Dan Brown books

You’ve searched for the perfect partner, the perfect setting and the perfect words to make your marriage proposal special.

Getting down on on one knee and popping the magic question is hard enough, but finding the perfect ring, set with a sparkly diamond is even tougher. The search for an engagement ring may seem daunting, but with these step-by-step instructions there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You’ll be able to find the ring you dreamed about for that special moment. 

Educate yourself – The 4 Cs  
Start the education process by studying  the four Cs. “Understand how diamonds are rated  and categorized,” says Brian Gavin, an internationally known diamond expert and president and founder  of BrianGavinDiamonds.com.

The four Cs refer to carat, clarity, cut, and color, and by understanding each, Gavin says, you can determine which is most important to you and then start shopping. “This will also help you determine how much you’re willing to spend,” he adds.

Get input from the fiancée
Find out what she wants. Gavin says, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” Take her to a jewellery store – that is, if marriage has been a topic of conversation and a surprise engagement is not on your agenda.

“Have her try on as many rings as possible,” suggests Gavin. “Make her look at every shape of diamond and variety  of setting.” Another way to measure  whether she prefers oval-shaped  over princess cut is have her look at bridal magazines like “The Knot” or “Brides” or at an online diamond expert’s site like BrianGavinDiamonds.com. “Either way, you’ll know exactly what will make her swoon when you pop the question,” says Gavin.

If you’re being discreet, look at the jewelry she wears each day ; is it classic or antique  in style? Is she likely  to wear larger pieces or dainty? The other option is to ask someone close to her, like a sister or a best friend, for help  . 

 Let’s talk carats (a.k.a. size)
   
According to Gavin, as soon as you’ve decided shape, you need to look at the carat or size  of the diamond; carat is how diamonds and other precious gemstones are measured—in “carat” weight. One carat, for example, equals 1/5 of a gram.

“We also refer to carat in points,” says Gavin. “There are 100 points in a carat and as points or carats increase, so does the price of the diamond.” For example, the price per carat will be less for a .90 diamond than the price per carat for a 1.00 diamond even if the color and clarity are the same. “Determining the size of the diamond, and then the cut and color is really going to help establish your budget parameters,” he says.

Pick your color.
“Color is the third most important criterai  in the diamond selection process,” says Lesley Harris, senior Vice-President for BrianGavinDiamonds.com. Diamond color is graded according to the Gemological Institute of America or GIA Color Grading Scale – D being the whitest, and N and below color ratings showing noticeable yellowish tones. E and F have no obtrusive color tones to the naked eye, and from G to J range, diamonds remain near colourless. However, from J to M, you do begin to see a wispy trace of yellow. 

Brian Gavin Signature Hearts and Arrows, an exclusive brand of Hearts and Arrows diamonds available only through BrianGavinDiamonds.com, range in color from D to I. Because of their superior cut, Brian’s Signature Diamonds ‘face-up’ appear whiter than their lab-assigned grade. “A great cut improves the apparent color of any diamond,” says Harris.

The cut – make and sparkle
Cut is the most important and perhaps the most misunderstood and controversial of the four Cs. “It’s about more than the shape of a diamond,” explains Gavin. “When we talk cut, we’re talking about the exact angles, proportions, symmetry and polish that impact the way the diamond reflects light and sparkles.”

Diamond dealers also refer to cut as “make” – as it is the only aspect  of a diamond that can be controlled by man, and it must be exact. Each facet – or small plane surface on the diamond – must be cut to align perfectly with the facet opposite it. “There’s not much room for error,” says Gavin, “because this affects the diamond’s ability to sparkle, or what we call in the industry—brilliance.”

Clarity - Mind clean is more important than eye clean!
 
Gemologists use a grading scale set forth by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to determine a diamond’s clarity – how clean the gem appears when viewed through a magnifier . Most diamonds contain some “inclusions” – crystalline fractures or irregular crystal growth.  

The GIA’s Clarity Grading Scale ranges from Internally Flawless (IF) through Included (I3). Flawless (F) and Internally Flawless (IF) being the highest, with the next best grade being VVS1 and 2 or very slight inclusions followed by VS1 and 2, referring to very slight inclusions, which according to Harris, “are difficult to see even with magnification.” 

SI1 and 2 diamonds will have slight inclusions, which are easily seen through magnification, but may remain clean to the naked eye, depending on the particular diamond. Harris says grades I1, I2 and I3 indicate inclusions that are visible under magnification and also to the naked eye.

“The clarity of the stone you purchase will depend on your level of ease and budget,” he says. His advice: In the end of the day, however, even if a stone is eye clean, the customer should feel 100% comfortable with his/her decision, a.k.a mind clean. 
   
Establish a budget and stick to it
After determining the four Cs, you should be able to set a budget or at least have a figure in mind. The general rule of thumb is to set aside two months worth of salary. “If you’re hesitant to set a dollar amount, look at your options in diamonds and settings to get a general idea of what you’d like to spend,” advises Gavin. 

Select a jeweler either online or in your locality
You have more options than the local jeweler around the corner. There are independently owned boutiques, national chains and, now with the Internet revolution, online diamond boutiques like BrianGavinDiamonds.com.

No matter whom you buy from, make sure the jeweler is reputable and affiliated with the American Gem Society (AGS). “If you’re unsure of the jeweler’s credibility, check with the local Better Business Bureau,” suggests Gavin. “You can also test how knowledgeable the staff is about diamonds, look into customer reviews and look over the company’s return and repair policies … this is important.” 

Time to shop! Grades and fingerprints 
Before you place the order, make sure that you will receive a grading report with your purchase. “If a grading report will not accompany your diamond, make sure the sale is contingent upon an independent appraiser’s opinion,” advises Gavin.

Another option is to ask for a fingerprint of the diamond. This is a cubic drawing of the diamond indicating the four Cs, along with the stone’s overall dimensions and enhancements. Inclusions and blemishes should be noted. “As soon as you receive the diamond, double-check all of the info, including the bill of sale and drawing to make sure that it is, in fact, the diamond you purchased,” finishes Gavin.

Time for a setting 
If you purchased a loose diamond, you’re now faced with the setting. And, like diamonds, the options are endless. Consider pave side stone  settings, a solitaire or a custom engagement ring.

Both Gavin and Harris suggest allowing four to six weeks before popping the question if you go the handcrafted route. If you’re simply lost in the decision making process — propose with diamond in-hand and select  the ring  later — together!

For at least a decade now, internet marketers have recognized the power of article publishing as a method for attracting visitors to their sites. Even those relatively inexperienced in trying to make an online income would understand that increasing the number of unique visitors is the only way to get people to see what you have to offer. Writing articles and publishing them at a variety of article directories is still a primary method for earning those elusive back links that can maximize your search engine ranking and subsequently increase the number of unique visitors that sees your offer.

Publishing quality articles can aid your business by:

1. Advertising your reputation with readers as an expert in your chosen market: the people who read well-written and professional articles will come to link your name with expertise in your marketing niche. Building rapport with your potential clients is essential to growing your online enterprise.
2. Expanding your presence on the web: People have their preferred sites when searching for reference material. As a consequence publishing your work in a number of different banks expands your influence and exposes your message to a wider number of potential clients
3. Giving web surfers what they need: The world wide web is powered by the exchange of information. Individuals who enter keywords in search boxes are looking for something. They want help to resolve some kind of issue. By writing an article on a topic of interest you are helping these people and it is more likely that they will want to click your links to look for more information or other resources.
4. Linking to your site: Each article you publish should contain links to your website or to the particular offer that you are promoting. These links are not only essential because the reader may click on them and surf their way to your little corner of the web. They also help to improve your website because these back links from highly valued article banks will have a positive impact on your search engine ranking. And obviously a better search engine ranking means more site visitors than the occasional click from your article will get you. And that, as a consequence, means increased potential buyers! Just be wary not to overdo it – some directories prefer that you only include links in the “About The Author” part of your article so follow the rules!
5. Providing original content to other blogs: Site owners demandunique writing. You have probably read the identical article copied over and over again on different directories – possibly with different author’s names as the byline! This type of replicated content does not do anything to benefit website owners to gain an advantage with search engine rankings. The search engines LOVE unique content and reward it with preferential rankings.
6. Assisting you to further develop your knowledge about your niche: Publishing articles forces you to learn more about the niche you are marketing and the target audience that you are marketing the products to. The best articles are well researched and this keeps you well informed about changes in your topic of interest and in touch with your potential market.

Submitting articles is a necessary element in the internet marketer’s arsenal. Despite the fact that a percentage of people cringe from the chore of writing articles it is really not that difficult. And practice does make perfect when you desire to really stay in touch with your customers in an online environment.

Writing is a skill every business person, every religious leader, every professional, and every lay person ought to have. For example, marketing a product today requires good writing skills. You need good copy for the products you are selling. You ought to be able to adequately describe what you’re selling, whether that pitch is in a blog, on a “squeeze page,” in a flyer, or even if it’s script for your video or podcast. If you’re makiing your living as a writer, you should be a good writer. Even leaders of churches, such as pastors or priests or administrative persons ought to have good writings skills.

Fiction writers need a good imagination. Fiction writers should be imaginative. Fiction writers need to expand their imagination. It’s also good to have a wide reading experience. A good reader will make a good writer. If you write without imagination, you’ll write boring stories. One way to expand your imagination is, of course, reading a lot of fiction, particularly in the genre in which you write.  Choose an author whose books you really like, then study his or her work and try to pick up clues as to why this writer appeals to you.

Look at the various techniques of the author. How does the author start the story? How does the author use his characters? How does the author bring the reader into the story? Does he use an omniscient view mostly, or does the reader view things through the eyes of the characters, or a character? Most good authors will use a variety of viewpoints in a story. The more you know about these things, the better writer you will become. But, to be a good fiction writer isn’t only about reading other fiction stories. You need to read the history in which your piece will take place. For example, writing western fiction is a specialized kind of writing. One needs to be familiar with many things of the Old West, particularly the history.  If you’re going to describe a character in the Old West, you’d need to be familiar with many things. (See the following article “Describing the Western Fiction Character”).

Dialog is a great way to energize your story. Dialog will capture the interest of your readers. Dialog, for whatever reason, is an interest capturing device. However, if it isn’t done right, it can become very boring. Learn to capture the interest of your reader by injecting interesting dialog. You can use dialog to develop the story, or to flesh out a character, or even to set up a scene. There are a myriad of ways to use dialog. There are many kinds of ways to use dialog. But don’t just use dialog as a filler. Babbling characters can be as insanely boring as it is on Facebook or Twitter. And finally, have realistic dialog.

If you’re writing non-fiction, then make sure you have your facts straight.  Depending on who you’re writing for (magazine, newspaper, blog, etc) and who you’re writing to (target market), you should follow some variation of the “Who, What, When, Where, and Why” model. Introduce your topic early, tell the reader what the article is about, and depending on the piece, you might need to show  other elements.

It may be that you’re writing a “how to” article. You’ll need to have something in the piece that will help the reader to understand how it is he or she is going to do whatever it is you’re proposing to help them learn. Since you’re not writing a book, it isn’t supposed to be a comprehensive article. You’re not going to exhaust the subject in an article. Instead, you’re going to focus on one or two things, or you’ll generalize. Sometimes, you might want to direct the reader’s attention to stories or articles that might help them further in their learning, or might illustrate better what you’re talking about. If you’re writing a religious piece, try and focus on one aspect of that religion, like prayer for example, or one aspect of prayer.  

Writing is communicating.  Study the craft. Learn the basics. Expand your skills. And above all, write. Do it. Write as much as you can.
One day you just might be surprised at what you’ve managed to accomplish.

You might even convince people to give you money because of what you write.

 For many decades, newspaper editorial authors have been some of the most insightful, controversial, and unusual thinkers in the world. It was Ben Franklin and his cohorts, after all, who wrote the news  editorials that led to the American Revolution . Other editorial columnists, such as  Francis Church, author of “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” have enthralled Americans for over a century .  Newspaper editorial columnists have a powerful pen , and if a PR pro can build a business relationship  with one, he or she can often reap the benefits of an editorial writer’s words .

Editorial columns , not to be confused with letters to the editor, which are written by members of the public to the publication, are among the most  popular portions of a news publication . Editorial columns are written by the newspaper’s editorial staff , and announce the paper’s official stance on certain topics.  For a local publication , this may mean taking a position on a proposed new city ordinance, while for a national paper, this may mean taking a stance in a presidential election .  Essentially, unlike most journalism that will appear in a newspaper , editorials are universally opinionated and biased. For PR pros , it can be a boon to befriend an editorial columnist who agrees with their stance on a hot topic or political issue .

The trick to persuading an opinion writer to adopt your company or industry’s stance is to approach them at the right time . Most editorial   columnists will focus on issues that are current and newsworthy . They will rarely wax rhapsodic about your charity’s good work feeding the homeless , for example, unless a new  widely distributed research paper or news story just focused on the very same thing . So when a news event  relevant to the mission of your company is in the news, make hay while the sun shines and contact   opinion writers . For the most part,  opinion writers  have certain issues or causes that they care deeply about. If you can tie your issue to theirs, you can often convince them to publish your position in their column.

How can a public relations pro approach a newspapereditorial columnist? In very much the same way he or should would approach a journalist when they distribute a press release – with truthful information and a gripping angle. But, instead of submitting a press release as you would for a breaking news story, send a personal note to the opinion columnist with some facts and  backstory explaining why your cause would make for a  fantastic editorial column.  Even if the  opinion writer does not end up using your exact story , he or she will now know that you are a local expert  when it comes to that topic , and may even request your input as an expert source for a slightly different piece or an editorial in the future . For that reason, you should build your relationship with an editorial columnist contact much as you build trust with other journalists .

 Lastly,  keep in mind that an opinion columnist, though his or her  written works may appear biased, has the same need as any reporter to maintain objectivity. Thank you presents or event invites may be seen as an attempt to alter that credibility , so think long and hard about how you thank an editorial columnist for publicizing your cause or interest group . A traditional, handwritten thank-you note works wonders .

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases, the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab your free copy of the Big Press Release Book – Press Releases for Every Occasion and Industry here: http://www.ereleases.com/insider/bigbook.html

There is absolutely no limit to the number of things you can do to market your home business opportunity by taking advantage of the Internet , you are only limited by your own imagination. Obviously, there are proven methods that have been consistently used by Internet Marketers over the years. But here is a list of some non-traditional and free things you can do to market your home business opportuniy.

1. Yahoo Answers:

Search “Yahoo Answers” for folks who are trying to find out about work-from-home businesses (there are a plenty of these all the time ) and answer them back with a link to your home business opportunity website or a short note to establish contact first. Just don’t make your message look too spamy or it will get taken down.

2. Social Bookmarking:

Bookmark all of your articles, videos, blogs and websites on the most popular social bookmarking sites like Digg. This will help your material get more quality traffic and it will also help with the all-valuable backlinks!

3. Make A wacky YouTube Video:

Try making a silly short video to post on Youtube. Make sure it doesn’t relate to business or MLM at all just something funny that people will pass on. At the end of your video put your website. You can also put your website in the sidebar or the description. Sometimes these videos will get way more views than one that is all about working from home.

4. Create A Non-Business Article:

Just because you want to link to your home business opportunity website doesn’t mean you have to produce  articles about home business opportunities. Try writing a couple of articles about something that interests you and getting them published. In the author box tell something about yourself and include your home business opportunity website.

5. Writing Blog Comments:

You can get a lot out of Blog Marketing without owning a Blog. There are a ton of well known home business blogs, you can leave a comment on one of the most recent blog posts with a link back to your home business opportunity website. Just make sure that it’s a real comment about the post and not just spam. Some blogs, specially very popular ones monitor this heavily. If it looks like blatant advertising it’s not going to get approved so try to make your comments valuable to the blog owner.

You’ve finished your book now it’s time to get it published. If you are, you need to find the publisher that is the perfect fit for you and your book. This may become the most difficult part of completing your project. Book publishers are picky about which books and authors they choose to work with. The good news is that there are hundreds of publishers for you to choose from, depending on your genre.

Once you have written and proofread your book multiple times, you will need to start researching and examining publishers. Unfortunately, this is a step that many hopeful published authors do not take. Many simply just send copies of their books off to publishers that they already know of. This approach is okay, but it limits your chances of getting a book published. You need to do your research and create a “long” list of potential publishers. Compared to the creative process, this may seem like a difficult or wearisome process, but it is necessary to increase the chances of having your book published.

A good resource for finding publishers is to consult printed resource guides for authors. These guides come in a selection of different types. Many are grouped by genre, such as children’s books, Christian books, and so forth. What they usually do is summarize publishers that accept manuscripts, as well as other detailed information. These printed reference books are usually changed often; therefore, if you do make a purchase, be sure to purchase an updated guide. Speaking of making your purchase, you can find these publishing guides for authors available for sale online and in most bookstores.

As previously explained, there are a number of printed reference guides for writers that you can use to go about locating publishers to submit your manuscript to. One guide that comes highly ranked and recommend is that of the Writer’s Market. The Writer’s Market books include a variety of genres and they are kept up to date on a yearly basis. Information that is incorporated tends to include themes that book publishers are looking for, requirements on uploading a manuscript, the address to which the manuscript must be submitted to and much more. The Writer’s Market books are also well-known for their professional tips and tips, which is usually presented by seasoned writers.

Although most Writer’s Market books and other similar printed resource guides for authors can often be bought for under $20, most people do not like having to pay for something that they can discover for free online. If you are looking to use the internet to find book publishers, you will find that you do have a number of different options. For starters, you will want to perform a standard internet search with the phrase “book publishers.” If you are targeting a specific genre, such as children’s books, be sure to include that in your search phrase. Your standard internet search is likely to produce a number of different results.

Another good source for finding publishers, is to do an internet seach. This will give you a list of name and their websites which are full of great information about the companies. These websites may either list publishers with detailed information or you may be provided with a link to a publisher’s website. Speaking of publisher websites, these websites can also be found mixed in with your standard internet search.

By using the publisher’s name in your internet search, you will be able to find a considerable amount of information about each publisher. The publisher You may also find authors guide books available at your local book store or library. These publications will be very useful. In fact, most online retailers will list what publishers books are published through.

As a reminder, it is important to find the publisher that you think will be the perfect fit for you and your book. Therefore, look for publishers that are seeking just what your book has to offer.

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Article marketing is a fantastic method in your internet marketing toolbox. Develop helpful articles or blog posts, submit them to the right websites, and you’re looking to get some valuable site visitors. However whilst all of this is a plus, just how do you come up with article ideas in the first place?

It’s a very common condition. You will be sitting there with a empty document in front of you and you simply can’t think of almost anything to write about. My recommendation should be to not reinvent the wheel. I am not indicating go out and copy someone else’s articles, however do a bit of basic research…

1.Check out Article directory sites

Choose a very common subject inside your specific niche market, tap it into Article dashboard or even google search, and see what returns. Go through the article categories as well. You may come up with quite a few content ideas without an excessive amount of effort.

2.Browse around yourself around everyday activity.

Appears slightly obscure I agree, however you will need to enter into the actual way of thinking of an article writer. You’re likely to be anyplace – out shopping, visiting the hospital, or perhaps driving in your car or truck. Ideas are generally all around us. If you are inside the grocery store check out the magazine stand and look through several magazine articles. This has offered me a lot of thoughts with regard to content articles as well as it can be a terrific way to come up with motivation.

3.Visit community forums as well as information sites

Anyplace that individuals come together in order to speak about a particular subject is a powerful way to produce article ideas. Pick the most popular threads and see what people are speaking about. If you’re able to discover the very hot topics inside your niche you’ll thrive in your content writing.

4.Go through the sales web pages of merchandise inside your specific niche market

Locate a well-known service or product in your topic and go and have a look at the actual sales page. In particular, look for the listing of bullet points of ‘product features’ – most sales web pages possess this which is a powerful way to come up with fast article ideas. ‘The Top 10 Ways of Monetizing Your Website,’ ‘Why You Must Build a Site ‘ – those were merely two bullet points I found on the web page of a product which took me 3 minutes to find. There you have it, which is two article titles straight away!

What many people come across is that when they get started the good ideas start to flow as well as the ability to create content creative ideas will become second nature. Start looking all around you. Think about what people are generally discussing in your subject. In all probability you’ll find that one concept contributes to one more, as well as yet another, and so on.

Are you curious to grasp a peek of forthcoming movies that you wouldbe fond of to see but want to recognize more about what theshow is about? So therefore it is time that you look up movie trailers online. It is feasible to see new motion picture trailers over the internet. The worldof films has alwaysbeen amazing and aespecially popular pastime. Over time, movietools has enhanced so greatly that you canwatch illustrations of the cutting-edge technology films like Avatar along with 2012 where the up-to-the-minute use of special effects can be seen. At the present time most ofmotion picture trailers are watched on a website known as 2010 movies

With the growing interest in filmsand range of genrespresented, filmmaking has opened uppossibilities to expect anything in films youchoose to look at. The newera directors, good actors, androbust screenplay and script always create listenersinterest, and for that purpose previews or trailers are at large earlier so thatother people can watch and study about the films throughshort clips which consist of audio-visual mediapermitting other people to become aware ofupcoming films and what the plot might be about. Movie trailers also allow you to obtain anthought about the movie which leads to built-up attention and the aspiration to see them at cinemas.

If you wish, you can watch the motion picture trailers on the internet in advance of the major release date or after therelease to be taught how the movie flows. Online movie trailers are also a good means topromote the motion picture at the forefront of itsrelease. Film trailers explain some of the most appealing scenes from the movie whichprovoke attention and curiosity from the massesdesigned for the film. Forpromoting the film in mass, themanufacture houses usually release the trailers to many internet sites where you can see the trailers of movies at nocost to acquire an idea of what they are like.

With some essentialPC hardware and software as well as a high-speed internetlink, you can have a grandmovie trailer experience. All you have to have is the filmclip website Web page link to seeapproaching flicks or movie trailers of any motion picture that hasalready been on the loose all over the world.

Your CV is really a brief summary regarding you, your experience, skills, hobbies/interests and achievements. It is your initial opportunity to display a potential employer that you are a appropriate candidate for their business. So you can make it through to the next stage of the process your CV has to stand out from the crowd as one to keep an eye out for and has to contain certain pieces of information when applying for a new job or to a recruitment agency.

Your Personal Details

It goes without saying that one of the principal bits of information that you need to present are some personal details. These ought to contain name, address, telephone numbers and email. Additional information you may choose to include are things similar to your date of birth, maritial status and nationality. While these are not essential some positions may require them.

Personal Declaration

Whilst not compulsory to include a personal profile or career objective in your CV its surely a good idea to include one because it provides you the opportunity to sell key points of your experience, qualifications and personal qualities. Your personal profile should be well written and to the point. It should also be changed slightly to fit the needs of every job role you apply for.

Education history

Your education history is another key part of a CV. It is a good idea to list your history in reverse order. You should include such things like dates, school/college/university name, qualifications and grades.

Employment History

Like your education history, catalog your employment history with the most up-to-date first. Information to include are the job title, employer, your duties and any achievements. It’s continually worth including information of any voluntary work as well.

Responsibilities and Achievements

This section offers you the chance to explain that you are someone who is motivated and who has the initiative to further seek to expand your experience. Your hobbies and interests will help to show what sort of person you are and can provide a few topics of conversation during an interview. But, be aware what you list as some companies might make initial judgments based on stereotypes connected with those interests. Endeavor to be precise and keep away from generalisations such as reading, listening to music and socialising.

Some More Points to Bear in Mind

Remember, your CV is your opportunity to shine and make a first impression, so ensure that it is well presented, well written, spell checked and clearly laid out. It ought to be no more than two pages long.

Make sure that a CV is tailored to the particular position being applied for and that it’s truthful. Don’t make statements that you can’t backup.

Finally, its always a good idea to ask a third party, preferably a professions advisor or a friend who works in a senior position to read the final version through to give you an objective opinion.

For further guidance and information on completing CV’s a lot of of todays recruitment agency web sites provide a wide selection of tips and advice.

Chinese or malay Differentiated learning will surely KILL chinese language Over time 

Can  Nan Hua Primary School be a beacon for Singapore’s Chinese language? 

On 19 th May 2010,  Our state propaganda machinery the Channel eight (a division of Singapore Media Corp) mentioned and showed very flimsy examples of Chinese language being alive and well  . It also said  that mother tongue is alive and well, with enrollment extending from 80 to 90. Is this true?. It is truthful that if we use this magnifying glass and look at this very small number, it is indeed increasing. From 80 to 90 students, not bad, in a country of almost 5m population right? This is a  laughable  . 

But if you look around Singapore , Very few people speaks Chinese anymore. How can the government blame parents for not teaching their kids  as the Singapore government  deliberately kill the mother tongue . Chinese education is ousted from the mainstream and sidelined. 

Language is culture, most people  concur  .

Are we seriously at risk of  sacrificing not only our Cultural heritage  but also to potential economic benefits from knowing one more language? 

Chinese language is not well

Singapore where 70% are Chinese and in these Chinese people’s homes , 70% speak english . Out of these people , some swear to  hate learning Chinese language.

Does that augur well for the people and nation?  This problem is more serious amongst chinese families  in Singapore. 

Government should genuinely push mother tongue (not just chinese language)

Like the saying goes, FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS… and begin with the end in mind. If the END is that MTL Mother tongue language standards is further diluted, the efforts to learn it will falter.

Like they say, aim too low and you will fail.

Let’s keep the standards, passing grades, rating and ranking high and students will find a way to master the language. And parents alike will pay more focus to it. 

Let’s not have differentiated learning or teaching as it tends to create a bunch of elites and another bunch who will perennially swear off chinese . Let all the children study in one single class in a one standardized teaching. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work for all. Thus a solution must be found. Rather than the divide and conquer tactics of differentiated learning.

One of the most damning   policy soon to be  executed   regarding of differentiated teaching is to TEACH CHINESE using ENGLISH language as a  medium on the pretext of chinese students from English speaking families  !

This can come in many forms. Singapore government cannot hoodwink the people about promoting mother tongue while it is killing it and  about the importance of mother tongue is and yet there is hardly any chance to use Chinese language or malay or Tamil in routine life.

While we all recognise that English is the common language across races  in Singapore,  We need to learn english well, this is not debatable, but try to Kill Chinese language and we shall be up in ARMS and be counted.  I recount   during my grand mother’s time, she spoke different languages to different friends  . Did we have an issue?

In fact we think that in Schools, there should be a compulsory module for chinese to learn 20 hours of Malay and 20 hours of tamil. And likewise for Malays to learn 20 hours of Chinese and Tamil and for the tamils learn 20 hours of Malay and Chinese.

How many of our parliamentarians can speak Chinese Fluently?

If you seriously look at the composition of our parliament, they are over-represented by people who speak predominantly English. Some of them even struggle to speak in Chinese (if they are chinese). The Malay MPs are better, they at least can speak Malay fluently. We respect them even if they cannot speak Chinese language.

Having such people as MP will only send the WRONG picture about learning Mother Tongue that the RICH and powerful speaks English and those poor and not so educated Speak mandarin Chinese or dialects.

SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT PANDERS TO THE MORE WELL OFF???
There has been statement that 95% of students are okay (as they pass) with the current Mother Tongue language levels at PSLE. So if 95% of the students have no problem, why is the government saying that there is some issue?

Are they seriously trying to win over the parents of the 5% who faces problems with mother tongue? This surely is not MERITOCRATIC, neither is it fair. Maybe the government would have a better explanation.

The excuse that Different population composition  CHANGES FORCE alteration

(The local population did not vote for massive immigration, mind you)

Many times, the government has been saying that with the influx of immigration , they cannot afford to  teaching Chinese at high standard  , they cannot teach malay at high standard  and tamil at high level . Is this the Singapore we want after being forced to give up 2.5 years of our lives running around in military uniform  almost for free, in the jungle?  We welcome foreign talents, but Singaporeans must take precedence over expats or PRs  As such people come into Singapore, surely Singapore has to widen the mother tongue to include Hindi and maybe Tagalog and who knows, maybe even some western based languages.

But until such immigrants  become Singapore citizens  and until they serve national service or it’s equivalent, the Singapore government better listen up  , or else we will surely show them during the next election, if there is one.

Now, let the DOG wag the tail and not let the tail wag the dog.