Week 8 blog prompt

I this blog prompt, I will be giving my reflections for the recent news on DSK. After reading the whole article on NEWSWEEK, I thought that DSK should not have had sex with Nafissatou Diallo. He is a leader, a great and important leader. As a leader, he should lead by example and not do such things.

After reading this whole article, there is no true justice. the article, you will find that the points and the style of writing is rather against Diallo. It is mentioned that she could not really remember what happened in own country. Thus, after reading, I feel that there is no true justice towards her.

Not only so, I feel that power can manipulate justice, the law and the media. DSK has many powerful people with him and he can make changes to the law and justice with the help of them. Thus, with these people, he is able to force the media to help him.
In conclusion, I have learnt how power can change rules and how it can affect people.

Blog prompt 6

"News media should be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi and going to the extreme for sensational news. How far do you agree?"

To a small extend, I feel that news media should be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi and sensational news. In order for news media to make money, the news should be attractive. To do so, juicy news would be the ideal source. People would be more interested in these gossip news than important but boring news. Thus, as time passed, the unhealthy paparazzi culture is encouraged.

However, if we think carefully, if nobody is interested in reading these news, there would be no unhealthy paparazzi culture. In other words, if no one wants to read juicy news, then the news media would not go around and hunt for them, creating the unhealthy paparazzi culture. Therefore, paparazzi culture is not totally caused by the news media and it should not be blamed for the culture.

The unhealthy paparazzi culture can also be caused by the celebrities themselves. Some of these celebrities wants to get more fame, popularity and attention from the public so as to help their careers. Most fans of celebrities would be interested to know more about everything of them. The fastest way for these celebrities to spread fame and get attention is through the practice of unhealthy paparazzi culture. Therefore, the news media is not totally to be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi culture.
In conclusion, the news media should not be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi culture. In fact, the readers and celebrities should be blamed for this unhealthy culture.

Blog Prompt 5

1) Is there true justice?

No. there is no true Justice. Justice is the rightful consequence that results in the fulfillment of a specific law. Laws are set by people and people can never be fair. At times, justice removes people of their free will and cause them suffering. In other words, justice is also injustice. Those under the hands of justice are facing injustice. When dealing with the law, one is dealing with justice and it is hard to arrive at a conclusion of both parties gaining or rather not losing anything or being harmed. Most likely, justice would cause one side to lose something.

On the other hand, there is also true justice. Many who had gone to the lawyers are in seek of justice as they felt that they have been denied what is rightfully theirs. With the help of justice one may be able to retrieve these. from these people's point of view, there is true justice.

In conclusion, whether there is true justice depends on your stand.

2) Is there true mercy, as expounded by Portia? Why?

There is both true and untrue mercy, as expounded by Portia. Lets talk about why there is true mercy first. In act 4 scene 1 of Merchant of Vernice, Shylock had been arguing with the Duke over his pound of flesh from Antonio. When being offered ducats, he rejected and asked for only the pound of flesh that is rightfully his, showing no sign of mercy towards Antonio. Clearly, Shylock wanted Antonio's life. In the end, Shylock got himself trapped and Portia had showed mercy by not killing Shylock. In return, Shylock was forced to convert to Christianity. From the people's point of view, mercy has been shown to Shylock as his life was spared.

However, from Shylock's point of view, mercy was not shown to him. Although his life was spared, he was forced to abandon his religion and give up his wealth. At the end, Shylock was left with nothing and was forced to continue living. In the end, there is no true mercy.

3) Justice and law can be manipulated by people in power. Comment on this with reference to the text and other real-life cases and examples.

Is is true that justice and law can be manipulated by people in power. For example, Portia in act 4 scene 1 had the power to manipulate law and justice. In real life, many powerful people in companies have power over many things some might even overwrite justice and the law.

To what extend do you agree with the issues the student has raised here? Point out some issues of agreement and possible contention.

To a large extend, I agree with the student. Since I entered primary school, my school teachers had been stressing a lot on facts and examination marks. Every year was the same and I started to find school life very boring. In primary school, the school teachers only taught the necessary and when we asked a question that is not quite related, they would either ignore it or promise they would get back to that question but they never did. From this we can see that the MOE teachers do not have the heart to help students develop a thinking mind and clear their queries.

The student mentioned about character development and how the MOE had came out with a system to develop the character of each student. I do agree with the student and based on experience, teachers will only go through a few exercise and leave the rest to the students. In the end, we will be left with 90% of the book not done. Teachers have misused these lesson.

Examine her tone and attitude in this letter. Do you think it is well-crafted letter with the appropriate tone?

It is well-crafted letter. The student has successfully brought her points across to the minster without being harsh.

If you should write a letter to Minister of Education, what are some issues you would raise? Remember- your intention is to make the system better for society's betterment via CONSTRUCTIVE ideas.

Firstly- I feel that the system should put more importance on the mother-tongue languages. Now as the generations pass, people are beginning to feel that mother language is not important and therefore cannot speak the language well. In fact, some people cannot even speak or understand the language. This I feel is something very serious. Since English is spoken by all races in Singapore, less importance stressed on English will not affect students as it is a common language used. Thus, I feel that mother-tongue languages should have more importance. I propose to raise the weightage of mother-tongue languages in exams as a way to encourage the usage of mother-tongue languages.

Secondly- I do not agree that MOE should remove solar system from the syllabus. I feel that solar system is important. In the future, if Singaporeans are to be questioned on topics regarding the solar system, they will not be able to answer them. People might have the thinking that the Sun and Moon goes round the Earth. It will be real amusing. Thus I feel that it is a wrong choice to remove it from the syllabus.

Blog prompt 3

Money is important in an relationship. When getting into a relationship, people often judge your wealth as a guide of your status, character and the kind of situation they would be after marriage.

Before getting into a relationship, people would want to know your status. By knowing your status, the other party would have an impression of your capability and would then consider. Similarly for ones character, the other party would judge your background by how you behave and how you carry yourself. This is from the impression point of view of others.

If one does not have enough money, one might feel inferior. So in conclusion money is an important factor when talking about relationships.

Blog prompt 2

War has evolved from the past to the present in many ways. In the past, people did not have any sort of technology to rely on and thus, more soldiers were used. War then involved much more killing and blood compared to the modern day.

However, in the present day, war involved technology and the country with better brains andtechnology would win. The war thus involved less people but affected more people. This is due to weapons like bombs and other weapons that cause pollution and damage to the environment.

So if you would to ask me war in the past and war in the present. Which will create more unrest, I would say it is war in the present.

Blog prompt 1

National Service is compulsory in Singapore. In the past, people have the heart and feel for Singapore. However, as the generations pass, Singaporeans get more and more complacent of the achievement of Singapore and thus do not have the initiative to serve National Service. They have enjoyed life for too long and have turned lazy. Nobody would be willing to serve NS. Thus National Service had to be made compulsory. These is also why Singaporeans do not have the spirit of patriotism towards Singapore.

I feel that I have the same spirit of patriotism towards Singapore. Singapore is my homeland and it has given me a good education and life. Thus it is my job to reciprocate and do what I can for my country.

I am proud to be a Hwa Chongian. I have tried to improve myself over time and when people ask which school I am from, I will tell them that I am from Hwa Chong Institution.

Closer- The Tunnels Series

-The Rebecca Two dragged Rebecca one into the water and resurfaced in some sort of excavation. They knew that they were alive but were not certain of the amount of time they had left.
- Rebecca one had been bleeding profusely and had been unconscious for a period of time. She swore revenge on Will who shot her. They had been travelling for some distance until they noticed the place was filled with existence.
- Chester and Martha had been exploring topsoil. To Chester, Martha was irritating. The two Rebecca twins were filled with thirst and blood. Rebecca two had exploded tanks to seek attention from the Limiters.
- The Rebecca twins had successfully gained the attention from the Limiters. Martha and Chester were moving on aimlessly, not knowing where they were. Then, when Chester was about to ring his parents, he felt a strong cold blow at the back of his head.
- Drake had finally woken up after passing out from the explosion. He has received help from the most unlikely person, the father of Elliot, who is a styx.
- The four who were in the garden of the second sun were awed by the things that they found in there. Eddie had shown Drake some styx technology which included the Dark Light.
- Elliot had been storing food in the cave for emergency. She had tried to express her feelings for Will but had constantly been interrupted by the environment. Drake had learnt much about the virus from Eddie. Chester found out that Martha had imprisoned him and was behaving weirdly.
- Mrs Burrows had pretended to be in a coma. For all this time, Mrs Burrows’ sight had deteriorated but in return had gained many more abilities and a sense of smell, capable of telling feelings.
- In order to trick Martha, Chester started calling her mother. It had an immediate effect and whatever Chester wanted, Martha would allow. Drake had finally read the signal Chester had sent him and had been out to Norfolk with Eddie, in search of him.
- The Rebecca twins had received help from the Chancellor of New Germania. They learnt that this place was filled with Dinosaurs too. However, Dr Burrows discovered that the place had allowed rapid growth and evolution.
-Mrs Burrows was mustering her abilities and struggling to pretend to be in a coma state. Will had been trying his best to be with Elliot but not knowing how to express himself.
- Drake had used some signals and successfully located Chester. He was hit by a crossbow of Martha’s. However, Eddie had shot her but failed to kill. Martha had fed Chester with decomposed human bodies. Dr Burrows had ordered Will around, unknowingly preventing his son from accompanying Elliot.
- Mrs Burrows had discovered the rookeries. Elliot and Will started to be closer to each other. Elliot had had the same feeling of the trees watching them.
- The Rebecca twins had located a likely position of Will, Elliot and Dr Burrows- the pyramids, which happened to be their current positions.
- Chester had remained indifferent to Drake’s orders and had met his parents. However, as they were Darklit, they could not recognize him.
- Will and Dr Burros were exposed to firing from the Limiters. Somehow, they fell into the pyramid just to realize the pyramid was full of the tree Elliot was talking about. Outside the pyramid, Elliot suppressed a cry upon thinking of Will, and pulled herself together.
- The Rebecca twins had Will and Dr Burrows at the top of the pyramid. Will had his shirt stripped and exposed to the strong ultraviolet rays. Cox had slashed his stomach too. Elliot was forced to surrender the virus.
- Elliot had killed Cox and in return, Dr Burrows was killed.
- Elliot had used a dead man’s trigger which was attached to the phials. The Rebecca twins were threatened and under the orders of Elliot. Elliot had successfully escaped with Will and handed the dominion virus to the twins. She revealed that she did not have any dead man’s trigger or explosives. However, Will had been thrashing at Elliot.
- Drake and Chester had successfully helped Chester‘s father recover from the Dark Light. Will and Elliot had been quarrelling over the virus and unknowingly, successfully expressed themselves to each other. Not only so, Elliot revealed that she had swallowed the vaccine without the styxs knowing.
- Will and Elliot encountered some huge flies which was a problem. However, they managed to fend them off. Chester’s mother had recovered from the Dark Light too. Colonel Bismarck had warned the Chancellor about the styxs.
- Will and Elliot had been spending time together while planning to go topsoil. Drake had been keeping things from Eddie, still suspicious about him.
-The styxs had intended to dissect Mrs Burrows’ brain so as to study how she had repelled the Dark Light. Meanwhile, Will and Elliot were on their way topsoil.
- Will and Elliot were somewhere near the crystal belt.
- Drake, Eddie and Chester had been on the plan of killing the snails which produced the virus. Mrs Burrows was brought on the cart which was used to send her to the scientist.
- Will had found a way back to the opening of Smoking Jean. Mrs Burrows’ hair was shaved. Drake and Eddie were in the eternal city.
- Drake and Chester were underground when some styxs appeared. Drake grabbed Eddie by the neck and had knocked him unconscious.
- Chester and Drake had been successful.
- Drake had set the place with charges and had successfully saved Mrs Burrows. Colly, another Hunter had joined them. Now, Eddie was revealed as an evil styx and was no longer an ally. The Rebecca twins had Darklit the Chancellor.
- Will and Elliot had made it to the harbour. On the way, Will had lost control of his emotions and dissolved into flood of tears. Elliot had comforted him. Will had unknowingly turned down a kiss from Elliot. On the other hand, Drake, Chester and Mrs Burrows had escaped from the colony and returned topsoil.
- Will and Elliot were stuck at the habour, unable to return topsoil. However, Will had dialed Drake’s emergency number and left him a message. Drake had gone down the river to find them and together planned to kill Eddie. However, he was nowhere in sight.
- Will’s spirits had plummeted ever since they were topsoil again. He had missed the time of being the sole companion of Elliot. Due to the presence of Chester, Elliot was unable to pour out her heart to Will.
- It was after all the action that Drake had driven the crew back to a place. It was revealed that it was his house and the owner was Drake’s father.
- Chester’s mother had been ‘rescued’ by Eddie.
-Drake had told Will the bad news of his father’s journal being handed to Professor White, a professor who stole Dr Burrows’ findings.
It was revealed that chaos had been spread over the city of England and the mastermind behind all the chaos was Drake. It was clearly a hunt for Drake, Will and Elliot.
To be continued in the next book- Spiral

Freefall- The Tunnels Series

-Will and Chester had been involved in an underground adventure... They had fallen into a very deep hole and had successfully survived. They landed on some fungus surface and found themselves in a low gravity environment. They were being chased by some underground alien like creatures known as the Styxs.
-one of their friends had witnessed the whole thing and had came up with some plans to save them from the 'pore' or hole. Meanwhile, Will stepmother had started her own investigation on will and his stepfather's mysterious disappearance. On the other side Will and Chester had been searching for Elliot, another friend of theirs who was one of the victims as well. Her arm was broken.

-drake had found the bunker which contained the last trace of the lethal virus and had destroyed them by exploding the place. He had gotten some help from the Coprolites which was very rare. For Mrs Burrows, she soon discovers the link between the mysterious big cat and Will's brother, Cal.

-The styx visited the bunker to retrieve the remaining virus left behind to lean that the virus had been destroyed. Meanwhile Chester and Will had set off two rockets in hope of someone seeing them. One failed while the other succeeded and turned into fireworks in front of the twin Rebeccas, their enemies who were being brought down by Will’s mother who intended to kill them. The two Limiter soldiers who had jumped into the pore had found the Rebecca sisters which meant that the virus which they carried had a chance of its intended.
- Will, Chester and Elliot were finding a way into the center of the pore when they reached some tunnels. Will, Elliot and the cat had tripped and fell into some net while Chester was busy firing some monsters known as spider-monkeys. A woman by the name of Martha came to their aid.

-Dr Burrows, Will's father had been exploring the pore ever since he had fallen into it. He found his stepdaughter, who was one of the twin Rebecca and started to understand the whole thing. On the surface of the Earth, Mrs Burrows had reported the case of the missing people and had received a lot of unwanted views from the public. They felt that Mrs Burrows had killed them all.

-Will and Chester had followed Martha and had learnt quite a lot from her. Dr Burrows had been very confused about how his little girl had all along been a Styx child. The inscriptions that his had excavated was a key of the plan the Rebecca twins were working on and now in possession of Dr Burrows' life, he was commanded to lead them.

- Mrs Burrows had been busy searching through the belongings of Dr Burrows and Will and happened to chance upon a journal of her husband's. Her husband had written down a man's name which had given Mrs Burrows some clue to what her husband was up to. In the last entry of her husband's journal, he revealed before he disappear the next day that he was " going down there". Will and Chester had successfully obtained Martha's help in fixing Elliot's broken arm.
-Will and Chester soon got adapted to the low gravity. Elliot's was much better but was running a high temperature. She had her eyes closed but was mumbling something which include Drake, the Limiters and a series of eleven numbers. Mrs Burrows, was facing a lot of criticism about her killing her family and had received notoriety from the city.

- Will and followed Martha around the place and had learnt a lot about the creatures there. Dr Burrows had been helping the Rebecca twins, unaware of their identities.

- Will and Chester had been discussing on whether they should ditch Martha and find help for Elliot herself. Martha seemed to be lonely after her son's death and that Will and Chester were just to keep her company.

- Mrs Burrows had met two of the men that was described in her husband's journal and started to believe what he was saying. In the midst of escapeing from them, she got knocked down by a car which happened to belong to a man by the name of Ben Wilbrahams. He had been writing stories and documentaries on the people that Dr Burrows was talking about. Meanwhile underground, Will and Chester were rudely awakened by the doorbell of Martha's house. Standing outside was one of the Rebecca twins.

-Will had allowed the twin Rebecca into Martha's house and she had given Will two phials which contained the Dominion virus and vaccine as a prove that she was forced into the plot and it was not her idea. This resulted in a debated between him and Chester on whether the phials really contained the virus and the vaccine or it was just one of the plans of the Rebecca twins. Meanwhile, Dr Burrows was forced to help the twins and not given any water until he had completed what he needed to do.

- Elliot had been affected by the fever and was getting weaker everyday. Will had gone to the garden of Martha's and saw Uncle Tam who was dead. His uncle had told him to follow his heart. Although he knew that his uncle was not there and that it could only be a dream, Will took his words seriously. As he walked past Rebecca, he learnt from her that Martha had buried something in the soil. After excavating, he found some medicine and managed to unveil the fact that Martha had hid the medicine from them. On the other side, Dr Burrows had had enough of the Styx girl and had decided to leave when a strong wind blew. However, his plans failed and the girl had prevented him from escaping.

-Will, Chester, Rebecca and Martha had made their leave. Will and Chester had fed Elliot with the medicine that they found. Her temperature dropped soon. They passed by places with lava and as they pass, Rebecca tripped and almost died by was lucky as Will saved her.

- They eventually found their way to the metal ship which was in fact a submarine. Near the submarine, they met with the Brights, their predators. They got into the ship to find some medicine for Elliot.
- Elliot soon recovered and woke up. She shrieked at the sight of Rebecca. Rebecca warned Will of the danger Martha could be.
- As they were about to live the submarine, they met the Rebecca twin and Dr Burrows. Then, they made a exchange between Dr Burrows and the two phials plus Martha. The Rebecca twins spoke in Styx but their plans were being uncovered by Elliot who could also speak Styx language. Then she set off an explosive which sent them flying in all directions. Dr Burrows was with his son again. They stood and the opening of the tunnels as they witnessed the fall of the submarine as it cracked and dropped into the cavern. However, Elliot and the rest were no where in sight.
- Will and Dr Burrows were stuck in one of the tunnels. Dr Burrows told Will his story when his was young. Meanwhile, Martha Chester and Elliot were lost in another tunnel and planned to return to the wolf caves in hope of reuniting with Will and Dr Burrows.

- Will and Dr Burrows have been moving for miles until they reached an enormous place where there were topsoil inventions

- Will and Dr Burrows were stuck in one of the tunnels. Dr Burrows told Will his story when his was young. Meanwhile, Martha Chester and Elliot were lost in another tunnel and planned to return to the wolf caves in hope of reuniting with Will and Dr Burrows.
- Will and Dr Burrows have been moving for miles until they reached an enormous place where there were topsoil inventions. They began on a plan to escape.
- Will and Dr Burrows found a harbour with armoury and food. Meanwhile Mrs Burrows had passed all the clues of her missing husband to Ben Wilbrahams.
- Martha, Chester and Elliot had met with Bartleby in the wolf caves. Will and Dr Burrows had been working on a plan of going topsoil again. Will had armed himself with the weaponry.
- Drake's friend, Sam, told him threat a boy by the name of Will Burrows had called. That meant that the 11 digits that Will dialed worked. Will and Dr Burrows had made it topsoil again.
-Will and Dr Burrows were in search of an old man by the name of Oscar Embers, just to learn from an old lady that he was injured. She was actually a Styx and almost stabbed Dr Burrows but got hit by Will. Immediately after that, they met Drake who brought them to Mrs Burrows, and told Will about his biological mother's death. - Will had given Drake the two phials and had been rather skeptical about the fact that the Rebecca twins had given Will the two phials.
- Drake and Will had faced with a lot of problems as Dr Burrows was giving them a lot of trouble. When Dr Burrows saw his wife, he called out to her and was being spotted by some enemies which shot them. Luckily they escaped. According to Drake, Ben Wilbrahams was not a reliable guy. Drake had set a grenade after they escaped
- Will, Dr Burrows and Mrs Burrows had done all the catch up. Now Mrs Burrows had been dragged into the action as well. A man under Drake's command, Leatherman, came to assist Mrs Burrows and proved the fact that Ben Wilbrahams was helping the Styx
- Will, Drake and Dr Burrows had started on their journey underground.
- Meanwhile, Drake and Mrs Burrows approached Ben Wilbrahams and revealed his identity and threatened him into luring the Styx out.
- Mrs Burrows, Drake and Leatherman’s plans had succeeded. For Martha, Chester and Elliot, they had been resting on and off. Will had gotten frustrated with his father as he showed how unconcerned he was about Chester, Elliot and Martha.
- Mrs Burrows and Drake were on a hill waiting for the Styx to come. Drake told Mrs Burrows that there were ten men of Leatherman hiding in bushes so as to help them capture whoever who is going to meet them.
- Mrs Burrows had thought Oscar Embers and the old woman as any ordinary old people. In fact, they were Styxs. Mrs Burrows were not in time to signal Drake and the two Styxs blasted the place, leaving most of them unconscious. They collected the phials and brought Mrs Burrows to the Hold.
- Will and Dr Burrows returned to the spider caves. As usual, Dr Burrows was doubting Drake. Mrs Burrows was captured by the Styxs and was being put under the dark light treatment.
- Mrs Burrows had resisted the dark light treatment and had used all her energy to suppress it. This had caused her to fall into an unconscious state. Will, Dr Burrows finally met Chester, Elliot and Martha again. However, Dr Burrows had jumped down the void without much thinking and was lost in the darkness. Then, Will thought that his father’s theory was right and jumped down as well.
- Elliot had followed Will down the void which they nicknamed ‘smoking jean’. Together, they travelled in the void of almost zero gravity and eventually settled down. At the edge of the pore, the old styx sacrificed Cox and threw him down the pore to look for the Rebecca twins.- They had reached a place which looked very similar to the surface of the Earth. They had discovered many new things and found some signs of warning.
- Chester had been left with Martha and they had travelled to the harbour. Chester had tried to escape to topsoil again. But with Martha around, it was hardly possible for him to escape.
- Will and Elliot had spotted the two twin Styxs and the Limiters in the garden of the second sun. They have been killed.
- Will thought he had seen Uncle Tam in the same place though he died.
- In the end, they spent their time in the garden of the second sun and Dr Burrows saw things that were not possible. Things which included a German airplane which was used in World War 2

Rainbow Death- Hubert Wilson

America did not foresee,

Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!

Expecting others to pay a high price.

Now thinking twice?

Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.

Reflective about all the illness, birth defects prematurely dead

All the deceit continues to spread.

Nefariously America led astray-

Generations untold WILL pay-

Execrable effects of agent orange spray!

Some background about Hubert Wilson. He was a Vietnam War veteran like his other four brothers, who served in the USAF Security Service. He was assigned to Shemya Island Alaska with the 6984Th Security Squadron. He started to have health problems with unexplainable headaches and limb pains. Then some problems in his central nervous system surfaced. In the end, he was left with mobility issues.

This poem shows how cruel war is and how it had actually brought suffering and death to the unintended. Those who came into contact with agent orange was harmed. According to the Vietnam Foreign Ministry of Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to agent orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities and 500,000 babies born with birth defects.

In the second line, "Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!" Refers to the agent used by the America Military in the Vietnam warfare. As mention. These agents caused suffering and deaths to those exposed to it. In line three, " Now thinking twice?" showed that the US military and harmed the innocent. In line four," Toll on the innocent and unborn" referred to the innocents in Vietnam. The remaining lines showed the effect of agent orange and clearly showed how the author was against the idea of war and his feelings.

The recipe of a banana split

I believe many of you reading this post have tasted a banana split, but does any of you know how to make a banana split, below is the recipe for you! Here are the ingredients that you will need to make a banana split. 1 ripe banana3 scoops good-quality ice cream slightly softened (your choice of flavors) Suggested Toppings:2 to 3 Tbsp. Raspberry Topping warm or cold2 to 3 Tbsp good-quality caramel butterscotch topping, slightly warmed2 to 3 Tbsp hot fudge sauce, slightly warmed For Garnish:Lightly sweetened whipped cream Chocolate sprinkles A maraschino cherry Here are the instructions: First, you have to rinse the banana and peel the skin off. Then split the banana half vertically Place each half on the opposite side of the dish. ( with the side with the seeds in) Quickly put three scoops of ice cream in a row, in between the two halves of the banana. Next, top each scoop with a different topping. Garnish the banana split with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Then, you sprinkle the whipped cream lightly with chocolate sprinkles, then top with a maraschino cherry or two. Then you can serve your banana split to your guests.

The informal letter

Blk 234 Bukit Merah Road

#03-267

Singapore-090234

Dear Mr Syunsuke Doi,

I can understand how you are feeling now. I know that you have lost your family members and how it feels to lose them. I believe the situation fo your country had added on to the stress and sadness that you are facing now. I sympathize with you for you have lost your family at such a young age. I am writing this letter so that hopefully, it would encourage you.

As the saying goes " winter will never fail to turn to spring", I firmly believe that Japan would overcome this crisis in no time. Japan is not alone, Singapore has also raised funds to help Japan financially. Please be strong Japan. The whole wolrd is with you!

by, Arnold

The picture and the setting of the story.

This is actually a photo that I took last year.

The morning sun shone brightly in the sky, chasing away the night and welcoming the new day. The beautiful sky was of a bright blue and the magnolia white clouds contrast beautifully with the sky. The presence of the morning breezes swayed the tree leaves which created the voice of nature...

What kind of story do you the above story fits? Kindly leave a reply in the comment page. Thank you and have a nice day.

I think many of you guessed correctly. The story was about two good friends having a picnic at the beach. Later something happened to one of them. The the story goes on.

My identity as a Singaporean.

“Beep! Beep!” the impatient horns of the cars sounded through the jammed road. The cars inched forwards slowly at a crawling pace. The people in the bus suffered the most as the bus was congested with people from all walks of life. The bus was packed to the extend that we were able to smell each other’s breaths and there would be a domino effect if the bus would to be an unanticipated jerk.
The beginning of another long and tormenting day was marked with the calls from both nature and the human environment. I trudge my way to the nearby bus stop. It took the bus approximately fifteen minutes before it arrived at the bus stop. The bus was still rather empty, but it would not take long for it to be filled up. As proven by experience, the bus was soon packed with people, most of them being either an office worker or a student with earpieces in their ears. Majority was shifting their gases around the bus observing the environment.
Gradually, the bus slowed down and came to a halt. The front doors swung opened. Entered came a little old grandmother which seemed to be around her mid seventies, with a few heavy looking plastic bags in her hand. She was slightly hunched and had a few of her teeth missing. Then, the following events happened as if they were rehearsed. The old lady surveyed the bus with her dull eyes, hoping there would be an empty seat for her. The passengers in the bus detected her and began to mind their own business. Some were looking out of the window, pretending to sleep or be engrossed with something. With a disappointed expression, the elderly, with some difficulty, manoeuvred her way away from the entrance. After several minutes, none of those seated were willing to offer their seats to the poor old lady. I observed in utter disgust.
Then, a comment struck my mind,” What is wrong with all the people? Did they left their homes in a rush and accidentally left their sense of compassion and kindness on their beds? What has the society turned into?” Without further hesitations, I offered my seat to the old granny and she thanked me profusely. Instantly, a sense of happiness overwhelmed me. Some of the adults who stood beside me praised me some of those who were strong enough looked out of the window in embarrassment.

When the bus came to halt at the next bus stop, a pregnant woman boarded the bus and was holding on to her stomach and moving very slowly. Upon seeing her, another young gentleman stood up and offered his seat to the lady. Then, it was my turn to alight.
As I walked my into my school, feeling and thought began to surface. As a Singaporean I fear that Singapore would turn a ugly and inconsiderate country and the entire country would be in trouble in time to come. The people in Singapore lack the discipline and would be controlled by their minds instead of controlling their minds. Recalling the young man's actions, I concluded that Singaporeans would not take the initiative and would only wait for others to do so before continuing.
Coincidentally, I met my friend as I was proceeding to the canteen. He was gulping down Milo from the packet drink. Upon finishing the Milo, he placed the packet on the floor and left although he knew that there was a dustbin right in front of him. There was absolutely no reason for him to have done so. The sense of happiness left me and and anger began to surface. I reprimanded him and all he said was that it was none of my business.
I thought that rules and regulations may seem to be foolish or childish, however, it is necessary as the behaviour of the citizens have showed it. I cannot comprehend why Singaporeans must behave in such inappropriate manners and not have a sense of social responsibility.

I knew that it was up to me to help my country and serve the nation. As a Singaporean, I vowed and took up the role of setting a good example for my juniors and people around me and hope that they would be able to pass it down and make Singapore a better place.

28th January 2011- Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka

Q1) Personally, I feel that the colours signified the difference in the skin colour of the two people speaking, dark and light. Therefore, this poem is also showing the difference in the treatment of the black and white.

The different colours also show that the white is rich and in contrast, the black is not as rich or poor. In this case, the colour gold is used to signify the wealth of the white. The colour red is also used in the poem to represent the anger of the black when being asked the question whether she was a black or a white. The colour red also signifies equality. This can be seen from the different countries having the same booths,pillar-box and double-tiered Omnibus-squelching tar.

Q2) The dialogue of the poem reveals both the speakers were concerned with their skin colours. The first speaker states that she hated a wasted trip. She said so as she knew that she was a black and the landlord is a white. In other words, she knew that the chances of her getting a apartment are slim. The landlord is also concerned about the colour of her client's skin, in other words, being racist.

Q3) The client won the battle ultimately. The client had told the landlady to look at his skin in a rude way by asking her to look at his butt. He also the one who ended the conversation and not allowing the landlady to reply.

Historical Background

Slavery

a) Slavery in the southern state began in the 1600s.

b) The slaves were shipped in from Africa

c) The slaves were owned by whites, although some Native Americans and free blacks also held slaves.

d) Yes, there were laws.

In 1641,Massachusetts explicitly permits slavery of Indians, whites, and Negroes in its Body of Liberties. It is the first mainland British colony to legalize slavery.

In 1642,Virginia passes a fugitive slave law. Offenders helping runaway slaves are fined in pounds of tobacco. An enslaved person is to be branded with a large R after a second escape attempt.

In 1643, The New England Confederation reaches an agreement that makes the signature of a magistrate sufficient evidence to re enslave a suspected fugitive slave.

In 1650, Connecticut legalizes slavery. Rhode Island by this date has large plantations worked by enslaved Africans.

In 1657, Virginia amends its fugitive slave law to include the fining of people who harbor runaway slaves. They are fined 30 pounds of tobacco for every night they provide shelter to a runaway slave.

In 1662, Virginia reverses the presumption of English law that the child follows the status of his father, and enacts a law that makes the free or enslaved status of children dependent on the status of the mother.

In 1663, Maryland slave laws rules that all Africans arriving in the colony are presumed to be slaves. Free European American women who marry enslaved men lose their freedom. Children of European American women and enslaved men are enslaved. Other North American colonies develop similar laws.

In 1664, Maryland establishes slavery for life for persons of African ancestry. New Jersey and New York also recognize the legality of slavery. In Virginia, the enslaved African's status is clearly differentiated from the indentured servant's when colonial laws decree that enslavement is for life and is transferred to the children through the mother. Black and slave become synonymous, and enslaved Africans are subject to harsher and more brutal control than other laborers.

In 1667, England enacts strict laws regarding enslaved Africans in its colonies. An enslaved African is forbidden to leave the plantation without a pass, and never on Sunday. An enslaved African may not possess weapons or signaling mechanisms such as horns or whistles. Punishment for an owner who kills an enslaved African is a 15-pound fine. Virginia declares that baptism does not free a slave from bondage, thereby abandoning the Christian tradition of not enslaving other Christians.

In 1670, The Virginia Assembly enact law that allows all non-Christians who arrive by ship to be enslaved.The Massachusetts legislature passes a law that enables its citizens to sell the children of enslaved Africans into bondage, thus separating them from their parents. Massachusetts permits the separate sale of children of enslaved parents.

In 1671, A Maryland law states that the conversion of enslaved African Americans to Christianity does not affect their status as enslaved people.

In 1672, Virginia law now bans prosecution for the killing of a slave if the death comes during the course of his his or her apprehension.

In 1682, New York enacts its first slave codes. They restrict the freedom of movement and the ability to trade of all enslaved people in the colony. A new slave code in Virginia prohibits weapons for slaves, requires passes beyond the limits of the plantation and forbids self-defense by any African Americans against any European American.

In 1685, New York law forbids enslaved Africans and Native Americans from having meetings or carrying firearms.

In 1690, South Carolina enacts its first laws regulating slave movement and behavior.

e) Yes, it has told me that slaves were treated unfairly.



The Civil War



a) South Carolina

Mississippi

Florida

Alabama

Georgia

Louisiana

Texas



b) Abraham Lincoln

c) In the presidential election of 1860, the Republican Party, led by Abraham Lincoln, had campaigned against the expansion of slavery beyond the states in which it already existed. In response to the Republican victory in that election, seven states declared their secession from the Union before Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861. Both the outgoing administration of President James Buchanan and Lincoln's incoming administration rejected the legality of secession, considering it rebellion. Several other slave states rejected calls for secession at this point.
Hostilities began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked a U.S. military installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Lincoln responded by calling for a volunteer army from each state to recapture federal property. This led to declarations of secession by four more slave states. Both sides raised armies as the Union assumed control of the border states early in the war and established a naval blockade. In September 1862, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation made ending slavery in the South a war goal, and dissuaded the British from intervening.

d) from : April 12, 1861- April 9, 1865.

e) The war produced about 1,030,000 casualties (3% of the population), including about 620,000 soldier deaths—two-thirds by disease. The war accounted for roughly as many American deaths as all American deaths in other U.S. wars combined.
The causes of the war, the reasons for its outcome, and even the name of the war itself are subjects of lingering contention today. Based on 1860 census figures, 8% of all white males aged 13 to 43 died in the war, including 6% in the North and 18% in the South. About 56,000 soldiers died in prisons during the Civil War.

f) The novel " To Kill a Mockingbird" was written during the time when the civil war was fought. This makes an impact of the civil war and it acts as an reminder of the times when the civil war was fought.

Jim Crow's Laws

a) Jim Crow is not actually a person, but the subject of a song performed by Thomas Dartmouth “Daddy” Rice. Rice was a white man who performed in black face. Like most black face performers, Rice denigrated Blacks through his music, his stereotypical behavior, and his rude jokes.
Jump Jim Crow is a lengthy song that was a bonfire hit among Caucasian Americans in the early 19Th century. The lyrics of “Jump Jim Crow” express several racist sentiments. First, Jim Crow is satisfied with his lot as a slave. He is sexually promiscuous. Jim Crow is also ignorant, and the song is usually sung in “supposed” slave dialect.

b) The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. They mandated de jure racial segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans. In reality, this led to treatment and accommodations that were usually inferior to those provided for white Americans, systematizing a number of economic, educational and social disadvantages.
Some examples of Jim Crow laws are the segregation of public schools, public places and public transportation, and the segregation of restrooms, restaurants and drinking fountains for whites and blacks. The U.S. military was also segregated.

c) They were strongly against the law

d) It was when Jean Louise and her brother followed their care taker to the her church. Also when Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell.

The above information were taken from http://www.wikipedia.org/, http://www.blackpast.org/ , http://www.pbs.org/, http://www.wisegeek.com/

The Importance of Setting in a story

1) Where has each of the above stories been set



The Real Durwan by Jhumpa Lahiri

-It had been set at the stairwell.



The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan

- It has taken place in Sherlock Holmes house in Baker Street



Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

- the settinfg is in a rich man's house



2) What time period has each of these stories been set in?



The Real Durwan by Jhumpa Lahiri

- The story could have taken place in the present world



The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan

- The story took place in 1983



Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

- It could have taken place in the 80s



3) What clues do you get from the setting about the kind of story it is going to turn out to be?

The Real Durwan by Jhumpa Lahiri

- It is mentioned in the story that the poor sweeper lived near tha letter box and how she had a turmoil with her husband and four daughters. This could be about the life of story of the woman.

The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan

- It is mentioned that Sherlock Holmes had solved many cases, thus meaning that it is about another detective story.



Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

- It shows the dialogue of a husband and wife. This story could be about the story of them.

Discrimination

Discrimination.
There are many types of discrimination, mainly-
-racial and ethnic discrimination
-age discrimination
-sex, gender, gender identity discrimination
-caste discrimination
-employment discrimination
-sexual orientation discrimination
-language discrimination
-disability discrimination
-religious discrimination

These discrimination can be classified as

involving the body:
-age discrimination
-sex, gender, gender identity discrimination
-disability discrimination
-sexual orientation discrimination

involving thoughts:
-employment discrimination
-caste discrimination

involving culture and tradition:
-racial and ethnic discrimination
-language discrimination
-religious discrimination

examples of the various types of discrimination
-racial and ethnic discrimination-people with dark skin will be looked downed and will be given less job opportunities.

-age discrimination-people with older age would not be given equal opportunity as the younger candidates

-sex, gender, gender identity discrimination- in the past, women are given less opportunities as men. Eg: girls in the past are not given the opportunity to study.

-caste discrimination-Hindus are classified into different categories and the lower class categories get less opportunity as the higher class

-employment discrimination-people with poorly paid jobs will not be well treated.Eg: road sweepers and cleaners.

-sexual orientation discrimination-a gay will be treated with less respect and would be sometimes laughed at or mocked at.

-language discrimination-people with slang of a particular race will be imitated so as to mock the person.

-disability discrimination- those with physical disabilities may be mocked at or may receive undesirable views.

-religious discrimination-people believing in certain religion will not be welcomed or well treated.

My favourite poem out of the three poems of Shel Silverstein

My favourite poem out of the three is The Little Boy and the Old Man. Actually it is my favourite as I feel that I can identify the poem the best!:)

I feel that this poem is very meaningful. In the poem, Shel Silverstein had showned how reality had been neglecting the young and old. The adults are too busy and engrossed in their daily life and thus had not shown enough love and care for both the young and the old. In other words, both the young and old feel a sense of negligence. The adults could have forgotten how it felt to be neglected when they were young and how their parents had took care of them. Therefore, they did not show love towards their young and old. I feel that we should learn form this poem and not let our daily life carry us away from our family. It is very important to have a good bond with our families as in times of need, our friends may help us, but what if they do not? Ultimately, it would be our family members that would truly help us. It is also our duty to be responsible whether is it taking care of the young or old.

Thank you for reading!:)

Literature and Life Shel Silverstein

Hi! Below are my answers for the three poems by Shel Silverstein.

The Little Boy and the Old Man
Q1) What is the underlying message that is being conveyed in this poem?

The message is the that the adults were too engrossed in what they are doing that they have forgotten what it felt to be a child and forgotten how their parents had treasured them, thus resulting in not giving enough love and attention to both the child and the old man. That is why both the old man and the child are feeling lonely and neglected.

Q2) Has Shel Silverstein used any particular poetic technique that brings out this message more clearly?

Yes, he did. Shel Silverstein had used poetic techniques like rhymes that makes it sound better. For example: "Sometimes I drop my spoon"..."I do that too". The rhymes shows how the situation of the old man and the little boy are similar. This point can be further emphasized with the writer describing the old man at the end of the poem as " little old man". Shel Silverstein had also used dialogue of the child and the old man. This has shown how similar their situations are too as the part of the child is the voice and that of the old man is the echo.

Messy Room

Q1) Can you say that the poem is humorous? If so why?

Yes, the poem is humorous. Shel Silverstien had used different elements to describe the messy room. For example," His underwear is hanging on the lamp." This sort of injects some humour into the poem. The entire poem talks about the room to be messy and in a disaster state. At the end of the poem it is stated that the room belongs to the narrator himself, making the poem humorous.

Q2) What aspect of the human character has been highlighted in this poem?

The human character of pointing and commenting on others before reflecting on oneself has been highlighted in the poem. Thus, the poem is trying to tell us that before criticizing others, we should look at ourselves first.

Cloony The Clown

Q1) Explain the irony in this poem.

Every time when Cloony the clown perform any tricks, nobody would find them funny. Thus, Cloony the clown felt very sad. Thus, he told the audience how he felt and why he felt so sad. However, instead of sympathising with Cloony, the audience began to laugh.

Q2) Does Shel Silverstein manage to convey some harsh realities in this poem?

Yes, he did. Shel Silverstein was probably trying to show that when one is upset and tries to get some sympathy, what he gets is not he wants. In other words, people do not feel for each other and do not understand each other.

Q3) What poetic devices has the poet used to effectively convey the message?

Almost all the lines of the poem have rhymes and had used metaphors to effectively convey his message. All these devices had made it easier for Shel Silverstein to convey to us that Cloony had failed to be a clown.

After You,My Dear alphonse by Shirley Jackson

Question: Would you have treated Boyd or someone who is not of the same race as you differently? Why or why not?

No, definitely not. In the story, Mrs Wilson had treated the other race with disrespect and had looked down on them.

In the beginning of the story when Mrs Wilson first saw Boyd, she had treated him with disrespect. When she saw him, she asked if he would be hungry as she had the misconception that being a Negro boy would be working as a slave the whole day and would feel exhausted. She added that Boyd would definitely eat anything. If I were Mrs Wilson, I would not look down on the other races like she did.

She continued saying that Boyd would want to grow up to be strong man so that he could work hard like his father. In this case, Mrs Wilson had made the assumption that as Negros have to work as slaves. I do not have such thinking about other races.

When Mrs Wilson heard that Boyd's father was working in the factory that her husband was working in, she thought that Boyd's father was a labourer. However, Boyd's father was a foreman in the factory. It was mentioned in the passage that she felt defeated upon hearing the news of Boyd's father being the foreman. Usually, if we have friends whose father has a higher position in the company than one's father, one would admire the other. However, Mrs Wilson felt defeated, meaning that she felt ashamed for losing to a Negro, which was being racist.

Mrs Wilson had also showed signs of being racist when she restrained an impulse to pat Boyd's head, simply because of his skin colour.

The worst thing she did was telling Boyd that Johnny had some clothes that were too small for Johnny to where and that she would give them to Boyd. She also said that she had a few dresses that Boyd's mother and sister could use. Then, when Boyd declined the offer, she forced him to take them, in the end, she said that she was very disappointed in Boyd for not taking the clothes.

I would not want to be like Mrs Wilson as she did not respect others and put others in a difficult situation.

In conclusion, I would not want to be like Mrs Wilson as she is racist and did not respect the other races. I feel that all races should be respected as their culture and tradition are all respectable and that regardless of skin colour, everyone is equal.

Like Mother like girl

This is the comic strip created by me! I named it "like mother like girl". In the first picture, I chose a background which looks like part of a playground. This background contributes to the fact that the they were having some outdoor activities and that the boy could have accidentally angered the girl . As you can see from the above, the girl is significantly larger than the boy; having the effect of her being angry and fiercer and the boy being frightened. In the speech bubble, the girl is shown to have used some vulgarities. In the background of the picture, the teacher-in-charge of the activity had witness the whole situation.

The second scene is about the teacher-in-charge speaking to the girl's mother about her misconduct during the activity. The background I used in this scene is an office, hopefully giving the impression that the girl is very playful and mischievous. The girl's mother is portrayed as a very demure lady. The girl's mother's phone was ringing, showing that she is about to answer the phone.

A demure lady should speak with politeness. However, upon hearing some bad news, the mother began to swear!

In other words, this comic strip is showing that parents have to set good examples and not telling the child what to do and they themselves practising none of them. In many times in our daily lives, we tend to face many irritating or annoying situations. Usually we would be annoyed with the person. However, it is the parents that are the responsible ones. Therefore, creating a good and considerate society starts with the parents.(: