How I felt during the projets day semi finals

Hey guys,

I am sure some of you have gone through the semi-final round today, so how did you feel before and during your presentation? Of course, how you feel after the presentation is quite predictable. You would most likely feel relieved that the presentation is finally over, or maybe you would have some regrets, regretting perhaps the fact that you were slacking (glares at some people in our class).

During and before the presentation, I admit that our whole group was kinda nervous, especially Elvis our dear old mr paranoid group leader, who kept claming that our powerpoint was simply not good enough without being able to come out with ideas to improve on it. DESPITE our countless number of times of persuasion, he still did not believe that the powerpoint was good. So, we turned to a propaganda technique...... Assertion! However, that did not work either.

Finally, the time for us to present came. We were all extremely nervous, apart from Yi Shin who does not seem to have nerves at all (don't take that literally). When we were presenting, my legs felt worse than jelly. How I managed to pull through is a surprise. However, as I was the third speaker, by the time it was finally my turn to speak, I was surprisingly less nervous. And interestingly, Elvis was kinda right about our presentation being not good enough. It may not have been what he was thinking, but our powerpoint was a little bit too long, and we therefore had to skip some slides (*sob*). However, we got mostly contrustive comments from the project judges, leaving us elated. Wish us all the best, and you guys too!

Hey all,
I was just wondering if you guys ever had this feeling when you feel that someone, just somone, whether sinister or a guardian angel, is watching you, only to find that nobody around you actually is? I am sure many of you have felt that way too. So what exactly is the reason for this? Are we paranoid, are we having a sense of insecurity? Have we done something wrong?
To tell you the truth, I really do not have any idea on why we feel this way. Maybe it's a feeling everyone has deep down in their hearts, maybe it is a fear of people finding out of ones sins, ones secrets. There are many different opinions, of course. I believe that, facing this type of question, the answer deep down will be never found. However, I might have another opinion on this. Something to do with our loved ones. No, not our loved ones that are beside us, protecting us with their bodies, comforting us when we are sad. This type of loved ones are in another world, something people call the afterlife ( No offence to those who don't believe in it)
Basically, this might be described as a kind of supernatural force, something unexplainable once again. However, if you think about it, if your loved ones want to protect you know, wouldn't they want to do so too after they have passed away? There is this saying that love would last for a lifetime, so why can't it last for a eternity? I am pretty sure that your loved ones, even after they have passed away, will do all they can to try and see you living safely and happily.
Okay, that was just my theory. It might sound nonsensical to some, yet it might some perfectly sensible to others. Hence, it's up to you to decide.
Thankzzz
jeremy

About the Casino being built

Hey,
Indeed, this casino is expected to bring some social problems to Singapore. However, if you look at the whole picture, this is a really good way to make money from foreigners and create job oppurtunities for unemployed Singaporeans, something we need during this recession. Furthermore, the Singapore government has done its part to try an reduce the number of compulsive gamblers that are Singaporeans.
Firstly, we being such a small country with not much pulling power due to the lack of beautiful sights such as mountains and waterfalls, building this casino seems like the only method to attract foreigners. After all, if we do not do so, we would definitely be losing out to the numerous countries that have casinos in terms of revenue, such as Malaysia, Macau etc, as these foreigners who enjoy gambling (it is unfair to say that they are compulsive gamblers as there is no evidence) would flock to other countries, leaving us wondering what we have done wrong. This seems like the last resort by the government as if you look back, you realise that Lee Kuan Yew had always firmly rejected ideas to build casinos in Singapore, fearing the worst.
Secondly, building a casino here not only creates more revenue for Singapore, it also creates job oppurtunities for Singaporeans. Now, isn't that just great? In view of the current financial state and the astonishing number of people being retrenched, this is a great move by the Singapore government to create a huge number of jobs at one go. If you were out of a job for a while and in desperate need to have income, wouldn't you embrace this oppurtunity with both hands? Think about that.
Lastly, the Singapore government has put in place some measures to dissuade Singaporeans from getting addicted to gambling. They have set up counselling centres and hotlines for people with gambling addictions to seek help from if they find themselves needing professional advice to quit cold turkey. Furthermore, the casino has allowed family members to block their loved ones from entering the casino. The government is also pondering over putting in place an exorbitant entrance fee of $100 per entry or $2,000 every year.
Therefore, if you look at the measures the Singapore government has taken, you have to give them a pat on the back and admit that this move might most likely be for Singapore's own good. However, it remains to be seen whether the measures put in place is effective in preventing Singaporeans from getting addicted to gambling. So, for now, I am for this idea of building a casino.
Thanks for reading,
Jeremy

My Favourite Poet

Hey,
Well, I remember in primary school, when we would read our textbooks with many poems inside, and I was particularly fascinated by one poet - Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) . So now, I shall share a bit about him, and hopefully you would, like me, see the beauty in this wonderful poet.

Do you know that, amazingly, Shel Silverstein never studied poetry like other poets? Pretty hard to believe, considering the fact that his poems can be compared with the likes of other poets that studied poetry, or maybe even better than the others. Having not studied poetry like the other poets, he had to develop a style of his own, and my, what an unusual style he developed. His poems were laid-back and conversational, occasionally having some profanitie and slangs. And that, I feel, is what made me feel so attracted to his poems.

Shel Silverstein never intended to write poems for children when he first started his career. His editor, however, encouraged him to do so and after writing his first book which was filled with what we called "silly but unique" ideas and poems, he realised his passion for writing for children. A quote by Otto Penzler says, "his unmistakable illustrative style is another crucial element to his appeal. Just as no writer sounds like Shel, no other artist's vision is as delightfully, sophisticatingly cockeyed". All of us readers would have to admit, while his poems may sounds ridiculous, they are very enthralling to read, us being lost in the world Shel Silverstein has painted in his poems.

Shel was not only a poet and an author, he was also a cartoonist, a musician, a composer, a singer-songwriter and a screenwriter. These probably made him become a wonderful poet as he was able to use the skills in these different areas to combine to form a poem like no other. He wrote famous songs like "A boy named Sue" and sketches like "One Tennis Shoe". Late in his life,his favorite places such as Greenwich Village, Key West, Martha’s Vineyard, and Sausalito, California, where he continued to write beautiful poems, songs etc. He died in 1999 in Key West, Florida. It was a rather sad loss of a genius in illustration through words, and a person that no one would be able to replace.

Some examples of his poems are: If the World was Crazy, Mr Grumpledump's song and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Hope you would take some time to read his poems and be like everyone else that had read his poems, be lost in a magical world created by Shel Silverstein.

Thanks for reading. Special thanks to wikipedia(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shel_Silverstein) and poets.org(too long an address) for providing me with all the valuable information:)

Why I like this poem

Back with the second post,
Well, basically, I like this poem simply because I find it very meaningful as it shares with us some important matters in life. It is about a mother sharing with her son her experiences to prepare him for the outside world, therefore making it very real. Firstly, it reminds us that life is not a straighforward path, it has many obstacles we have to overcome. It also reminds us that we have to keep trying, keep improving, so that we can overcome these obstacles, and, at the end of the journey, succeed. Finally, it reminds us that we should not turn back when facing obstacles, we should keep going, keep climbing.
Thanks

Figurative Language

Hey,
The poem I have chosen is Mother to Son by Langston Hughes. It is "Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floorâ. Bare. But all the timeI'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners, And sometimes goin' in the dark Where there ain't been no light. So, boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the steps. 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard. Don't you fall now—For I'se still goin', honey,I'se still climbin',And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
Firstly, this phrase "crystal stair" is, in my opinion, a use of figurative language. It is, in my opinion, a metaphor. Life has no relation with a crystal stair, and therefore it doesn't make sense to say that "life ain't been no crystal stair". Therefore, the poet wants us to draw a conclusion that this "crystal stair" is representing a smooth journey, without many obstacles. Therefore, in this instance, he is saying that life for this mother has not been smooth with many difficulties she has had to overcome. I suppose that the poet chose to use this figurative language as it sounds fanciful and stylish and mskes the reader more interested as you must read the whole poem before you can fully understand that phrase, something that cannot be achieved if you directly tell the readers what you are saying.
Actually, there are more uses of metaphors here, such as "tacks" and "splinters", as life cannot have tacks and splinters, can it? Now, touching on symbolism. The word "dark" in the poem is used as a symbol that, in my opinion, represents a place where all seems lost, in other words, failure. In my opinion, the author is trying to tell us that when we fail, we "dont turn back" like this mother, we should keep trying, and like what the poet wrote, "keep climbing".
Okay, that is about it for figurative language, read my next post to find out why I like this poem.

What is the right way to live?:

Hey guys,

Well, nowadays with people of working hard, desperate to earn as much money as they possibily can, have you ever paused and wondered, "Is that really the right way to live? Is there really any meaning left in life if I continue living my life this way, working long hours just to earn money that I will spend on luxurious cars and high-class restaurants?" Therefore, keeping this in mind, I am here to share a bit with you on what i think is very meaningful in life.

Now, what indeed can we do with the money we earn? Well, of course, we pay off our neccessities, such as our house loan, our electricity bills, our food and so on. Then, what do we do with the rest of the money we have? Well, one option, we can use it to indulge ourselves, but isn't that a bit selfish? How about all the others that have no food to eat, no books to study? Won't they feel disgusted at the way you are just spending your money? Now, I really feel that this money can be put to better use if we were a little more caring, a little more kind. So indeed, what is this meaningful act?

Well, you can say it is helping the less fortunate people.

Indeed, it is a wonder how this act of kindness, no matter the amount, will make you feel so satisfied, a feeling you would never get from spending your money on luxurious cars and high-class restaurants. If you do not wish to contribute your money, you can always contribute your energy by helping to build schools to give more people the chance to receive some education, in a bid to provide them an oppurtunity to leave the kind of poverish state they had been immersed in since young.

In case you are not satisfied with my explanation of getting a feeling of satisfaction after doing this good act, then you have just to look at the world's richest and most successful people. Most of them, I am sure, would donate lots of money to charity. Firstly, to be successful, you must have a kind heart. And people that do charity work obviously have a kind heart right? And, in my opinion, they would find life much less enriching if they do not do charity work. After all, at the end of the day, it is kind of boring just working and working to earn money without seeing it really go to anything meaningful.

So now, I srongly encourage you to do some charity work, no matter the amount. and I promise you that you would realise that life is more meaningful than you actually knew.

Thanks for reading,
Jeremy

Hey all,
Time for...another blog post! Lol. Well, I just finished reading this rather touching book called Charlotte's Web, so yeah, I'm here to do the book review:)
Well, I suppose this book instantly reminded me of the kind of motherly love I received from my mother when I was younger, when she protected me from all the dangers of the outside world, in this case Fern protecting Wilbur from getting slaughtered by her father. That really revoked my fond memories of my younger days, when my mother sacrificed a lot of her time to raise me, just like what Fern did for Wilbur and how Charlotte treated Wilbur from the time when Wilbur was sold to Mr Zuckerman.
Now, I will choose one word to describe Charlotte, who truly touched me in this book The word is "loyal". If you look closely, it has been mentioned in the book, and I fully agree with it. Firstly, she was completely selfless. She helped Wilbur win the prize but did not take much credit for the prize. Also, she worked tirelessly to save Wilbur's life, weaving words into her web during the night when every animal was sleeping. She also never left Wilbur's side, even following him to the fair, fearing for him if he was alone. She, too, defended Wilbur when he was being insulted by the other animals, such as when the lamb said Wilbur stank. She, too, builded the confidence of Wilbur from time to time, just like what good friends do.
Now, here is the radio announcement I would make to advertise this book. "Hello, one and all, a enchanting book about a spider who amazingly saved a pig's life is now in stores. It is a truly touching story and not only entertains you with it's creative storyline, but it also teaches us many morale values. It is certainly a book worth reading, and a book not to be missed.
Satisfaction guaranteed and it is truly one of the most wonderful books I have ever read.
I liked the way the story ended, definitely. Charlotte's death came as no surprise, given the fact that she was starting to feel very weak and that she had already laid her eggs. Therefore, the fact that Charlotte's offspring and her grandchildren and so on continued accompanying Wilbur is really touching, especially after we thought that Wilbur was going to be left all alone when most of her offspring started drifting away. The story ended with Wilbur living happily without Mr Zuckerman ever thinking of slaughtering him, and most importantly, with Charlotte's children and grandchildren and so on accompanying him through the rest of his life, and that is just like a fairytale ending, a dream ending.
Thanks for reading,
Bye

If many people think something is true, is it true?

Hey guys,

Now, let's imagine, one day if everyone believes that UFO's exist, does that mean it's true? Does that g different thoughts, such as some people are more believingmean that you have no choice but to believe that yes, UFO's do exist, without seeing it with your own eyes? Of course not. Nowadays, there are many ifs and buts, many things that we humans are unsure of, such as the existence of aliens and UFO's, so at the end of the day, it is down to the individual to make his decision.

Now, everyone has their own brain to process their thoughts, it is not as though your brain is connected to someone else's, so why follow his thoughts? If someone believes in something, respect his belief, but you should not be swayed by him or her. Imagine if the whole world were followers like what I had mentioned above, the world would be a much more boring place, wouldn't it? Everyone would be thinking the same way, reacting in the same way, and so on and so forth. Therefore, I repeat, it is important for each and every individual to have their own thinkings and beliefs.

Therefore, my stance should be clear? As long as you have never seen it with your own pair of eyes, you are free to decide yourself whether you want to believe in something or not. The key word here is think. It is something not confirmed, so why should you believe in it? Maybe you might turn out to be the small number of people, of smart people, that thought right when this something is scientifically preven to NOT exist. Therefore, it pays off to have your own thoughts,

and at the end of the day, you can proudly and firmly say, "I believe this something does not exist!"

Hey,
Stuck in Malaysia now. Gosh, I never realised how much a person can miss home when they are away. I have not been in contact with many close friends, therefore that must be the reason why I miss home so much... Wow, this term "Home Sweet Home" really is true. Sigh, I guess I will just have to put up with the long period of suffering before I can finally return to Singapore. I guess, no matter where you go, nowhere can beat your home, where you are with your family and friends. Sigh, *Waiting for time to pass*. It is going to be a long and painful wait for the time to return...
Oh yeah, by the way, I am going back today.

How do you know who your friends are?

Hey guys,
Kay, let me ask you a question before I get on with my blog post. What do you want your friends for? Do you want to confide in them, tell them all your secrets, or do you just want them to be by your side, entertain you, cheer you up when you are down? Ask yourself that, and yes, this is rather important in this blog post in case you thought I was random yeah.
Indeed, it is rather difficult nowadays to determine whether your "friends" around you are actually real friends out there to help you. There are just so many sinister people out there harbouring evil thoughts, that it no longer is a surprise when you realise that your best friend has betrayed you. That is, of course, rather saddening. It is no longer easy to confide in someone for fear will overwhelm you when you do. Of course, naturally, we would have a few friends that we would know are loyal to us, friends who will not betray us, will not backstab us. However, that kind of trust will take a period of time to build up, and will never be immediate.
I am not sure about you guys, but when you were chatting happily with your friends, have you ever got this strange feeling that someone, just someone, among this group of friends might not be a trustworthy one? It is never proven unless something happens, but this is prove again how much different people are nowadays. In the past, it was much easier to trust people, when people then were less greedy, less self-scented. Just imagine you are a successful business man, how do you know your subordinates aren't out to steal your company's secrets, out to assasinate you? How do you know your friends, jealous of your wealth, are not plotting one of the biggest robberies in history?
For us students, the situation is not so blown-up. However, it is the same concept. Therefore, I just try to make as much friends as I can, but at the end of the day, only a few really know me well, know my troubles and so on. Of course, these friends are the friends that I have known for a long time, since my primary school days or even longer. Nothing wrong with making friends, don't get me wrong, but you should give yourself a period of time before finally deciding whether your dear little friend is actually a friend that you can trust.
Yawn, just imagine how much easier this blog post would have been in the older days:( Lol
Anyway,
Bye

Eliminating an emotion, a rather difficult choice

Hey all,
Urh, let's see, if I could eliminate an emotion in this world, what would that be? Phew, I am now cursing this question-setter, because this is a really difficult question. After all, there are so many emotions in this world, so why just one? *Thinking*... Okay, I have made my decision finally, and I think this emotion shall be...
*Drum roll please*
Jealousy.
Actually, coming to think about it, I have actually always really detested this emotion. This rather cruel emotion is the cost of a lot of thefts, murder etc. I have to admit that, yes, I have been tempted to steal in my childhood times, and what else, this was caused by my classmate having something that I craved to get my hands on, by hook or by crook. Of course, in the end, I did not carry out my plan, and thankfully so, for at that time a teacher walked by:)
Anyway, the point is, that this emotion is evil if you let it overwhelm you. A little bit of jealousy might be quite good actually. Imagine this, if you see a model student passing his exams with flying colours, you would naturally envy him and therefore that can be a motivation to put in extra hard work to get that kind of results. However, when it reaches another level, it might lead to horrible things happening. Something I call over-jealousy might lead you to alter your marks and so on. Sadly, many people nowadays fall prey to this temptation. Rising crime rates is a good evidence. Therefore, I feel that jealousy should be eliminated, and I hope that we students would be able to find another source for motivation to get good marks.
One more thing, I am NOT a thief, in case some of you get the wrong idea. thanks
Jer signing off,
Byez

Hey all,

Now, doing charity work certainly is good, but now, is that our duty? Is that a must, or is it something that we OUGHT to do? Will we get punished, scolded, or criticised if we do not do charity work? Well, we obviously won't get scolded, the most we can expect is a little criticism from friends and a little encouragement for us to do some charity work, no matter the amount. So, why do we do charity work then?

Interestingly, there are a few reasons why we do charity work. The first one is obviously because we are kind-hearted individuals who are compassionate towards the less fortunate, wanting to improve their lives. However, there is another small group of people that, in my opinion, do charity work as they do not want to be left out, or in another words (I hope that is the way you spell it), they are practically forced to do so. I feel that these people that fall under this category would find that doing charity work is a chore, and yes indeed, to them charity work would be like an unwanted duty for them. So, what is the meaning of doing charity work then?

Let me repeat, charity work should be out of your goodwill. You should be more than happy to take a small portion of your income to donate to charity. If you don't, then there really is no point for you to do charity work then. Indeed, you can go around proudly saying that you have played a part in improving the less fortunate people's lives, but was that done from the bottom of your heart? Was that a sincere gesture of kindness?

To sum it up, no, doing charity work is not our duty. It should be sincere, so that the people at the receiving end of the help we offer can feel the warmth, can feel that we really care for them. If you are unwilling to do so, then I suppose doing charity work would have no purpose, and that well, you really should not bother forcing yourself to do charity work. Of course, do not expect to not be called a selfish fool:)
Thanks for reading,
Bye

Hey guys,
Now, I do know some people that, to put it simply, enjoy slacking. Yes, slacking is fun, it is relaxing, but does it do you any good? Or does it make you happier than studying? Think about it. Interestingly, there are a few viewpoints this question, so let me share them with you now.
Firstly, yes, having fun is, of course, fun. But how long will the fun last? A little fun after a day's of hard work is indeed a good relaxation, but will too much fun make you feel very happy? Such as, after playing dota for a whole day, will you feel very happy? Happiness, to me, can indeed be found from hard work. When you achieve something remarkable, you will have this sense of achievement, this great feeling, and at that point of time, you would definitely be happier than you would be after a day's of computer games that certainly does not help you in the REAL world.
Secondly, you must ask yourselves, are you looking for short-term or long-term happiness? Do you want happiness now, and be filled with regret later in life, or would you prefer to suffer a bit, put in hard work, so as to have a bright future? Ask yourself that, and carefully think of the answer, because this would affect what you do now as a student (if you are), and certainly it will affect your future. You know, as I said earlier, you don’t learn anything when you are having fun, so if you slack for a long period of time, your hardworking peers would be far ahead of you, so how do you expect a good future man? That is certainly out of the question. Would you sacrifice your future for fun now? Are you willing to suffer in the future, where money might be a problem for you simply cannot get a good job? Remember, hard work will always be rewarded. Slacking, I repeat, will never do you any good.
So there you are, future happiness or current happiness? Happiness through having fun or happiness through achieving things beyond we ourselves ever imagined? Ponder over this question, but I am pretty sure of my stance after writing this post. Hope you guys would be too.
Thanks for reading this yeah:)

My First Semester being a Secondary One Student (Continued)

Hey guys (again),
Continuing from my previous blog post, I am asked to draw out a brief plan for my second semester. Well, honestly, planning has never been my forte. I tend to go with the flow, improving what i think can be improved as time passes. But basically, I suppose I should try to maintain the grades that I have attained this semester, if not improve on it. Also, I shall try to max out my ACE for various subjects, and above all work hard to try to bring our project to the greatest height possible. Erm, yar, I suppose that's basically my review of Semester 1 and plan for term two, so thanks for reading this rather long blog post and good luck to you guys too yea:)
Jer:)

My First Semester being a secondary one Student

Hey guys,
So, let's reflect on my first semester as a secondary 1 student. How was it? Well, firstly, it was difficult to get used to not seeing girls in my school, but thankfully I have adapted to this change.
Some plus points about my rather interesting first semester, I realised that my classmates, like me, are soccer crazy. Therefore, we would enjoy a game of soccer during recess, coming back sweaty and stinky, with Yi Shin always berating me about my smell. However, being my Primary school best friend, he has somewhat gotten used to me sweating a lot after recess.
Also, I realised that I have been doing better than expected in the first semester. I got A1 for most of my subjects and, after counting, I probably got an A2 for the rest, or just one B3. I am really surprised by this, and everytime I get back another test paper, I would mostly just gape at it. I suppose it is down to the fact that I have Elvis, Mr Smart-guy, sitting behind me. That indeed gives me a lot of advantages as I can clarify things that I am not too sure with him easily.
Of course, when there are plus points, there are always minus points. As I said earlier, it was difficult adapting to not seeing and talking to girls in school. Also, it was difficult to get back into the working attitude after having a long break after PSLE. That was when I totally enjoyed life, so that made me kind of lazy. Also, the work here is much tougher, and the teachers here teach stuff that I cannot comprehend at times, Therefore, I would have to go home and do some catch-up work so as to keep up with the rest of the class at times.
Something interesting now, I enjoy wearing ankle socks, a habit I had since primary school. Although nowadays my socks are higher than those I used to wear in Primary school, it is still low according to my form teacher. I am trying hard get used to wearing normal socks, but I have to admit that I do wear ankle socks at times:) Also, we had got into a fight with some international school pupils at the soccer court, when they punched and kicked us. Mr Tan intervened and some international pupils were apparently expelled, We now tend to give up the court to the International school students when they wish to use the court.
To be continued... tonight

What is Beauty

Hey guys,
Just finished revising Animal Farm and decided that I should start on my holiday assignment so yea, that's why I'm writing this blog post now. Okay, there is this question, I'm sure many of you have heard of before."Inner or outer Beauty?" I personally admit that it is very difficult to judge a person's inner beauty, and therefore most of us tend to judge people by their looks. However, if that is the case, then what would happen if you suddenly realise that your girlfriend is a criminal?
Of course, best case senario is that a person is both beautiful on the outside and the inside. Kind, caring, hardworking, and compassionate, and pretty or handsome. However, us humans all have flaws. Therefore, someone good looking might be a bad character inside, something hidden away from our eyes. They might be greedy, harbour evil intentions or so on and so forth, but they just hadn't shown the opposite side of themselves yet. And one day when they do, we, the foolish humans that were taken in by their good looks, will be in for a rude shock.
Therefore, in my opinion, it is very important to have inner beauty, and that having outer beauty is just an added advantage. Before being good friends, we should first be able to confirm that this person has a good character and not just judge a book by its cover. A good example is this. Imagine a pretty celebrity going around taking drugs and partying all night long. Do you think the community will really like this kind of people? Is she a role model to the younger generation? No question about that, the answer is a flat no.
So there you go, no matter how pretty or handsome you are, how do you expect people to like you if you do not have a good character? Dream on my dear silly fool. You expect us to accept you? Gosh, change your attitude then. If you think you are better just because of your looks, then wake up. So, in conclusion, I would think that my stance is pretty clear now. Outer beauty?Good, but wait, one more question, do you have inner beauty too? That, I am very sure, is the most important factor in determining your close friends and your life partners.

Cult of Personality

Hey guys,
So, what is a cult of personality? Well, it actually is how a leader uses mass media to influence the public and give himself a hero like, or something called a larger than life image.
Now, you would find that this generally happens in totalitarian countries. You too would find yourself getting brainwashed together with the general public with propaganda tools this leader uses. Of course, as we have learned in Animal Farm, Stalin is really good at this. Urh, what? Another example? Oh well, another obvious example would be Hitler then. Basically, once again I repeat, most dictators are cult leaders.
Now, as we have been discussing about Stalin and his horrible acts for quite a while now, I should just follow the trend and continue sharing more information about him should'nt I? Now, I just realised that Stalin has had many places and towns named after him and there is even something called a Stalin Prize and a Stalin Peace prize.
How ironic the second prize is. Man, since when was life under Stalin peaceful?
Well, in addiion to the above, Stalin accepted all sorts of titles that to us would seem ridiculous. Now, of course, with all him using all these propaganda tools, naturally the general public would become influenced and thinl that," Wow, leader Stalin is so great." Once again, to us it seems that that is total nonsense. So, there you go, a perfect example of a leader with a cult personality and what influenece this leader as on the general public.

Hey guys,
Well, I'm sure all of you heard about the Geylang Serai food poisoning case blah blah, and a few days after this food poisoning case, there was this article in the newspaper by a housewive. I don't think many of you really noticed it, but basically it was about the simple fact that the easiest way to avoid getting food poisoning is to eat at home. Yes, isn't that a simple solution? I mean, nothing can beat home-cooked food in hygiene standards, as I am sure you will make sure you take all the safety precautions when you prepare your own food, if not, then well, I suppose you do deserve to get food poisoning(:
In the past, many households could not afford to eat out and every eating-out time is a special occasion. However, now you can hear that families with working husbands and wives will eat out everyday. So let me ask, is that healthy? And more importantly, is that safe? Has anyone went into the kitchen and asked, "Hey, I would like to see how you prepare your food." (No guarantee that the restaurant will think you are trying to steal their recipe and kick you out of the restaurant, but yeah you get the point) So you can never be sure how hygienically safe the food you are eating is. And the hygiene standard rate given by the NEA might be deceiving. you just need a slip ofconcentration, one complacent chef and one tiny mistake in the preparation to give the poor customers the reward for coming to your eatery for a meal, pain. So, now, I think I shall try to make influence my family members. After all, eating at home does save money.
And I urge all of you to do the same too yeah.
Talkin bout food, Im hungry now, so
byez

Hey guys,
I suddenly remembered about the animal farm worksheet so I am working on a belated blog post now(: Plz bear with me yeah. Okay, what is utopia? Well, utopia is like a dream society, a seemingly perfect society that is most of the time, frankly just a dream. A little history on this word, bear with me again, I know history ain't fun, but this word was taken from the title of a book written by Sir Thomas More about an island in the Atlantic Ocean, possesing a seemingly perfect socio-politico-legal system.
To me, I suppose a place that citizens all live happily together with no riots or commotions between the citizens. And that, it seems, is totally impossible right? Also, I think items should be shared equally amon all the citizens and the rich should try their best to elp the poor. However, asking some people to be generous may be like a person asking a block of wood to move. It is still pretty much impossible. So there you go, the proof that a utopia place would most likely, only turn up in your sweet dreams.
Jeremy signing off,
Buh-bye

About poliical leaders

Hey guys,
Today in LA lesson, this question suddenly popped into my mind. Are this dictators that we learnt about today considered evil for all the inhumane acts they had commited suck as executing people who opposed them? Or did they really do this for the country's benefit. Let me share with you the possibilities and you make your own judgement.
Firstly, are the acts really for the better of the country? Are there other means to try to influence this people to agree with their ideas? However, of course, their mentality back then as probably different from ours, that has to be said. If they had adopted a more humane approach, would their respective countries have reached the heights that they reached under the control of these leaders? They might not have. With people opposing the leaders, the leaders would be under threat and therefore might not be able to carry out the acts that improves the country.
Compared to the present, yes, this leaders can be considered cruel. However, remember Lee Kuan Yew? People that publicly opposed him were jailed. Yes, jailing is indeed much less severe than execution, but the concept is there. People that oppose leaders would be punished. Was Lee Kuan Yew considered evil? No, he is considered one of the country's great leaders and I agree with that. Probably the punishment back then was just at that kind of degree, but both would have the same effect. The civilians would not dare to publicly oppose the leaders.
So were the leaders back then really considered evil and inhumane? You make your own personal judgement and whatever it is, remember it is based on your own thoughts and that you would definitely be able to put up a strong argument on why your point is correct.
Jeremy signing off,
Bye

The Lottery

Hey all,
Referring to the final question in the worksheet of the Lottery, I think that we should learn to put ourselves in others shoes and imagine how the party suffering would feel like. We should not be like Mrs Hutchinson who only realised how unfair the villagers actions was when she was stoned to death. Had she not being the one chosen, she would probably have never realised the cruelty of their actions. This is very relevant to our society today as many crimes happen due to the fact that some people are unable to put themselves in others' shoes. Just for an example, let's say you attack a friend of yours over some monetary disputes, have you ever thought what it would be like for this friend and his family? Just imagine the unbearable pain that they would have to go through. If all of us are able to put ourselves in others shoes and be less self-centred, the society would definitely be a better place.
Regarding the question whether we have our own form of "lottery", I am not very sure what this means but I am sure that our lotteries are definitely not as life-threatening as the lottery mentioned in the story, and thank god for that:)
Jeremyz Signing off,
Gdnite

Importance of Being an all-rounded student

Hey all,
This topic just suddenly popped into my mind as I was having a hard time thinking about writing a post that has relevance to us today. Okay never mind that, let me now share about the importance of being an all-rounder.
Firstly, what is te definition of the term "all-rounder"? Basically, it means to be good in many areas. For students, it will be studies, sports, aesthetics etc. People may ask," Why is it important? Only academics are important. You can't make a good living next time with sports and aesthetics unless you are really good at them, can you?" But let's ponder over this question, is it just enough to be good at academics and studies while neglecting the joy of being good at other areas?
Singapore's education has been critisised for being too focused on academics. Compared with the International schools, I totally agree. Everything is down to academics. If you aren't smart, smarter students look down on you. Teachers may give up hope on you and would rather focus on the other smarter students. Basically, they are only able to look at your grades while neglecting the fact that you might be strong in other areas. This is not to say that I think that studies is not important. Of course they are, but for those who aren't as good in studies, schools should try to unearth the talent hidden in them in other areas rather than just say, "Oh, this guys hopeless."
For the smarter people, remember to try to balance out studies and other areas. This is an important balance to ensure that we are able to rest and relax and not get too stressed out. It is good to play an musical instrument or enjoy a game of badminton or soccer after a long periond of mugging. For those who realise that they are not that good at studies, don't be demoralisd. Everyone has their strong points and I am sure you have yours. So try to dig up your strong points and make full use of them. And you would be successful in your own way:)
Jeremy signing off,
Byez

NTU Student's violent Attack on Professor

Hey all,
Recently in the news, it was reported that a student from NTU stabbed his professor with a knife and then commited suicide by plunging to his death. It took many people by surprise. When I read this news headline, two thoughts immediately popped into my mind. The first one was what had triggered the attack. The second was the disturbing thought that people that commit suicide nowadays like to drag others into it by attacking them before ending their tragic lives. Many such cases happen in America where the law that states that possesion of registered guns is legal is causing many social problems such as mentioned above.
After reading more about this case, I found out that this attack was probably due to the fact that the student was not doing well for his project which would decide whether he graduates. Firstly, if he did not graduate, who does he have to blame? There is a famous saying"fate is in your own hands". It is only you that can decide your fate and your future. Of course, the people around you can influence your thoughts and so on, but ultimately it is still up to you. He probably spent too much time playing computer games as mentioned in the newspaper. So there you go, if he fails, he should take this as an important lesson in his life and a motivation for him to do well for the years ahead.
Secondly, if you want to end your life, then why drag in other innocent ones? They dont deserve all your fury and misery to be thrown at them like that. This professor is really lucky that he escaped death or serious injury this time. There are many others that have died as a result of mentally unstable people deciding to go on a killing spree. Their deaths are definitely not justified as most of them did not do anything to harm or hurt the attacker. These people are already bad enough to think of ending their life against god's will(which is punishable by god), killing others would just make themselves and their families more hated. If they "argue" that they wanted some people to accompany them to the afterlife, how selfish of them! It is against the will of this person to do that, so they should just leave it as that. Thanks guys for reading this yea. And by the way, our tennis team lost 4-1 to Catholic High(Haiz...)
Jereman signing off,
BB

Angles Tournament

Hey guys,
Darn, none of our Pro-Ed speakers won any of the top three prizes despite all the hardwork they had put in. But I have to admit that the other speakers were really good too. However, we all thought that Elvis would be one of the top three speakers as both his speeches were quite well done, especially his impromptu speech. Well, never mind(nvm), Elvis has claimed that he will win something at the triangles tournament. Hmm......
Jereman signing off,
BB

Hey all,
During Monday's assembly we discussed about the topic "bullying". I feel that I should emphasise a bit on why the bullies bully. Firstly, I think the main reason is that they want to have some friends but just don't know how to make them. An example was in Primary 4. I was then sitting beside this really big-sized boy. He enjoyed playing pranks on me. But as he matured, he stopped and we became friends. So there you go, I suppose what the bully really needs is some friends he can turn to. So give a helping hand guys!
Another reason is that he might have come from a broken family or a family that has violence or internal conflicts. So a counsellor would definitely help the situation. The counsellor would be able to advise him on how to feel better in this kind of situations and the bully too would be able to share his problems that he does not wish to let his friend know with the counsellor. Therefore, I feel that schools should not be too harsh on this kind of people and instead of giving them really strict punishments, try to put themselves in their shoes and give them an oppurtunity to mend their ways.
Jereman signing off,
Bb

Discussion questions on the story"Flowers For Algernon"

Hey guys,
I have chosen to answer the question" Should Science be used to artificially improve Someone's Intelligene or External Appearances?" I think that Science should not be used to artificially improve someone's intelligence or external appearance. I feel that that is an abuse of Science and technology. We should be satisfied with what god has decided to make us into and try to make the best out of that. Once we use Science and technology to change our intelligence level or appearance, it is considered not naturel or fake. Now, it won't feel good going around with people gossiping behind your back about your operation would it?
Once you oppose nature, there will alays be side effects. You probably will not be able to adapt to the change as, to put it simply, you were not made to have that kind of appearance or intelligence level. We have to be realistic and should realise that if we are simply not good in an area, there is surely to be another area that we are good at. We would just have to uncover this talent inside ourselves. Remember, everyone is special. Everyone has their area of talent. With that, I think I have made my stance very clear and I hope that people would accept who they are and not go through all kinds of operations(especially those actresses)
Jeremy signing off,
BB

About the Taximan's Story

Greetings Everyone,
I read the Taximan's Story over the weekend and found it very interesting and captivating. I am now going to answer some of the questions on the worksheet I was given.
Firstly, I am not really sure about the irony of he story. I think that it is the fact that the Taximan enjoyed fetching young people in his taxi for extra money even though he says that they are irresponsible and not trustable. You can take it that he dislikes the teenagers now but enjoys fetching them to earn extra money.
I think the themes raised in the story is about the actions of the young teenagers nowadays and the excuses they give their parents for coming home late. The authour also wants to pass a message to parents advicing them to watch over their children. I think this story is quite realistic as you can see the matter raised in the story happening nowadays, especially to those teenagers that alked the wrong path of life.
I think that the taximan cares for his children a lot compared to some parents. Therefore, I think he makes a very good father. I feel sympathy for him when he had to experience the pain of seeing his daughter become one of the teenagers he mentioned. But I think that he is quite pleased that the daughter learned her lesson.
I feel sympathy for those teenagers mentioned in the story as they might not have turned out like that if their parents had given them enough care and concern instead of just being obsessed in their pursue of wealth. I hope that parents would learn from this story and realise that money is not everything.
Jeremy the tired and bored man signing off,
Byez

Sorry Guys......

Hey all,
My apologies. I wanted to upload an interesting video about Chinese New Year but for some reason it did not work as expected. Therefore, I now shall discuss about collecting "ang pao's". You know, many of my friends only care about the contents of the red packets. And by that I mean the aount of money inside. they grumble if they receive only 5 dollars in a red packet. That shows that they have gotten the reason for receiving red packets totally wrong. The real reason for giving red packets is to wish the other party good luck and so on. So, remember this simple fact, and be happy if you receive a red packet because that person wants to wish you a HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!!!!
The bored guy signing off,
BB

Hey all,
Sorry I forgot to mention that had decided to create another blog because my old one was really messed up. And the reason why I did not inform you guys earlier is due to the fact that my computer had been down for the past week or two. Well so now Im going to discuss about a topic that we had for our News in Class last week that really interests me. The topic is about the government re-hiring old and retired workers.
In the news, you would have read about the elderly being unable to even afford food and have to survive on handouts from charitable organisations. Now, with this scheme in place, the number of the jobless elderly would be less and in the unfortunate event of his or her children being unfilial or also unable to support him or her would not be so disastrous.
Also, younger workers benefit too. they would be able to learn from the older workers who have much greater experience in that field of work compared to them. The older workers can also instill in them the right values like integrity, determination and the willingness to work hard.
I applaud the government for his actions over this matter. In the mordern society, people have this mentality that younger workers can work faster and are more effecient. Therefore, they tend to forget the older workers. But now you can see that this scheme benefits both generations. So well done, Singapore Government!

Hey guys,
Welcome to my blog. You might be wondering why I started this blog so I shall now tell you why. Well......bcoz I was asked to do it for my sch work. Well, oh yeah, by the way some people have been asking me wad my New Years wish was, so juz look up at my blog name and you guys should noe then. Okay, I seriously have nothing more to say now, so see ya next time.
Jeremy signing off,
Bye