I attended the HCI - NYGH activities, also named as HCNY Book Club co-organized by the 2 schools, held at NYGH library on 4th March 2011. The main purposes of the activities was to cultivate interests in science fiction books, in which the end product was to come up with a powerpoint presentation on the chosen book to present to the rest of the participants after 6 weeks of work with the other students. Groups were formed with 2 from HCI and another 2 from NYGH. Besides the following aims, we aimed to foster good relationships with NYGH and hope to collaborate more in the future more activities. The 3-hour session was meaningful and thrilling, starting off with some icebreakers such as playing Wacko. Next, we proceeded to the library in our respective groups to search for our book, in which my group decided on “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Throughout the six weeks, all 7 groups have been working hard such as to show their best presentations for our second gathering, held at HCI on 29th April 2011. The various groups presented, with the content consisting of the summary, author, reflections and depictions of the technology. Throughout the event, besides the academic skills and learning points, we have learnt some moral values. Most importantly, to be a Hwa Chong gentleman since we were the hosts. During last year’s event, we had failed to behave like what a HwaChongnian should be like; however, there were contrasting attitudes. Although we have done well, there would always be room for improvement, such as to allow the event to be a resounding success.
In conclusion, it was a worthwhile experience in which we learnt more about the schools' curriculum and also know more about their library and how they function. By analyzing books, we are able to encourage better and deeper critical thinking which applies to AAT in HCI. The event was a success, bringing students from both schools together. In the hope of the future, the organizers are hoping to include another school, down Bukit Timah Road or up Dunearn Road to join this event and hope for resounding success the next time.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Reflections - CIP@Jurong East (April)
Book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
1.) Do you think this event has allowed you to improve your own skills (e.g. Public Speaking)?
I feel that it has allowed us most importantly on how to interact with the public, especially since when this presentation was made to be an interactive one. There was active participation from the audience. Some of our skills is to do public speaking and have enough general knowledge to take part in the discussions, thus as we discuss, we do realise that we have to improve more such as to make the event a much more successful one.
2.) Do you think this event has proved to be a challenge for you in terms of laying out your skills in front of the public?
There is always pressure on us to perform well especially since our school’s name has been announced to the public because we need to uphold our school’s name and pride and this week, there were students from both HCI and MGS amongst the audience. When in public, there is always a certain degree of one being nervous, since we are strangers.
3.) Do you think that this event given you a different understanding of the public/yourself (role in community)?
This particular event has given me a new role in this society, which is to introduce new books to the public by persuading them to read that particular book. Besides, by discussing the themes of the book, we do have some topics with relation to current affairs to talk about. Thus, we are able to know what the audience feels about the particular topic. For example, the session this week was concentrated on the General Elections and the debate on if Singapore is indeed a democratic country, as we have said so in our Singapore Pledge.
4.) What were your feelings throughout the event?
I personally felt that the event was quite a success and my partner, Chun Shin tried his best to make this a much livelier one, such as saying that unicorn is an animal during the ice-breakers and during our discussion, all of us had to agree that Singapore is indeed a democratic country or not the police will catch us. Besides, there was an improvement from the previous event, because I think we were given a “private space” and we could talk with freedom.
5.) What have you learnt from others, especially those you are working with?
I think that the most important point is to be flexible on the day of the event itself especially when we meet problems. An example for this week’s event would be that we had actually quite a few parts of the presentation where we crafted wrongly and did not flow as smoothly as expected. Besides, one has to make sure that the audience enjoy themselves throughout the whole event by cracking jokes, as what Chun Shin has done. Besides, our plans were almost abandoned due to the absence of a group member but we had sought help from the librarian in charge.
6.) What improvements could be made in the future (General P.O.V)?
I feel that we need to take note of time management. During the whole event, we failed to keep into the given time. We started the presentation around 3.10 p.m. and had failed to complete about a quarter of the presentation. Thus, as suggested, we would leave at least 30 minutes of buffer time but plan something beforehand in case there is excess time. Besides, I would have felt that a better ice-breaker should have been made because this time round, although the audience enjoyed it, I think that we should make an ice-breaker with relations to the theme. Lastly, there needs to be team spirit, one of our group members was late which almost led to us abandoning part of the agenda, there needs to be better communication in the future.
7.) Are we choosing the right books appealing to the suited audience? Is there a problem? Are we able to address this problem?
For this weekend’s event, I felt that the book we had chosen appealed to the audience since it had the themes of communism, corruption and democracy which we were able to discuss with them as they were mostly from secondary schools. A major problem would be the lack of people attending the event. I think to address this problem, it could be due to the length of the session, and perhaps shortening it to 1 hour would be better. Besides, we have not covered the differing interests of the audience. I suggest in the future that we could do some on Chinese books, or discuss about a relevant topic such as “Weblogs” and maybe moral-related movies, which are available in the library, such as “Remembering the Titans”.
1.) Do you think this event has allowed you to improve your own skills (e.g. Public Speaking)?
I feel that it has allowed us most importantly on how to interact with the public, especially since when this presentation was made to be an interactive one. There was active participation from the audience. Some of our skills is to do public speaking and have enough general knowledge to take part in the discussions, thus as we discuss, we do realise that we have to improve more such as to make the event a much more successful one.
2.) Do you think this event has proved to be a challenge for you in terms of laying out your skills in front of the public?
There is always pressure on us to perform well especially since our school’s name has been announced to the public because we need to uphold our school’s name and pride and this week, there were students from both HCI and MGS amongst the audience. When in public, there is always a certain degree of one being nervous, since we are strangers.
3.) Do you think that this event given you a different understanding of the public/yourself (role in community)?
This particular event has given me a new role in this society, which is to introduce new books to the public by persuading them to read that particular book. Besides, by discussing the themes of the book, we do have some topics with relation to current affairs to talk about. Thus, we are able to know what the audience feels about the particular topic. For example, the session this week was concentrated on the General Elections and the debate on if Singapore is indeed a democratic country, as we have said so in our Singapore Pledge.
4.) What were your feelings throughout the event?
I personally felt that the event was quite a success and my partner, Chun Shin tried his best to make this a much livelier one, such as saying that unicorn is an animal during the ice-breakers and during our discussion, all of us had to agree that Singapore is indeed a democratic country or not the police will catch us. Besides, there was an improvement from the previous event, because I think we were given a “private space” and we could talk with freedom.
5.) What have you learnt from others, especially those you are working with?
I think that the most important point is to be flexible on the day of the event itself especially when we meet problems. An example for this week’s event would be that we had actually quite a few parts of the presentation where we crafted wrongly and did not flow as smoothly as expected. Besides, one has to make sure that the audience enjoy themselves throughout the whole event by cracking jokes, as what Chun Shin has done. Besides, our plans were almost abandoned due to the absence of a group member but we had sought help from the librarian in charge.
6.) What improvements could be made in the future (General P.O.V)?
I feel that we need to take note of time management. During the whole event, we failed to keep into the given time. We started the presentation around 3.10 p.m. and had failed to complete about a quarter of the presentation. Thus, as suggested, we would leave at least 30 minutes of buffer time but plan something beforehand in case there is excess time. Besides, I would have felt that a better ice-breaker should have been made because this time round, although the audience enjoyed it, I think that we should make an ice-breaker with relations to the theme. Lastly, there needs to be team spirit, one of our group members was late which almost led to us abandoning part of the agenda, there needs to be better communication in the future.
7.) Are we choosing the right books appealing to the suited audience? Is there a problem? Are we able to address this problem?
For this weekend’s event, I felt that the book we had chosen appealed to the audience since it had the themes of communism, corruption and democracy which we were able to discuss with them as they were mostly from secondary schools. A major problem would be the lack of people attending the event. I think to address this problem, it could be due to the length of the session, and perhaps shortening it to 1 hour would be better. Besides, we have not covered the differing interests of the audience. I suggest in the future that we could do some on Chinese books, or discuss about a relevant topic such as “Weblogs” and maybe moral-related movies, which are available in the library, such as “Remembering the Titans”.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Term 1 Sabbatical: Solar Panels / Renewable Energy
I attended a workshop on renewable energy which concentrated on the use of solar panels in today's world. On a general basis, the whole week was thrilling since there was a practical or hands-on for us every day. Every day we started off with some presentations of bits of information regarding solar panels. This sabbatical was initiated to encourage HwaChongnians to be more environmentally-friendly since solar panels had already been installed in school at Block A. The idea of solar panels came to light when a group of students decided to embark on a solar panel project, thus resulting in the solar panels having been installed in our school.
Day 1 was about the brief history on solar panels and the calculations of electricity, followed by a practical on calculation of electricity produced in a classroom. Day 2 concentrated on the positioning of solar panels, followed by a practical for proposal in any part of the school. Day 3 concentrated on the types of solar panels and we tried different panels under the sun, tracking results with a micrometer. Day 4 moved on to a report on how to start off a solar panel project while Day 5 was a FULL-Practical day, making a small solar panel from scratch.
So, what was the reason behind for setting up this particular course? I believe that it was to instill a mindset into us, to be environmentally-friendly and save Mother Earth, especially when global warming is at a serious stage due to us, humans using her resources daily and the emission of carbon dioxide during the burning of natural resources to produce electricity contributes to global warming. Thus, this sabbatical wanted to tell us to change methods to get electricity, instead of burning natural resources, we could depend on the sunlight to convert it into electricity for our use, thus this will result in lesser carbon dioxide produced, thus it will not have such a big impact on global warming. Thus, after attending this course, I feel that I have a greater understanding of solar panels and its purpose, its costs and how it works such as to produce electricity. At the end of the day, there is a lingering question, “Will we opt for solar panels instead burning natural resources and when will this ever happen (until we are forced to)?”
Day 1 was about the brief history on solar panels and the calculations of electricity, followed by a practical on calculation of electricity produced in a classroom. Day 2 concentrated on the positioning of solar panels, followed by a practical for proposal in any part of the school. Day 3 concentrated on the types of solar panels and we tried different panels under the sun, tracking results with a micrometer. Day 4 moved on to a report on how to start off a solar panel project while Day 5 was a FULL-Practical day, making a small solar panel from scratch.
So, what was the reason behind for setting up this particular course? I believe that it was to instill a mindset into us, to be environmentally-friendly and save Mother Earth, especially when global warming is at a serious stage due to us, humans using her resources daily and the emission of carbon dioxide during the burning of natural resources to produce electricity contributes to global warming. Thus, this sabbatical wanted to tell us to change methods to get electricity, instead of burning natural resources, we could depend on the sunlight to convert it into electricity for our use, thus this will result in lesser carbon dioxide produced, thus it will not have such a big impact on global warming. Thus, after attending this course, I feel that I have a greater understanding of solar panels and its purpose, its costs and how it works such as to produce electricity. At the end of the day, there is a lingering question, “Will we opt for solar panels instead burning natural resources and when will this ever happen (until we are forced to)?”
iCIT Training Camp
The iCIT Training Camp was held on Wednesday to Thursday during the one-week long March Holidays. The aim of the event was to kick start the journey of the CITs and also serve as a training platform for the new, budding leaders.
Now, I have to ask myself: Why did I decide to join iCouncil? Was it because a teacher had invited me to do so? During Secondary One, I was pretty much interested to join council but what hindered me from doing so? Yes, there will always be influence from my parents but I had to give up this opportunity for myself. After all, many people feel that academics come before council. I failed to score well in PSLE already and I knew that I had to buck up and keep up with the learning pace in Hwa Chong, especially since it is my first year in secondary school – I needed time to get use to the system and cope with it. After one year, the same conditions again – bad results, and yet again, I was not “encouraged” to become a councillor, but what really sparked me was an invitation from the teacher. Why did I accept it then? First and foremost, it was to not let the teacher down, especially since he believed I had the abilities to become a councillor. Next, this was my last chance to lead this school, my only chance to get the experience of being a councillor and gain leadership experience. It was a rare chance, and I had to take it.
Day 1 started off with a briefing and icebreakers followed by the Amazing Race, which fostered better relationships between members, this was followed by time to practice for Performance Night and then we watched a movie "Remembering the Titans". However, throughout the night at 2.30 a.m., we were woken up for a night activity "Kidnap", many of us were surprised and the aim of this was to access the reaction time of the CITs and to see how alert can they be at any time. Day 2 started with breakfast at McDonald's while the rest of the day was dedicated to practice for Performance Night with a dining etiquette at SIM, teaching us how to dine in the proper and usual conditions. The day rounded off with the Sec 4 Farewell Party and Performance Night.
What have I learnt throughout this whole camp? I have aims in this journey as a councillor – to lead my class, my consortium and my school. This experience is not only about fun, but behind the scenes, hard work has to be put in to make sure every event is a success. My aims for this year – to be a great councillor, do well academically and also to excel in my CCA.
Now, I have to ask myself: Why did I decide to join iCouncil? Was it because a teacher had invited me to do so? During Secondary One, I was pretty much interested to join council but what hindered me from doing so? Yes, there will always be influence from my parents but I had to give up this opportunity for myself. After all, many people feel that academics come before council. I failed to score well in PSLE already and I knew that I had to buck up and keep up with the learning pace in Hwa Chong, especially since it is my first year in secondary school – I needed time to get use to the system and cope with it. After one year, the same conditions again – bad results, and yet again, I was not “encouraged” to become a councillor, but what really sparked me was an invitation from the teacher. Why did I accept it then? First and foremost, it was to not let the teacher down, especially since he believed I had the abilities to become a councillor. Next, this was my last chance to lead this school, my only chance to get the experience of being a councillor and gain leadership experience. It was a rare chance, and I had to take it.
Day 1 started off with a briefing and icebreakers followed by the Amazing Race, which fostered better relationships between members, this was followed by time to practice for Performance Night and then we watched a movie "Remembering the Titans". However, throughout the night at 2.30 a.m., we were woken up for a night activity "Kidnap", many of us were surprised and the aim of this was to access the reaction time of the CITs and to see how alert can they be at any time. Day 2 started with breakfast at McDonald's while the rest of the day was dedicated to practice for Performance Night with a dining etiquette at SIM, teaching us how to dine in the proper and usual conditions. The day rounded off with the Sec 4 Farewell Party and Performance Night.
What have I learnt throughout this whole camp? I have aims in this journey as a councillor – to lead my class, my consortium and my school. This experience is not only about fun, but behind the scenes, hard work has to be put in to make sure every event is a success. My aims for this year – to be a great councillor, do well academically and also to excel in my CCA.
Friday, April 22, 2011
CCA Library: What it Truly Means
Library is a CCA not appreciated by many students in the school, deeming it as a CCA just to waste time and fulfill one's CCA commitments. But indeed, there is more than that the student population do not know. Firstly, why is there even CCA Library in the first place? This just tells us that the school administrative feels that we are important to the school; we make a contribution to the school. Library is not a competitive CCA, it is not a CCA where we bring glory to the school and we bring back trophies, it is not about that. Library is a CCA in which we are committed too; it is a Service Learning CCA, where we contribute to the school population for their needs and the welfare.
I have been in this CCA for more than one year. During the Secondary One Orientation, I opted not to pay any attention to my seniors’ introducing this particular CCA but now, I apparently reflect on my actions then. Surprisingly, towards a CCA that I showed no interest in during the Orientation, I have developed a passion for my CCA. So, what made me join this CCA? Yes, of course there is influence from my parents, it is a CCA that I saw as “lackluster” and there was no need to devote so much time to it. Thus, I would be able to concentrate on my studies and excel academically. Yes, that was my thinking in the past but that mindset has changed.
As a Secondary One, I would do what is expected of me and excel well in CCA. If I was ever going to be a librarian, I told myself: Be the Best One. That’s it but now what I really experience is the hard work. The job of a librarian is not going about shelving, wrapping, cataloguing books but it is more than that. Together, we experience fun moments such as our annual Library Camp during the June Holidays. Now, I have grown and become a much more mature gentleman, knowing what this CCA is all about. As each year passes, this CCA is much more involved in the school’s activities and recently, we were the organizers of Library Week and World Book Day. However, it would not have been successful if not for the guidance of our teachers. Lastly, we will bring glory to the school soon. We have participated in writing based competitions such as the Global Book Report Competition.#
To me: I only have a message for myself. I was that ignorant Secondary One boy that wasn’t paying attention to my senior. Now, it is my turn to promote this CCA and library to parents during the Open House. I know what this CCA truly means and I will try my very best to convey the spirit of us, librarians.
I have been in this CCA for more than one year. During the Secondary One Orientation, I opted not to pay any attention to my seniors’ introducing this particular CCA but now, I apparently reflect on my actions then. Surprisingly, towards a CCA that I showed no interest in during the Orientation, I have developed a passion for my CCA. So, what made me join this CCA? Yes, of course there is influence from my parents, it is a CCA that I saw as “lackluster” and there was no need to devote so much time to it. Thus, I would be able to concentrate on my studies and excel academically. Yes, that was my thinking in the past but that mindset has changed.
As a Secondary One, I would do what is expected of me and excel well in CCA. If I was ever going to be a librarian, I told myself: Be the Best One. That’s it but now what I really experience is the hard work. The job of a librarian is not going about shelving, wrapping, cataloguing books but it is more than that. Together, we experience fun moments such as our annual Library Camp during the June Holidays. Now, I have grown and become a much more mature gentleman, knowing what this CCA is all about. As each year passes, this CCA is much more involved in the school’s activities and recently, we were the organizers of Library Week and World Book Day. However, it would not have been successful if not for the guidance of our teachers. Lastly, we will bring glory to the school soon. We have participated in writing based competitions such as the Global Book Report Competition.#
To me: I only have a message for myself. I was that ignorant Secondary One boy that wasn’t paying attention to my senior. Now, it is my turn to promote this CCA and library to parents during the Open House. I know what this CCA truly means and I will try my very best to convey the spirit of us, librarians.
Expository Essay - Comment 5
The comments are based on Ong Yan Zhe’s blog post:
Which aspects of your education do you think will be most useful to you in adult life?
One, I think that the quote you put has no relation to what this topic is about. Education can be used everywhere, it usually means the different aspects of life. In your introduction, you should have defined the key word here “adult life”. What does it mean to you and what are the aspects of it? Thus, in all your 3 body paragraphs, if you mention it is the academic aspect, then you should be referring to the job prospect in your adult life. You should clearly state the aspect of education and aspect of adult life in every body paragraph. A main pointer would be: Where is your thesis? After reading the first paragraph, it is either there is no thesis or the thesis was phrased badly because if the last sentence is your thesis, there is no relation to this topic at all.
Which aspects of your education do you think will be most useful to you in adult life?
One, I think that the quote you put has no relation to what this topic is about. Education can be used everywhere, it usually means the different aspects of life. In your introduction, you should have defined the key word here “adult life”. What does it mean to you and what are the aspects of it? Thus, in all your 3 body paragraphs, if you mention it is the academic aspect, then you should be referring to the job prospect in your adult life. You should clearly state the aspect of education and aspect of adult life in every body paragraph. A main pointer would be: Where is your thesis? After reading the first paragraph, it is either there is no thesis or the thesis was phrased badly because if the last sentence is your thesis, there is no relation to this topic at all.
Expository Essay - Comment 4
The comments are based on Ivan Ong’s blog post:
Should entertainers and sport stars be paid such large sums of money? What are your views?
I feel that in general, it is a pretty good exposition. Your introduction is well written by giving a huge figure and fact that hooks people but I would suggest you to change the last sentence because it is just copying the question. You could have changed it to “Do they deserve this kind of life?” I felt that there were overlapping points in paragraphs 1 and 2 because high demand means the audience wants to see them. However, your second point is not totally wrong, however, you should have changed the point to “Money needed for Behind-the-Scenes Job”. Lastly, your ending also seems like a point, do try to change it to a proper summary which reaffirms your thesis.
Should entertainers and sport stars be paid such large sums of money? What are your views?
I feel that in general, it is a pretty good exposition. Your introduction is well written by giving a huge figure and fact that hooks people but I would suggest you to change the last sentence because it is just copying the question. You could have changed it to “Do they deserve this kind of life?” I felt that there were overlapping points in paragraphs 1 and 2 because high demand means the audience wants to see them. However, your second point is not totally wrong, however, you should have changed the point to “Money needed for Behind-the-Scenes Job”. Lastly, your ending also seems like a point, do try to change it to a proper summary which reaffirms your thesis.
Expository Essay - Comment 3
The comments are based on Nicholas Teo’s blog post:
Our lives have improved as a result of computers. Do you agree?
To start, you have a very good introduction. You start off with a quote from a famous person but after that, you should not have just rephrased or copy the demands of the question. Change the content into simpler words and define the keyword such as “improved”. However, most importantly, there is a huge weakness in your essay. Out of your 3 body paragraphs, 2 of them have been focused on education, which is not expected of this question. The question is asking for the demands of the society and community, not only appealing to teachers and students but rather the general audience.
Our lives have improved as a result of computers. Do you agree?
To start, you have a very good introduction. You start off with a quote from a famous person but after that, you should not have just rephrased or copy the demands of the question. Change the content into simpler words and define the keyword such as “improved”. However, most importantly, there is a huge weakness in your essay. Out of your 3 body paragraphs, 2 of them have been focused on education, which is not expected of this question. The question is asking for the demands of the society and community, not only appealing to teachers and students but rather the general audience.
Expository Essay - Comment 2
The comments are based on Lee Liak Ghee’s blog post:
How much of your progress in school is the result of your own ability, good luck, or good teaching?
Upon seeing this topic, if I were the one writing, I would have concentrated on one of them. For example, if I concentrate on “good luck”, I would probably have about 3 paragraphs while the other 2 points would have a paragraph each unlike your essay which is evenly spread out into 3 different aspects. I feel that the introduction could be further improved as it is a case of copying and paste with a little rephrasing. Try to define the key words in the first paragraph such as ability, luck and progress. Another point is that “CCAs” should not have been used as an abbreviation because the reader may not know what it stands for.
How much of your progress in school is the result of your own ability, good luck, or good teaching?
Upon seeing this topic, if I were the one writing, I would have concentrated on one of them. For example, if I concentrate on “good luck”, I would probably have about 3 paragraphs while the other 2 points would have a paragraph each unlike your essay which is evenly spread out into 3 different aspects. I feel that the introduction could be further improved as it is a case of copying and paste with a little rephrasing. Try to define the key words in the first paragraph such as ability, luck and progress. Another point is that “CCAs” should not have been used as an abbreviation because the reader may not know what it stands for.
Expository Essay - Comment 1
The comments are based on Loh Wei Kiat’s blog post:
What do you consider to be the most important social problem in the world today?
I feel that the essay is very informal and may not be applicable for examinations or tests. The essay is very much “question-based”, he keeps asking questions in the essay. The main purpose of an expository essay is not to ask the readers questions and evoke the feelings and opinions of them. Instead, it is to inform and persuade them on your point of view by giving them information and evidence. I feel that the content could have been further improved. For example, you mentioned prejudice, instead of comparing how it is related to greed, you should have given me reasons why it is the most important social problem today.
What do you consider to be the most important social problem in the world today?
I feel that the essay is very informal and may not be applicable for examinations or tests. The essay is very much “question-based”, he keeps asking questions in the essay. The main purpose of an expository essay is not to ask the readers questions and evoke the feelings and opinions of them. Instead, it is to inform and persuade them on your point of view by giving them information and evidence. I feel that the content could have been further improved. For example, you mentioned prejudice, instead of comparing how it is related to greed, you should have given me reasons why it is the most important social problem today.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Expository Essay
How far do you agree that weblogs are more beneficial than harmful to individuals and society?
Type of Essay: Cause –and- Effect Relationships & Argumentative
Annotations/Definitions
1.) Weblogs: A Shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies.
2.) Beneficial: Conferring Benefit; Advantageous; Helpful
3.) Harmful: Causing or Capable of Causing Harm; Injurious
4.) Individuals: A single Human Being, as Distinguished from a Group
5.) Society: An organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic or purposes
In today’s modern society, with the evolution of Internet, weblogs revolve around us. On April 19th, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported an insurance scam, involving a 45-year-old former freelance insurance claims advisor Hamzah Karim. He told his accomplices to lie, and make “fake” recounts, which he would get money for every case reported. This is one of the harms users of weblogs will face. From food blogs to business blogs, there is a wide range of weblogs today. However, we are unaware of what is “behind the scenes” that could be injurious or advantageous. Different weblogs serve different purposes and we gain new knowledge from every blog.
First, weblogs update people based on one’s interest. Interests differ from person to person, such as current affairs and one’s life. Once a weblog is set up, people having the same interest with you will read your weblog. Most importantly, it is to update people on information, such as your lifestyle or the specific interest chosen. Besides, weblogs can be used as a platform to discuss the specific interest as people with different opinions will provide valuable pointers which could be of use to you. Thus, both sides benefit, gaining new knowledge.
Next, weblogs are used as a platform to earn money. Besides working in the day, one can earn bonuses of money. Whenever, wherever one is, as long as there is Internet, one can control the weblog and put on more items for sale. It’s a convenient way of business, and the most basic platform for a young budding businessman, people in the society planning to be an entrepreneur. Although it may be a small business, if promoted well, one could rake in a steady sum of money from weblogs.
However, weblogs have been used as a platform for fraud. Although weblogs are deemed as “business opportunities”, it could be detrimental to users. Online transactions take place in business-based blogs and carried out through means such as Paypal and credit cards. We are unaware of what’s happening behind the scenes and who knows one could be cheated of money? The money was sent to the blogger, but the item never reached them and this, is a common situation in today’s world of greed and evil.
Lastly, weblogs are too dangerous a platform to reveal one’s emotions. Emotions of people overwhelm their actions; these emotions take control of their minds, resulting in their words being a symbol of their feelings. Once your emotions are made known to this public blog, it could hurt the feelings of others and result in one getting in hot soup. These incidents could have to do with prejudice and political issues.
Ultimately, weblogs are both a beneficial and harmful platform. Participation in weblogs will allow one to constantly gain new knowledge and for us to reflect and reveal our emotions and actions. These values will go a long way, keeping us in check of our emotions and build one’s moral values in the many more years to follow.
Words: 500
Type of Essay: Cause –and- Effect Relationships & Argumentative
Annotations/Definitions
1.) Weblogs: A Shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies.
2.) Beneficial: Conferring Benefit; Advantageous; Helpful
3.) Harmful: Causing or Capable of Causing Harm; Injurious
4.) Individuals: A single Human Being, as Distinguished from a Group
5.) Society: An organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic or purposes
In today’s modern society, with the evolution of Internet, weblogs revolve around us. On April 19th, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported an insurance scam, involving a 45-year-old former freelance insurance claims advisor Hamzah Karim. He told his accomplices to lie, and make “fake” recounts, which he would get money for every case reported. This is one of the harms users of weblogs will face. From food blogs to business blogs, there is a wide range of weblogs today. However, we are unaware of what is “behind the scenes” that could be injurious or advantageous. Different weblogs serve different purposes and we gain new knowledge from every blog.
First, weblogs update people based on one’s interest. Interests differ from person to person, such as current affairs and one’s life. Once a weblog is set up, people having the same interest with you will read your weblog. Most importantly, it is to update people on information, such as your lifestyle or the specific interest chosen. Besides, weblogs can be used as a platform to discuss the specific interest as people with different opinions will provide valuable pointers which could be of use to you. Thus, both sides benefit, gaining new knowledge.
Next, weblogs are used as a platform to earn money. Besides working in the day, one can earn bonuses of money. Whenever, wherever one is, as long as there is Internet, one can control the weblog and put on more items for sale. It’s a convenient way of business, and the most basic platform for a young budding businessman, people in the society planning to be an entrepreneur. Although it may be a small business, if promoted well, one could rake in a steady sum of money from weblogs.
However, weblogs have been used as a platform for fraud. Although weblogs are deemed as “business opportunities”, it could be detrimental to users. Online transactions take place in business-based blogs and carried out through means such as Paypal and credit cards. We are unaware of what’s happening behind the scenes and who knows one could be cheated of money? The money was sent to the blogger, but the item never reached them and this, is a common situation in today’s world of greed and evil.
Lastly, weblogs are too dangerous a platform to reveal one’s emotions. Emotions of people overwhelm their actions; these emotions take control of their minds, resulting in their words being a symbol of their feelings. Once your emotions are made known to this public blog, it could hurt the feelings of others and result in one getting in hot soup. These incidents could have to do with prejudice and political issues.
Ultimately, weblogs are both a beneficial and harmful platform. Participation in weblogs will allow one to constantly gain new knowledge and for us to reflect and reveal our emotions and actions. These values will go a long way, keeping us in check of our emotions and build one’s moral values in the many more years to follow.
Words: 500
Monday, April 18, 2011
A Day in the Life of Pre-War
What is happening to this world? What is going to happen in the future? These are the two questions that I constantly ask myself today. A male student in Singapore, living in fear every day, this is the situation I am experiencing today. I ask myself, “Why, why do I need to face or even accept reality?” Every day, all of us are so tense; we sat at the edge of our seats, as we experienced fear and anxiety. Almost every now and then, there were drills for the whole school, in order to prepare us. Every day, we have a different piece of news entering my ears, first China, then Thailand agreed a treaty, then the Philippines and now, they were at Malaysia. Am I going to lose my life? I worry every moment, every large sound heard made the hair on my arms stand and sent a chill down my spine. I was prepared to face this reality, it can happen anytime, anywhere. Should I accept my fate or should I continue to fight on for justice in the future (if they ever come)? There is pressure and fear in every one. In the past, our hearts beat as one, our life was peaceful and we lived a gracious life but now, what is the situation? As each day passes, our hearts have never beaten as one again, our hearts beat faster (but the reason), the fear in us grows continuously throughout the day. Whether is the morning or night, whenever outside, we looked up into the sky, making sure there were no Japanese planes before making our way out for outdoor activities. Why must we have this kind of life? Why is there war in the world? I do not understand why. Why can’t we have peace and build a harmonious Mother Earth and prevent destruction. They are coming, those in green uniform, yes they are but the question is: Are we ready for this war? Our masters, the British have said that Singapore will be safe but the two important ships have been sunk off Kuantan and they have been beaten in Philippines and Malaysia, will we be the next to fall? I must continue – to fight on for survival when they come. Yes, I am only but a 14 year old boy but what we need is courage. As I have learnt in the Book “To Kill a Mocking Bird”, courage is not a man that has a gun, instead courage is when one has licked before he begins but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win but sometimes you do. I must have this courage, to fight on for not only myself, my family, my community, my society but my country and my world. I do it because I want to make this country, this world a better one. When disaster comes, it brings out the best in men and I hope that this war will bring out the best, the courage in men.
Picture Description
Picture: 3 min 28 s
The Nikon camera closed up in a view, beyond the layer of glass panels. Two strands of rope connected to both ends of the historic antique were dangling; “clink, and clink” rang in one’s ears. A layer of grey dust covered the top of the antique. As one looked back, the image became more blur. Smell of the elderly, the hospital was whiffed, the surface was rough due to the dust but, in reality, the leather-made camera was smooth. Looking from the top, the design was unique, a pyramid stood above all, but in fact, it was not a pyramid. Made up of awkward shapes below, the letters “Nikon” were imprinted clearly with two metal pins on each side. A round glass panel, overturned, was the middle and most important frame. There stood the antique camera, all alone, by itself on the exhibition.
The Nikon camera closed up in a view, beyond the layer of glass panels. Two strands of rope connected to both ends of the historic antique were dangling; “clink, and clink” rang in one’s ears. A layer of grey dust covered the top of the antique. As one looked back, the image became more blur. Smell of the elderly, the hospital was whiffed, the surface was rough due to the dust but, in reality, the leather-made camera was smooth. Looking from the top, the design was unique, a pyramid stood above all, but in fact, it was not a pyramid. Made up of awkward shapes below, the letters “Nikon” were imprinted clearly with two metal pins on each side. A round glass panel, overturned, was the middle and most important frame. There stood the antique camera, all alone, by itself on the exhibition.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Singapore Arts Festival @ Juorng East Library
I attended a talk organized by Singapore Arts Festival on the video "Old Places", in which one of the co-directors, Vitric Thng, was with us for a panel discussion on the video. The first video shown to us was actually a dance film, to portray one being trapped in an enclosed cage and by the moves of the dancer; one was able to infer her feelings - lonely, sad and slow. Vitric then commented on the dance film, saying it is rare in Singapore and dance films are special due to the film being able to bring across a message to the audience through dance steps. However, he gave his opinions on Hollywood films, in which he said that it was "crap" because when we walk out of the cinema, do we ever learn anything from it? The movie is just to give you entertainment for those 2 hours and earn your money. In his opinion, a powerful and good film is one where you think about it for a few days after watching it.
"Old Places" was a meaningful film which took down some of the old places in Singapore to showcase to the young generation and future generation about its rich history and culture, especially since many of these buildings would have to make way for new ones in the coming future. Not only does it capture the history, but also invite people that have been there before to express their views and recall the past experiences they had there. A meaningful film, all Singaporean children and the future batch must watch it. But the question that leaves me pondering is: Why, why do these buildings have to be demolished? Can’t they be kept as a “historical monument”? Yes, sometimes, old buildings have to make way for new buildings, such that Singapore can keep up with the pace of other countries such as Japan, especially since Singapore has a limited land area. But in the video, there are still some places such as Toa Payoh Market which has since been demolished. Many residents in the area wanted it to be kept, because the atmosphere is in the air, the interaction between the stall owners and the customers; one feels that going to the market is a form of happiness. Another example would be the playgrounds in the past, where there was sand. Today, can you find it? Children enjoyed this type of playgrounds because they could build sandcastles and it was just a stone’s throw away, instead of having to go to the beach.
"Old Places" was a meaningful film which took down some of the old places in Singapore to showcase to the young generation and future generation about its rich history and culture, especially since many of these buildings would have to make way for new ones in the coming future. Not only does it capture the history, but also invite people that have been there before to express their views and recall the past experiences they had there. A meaningful film, all Singaporean children and the future batch must watch it. But the question that leaves me pondering is: Why, why do these buildings have to be demolished? Can’t they be kept as a “historical monument”? Yes, sometimes, old buildings have to make way for new buildings, such that Singapore can keep up with the pace of other countries such as Japan, especially since Singapore has a limited land area. But in the video, there are still some places such as Toa Payoh Market which has since been demolished. Many residents in the area wanted it to be kept, because the atmosphere is in the air, the interaction between the stall owners and the customers; one feels that going to the market is a form of happiness. Another example would be the playgrounds in the past, where there was sand. Today, can you find it? Children enjoyed this type of playgrounds because they could build sandcastles and it was just a stone’s throw away, instead of having to go to the beach.
9.0 - Voices From the Ground
Japan met with a disaster earthquake on 11th March. Ever since then, it has been a moment of recovery for them, to rebuild the country they once had. It has been more than one month ever since the earthquake struck Fukushima, Japan and the people in Japan are experiencing aftershocks frequently. The earthquake, the first for many people, will leave a scar on their memory and it has been a traumatic experience for many people.
As part of iCouncil, 10 of us volunteered on a Saturday evening to host the event "9.0 - Voices From the Ground" which was a fundraising event for the Japan earthquake and we were to work as ushers on that day itself. This was an awe-inspiring performance, furthermore, the organizer, Issac, was one of our old boys and the chairman of iCouncil 2002, which made the event even more special for the 10 of us. Issac has been living inTokyo, Japan’s capital and ever since the earthquake struck Fukushima, he has been planning for a fund-raising event to do his part for Japan and contribute to the relief efforts.
The performance, made up of 3 presentations and 4 bands, entertained the crowd and drove some to tears during the presentation, including the presenters and the audience. The presentations mainly focused on the events happened in Japan and the actions taken and what had happened to their own lives and all 4 presenters were from Japan, all living near Fukushima. One presenter that left a deep impression on me was the 2nd presenter, he was a teacher in Fukushima and after the earthquake, he had to sought help from the Japan embassy such as to get back here, being a Singaporean. During the presentation, he mentioned that he is worried about the status of his students over in Fukushima and he wishes to go back to help but is unable to do so once he thinks of his family and his life. Besides, he also mentioned the spirit of the Japanese, the principal of the school had actually offered him water (since there was water in the school) when people instead were queuing up for water for 4 hours. This spirit is the spirit when man exhibit in times of bad. When a disaster happens, most of us would be fighting for survival, but in Japan, they are giving miracles for the survival of others.
The bands offered some entertainment, shockingly; some of them were only formed weeks ago when approached by the organizers to perform. From Sunshine to S.E., some songs provided hope for Japan while others were to cheer them on and lift the spirits of many. I enjoyed it very much and I am glad that I have played a part to help Japan overcome this crisis as they hope to rebuild what it was used to be.
As part of iCouncil, 10 of us volunteered on a Saturday evening to host the event "9.0 - Voices From the Ground" which was a fundraising event for the Japan earthquake and we were to work as ushers on that day itself. This was an awe-inspiring performance, furthermore, the organizer, Issac, was one of our old boys and the chairman of iCouncil 2002, which made the event even more special for the 10 of us. Issac has been living inTokyo, Japan’s capital and ever since the earthquake struck Fukushima, he has been planning for a fund-raising event to do his part for Japan and contribute to the relief efforts.
The performance, made up of 3 presentations and 4 bands, entertained the crowd and drove some to tears during the presentation, including the presenters and the audience. The presentations mainly focused on the events happened in Japan and the actions taken and what had happened to their own lives and all 4 presenters were from Japan, all living near Fukushima. One presenter that left a deep impression on me was the 2nd presenter, he was a teacher in Fukushima and after the earthquake, he had to sought help from the Japan embassy such as to get back here, being a Singaporean. During the presentation, he mentioned that he is worried about the status of his students over in Fukushima and he wishes to go back to help but is unable to do so once he thinks of his family and his life. Besides, he also mentioned the spirit of the Japanese, the principal of the school had actually offered him water (since there was water in the school) when people instead were queuing up for water for 4 hours. This spirit is the spirit when man exhibit in times of bad. When a disaster happens, most of us would be fighting for survival, but in Japan, they are giving miracles for the survival of others.
The bands offered some entertainment, shockingly; some of them were only formed weeks ago when approached by the organizers to perform. From Sunshine to S.E., some songs provided hope for Japan while others were to cheer them on and lift the spirits of many. I enjoyed it very much and I am glad that I have played a part to help Japan overcome this crisis as they hope to rebuild what it was used to be.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Analysis of a Broadsheet and Tabloid
What is the difference between broadsheets and tabloid newspapers? Does one always deal with more respectable news / produce more professional journalism than the other? Are there in-between types of newspapers?
The 1st question has already been gone through in class, but as a conclusion, these are the areas that we look at when comparing them: Layout, Language, Tone, Message, and Target Audience. Under these 5 categories, all of them have their own standout points, thus, they are 2 very different types of newspapers. In reality, one always deal with more respectable news and also produce more professional journalism than the other and that would be the broadsheet. Take Singapore’s 2 newspapers as an example: “The Straits Times” and “The New Paper”. Although the broadsheet, as discussed in class, is used for propaganda by the government, it still relays information to the general public, such as current affairs (World and Asia News), thus these are news that globally everyone should know (Global Perspective), thus, it would be classified as respectable news. Besides, they also do concentrate locally, such as the General Election, which should be seen as respectable since it involves us, the citizens and the government. Tabloid newspapers are generally informal and concentrate more on entertainment (Sports) than important news/headlines; they usually reveal opinions of some victims or a particular theme.
There is an in-between newspaper and I would mention it as “Reader’s Digest”. Reader’s Digest can be formal and very informal. It contains information which does appeal to current affairs at times, with the latest issue concentrating on the marriage in England. Other components include the Olympics last year and the appointment of Barack Obama as the President of USA. However, it can be informal like directors in Asia – their opinions and most of the time, they have this “Special Story” part which can be linked to current affairs, however, it is not directly related, thus, it seems more of a reading pleasure for those reading Reader’s Digest.
The 1st question has already been gone through in class, but as a conclusion, these are the areas that we look at when comparing them: Layout, Language, Tone, Message, and Target Audience. Under these 5 categories, all of them have their own standout points, thus, they are 2 very different types of newspapers. In reality, one always deal with more respectable news and also produce more professional journalism than the other and that would be the broadsheet. Take Singapore’s 2 newspapers as an example: “The Straits Times” and “The New Paper”. Although the broadsheet, as discussed in class, is used for propaganda by the government, it still relays information to the general public, such as current affairs (World and Asia News), thus these are news that globally everyone should know (Global Perspective), thus, it would be classified as respectable news. Besides, they also do concentrate locally, such as the General Election, which should be seen as respectable since it involves us, the citizens and the government. Tabloid newspapers are generally informal and concentrate more on entertainment (Sports) than important news/headlines; they usually reveal opinions of some victims or a particular theme.
There is an in-between newspaper and I would mention it as “Reader’s Digest”. Reader’s Digest can be formal and very informal. It contains information which does appeal to current affairs at times, with the latest issue concentrating on the marriage in England. Other components include the Olympics last year and the appointment of Barack Obama as the President of USA. However, it can be informal like directors in Asia – their opinions and most of the time, they have this “Special Story” part which can be linked to current affairs, however, it is not directly related, thus, it seems more of a reading pleasure for those reading Reader’s Digest.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
A Comparison of Newsworthiness: Book & Article
Write about what you have learnt about newsworthiness. Are the factors that make a story newsworthy the same factors that would arouse your interest in a story?
There are a total of 12 factors that affect the newsworthiness of an article:
1.) Timeliness
2.) Proximity
3.) Exceptional Quality
4.) Possible Future Impact
5.) Prominence
6.) Conflict
7.) Number of People Involved/Affected
8.) Consequence
9.) Human Interest
10.) Pathos
11.) Shock Value
12.) Titillation Component
I feel that not all factors that make a newspaper article newsworthy the same factors that would arouse one’s interest in as story. However, there are maybe only 4 factors involved: Possible Future Impact, Conflict, Consequence and Human Interest. Firstly, a possible future impact would most probably be a book having the theme of science fiction. In science fiction books, we think and explore some of the events or technology that would happen in the future, one example would be cloning, from the book “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro. The changes in technology would have an impact on our lives, because this technology will gradually be part of us in our lives. Next, conflict and consequence go together in a story. In a story, most likely fiction, something it must have to attract readers would be a conflict. A good or bad conflict determines the success of the book, a good one will arouse the interest of the readers and they will continue reading the book to find out the end, in which consequence are involved. Consequences can be good or bad, but are usually bad, it is a pretty biased part in a story, based on one’s thinking, but it has to be there to put an end to the story. Lastly, human interest would refer to the themes of a book. This is especially for readers who have a certain preference for the type of books that they read. For example, some themes are romance, mystery, adventure and the list goes on.
There are a total of 12 factors that affect the newsworthiness of an article:
1.) Timeliness
2.) Proximity
3.) Exceptional Quality
4.) Possible Future Impact
5.) Prominence
6.) Conflict
7.) Number of People Involved/Affected
8.) Consequence
9.) Human Interest
10.) Pathos
11.) Shock Value
12.) Titillation Component
I feel that not all factors that make a newspaper article newsworthy the same factors that would arouse one’s interest in as story. However, there are maybe only 4 factors involved: Possible Future Impact, Conflict, Consequence and Human Interest. Firstly, a possible future impact would most probably be a book having the theme of science fiction. In science fiction books, we think and explore some of the events or technology that would happen in the future, one example would be cloning, from the book “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro. The changes in technology would have an impact on our lives, because this technology will gradually be part of us in our lives. Next, conflict and consequence go together in a story. In a story, most likely fiction, something it must have to attract readers would be a conflict. A good or bad conflict determines the success of the book, a good one will arouse the interest of the readers and they will continue reading the book to find out the end, in which consequence are involved. Consequences can be good or bad, but are usually bad, it is a pretty biased part in a story, based on one’s thinking, but it has to be there to put an end to the story. Lastly, human interest would refer to the themes of a book. This is especially for readers who have a certain preference for the type of books that they read. For example, some themes are romance, mystery, adventure and the list goes on.
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