Exams

As I arrived home after the finishing the very last test of this term, I felt relieved, yet at the same time not. I start to draw comparisons between tests and the war poetry we are studying. In war poems, they always say that although the war is physically over, there is this sense of guilt when you don't do well, and that your emotional and mental state will be changed forever.

Of course to say the same for tests and examinations would be too much of an overstatement. But still, is the war/exam truly over? To analyse this, let's start from the begining. 1st term, we think it will be an easy year, still being in Secondary 2. As we face our first test, we are only too aware that the year will not be so easy. Term 2, we did in and prepare for our mid-year tests. The June holiday is a mere respite before we plunge into another deludge of tests. As the year ends, we know the worst is yet to come. The EOYs are upon before we can prepare ourselves mentally for the onslaught of failure that is sure to come. Perhaps not for some people. When they finally end, we say its over.

But is it? We still have to wait for the report cards to come out. Fortunately, it is not like a war where the results are never good. But still the memory of a badly done exam will live on for quite a while, oftenly into the following year. Thankfully, not for the rest of our lives.

YOG, and the future

Well, well, to think that even a small little, insignificant island such as our Singapore can actually host the 1st ever Youth Olympic Games in the world. We have already won two silvers and a bronze, with perhaps more to come. At the Olympics we only managed one silver. Does this show something? Obviously, there is room for improvement, not just in the adult category.

We apparently have a greater potential than what we have already acheived. Singapore has invested so much time in resources to train the youths of Singapore, who will eventually become the pillars of the state in their respective fields.

Back to the YOG, there has been many discussions about the supposed theme song of the event. JJ Lin's cheer. Many have actually lamblasted the cheer to be rather childish and therefore reflects badly on Singapore. The SSC chief in order to create a cheer more Singaporean can unite behind, issued a challenge to the public. So far I have viewed one that indeed sounds less cheesy and more cheerable (pun intended). I will be closely paying attention to the games. Hope you will too.

Malaysian Embassy

Last week, I went to the Malaysian Embassy to have my passport renewed. The last time I did that I was about nine. So since such a long time has passed, I have long forgotten the experience of the previous trip. I was sure it is currently in a different place where I had gone before.

After a breakfast of waffles (yum!) at home, I proceeded to the embassy, with my father driving. We have read from online forums that the queue would be very long so we decided to go there earlier. We were rather early but there was indeed a queue there already. Fortunately, it was not very long, but the embassy was not even open yet. We joined the queue and like everyone else took out something to occupy ourselves with lest we get bored. Most were reading newspapers, I was multi-tasking a little - listening to my ipod while reading getting up to date on the latest happenings in the world.

Finally at about 7.30, the large gates of the embassy opened. Everyone swarmed in and reformed the queue at the entrance to where our photos whould be taken. We were given a number each and told to wait till the number is called. Once again and started to kill time with the methods mentioned above. I waited till my number 286 was called then I went to sit in a 18 second photo taking booth. I sat and waited. The person manning the booth told me to get ready and 3,2,1. And the photo was taken. Only then did I realise that my left eye was a bit funny in that it always seemed half closed. My right eye was fully opened.

Anyway afterwards we were told to go to a counter where things will be finalised. My parents submitted the necessary documents and we were told to come in person to collect it the next day. I find it a troublesome process. Fortunately, I only need to go through this hassle once every 5 years. The embassy was a rather efficient place, where things are rather routine and settled quickly. Unfortunately I was unable to get a photo of it on the internet. I suppose they wanted some security. It was a modern place and beautiful decorations. It was really a pleasant and interesting experience on the whole.

Rainstorms

Recently, there have been rather huge rainstorms in the area. Huge amounts of water pouring down on us almost daily. I actually like the rain. It gives us much respite from the hot, humid weather of Singapore, though afterwards it will still be rather humid. Aside from that, I do think that the rain looks very beautiful. So many things I have experienced happened in the rain, therefore I always will think of someone or something.

Back to the point, the rain has caused a fair amount of incovenience and damage to people and their property. The draining system in Orchrd Road has failed to work on a number of occasions and thus caused Orchard Road to be flooded to waist level. Many cars were damaged when water seeped into the engine. They are claiming insurance all at once, causing the insurance companies a huge headache. The government has also been questioned about the disaster that the drainage was supposed to prevent. The government obviously launched an investigation into it and came up with some temporary solutions like walls of some sort.

Shops in shopping centers have also damaged, specifically the ones on the ground floor. Poor thing really. After repairing the damage from one flood, another one comes along and throws all their efforts down the drain, literally. Aside from wetting people, the rain has brought down not just a few trees, managing to kill someone and damage another's car. Wow, cars are really having it bad this time. The government is going to hack down a few trees to stop the destruction of cars and loss of lives.

While we think we are having the worst of the situation, we are actually receiving the tiniest bit of it. Look at China. Hills collapsing. Entire villages turned into mini Atlantis. People stranded on the roof of their houses. No food. No water. No electricity. So we really need to put things into perspective and sympathize with others plight.

Now, let me look at the rain and think.

World Cup 2010

Well firstly congratulations to Spain the winner of World Cup 2010. Next to Netherlands for being runner up. Although I would have preferred Germany to have fought with Spain in the Finals, they had a premature confrontation at the semi-finals with Germany fighting tooth and nail against Uruguay to win third place. Although Uruguay lost and acheived fourth place, they were rather sporting and acted as though they had won something.

To a certain extent this is true, as the last time they had reached top 4 was 1970. 40 years later were they able to repeat it. Germany was a little disappointing to have not gone into the finals despite having a very good team. The absence of Thomas Muller due to a scond yellow card in two matches was critical to Germany's defeat against Spain. Germany lacked the attacking strength and used the wrong strategy - a defensive one. The match was a rare yellow cardless, showing that these two superb teams played by skill and not brute force.

So, let us some up the best of the World Cup. Firstly South Africa selected as the host nation despite the country being in poverty. The world can finally see that the country that was not so long ago divided by apartheid and civil war is able to unite under one common goal (pun intended) - football. Then let us move on to the World Cup matches themselves. There are too many examples to list, but I will list the more memorable ones. (At least to me)

First Robert Green fumble of the ball allow USA to draw with England. Then as the group stages came to an end, the supposed best started crashing out. England, France, Italy all went home rather early with England at least lasting to the last 16. Though there was a very controversial gola disallowed for the English side. The ball was clearly two feet into the goal post. However, Germany was in clear control of that game. Then Argentina and Brazil losing surprisingly to Germany and Netherlands respectively. Uruguay squeezed into the semi-finals by cheating. Striker Luis Suarez acted like goalkeeper and used his hand to block the ball. Ghana missed the penalty given.

Spain eventually won against Netherlands because they had the team spirit, working with each other in cohesion to eventually score a goal after 122 minutes of struggle with the other team which was equally united.
Well done Spain.

Football - World Cup mania

Even as we speak now, perhaps there are already a few countries celebrating their entry into the last 16 round. Others are grieving over their loss. Though I must say, after all this is still a game and when one is out, one is out. The more sporting ones say that they'll work harder, while those who are sore losers blame the referees for bad decisions, red cards and penalties.

For example, the French Coach Raymond Domenech refused to shake the South African coach's hand after the French lost to them 1-2. To be fair it was said that the opposing coach said something about them cheating to get into the World Cup. This refers to Theirry Henry's "handball" goal against Ireland. But still, Domenech was rather rude not to shake the hand. He was already in a very, very bad mood due to the players boycotting a recent training.

The boycott was a support of Nicholas Anelka who was removed from the team after having a shouting match with the coach that was laced with vulgarities. It shows that the coach was unable to build strong teamwork with his team, resulting in the team refusing to perform well.

Aside from France's poor form, Italy also lost out to Slovenia. There was, I admit a rather controversial disallowment of a goal by Italy, resulting in them losing 2-3. I watched the Americans play a few days ago and that last 91 minute goal seemed to come out from a story. It was unbelievable. Americans were saved by a last minute goal. The following day, the American stock prices rose sharply. So, perhaps miracles do happens.

Now that school is reopening, I cannot sleep that late at night - 12.00am. Well, back to the old routine again then. Wake up, breakfast, travel to school, study, stay back for project, go home, bathe, dinner, homework, facebook?, and sleep. Do I even have a life???

Maybe I do, just that I haven't found it yet.

Welcome back

Well, it certainly has been a while since I have updated this blog. I'll be begining to start posting regularly soon. I have much to share. My life is going to be rather interesting now. So, see you here again.

Rainbow Death Task 2

This poem is written from the point of view of a Vietnam war veteran. We are able to see this as the poem talks about Agent Orange, a chemical agent which gained fame during the Vietnam war for poisoning crops and people. Therefore, Wilson would have experienced the horrors of jungle warfare, including ambushes and perhaps accidental collateral damage by the extensive chemical warfare.

The poem, set in Vietnam, describes the damage the chemicals are inflicting on the people. The chemical agents are described as "omnipotent" - unlimited power, and indifferent to who is affected, as if it was God himself. It causes "illnesses, birth defects and premature deaths"

The author deliberately chooses words with a strong impact. He describes the mixture of chemical agents as a potpourri, a mixture of fragrant plants material. In this case, a deadly concoction of poisons. Using the words "nefariously and deceit" his personal opinion of the Vietnam War is the means used to carry it out were unjustifiable

My personal opinion of this poem is that it quite accurately describes the front line conditions of the Vietnam war. Innocent civilians are shot, bombed and poisoned. The Communist activities are disrupted but not halted. A waste of resources for the US government that brought the world no further from Communism, instead rallying support for it. It is also true that future generation, American or Vietnamese, would be affected by Agent Orange by birth defects.

Television brought the brutality of war into the comfort of the living room. Vietnam was lost in the living rooms of America--not on the battlefields of Vietnam.
--Marshall McLuhan, 1975

Rainbow Death

This poem is written by Hubert Wilson, a soldier from Vietnam, sent by the US government in 1955 to prevent the spread of communism, which they ultimately failed in. However, in the process, there was much damage done to the country and casualties among the population.

USA attempted to use its technology to defeat the enemy and sap their morale. It acheived only the opposite effect. It made the enemy's will to fight even stronger while the public back in America was horrified by the violence dealt to the Vietnamese. They used herbicidal warfare. The defoliants, which were distributed in drums marked with color-coded bands, included the "Rainbow Herbicides"— Agent Pink, Agent Green, Agent Purple, Agent Blue, Agent White, and the most famous Agent Orange. They destroy crops, but most cruelly of all, they cause severe health problems to people, but don't kill them, leading to lifelong suffering.

The poem talks about all of these chemical agents and the effects on the people. More often than not, innocent civilians are hit and not the communists, because they have made adequate preparations. Also some US soldiers are affected, leading to widespread collateral damage. The effects may not have been felt immediately, but after the war, many veterans were unable to return to normality - normal life as an American

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_orange
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_war

E-learning assignment

Alright. Haven't been posting for a while. Now, I am off to do an English assignment right here on this blog. I'll take the two star and three star poems - "Rainbow Death" and "We slept by Our Boots On". On guard!

Intrapersonal Assignment - Diary of Atticus Finch

Date: 31/12/39

What a dreadful, dreadful year. First, I had to deal with a case I knew that I could never win. Tom Robinson, a Negro, a hardworking, honest man, was accused of raping a defenseless young girl whose father was an alcoholic. I knew that by taking the case, I was going down in terms of public approval. My children at school were also ostracised because their father was a "nigger-lover"
This county by the name of Maycomb, does, like all the southern cities, have a thing against the Negroes. I do not quite see why that is. They are hardworking, polite, don't usually commit crimes. The only reason, is that their ancestors were slaves. A ridiculous reason! it does not really matter who their great-great-great-great-grandparents were, its who they are now! Anyway back to the case, I knew Tom was innocent, but I also knew that the jury would never rule in favour of a Negro. I did not care, I did my best. But obviously it was a gone case. There was still an appeal, though. Unfortunately, Tom did not trust the appeal and tried to run, with the result of seventeen bullets placed through him, making no less dead than a doornail.

Though I also received a projectile after the trial, though it was less than a bullet. Bob Ewell, angry that I humiliated him at the trial, spat at me, in the face. He just had to chew tobacco. He, not being content with spitting in my face, had to attack my children. Fortunately, my weird and anti-social neighbour Boo Radley saved my children. And Bob Ewell was killed, by his own knife, and Jem was around. I insisted to Heck Tate that we have an inquiry on this.He refused point-blank and said that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife while trying to kill Jem and Scout and there will be no investigation. Period. Well, I certainly do hope that this is going to be a better year.

Bless be to us all.

Linguistic assignment

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it!"


Tom Robinson Guilty
Thomas Robinson, 25, has been convicted of raping Miss Mayella Violet Ewell, 19. Once placed in jail for 30 days for disorderly conduct, the father of three children is now going to be imprisoned for life. He intends to appeal against his sentence. The trial had lasted 12 noon to 11pm, the longest trial Maycomb has ever seen.

The crime took place on 21 November 1932, when Mayella Ewell asked Robinson to come into the Ewell's house. Mayella had asked Robinson to help her chop up a chiffarobe. Then, when he was inside, Robinson grabbed Mayella and started to beat her up violently and shouted obscenities at her. Her ordeal only ended when her father, Robert Ewell came through the window and shouted at Robinson, who then fled. Mr. Ewell quickly ran for Mr Heck Tate, the sheriff to report the incident.

Mayella, whose right eye was bruised and had injuries on the arm and around the neck, was also hurt emotionally and had burst into tears when she was questioned by Atticus Finch, the defence for Robinson. Mayella testified that Tom Robinson had come into her house several times before the crime to help her with chores, but this time he assualted her when her back was turned.

The prosecutor, Mr Gilmer, questioned Tom Robinson why he would help Mayella Ewell with her chores for free. Tom Robinson gave the most possibly shocking answer. "I felt sorry for her." Tom Robinson's side of the story was that he had gone in to the house to help Mayella to chop up a chiffarobe, but was hugged and kissed by Mayella on the cheek. He tried to resist her advances but Mr. Ewell had shouted a vulgarity at him through the window and he ran away. When asked the reason for escaping, he simply answered to Mr Finch "Mr Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you'd be scared, too."

Despite Mr Finch's claim that there was 'not one iota of medical evidence' to prove that Tom Robinson was guilty, the jury pronounced Tom Robinson guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment in Enfield Prison Farm.

My learning style

I am number and linguistically smart. About being number smart, it was not quite a surprise, I always like Mathematics, though sometimes it really frustrates me when things get so tedious that careless mistakes come up. Though being linguistically smart came as a surprise, I thought I was interpersonal, though that also is a strong point of mine.

The test was relatively straightforward, I could see how the questions relate to that particular learning style. Was it helpful to me? Well, it certainly does show me where my weaknesses are, and my strengths. Does that help? Possibly, so that I know where I can improve on. But knowing my strength may allow me to take a break from that area, but may also result in me doing poorly the moment I slacken.

Bless be to us all.

End of the Chinese New Year

In our terms, the Chinese New Year celebrations are over once the holiday for it is over. So it supposedly ended in three days, and after that we have our examinations and the all too common piles of homework. Then during Chinese New Year, the time where we were supposed to relax, was not entirely relaxing. This combination of stress seems to have made us lose sight of what Chinese New Year really is.

Let us remind ourselves that Chinese New Year is 15 days, and the last day is quite something to celebrate, with all your family. For me, on that day, well, my father's car ran out of gas. Well, that certainly puts a dampener on the day right? On the contrary. It was my first experience of a car breakdown. My father took a taxi to the nearest petrol station to get some petrol and by the time he returned, the thing that you put some distance away from the car to show that your car has broken down, was knocked down but fortunately, I am not quite dead yet, nor am I in a hospital. I realised that if you wanted to buy petrol in a can, you have to show your IC, as they are afraid, I think, that you might use the petrol to set something blaze. The next thing I realised that the petrol one buys at the station, is actually pink in clolour. This is to distinguish it from water, as it is colourless by nature, so that you do not pour this over the fire in an attempt to extinguish it. So after the car breakdown incident, we went for a nice end of new year lunch and that is the end of the Chinese New Year.

Bless be to us all.

CCA

Today, during assembly, Dr. Hon was giving us a talk about the allocation of funds for the various CCAs, while also speaking about how to write in a way that will not unintentionally offend anyone. Back to point, about the allocation of CCA funds, he said that some CCA needs more money to function. He also stated that the school does not favour any one CCA over another. Therefore the funds are allocated based on the needs of the CCA.

While I agree with all of what he said, I have heard from my library senior that there is a "cap" on how many members can join the CCA at one time. I understand that this is put in place as a CCA can only have that many students at one time. However, in my CCA, library, I believe that we are more than capable and willing to accept more members. Our cap is at 5 students. Last year, our Sec 4 seniors left and leaving a really large gap in manpower. The reason to that is that because there were 18 of them.
Last year, we managed to function efficiently and serve all the students who were at the library to either borrow books, study in peace or just relax.

However, this year our resources are being stretched thin. Occasionally, on normal duty days, there may not be enough librarians on duty to man the counter. This is due to the need to tidy up shelves on the second floor as books are frequently placed on the wrong shelves or even on the tables, expecting us to clear up after them.

There are supposedly two ways around to alleviate this problem. One, raise the cap. Secondly, we could try to educate the students to return the books to the correct shelves. However, we have tried, with little success. So the apparent solution is to raise the cap.

Bless be to all of us.

CNY celebration

Chinese New Year celebrations are over already. Time really does pass so fast when you are enjoying yourself. Now, let me recount what I did after the celebrations in school.

Firstly, I went back to my primary school where I met up with friends and teachers from the past. It was so nice, just like the "good old days". Though there is something. We are slowly going apart. It is only to expected. We all have a new life now, more things to share with others, but less in common. Well, we have to get on with life. So the meeting went on to 4pm where we parted.

Then on Saturday, I dedicated the entire day to finishing my homework so I could go to Malaysia without the nagging worry that I have not finished my homework. It was finished in a blink of an eye, though that does not mean teachers should pile us with homework. At night I packed my luggage for the next day's trip.

Oh I hate traveling! It was a long, boring road to the hotel. But as my father says, the journey is more important than the destination. So I appreciated the scenery of trees and greenery nonetheless. Then all of my cousins, after a visit to my grandmother's, came over to the hotel. It was really big, 1500 square feet! So my cousins were invited for a sleepover. While my male cousins were playing Xbox games with me, my female cousins were learning art from my mother.

All good things have to end, obviously. On Tuesday afternoon, we packed up and came home and reached Singapore at 8pm. It decided that it had been a good time and I would cherish my memories of it.

Bless be to all of us.

New Life of Three and a half weeks

Chinese New Year is around the corner.... and we have exams already! It is almost unbelievable. Though I think starting school late by about one week has something to do with it. So soon are the exams that I am having my Maths test in two days! Thank god that we are going to have the CNY break. Of course the bad news is that we are likely going to spend a fair portion of it on revision for all the other subjects.

However, that is no reason not to indulge and immerse oneself into the festive atmosphere of the celebrations. I shall be going up to Malaysia over the long break and visiting all my cousins. It has been a while since I last saw them.

Well, other than having exams and homework that threaten to crash down on my head, I think I am beginning to adjust to this new life. CCA is good, juniors are coming in anytime soon, which will mean that we, the seniors will have less work to do. We will let them integrate into our club, then we boss them around a little ..... that is until next year, where they will repeating the same thing. Ah, what a vicious cycle of hate, continuing until the end of time.

Bless be to all of us.

An interesting turn of events.

Well, with a new year, comes new subjects, such as research studies. What a coincidence that it clashes with my 3rd language on Thursday afternoon. So I was told I had to transfer out of that time slot for 3rd language.

Ah well, so on last Thursday I went to get the form and have it signed by my assistant director of consortium, Mr Chew Tyng Yong to transfer out. On last Friday and this Monday, I forgot. So today, I with my friend Mattheus went to see him. He was not in. Therefore we went to see our director of consortium, Mrs Ke. We were informed that we were unable to transfer out of the class as MOELC(Language Center) complained that too many students were transferring out of Thursday and could no longer transfer out of the Thursday class. We were reassured by Mrs Ke that the research studies will be pushed back so that all those affected could attend both the research studies and the 3rd language.

On the good side, my Tuesdays are free and I am able to go home early(compared to the days I have to stay back). On Thursdays I am also able to meet more of my friends. On the other hand, I shall be piled with homework on Thursdays, though I am quite sure I should be able to cope. All in all I am actually quite happy with the interesting turn of events. Strange that because forgetfulness, things have turned out in a good way. Of course I am not saying that being forgetful is a good thing :).

Bless be to all of us.

A new year, 2010.

To all, I am reviving this inactive blog as part of the school assesment. Hope you will all find this blog interesting. This is a new year, a new time, and a new blog.