Reader's Response Draft -2

Reader's Response Draft -2 for topic "Developing Sustainable Infrastructure in New Cities."

In the article “New Cities Foundation”, Cho (2014) states that urban challenges must be considered in developing a sustainable infrastructure. She mentions that 'Envision Sustainability rating system' is designed to access the performance of infrastructure. Infrastructures in this era should efficiently serve our communities by improving the quality of life. She further shares her focus on the assessment on King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) as to how it helps the communities in certain ways and its key challenges of urbanization. In context with sustainability against economy and population growth, she hopes that with the right projects, it will be able to help the communities and cities to function more efficiently as a whole.  In the other hand, as the writer did not clearly emphasize on the consequences if the future infrastructures do not consider these challenges which will in the long run affect communities as a whole, therefore more evident supports is needed to support her believe. 

The first reason that makes Cho’s stand inadequate is because the article only discusses how urban challenges should be considered to enhance the cities as a whole. Take for instance, from an article, “Explosive growth in Asian Cities”, Khanna (2015) he proposes that the trends seems be to be that Asian cities are now the leading in urbanization. In contrary, Asian cities are facing with large population growth, which can result to poor utilization of infrastructures if the authorities are not making the right plans and decisions. For instance, he mentions that in Jakarta, the traffic congestion are much worst when compared to most cities. He also emphasizes that the authorities ought to adapt to these arising problems. However, in Cho’s article, she did not analyze in depth as to how important the authorities flexibility and decisiveness can affect the placid the population growth. In this way, the article could leave readers with only understanding it will affect, but not how it affects the communities, impeding her debate as insufficient.

Moving on, Cho did shared that with Envision rating system projects like " Nuevo Necaxa - Avila Camacho Highway in Mexico, Highways Vias Nuevas De Lima in Peru and KAEC ", it will create a difference by improving the lives of the communities. Take for instance, she observes through sustainable road infrastructures, how can accessibility of transportation contributes to access of education, local business opportunities, boost in housing, in return benefiting the communities. Speaking of which, from another article “Advancing Sustainable Infrastructure with Envision”, Nelson (June 2015) claims that Envision put forwards designing sustainable infrastructures. Not only it assists in judgement, but the system also enriches funding plans. From above, we can then understand that building sustainable infrastructure is important In addition with the introduction of Envision, it further assures the decision makers, executes and end users that the project will be the most transcendent and it is implemented in the right areas.

In a nutshell, while Cho’s article does not amply emphasize on how urban challenges will affect the development of infrastructure in the long-run. In contrast, she asserts that Envision rating system is useful as it opts how well the project will impose on the respective areas. Apart from acknowledging that natural disasters, explosive population growth, economy factors. The issue is real, developing sustainable infrastructure should be implement from the very beginning if possible, and of course advancing with technology and times.

(558 words)

References :

Cho H, (2014, December). Developing Sustainable Infrastructure in New Cities. Retrieved from http://www.newcitiesfoundation.org/evaluating-sustainable-infrastructure-development-new-cities/

Khanna, P. (2015, June). Explosive growth in Asian cities: Bright ideas to 'seize the urban moment' Retrieved http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/explosive-growth-in-asian-cities-bright-ideas-to-seize-the-urban-moment

Nelson, D. (2015, June). Advancing Sustainable Infrastructure with Envision civil + structural Engineer. Retrieved from http://cenews.com/article/10098/advancing-sustainable-infrastructure-with-envision

Reader's Response Draft -1

Reader's Response Draft -1 for topic "Developing Sustainable Infrastructure in New Cities."

In the article “New Cities Foundation”, Cho (2014) believes that urban challenges must be considered in developing a sustainable infrastructure. She further mentions that 'Envision Sustainability rating system' is design to ensure the performance of infrastructure. Infrastructures in this era should efficiently serve the community by improving the quality of life. She further shares her focus on its assessment on King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) and its key challenges of urbanization. In context of sustainability against population growth, she hopes that with the right projects, it will be able to help the communities and cities to function more efficiently as a whole. However, she did not emphasize on how much will the growth of population growth in Asian cities effects the economic and thus improving the cities as a whole.

The first reason that makes Cho’s believe is inadequate because the article only discusses urban challenges must be consider for an enhanced city as a whole. From an article, “Explosive growth in Asian Cities” KHANNA (2015), he proposes that the trends seems be to be that Asian cities are now the leading in urbanization. With Asian cities facing large population growth, it can result to poor utilization of infrastructures if the authorities are not making the right plans and decisions. For instance, he mentions that in Jakarta, the traffic congestion is the worst compared to most cities. He also mentioned that the authorities must adapt to the arising problems. However, Cho’s article did not analyze in depth as to how important the authorities flexibility and decisiveness can affect the placid the population growth. In this way, the article could leave readers with only understanding it will affect, but not how it affect, impeding her debate as insufficient. 

The writer shares that with Envision rating system, Nuevo Necaxa - Avila Camacho Highway in Mexico, Highways Vias Nuevas De Lima in Peru and KAEC, as to how they improve the lives of the communities. She observes through sustainable road infrastructures, the accessibility of transportation leads to access of education, businesses, boost in housing. From another article “Advancing Sustainable Infrastructure with Envision” Nelson, (June 2015), the writer claims that Envision put forwards designing sustainable infrastructures it assist in judgement, enriching funding plans. From above, we can then understand that building sustainable infrastructure is important. With the introduction of Envision, it further assures the decision makers, executers and end users that the project will be the most transcendent in the right areas implementing it.

In a nutshell, while Cho’s article does not emphasize ample on how the population growth will affect the communities in the long-run. In contrast, she asserts that Envision rating system is useful as it opts how well the project will impose on the respective areas. Apart from acknowledging that natural disaster, the explosive population growth, economic factors. The issue is real, developing sustainable infrastructure should be implement from the very beginning if possible, and of course advancing with technology and times.

References :

1) Heidi Cho (2014,December 14). Developing Sustainable Infrastructure in New Cities. Retrieved from http://www.newcitiesfoundation.org/evaluating-sustainable-infrastructure-development-new-cities/

2) PARAG KHANNA (2015, June 15). Explosive growth in Asian cities: Bright ideas to 'seize the urban moment' Retrieved from Straits Times

3) Denise Nelson, P.E., ENV SP, LEED AP (2015, June) Advancing Sustainable Infrastructure with Envision civil + structural Engineer. Retrieved from Feature Aricles , Sustainable Design.

Summary for "Developing Sustainable Infrastructure in New Cities"

In the article “New Cities Foundation”, Cho (2014) believes that urban challenges must be considered in developing a sustainable infrastructure. She further mentions that 'Envision Sustainability rating system' is design to ensure the performance of infrastructure. Living in this era, infrastructures should efficiently serve the community by improving the quality of life. She further shares her focus on its assessment on King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) and its key challenges of urbanization. In context of sustainability against growth, she hopes that with the right projects, it will be able to help the communities and cities to function more efficiently as a whole.  

The person who has Inspired and Influenced my Life- Aunty Maria

                   The person who has Inspired and Influenced my Life drastically, Aunty Maria

(20.09.15)

You guys might not know,I come from a single parent family, I lived with my mother and brother ever since.  God was kind, he sent us an Angel, at Thirty-eight years young,she was my domestic helper ,the kind and beautiful Miss Maria Elena Casilang. She first came in June ,year 2001, she was a skinny,petite sized fine lady. If memory served me right, I was nine and my younger brother was seven back then.


However, her eyes were Esotropia(Squint), my mother's initial thought was to reject her and get someone else.Well imagine someone at the age of twenty-four,came all the way from the country side of The Philippines, all alone. Thankfully we chose her in the end, it was the best decision ever made.

Since then , from the first meal she cooked , simple steamed rice accompanied with fried eggs and luncheon meat,we enjoyed every heartfelt home-cooked meal she prepared with love for us ever since. Whenever my family and I had a hard day outside, we knew we when we reach home,there will always be that tiny Maria greeting us with a warm smile.

Around eight years later, we decided to provide her eye operation, aunty Maria became prettier from her already pretty. She then got married around four years later to her very loving,humble,good,caring husband Marlon (Well he better be or let him off!).
We also gave her some money to build her lovely house.

Aunty Maria was a part of the family. From travelling with us to countries like Hong Kong, Macao, Malaysia, Thailand and many more. To celebrating life's important days with us, not to mention the Fourteen Chinese New Years, fourteen birthdays x4(Mum,brother,herself and mine).

She settled almost all of my everyday life stuffs to the finest details, without a doubt she did everything with her utmost love for the family .How we used to call her were :"Shorty, Fatso, Aunteh!, Maria"

She had became a part of the family ,our family,our Aunty Maria.

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I decided to write this blog dedicating it to her because she has parted my family and I goodbye on this very day. 20.09.2015 21:48pm, this very moment writing this blog, pains me so deeply, she really gave her all for us. Not only she was my domestic helper, she was my family member, my teacher, my elder sister, my second mother, my father to me.

She was already planning to go home for good a couple years ago but stayed on because of my army and university, my brother Brian's army ,which he just "PoP" two days prior to this. Today 20.09.2015 at 15:30 we parted her farewell in Changi Airport terminal 2, at 21:08 she texted just text me to notify of her safe arrive to Clark Airport in The Philippines and safely arrived home at 00:45 (Thank you Lord!)

She taught me to be a good person,have integrity,be kind to others. Every time when I did something wrong, she would tell me off, for example, the most common everyday, talking back to my mother. she will always tell me to be good to her,which now I really will, sorry Mum I love you. It might be quite ironic but I must admit not for those daily nagging, I would not have molded to who I am today.

(Watching her wave goodbye was the heart ache of heartaches) 

This is my greatest wake up call ever, I must admit, prior to today, since the two weeks of university had started,I am still lazy in doing anything as I had just came out of National service. After today,when aunty Maria left us for The Philippines for good, I decided it is time to get it right, I cannot day dream anymore, it is now! It hit me real hard, it is time to take my own destiny to my own hands, I have to start my rusty engine, and move on for what she entrusted me with!

Treasure those who loves you, don't wait till only after they leave you to feel you had not done enough.
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 She has been a part of the family, and always will be. Take care my dear Aunty Maria quickly give birth to many beautiful children! God please keep an extra eye on her like you always did!

Having her leaving us to move on with her life,but she had been part of my life for the past fourteen years,spending the most time with me, just aches my heart

My small family#❤My dearest Aunty Maria! You will always be a part of our family.  Come back anytime when you want to see us! Bless you forever healthy and loved!
Hope Brian and I have made you proud!

Signing off,
Nicholson

20.09.2015

The Importance of English for Me,

From my point of view, human beings living on the Earth should have a certain level of interaction amongst people and that is accomplished through communication.

English is used widely on a global scale, and is not only an important language, but also a tool and an important skill needed not only in education, but in our day to day life.

I feel that speaking English is equally as important as writing it. However, it has come to my attention that since the introduction to social media and mobile chat platforms such as Facebook and Whatsapp in recent years, people tend to abbreviate more often than not with notable examples being: “lol,ttyl,bb” and so on and so forth.

I believe that in recent times, we tend to speak English less frequently with each other and instead choose to use text messages, as it is, at times, a better and more efficient way to communicate. However, this makes us lose the ability to express ourselves effectively in English and we have degenerated into using short forms to get our points across.

I enjoy traveling, but I tend to feel a certain lack of confidence when conversing with foreigners, especially in western countries.Well, Perhaps I am just too used to "Singaporean Pronunciations."

As I mentioned earlier, English is considered the main language for a large majority of countries, and Singapore is of no exception as it is a globalized nation. As Singaporeans, we tend to use a lot of Singlish, which is a smattering of English, Chinese, Hokkien, Malay, and Tamil; hence the people here tend to be more laid back about speaking proper English. This proved to be a challenge for me as I went to Hong Kong just a couple of weeks ago, and my broken English was all the people of Hong Kong could understand, and what made matters worse was the fact that my Chinese articulation was execrable. I felt rather down and out after that as no one could understand me, and it was like a kick in the bum to me.

In closing, I feel that being confident in speaking English and the way we use it all starts with making the effort to practice and having the yearning to better yourself, be it pronouncing words properly as practice, reading the newspapers everyday and watching documentaries. It all starts now!



Edited on 13/9/2015 9:03PM
Edited on 16/9/2015 9:52PM
19/09/2015 6;42pm