The Importance of Keeping Up with Current Affairs

There are many reasons to keeping up with the news, just like any other matter. To some, pride is concerned. They are afraid their friends would ask/talk to them about current news and they are unable to answer it, which makes them lose face, so they force themselves to watch the news broadcast every night or read the local newspaper. This DOES keep them updated to the news, but the attitude they are having which drives them is wrong.

They should be reading newspapers and watching the news broadcast to inform themselves of what is happening so that they can be vigilant. Take the Influenza A (H1N1) flu virus for example. If one didn't watch the news, he wouldn't have known the virus had come to Singapore and would carry on with his dirty habits (if he has one). He wouldn't have known that the previous term "swine flu" was officially changed. Neither would he have known that Mas Selamat had escaped, not ruling out the fact that he may kidnap somebody or commit crimes during that period.

Just these few examples and I can show you the importance of keeping up with the news. Now, the news is also available on the web, like CNN, BBC, or Channel News Asia so what are you waiting for? Flip, Tune or Click now!

Tips on Staying Healthy

The Influenza A (H1N1) flu virus is spreading relatively fast despite the warm climate Singapore has. That means that the virus is spreading EVEN FASTER in other countries that experience winter!! To keep the flu virus at bay, staying healthy is the number one solution, so now, I will give you some tips on being healthy.

First and foremost, personal hygiene. The simplest thing about personal hygiene is washing your hands. Your hands are constantly holding things, like writing, eating , et cetera, so they are dirty almost all the time, until you wash it PROPERLY and THOROUGHLY. Basically, there are 8 steps to washing your hands properly which should last for at least 30 seconds. Below is a illustration to let you better understand how the 8 distinct steps are done. Remember to use soap and water to wash them.

You should wash your hands regularly to rid it of the germs lest they go into your body through your nose, mouth or open wounds. There are many other ways where you can stay healthy, starting from the most basic of covering your mouth when you sneeze.

Information summarised from Health Promotion Board, Keep Your Hands Clean
Photo courtesy of Health Promotion Board, 8 Steps to Hand-Washing

Thoughts About Home Learning

I feel that home learning has both it's pros and cons. By having Home Learning, we actually save quite a lot of time, some from convenience (especially those who live far away) and so on. This allows us to have more rest and feel more energised when the new day starts. Having home learning also lets us relax a bit instead of being more stressed in school, as we can do other things like chatting with friends, watching TV and so on, whereas in school, we cannot talk during lessons and we must not do anything.

However, home learning actually makes it more difficult for us to communicate with the teachers and accessing homework as the server is sometimes packed. We do not have some of the teachers' phone number and thus, we can only e-mail them and await their reply which may take a very long time.

Home Learning Week AGAIN

My class has been instructed by the school not to come to school until this Monday. We had more than 10 people from my class on MC, and as a precautionary measure, have been asked to stay at home and conduct Home Learning. If things don't get better by Monday, I think that our days at home will be extended. I'll miss my friends... :(

Due to this, I can't attend NPCC trainings as well as the rehearsal for my school's own NDP. I don't know if I can still take part...

Thoughts About Home Learning

I feel that home learning has both it's pros and cons. By having Home Learning, we actually save quite a lot of time, some from travelling (especially those who live far away) and so on. This allows us to have more rest and feel more energised when the new day starts. Having home learning also lets us relax a bit instead of being more stressed in school, as we can do other things like chatting with friends, watching TV and so on, whereas in school, we cannot talk during lessons and we must not do anything.

However, home learning actually makes it more difficult for us to communicate with the teachers and accessing homework as the server is sometimes packed. We do not have some of the teachers' phone number and thus, we can only e-mail them and await their reply which may take a very long time.

IT Home Learning - Lesson 5: Poetry on Gambling

Paul's weakness was that he was influenced easily. When Bassett brought Paul to the race course, he was hooked immediately. Paul always heard "whispers" in the house saying that there was not enough money. The parents also mentioned it several times in Paul's presence. Hence, Paul felt that in order for the family to have more money, he had to earn it, which was impossible as he was still too young. I feel that Paul was both lucky and unlucky in a way. Whining about your losses is not a happy thing as it makes life miserable, not letting you enjoy life. He was also unlucky but not in relation to gambling. He lost the chance to see the world and enjoy life.

In my opinion, tips means the good things that happened while gambling, in the case of Paper, was the drastic climb of the shares. The shares shot rocket-high. The dry lips refers to the mother trying to persuade her children not to keeping playing with the stocks, but they didn't listen. The statement "and all that was spent in vain" refers to Tay Soon buying up all the shares which eventually was wasted as the shares dropped quickly.

In Lottery, the "blind man" is Ah Boh's mother. She could have spent her money on her mother, buying her food, getting her a comfortable place to live in. However, she spent her money on gambling, leaving her with no more money. The one-dollar refers to her salary.

Based on The Rocking Horse Winner, Tom Beatty, The Green Clothes & One-Dollar Gambler

IT Home Learning - Lesson 4: Gambling

Paper

The title of the story, "Paper", has several meanings in relation to the story. Quoting "After all, it's just paper gains so far" from page 9 tells us that the title is in relation with them playing with the stocks. The quotation means that they had not really gained anything yet as they have not sold their shares. Quoting "The house is to be made of superior paper," tells us that Tay Soon had passed on and they would burn objects made of paper so that the deceased will enjoy it in the other world. Gambling involves money, which is made of paper (in the case of notes). The title is significant to the conclusion as they eventually have the dream house Tay Soon keeps talking about burnt for him when they were suppoed to be collecting money from the stocks if they had sold it earlier, but Tay Soon's fate changed.

Lottery

Ah Boh was really addicted to gambling. Whatever happened, she believed that these events would give her lucky numbers, and gradually became very superstitious about luck and gambling that she did not care about her poor mother who did not have a proper place to stay in and could not even have 3 proper meals. She gambled away her salary and told her mother that by gambling, she could earn more money to feed her, which was only to persuade her to let her continue gambling.

The Rocking Horse Winner

Firstly, the cause of death. I think that Paul died of obsession. Bassett and his Uncle Oscar was leading him astray, bringing him to watch horse races, which developed his gambling habit. However, his parents had a part to play in his death. They kept mentioning in front of their kids that they were short of money, and Paul wanted to help his family be rich. Being a young kid, he could not work yet, but he could gamble with Bassett and Uncle Oscar helping him placing the bets. Hence, I think that Paul’s parents, Bassett and Uncle Oscar are responsible for his death.

Based on Paper, Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore by Catherine Lim, Lottery, Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore by Catherine Lim, The Rocking Horse Winner by DH Lawrence

IT Home Learning - Lesson 3: Analysing & Composing A Poem

The poet felt that primary school is full of events, hilarious, mischievous, unlucky and embarrassing ones. His friend shading all A's for an exam paper, the Malay chauffer telling jokes to one another, a photo of him in the annual yearbook with his eyes closed, and having to clean his shoes often. The poet felt that these were some of the events that made hs primary school life a memorable one that he enjoyed.

My Primary School Life
by Leon Tan

First day of school
Everything was new
Nobody that I knew
Nothing I could do

A few years went by
The job came by
I was now a prefect
And I would make everything perfect

PSLE was here
Sooner or later it would be
I had to face it bravely
And try my best whatever happens

Primary school is over
Now I'll have to cross over
To the next phase of life
That'll improve my future life