Global Competitiveness Index

Competitiveness is an indicator for future prosperity. The sovereign debt crisis in Europe, the risk of a weak recovery in the United States, and the deceleration of economic growth in China and other emerging economies has cast doubt on the world's economy. With such uncertain times, a high level of competitiveness is the only way a country can ensure its resilience and sustained prosperity.

Political institutions and governance, infrastructure, macro-economic stability, the quality of human resources, labour market efficiencies, financial markets and innovation and technology are some of the factors taken into account when the Global Competitiveness report is drafted. The Nordic countries and the Asian countries all perform very well, with Singapore as the 2nd overall, behind Switzerland which has been 1st for four years running.

These are some of the findings from the World Economic Forum. It is rather encouraging that Singapore is ranked second which means it is highly competitive. A sustained economy now is the only way to ensure that Singapore is able to grow and develop in its economic sectors and ensures that it remains one of the top competitors in the world.

Signing off,
Just another Singaporean

You.Are.Beautiful

Society puts so much pressure on your looks. But beauty is just a cultural thing, am i right? When talking about beauty one must keep an open mind. What one finds true beauty someone else might find outrageous, weird or even ugly. There is no such thing as ultimate true beauty because you can not compare beauty. We do not live all following the same standards or principles; we do not have the same ideals. We are different, so is beauty.

The tiny narrow feet of the upper class women in China were considered to be beautiful and were considered to make a women's movements more feminine and dainty.

The scarring process in some tribes of Africa is meant to attract men and start from childhood.

Kayan women wear these neck rings from as early as the age of two, to push the collarbone and ribs down.

""In the Western World the standards are different; the means of achieving beauty are sometimes extreme as well. From plastic surgery, implants, hair extensions, hair colour to fitness, diet and cosmetics, the beauty has a different meaning. What ever nature has not given, the knife can solve. The Western ideal of beauty is a skinny, tall, good looking lady (90-60-90 if possible) with perfect teeth, perfect hair and perfect fashion. A 24 hour working lady if possible, who never complaints, who is up to date with the latest fashion trends, is a fighter, considers herself a “Superwoman” because she can achieve whatever she desires, all by herself.

I don’t know which woman is more beautiful. I don’t know which one of the beauty rituals work and I definitely don’t know how one could compare the different types of beauty. One thing is certain: beauty is dictated by the places we live in, cultures we are a part of, traditions we are following.

All I’m saying is that diversity is beautiful and beauty is an individual, subjective concept."" 

Adapted from- http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3798150-beauty-ideals-around-the-world

So, which is the most beautiful?

Signing off,

Just another Singaporean

Fat Tax

Fat tax is not taxing obese people. No. Fat tax is placing a tax on unhealthy food in the market.

I participated in a Model United Nation's conference organised by my school yesterday and the day before. It was very enriching, and when the topic of reducing the number of Non Communicable Diseases came up, I was the first to say that we should introduce the idea of a Fat Tax. Everybody broke down in laughter. Because they were under the misconception that fat tax is placing a tax on fatty people.

That is why in this post I will talk about Fat Tax, and why we should implement it.

No offence. But seriously, the obesity rate is too high. And therefore fat tax should be put in place. It will discourage people from buying foods with an excess of saturated fats, salt and what not. It is a bureaucratic nightmare though, and puts jobs at risk. Furthermore, if one taxes foods that have too much saturated fats like butter, then consumers will increase their salt intake, and this may have devastating effects. Therefore when introducing this tax, it must be done with a whole lot in mind and constant surveillance must be done to ensure that the desired outcomes are achieved.

Denmark introduced the fat tax in 2011, however in just a year the law was abolished  This was because the fat tax failed to change people's eating habits. 

I still have high hopes for the fat tax. It is an effective mean to reduce consumption of unhealthier more expensive) foods and people will resort to an healthier diet. 

What do you think? Is the fat tax an effective way of reducing obesity rates? If not, what are some other  ways? Comment below.

Signing off,

Just another Singaporean.

How I met your mother

Humans long for companionship. Put somebody in a palace, with everything he every could want, anything but companionship of any kind and sooner or later it will drive him nuts. Marriage is the only institution that allows two individuals to establish a relationship that is backed up with law and society. Marriage is key to a stable society.

In this post, I will explore the "Indian Marriage" and the some of the customs associated with it.

 The traditional Indian custom of dowry is now prohibited by law, but i wonder if it still takes place in smaller villages or even cities today. A dowry can be given in the form of cash, car, jewellery, and is asked by the suitor's family. The dowery system is known to put a great financial burden.

India has the highest percentage of arranged marriage in the world. It is said that over  90% of marriages are arranged, while less than 5% end in divorce. Whenever i talk to any of my friends about marriage, they often say "How can you spend your life with someone that you dont know and have never even met?" I ask myself the same question, because I am likely to be arranged married in the future.

Watch this video and it may change your opinion on arranged marriages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8X97OL06OY

One only gets arranged marriage when he/she has complete trust on their parents that they know who is best fit for their child. Or they have no choice, because this custom is such a norm in India, but now the love marriages is increasing. In the olden days, arranged marriages was such a norm that my own grandparents did not even see each other face to face until the day of their wedding. Hence, the picture above. However, even after 50 years of marriage, their love for each other grows each day. I admire that, but there is no way I'm gonna meet my future Mrs.Gadodia on the day of our wedding. No way.

So what do you think about the customs of the Indian Marriage. Also, comment if you would like me to post about any other countries' customs. 

Signing off,

Just another Singaporean