other Asians, Americans, Arabs and Africans. Next to the ethnic aspect of diversity, there is the language aspect. Singapore has four official languages (Mandarin, English, Malay and Tamil) next to many dialects and other languages (CIA). Education is bilingual, with instruction in English and a requirement to study at least one of the other three official languages. Hence, almost all Singaporeans are able to speak at least one or two additional languages next to English. Higher education in Singapore has been taught in English since the early years of Singapore to give Singapore a “pro-Western identity.” (Sidhu) Amongst all the language diversity, locals, especially youths tend to communicate in a slang called “Singlish” which is a mixture of English and several phrases and syllables from Chinese and Malay. This makes everyday conversation harder to understand for outsiders, which could indeed be one of the benefits of the slang to some locals.

The third aspect of diversity is religion. As CIA statistics show, more than 40% of the population is Buddhist, around 15% are Muslim, Taoism accounts for 8.5%, Hinduism for 4%, Catholicism for 4.8%, other Christian religions for 9.8% and most of the remainder does not belong to any religion.

Considering these incredible challenges to forming a successful state and society, it is astounding to see how Lee Kuan-Yew left a prosperous, globalized and highly competitive economic powerhouse to his successors in 1990. (TIME) New York Times writer Nicholas D. Kristof describes how Lee, despite his authoritarian policies and views, voluntarily passed on power to the next generation of leadership within a democratic system where the ruling party’s success has created such strong support among the population that Lee’s party is still in power, regularly legitimized by voters, almost 50 years after its founding. Kristof elaborates by showing how this made Singapore a role model for the development of many Asian countries, combining values and traditions from the East and West.

In 1978, the then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping visited Singapore and fascinated by the success of a mostly Chinese society that thrives with a democratic, free market system, he started a far-reaching reform process in China that set the country on the pathway to becoming the economic superpower it is today (PAP).

The harmony within Singapore society is unparalleled. As a sense of competition and materialism is already instilled in Singaporean children at pre-school age, most of the population seeks to achieve Singapore’s infamous five Cs (Cash, Car, Credit Card, Condo, Country club)(Hussain).

Individual wealth and prestige is one of the most important concerns of Singaporeans and in my view part of the reason why pragmatism prevailed when it comes to celebrating selected religious holidays of each major group and maintaining traditions and diversity. Taking a look at the public holidays in Singapore, it stand out that next to state holidays such as Labor Day and National Day, the remaining public holidays are equally given to the various religious groups that make up Singapore’s society:  Vesak Day for Buddhists,  Hari Raya Puasa Adilfitri and  Hari Raya Haji for Muslims, Deepavali for Hindus, Good Friday  and of course Christmas for the Christian minority next to New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year were all created to allow religious and ethnic groups to celebrate their traditions (Ah, Eng Lai 2006). Since everybody gets a day off no matter what their religious view is and everybody gets to celebrate selected important dates like in the countries of their ancestors, Singapore has mastered the challenge of combining the traditions and demands of multiple religions while establishing dates for celebration of national achievement.

Food might be another reason why Singapore’s diversity is so tension-free. Most of the islanders have a great passion for food, and the multitude of cuisines from all over Asia and the world that formed a blend of uniquely Singaporean cuisine make the country a culinary paradise. One of my first meals after arriving in Singapore was one of the national dishes that is related to the cuisines of the surrounding cultures but is ultimately a Singaporean creation: Laksa. It is a coconut curry noodle soup with shrimp and tofu. Due to the locals’ preference for spicy meals, that Laksa was one of the hottest dishes I have ever tried. The same night, I was able to have an originally Indian curry in the outskirts of what today still is called China Town. One popular feature of Singapore’s culinary variety is the many hawkers, small food stalls, usually a number of them gathered in a roofed square, that offer affordable, local quality food to go. Even for the most cautious travelers it is safe to try the street food at the hawker centers as the same level of hygiene is practiced as in other parts of the city. A widely popular snack in Singapore is either toast, muffins or bread with Kaya which is a sweet, brown-greenish spread made of sugar, coconut milk and eggs. From what I experienced staying in Singapore and talking to locals I can only agree to the impression many visitors have: The cuisine is “central to Singapore’s national identity” as it is put on the website HalalInfo.com which is a blog on food in accordance with Muslim rules and customs. The country’s ethnic and religious diversity the multicultural melting pot of Asia is so famous for is represented by the large variety of food choices Singaporeans enjoy.

After about two weeks in the city state, I had a pretty good impression of its lifestyle which was not too different from other wealthy Asian societies such as Japan and Hong Kong, with the major difference being the diversity and the internationalism of the place. Singaporeans like to spend their past times flocking the malls, eating at the food courts, going to the movies and heading out to the beautiful beaches with man-made attractions on Sentosa  island and West Coast Park. Entertainment, light & sound effects turn these places into beach theme parks. When visitors come, they are often recommended to enjoy the view on the breathtaking skyline of mostly brand-new and futuristic skyscrapers with landmark buildings such as the Esplanade Theatres with its two huge domes and the traditional Raffles Hotel whose colonial charme can still be felt today. Named after the founder of Singapore as a British colony, Sir Stamford Raffles, the hotel has been prestigious ever since it was first opened in 1887 according to the Philippine newspaper Manila Bulletin.

Having traveled boom towns in China and having experienced what immense pride residents of places such as Shanghai and Hong Kong feel for their cities, Singaporeans are much more modest when talking to foreigners about their hood. One of my first friends from Singapore once asked me curiously about the reason for my excitement for one of the “smallest red dots on the map” and what was so special about all the fancy new buildings that have not been around for too long. Sharing my fascination for the accomplishments of the country and asking how Singapore has changed since their childhood, which must have been significant as most buildings that comprise Singapore’s skyline today are less than 10 or 15 years old, this question has puzzled most of the people I talked to. My impression was that many natives of Singapore are taking the city as they know it for granted without even thinking back to the by historical standards extremely short time period during which all the development took place. Looking into the future, my guess is that we can expect to see many more surprises coming out of this tiny, yet powerful Southeast Asian nation which proved to be brilliant at adapting to changing circumstances and taking advantage of new developments.

Sources

Ah, Lai Eng. (2006). Religious diversity in Singapore . Singapore: Institute of

Southeast Asian Studies. p. 33

AsiaTravel.com. Cuisine of Singapore. Halal Informations. April 11 2010. Sun Feb 21

2011.<http://www.halalinfo.com/halal-chinese/cuisine-of-singapore-by-

asiatravel-com>

CELDRAN, David. Southeast Asia’s Best Heritage Hotels. Manila Bulletin February 20, 2011.

Web. 21 Feb 2011. <http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/305308/southeast-asias- best

heritage-hotels>.

Clammer, John. Race and State in Independent Singapore 1965-1990. Brookfield, VT:

Ashgate, 1998. 40, 111. Print.

Fig. 1. Fines sign in Singapore MRT train. Personal Photograph by author.

Fig. 2. Singaporean Supreme Court Building. Personal Photograph by author.

Fine City: You will be fined in Singapore if you…. Singapore, the FINE City 03 May 2009.

Web. 17 Feb 2011. <http://singapore-the-fine-city.blogspot.com/2009/05/illegal

trafficking-import-or-export-of.html>.

Hussain, Zakir. SM Goh recasts the 5 Cs. Straits Times August 7 2010. Web. 17 Feb 2011.

<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_563439.html>

Kristof, Nicholas D. THE WORLD; China Sees Singapore As a Model for Progress. New

York Times 09 August 1992. Web. 17 Feb 2011.

<http://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/09/weekinreview/the-world-china-sees-

singapore-as-a-model-for-progress.html>.

Lee Kuan Yew. TIME Web. 17 Feb 2011.

<http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/lee1.html>.

Neville, Warwick. EthniCity. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1996. 251-283. Print.

Sidhu, Ravinder. Emerging education hubs: the case of Singapore. Springer Sciene +

Business Media, 2010. 4, 14, 123. eBook.

Singapore. CIA World Factbook. Web. 17 Feb 2011.

<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sn.html>.

Suzhou the spark in Sino-Singapore ties. People’s Action Party. Web. 17 Feb 2011.

<http://www.pap.org.sg/articleview.php?folder=PT&id=5323>.

When it comes to cutting back on your energy consumption, you probably aren’t as diligent as you should be.  You may neglect to turn off lights when you exit a room, or leave the computer running day and night because you don’t want the hassle of waiting for it to boot up every day.  And you might not even know that your choice of appliances, light bulbs, thermostat, and even water heater could make a huge difference in how much energy you’re sucking up each month (not to mention the absurd amount of money you’re shelling out to the utility providers).  But with just a few simple changes to the way your household is run, and maybe a couple of upgrades, you can really cut down on both your consumption and your monthly bills.  Here are some creative ways to go green and start saving.

• 1. Energy audit. How can you save energy if you don’t even know where it’s being wasted? Many people don’t realize that there are a lot of potential problem areas in the home when it comes to air loss (in other words, you could be letting the bought air out). Hire an auditor to come in and test your home for such leaks. You can find technicians through your utility company (they will either be on staff or the company can recommend an independent auditor). You could see a significant reduction in your energy use by correcting common problems like doors that don’t seal properly.
• 2. Set a timer. There are bound to be times when nobody’s home (kids are at school, you’re at work, you go on vacation, etc.). So why would you pay to heat or cool a space that isn’t in use? Instead, get a thermostat with a timer and set it to go off when you leave, and kick back on just before you get home (so you’re domicile is the right temp when you arrive).
• 3. Tankless water heater. Never heard of one? It’s not surprising, considering they’re relatively new. You may be wondering how your water gets heated without a tank, but the concept is not too hard to grasp. You’re water flows through a small apparatus containing a heating element, which kicks in on demand. What this means is that your water is only being heated when you turn on the tap (and not when you turn it off). This is an excellent energy-saving device, as opposed to regular water heaters which keep your water hot all the time (requiring ongoing expenditure of energy).
• 4. Unplug. Phantom drain is another problem that not too many people have heard of. When your electronics are plugged in but powered off, they still continue to siphon small amounts of electricity, which doesn’t sound too terrible until it starts adding up. Think about all the electronics you have plugged in around the clock (TV, computer, cell phone…even the clock) and you can begin to imagine how the pennies add up to dollars. So unplug items that aren’t in use (or put them all on one easy-to-unplug power strip).
• 5. Plant a tree for your tomorrow. By planting trees around your home, you could cut back on energy costs tomorrow. Tall trees can provide shade in the summer (allowing you to turn off the AC) and a wind-break in the winter (to keep cold winds from getting in around the cracks). Bonus: they provide clean, healthy air!

Leon Harris writes for Southern States, the quality name in high voltage switching. Whether you are in need of circuit switchers, power fuses, or other electrical power transmission and distribution needs, Southern States will tailor a custom solution for you.

The current events in Egypt have caused worries worldwide. Since protesters got attacked by President Mubarak’s supporters, Egypt could find itself on the verge of a civil war if the government fails to compromise with the protesters and violence escalates.In this case, the entire Middle East could be destabilized within days and trigger a number of serious conflicts within the region. Israel would find itself in a highly difficult situation, as a major supporter in the region would be lost at least temporarily. Other Arab countries where authoritarian regimes have been in power for decades could see uprisings of a similar scale. At the end of a series of violent shakeups in the region, we might see a new Middle East which might be more democratic and peaceful. However, the opposite could come true as well.

Economically, the impact of the crisis could be huge. As the New York Times reported on Thursday, more than two million barrels of oil are being shipped through the Suez Canal every day which is approximately 4.5% of world oil production.

The Suez Canal which links the Mediterranean to the Red Sea is traveled by 81 vessels per day on their way from Europe to Asia  or the other way around, according to the Suez Canal Authority. The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and the Untied Arab Emirates is the only passage for tankers out of the oil-rich Persian Gulf through which roughly 40% of the world’s oil is shipped, and the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia is another vital shipping lane on which around 25% of seaborne oil shipping is carried out every day. These three strategically important waterways are crucial to the well-being of the world economy, as a disruption of shipping traffic would have terrible effects on global oil prices and oil supply.

Since the crisis in Egypt broke out, oil prices broke through the $100 a barrel ceiling for the first time since fall 2008 and are likely to stay high or even go up further. There are concerns that an escalation of the protests might prompt the military to shut down the operations of the Suez Canal if the security of ships passing can no longer be guaranteed. In this event, oil supplies to Europe through the canal would have to be rerouted around Africa which would drive up transportation costs and momentarily reduce oil supplies and bring up prices to a moderately higher level.

While an outbreak of violence across Egypt and a shut down of the Suez Canal would be a dramatic event and have far-reaching negative implications on other countries, it would not be the worst-case scenario. Far more dramatic would be a wave of unrest and destabilization across the entire Middle East which would disrupt oil production in a number of major oil-producing countries. The economic consequences would be catastrophic. Sudan, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Iraq and even Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen could be impacted by a revolution in Egypt. According to data from the CIA World Factbook, these countries produce round about 18,350,000 barrels of oil per day - which is more than 20 percent of the current 88 million barrels global daily oil production.

Hopefully, Egypt will manage to end the increasingly violent conflict soon and find its way back to being a source of stability for the Middle East as a whole. If the conflict spreads outside the country and destabilizes the region, the world economy is likely to be impacted negatively. A temporary blockade of the Suez Canal would not be as dramatic as a disruption of oil production in the entire region. Significantly higher oil prices over an extended period of time undermine economic growth and delay the world’s recovery from the financial crisis.

More on energy:

>>>> http://www.whatmattersweblog.com/new-energy-age-research-paper

With Rio de Janeiro being named the host of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, many have already begun speculating about who will take the bid for the 2022 Winter Games. The United States is rumored to be seriously pushing to win the bid. With this win the United States Olympic Committee would be hoping to not only further their athletic dominance in the Winter events, but help with the efforts of making the event more green.

 With the naming of CEO Andrew Liveris and DOW Chemical as the official sponsor of the Olympics for the next decade, it is clear that the USOC is backed p by the International Olympic Committee. By goig green and naming them as an Olympic sponsor the IOC President, Jacques Rogge believes the overall commitment to advancement, sustainability, and corporate responsibility parallels the Olympic Movement of peace, progress, and international collaboration.

Following the lead of the Beijing Olympics, Olympic partner Andrew Liveris and other USOC members are looking to do more. The summer Olympics made great efforts to showcase conservation practices and sustainable energy sources because while the sporting event is unifying and fascinating, it’s not the most eco-friendly event. These changes that the IOC is hoping to make as actually a huge deal. It has been estimated that over 2/3 of the carbon emissions from the event is a result of some of the 1.5+ million attendees traveling (mostly via airplane) to and from the event.

Exactly what environmentally friendly services did the Olympic facilities feature?

• Solar power - Used to light lawns, courtyards and streets at several venues, including the Olympic Village. A 130 KW photovoltaic system illuminated The National Stadium, where events such as athletics and football were held.
• Geothermal - Ground source heat pumps used the earth’s constant temperature to heat and cool much of the interior including athletic suites, media rooms and underground venues of the National Stadium.

•  Water Conservation- Waste water collected from the Qinghe sewage treatment plant was filtered and used for the various heating and cooling needs throughout the Olympics site, yielding a 60% savings in electricity. Rainwater was collected from around the grounds, collecting over 75,000 gallons by using water permeable bricks, pipes and wells installed on roofs, roads and green areas.
•  Natural Light - Remember the famous ‘Water Cube’ where the aquatic events were held? The walls of the National Aquatics Centre provided natural light, and for the interior of the building, specially designed ‘beam-pipes’ funneled sunlight into corridors, toilets and car parks at venues, including the Olympic Green.

•  Recycling - The 2008 Olympic hosts aimed for a 50 per cent recycling of waste including paper, metals and plastics at venues. A modest expectation, considering that a test run carried out during the 11th World Softball Championships held in 2007, achieved a nearly 90 per cent recycling rate.

 You can expect these products and more to appear at the coming events over the next decade. While the Olympics in 2008 had great new ways of filtration and insulation for the events, the IOC as is hoping to take that vision a step further to include dozens of other products which will help reduce waste and promote conservation.

Co-written by Nerissa Barry and Daniel Fielding

 Common sense suggests that a leader needs followers. Hence leadership is the ability to motivate people to voluntarily follow you. In order to accomplish that you need to possess a set of qualities that benefits your followers and commands respect. Both aspects are very important. The most respected person will fail as a leader if he or she fails to benefit his or her followers through his or her extraordinary talents. These benefits can be material (such as higher income, increased living standard) and immaterial (such as inspiration, pacification and appeasement). The most skilled leader that benefits his or her followers will equally fail as a leader if he or she is incapable of earning respect. Being respected ensures that a successful leader’s success will be accredited to him or her and no potential rival dares to belie it.
The demands on leaders have grown in recent years as globalization and international issues have made the world more complicated and the full scope of problems harder to oversee. Leaders today need to deal with a lot more stress as they are expected to make themselves available at all times. Considering this, a third component of successful leadership is about to become equally important as the previous two I have mentioned above: the ability to selectively ignore and delegate while focusing on the strategic long-term issues. It is crucial for a modern leader not to forget the importance of guiding the way in a world where everyday business seems to become infinitely time-consuming and important.