Thursday, August 18, 2011
"The One Word that can Save Your Life" Term 3 LA ACE
During reading period today, I read an article in the Newsweek magazine entitled "The one word that can save your live". The article heading was very catchy and intriguing. It prompted me to read on further. I was on how some common tests and procedures aren't just expensive, but can do more harm than good. My parents have told me quite a number of times why they were so unwilling to bring me for X-rays or go for scans as they are afraid of the amount of radioactive waves passing through your body. However, this is the first time I ever came across such an article. I felt that it is very informative and people from all walks of life should read it. It helps people to make important decisions and make people think twice before making a decision whether to do the scan. Some people in the society are not that educated and do not really know and should require articles like these to guide them. Doctors should also be well informed in this issue and recommend scans according to the patient's current state and even if the patient insists, then he should explain to the patient.This way, the number of lives lost due to excessive scans would be reduced. Moreover, people can get worried unnecessarily as the scan result can be very dubious at times. I t may seem to spot insignificant shadows and giving the patients a possibility that he/she has a tumor. This could be just a false alarm after many other checks or a regressing tumor. therefore,these can also help patients relieve their pains and worries and they do not have to pay extra.
IN-CLASS ONLINE LESSON #12 (Term 3 LA ACE)
The common theme between the three casket scenes is appearances and reality. Firstly, the Prince of Morocco was the first person to take the test. He was prejudiced and felt that gold was always the best and felt that that suited Portia the most as she was the best. Therefore, he was unable to see through appearances at all and chose the gold casket. In the scroll, it reminded the Prince of Morocco that "All that glisters is not gold". Secondly, the Prince of Arragon is being compared to a fool as he prided himself on being able to see through appearances, however, failed at the test as he assumed that risking was not good and thus chose the silver casket. Lastly, Bassanio came along and chose the leaden casket as he "choose not by the view Chance as fair, and choose as true."
Step 2:
There was once in my primary school, I really wanted to join a really cool group of friends. They were hanging out playing games such as soccer and computer games everyday after school. I really wanted to join in the fun but they said that I had to pass the criteria to get in.
Firstly, I went through an interview. They said that I was too wimpy and was unable to join them unless I did one of their "jobs". They did not like my best friend Jeremy and wanted me to back stab him. After hearing that, I got a shock and was in a lost for what to do. I did not dare share it with my other friends for fear that it would spread to Jeremy. Therefore, it was up to me to consider the situation.
I could not bring myself to back stab Jeremy by stealing his wallet ans required by them. However, I had been begging them for so long to let me join them and also did not want to lose the opportunity to join them. I thought long and hard about it using logic and came to a conclusion: I would not back stab Jeremy. i weighed the positive and negative implications of my actions and decided that the group that I wanted to join was made up of people of negative influences and ai could not afford to lose a good friend just because of such an incident.
This is one example of how I used logic to make a difficult decision. Thanks to this decision, I have not regretted it and Jeremy has been one of my greatest friends.
Step 2:
There was once in my primary school, I really wanted to join a really cool group of friends. They were hanging out playing games such as soccer and computer games everyday after school. I really wanted to join in the fun but they said that I had to pass the criteria to get in.
Firstly, I went through an interview. They said that I was too wimpy and was unable to join them unless I did one of their "jobs". They did not like my best friend Jeremy and wanted me to back stab him. After hearing that, I got a shock and was in a lost for what to do. I did not dare share it with my other friends for fear that it would spread to Jeremy. Therefore, it was up to me to consider the situation.
I could not bring myself to back stab Jeremy by stealing his wallet ans required by them. However, I had been begging them for so long to let me join them and also did not want to lose the opportunity to join them. I thought long and hard about it using logic and came to a conclusion: I would not back stab Jeremy. i weighed the positive and negative implications of my actions and decided that the group that I wanted to join was made up of people of negative influences and ai could not afford to lose a good friend just because of such an incident.
This is one example of how I used logic to make a difficult decision. Thanks to this decision, I have not regretted it and Jeremy has been one of my greatest friends.
Blog comments
On the Library Blog---Mass Book Borrowing:
I really like the Mass Book borrowing as I feel that it does not require us to fork out precious time to borrow books, which is one of the main reason why some of us are unwilling to go to the library to borrow books. The Mass Book borrowing also gives us a chance to ignite the interest of reading by exposing us to a wide selection of books. Cultivating good reading habits is very important in our learning process and by carrying out Mass Book borrowing, students are being encouraged to read and increase their general knowledge or improve their literature skills. Thus, I feel that there is no harm in carrying out more of these activities to help us in our Language Arts
ON the Library Blog---Big Book Sale:
I really enjoyed the book sale as I managed to pick up some good book that i had been wanting to read but cannot bear to fork out the money. The prices at which the books were sold were very attractive and the best thing is that the more books we buy, the more money the school has for the Needy Pupil fund. This is a win-win situation where the students are being encouraged to read while the Fund also gets support. Therefore, I support the big book sale and hope that the school library would continue to hold these events. I feel that the big book sale really gives us the opportunity buy a few good books that are beneficial to us but would not cost us too much. It was unfortunate that I was unable to go on the first few days and by the time I went, there were very few books left.
On Jun Liang's LA Blog 2O409---LA Speech:
I feel that this is a very good topic to have a speech on as it is very rarely discussed despite its severity. It reveals many loopholes in our society that causes people to fall through the cracks and turn to become extremists. It is very relevant to us as even though Singapore may be as peaceful as Norway, incidents like these can still happen. This is especially so when there are terrorists not too far away targeting Singapore in Indonesia. Ideals may spread to some of our troubled youth and brainwash them into committing rash and insane acts like the gunman in Norway.
On Wei Han's LA Blog 2O419---Online lesson #12:
I agree with your views on the three casket scenes and feel that you have raised valid examples to support your stance. Such as "You that choose not by the view" which was said in the script after Bassanio chose the leaden casket. Your essay was also very interesting and it had a very nice plot. however, your sentence structuring and the way you express yourselves could be better to bring out the mystery of your story and make use of tension and suspense to keep the reader interested to read on and find out the outcome.
On Zhengyan's LA Blog 2O432---LA speech:
I feel that your speech is very balanced as it explores both sides, and ultimately come to a conclusion. I agree that Osama should not be put on trial as there is very few incriminating evidence that shows that he is guilty of killing or planning. Therefore, the US cannot afford to make a mistake and let go of him again by capturing him alive and put on trial. I also feel that your point about bringing Osama back to the United States is very dangerous and that would endanger the lives of the Navy SEALS who took the mission and also the terrorists might launch an counter-attack. Therefore, I feel that your argument is very valid and solidly shows why Osama should not be shown mercy and put on trial.
On Wei Jian's LA Blog 2O407---LA speech:
Your speech has many valid points, however, they are inadequately supported with evidence. Most of the evidence were only present in the first two paragraphs. Moreover, your last point was not very correct as the United States wanted to follow the customs which required disposing of the body as soon as possible. Thus, even if the people do not believe that Osama had died, there was nothing the public can do. Lastly, I feel that your view on not letting pictures or videos to be taken was mainly because if these videos or photos were released, they would be helping the terrorists to spread their cause and gain public sympathy.
I really like the Mass Book borrowing as I feel that it does not require us to fork out precious time to borrow books, which is one of the main reason why some of us are unwilling to go to the library to borrow books. The Mass Book borrowing also gives us a chance to ignite the interest of reading by exposing us to a wide selection of books. Cultivating good reading habits is very important in our learning process and by carrying out Mass Book borrowing, students are being encouraged to read and increase their general knowledge or improve their literature skills. Thus, I feel that there is no harm in carrying out more of these activities to help us in our Language Arts
ON the Library Blog---Big Book Sale:
I really enjoyed the book sale as I managed to pick up some good book that i had been wanting to read but cannot bear to fork out the money. The prices at which the books were sold were very attractive and the best thing is that the more books we buy, the more money the school has for the Needy Pupil fund. This is a win-win situation where the students are being encouraged to read while the Fund also gets support. Therefore, I support the big book sale and hope that the school library would continue to hold these events. I feel that the big book sale really gives us the opportunity buy a few good books that are beneficial to us but would not cost us too much. It was unfortunate that I was unable to go on the first few days and by the time I went, there were very few books left.
On Jun Liang's LA Blog 2O409---LA Speech:
I feel that this is a very good topic to have a speech on as it is very rarely discussed despite its severity. It reveals many loopholes in our society that causes people to fall through the cracks and turn to become extremists. It is very relevant to us as even though Singapore may be as peaceful as Norway, incidents like these can still happen. This is especially so when there are terrorists not too far away targeting Singapore in Indonesia. Ideals may spread to some of our troubled youth and brainwash them into committing rash and insane acts like the gunman in Norway.
On Wei Han's LA Blog 2O419---Online lesson #12:
I agree with your views on the three casket scenes and feel that you have raised valid examples to support your stance. Such as "You that choose not by the view" which was said in the script after Bassanio chose the leaden casket. Your essay was also very interesting and it had a very nice plot. however, your sentence structuring and the way you express yourselves could be better to bring out the mystery of your story and make use of tension and suspense to keep the reader interested to read on and find out the outcome.
On Zhengyan's LA Blog 2O432---LA speech:
I feel that your speech is very balanced as it explores both sides, and ultimately come to a conclusion. I agree that Osama should not be put on trial as there is very few incriminating evidence that shows that he is guilty of killing or planning. Therefore, the US cannot afford to make a mistake and let go of him again by capturing him alive and put on trial. I also feel that your point about bringing Osama back to the United States is very dangerous and that would endanger the lives of the Navy SEALS who took the mission and also the terrorists might launch an counter-attack. Therefore, I feel that your argument is very valid and solidly shows why Osama should not be shown mercy and put on trial.
On Wei Jian's LA Blog 2O407---LA speech:
Your speech has many valid points, however, they are inadequately supported with evidence. Most of the evidence were only present in the first two paragraphs. Moreover, your last point was not very correct as the United States wanted to follow the customs which required disposing of the body as soon as possible. Thus, even if the people do not believe that Osama had died, there was nothing the public can do. Lastly, I feel that your view on not letting pictures or videos to be taken was mainly because if these videos or photos were released, they would be helping the terrorists to spread their cause and gain public sympathy.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Book Review---Things Fall Apart Term 3 LA_ACE
During the Big Book Sale in Hwa Chong Kong Chian Library, I bought this book "Things Fall Apart" as I thought that it would be interesting. It proved to be a good book.I had one problem with it though. The names were very complicated and difficult to remember. A brief summary of the book : The main character of the book is Okwonkwo. He was very angry at his father's weakness and wanted to be more like a man. He aimed to be one of the most successful man in the clan.However, he was very egoistic and proud. One day,all his dreams are crushed when he is exiled from his tribe when he accidentally killed his clansman when his gun exploded. When the Westerners landed on Africa, Okwonkwo was very unhappy and want ed to take charge.However, he was rash and killed a messenger, forcing him to commit suicide to escape being executed by the westerners. I find that this book is very intriguing and interesting as it is written by an African and gives us a wonderful insight to how life was like in the African tribes. It also offers multiple points of views such as from Okwonkwo's point of view and the westerners point of view. It is also a new topic as I have never heard of tribes and stories such as these. I have only read about the westerners side of the story where msot ofit is very peaceful. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
IN-CLASS ONLINE LESSON #6
Dear Mr Makihara,
Even though I can never understand how you feel about the earthquakes and having a constant fear that tremors and earthquakes would strike Japan. I agree that once someone is in a safety zone for too long, people would get complacent. It is the same here in Singapore. So far, there has not been any natural disaster striking Singapore except for some tremors from the quakes in Indonesia and thus Singaporean are taking safety for granted. I can see that the earthquake was a terrible shock to you as you had not been expecting it. Moreover, you were in a vulnerable place when the disaster struck---a train. There was no way that you could dive under a table or get into an open field. Fortunately, the earthquake was not too serious in the area and the train did not topple. When I read that the train was swaying right and left, I was shocked and never expected such a think would happen. God has blessed you indeed for letting you escale from your brush with death. I hope that youe would continue to able to keep you and your family safe from the forces of Mother Nature. I also hope that you would not to be too complacent. I would like to five my best wishes to you and your family to be able to be protected. I also hope that your family would be closely bonded and stick together in times of trouble. I also pray your son would understand the severity of an earthquake and be more understanding under such circumstances.
Yours Sincerely,
Jordan
Friday, August 12, 2011
IN-CLASS ONLINE LESSON #10 (Term 3 LA ACE)
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Muslim-Mob-Burns-Churches-in-Indonesia-115556249.html
This article is about the Muslims burning down a Christian Church in response to what seemed to them as an offensive flyer that was distributed by a man.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/23/us-norway-blast-idUSTRE76L2VI20110723
Narrative:
"Malaysia is for Malays!" the angry mob chanted as marched forward. The remaining Chinese scuttled away for safety as angry Malays begin attacking any Chinese or one who looked like a Chinese. Chek Siong was caught unaware and was now running for his life. He had no time to rest even though he was exhausted from being chased and had a wound in his leg after being hurt by a glass shard. His car had been set on fire and his only means of escape was through feet. He was terrified and never thought that the situation would escalate to such a serious problem in such a short time.
The death toll is been increasing and is currently more than 50. In Chek Siong's mind, all was lost. He did not even get a chance to say goodbye to his loved ones. He never expected that the Malays were such savages who were prejudiced against Chinese just because they tend to do better than the Malays. Chek Siong sobbed to himself. There was certainly no escape now, as he looked all around him. The mob was approaching toward him. Just then, someone tapped his shoulder, it was Ahmad, his best friend during the kampong days! "Hey brother, no use crying, come with me!" he took Chek Siong's limp hand and ran.
This article is about the Muslims burning down a Christian Church in response to what seemed to them as an offensive flyer that was distributed by a man.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/23/us-norway-blast-idUSTRE76L2VI20110723
The gunman, Anders Behring Brievik was against Muslims being in Norway and Europe, on the basis that the Muslims were destroying the culture of Europe.
Narrative:
"Malaysia is for Malays!" the angry mob chanted as marched forward. The remaining Chinese scuttled away for safety as angry Malays begin attacking any Chinese or one who looked like a Chinese. Chek Siong was caught unaware and was now running for his life. He had no time to rest even though he was exhausted from being chased and had a wound in his leg after being hurt by a glass shard. His car had been set on fire and his only means of escape was through feet. He was terrified and never thought that the situation would escalate to such a serious problem in such a short time.
The death toll is been increasing and is currently more than 50. In Chek Siong's mind, all was lost. He did not even get a chance to say goodbye to his loved ones. He never expected that the Malays were such savages who were prejudiced against Chinese just because they tend to do better than the Malays. Chek Siong sobbed to himself. There was certainly no escape now, as he looked all around him. The mob was approaching toward him. Just then, someone tapped his shoulder, it was Ahmad, his best friend during the kampong days! "Hey brother, no use crying, come with me!" he took Chek Siong's limp hand and ran.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Casey Anthony
Although Casey Anthony is highly suspicious and is the prime suspect, there is definitely not enough evidence to prove that she was guilty. It is unfair for the public to judge her just by their personal views. She could be innocent and yet, suffering under the prejudices of the public who see how as a heartless murderer of her own daughter. It is possible that the public does not really believe her story or feel that it is injustice to acquit her. However, I felt that there was no need for the public to be so malicious to her. Instead they should just keep their thoughts to themselves and give her the benefit of doubt. Casey Anthony was vilified both in the media and online; after the verdict was announced, the "I hate Casey Anthony" Facebook page received almost 39,000 "likes". I felt that that was very unnecessarily and since she was acquitted, the public should just let it be. There was certainly no need for such acts as there would not be any effect and it was also very cruel. It simply showed how the people lacked maturity in doing such childish acts. Since Casey Anthony was already acquitted, we should let bygones be bygones. Even if she did kill her daughter, the verdict would have no effect on us. This event has showed how unmerciful and unforgiving we can be as it is not even proven that she is the murderer and we are already treating her as though she was the greatest criminal of all time. If she had committed the crime, she should feel the guilt and suffer the consequences for it in the future but the consequences should not be created or her by us. And if she was totally innocent as she claimed, it would be the most unfair for her as she had been judged the moment she was suspected to be part of the murder and as though we all prejudiced against her even before the verdict was announced. There could be a third possibility that Casey Anthony was insane when she committed the crime or she was suffering from some psychological disorder the the moment when she killed her daughter such as depression. It could be a case where she really could not control herself and killed her daughter when she was not thinking straight. In conclusion, we should not have preformed judgement against Casey Anthony or any other person in a situation just like her for there is always a possibility that he/she is innocent and they do not deserve such treatment from us.
Rupert Murdoch
I feel that it is definitely not correct to participating in Murdoch's tabloid's new. By participating, we are contributing and encouraging people like Murdoch to commit crimes like hacking just to feed the high demand for "juicy" and trashy news. It can hurt many people by hacking phones and causing many people to lose their privacy. It is also very damaging to our society as we are being exposed to too much of this kind of news. It definitely in not beneficial to us as it does not make us more intelligent by keeping up to date with these unhealthy news. In fact, it is influencing the way that we act and think. It also makes us think that it is okay for the media to go to extreme means just to get sensational news and that it is something that we should always expect in our newspapers. This would mean that we are directly encouraging newspaper publishers such as Rupert Murdoch's News of the World to continue covering scandalous and gossip news as there is a high demand. These companies are only going to such extreme means to get coverage of trashy news because of us. It is because of us that they are continuing with such despicable acts just to satisfy the demand and earn as much as they can. On the other hand, if there is no demand from the consumers for these kind of unhealthy news and scandals, there would be very few companies willing to publish such material as they would be making a loss of they spend so much time and effort trying to hack into people' phones but not sell much newspapers. Thus, participating in such news by buying and reading it is definitely wrong and we should stop it immediately and stop it immediately before the hacking or other methods use get out of hand and cause even more people to get hurt physically or scarred emotionally.
Space travel
It may be a good thing as this would definitely be a huge and booming industry. Space travel and and exploration has always been a dream for all human kind. Many people on earth are definitely willing to fork out huge sums of money to have a taste of space travel. Instead of having just one government controlled company dominating the entire industry, having more private companies would increase competition and companies would strive for greater efficiency and competency in order to attract more customers.
However, opening space travel to the private sector might create even more problems and disadvantages that outweigh the advantages. Firstly, there would be the problem of safety. Space is a very dangerous area as any problem with the space shuttle and we might never be able to come back again as there is almost no margin for error. One small mistake can result in the lost of lives and disaster . For example, if companies are greedy and just in the name of getting a greater profit, they decide to cut costs and use inferior materials to construct the space shuttle, all our lives would be in danger. Thus, in this aspect, having a single government controlled agency such as NASA would be safer especially if it is based in the United States, a first-world country and more assuring in terms of safety. Moreover, many complex planning has to be done to ensure that the landing and taking off do not clash with other companies. It has to be almost like airplanes, except more stringent as the speed of the shuttle are much faster any mistake that results in a crash would mean huge losses in money and lives. Therefore, I strongly disagree with the idea that space travel should be open to private companies. I feel that NASA should continue its dominance over space travel as I am sure that it has h latest technology in space travel and most likely the safest.
However, opening space travel to the private sector might create even more problems and disadvantages that outweigh the advantages. Firstly, there would be the problem of safety. Space is a very dangerous area as any problem with the space shuttle and we might never be able to come back again as there is almost no margin for error. One small mistake can result in the lost of lives and disaster . For example, if companies are greedy and just in the name of getting a greater profit, they decide to cut costs and use inferior materials to construct the space shuttle, all our lives would be in danger. Thus, in this aspect, having a single government controlled agency such as NASA would be safer especially if it is based in the United States, a first-world country and more assuring in terms of safety. Moreover, many complex planning has to be done to ensure that the landing and taking off do not clash with other companies. It has to be almost like airplanes, except more stringent as the speed of the shuttle are much faster any mistake that results in a crash would mean huge losses in money and lives. Therefore, I strongly disagree with the idea that space travel should be open to private companies. I feel that NASA should continue its dominance over space travel as I am sure that it has h latest technology in space travel and most likely the safest.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
LA Speech Term 3 LA_ACE
Should Osama be shown mercy and put in to trial instead of being shot down by the Navy Seals.
In my view, it was right to have had Osama bin Laden, founder of the Al Qaeda shot instead of being taken alive and put on trial. Why give the terrorists an opportunity to tap the situation for their own cause. It was also not feasible to capture him alive in the circumstances and the United States is in fact doing the world a favor by ridding it of a malignant menace who has no qualms about killing innocent civilians.
What do you think would happen if pictures of Osama in jail were televised to the world? There would definitely be some kind of uproar. This means that the US would be abetting the cause of the terrorists. I refer to the case of Sadam Hussein when after his capture, pictures of him in captivity were released. Pro-Hussein factions were vehement in their protests, causing ripples of dissatisfaction to spread.
The US was right in killing Osama in his Abbottabad compound as that deprived terror groups of the opportunity to milk the trial and stir up the emotions and sympathy of the public for their cause.An eye for and eye, it was how the world saw the shooting of Osama. However, given the circumstances of the raid, it was the best option. The mission was meant to be stealthy and at that moment, it was impossible to tell who Osama was. Therefore, it would not be possible to capture Osama alive and put him on trial.
Feasibility! The Abbottabad compound was heavily guarded by armed bodyguards as Osama obviously feared for his life. Conidering taking him alive would have compromised the safety of the Navy Seals who took the mission.
Would it have been fair to the people who suffered from Osama's terrorists attacks if Osama was shown mercy? Osama never showed mercy! He never spared a thought for his victims and used them for his cause. With Osama's death, justice was done for the victims and their families. What happened in Abbottabad is as I see it a deterrent for all who have designs to use human lives to further their own political designs.
What do you think would happen if pictures of Osama in jail were televised to the world? There would definitely be some kind of uproar. This means that the US would be abetting the cause of the terrorists. I refer to the case of Sadam Hussein when after his capture, pictures of him in captivity were released. Pro-Hussein factions were vehement in their protests, causing ripples of dissatisfaction to spread.
The US was right in killing Osama in his Abbottabad compound as that deprived terror groups of the opportunity to milk the trial and stir up the emotions and sympathy of the public for their cause.An eye for and eye, it was how the world saw the shooting of Osama. However, given the circumstances of the raid, it was the best option. The mission was meant to be stealthy and at that moment, it was impossible to tell who Osama was. Therefore, it would not be possible to capture Osama alive and put him on trial.
Feasibility! The Abbottabad compound was heavily guarded by armed bodyguards as Osama obviously feared for his life. Conidering taking him alive would have compromised the safety of the Navy Seals who took the mission.
Would it have been fair to the people who suffered from Osama's terrorists attacks if Osama was shown mercy? Osama never showed mercy! He never spared a thought for his victims and used them for his cause. With Osama's death, justice was done for the victims and their families. What happened in Abbottabad is as I see it a deterrent for all who have designs to use human lives to further their own political designs.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Blog Prompt #7 (Expository)
If I were Antonio, I would still lend Bassanio money. Our friendship has been established for very long and he is one of my few trustworthy friends in Venice, which is a place full of merciless people waiting to cheat you. As the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed. I cannot afford to lose Bassanio as a good friend for my life would almost be meaningless without him and his friends.
Besides, I am sure that given his character, he would definitely be very appreciative and grateful tome for lending him money and would try his best to repay the loan the moment he is able to.
I also heard that he needs the money to woo the woman of his dreams, fair Portia from Belmont. I definitely do not want to crush his hopes and dreams, moreover, it is time that he got married and settle down with a family. That might also teach him some sense of responsibility to stop him on spending beyond his means.
Portia is also a very rich heiress and if Bassanio is bound to inherit or share some with her, therefore, I am sure he would not have any major problem paying me back the loan. In addition, he would also be able to pay back the earlier loan too.
In conclusion, i feel that it is more worth it to lend Bassanio the money as it would increase my chances of getting back all the money that has been lent to him and I can also help to strengthen our friendship bonds through lending him the money.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Narrative blog post without adjectives
Me and my good friend Jonathan were at my house on a Saturday night. We were watching amovie entitled "Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen". We had been yearning for the opportunity to watch it. However, we had missed the cinema screening. We had rented the DVD to enjoy it. We were so engrossed and thrillled. Suddenly, the television blacked out. We stared at each other in shock and surprise. I jumped down and tried to examining the DVD player but it would not switch on. Jonathan tried to give me a hand but to no avail. Just then, all the lights blacked out and the air-condition also shut down. I let out a scream. I suddenly realised the silence in the house and was wondering where My parents and siblings were. I called out to Jonathan for help. However, there was no reply, I shuddered and was reminded of the horror movies that I had watched a month earlier. Coule it be that ghost who just captured people and left without being seen? I tried to feel around me but I could not get anywhere. I turned and I saw a glow moving towards me, a flame that was weak. "No...no...Help!" I screamed. Suddenly, all the lights switched back on! Instead of the ghost I had imagined, It was my parents, siblings and Jonathan! They were all grinning and laughing at me. Isat there red in the face, smiling as they sang the "Happy Birthday" song. As it turned out, the flame was the candles on the cake.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
T3 Expert Circles Activities
QN 1 ) Queen Elizabeth: Shakespeare's Patron
The poet was throughout his life greatly indebted to the patronage and support of royal and noble personages; his royal patrons were Queen Elizabeth and King James I, both of whom greatly loved the drama. Employer- employee relationship.
Shakespeare was ardently attracted to Elizabeth and her Court, and proved a faithful servant to his royal mistress
QN2) Elizabeth I was the queen of England from 1558 to 1603
She became queen at the age of 25
She died on 24 march 1603 (aged 69)
She was a Protestant. This caused her much trouble with other country because of her strong belief.
She had more power than a modern prime minister or president. Often disagreed with the parliament.
QN3) ALLIANCE
ENGLAND + NETHERLANDS
The poet was throughout his life greatly indebted to the patronage and support of royal and noble personages; his royal patrons were Queen Elizabeth and King James I, both of whom greatly loved the drama. Employer- employee relationship.
Shakespeare was ardently attracted to Elizabeth and her Court, and proved a faithful servant to his royal mistress
QN2) Elizabeth I was the queen of England from 1558 to 1603
She became queen at the age of 25
She died on 24 march 1603 (aged 69)
She was a Protestant. This caused her much trouble with other country because of her strong belief.
She had more power than a modern prime minister or president. Often disagreed with the parliament.
QN3) ALLIANCE
ENGLAND + NETHERLANDS
· August 14, 1585 – Queen Elizabeth issues a declaration taking the Netherlands under her protection
· December 8, 1585 – Robert Dudley, 1st earl of Leicester (close friend of Elizabeth) leads the English army to fight The Spanish Forces who are occupying the Netherlands.
· In return, Netherlands helped fight the Spanish Armanda when the English fleet was in peril.
CONFLICTS
Conflict between ENGLAND and SPAIN.
Protestant and Catholic respectively.
Protestant and Catholic respectively.
· Triumph of England’s new Protestant church angered the King of Spain, Philip II.
· Competition in trade Angle-Spanish War from 1585-1604
· Elizabeth rejected Philip 11’s hand in marriage and cause severe blow to his pride of country
England and Scotland Conflicts.
Protestant and Catholic respectively.
· Elizabeth cancelled a meeting with Mary, Queen of Scots because of Mary’s continued attacks of French Protestants. Mary was imprisoned by Elizabeth.
· Many protestants wanted to replace Queen Elizabeth with Queen Mary, by an assassination plan. But it was foiled and Mary was executed, on 8 February.
IRELAND AND ENGLAND CONFLICTS, previously Catholic, had conflicts with Hugh O’Neill’s ambition to control Ireland and england’s advance on Ireland.
· Ireland + spain, lost. Irish commanders received good terms from the new King, James I.
· Elizabeth tried to eliminate Ireland’s Catholic churches but Ireland resisted, main religion changed into Protestant.
QN4) Portia:
Lead female in Merchant of Venice play.
Heroine who saves the day.
Independent woman.
Strong headed woman
Elizabeth:
Same as Portia.
Tribute paid to Elizabeth who was a patron of Shakespeare’s work
Famous of the defeat of the Spanish Armada
Strong woman like Portia0ol.
Gave England Identity
TOPIC 3
What was personal hygiene like during the Elizabethan era?
Only the wealthy people bathe and use soap. They think that washing their hair is unhealthy
The notion of cleanliness had a different meaning for the Elizabethans. During that period, when Queen Elizabeth ruled and Shakespeare wrote, personal hygiene as we practice it was virtually nonexistent.
- Bathing
- During Elizabethan times, baths were taken about once every couple of weeks by the wealthy and about three times a year for peasants. Washing of hands, wrists, face, teeth and feet were done on a daily basis, generally before a meal. It was considered unhealthy to wash hair often. Hair was styled with lard and lead powder.
- Makeup
- Society women wore pale makeup to make their skin as white as possible and avoid the appearance of being in the sun. They caked lead-based powder on their face, neck, chest and hair and often bathed in wine or milk to improve skin complexion.
- Smell
- Due to the infrequency of bathing, perfumed candles, potpourri and perfume were used to mask offending odors. Wealthy women often carried small silver boxes called vinaigrettes, which contained perfumed sponges. The aristocracy used expensive soap during bathing, and affluent households made their own perfumed soaps to mask odors.
- Sanitation
- Running water was nonexistent during the Elizabethan Age, meaning there were no sewer systems. A chamber pot was used in wealthy homes, while lower-class homes most likely used an outhouse. Waste was usually disposed in a common cesspit. During the early morning, it was most likely thrown out the window on the street. Thus arose the noble notion that a man should walk on the outer part of the sidewalk when strolling with a woman.
- Diet
- Poor diets consisting of sugary candy, which were favored by the wealthy, resulted in rotten teeth. The wealthy feasted on a variety of meats and breads. The lower class subsisted on fish, cheese and bread. Both rich and poor alike ate few fruits and vegetables, resulting in a prevalence of scurvy.
- Recreation?
- Recreation during the Elizabethan Era encompassed spectator/blood sports, team sports, simple games, and individual amusement activities. Queen Elizabeth enjoyed hunting--at age 67 she was occasionally found on horseback loving the "thrill of the chase".
- SPECTATOR/BLOOD SPORTS
- Two sports now considered inhumane were active twice a week in London. These "blood sports" thought by most people today to be too gruesome, cruel and violent, had great appeal for the Elizatethans. Large crowds of both men and women of all classes flocked to see bear baiting or bull baiting , and Elizabeth frequently used it to entertain visiting ambassadors. "The average Elizabethan," writes historian M.St. Clair Byrne, "was not sensitive to the spectacle of physical suffering, either in human beings or in animals." The building shown here on the left was the arena where bear and bull baiting was held.
- Bearbaiting involved a bear tied to a stake by a long rope. The animal was put into a pit where four or five large, fierce dogs call mastiff (or in some cases, lions) were let in for the sole purpose of attacking the confined bear. Any dogs that might survive the bear's retaliation were pulled off just before the bear was killed. The dogs would be considered winners if the large animal was killed, but losers if many of them were disabled that the rest refused to attack. Sometimes apes were used instead of bears.
- Bullbaiting was much the same as Bearbaiting, except that the bull was let into the pit and "worried to death" - teased or hurt until it died. Cockfighting was another popular blood sport. Roosters were fitted with sharp blades on each foot and put into a pit to fight to the death. Fighting cocks were expensive, so it took a well-to-do man to own these birds, but men of all classes came to see and bet on the fights.
- TEAM SPORTS
- Team sports gained in popularity during Elizabeth's reign. They, too, were rough and violent like the sports involving animals. Common men played football (not an ancestor of American football, despite the similarities) received its name not because the ball was kicked but because all the players went on foot. It was extremely violent as there were few rules. Hurling, a combination of hockey and polo, had some players on foot, others on horseback. The object of the game was to strike a ball (with a stick or a club) so that it went over the opponents' goal. Country hurling might match the entire adult male populations of two villages, and the goals might be three or four miles apart. Soccer was also played, but the government frowned upon it since it was the cause of many riots and bloodshed.
- INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES
- Fencing was one of the most popular of sports. Betting was commonplace as one of the contestants might bet that he could hit his opponent a certain number of times. In addition, much time was spent with the sport of hawking - very popular with gentlemen. Training a hawk or a falcon began with the capturing of a wild bird, then taming it by sealing its eyes with needle and thread, then tying the thread back over the head of the bird so that the trainer could open and close the bird's eyes at will. The temporary blinding made it very easy to train the hawk or falcon to hunt other birds. Bells were attached to the birds legs so that the trainer could keep track of its whereabouts.
- SIMPLE GAMES
- The game of BOWLS refers to a popular Elizabethan game in which a small "bowl," or ball (called a jack) was used as a mark at the end of a green lawn. The players roll their bowls toward the jack, and the one coming closest to it would be the winner. When a bowl touched a jack, it was said to "kiss" it. The bowl was not perfectly round - rather lopsided to make the ball curve in a haphazard way.
- And if you are bored with these popular amusements, perhaps you might find more interesting things to do. Many Elizabethans occupied their time with various activities.
- Of course, the Elizabethan Era being the time of Shakespeare, going to the theatre was always an option. Attending the most well-known, The Globe Theatre was an adventure in itself. Many of Shakespeare's plays (he acted in some of them) were performed at this magnificient theatre.
- 5. Accommodation:
- Rich had country mansions
- Tudor manors were remodelled to be lived in
- The poor lived in ghettos in mud houses within the towns and cities
- In London, the rich lived in the West while the poor lived in the East, where modern day Fleet Street is
- 6. Dressing
Bright colours, elaborate trimmings, and excessive padding are the most notable characteristics of Elizabethan dress. Padding was so full that all outward semblance to the human form was completely lost, both to men and to women.
TOPIC 4
- What was Venice like during the 15th and 16th century? Comment especially on its demographics and culture.
Venice in the 14th and 15th century was fighting and acquiring islands and various territories on the way to the Middle East. Venice started declining in the 16th century after various attacks like the Kingdoms of France and Spain. However, Venice flourished and was an important trading centre and art centre due to its stable political climate. There were over a 100000 people living in Venice in the 15th and 16th century. Venetian craftsmen produced various decorative arts, including sculptures, lace, glassworks, paintings and ceramics. Merchants traded wool and silk and various other products. At the beginning of the 16th century, theatres appeared and were welcomed. Groups of actors performed in the houses of nobles and even they charged admission.
- Why was Venice important during the 15th and 16th century?
Venice was a centre for Renaissance culture in the 15th and 16th century. Architecture, art, music and literature flourished in Venice. The printing of books in the Italian language was initiated in Venice and contributed to the Italian Renaissance. The Venetian School polychoral compositions were famous throughout Europe in the late 16th century. Trading was also very important in Venice as it was along one of the main trading routes during the Renaissance. More is mentioned in my response to the previous question.
- What was the dominant religion in Venice? How were Jews treated and regarded? The dominant religion in Venice was Roman Catholicism. Jews were evicted from England in the 1290s and were forced out of many countries in Europe in the 15th and 16th century. They were allowed in only certain countries like Venice because they had value and were beneficial to the country. Jews were discriminated by the Christians in the 16th century in Europe, especially in England and Venice. Christians saw Jews as a threat to Christianity and that they were inferior and were excluded from society. In Venice, Jews were restricted from working in certain sectors like in manufacturing. They were not allowed to be bankers, lawyers, doctors or merchants and could only be moneylenders, which were important to the Venetian economy. However, in 1516, there was a set up of a Jewish ghetto in Venice where several thousands of Jews were crammed into the small walled area and were restricted from moving to other parts of the city.
- How is Venice a choice setting for the plot of this play?
Though William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon never visited Venice, other candidates for Shakespeare authorship including de Vere did visit Italy. The personal travels to Venice allowed Shakespeare to gain a better understanding of life in Venice. The Merchant of Venice had to be set in a place where Jews were allowed, and could not be in countries where Jews were forbidden to live in (most countries in Europe). Venice, however, allowed Jews and there were many instances where those who borrowed from Jewish moneylenders fail to repay their loans. Trading was also common in Venice with Antonio being the merchant. References: Westland Network. Venice History. http://www.westland.net/venice/history.htm (26/6/2011) Esaak, S. The Renaissance in Venice – Art History 101 Basics. About.com http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/ven_ren.htm (26/6/2011) History of Venice. History World. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=gii (26/6/2011) The Renaissance Secret Team. (29 March 2005). The Jewish Ghetto of Renaissance Venice. open2.net http://www.open2.net/historyandthearts/history/venice_ghetto.html (26/6/2011)
- What was Venice like during the 15th and 16th century? Comment especially on its demographics and culture.
Venice in the 14th and 15th century was fighting and acquiring islands and various territories on the way to the Middle East. Venice started declining in the 16th century after various attacks like the Kingdoms of France and Spain. However, Venice flourished and was an important trading centre and art centre due to its stable political climate. There were over a 100000 people living in Venice in the 15th and 16th century. Venetian craftsmen produced various decorative arts, including sculptures, lace, glassworks, paintings and ceramics. Merchants traded wool and silk and various other products. At the beginning of the 16th century, theatres appeared and were welcomed. Groups of actors performed in the houses of nobles and even they charged admission.
- Why was Venice important during the 15th and 16th century?
Venice was a centre for Renaissance culture in the 15th and 16th century. Architecture, art, music and literature flourished in Venice. The printing of books in the Italian language was initiated in Venice and contributed to the Italian Renaissance. The Venetian School polychoral compositions were famous throughout Europe in the late 16th century. Trading was also very important in Venice as it was along one of the main trading routes during the Renaissance. More is mentioned in my response to the previous question.
- What was the dominant religion in Venice? How were Jews treated and regarded? The dominant religion in Venice was Roman Catholicism. Jews were evicted from England in the 1290s and were forced out of many countries in Europe in the 15th and 16th century. They were allowed in only certain countries like Venice because they had value and were beneficial to the country. Jews were discriminated by the Christians in the 16th century in Europe, especially in England and Venice. Christians saw Jews as a threat to Christianity and that they were inferior and were excluded from society. In Venice, Jews were restricted from working in certain sectors like in manufacturing. They were not allowed to be bankers, lawyers, doctors or merchants and could only be moneylenders, which were important to the Venetian economy. However, in 1516, there was a set up of a Jewish ghetto in Venice where several thousands of Jews were crammed into the small walled area and were restricted from moving to other parts of the city.
- How is Venice a choice setting for the plot of this play?
Though William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon never visited Venice, other candidates for Shakespeare authorship including de Vere did visit Italy. The personal travels to Venice allowed Shakespeare to gain a better understanding of life in Venice. The Merchant of Venice had to be set in a place where Jews were allowed, and could not be in countries where Jews were forbidden to live in (most countries in Europe). Venice, however, allowed Jews and there were many instances where those who borrowed from Jewish moneylenders fail to repay their loans. Trading was also common in Venice with Antonio being the merchant. References: Westland Network. Venice History. http://www.westland.net/venice/history.htm (26/6/2011) Esaak, S. The Renaissance in Venice – Art History 101 Basics. About.com http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/ven_ren.htm (26/6/2011) History of Venice. History World. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=gii (26/6/2011) The Renaissance Secret Team. (29 March 2005). The Jewish Ghetto of Renaissance Venice. open2.net http://www.open2.net/historyandthearts/history/venice_ghetto.html (26/6/2011)
Topic 5
- Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?
The Jews and the Christians got off with a bad start with the Jews trying to exterminate the Christians. This was shown in the Acts and the letters of Paul. But, the Jews failed to exterminate the Christians, which led the Christians to treat the Jews badly. It was to the point of the Christians, just giving the Jews enough to survive. This resulted in the animosity between the Christians and the Jews. A couple more reasons to add on to this animosity would be theological differences, competition between Church and Synagogue, the Christian drive for converts.
- What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
The dominant religion in England during the 15th century were the Catholics frist then it changed to the Christians. Venice dominant religion would be the Jews.
- In what ways did the Christians discriminate against Jews in 15th and 16th century Europe?
In the 15th and 16th century, Jews were expelled from many countries. Such examples are:
Descrimination:
-In 1396, 100,000 Jews were expelled from France
-In 1421 thousands were expelled from Austria. Many of the expelled Jews fled to Poland
-Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion from Spain in 1492,
-The expulsion from Portugal in 1497,
-various pogroms, the Dreyfus Affair,
-the Holocaust by Nazi Germany.
-In countries that did not ban Jews from their country, were heavily discriminated and they had many restrictions. They were only limited to jobs, land ownership and residential areas that made them seem inferior from the other citizens.
Persecution:
As the Black Death epidemics devastated Europe in the mid-14th century, annihilating more than a half of the population, Jews were taken as scapegoats. Rumors spread that they caused the disease by deliberately poisoning wells. Hundreds of Jewish communities were destroyed by violence
In Moorish Spain, ibn Hazm and Abu Ishaq focused their anti-Jewish writings on the latter allegation. This was also the chief motivation behind the 1066 Granada massacre, when "[m]ore than 1,500 Jewish families, numbering 4,000 persons, fell in one day", and in Fez in 1033, when 6,000 Jews were killed. There were further massacres in Fez in 1276 and 1465.
What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
It was Roman Catholiscism
Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?
There were a few reasons for the strong believe in anti-semitism.
1) The Jews were seen a threat to Christianity and were often prejudiced against and discriminated for many centuries. The New Testament rejected Judaism and criticized the Jews which led to further hatred and hostility between the two religions. In addition, rulers often prosecuted and exiled Jews as they were seen as threats to the political stability of the nation.
2) Jews were also discriminated for their political and economical status. Many countries were unhappy about what the
In the 15th and 16th century, Jews were expelled and restricted in many countries across Europe, including England, Spain, Austria and Portugal. In countries which allowed Jews, they were forced to live in a certain part of the city (ghettos) and could only engage in certain occupations that were deemed as socially inferior, like tax and rent collecting, peddling and money lending. Jews were forbidden to own land and had restrictions on dress. In what ways did the Christians discriminate against Jews in 15th and 16th century Europe?
In the 15th and 16th century, Jews were expelled from many countries. Such examples are:
Descrimination:
-In 1396, 100,000 Jews were expelled from France
-In 1421 thousands were expelled from Austria. Many of the expelled Jews fled to Poland
-Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion from Spain in 1492,
-The expulsion from Portugal in 1497,
-various pogroms, the Dreyfus Affair,
-the Holocaust by Nazi Germany.
-In countries that did not ban Jews from their country, were heavily discriminated and they had many restrictions. They were only limited to jobs, land ownership and residential areas that made them seem inferior from the other citizens.
Persecution:
As the Black Death epidemics devastated Europe in the mid-14th century, annihilating more than a half of the population, Jews were taken as scapegoats. Rumors spread that they caused the disease by deliberately poisoning wells. Hundreds of Jewish communities were destroyed by violence
In Moorish Spain, ibn Hazm and Abu Ishaq focused their anti-Jewish writings on the latter allegation. This was also the chief motivation behind the 1066 Granada massacre, when "[m]ore than 1,500 Jewish families, numbering 4,000 persons, fell in one day", and in Fez in 1033, when 6,000 Jews were killed. There were further massacres in Fez in 1276 and 1465.
What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
It was Roman Catholiscism
Topic 6
In what sort of building were Shakespeare's plays performed?
- Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?
The Jews and the Christians got off with a bad start with the Jews trying to exterminate the Christians. This was shown in the Acts and the letters of Paul. But, the Jews failed to exterminate the Christians, which led the Christians to treat the Jews badly. It was to the point of the Christians, just giving the Jews enough to survive. This resulted in the animosity between the Christians and the Jews. A couple more reasons to add on to this animosity would be theological differences, competition between Church and Synagogue, the Christian drive for converts.
- What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
The dominant religion in England during the 15th century were the Catholics frist then it changed to the Christians. Venice dominant religion would be the Jews.
- In what ways did the Christians discriminate against Jews in 15th and 16th century Europe?
In the 15th and 16th century, Jews were expelled from many countries. Such examples are:
Descrimination:
-In 1396, 100,000 Jews were expelled from France
-In 1421 thousands were expelled from Austria. Many of the expelled Jews fled to Poland
-Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion from Spain in 1492,
-The expulsion from Portugal in 1497,
-various pogroms, the Dreyfus Affair,
-the Holocaust by Nazi Germany.
-In countries that did not ban Jews from their country, were heavily discriminated and they had many restrictions. They were only limited to jobs, land ownership and residential areas that made them seem inferior from the other citizens.
Persecution:
As the Black Death epidemics devastated Europe in the mid-14th century, annihilating more than a half of the population, Jews were taken as scapegoats. Rumors spread that they caused the disease by deliberately poisoning wells. Hundreds of Jewish communities were destroyed by violence
In Moorish Spain, ibn Hazm and Abu Ishaq focused their anti-Jewish writings on the latter allegation. This was also the chief motivation behind the 1066 Granada massacre, when "[m]ore than 1,500 Jewish families, numbering 4,000 persons, fell in one day", and in Fez in 1033, when 6,000 Jews were killed. There were further massacres in Fez in 1276 and 1465.
What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
It was Roman Catholiscism
Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?
There were a few reasons for the strong believe in anti-semitism.
1) The Jews were seen a threat to Christianity and were often prejudiced against and discriminated for many centuries. The New Testament rejected Judaism and criticized the Jews which led to further hatred and hostility between the two religions. In addition, rulers often prosecuted and exiled Jews as they were seen as threats to the political stability of the nation.
2) Jews were also discriminated for their political and economical status. Many countries were unhappy about what the
In the 15th and 16th century, Jews were expelled and restricted in many countries across Europe, including England, Spain, Austria and Portugal. In countries which allowed Jews, they were forced to live in a certain part of the city (ghettos) and could only engage in certain occupations that were deemed as socially inferior, like tax and rent collecting, peddling and money lending. Jews were forbidden to own land and had restrictions on dress. In what ways did the Christians discriminate against Jews in 15th and 16th century Europe?
In the 15th and 16th century, Jews were expelled from many countries. Such examples are:
Descrimination:
-In 1396, 100,000 Jews were expelled from France
-In 1421 thousands were expelled from Austria. Many of the expelled Jews fled to Poland
-Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion from Spain in 1492,
-The expulsion from Portugal in 1497,
-various pogroms, the Dreyfus Affair,
-the Holocaust by Nazi Germany.
-In countries that did not ban Jews from their country, were heavily discriminated and they had many restrictions. They were only limited to jobs, land ownership and residential areas that made them seem inferior from the other citizens.
Persecution:
As the Black Death epidemics devastated Europe in the mid-14th century, annihilating more than a half of the population, Jews were taken as scapegoats. Rumors spread that they caused the disease by deliberately poisoning wells. Hundreds of Jewish communities were destroyed by violence
In Moorish Spain, ibn Hazm and Abu Ishaq focused their anti-Jewish writings on the latter allegation. This was also the chief motivation behind the 1066 Granada massacre, when "[m]ore than 1,500 Jewish families, numbering 4,000 persons, fell in one day", and in Fez in 1033, when 6,000 Jews were killed. There were further massacres in Fez in 1276 and 1465.
What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
It was Roman Catholiscism
Topic 6
In what sort of building were Shakespeare's plays performed?
- central part had no roof
- depended on sunlight- no electricity
- contained stage and yard
- like a mini football stadium-circular
- audience who paid higher prices get to sit on the seats around the stage 2-3 stories higher up
- above back of stage contained machinery
- trapdoors were used to walk in and out
How did the physical constraints of the theatre affect the language of Shakespeare's plays?
have to describe the scenes vividly because of open air.
What sort of people acted in plays? What sort of people went to see them?
actors and young actors. Women were not deemed fit for work in the theatre
How was "The Theatre" viewed by Elizabethan society?
the authorities of London disliked the public performance of plays. However the Queen was a frequent patron of the plays.
Compare the modern-day Globe Theatre in London with the theatres that Shakespeare worked in.
Online lesson #9 (LA Term 3 ACE)
1. The guns are cannons.
2. The jackies are soldiers. They are singing "war chanties" to boost morale within themselves.
3. The shovel is used to dig trenches in World War 1. Trenches played a big role then as it was the only safe place where soldiers could camp and aim and shoot with their rifles, thus, both rifles and shovels were required to be successful in battle.
4) It shows that the soldiers are not at fault for the destruction caused at war. It was the decision of the government that caused the war.
5)The persona wants to show the extent of the damage that war causes and that the damage can last. He also wants to show that war was merciless and the persona had no regard for how the citizens and soldiers felt.
6) Given the advanced technology in weapons nowadays, it is much easier to tear a society down then to build it back up.A building can be demolished with a couple of bombs and the number of lives lost in one day takes muc longer to replenish.
2. The jackies are soldiers. They are singing "war chanties" to boost morale within themselves.
3. The shovel is used to dig trenches in World War 1. Trenches played a big role then as it was the only safe place where soldiers could camp and aim and shoot with their rifles, thus, both rifles and shovels were required to be successful in battle.
4) It shows that the soldiers are not at fault for the destruction caused at war. It was the decision of the government that caused the war.
5)The persona wants to show the extent of the damage that war causes and that the damage can last. He also wants to show that war was merciless and the persona had no regard for how the citizens and soldiers felt.
6) Given the advanced technology in weapons nowadays, it is much easier to tear a society down then to build it back up.A building can be demolished with a couple of bombs and the number of lives lost in one day takes muc longer to replenish.
7) This showed that as technology is improving, the ways that war is fought changes. From using horses in the past to using motors now. I imagine that the sound of the future war would be a cyber-warfare with lesser use of manpower and more computers.
8) One example of a "king" that was "kicked under the dust" would be former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. The Egyptian revolution begun on 25 January 2011 as the people of Egypt stood against President Hosni Mubarak’s policies. This escalated to violent clashes between the protesters and security forces. In the end, under pressured Hosni Mubarak resigned on 11 February.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Term 3 Blog-prompt #48
In the Asian society, the Asian population would drop greatly, leading to a dropping world population. There would also be a great imbalance in the world as there would be more westerners than Asians. This is because Chinese men cannot find Asian women to marry and they would either remain as bachelors or go overseas to find wives and thus, their children would also be Eurasians. In addition, if there would be decreasing Asian female population, the Asian economy would also be affected. There would certainly be not enough people to take up jobs meant for women in Asia and they either have to be left to women from other countries or taken over by men. Moreover, women would become like commodities where they are bought and sold as brides as they are so rare. Prostitution would also become a very big industry as there would be many sexually-frustrated men. However, this might have another effect, where Asians realise the value of women and their importance and erase the sexist attitude that boys are always better than girls, which is prevalent in rural India and China. Next, they might begin to accept girls and treat both men and women equally. Moreover, now that China is transforming more of its rural areas into urban cities, their thinking and ideology might be influenced and changed. When they live in rural areas, they want boys for practical reasons such as helping out with the farming. However, in the city, having a daughter is not much difference as both men and women will have equal chances in getting a job. Thus, people living in the city might not bother so much and going to the extent of aborting a girl just because they want a boy. However, I feel that the Chinese government should discourage its people from aborting their children without a valid reason such as paying more tax. They can also encourage people to have only one child by giving them attractive benefits just like Singapore's two-child policy and baby-bonus scheme. Banning people from having more than one child would lead to countless abortions.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Blog Prompt #4
He was soundly asleep. He snored, completely unaware of his surroundings. Outside, light rain pattered on the windows. The man stood listening. Soon, he began picking the lock. With skill and agility, he did it. Everything was done in silence and with speed. He had no time to waste. With gloved hands, he opened the door. It creaked. His heart pounded. That was a mistake that almost cost him. Fortunately, Vincent was still asleep. This mission required one of the hardest skills. It meant walking up the stairs without making a noise. He had been planning this mission for months. He told himself that nothing can go wrong. And most importantly, nothing must go wrong. If he succeeds, he would be the richest burglars. Now that was his dream.
Monday, July 4, 2011
My own war poem---- Heroes and Rats
Heroes and Rats
When the Japanese first arrived,
I made a pact with my friends to stand strong,
but month after month of atrocities,
our spirits were drained.
First, Kim Leng was killed during the Sook Ching,
Then, someone snitched on Yip Meng.
Next, Hok Seng died of cholera.
One by one, my friends passed away.
The Nippon soldiers
ravaged our land, women
and wealth. People were tortured
or killed for no apparent reason.
My wife and children were
bunches of skin and bones.
We had to be careful of what we said.
As rats, real and metaphorical
scampered through Syonan-to
where brother turned against brother
But there were the war heroes,
who stood out in times of need
to raise the spirits of the people
Elizabeth Choy,
Lim Bo Seng,
Choy Koon Heng,
and other ordinary people
stood out in contrast to the rats.
This was the Singaporeans spirit
War truly brings out the
best and the worst of people.
When the Japanese first arrived,
I made a pact with my friends to stand strong,
but month after month of atrocities,
our spirits were drained.
First, Kim Leng was killed during the Sook Ching,
Then, someone snitched on Yip Meng.
Next, Hok Seng died of cholera.
One by one, my friends passed away.
The Nippon soldiers
ravaged our land, women
and wealth. People were tortured
or killed for no apparent reason.
My wife and children were
bunches of skin and bones.
We had to be careful of what we said.
As rats, real and metaphorical
scampered through Syonan-to
where brother turned against brother
But there were the war heroes,
who stood out in times of need
to raise the spirits of the people
Elizabeth Choy,
Lim Bo Seng,
Choy Koon Heng,
and other ordinary people
stood out in contrast to the rats.
This was the Singaporeans spirit
War truly brings out the
best and the worst of people.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Optimism
If human beings are not optimistic, we would not have gone so fat and become so prosperous and successful. In fact we could have lost out to other species and be eliminated. Moreover, we would not be able to live in such an advances and modern world. Optimism is vital in human beings as it helps us to look at things on the bright side in times of failure. In this case, if we are all pessimistic, we would not have had such good medical care, reducing our life expectancy. Moreover, we would also not have such advanced technology as we would have given up the moment we face failure and defeat. Imagine living in a world of darkness as Thomas Edison would have never invented the light bulb. The moment he failed at his first attempt, he would most likely be so pessimistic and depressed that he would just quit trying. Things like the telephone and the computer are high-technology devices invented with the help of optimism and hard work and perseverance. In addition, many of us would be falling into depression and commit suicide over small things such as failing a class test or unable to pass your fitness test. This way, human beings would never live past a certain age with so much pessimism. In addition, none of us will enjoy life. We would be thinking about everything in a pessimistic way. For example, if we got ninety-eight upon a hundred for a math exam, instead of rejoicing and celebrating, we would be so sad that we missed getting full marks by two points. In conclusion, human optimism is very crucial for the continuity of our species and our survival and we cannot do without it.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Term 3 Blog Prompt 2
It was a hot and humid Sunday afternoon at Orchard Road with the Great Singapore Sale going on with many customers from all over the country thronging the shops to snatch up the best deals at Ngee Ann Shopping Centre from jewelry perfumes and the atmosphere was so lively and almost everyone had bright smiles of satisfaction having been able to buy all that they wanted or needed at such affordable and good bargains especially at shops selling branded goods as they are usually sold at exorbitant prices and this was one of the few and rare opportunity to be able to buy them.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Same-sex marriage
I feel that same-sex marriage should never be legal in Singapore. Same-sex is definitely not normal and it means that the people who are gays and lesbians have a problem. By legalizing same-sex marriage, it would not solve the problem. Instead, you are encouraging them and influencing others around them too. I feel that we should not be encouraging them; instead, we should be helping them to change. For example, psychiatric treatment would be best for them to realize that what they are doing is abnormal. In fact, same-sex relationships should not be considered a crime too. They should be just brought to seek treatment. Not dealing with the problem effectively and legalizing same-sex relationships would lead cause many complications such as angering them. These activities would cause unrest within a country and a riot would mean people getting hurt.
Legalising same-sex marriages might be able to appease the same-sex people, however, that is definitely not addressing the issue and in the long run, it would be very damaging to the society and the people. If same-sex marriage is made legal, many people would be bolder in announcing their gay or lesbian tendencies and not be afraid to carry out their personal activities in public. In my opinion, this is very unhealthy for the society. Moreover, another major problem that will arise is prejudice. Just like the racism that the Whites had against the blacks, there would be a new form of prejudice that the Straights have against gays and lesbians.
In conclusion, I feel that legalizing same-sex should not be legalized and that all same-sex people should be able to recognize that there is a problem with them and getting married with someone of the same gender is definitely not normal and that psychiatric treatment would be the best way out for them.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Journal Entry of a day in World War II
It has been three days seen I have been sent out to fight in Germany. Since the day that I have parachuted down, I have been camping in the jungle for two days. We are running out of food as we were very lightly equipped when we jumped out of the plane. We are subjected to constant ambushes from German forces and we cannot advance until we have reinforcements. Our task is to capture a German bridge. Our commander repeatedly reminded us that German forces would be weak and limited for they were all sent out to battle elsewhere. However, I am beginning to doubt that. In fact they seem even better equipped than us. Reinforcements were supposed to come by yesterday night, but they kept being delayed. War is really very cruel and whenever we press the trigger and kill a German soldier, we feel far from being a hero or being patriotic for we know that another innocent and young life has been lost.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
HOME-BASED LEARNING ONLINE LESSON (24-25 May 2011) LA_ACE
"Rainbow Death" by Hubert Wilson
Difficulty Rating: **
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 and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!
Part 1:
The poem by Hubert Wilson emphasises on the modern day warfare weapon, the use of herbicides during the Vietnam War. Herbicides by the name of Agent Orange, green, pink and purple were some of the herbicides used during the war. The most widely used herbicide was Agent Orange contaminated with TCDD. THe main purpose of the herbicides was to clear off the foilage along the riverbanks as there were many Viet Cong soldiers ambushed there. As they sprayed the herbicides, they got their intended results and the plants dried up. However, the American were so shortsighted that they did not know they were contaminating the Vietnamese's living environment too. Due to the toxins in the herbicides, it resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths and disabilities and 500,000 children born with defects. It showed that even though the war has ended, misery of the people from the effects of the war live on. In addition, it is the innocent generations of civilians who will have to pay the price for the grave mistake America made.
Part 2:
1. Whose Point of View
Statement: The poem adopts a first-hand account of war’s evil, for the poet was the Ssgt USAF, from 1968 to 1972
Evidence: The poet, Hubert Wilson, was the SSGT of the USAF from 1968 to 1972
Elaboration: The poet wanted to speak of the horrors and terrifying effects of modern warfare to the public as he had been through the whole war.
2. Situation and Setting
Statement: The poem was set in the Vietnam War, However, it also shows the present effects of the war.
Evidence: The "Agent Orange" shows that the poet was referring to the Vietnam War. While the line "Toll on the innocent and unborn." shows the present effects.
Elaboration: The poet wanted to show that modern warfare caused a lot of harm and pain for the civilians just because of a simple yet grave mistake made by the United States. The disabilities and birth defects are long term problems that cannot be healed with a pill or two. In fact, it is something that will stay for generations.
3. Language/Diction
Statement:The tone is as though he is speaking in disapproval of the US's mistake and rebuking them, asking them to reflect on themselves.
Evidence: "America did not foresee. Expecting others to pay a high price. Now thinking twice?" shows the poets unhappines with America's decision .
Elaboration: He sounds as though he is forcing them to reflect and telling them that it is too late.
4. Personal Response
Statement: The title of the poem is oxymoronic. Rainbows are meant to be a sign that the worst is over. However, in the poem, it means that the troubles are far from over.
Evidence: The rainbow death is referring to the different colours of agents, for example, "Agent Orange, Agent Green" most of which form the colours of a rainbow.
Elaboration: Rainbows are never used to represent death. A rainbow usually appears after the rain, in other words, it is a sign that the worst is over. However, in the Vietnam war, the "rainbow-coloured agents" bring death, disabilities and birth defects to the people.
Difficulty Rating: **
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 and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!
Part 1:
The poem by Hubert Wilson emphasises on the modern day warfare weapon, the use of herbicides during the Vietnam War. Herbicides by the name of Agent Orange, green, pink and purple were some of the herbicides used during the war. The most widely used herbicide was Agent Orange contaminated with TCDD. THe main purpose of the herbicides was to clear off the foilage along the riverbanks as there were many Viet Cong soldiers ambushed there. As they sprayed the herbicides, they got their intended results and the plants dried up. However, the American were so shortsighted that they did not know they were contaminating the Vietnamese's living environment too. Due to the toxins in the herbicides, it resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths and disabilities and 500,000 children born with defects. It showed that even though the war has ended, misery of the people from the effects of the war live on. In addition, it is the innocent generations of civilians who will have to pay the price for the grave mistake America made.
Part 2:
1. Whose Point of View
Statement: The poem adopts a first-hand account of war’s evil, for the poet was the Ssgt USAF, from 1968 to 1972
Evidence: The poet, Hubert Wilson, was the SSGT of the USAF from 1968 to 1972
Elaboration: The poet wanted to speak of the horrors and terrifying effects of modern warfare to the public as he had been through the whole war.
2. Situation and Setting
Statement: The poem was set in the Vietnam War, However, it also shows the present effects of the war.
Evidence: The "Agent Orange" shows that the poet was referring to the Vietnam War. While the line "Toll on the innocent and unborn." shows the present effects.
Elaboration: The poet wanted to show that modern warfare caused a lot of harm and pain for the civilians just because of a simple yet grave mistake made by the United States. The disabilities and birth defects are long term problems that cannot be healed with a pill or two. In fact, it is something that will stay for generations.
3. Language/Diction
Statement:The tone is as though he is speaking in disapproval of the US's mistake and rebuking them, asking them to reflect on themselves.
Evidence: "America did not foresee. Expecting others to pay a high price. Now thinking twice?" shows the poets unhappines with America's decision .
Elaboration: He sounds as though he is forcing them to reflect and telling them that it is too late.
4. Personal Response
Statement: The title of the poem is oxymoronic. Rainbows are meant to be a sign that the worst is over. However, in the poem, it means that the troubles are far from over.
Evidence: The rainbow death is referring to the different colours of agents, for example, "Agent Orange, Agent Green" most of which form the colours of a rainbow.
Elaboration: Rainbows are never used to represent death. A rainbow usually appears after the rain, in other words, it is a sign that the worst is over. However, in the Vietnam war, the "rainbow-coloured agents" bring death, disabilities and birth defects to the people.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Was the decision to assassinate bin Laden rather than bring him to trial a justified one?
In my opinion, it is justified to assassinate Osama bin Laden. This is because he has caused a lot of troubles and anxieties to the world, planning massive terrorists attacks that have claimed the lives of many. Capturing Osama bin Laden might not be the best idea as he has a wide network of people who can always plan his escape. For example,there were a group of terrorists in a prison in Afghanistan who escape from a tunnel dug by their comrades. Moreover, capturing Osama bin Laden would bring a lot of trouble to the United States as there would widespread unhappiness.In the worse case scenario, there could be bombings or attacks against America such as the 9/11 disaster to force the United States to release Osama.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Deception Point
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/976.Deception_Point
Recently, I read the book "Deception Point" by Dan Brown. I rented it from a bookshop as it was highly recommended to me by my mother. It is a very exciting fiction book. The book was very lively, descriptive and the reader is always kept in tension and suspense. It is full of action and one could never predict the outcome of the book. When the reader thinks that he or she might have figured out the outcome, another twist is always awaiting them which changes things 180 degrees! A great boook for people who dislike reading. This could be the book that will pique their interest in reading
Recently, I read the book "Deception Point" by Dan Brown. I rented it from a bookshop as it was highly recommended to me by my mother. It is a very exciting fiction book. The book was very lively, descriptive and the reader is always kept in tension and suspense. It is full of action and one could never predict the outcome of the book. When the reader thinks that he or she might have figured out the outcome, another twist is always awaiting them which changes things 180 degrees! A great boook for people who dislike reading. This could be the book that will pique their interest in reading
Sunday, May 8, 2011
World War I LA ACE Part 1
Introduction
World War I (WWI) or the First World War, formerly called the Great War, was a major war centred on Europe that began in the summer of 1914 and lasted until November 1918. It involved all of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (centred around the Triple Entente) and the Central Powers. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of great technological advances in firepower without corresponding advances in mobility. It was the second deadliest conflict in Western history.
Literary Works
War poems were very famous during World War I. Poets such as Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon wrote poems reflecting the lives they led while they were at the war.
Wilfred Owen
Won the Military Cross by seizing a German machine-gun and using it to kill a number of Germans.
On 4th November he was shot and killed
Wrote famous poems such as Anthem for Doomed Youth and Dulce Et Decorum Est
Influenced by Siegfried Sassoon to write his own War Poetry
Showed the negative effects of war
DULCE ET DECORUM EST by WILFRED OWEN
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Summary
In a nutshell, Wilfred Owen was in the military and wrote on his experience.
He was heading back from the front line when they come under attack from gas shells. All of them manage to put their gas masks on in time except for one soldier and they throw him into the wagon and watch his painful suffering.
The last stanza is meant to reveal the ugly truth and reality of war so that people would not think that war is honorable.
Shows that war is senseless and far from honorable or glorious.
Innocent youth who are sent to the frontlines to fight the war die and do not get to live a normal life.
He himself was a youth when sent to the frontlines to fight the war.
Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (September 8, 1886 - September 1, 1967) was an English poet and author. He became known as a writer of satirical anti-war verse during World War I
The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon
'Jack fell as he'd have wished,' the mother said,
And folded up the letter that she'd read.
'The Colonel writes so nicely.' Something broke
In the tired voice that quavered to a choke.
She half looked up. 'We mothers are so proud
Of our dead soldiers.' Then her face was bowed. Quietly the Brother Officer went out.
He'd told the poor old dear some gallant lies
That she would nourish all her days, no doubt
For while he coughed and mumbled, her weak eyes
Had shone with gentle triumph, brimmed with joy,
Because he'd been so brave, her glorious boy.
He thought how 'Jack', cold-footed, useless swine,
Had panicked down the trench that night the mine
Went up at Wicked Corner; how he'd tried
To get sent home, and how, at last, he died,
Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care
Except that lonely woman with white hair.
Summary
The poem describes a visit by an officer to deliver a letter from the colonel about her son who has just died. Outside the house, the officer reflects on the “gallant lies” that he has just told her and on the unpleasant truth of the soldier’s cowardice and attempts to get away from the front line. Now only Jack’s mother cares for his memory.
Sources
Poetry of the First World War by York Notes Advanced
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/owena.htm
Wikipedia
Google images
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/33903-Siegfried-Sassoon-The-Hero
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