http://2i303la2011.blogspot.com/2011/08/majulah-singapura.html?showComment=1313286332454#c1534251251742216568
chester
http://2i303la2011.blogspot.com/2011/06/gentleman.html?showComment=1313286552997#c503179366294965535
chester
http://leeliakghee2i310.blogspot.com/2011/08/reflection-for-cip-activity-on-racial.html?showComment=1313286759201#c7378881942593516027
liakghee
http://leeliakghee2i310.blogspot.com/2011/07/racial-harmony-day.html?showComment=1313286919334#c3129764931920199249
liakghee
http://leeliakghee2i310.blogspot.com/2011/06/being-gentleman.html?showComment=1313287276702#c4560374200342723604
liakgee
http://chuachengtat.blogspot.com/2011/08/mp-uses-phone-during-national-anthem.html?showComment=1313287481754#c1543984741075666159
chengtat
http://chuachengtat.blogspot.com/2011/06/gentleman.html?showComment=1313287843784#c6031451649685077422
chengtat
http://chuachengtat.blogspot.com/2011/08/deepening-of-reservoirs-under-review.html?showComment=1313288066769#c7547961674171657635
chengtat
http://2i3-12.blogspot.com/2011/07/peer-pressure.html?showComment=1313288315253#c6993330819139392576
weikiat
http://2i3-12.blogspot.com/2011/06/true-gentleman-3.html?showComment=1313288502022#c1373483670249687708
weikiat
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Term 3 Math Test 1 ---> Some Personal Reflections
Recently, I took my first math test for term 3, 2011.
I scored a very, VERY pathetic 21/40 for the math test.
I feel that this is credited to a number of things and I felt a need to reflect on them in order to help me improve myself.
Initially, I knew that I was weak in math. Somehow, I had this feeling even before the test. This feeling was the feeling that I was not going to do well. The worst part, was however, I did not take subsequent action even after harboring that thought. Knowing that I was weak in this topic, what I could have done was to do more practices. This way I can assure myself and at the same time bring back better results.
I also thought that I lacked a lot of discipline when it came to doing practices. My study table is a platform for both my work and my computer. Essentially it meant that distraction was less than arm's length away from me. 9/10 occasions when I conduct self-study, I find myself hopping on the computer. I would tell myself 'just a while, it won't hurt'. This would repeat and repeat, until a certain point in which I get too tired and fall asleep. When I wake up, I realize that I have achieved nothing! Procrastination is a big problem in which for the rest of my life I must face and learn to overcome.
I felt very set back by the results, which is my rationale for this post. I feel that I need to change to be more mature. At the end of the day my results are mine and only to affect myself. I should learn to be responsible. Hence, I decided to spend less time on the computer. I have also decided to place my computer in the bag when not in use, rather than leaving it on the computer and distract me. This way I can improve my results!
I scored a very, VERY pathetic 21/40 for the math test.
I feel that this is credited to a number of things and I felt a need to reflect on them in order to help me improve myself.
Initially, I knew that I was weak in math. Somehow, I had this feeling even before the test. This feeling was the feeling that I was not going to do well. The worst part, was however, I did not take subsequent action even after harboring that thought. Knowing that I was weak in this topic, what I could have done was to do more practices. This way I can assure myself and at the same time bring back better results.
I also thought that I lacked a lot of discipline when it came to doing practices. My study table is a platform for both my work and my computer. Essentially it meant that distraction was less than arm's length away from me. 9/10 occasions when I conduct self-study, I find myself hopping on the computer. I would tell myself 'just a while, it won't hurt'. This would repeat and repeat, until a certain point in which I get too tired and fall asleep. When I wake up, I realize that I have achieved nothing! Procrastination is a big problem in which for the rest of my life I must face and learn to overcome.
I felt very set back by the results, which is my rationale for this post. I feel that I need to change to be more mature. At the end of the day my results are mine and only to affect myself. I should learn to be responsible. Hence, I decided to spend less time on the computer. I have also decided to place my computer in the bag when not in use, rather than leaving it on the computer and distract me. This way I can improve my results!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Name Calling
Recently, there have been a few cases of offensive name calling happening in my class. Just a week ago another fight was sparked off. One of my classmates started calling this other classmate offensive remarks pertaining to his physical qualities. The victim was obviously enraged and it was a chain reaction.
For privacy purposes, I cannot name the students specifically. Hence, let Student A be the perpetrator and Student B be the victim.
Firstly, the case was evidently sparked off with the name calling. Student B states that Student A had called him offensive remarks such as 'black' and 'chicken-eyed'. Student B felt extremely insulted as it felt very 'racist' although Student B was not exactly of any culture with darken skin tone. But still, it was an insult. Student B reacted with violence.
I feel that in this case obviously the insults were not right. We should learn to accept each other for who they are. We should not be finding opportunities to alienate anyone from the class. Bad qualities are existent and each and every person. What is important is not bad qualities. They do not help anyone, they only spoil our day! It is a lose-lose situation- so what for pick on it?
Secondly, I feel that how Student B reacted as the victim was not wise. I am sure we all have been guilty of throwing such insults at people. The ultimate goal is to see reaction by the other party. Eg. To make them angry, to make them do something. Similarly, when the other party DOES NOT react, they lose their goal. At this point, they don't see the point in continuing the attacks. Hence, sometimes, holding yourself back is very wise and clever too.
Ultimately name calling is very immoral and mean, we should not practice it. Respect is a virtue, and should not be compromised at any time!
For privacy purposes, I cannot name the students specifically. Hence, let Student A be the perpetrator and Student B be the victim.
Firstly, the case was evidently sparked off with the name calling. Student B states that Student A had called him offensive remarks such as 'black' and 'chicken-eyed'. Student B felt extremely insulted as it felt very 'racist' although Student B was not exactly of any culture with darken skin tone. But still, it was an insult. Student B reacted with violence.
I feel that in this case obviously the insults were not right. We should learn to accept each other for who they are. We should not be finding opportunities to alienate anyone from the class. Bad qualities are existent and each and every person. What is important is not bad qualities. They do not help anyone, they only spoil our day! It is a lose-lose situation- so what for pick on it?
Secondly, I feel that how Student B reacted as the victim was not wise. I am sure we all have been guilty of throwing such insults at people. The ultimate goal is to see reaction by the other party. Eg. To make them angry, to make them do something. Similarly, when the other party DOES NOT react, they lose their goal. At this point, they don't see the point in continuing the attacks. Hence, sometimes, holding yourself back is very wise and clever too.
Ultimately name calling is very immoral and mean, we should not practice it. Respect is a virtue, and should not be compromised at any time!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Land Scarcity Crisis in Singapore- How our government solves it!!
Singapore is a very small island. In fact, it is one of the smallest nations in the world, as we would all probably know by now. To top up to that constraint, Singapore is extremely populated. With 5 million people and such a small area of land, we rank the 3rd in the world in terms of population density. This just tells you how much Singapore is so cramped up and squeezed up. Hence, we definitely need more space to increase our space.
Over the years the government has been very efficient in ensuring that every inch of land put to its full use. The government has been strategic when it comes to selecting the areas to built infrastructure and also the type of infrastructure. For example, in many HDB flats and even some condominiums, it is common to spot retail shops usually at the ground level of these buildings. This way the land use is mixed. The Pinnacle and Paxton apartment is a good example of a building that serves retail and residential purposes. Suntec City would be a decent example of a building that serves both commercial and retail purposes. We also observe that buildings are densely built. Tessellation plays a helpful part in increasing land space.
We also observe that the structure and features within the buildings itself are also designed to conserve space. Many buildings make use of multi-storey car parks. This 'stacking' can further increase the efficiency of land use. Essentially building upwards is multiplying the piece of land by the number of storeys you choose to build. If there are car parks above ground, there definitely are underground car parks that are mostly used in private buildings. These two types of car parks are so commonly seen nowadays!
Transport has been very cleverly designed to save space as well. MRT stations and interchanges are quite common nowadays. It is also very common to see an MRT station or interchange that is located above ground. Examples of such would be the Choa Chu Kang MRT Station and the Woodlands Interchange. Expressways for private vehicles are also underground. Examples are the Central Expressway and the Kallang Paya Lebar. Similar to the car park example above, expressways are built to be above ground too. An example would be the Bukit Timah Expressway.
In addressing the issue of land scarcity our government has undoubtedly done a very good job. In future, we are certain to prosper. (Well maybe not with a slightly new cabinet).
Over the years the government has been very efficient in ensuring that every inch of land put to its full use. The government has been strategic when it comes to selecting the areas to built infrastructure and also the type of infrastructure. For example, in many HDB flats and even some condominiums, it is common to spot retail shops usually at the ground level of these buildings. This way the land use is mixed. The Pinnacle and Paxton apartment is a good example of a building that serves retail and residential purposes. Suntec City would be a decent example of a building that serves both commercial and retail purposes. We also observe that buildings are densely built. Tessellation plays a helpful part in increasing land space.
We also observe that the structure and features within the buildings itself are also designed to conserve space. Many buildings make use of multi-storey car parks. This 'stacking' can further increase the efficiency of land use. Essentially building upwards is multiplying the piece of land by the number of storeys you choose to build. If there are car parks above ground, there definitely are underground car parks that are mostly used in private buildings. These two types of car parks are so commonly seen nowadays!
Transport has been very cleverly designed to save space as well. MRT stations and interchanges are quite common nowadays. It is also very common to see an MRT station or interchange that is located above ground. Examples of such would be the Choa Chu Kang MRT Station and the Woodlands Interchange. Expressways for private vehicles are also underground. Examples are the Central Expressway and the Kallang Paya Lebar. Similar to the car park example above, expressways are built to be above ground too. An example would be the Bukit Timah Expressway.
In addressing the issue of land scarcity our government has undoubtedly done a very good job. In future, we are certain to prosper. (Well maybe not with a slightly new cabinet).
Monday, August 1, 2011
Should A Leader Be Judged According To His Personal Life? - Yes!
One of our current affairs recently was pertaining to the question 'Whether leaders should be judged according to their personal life?'. I shall voice my personal opinions rather theoretically, as I am not exactly knowledgeable in this field and don't exactly have much of particular case evidences.
I think that a leader should, and must be judged according to his personal life. The issue we are dealing with here is the issue of respect. Leaders are here to lead, but think about it- why do the people allow themselves to be led. The reason is respect. Leaders are people who have shown in their records and portfolio to be outstanding and above other people one way or another. You would definitely not see a random coffee shop waiter to be Singapore's next Finance Minister. It just doesn't make sense. Why doesn't it make sense then, you say. The reason is, once again respect.
In order to lead, and convince the people to let you lead them, you must gain their respect. This is why we follow our parent's advice and directions. They have spent so much effort in order to bring us up and support us, hence we have a certain respect towards them. Similarly, we respect leaders as they, during elections have presented themselves to be charismatic, capable, reliable and worth trusting. Their portfolios are decorated beautifully by the abundance of certificates while their reputation builds upon it. This is why we trust our leaders- they are accountable.
Then, the issue of personal life comes in. It definitely affects your accountability. How would you feel if a policeman who drinks in his police car orders you to stop your car for speeding? Naturally, the level of respect and trust is lowered, and you probably would not even care about him. If a leader goes around toying with stocks and loses thousands of dollars because of it, and goes on to talk about his new financial plans of Singapore, would you believe him? No, you would not. Society is all about the people. We, as the common citizen trust people who are wiser than us common people. When these 'cleverer' people fall down to standards of common citizen or worse, then how is he valuable as a leader anymore? He is not fit to lead anymore; it defeats the purpose of such intense selection of leaders like him.
Hence, leaders must be judged according to their personal lives as it reflects their accountability and their leadership qualities. These reflections affect the way people see him, and most importantly- the level of trust between him, and the public.
I think that a leader should, and must be judged according to his personal life. The issue we are dealing with here is the issue of respect. Leaders are here to lead, but think about it- why do the people allow themselves to be led. The reason is respect. Leaders are people who have shown in their records and portfolio to be outstanding and above other people one way or another. You would definitely not see a random coffee shop waiter to be Singapore's next Finance Minister. It just doesn't make sense. Why doesn't it make sense then, you say. The reason is, once again respect.
In order to lead, and convince the people to let you lead them, you must gain their respect. This is why we follow our parent's advice and directions. They have spent so much effort in order to bring us up and support us, hence we have a certain respect towards them. Similarly, we respect leaders as they, during elections have presented themselves to be charismatic, capable, reliable and worth trusting. Their portfolios are decorated beautifully by the abundance of certificates while their reputation builds upon it. This is why we trust our leaders- they are accountable.
Then, the issue of personal life comes in. It definitely affects your accountability. How would you feel if a policeman who drinks in his police car orders you to stop your car for speeding? Naturally, the level of respect and trust is lowered, and you probably would not even care about him. If a leader goes around toying with stocks and loses thousands of dollars because of it, and goes on to talk about his new financial plans of Singapore, would you believe him? No, you would not. Society is all about the people. We, as the common citizen trust people who are wiser than us common people. When these 'cleverer' people fall down to standards of common citizen or worse, then how is he valuable as a leader anymore? He is not fit to lead anymore; it defeats the purpose of such intense selection of leaders like him.
Hence, leaders must be judged according to their personal lives as it reflects their accountability and their leadership qualities. These reflections affect the way people see him, and most importantly- the level of trust between him, and the public.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Projects Day Reflections
Personally, the projects day were quite the disaster for me. Mistakes were obviously made, however what is important to learn from the mistakes we made.
1. I felt that I lacked the appropriate leadership skills. One big regret in my project was the lack of one of my team member's participation- Justin. However, this was not to blame him. Our project was very messy. Essentially the making of the prototype and finalization of the slides were all done one week before the actual judging. The work was rather unequally divided among us. Most of the time, it was me and my other member, Samuel carrying out the work. The other members, Kay Han and Justin rarely did anything. This was because I came into contact with Samuel more easily than Justin.
I would like to place the blame of the disorganized workload on me, the leader of the group. At first, I blamed the other two members a lot for their lack of contribution. However, after the Semi-Prelims, I realized that blaming them was not appropriate. I understood an important point- I did not assign work to them. I feel that this has been a major mistake on my part. The blaming essentially was also wrong.
2. Secondly, I felt that the overall flow of the project is incorrect. I shared my the story of my project with my tuition teacher, together we dissected the whole process and successfully identified the problems. The crucial mistake was at the very start. We had an idea before every else- we were so big headed. We spend a whole 2 months working on that idea even before the start of the year. Then, during the first IvP peer mentoring session, disaster struck. Instantly, the idea was rejected and "shot down" by most of the people.
I thought about this. It was very unsafe for us to have jumped the gun. The problem was that the idea was not secured, but yet we still chose the category. We took a huge gamble- a gamble that failed. What could have been better, was to put in the extra effort to confirm the project with a mentor, so that at least there is an insurance.
I feel that this can help me with my projects day so that next time, disaster can be avoided.
1. I felt that I lacked the appropriate leadership skills. One big regret in my project was the lack of one of my team member's participation- Justin. However, this was not to blame him. Our project was very messy. Essentially the making of the prototype and finalization of the slides were all done one week before the actual judging. The work was rather unequally divided among us. Most of the time, it was me and my other member, Samuel carrying out the work. The other members, Kay Han and Justin rarely did anything. This was because I came into contact with Samuel more easily than Justin.
I would like to place the blame of the disorganized workload on me, the leader of the group. At first, I blamed the other two members a lot for their lack of contribution. However, after the Semi-Prelims, I realized that blaming them was not appropriate. I understood an important point- I did not assign work to them. I feel that this has been a major mistake on my part. The blaming essentially was also wrong.
2. Secondly, I felt that the overall flow of the project is incorrect. I shared my the story of my project with my tuition teacher, together we dissected the whole process and successfully identified the problems. The crucial mistake was at the very start. We had an idea before every else- we were so big headed. We spend a whole 2 months working on that idea even before the start of the year. Then, during the first IvP peer mentoring session, disaster struck. Instantly, the idea was rejected and "shot down" by most of the people.
I thought about this. It was very unsafe for us to have jumped the gun. The problem was that the idea was not secured, but yet we still chose the category. We took a huge gamble- a gamble that failed. What could have been better, was to put in the extra effort to confirm the project with a mentor, so that at least there is an insurance.
I feel that this can help me with my projects day so that next time, disaster can be avoided.
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Singapore Spirit- Races
Singapore is a very diversified country. Nonetheless, race itself is diversified throughout Singapore. Hence, there is a necessity for a "common race" or "common belief" among people in order for unity.
This "common belief" would be the infamous "Singapore Spirit". This Singapore Spirit is highly ambiguous. Many people have many different opinions and interpretations of it. To me, the Singapore Spirit acts like a bridge and common platform among all the races in Singapore.
Over the years since Singapore's independence we have been plagued with many racial disputes and collisions. The 1964 Prophet Muhammad Birthday riots, for example, was certainly unfortunate. It was a very depressing sight- Singaporeans killing Singaporeans. The violence killed 36 people and injured another 556. About 3,000 people were arrested. Racial disturbance was very high in Singapore. I would hence classify these killings and racial disputes as the lack of the Singapore Spirit.
Despite all the unhappiness and anger among the races, there were also positive and brighter sides to racial relations in Singapore. A very good example would be the 2003 SARS outbreak. The SARS virus was a deadly virus that affected 37 countries all around the world with more than 8200 cases and 775 deaths. The virus was deadly and also the first time Singapore faced an epidemic or such caliber. However, medical staff risked their lives to try and save patients from this unknown disease. In this period of darkness, heart-wrenching and inspirational stories of courage and selflessness emerged. A doctor even said: "We went in there 90 per cent expecting to die,". However, Singapore stood as one, as one nation, as one race, as one body. This is true Singapore Spirit.
The Singapore spirit is very important to Singapore. It is very powerful as shown in the SARS crisis. The Singapore Spirit is a spirit in people in which at the end of the day, regardless of race, religion, age or position, you are a Singaporean. As a Singaporean you are responsible for Singapore and every other Singaporean. That, is the real Singapore Spirit!
This "common belief" would be the infamous "Singapore Spirit". This Singapore Spirit is highly ambiguous. Many people have many different opinions and interpretations of it. To me, the Singapore Spirit acts like a bridge and common platform among all the races in Singapore.
Over the years since Singapore's independence we have been plagued with many racial disputes and collisions. The 1964 Prophet Muhammad Birthday riots, for example, was certainly unfortunate. It was a very depressing sight- Singaporeans killing Singaporeans. The violence killed 36 people and injured another 556. About 3,000 people were arrested. Racial disturbance was very high in Singapore. I would hence classify these killings and racial disputes as the lack of the Singapore Spirit.
Despite all the unhappiness and anger among the races, there were also positive and brighter sides to racial relations in Singapore. A very good example would be the 2003 SARS outbreak. The SARS virus was a deadly virus that affected 37 countries all around the world with more than 8200 cases and 775 deaths. The virus was deadly and also the first time Singapore faced an epidemic or such caliber. However, medical staff risked their lives to try and save patients from this unknown disease. In this period of darkness, heart-wrenching and inspirational stories of courage and selflessness emerged. A doctor even said: "We went in there 90 per cent expecting to die,". However, Singapore stood as one, as one nation, as one race, as one body. This is true Singapore Spirit.
The Singapore spirit is very important to Singapore. It is very powerful as shown in the SARS crisis. The Singapore Spirit is a spirit in people in which at the end of the day, regardless of race, religion, age or position, you are a Singaporean. As a Singaporean you are responsible for Singapore and every other Singaporean. That, is the real Singapore Spirit!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
3 types of Thinking
Today, I will be describing three types of bad thinking and share some of my opinions about it.
Firstly, we have Sheep Thinking. Sheep are often reflected to come in a whole group or cluster. Hence, Sheep are compared to people that belong to a part of a whole group. The essential thing is that these sheep follow and play along with what other sheep go or do, similarly, these people often play along and follow what other people or the majority do. This kind of thinking lacks that involvement of one's own opinions.
Secondly, we have Egocentric thinking. As suggested by the name, Egocentric thinking is centered around oneself. "Ego" refers to one's pride and glory, while "Centric" essentially means "centered". Hence, we can know that Egocentric thinking would be a kind of thinking that is centered around the thinker's own pride and his advantages. This is a very selfish type of thinking.
Thirdly, we have Haphazard thinking. Haphazard essentially means disorganized, hence Haphazard thinking would be disorganized thinking. This would mean that you do not put in the effort to consider other aspects when thinking. This is usually the spark of a fiery, but avoidable argument.
I feel that Haphazard thinking is the deadliest among these three. The critical aspect about this type of thinking is that it has the power to change a trivial thing to a major argument. Let's use a scenario to explain this point. Imagine someone accidentally stepping on your foot. Due to Haphazard thinking, you unleash your rage on the person and give him one hard punch. The other person retaliates in rage too. The teacher hurries over to stop the fight. Afterwards, the teacher's boss reprimands the teacher for not handling the class properly. No one is happy in the end. Could all these have been avoided? At the very first part of the incident, if you chose to forgive the person instead of punching him, the person might have been much happier and apologetic. The teacher would have less trouble to take care of, and the teacher's boss would have less teachers to scold.
Haphazard thinking is very powerful- in a bad way. It is able to cause a chain of unpleasant events. Hence, in conclusion I feel that Haphazard thinking is the most dangerous thinking out of these three thinking.
Firstly, we have Sheep Thinking. Sheep are often reflected to come in a whole group or cluster. Hence, Sheep are compared to people that belong to a part of a whole group. The essential thing is that these sheep follow and play along with what other sheep go or do, similarly, these people often play along and follow what other people or the majority do. This kind of thinking lacks that involvement of one's own opinions.
Secondly, we have Egocentric thinking. As suggested by the name, Egocentric thinking is centered around oneself. "Ego" refers to one's pride and glory, while "Centric" essentially means "centered". Hence, we can know that Egocentric thinking would be a kind of thinking that is centered around the thinker's own pride and his advantages. This is a very selfish type of thinking.
Thirdly, we have Haphazard thinking. Haphazard essentially means disorganized, hence Haphazard thinking would be disorganized thinking. This would mean that you do not put in the effort to consider other aspects when thinking. This is usually the spark of a fiery, but avoidable argument.
I feel that Haphazard thinking is the deadliest among these three. The critical aspect about this type of thinking is that it has the power to change a trivial thing to a major argument. Let's use a scenario to explain this point. Imagine someone accidentally stepping on your foot. Due to Haphazard thinking, you unleash your rage on the person and give him one hard punch. The other person retaliates in rage too. The teacher hurries over to stop the fight. Afterwards, the teacher's boss reprimands the teacher for not handling the class properly. No one is happy in the end. Could all these have been avoided? At the very first part of the incident, if you chose to forgive the person instead of punching him, the person might have been much happier and apologetic. The teacher would have less trouble to take care of, and the teacher's boss would have less teachers to scold.
Haphazard thinking is very powerful- in a bad way. It is able to cause a chain of unpleasant events. Hence, in conclusion I feel that Haphazard thinking is the most dangerous thinking out of these three thinking.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
People over penny (Dr. Susan Lim case)
Dr. Susan Lim is a very renowned doctor in Asia; she was the first to conduct a liver transplant in Asia! However, her true colours were revealed when she charged the Brunei royal family a stunning $21million dollars for her medical care. I would like to voice some opinions.
Evidence has shown that she marked up the bill issued by the specialists that help to take care of the Bruneian queen's sister from 0.9 times up to 526 times the original bill. This has really raised my concern. It seems that the Singapore bad "love money" attitude had deteriorated to such a ridiculous level! I think Dr. Susan Lim has essentially erased all her credit and fame by her silly actions.
I believe that doctors are a very sacred occupation. Doctors have the control over the well-being of people, hence they should be people of very high moral etiquette. Dr. Susan Lim, being a doctor, however, has failed miserably at showing the aspect of possessing a high moral etiquette. She has obviously taken advantage of the fact that the client was of royal background to try and acquire as much money for selfish purposes. A doctor should not be like that, in fact, as a doctor, you are sworn to place people above penny.
Benevolence should be the first priority of doctors, it is certainly disappointing to see yet another prominent figure blur the lines between the people and the penny. I thank the legal actions taken against her, especially by her own country- housekeeping. I hope and pray hard that Singapore would shift away from being such a money-oriented society.
Evidence has shown that she marked up the bill issued by the specialists that help to take care of the Bruneian queen's sister from 0.9 times up to 526 times the original bill. This has really raised my concern. It seems that the Singapore bad "love money" attitude had deteriorated to such a ridiculous level! I think Dr. Susan Lim has essentially erased all her credit and fame by her silly actions.
I believe that doctors are a very sacred occupation. Doctors have the control over the well-being of people, hence they should be people of very high moral etiquette. Dr. Susan Lim, being a doctor, however, has failed miserably at showing the aspect of possessing a high moral etiquette. She has obviously taken advantage of the fact that the client was of royal background to try and acquire as much money for selfish purposes. A doctor should not be like that, in fact, as a doctor, you are sworn to place people above penny.
Benevolence should be the first priority of doctors, it is certainly disappointing to see yet another prominent figure blur the lines between the people and the penny. I thank the legal actions taken against her, especially by her own country- housekeeping. I hope and pray hard that Singapore would shift away from being such a money-oriented society.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Comments.
Comments
Format:
[Blogger]- [Post Name]
Mingfwu- Newsworthiness and how I read newspapers.
Liakghee- Should the Parents’ Maintenance Act be abolished?
Liakghee- STOMP- Jiang Lai
Liakghee- Should Singlish be recognised as an official language in Singapore?
Weikiat- Sabbatical Term 1 (Hwa Chong Proficiency of Communication)
Weikiat- Does Hard Work Always Pay Off?
Fuyuan- Recent STOMP Article: Even students from elite school can't follow no-eating rule on bus
Fuyuan- In-class Compulsory ACE Activity: Exposition Writing
Zhihao- Going steady
Zhihao- Why I like hurdling T2P8
Format:
[Blogger]- [Post Name]
Mingfwu- Newsworthiness and how I read newspapers.
Liakghee- Should the Parents’ Maintenance Act be abolished?
Liakghee- STOMP- Jiang Lai
Liakghee- Should Singlish be recognised as an official language in Singapore?
Weikiat- Sabbatical Term 1 (Hwa Chong Proficiency of Communication)
Weikiat- Does Hard Work Always Pay Off?
Fuyuan- Recent STOMP Article: Even students from elite school can't follow no-eating rule on bus
Fuyuan- In-class Compulsory ACE Activity: Exposition Writing
Zhihao- Going steady
Zhihao- Why I like hurdling T2P8
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Language Arts Results- Reflection
Today I received my Language Arts results- 22/30. I experienced a influx of different emotions. I was generally rather satisfied as my initial target was a B4 grade. The grade was an A2, however after I received the results I thought it was quite a pity- mere 1 mark away from an A1. An A2 grade is rather unstable given the fact that I was not very strong with my other assignments. An A1 grade would probably have secured an overall A2 more well, or in better cases an A1 grade.
I want to say that I could have done better. I had the ideas, but I did not organize my thoughts well to actually bring out the full potential. I was rather nervous during the test. The main problem was that I was simply dumbfounded at the questions. I would even consider myself to be lucky. An elevation of the standard of my vocabulary is definitely important in order to avoid wastage of precious time and thoughts.
I finally realized the unpleasant consequences of a bad foundation of the language itself.
and samuel is not happy.
I want to say that I could have done better. I had the ideas, but I did not organize my thoughts well to actually bring out the full potential. I was rather nervous during the test. The main problem was that I was simply dumbfounded at the questions. I would even consider myself to be lucky. An elevation of the standard of my vocabulary is definitely important in order to avoid wastage of precious time and thoughts.
I finally realized the unpleasant consequences of a bad foundation of the language itself.
and samuel is not happy.
Singapore Elections 2011- Opposition emerges
This year the elections were very interesting. This year marks the new generation of opposition parties.
As we all know, the People's Action Party (PAP) ruled over Singapore and almost every election in Singaporean history. Lee Kuan Yew and more recently Lee Hsien Loong has proven to be capable individuals in helping Singapore progress. They got what they deserved- Overall winners of almost every election. However as more and newer come into PAP, their legacy might not necessarily continue. A simple example would be Mr. Mah Bow Tan, notorious for his "efforts" that made HDB flat prices reach soaring heights.
As seen, what is good doesn't necessarily stay good forever. What I feel that it is good to bring in some people of "the other side" to provide balance. Honestly I feel that the people who vote for the opposition just because they "want someone different" are merely ignorant and immature. The opposition's job is really to change what it wrong, and ultimately improve the lives of us citizens in Singapore during the long run. I guess this elections, with increased competition and more opposition members brought in, we can expect the government to be better and that the "failing" areas of the government can salvaged.
I felt it was good that more opposition members are now part of the government. Hopefully they will be able to find AND correct the faults of PAP's style of governing Singapore. I wish the new government good luck in improving and ensuring progress of Singapore.
As we all know, the People's Action Party (PAP) ruled over Singapore and almost every election in Singaporean history. Lee Kuan Yew and more recently Lee Hsien Loong has proven to be capable individuals in helping Singapore progress. They got what they deserved- Overall winners of almost every election. However as more and newer come into PAP, their legacy might not necessarily continue. A simple example would be Mr. Mah Bow Tan, notorious for his "efforts" that made HDB flat prices reach soaring heights.
As seen, what is good doesn't necessarily stay good forever. What I feel that it is good to bring in some people of "the other side" to provide balance. Honestly I feel that the people who vote for the opposition just because they "want someone different" are merely ignorant and immature. The opposition's job is really to change what it wrong, and ultimately improve the lives of us citizens in Singapore during the long run. I guess this elections, with increased competition and more opposition members brought in, we can expect the government to be better and that the "failing" areas of the government can salvaged.
I felt it was good that more opposition members are now part of the government. Hopefully they will be able to find AND correct the faults of PAP's style of governing Singapore. I wish the new government good luck in improving and ensuring progress of Singapore.
Relationships- Asking Yourself "Am I ready?"
Today I will be discussing about relationships, especially pertaining to teens nowadays.
Which each year we see the increased number of teens being engaged in boy-girl relationships, while the age of which these teens engage boy-girl relationships at start decreasing too.
Firstly, it is very important to understand what a relationship really is. However it is difficult to clarify what a relationship really is, and even harder it will be to evaluate purpose. There are many reasons to relationships- sheer loneliness, peer pressure and interest in other party. Out of these three stated examples, I guess "interest in other party" would be the most suitable and logical reason to engage in boy-girl relationships. However what the couple is looking at in the future is what really differs. In my opinion, what a couple should be looking at is marriage and spending a lifelong time together. However this is unfortunately not the case in many couples nowadays.
Logically thinking about it, why be in a relationship if you ultimately do not end up with marriage? It is plainly wasting time. If an individual cannot support, does not want to, and doesn't plan for marriage and lifelong time together with the other party, there is really no much point in a relationship itself. Relationships require time and effort to be invested into it. If you don't even know what you are working towards, all these time and effort should be well spent on something else.
Hence, what an individual should really consider his purpose of a relationship. He must also be ready. However such things are highly ambiguous and there is really no definite answer to it. But logically thinking, this is a sensible path to follow.
The implications of not observing this "test" might result in neglecting of studies and work, affecting social life of both parties. Wastage of time is also very important.
Which each year we see the increased number of teens being engaged in boy-girl relationships, while the age of which these teens engage boy-girl relationships at start decreasing too.
Firstly, it is very important to understand what a relationship really is. However it is difficult to clarify what a relationship really is, and even harder it will be to evaluate purpose. There are many reasons to relationships- sheer loneliness, peer pressure and interest in other party. Out of these three stated examples, I guess "interest in other party" would be the most suitable and logical reason to engage in boy-girl relationships. However what the couple is looking at in the future is what really differs. In my opinion, what a couple should be looking at is marriage and spending a lifelong time together. However this is unfortunately not the case in many couples nowadays.
Logically thinking about it, why be in a relationship if you ultimately do not end up with marriage? It is plainly wasting time. If an individual cannot support, does not want to, and doesn't plan for marriage and lifelong time together with the other party, there is really no much point in a relationship itself. Relationships require time and effort to be invested into it. If you don't even know what you are working towards, all these time and effort should be well spent on something else.
Hence, what an individual should really consider his purpose of a relationship. He must also be ready. However such things are highly ambiguous and there is really no definite answer to it. But logically thinking, this is a sensible path to follow.
The implications of not observing this "test" might result in neglecting of studies and work, affecting social life of both parties. Wastage of time is also very important.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Osama bin Laden is dead- Good? Bad?
As we all by now should know, the infamous leader of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, has been shot dead by United States Marine SEALs. Mr. Obama, the president of the United States even personally held a broadcast to citizens of the nations informing them of the news, although the news were already leaked out hours before the broadcast.
My discussion today is to be directed more at the consequences and after effects of Osama's death.
There are really two ways to look at this.
1. The fact that Osama Bin Laden is Dead.
-The nature of this is that without a proper leader, the Al-Qaeda group is disorganized and henceforth has its foundations weaken. This will therefore allow the armed forces of nations to eliminate the group more easily. The group will also provide less trouble and issues for the world. It is a fact seen in history. When Adolf Hitler fell in World War 2 Germany lost the war not long afterwards. In Chinese history as long the Emperor is killed the whole country is left in chaos until the enemy takes over. Similarly in this case Al-Qaeda would be messy and unable to organize proper attacks against society.
2. The fact that Al-Qaeda has no more 'restrictions'
-We have to admit that Osama had been a clever man. Clever, but devious and cruel he was, to have planned the September 11 Attacks so well and also the killings of Muslims around the world. Osama, as a wise man, would definitely know how to "control" his group. Al-Qaeda given their weaponry and numbers could definitely have conducted an attack similar to 9-11, but the fact is that they did not. This is due to the fact that there was Osama Bin Laden to organize and plan carefully. However with his death the Al-Qaeda group would know no more limits. They would also be driven by revenge and want to seek vengeance against the world. It is a very unstable situation.
The people around the world should really tighten their defenses and be more wary now. We cannot assume that Osama's death is definitely for the better.
My discussion today is to be directed more at the consequences and after effects of Osama's death.
There are really two ways to look at this.
1. The fact that Osama Bin Laden is Dead.
-The nature of this is that without a proper leader, the Al-Qaeda group is disorganized and henceforth has its foundations weaken. This will therefore allow the armed forces of nations to eliminate the group more easily. The group will also provide less trouble and issues for the world. It is a fact seen in history. When Adolf Hitler fell in World War 2 Germany lost the war not long afterwards. In Chinese history as long the Emperor is killed the whole country is left in chaos until the enemy takes over. Similarly in this case Al-Qaeda would be messy and unable to organize proper attacks against society.
2. The fact that Al-Qaeda has no more 'restrictions'
-We have to admit that Osama had been a clever man. Clever, but devious and cruel he was, to have planned the September 11 Attacks so well and also the killings of Muslims around the world. Osama, as a wise man, would definitely know how to "control" his group. Al-Qaeda given their weaponry and numbers could definitely have conducted an attack similar to 9-11, but the fact is that they did not. This is due to the fact that there was Osama Bin Laden to organize and plan carefully. However with his death the Al-Qaeda group would know no more limits. They would also be driven by revenge and want to seek vengeance against the world. It is a very unstable situation.
The people around the world should really tighten their defenses and be more wary now. We cannot assume that Osama's death is definitely for the better.
My Disastrous IVP Project- Reflections
Me and my friends embarked on an Innovation Programme Project.
We were very passionate and started already during the 2010 End Of Year school holidays. However all this passion was pretty much wasted when the execution and technical aspects of the project were messed up and confused.
Our first proposed problem was that food is difficult to be kept fresh and warm when we want to bring it around. Eg. to School, to workplace, to someone
else's home.
Hence, our relative objective was to create a box shaped container that is able to keep food warm up to 2~3hours and at the same time keep the food fresh. At this point we have already made a crucial mistake. We had ignored the step of finding the existing solutions.
We could come up with many types of solutions. There are 2 main concepts.
1.
A vacuum in between the food itself and the inner layer of the box.
-This way the heat travels extremely slowly through the vacuum.
2.
Fabric encased in plastic casing. This fabric will then be stuck
to the inner layer of the box.
-This way the heat travels very slowly through the vacuum.
We came up with 6 designs for the product based on the concept itself. However, when the day came for the Draft Session, all these designs from blood and sweat would go down into the drain. Our idea of the "Heatbox" easily "shot down". Within 30 into presentation Ms. Vivien Sim presented us with a picture of a metallic bottle-like container which has a vacuum layer separating the food and the inner surface. We were speechless. All the blood and sweat and effort- all for nothing. The reception was terrible. It all revolved the fact that there are too many solutions out there already. Although the reception of the idea itself was very bad, we however learnt
much from the session. The most important thing we learnt is to be extremely sure when we search for existing solutions so as to not work on something for nothing. Similarly in life, we should do background research and preparation on the event itself beforehand. Imagine a group of soldiers that wasted their time by going to foreign land without directions- their country is probably going to perish. Similarly here, our efforts perished.
Hence it is very important to understand and establish a good base for anything we do in life.
We were very passionate and started already during the 2010 End Of Year school holidays. However all this passion was pretty much wasted when the execution and technical aspects of the project were messed up and confused.
Our first proposed problem was that food is difficult to be kept fresh and warm when we want to bring it around. Eg. to School, to workplace, to someone
else's home.
Hence, our relative objective was to create a box shaped container that is able to keep food warm up to 2~3hours and at the same time keep the food fresh. At this point we have already made a crucial mistake. We had ignored the step of finding the existing solutions.
We could come up with many types of solutions. There are 2 main concepts.
1.
A vacuum in between the food itself and the inner layer of the box.
-This way the heat travels extremely slowly through the vacuum.
2.
Fabric encased in plastic casing. This fabric will then be stuck
to the inner layer of the box.
-This way the heat travels very slowly through the vacuum.
We came up with 6 designs for the product based on the concept itself. However, when the day came for the Draft Session, all these designs from blood and sweat would go down into the drain. Our idea of the "Heatbox" easily "shot down". Within 30 into presentation Ms. Vivien Sim presented us with a picture of a metallic bottle-like container which has a vacuum layer separating the food and the inner surface. We were speechless. All the blood and sweat and effort- all for nothing. The reception was terrible. It all revolved the fact that there are too many solutions out there already. Although the reception of the idea itself was very bad, we however learnt
much from the session. The most important thing we learnt is to be extremely sure when we search for existing solutions so as to not work on something for nothing. Similarly in life, we should do background research and preparation on the event itself beforehand. Imagine a group of soldiers that wasted their time by going to foreign land without directions- their country is probably going to perish. Similarly here, our efforts perished.
Hence it is very important to understand and establish a good base for anything we do in life.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
"Ice Cream Boys" Hwa Chong Pupils "Cant follow law"
Today I would like to discuss about a topic that is very recent. Once again, Hwa Chong has appeared on the infamous "Stomp" social website. As usual, it is not any matter to start rejoicing about. This time, it concerns public transport and food.
Recently, a few of our students were caught on camera for consuming ice cream. This is of course not allowed and wrong of them to do so. As a result, due to this little "crime", an annoyed commuter on the bus decided to post the picture onto the Stomp website and back it up with the title being "Even elite school students can't follow the law". Firstly I would admit that I am rather enraged by what this person has done, especially to the school's reputation. The poster is exaggerating the matter in my opinion. Thinking about it, the general public has a very bias image of elite school students at this point.
What most people think about Elite School Students is that they are "perfect" and absolutely flawless- and that every error is a major downfall. Let's face it, elite school students are still ultimately humans. All humans commit sins and wrongdoings. What this article on Stomp is trying to bring out is that anyone and everyone not from an elite school cannot do something wrong and incorrect without a care in the world while for the case of elite school students the perpetrator must be brought to light and should be reprimanded and dealt with very heavily. Reality is not like that. The people like the contributor of this stomp post have a selfish and thoughtless mindset. They like to push the blame to the better. He should be scolding himself for not taking the initiative to stop the students from consuming the ice cream.
Recently, a few of our students were caught on camera for consuming ice cream. This is of course not allowed and wrong of them to do so. As a result, due to this little "crime", an annoyed commuter on the bus decided to post the picture onto the Stomp website and back it up with the title being "Even elite school students can't follow the law". Firstly I would admit that I am rather enraged by what this person has done, especially to the school's reputation. The poster is exaggerating the matter in my opinion. Thinking about it, the general public has a very bias image of elite school students at this point.
What most people think about Elite School Students is that they are "perfect" and absolutely flawless- and that every error is a major downfall. Let's face it, elite school students are still ultimately humans. All humans commit sins and wrongdoings. What this article on Stomp is trying to bring out is that anyone and everyone not from an elite school cannot do something wrong and incorrect without a care in the world while for the case of elite school students the perpetrator must be brought to light and should be reprimanded and dealt with very heavily. Reality is not like that. The people like the contributor of this stomp post have a selfish and thoughtless mindset. They like to push the blame to the better. He should be scolding himself for not taking the initiative to stop the students from consuming the ice cream.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Jiang Lai Controversy
As we all most likely should know, especially when pertaining to Hwa Chong and students of other elite schools, there has been recent gossip and controversy over a Singaporean blogger.
Simply to summarize the blogger's posts, the female blogger known as of now by the name of Jiang Lai, was a Chinese Relief teacher. She on her blog has posted critical comments about students from elite schools mostly related to their looks and most superficial impressions. She labelled Hwa Chong Institution as "ugly" and that alone has sparked a lot of rage and unhappiness among students.
Most of the people around me, especially students of these elite schools feel very enraged by Jiang Lai's posts. Firstly I would like to comment on Ms. Jiang Lai as a very ignorant and egotistic person. She is very evidently prejudiced against students of some schools. She is also a very suspicious person as there might be other motives behind what she has done. She has also been heard to be harassing few students from a particular in which she used to teach in.
My personal response to this incident is very simple- ignore. As our ESTEEMED Humanities Teacher states: "The best response is to simply ignore this person as giving her the attention only brings us down to her level". It is very true. The motives of a proud and ignorant person is for people to bow down to him. Similarly, Jiang Lai intends for people to think of her as very "great" and entertain her. So by not giving her the attention she wants, we do not lose anything nor bring any unhappiness to ourselves, however at the same time it serves as the most effective weapon against Ms. Jiang Lai's posts that lack intellect.
I personally think this situation will eventually subside and serve as a moment of comedy in history. I conclude that there is not need to pay any attention to Ms. Jiang Lai at all.
Simply to summarize the blogger's posts, the female blogger known as of now by the name of Jiang Lai, was a Chinese Relief teacher. She on her blog has posted critical comments about students from elite schools mostly related to their looks and most superficial impressions. She labelled Hwa Chong Institution as "ugly" and that alone has sparked a lot of rage and unhappiness among students.
Most of the people around me, especially students of these elite schools feel very enraged by Jiang Lai's posts. Firstly I would like to comment on Ms. Jiang Lai as a very ignorant and egotistic person. She is very evidently prejudiced against students of some schools. She is also a very suspicious person as there might be other motives behind what she has done. She has also been heard to be harassing few students from a particular in which she used to teach in.
My personal response to this incident is very simple- ignore. As our ESTEEMED Humanities Teacher states: "The best response is to simply ignore this person as giving her the attention only brings us down to her level". It is very true. The motives of a proud and ignorant person is for people to bow down to him. Similarly, Jiang Lai intends for people to think of her as very "great" and entertain her. So by not giving her the attention she wants, we do not lose anything nor bring any unhappiness to ourselves, however at the same time it serves as the most effective weapon against Ms. Jiang Lai's posts that lack intellect.
I personally think this situation will eventually subside and serve as a moment of comedy in history. I conclude that there is not need to pay any attention to Ms. Jiang Lai at all.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Essay- "Work hard, play hard"
"Work Hard, Play Hard"- it is such a common phrase that comes to our ears. However, thinking about it, are the effects as phenomenal as it may sound? Does it even account to be a "Piece of Advice"? I hereby agree with this statement. For a matter of fact, it is my favorite. Hence, working hard and playing hard is a piece of valuable advice.
Working hard and playing hard ensures that one's efforts are not made at the expense of his own entertainment. Ultimately, we, as humans like to enjoy. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"; I am sure that many of us have heard of this phrase. In fact this phrase is very existent in life. All work and no play in our lives simply makes it boring, stressful and tiring. By playing hard, we can observe and make a balance in between working and playing. Hence it can be concluded that by playing hard is an essential partner to working hard, as this is the best way to achieve a balance in life.
Changing the point of view, we can view this phrase to be playing hard and working hard. As always, humans love to have fun. Our society has improved itself to provide more enjoyment. From "Five stones" in the 1900s to Televisions to Computers to iPods and Apple Products. The society is made to bring fun and joy to people. However, how can a society provide so much without an element of effort and hard work? This is a crucial investment to be made by every member of the society. Playing hard- enjoying life, sports, computer; but have you thought where all these came from? These wonderful gadgets are the fruits of great researchers. If humans only cared about playing hard, by now we should still be in the stone age. However if humans play hard and yet work hard too, we would be able to achieve much success in society. Hence, it can be concluded that by working hard is an essential partner to playing hard, as this is the only way for the individual to elevate his intelligence and moral aspects.
Working hard and playing hard ensures you and the people around you to be happy. People complain, and most of the time what they complain about will be that their lives "are too difficult" and "too tiring" or "painful". These are the results of working hard, without a correct balance. Introducing the aspect of playing hard, these people's lives will be much happier. They work hard- tired, stress. Now, they play hard- happy, relax, remove stress. People are now satisfied, and there is also no need to complain or throw tantrums anymore. Other people do not need to be the victim of your complaints and help solve unnecessary problems. Let alone the individual being happy, the people around him, his family, his friends are also happy now. Hence working hard and playing hard ensures you and the people around you to be happy.
A common refute to the working hard and playing hard is more specifically directed at the part of playing hard. What people say is that playing hard might bring negative effects to the person. Playing hard brings significant and considerable problems, such as addiction. The person might also absorb some bad qualities and ideas through playing hard. However the key thing that is missed out here is the role that working hard would play. The role in which working hard would be playing is to balance out this "impurities". What is needed is to consider the positive ideas that the individual will gain from working hard. Working hard teaches a person to not be lazy, to be self reliant. These qualities will successfully negate the bad influences of playing hard.
Work hard and play hard, it may seem like an easy motto to come by, but it is highly subjective. However at least now we know that not all clever people in this world necessarily need to be "nerds" or insane bookworms. Similarly not all successful people spend all twenty-four hours digging through piles and piles of books and paper. Indeed, "Work hard, play hard" is a great and wonderful piece of advice.
Working hard and playing hard ensures that one's efforts are not made at the expense of his own entertainment. Ultimately, we, as humans like to enjoy. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"; I am sure that many of us have heard of this phrase. In fact this phrase is very existent in life. All work and no play in our lives simply makes it boring, stressful and tiring. By playing hard, we can observe and make a balance in between working and playing. Hence it can be concluded that by playing hard is an essential partner to working hard, as this is the best way to achieve a balance in life.
Changing the point of view, we can view this phrase to be playing hard and working hard. As always, humans love to have fun. Our society has improved itself to provide more enjoyment. From "Five stones" in the 1900s to Televisions to Computers to iPods and Apple Products. The society is made to bring fun and joy to people. However, how can a society provide so much without an element of effort and hard work? This is a crucial investment to be made by every member of the society. Playing hard- enjoying life, sports, computer; but have you thought where all these came from? These wonderful gadgets are the fruits of great researchers. If humans only cared about playing hard, by now we should still be in the stone age. However if humans play hard and yet work hard too, we would be able to achieve much success in society. Hence, it can be concluded that by working hard is an essential partner to playing hard, as this is the only way for the individual to elevate his intelligence and moral aspects.
Working hard and playing hard ensures you and the people around you to be happy. People complain, and most of the time what they complain about will be that their lives "are too difficult" and "too tiring" or "painful". These are the results of working hard, without a correct balance. Introducing the aspect of playing hard, these people's lives will be much happier. They work hard- tired, stress. Now, they play hard- happy, relax, remove stress. People are now satisfied, and there is also no need to complain or throw tantrums anymore. Other people do not need to be the victim of your complaints and help solve unnecessary problems. Let alone the individual being happy, the people around him, his family, his friends are also happy now. Hence working hard and playing hard ensures you and the people around you to be happy.
A common refute to the working hard and playing hard is more specifically directed at the part of playing hard. What people say is that playing hard might bring negative effects to the person. Playing hard brings significant and considerable problems, such as addiction. The person might also absorb some bad qualities and ideas through playing hard. However the key thing that is missed out here is the role that working hard would play. The role in which working hard would be playing is to balance out this "impurities". What is needed is to consider the positive ideas that the individual will gain from working hard. Working hard teaches a person to not be lazy, to be self reliant. These qualities will successfully negate the bad influences of playing hard.
Work hard and play hard, it may seem like an easy motto to come by, but it is highly subjective. However at least now we know that not all clever people in this world necessarily need to be "nerds" or insane bookworms. Similarly not all successful people spend all twenty-four hours digging through piles and piles of books and paper. Indeed, "Work hard, play hard" is a great and wonderful piece of advice.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Diary of a World War 2 Civilian
18th July 1944
The Germans looted the store. All the beef, chicken and pork were all taken away. Samuel tried to resist. The Germans put a bullet in his head. I lost my job. I guess I'm clever enough to give in. Two weeks ago my house was raided, and now the store is gone. All I have now is the kitchen knife Father left for me and a few dollars I managed to grab from the store. I probably would not survive the next week. I can't care enough for myself to care for others anymore. Or perhaps- I should learn to fight.
Perhaps, I could drive the Germans out of this beautiful land. Father told me about a resistance group. My age should be suitable- I'm already a strong young man!
I have decided, tomorrow shall be the start of the end. I shall travel via the sewers to the Resistance camp.
The Germans looted the store. All the beef, chicken and pork were all taken away. Samuel tried to resist. The Germans put a bullet in his head. I lost my job. I guess I'm clever enough to give in. Two weeks ago my house was raided, and now the store is gone. All I have now is the kitchen knife Father left for me and a few dollars I managed to grab from the store. I probably would not survive the next week. I can't care enough for myself to care for others anymore. Or perhaps- I should learn to fight.
Perhaps, I could drive the Germans out of this beautiful land. Father told me about a resistance group. My age should be suitable- I'm already a strong young man!
I have decided, tomorrow shall be the start of the end. I shall travel via the sewers to the Resistance camp.
Descriptive Essay 18th April 2011
The crimson blood flowed profusely from his nose. The bullet showed no mercy at all. His body was lifeless now. The stench of the trenches was gruesome. One of his squad-mates drops knee first. His grip on his rifle tightens. He was filled with rage. The other squad-mate reaches out for the dead soldier’s tag- silver, cold and metallic. The ground was littered with waste, blood and tears of soldiers. It was a bloodbath.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Response to a Chinese Debate Topic
The topic is originally in Chinese- “新加坡建设核能电厂是否利大于弊还是弊大于利”。
In English, this would simply mean- "Would the construction of Nuclear Power Plants in Singapore bring more positive or negative effects to Singapore?".
Firstly, I would like to establish a stand. I think that the construction of Nuclear Power Plants would have greater negative effects to Singapore than positive effects.
I would state some reasons to support this statement.
Overall, it will be based on the issue of Safety.
Safety is a big issue when it comes to Nuclear Power. As we have recently in Japan, the Nuclear Power Plants were affected by the Earthquake and Tsunami in March. The radiation has affected the area. Water has been contaminated and life around the area has also been disrupted. This has not only posed health issues to Singapore, the economy is also affected as people will be reluctant to purchase Japanese goods in fear of radioactive contamination.
Similarly in 1986 Chernobyl's Nuclear Power Plants exploded, causing heavy amounts of damage. The city is now abandoned and can be considered as the worst nuclear disasters in history.
As the above imply, Nuclear Power plants can pose great threats to the livelihood of a country. Furthermore, Singapore lacks the space to build nuclear reactors. In the event of a disaster Singapore could very well be wiped out. At the end of the day, we would most likely be suffering instead of benefiting as we planned.
Hence I think constructing nuclear power plants in Singapore would bring more harm than benefit.
In English, this would simply mean- "Would the construction of Nuclear Power Plants in Singapore bring more positive or negative effects to Singapore?".
Firstly, I would like to establish a stand. I think that the construction of Nuclear Power Plants would have greater negative effects to Singapore than positive effects.
I would state some reasons to support this statement.
Overall, it will be based on the issue of Safety.
Safety is a big issue when it comes to Nuclear Power. As we have recently in Japan, the Nuclear Power Plants were affected by the Earthquake and Tsunami in March. The radiation has affected the area. Water has been contaminated and life around the area has also been disrupted. This has not only posed health issues to Singapore, the economy is also affected as people will be reluctant to purchase Japanese goods in fear of radioactive contamination.
Similarly in 1986 Chernobyl's Nuclear Power Plants exploded, causing heavy amounts of damage. The city is now abandoned and can be considered as the worst nuclear disasters in history.
As the above imply, Nuclear Power plants can pose great threats to the livelihood of a country. Furthermore, Singapore lacks the space to build nuclear reactors. In the event of a disaster Singapore could very well be wiped out. At the end of the day, we would most likely be suffering instead of benefiting as we planned.
Hence I think constructing nuclear power plants in Singapore would bring more harm than benefit.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Maid Carrying for NS Man
Recently, an NS soldier was seen using his phone while his maid quietly follows behind, carrying the young NS soldier's backpack for him. This scene was caught on camera and posted on many media platforms including the internet and newspapers. There has also been a lot of debate regarding the national pride as reflected in this scene.
My view on this matter is that this case is an extreme case and it is not fair to use this sole case alone to deduce a general statement about young men nowadays.
Very obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is that this young man is obviously pampered and not independent and "good-for-nothing". And then, the people will take it to the next level, they will then conclude that the NS men of this age are pampered and non-independent too. This however is wrong.
I do admit that this individual's actions are certainly disgraceful. However I do not think a sole case should be sparking so much of concern and debate as it is a rather isolated case and to a certain extent, very extreme.
Indeed this individual is a disgrace to many men, however I do not think it is fair to assume the similar traits from the rest of the NS men.
My view on this matter is that this case is an extreme case and it is not fair to use this sole case alone to deduce a general statement about young men nowadays.
Very obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is that this young man is obviously pampered and not independent and "good-for-nothing". And then, the people will take it to the next level, they will then conclude that the NS men of this age are pampered and non-independent too. This however is wrong.
I do admit that this individual's actions are certainly disgraceful. However I do not think a sole case should be sparking so much of concern and debate as it is a rather isolated case and to a certain extent, very extreme.
Indeed this individual is a disgrace to many men, however I do not think it is fair to assume the similar traits from the rest of the NS men.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thoughts about the Libyan Crisis (Gadaffi)
At this point, most people in the world have been alarmed about the Libyan crisis and rebellion to overthrow its 42-years-in-running Leader, Mr. Muammar Gaddafi.
As of February 2011, many pro-democracy events in the Arab World have sparked furious and major political protests. The protests turned lethal shortly after and the death toll of the protests is rising to up to 1,000. What is feared, is that, Gaddafi has decided to eliminate as many that stood in his way while he could.
I personally, would protest against Gaddafi if I were a Libyan citizen.
Gaddafi imposed strong and almost unreasonable policies to influence the people. For instance, in 1973, on the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, Gaddafi delivered his famous "Five-Point Address" which: suspended existing laws and implemented Sharia; announced the purging of the country' "politically sick", created a "people's militia" to "protect the revolution", announced an administrative and cultural revolution.
Gaddafi runs the country, in my opinion, with a personal bias in mind. He, in his Green Book, describes black Africans as a lazy race that is liable to multiply without limit.
The fact that Gaddafi is opening fire onto his own citizens assures my doubts of him being the rightful leader of his conutry.
I think he should step down and very rightfully deserves his downfall.
Gadaffi is not a nice guy.
As of February 2011, many pro-democracy events in the Arab World have sparked furious and major political protests. The protests turned lethal shortly after and the death toll of the protests is rising to up to 1,000. What is feared, is that, Gaddafi has decided to eliminate as many that stood in his way while he could.
I personally, would protest against Gaddafi if I were a Libyan citizen.
Gaddafi imposed strong and almost unreasonable policies to influence the people. For instance, in 1973, on the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, Gaddafi delivered his famous "Five-Point Address" which: suspended existing laws and implemented Sharia; announced the purging of the country' "politically sick", created a "people's militia" to "protect the revolution", announced an administrative and cultural revolution.
Gaddafi runs the country, in my opinion, with a personal bias in mind. He, in his Green Book, describes black Africans as a lazy race that is liable to multiply without limit.
The fact that Gaddafi is opening fire onto his own citizens assures my doubts of him being the rightful leader of his conutry.
I think he should step down and very rightfully deserves his downfall.
Gadaffi is not a nice guy.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Mississippi Burning Movie- Afterthoughts
We recently started watching the movie Mississippi Burning(1988) during Language Arts class. I generally found this movie to bring out the theme of Racism extremely strongly.
The movie is basically a crime film loosely based on the FBI investigations of a the murders of three civil rights workers in the state of Mississippi.
I find that other than the crime itself, the movie also evidently portrays the Racism that was very strong throughout the story. The White men obviously do not like the Black men. Hence, they execute very strong and violent actions against them. One such actions include the burning of the Black men's churches. Firstly, the theme of Racism is already seen in the segregation of blacks. The churches are separated into White men's churches and black men's churches. This is further emphasized when the White men set the black men's churches on fire and destroying them. The movie also portrays the white men to have much better living conditions. The white men are like the "posh" people, and the black people live in squatters in rather undeveloped areas. This portrays the black men as the "poor" and "inferior".
The black men do not have the money and the number to overpower the whites. They had no choice but to silently endure the racial bias.
The movie is basically a crime film loosely based on the FBI investigations of a the murders of three civil rights workers in the state of Mississippi.
I find that other than the crime itself, the movie also evidently portrays the Racism that was very strong throughout the story. The White men obviously do not like the Black men. Hence, they execute very strong and violent actions against them. One such actions include the burning of the Black men's churches. Firstly, the theme of Racism is already seen in the segregation of blacks. The churches are separated into White men's churches and black men's churches. This is further emphasized when the White men set the black men's churches on fire and destroying them. The movie also portrays the white men to have much better living conditions. The white men are like the "posh" people, and the black people live in squatters in rather undeveloped areas. This portrays the black men as the "poor" and "inferior".
The black men do not have the money and the number to overpower the whites. They had no choice but to silently endure the racial bias.
Telephone Conversation (Poem)
Today in class, we went through the poem "Telephone Conversation" by Wole Soyinka.
Firstly, I would like to applaud the poem for having a very unique and contemporary type of presentation and structure. I am very intrigued by how a telephone conversation is fused into the theme of Racism.
The use of a telephone conversation makes it very easy to visualize the emotion and atmosphere. The poem is basically about a Black man trying to rent a room. Hence, the black man has to contact the landlady. Through the poem, it is easily revealed that the landlady is a racist, but tries much to hide it. The poem makes use of a telephone conversation. It uses how people usually engage in a conversation. In this poem, it is revealed that the landlady was taken aback when she knew about the man's race. This is revealed as it is written that the landlady seemed to "put on lipstick" before she talked. This reveals that what was said after she new about his race was rather artificial. Towards the end of the poem the landlady starts to be more aggressive and rude. Hence, the speaker himself could not tolerate anymore and did not care for the landlady's feelings.
This is a very unique and successful poem on racism.
Firstly, I would like to applaud the poem for having a very unique and contemporary type of presentation and structure. I am very intrigued by how a telephone conversation is fused into the theme of Racism.
The use of a telephone conversation makes it very easy to visualize the emotion and atmosphere. The poem is basically about a Black man trying to rent a room. Hence, the black man has to contact the landlady. Through the poem, it is easily revealed that the landlady is a racist, but tries much to hide it. The poem makes use of a telephone conversation. It uses how people usually engage in a conversation. In this poem, it is revealed that the landlady was taken aback when she knew about the man's race. This is revealed as it is written that the landlady seemed to "put on lipstick" before she talked. This reveals that what was said after she new about his race was rather artificial. Towards the end of the poem the landlady starts to be more aggressive and rude. Hence, the speaker himself could not tolerate anymore and did not care for the landlady's feelings.
This is a very unique and successful poem on racism.
Ending of To Kill A Mockingbird
Ending:
The ending of TKAM fitted into place well to me. It was rather relevant. The unraveling of Boo Radley was very appropriate as he was somewhat a mystery throughout the story. The explanation closes up the mystery and serves to be a good conclusion. The story also ended well as there is a significant improvement in Scout and Jem's maturity. Compared to the first few pages in which Scout and Jem were depicted as playful and immature kids that annoyed people, the ending serves as a close and epilogue to the change in their attitude. Scout and Jem learnt to understand and accept people, especially Boo Radley. The ending of the story very well concludes the inner growth and development of Scout and Jem. I think that the ending was not too unexpected and was rather relevant and to a certain extent "normal".
The ending of TKAM fitted into place well to me. It was rather relevant. The unraveling of Boo Radley was very appropriate as he was somewhat a mystery throughout the story. The explanation closes up the mystery and serves to be a good conclusion. The story also ended well as there is a significant improvement in Scout and Jem's maturity. Compared to the first few pages in which Scout and Jem were depicted as playful and immature kids that annoyed people, the ending serves as a close and epilogue to the change in their attitude. Scout and Jem learnt to understand and accept people, especially Boo Radley. The ending of the story very well concludes the inner growth and development of Scout and Jem. I think that the ending was not too unexpected and was rather relevant and to a certain extent "normal".
Nature vs. Nurture (Designer Babies)
Recently in the AAT curriculum, there has been much discussion and controversy over the topic about Nature vs. Nurture. A Part of the discussion that has really caught my attention was the discussion about designer babies.
Designer babies basically refer to the parents or guardian manually selecting traits for their babies. As such, babies are more like to posses the parents' desired trait. This is of course very expensive and can only be achieved if they are financially wealthy to do so.
There has been a lot of argument to whether such actions are morally and ethically correct and reasonable. One of the concepts we have learnt during our AAT lessons was Utilitarianism. This concept focuses on one's advantage and things achieved from the situation. As such, based on this concept, designer babies would be perfectly alright. The parents of the designer baby would be happy as their child has a special advantage. However, if we look at religious and moral values, designer babies might not be very acceptable.
Especially in Muslim and Islam practices, designer babies are generally looked at as wrong and immoral as it is opposing nature. Technically speaking, designer babies "defy nature" as they do not conform to how they were meant to be created and existed originally. Hence, most religious practices would regard designer babies as wrong and immoral.
Personally, I am neutral about designer babies. I am an atheist and hence religiously, do not find any fault with designer babies. However I suspect the necessity for designer babies at times. I would personally try not to support designer babies as I think there is not real need for it. It might even bring harm since it is such a new concept. I am also more pro nature and do not appreciate how humans defy the true nature of babies.
Designer babies basically refer to the parents or guardian manually selecting traits for their babies. As such, babies are more like to posses the parents' desired trait. This is of course very expensive and can only be achieved if they are financially wealthy to do so.
There has been a lot of argument to whether such actions are morally and ethically correct and reasonable. One of the concepts we have learnt during our AAT lessons was Utilitarianism. This concept focuses on one's advantage and things achieved from the situation. As such, based on this concept, designer babies would be perfectly alright. The parents of the designer baby would be happy as their child has a special advantage. However, if we look at religious and moral values, designer babies might not be very acceptable.
Especially in Muslim and Islam practices, designer babies are generally looked at as wrong and immoral as it is opposing nature. Technically speaking, designer babies "defy nature" as they do not conform to how they were meant to be created and existed originally. Hence, most religious practices would regard designer babies as wrong and immoral.
Personally, I am neutral about designer babies. I am an atheist and hence religiously, do not find any fault with designer babies. However I suspect the necessity for designer babies at times. I would personally try not to support designer babies as I think there is not real need for it. It might even bring harm since it is such a new concept. I am also more pro nature and do not appreciate how humans defy the true nature of babies.
Response to "Tiger Mum"
This is a response to an article as found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html
To summarize the whole article basically, is about the very traditional type of education as observed in the society, compared to the more modern type of education. The Chinese mother is evidently very strict, as seen in the title. She is very concerned about her children's education. In this case, she is very concern about her children Sophia and Louisa in terms of their violin and piano standards. She does not allow her children to escape practicing their instruments and almost never allows them to have any form of leisure.
My opinion on this is that the traditional method of education has its flaws and strengths. The very strict type of education is theoretically very effective as it basically crams the child with all the skill and knowledge possible. However the flaw comes into place when you think about whether the child is able intake all these "cramming". Humans have emotions. It will be hard for most children to undergo such intense training as the level of stress might be too heavy for the child. Lucky enough, we know that Amy's children can cope well with her teaching. This type of education evidently focuses a lot more on academic excellence rather than enjoyment and pleasure from learning. Personally, I think it will be too tough for me to handle.
To summarize the whole article basically, is about the very traditional type of education as observed in the society, compared to the more modern type of education. The Chinese mother is evidently very strict, as seen in the title. She is very concerned about her children's education. In this case, she is very concern about her children Sophia and Louisa in terms of their violin and piano standards. She does not allow her children to escape practicing their instruments and almost never allows them to have any form of leisure.
My opinion on this is that the traditional method of education has its flaws and strengths. The very strict type of education is theoretically very effective as it basically crams the child with all the skill and knowledge possible. However the flaw comes into place when you think about whether the child is able intake all these "cramming". Humans have emotions. It will be hard for most children to undergo such intense training as the level of stress might be too heavy for the child. Lucky enough, we know that Amy's children can cope well with her teaching. This type of education evidently focuses a lot more on academic excellence rather than enjoyment and pleasure from learning. Personally, I think it will be too tough for me to handle.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Anger Management (FT Contact Session)
Anger Management
After the Form Teacher Contact Session on Anger Management, I have learnt about the different types of actions that people exhibit when they are angry. Such could include the clenching of fists or even tears in the eyes. A person would naturally ready himself for fight when he is provoked or angry. As such, we can see whether a person is angry and thereby take the correct decisions in resolving the situation. However, there are also some that completely don't show any symptoms, and it is up to our own perception and experience to deduce from the situation.
>Responses
Hence, I have come up with some responses to such situations. Firstly, since the person is already getting ready to fight and emotionally unstable, the most wise decision is to stop provoking each other in order to avoid a chaotic fight. This way we can prevent both parties from getting injured. After that, we should try to urge each other to cool down as that is the best way to solve the problem in a peaceful manner. There are many ways to "cooling down". Some basically include leaving the other party alone for a while, or simply saying "I'm sorry".
I believe that both parties will are wrong in such situations. It is never a one sided argument or fault, and always has a hidden error to either party.
This session was very helpful to me and I look forward to more of such educational sessions.
After the Form Teacher Contact Session on Anger Management, I have learnt about the different types of actions that people exhibit when they are angry. Such could include the clenching of fists or even tears in the eyes. A person would naturally ready himself for fight when he is provoked or angry. As such, we can see whether a person is angry and thereby take the correct decisions in resolving the situation. However, there are also some that completely don't show any symptoms, and it is up to our own perception and experience to deduce from the situation.
>Responses
Hence, I have come up with some responses to such situations. Firstly, since the person is already getting ready to fight and emotionally unstable, the most wise decision is to stop provoking each other in order to avoid a chaotic fight. This way we can prevent both parties from getting injured. After that, we should try to urge each other to cool down as that is the best way to solve the problem in a peaceful manner. There are many ways to "cooling down". Some basically include leaving the other party alone for a while, or simply saying "I'm sorry".
I believe that both parties will are wrong in such situations. It is never a one sided argument or fault, and always has a hidden error to either party.
This session was very helpful to me and I look forward to more of such educational sessions.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Understanding Authors
It is necessary to understand the background. This is so that the author's style of writing and context can be more easily understood. For example, the author might be biased towards a certain issue or use a very strong context. Hence, by understanding the backgroud we can understand the rationale for the bias. By understanding the background we can also understand the situation the author was writing the book and hence tune our thinking towards the time frame and understand the story more.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
12/1/2011 LA Lesson
Prejudice
Know:
Personally what I know of Prejudice, is regarding to put someone down, however the first thing that comes to my mind is the famous title "Pride and Prejudice". Prejudice has been existent over a great span of time. Prejudice ranges from official prejudice, or personal prejudice. Prejudice from ancient times include official prejudices when people are banished from a territory. Luckily, in modern times prejudice is highly despised by most societies. Hence, officially declared Prejudice is less common. However, the rise of personal prejudice is inevitable. I would link prejudice with racism. Consequently, the thoughts of African-Americans come to mind. In the US, as we all probably know, prejudice had existed towards the Native American "Blacks". Thankfully this type of racism has been curbed to a certain extent.
Want:
What I am interested is the past of Prejudice towards Native-Americans. Especially around the Civil War period. I would want to know the kind of attitude faced by the Native Americans and also the kind of fate they own. I want to find out their difference in society and what kind of jobs they are assigned. Also, I want to know the insights and the unknown tortures they endure.
Know:
Personally what I know of Prejudice, is regarding to put someone down, however the first thing that comes to my mind is the famous title "Pride and Prejudice". Prejudice has been existent over a great span of time. Prejudice ranges from official prejudice, or personal prejudice. Prejudice from ancient times include official prejudices when people are banished from a territory. Luckily, in modern times prejudice is highly despised by most societies. Hence, officially declared Prejudice is less common. However, the rise of personal prejudice is inevitable. I would link prejudice with racism. Consequently, the thoughts of African-Americans come to mind. In the US, as we all probably know, prejudice had existed towards the Native American "Blacks". Thankfully this type of racism has been curbed to a certain extent.
Want:
What I am interested is the past of Prejudice towards Native-Americans. Especially around the Civil War period. I would want to know the kind of attitude faced by the Native Americans and also the kind of fate they own. I want to find out their difference in society and what kind of jobs they are assigned. Also, I want to know the insights and the unknown tortures they endure.
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