CNN, Ris Low and Scientific Child Prodigy.

Bizarrely, CNN has quoted my blog, on its website. They have excerpted an article I wrote, a while back, on Ris Low's atrocious behaviour, in her nascent career - or should I say, career of atrocious behaviour.

The link is here: http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/none/miss-singapore-world-2009-aftermath-811798

If you scroll down the article, you will see "Scientific child prodigy" quoted, in the latter half of the article. That is me.

Now this is the second instance, in the past month or so, of a major news organization linking to my blog - the other was the leading Danish newspaper Berlingske. So, I am both surprised and unsurprised - if it is possible to be both at once. Surprised, because there once was a time when I never could have thought of CNN linking to my writing; unsurprised, because they are most certainly not the first media organization to do so. (Even Bild, the German daily, and one of the biggest circulation newspapers in the world, has linked to my blog, in the past).

What seems to be beginning to happen, is that I am writing on many subjects, some of which are of general interest to mass media. In searching for background, journalists are stumbling on my articles and, if they have integrity and journalistic honour, they link to them and credit me with my thoughts, if they use or quote any. (I have seen instances in which this has not been done - and thoughts have just been lifted, without credit...but I will post of that another time...soon.)

It is strange being a blogger. If done well, a blogger is as good as any journalist - but freer. So, in a way, being a blogger is better than being a journalist, since I can genuinely write whatever I please (excepting that which would constitute libel...but then that would be discourteous in most cases, too, so common decency prevents that, anyway.) The only difference is that a blogger is, usually, not paid for their work. So, some might see the journalist as a superior position. However, it is not - for the very reason that the blogger is not paid. Being unpaid and being free to say the truth, without editorial or political interference, a blogger is more likely to be able to say - and to actually say - what needs to be said, on matters of importance. Furthermore, a blogger's opinion has not been "bought" in any way - it is a free opinion, freely given (in those parts of the world, in which a blogger feels free to speak, of course.)

Thus, but for the matter of making a living - which, in most cases has to come from somewhere else - the blogger is, in fact, the ideal media source. The blogger may not have access to the huge resources of a media organization - but they have the only tool that is really essential: a mind and a view to speak. Thoughts are free to those who are able to have them. Now, with blogging, those thoughts may be freely shared with the world. It is, in my opinion, a great step forward, in human culture that blogging should be available to all. The thoughts of so many more people, will now be on record, to speak of our times - and that will, one day, be seen to have incalculable value.

Yet, perhaps that day is already here - for the Bilds, the CNNs and the Berlingskes, of the world are already linking to my blog, quoting from it and acknowledging it. That can mean only one thing: the mass media is well aware of the value of the new media - and, instead of attacking it, they are incorporating it, into their discourse, using the minds of millions of bloggers, as a resource for their own articles. As long as they continue to properly credit the bloggers so referenced, this is a good development. I am left to wonder just how common this referencing of bloggers is going to become.

Anyway, thank you, CNN, for quoting my writing. It is much appreciated.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight months, please go to:http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency, that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. If you need such services, or know someone who does, please go to: http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.

IMDB is the Internet Movie Database for film and tv professionals. If you would like to look at my IMDb listing for which another fifteen credits are to be uploaded, (which will probably take several months before they are accepted) please go to: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3438598/ As I write, the listing is new and brief - however, by the time you read this it might have a dozen or a score of credits...so please do take a look. My son, Ainan Celeste Cawley, also has an IMDb listing. His is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3305973/ My wife, Syahidah Osman Cawley, has a listing as well. Hers is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. Use Only with Permission. Thank you.)

Could Ris have got any lower?

The whole Ris Low episode leads me to wonder about to what degree it is possible to conduct a life built on lies. It also leads me to wonder why anyone would want to.



Ris Low, for instance, told all Singapore's national newspapers, when news of her credit card fraud broke, that ERM World Marketing, the organization behind Miss Singapore World, KNEW about her credit card fraud conviction. She said that she had told them. She further said that they had informed her that they would let her continue in the pageant as long as the news of it, did not leak out.


Well, we have recently learnt that ERM World Marketing did NOT know of her conviction. They were only told by Ris Low AFTER NEWS OF IT BROKE. So, there are two lies exposed above. A third lie is that Ris Low said, in the past, that she was aware of all of the clauses regarding criminality but didn't mention her crime because she thought that her sentence, 24 months of supervised probation, did not count as a conviction. Now, she is saying that she didn't know about the clauses, because she didn't read the contract in detail - because the other pageants had no such clauses. Since these two statements contradict each other, one of them is a lie.



There is, it seems, no end to the lies of this young girl. Indeed, it is beginning to seem as if her youth is her only recommendation, (if recommendation it can be...) She is also amazingly insensitive to the seriousness of her own crime dismissing it, as "not so big". So, the fact that she had over 60 charges of credit card fraud levied against her, doesn't seem to have awakened any sense of what is right or wrong in her. She still thinks of her crimes as nothing.



This, I think is key to her personality. Credit card fraud is "not so big"...it is nothing serious. Thus, the threshold for what she thinks is wrong is above this. Thus, any crime or wrongdoing somewhere ABOVE credit card fraud, will be dismissed as nothing. Thus, issuing a stream of lies in public to the newspapers about each and every issue will be considered as "nothing" to her. It is, after all, much less serious than credit card fraud, which is also "nothing" in her eyes.



She has recently defended her demonstrably risible English, by claiming that she received "A1" in her English O levels and Communication O levels, in Singapore. Now, if this is true, then these exams are worthless, when issued by the Singaporean system - because she clearly cannot use English remotely well. Yet, I don't think that the Singaporean education system is at risk here. It is much more likely that Ris Low is lying again. People with perfect English scores generally make better English sentences than ones that include non-existent words such as "Boomz".



In the case of Ris Low, whenever any of her public statements has been examined, it has been discovered to have been a lie. This is now a consistent pattern. She has also, for instance, laid claim to a defense of "I have bipolar disorder". Interestingly, this "diagnosis", I have read, was only "made" AFTER she was in need of an excuse. Her lawyer advised her to get a medical check up to see if there was any excuse she could give for her actions. Hey presto, out pops an immediate diagnosis of "bipolar disorder". Now, the course of events that led to this diagnosis hardly encourages us to believe in it - but even if she has bipolar disorder, this is not really an excuse. Bipolar disorder gives you severe mood swings, it does not automatically turn you into a congenital liar and fraudster. Indeed, her use of "bipolar disorder" as an excuse, is an insult to all those who actually have bipolar disorder, because people might begin to doubt their integrity and moral worth, when there is, in fact, no reason to do so.

What we have learnt, so far, of Ris Low, is that close examination of her statements tends to reveal them to be lies. I would like, therefore, an independent opinion on her "bipolar disorder". It would also be interesting to see if her school will back up the A1 grades claimed in English and Communications. Somehow, however, I don't think that will happen.

So far, the public reaction to Ris Low's crimes and lies, does not seem to have dissuaded Ris Low from continuing to lie. I can only hope though, that the whole situation will sober her up, with regards to the importance of integrity and truth. If not, I cannot imagine what harm she will bring to those around her - and herself - should she continue to live a life of persistent dishonesty.

Ris Low: it is time to stop the lies, and start the confessions. It is time, basically, to stop running from the truth of yourself with excuses like: "I was young, I didn't think"...and start seeing yourself for what you are - and make an effort to reform. It is no excuse to claim youth as a reason for dishonesty and lack of integrity. Most young people are honest in most parts of the world. Why should Ris Low be any exception?

One good thing, though, that all of this has done, is make it harder for Ris Low to get away with any future crimes or lies. People just won't believe her. Perhaps, then, she will reform, not through her own efforts, but perforce, through the reactions of others. That will be a good thing. Perhaps, one day, she will be even thankful for the reformative pressure that will be brought to bear on her. That is, she might be so when she is old enough to have acquired some wisdom...say, not nineteen, but ninety.

We will wait and see.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight months, please go to:http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency, that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. If you need such services, or know someone who does, please go to: http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.

IMDB is the Internet Movie Database for film and tv professionals.If you would like to look at my IMDb listing for which another fifteen credits are to be uploaded, (which will probably take several months before they are accepted) please go to: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3438598/ As I write, the listing is new and brief - however, by the time you read this it might have a dozen or a score of credits...so please do take a look. My son, Ainan Celeste Cawley, also has an IMDb listing. His is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3305973/ My wife, Syahidah Osman Cawley, has a listing as well. Hers is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. Use Only with Permission. Thank you.)

Ris Low: Miss Singapore World

Ris Low won Miss Singapore World. This is, apparently, a competition to determine the prettiest girl in Singapore in some respects. Unaccountably, this girl with a lopsided smile, won. I find this odd, in itself, since I have seen, since I arrived in Singapore, many a better looking person...but heh, perhaps those others didn't want to enter.

Anyway, Ris Low, has become more famous for her personal "qualities" than for her "beauty". When first elected to the crown of Miss Singapore World, she was heavily criticized for her risibly low command of English. She seems to speak her own version of "unintelligible". In truth, she is a heavy Singlish speaker with an original style. Ris Low classics include "bigini" for "bikini"; "leopard preens" for "leopard prints" and "zipbra" for "zebra". She can't even pronounce "red" which she says as "RAD". At times, her speech departed so much from communicative norms, in any language, that she simply could not be understood - even by Singlish speakers.

Ris Low embarrassed Singapore through her poor grasp of English. Many felt that she made Singaporeans look uneducated. (Well, she does...) However, her poor English could be forgiven on account of her presumed risibly low intelligence. She has, yet, in her public appearances never given any evidence of being a thoughtful person. Now, however, she has given much evidence of being a thoughtless one. Ris Low, believe it or not, has been convicted of multiple charges of credit card fraud!

Seeing her lopsided smile in the My Paper, with the words "Guilty of Credit Card Fraud", felt rather surreal. It was as if someone was saying a bad joke twice. We have already heard the joke about her English...now we have to hear the joke about her morality.

Rather astonishingly, Ris Low stole credit card details of PATIENTS while working as a patients' service assistant (that is SOME service) in a healthcare facility. She then went on an idiotic spending spree buying such necessary items as two gold anklets for a $1,000, a $698 mobile phone and dining out at an upscale restaurant. In total, SIXTY charges were taken into consideration for her sentencing. She was convicted of five charges of misappropriation (akin to stealing), cheating using illegally obtained credit cards and IMPERSONATING the identities of the card owners.

What really astonished me about this case was the lightness of her sentence. She was given two years supervised probation. It seems clear that the fact that she is a beauty queen seems to have had some influence over her sentencing.

To my mind, a beauty queen should be more than a pretty face (and I don't think that Ris Low is even that, since, by my standards, she is not good enough to even be an entrant in such a show). A beauty queen should also be a decent person with integrity and heart. I say this because beauty queens represent their countries. As representatives they should show the BEST of their countries...not only in beauty (she is not the best) but in character (she is not the worst).

Ris Low fails as a beauty queen precisely because she fails as a human being. She has proven to be dishonest. She is so risibly low in moral character, that she thinks it OK to steal from hospital PATIENTS to buy herself gold ankle chains. It is absolutely revolting. The people she stole from have enough worries and stresses in their lives dealing with their illnesses, not to have to deal with the sudden knowledge that someone has been using their credit cards fraudulently. Just imagine the shock of those patients to discover that it was a HOSPITAL staff member that had stolen their cards? It is appalling.

Ris Low should not represent Singapore in anything. She shows, if anything, that Singapore is a place of poor moral standards. Ris Low grew up in Singapore. Therefore her almost unintelligible speech and lack of a moral sense, are the products of her Singaporean upbringing. Both facts, make Singapore look very bad.

Singapore should take more care in its choice of "Ambassadors", if it wishes to be seen in a good light. Then, again, perhaps it is more truthful of the true nature of young Singaporeans today, that someone like Ris Low should be an ambassador. Perhaps her character is no more than a reflection of a generation who seek short cuts in all things; who value materialism above morality - and who think that they can get by on looks alone, with no other redeeming quality or ability at all. Ris Low, therefore, represents the Singapore of tomorrow: characterless, amoral, far from bright and not really that beautiful.

So, Singapore has a decision to make. Either it should show Singapore as it is becoming (see Ris Low's description above), or as it would like to be seen.

I have a view on this. Generally, I think a country should show the BEST of its people. It should highlight the exemplars. In doing so, it gives all people of that nation something to aspire to - but it also shows what that country and its people can achieve. This is not lying about a country, for everyone knows that not everyone is as beautiful, talented, honest etc.

Ris Low is not the best that Singapore has to offer, in any sense of the word best. She is not the most beautiful person in Singapore. She is not the smartest person in Singapore (in fact, she is not the smartest person anywhere). She is also not the most honest person in Singapore (nor is she anywhere). If Singapore wants to show its young people as they can be, then show Ris Low to the world. If Singapore would like to show its young people as they SHOULD be...then get someone else. Anyone else would be better than this risibly low choice of a human being.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight months, please go to:http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency, that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. If you need such services, or know someone who does, please go to: http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.

IMDB is the Internet Movie Database for film and tv professionals.If you would like to look at my IMDb listing for which another fifteen credits are to be uploaded, (which will probably take several months before they are accepted) please go to: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3438598/ As I write, the listing is new and brief - however, by the time you read this it might have a dozen or a score of credits...so please do take a look. My son, Ainan Celeste Cawley, also has an IMDb listing. His is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3305973/ My wife, Syahidah Osman Cawley, has a listing as well. Hers is found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. Use Only with Permission. Thank you.)