Read this article from The Straits Times today. Honestly, I think it's quite silly to be addicted to smoking, you know. You know what's the new cool: To have been that, done that. Try it once and be done with it. What's so nice about stained teeth & black lungs??!!!
April 27, 2009
Lighting up in the open
BARELY 5m away from his school in Tampines, the 15-year-old in his uniform brazenly lit up and started puffing on his cigarette - in full view of schoolmates at a nearby coffee shop. He was typical of underage smokers caught by the Health Sciences Authority's (HSA) enforcement officers in a recent raid in Tampines.
The Straits Times accompanied the 12-man team on the five-hour search that rounded up 12 teenagers found smoking at the void decks, staircase landings and corridors of Housing Board blocks, and in multi-storey carparks.
The common excuse: They did not know that it is illegal for underage youths to smoke and were just experimenting with one stick.
But one 15-year-old was defiant: 'Why can't I smoke? It's my right to smoke and I will continue to buy a lot of cigarettes.'
'Some of those caught can be very uncooperative and aggressive, hurling vulgarities and threatening our officers,' said Mr Norman Chong, a deputy director in the HSA tobacco regulation unit's enforcement division.
But enforcement officers kept their cool in the face of outbursts, searching bags for cigarette packs and taking down the particulars of the teenagers, some of whom were repeat offenders.
Those under 18 who are caught smoking more than once must attend mandatory counselling sessions and pay a $30 fine. Otherwise, they will need to appear in court and can be fined up to $300.
While schools often act as the 'eyes and ears' on the ground and tip off enforcement officers, Mr Chong said parents may not be as supportive.
He said: 'After we send out the notices to notify parents of their children's offence, some of them call us up to complain and insist that their children were not in the wrong.'
To ensure that youths do not get easy access to cigarettes, the HSA's enforcement officers also go after the outlets selling smokes to youths.
Last year, 63 retailers were caught selling cigarettes to those under the age of 18.
Retailers can be fined up to $5,000 for the first conviction, and up to $10,000 for subsequent convictions. Repeat offenders may also have their tobacco retail licences suspended or revoked.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
At the theatre.
Miss Q is truly thankful to ALL to attempted to help me search for my mobile after the show. Clumsy Ms Q actually dropped it on the metal plank-like thing beneath the seat. My iPhone could have almost suffered its demise there!!!
Anyway, I think I will attempt to do something regarding the movie outing. Yes. I will try writing a composition, text type narrative/ personal recount... yet to be decided. But that's provided I have the time. Hees.
I'm sorry I did not get to take a group picture with ALL OF YOU, because I was in a flurry searching for my phone. I wasn't in time to stop you from leaving. Bleah!!! Means... we shall have to do this again!!! I enjoyed watching the show with you guys and gals. Yes, even with Binghui's corny remarks. You people look very presentable!
Anyway, I think I will attempt to do something regarding the movie outing. Yes. I will try writing a composition, text type narrative/ personal recount... yet to be decided. But that's provided I have the time. Hees.
I'm sorry I did not get to take a group picture with ALL OF YOU, because I was in a flurry searching for my phone. I wasn't in time to stop you from leaving. Bleah!!! Means... we shall have to do this again!!! I enjoyed watching the show with you guys and gals. Yes, even with Binghui's corny remarks. You people look very presentable!
Monday, April 20, 2009
School Days with a Pig
MOVIE OUTING IS CONFIRMED!!!
Date: 24 April 2009 (Fri)
Time: 5.45pm (Let's meet at 5.30pm)
Venue: Orchard Cineleisure
Please bring along $6 for payment during one of the EL lessons. You can bring an extra $3.50 on the actual day itself if you will like to enjoy popcorn and a drink during the show.
Points to note:
I hope i don't have to raise my voice outside, so long as you behave 'normally' (Hahs!). But this is a casual outing among classmates + me... so it's purely social yeah!
Date: 24 April 2009 (Fri)
Time: 5.45pm (Let's meet at 5.30pm)
Venue: Orchard Cineleisure
Please bring along $6 for payment during one of the EL lessons. You can bring an extra $3.50 on the actual day itself if you will like to enjoy popcorn and a drink during the show.
Points to note:
I hope i don't have to raise my voice outside, so long as you behave 'normally' (Hahs!). But this is a casual outing among classmates + me... so it's purely social yeah!
Qing Ming
Check out the article below. No fancy language, nothing that you can't understand. But the writing is fluent and smooth, with drips & draps of nice vocabulary to stimulate the reader's senses. I'm sure you can pick up a point or two from this.
********
April 20, 2009
MY THOUGHTS
QING MING: More than just a ritual
By Nikki Chan
IT IS that time of the year again. I am falling asleep in my parents' car. The inside smells vaguely of incense and home-cooked food. Drizzle dots the car windows. It is not yet bright enough for me to spot the ink-dark blots on the tar paving the long road.
Finally, we reach our destination. Torches out. Orders in whispers. We trek down rows of sleeping graves. After a few wrong turns and stumbles in the dark, we find my great-grandmother's grave. Next to her lies my beloved grandfather, whom I have come to miss every year on this special day. We were never close, though. It was not possible, with such a big extended family.
But somehow, today, just like on the same day last year and the year before that, I can feel him smile at us, the same way he used to smile from the top of the table at reunion dinners. It is as if he is still bringing us all together.
The food is unwrapped. We place it in front of him, complete with chopsticks. Surely he will enjoy this home- cooked meal like before. And then we light our joss sticks, hold them tightly and shake them gently against our chests with silent murmurs.
'I miss you,' I whisper. 'I miss what it was like with you among us.' The joss sticks are placed together and left to burn - our lighthouse signalling to him across worlds as though to say, 'Come join us, we're here'.
This happens every year. And every year I go, taking pleasure in the memory of my grandfather. But all these rituals turn meaningless when I turn to face my great-grandmother's grave.
It is sad, I know. But I never knew her - I have nothing to say, nothing to reminisce upon.
I have always thought sadly about the day when my generation passes on. Nobody else will know grandfather. Will they still keep coming? Will they still come and sweep his grave, offer him food, and gather our family to him? As it is, fewer and fewer people I know take part in this tradition.
Those who do so partake with a huge sense of obligation and sometimes, dread. I cannot blame them entirely though. I would find it difficult to put my heart into waking in the wee hours to offer joss sticks to someone I have never met, especially when I do not subscribe fully to these Taoist beliefs of connecting across worlds through incense and prayer.
What keeps Qing Ming going? Is it tradition and respect for the ancestors, or a chance to indulge in fond memories of loved ones? Surprisingly, overseas Chinese communities have been reported to take this more seriously than our mainland counterparts. Some people would even travel back to the mainland. But there is more than filial piety to this.
After ancestral worship, the whole family would gather nearby and feast on the food just offered to their ancestors. This happens to be one of my favourite parts. With our hectic work schedules, it is hard enough nowadays to meet up with the whole extended family.
So it seems that Qing Ming is more than just ancestral worship. It is family bonding, reminiscing, and paying respects all rolled into one. More than just reliving fond memories of my grandfather, it is a hearty and boisterous lunch with my extended family with our ancestors at the backs of our minds. Even if I never knew my great-grandmother personally, there is always someone there to reminisce aloud fond incidents involving her while we go about the rituals.
Every year I hear the same stories. And strangely, I never grow sick of them. Perhaps I find comfort in learning of my identity, my 'roots', by listening to my uncles' stories of my grandfather's childhood in a village outside of Guangzhou, where my great-grandfather went to work, and how my great-grandmother brought her children up, insisting they go to school and get an English education, and so on.
Memories of my grandfather will be lost with time, my great-grandmother's lost in my generation already. Perhaps this is why people look to leaving a legacy so much, at least in a family name - to keep the memories going in the form of heritage and hand-me-down family values. Ancestral lineage keeps at least respects coming. Like how I have my great-grandmother to thank for the endearing person I had in my grandfather.
The writer, 22, is a fourth-year law student at the National University of Singapore.
********
April 20, 2009
MY THOUGHTS
QING MING: More than just a ritual
By Nikki Chan
IT IS that time of the year again. I am falling asleep in my parents' car. The inside smells vaguely of incense and home-cooked food. Drizzle dots the car windows. It is not yet bright enough for me to spot the ink-dark blots on the tar paving the long road.
Finally, we reach our destination. Torches out. Orders in whispers. We trek down rows of sleeping graves. After a few wrong turns and stumbles in the dark, we find my great-grandmother's grave. Next to her lies my beloved grandfather, whom I have come to miss every year on this special day. We were never close, though. It was not possible, with such a big extended family.
But somehow, today, just like on the same day last year and the year before that, I can feel him smile at us, the same way he used to smile from the top of the table at reunion dinners. It is as if he is still bringing us all together.
The food is unwrapped. We place it in front of him, complete with chopsticks. Surely he will enjoy this home- cooked meal like before. And then we light our joss sticks, hold them tightly and shake them gently against our chests with silent murmurs.
'I miss you,' I whisper. 'I miss what it was like with you among us.' The joss sticks are placed together and left to burn - our lighthouse signalling to him across worlds as though to say, 'Come join us, we're here'.
This happens every year. And every year I go, taking pleasure in the memory of my grandfather. But all these rituals turn meaningless when I turn to face my great-grandmother's grave.
It is sad, I know. But I never knew her - I have nothing to say, nothing to reminisce upon.
I have always thought sadly about the day when my generation passes on. Nobody else will know grandfather. Will they still keep coming? Will they still come and sweep his grave, offer him food, and gather our family to him? As it is, fewer and fewer people I know take part in this tradition.
Those who do so partake with a huge sense of obligation and sometimes, dread. I cannot blame them entirely though. I would find it difficult to put my heart into waking in the wee hours to offer joss sticks to someone I have never met, especially when I do not subscribe fully to these Taoist beliefs of connecting across worlds through incense and prayer.
What keeps Qing Ming going? Is it tradition and respect for the ancestors, or a chance to indulge in fond memories of loved ones? Surprisingly, overseas Chinese communities have been reported to take this more seriously than our mainland counterparts. Some people would even travel back to the mainland. But there is more than filial piety to this.
After ancestral worship, the whole family would gather nearby and feast on the food just offered to their ancestors. This happens to be one of my favourite parts. With our hectic work schedules, it is hard enough nowadays to meet up with the whole extended family.
So it seems that Qing Ming is more than just ancestral worship. It is family bonding, reminiscing, and paying respects all rolled into one. More than just reliving fond memories of my grandfather, it is a hearty and boisterous lunch with my extended family with our ancestors at the backs of our minds. Even if I never knew my great-grandmother personally, there is always someone there to reminisce aloud fond incidents involving her while we go about the rituals.
Every year I hear the same stories. And strangely, I never grow sick of them. Perhaps I find comfort in learning of my identity, my 'roots', by listening to my uncles' stories of my grandfather's childhood in a village outside of Guangzhou, where my great-grandfather went to work, and how my great-grandmother brought her children up, insisting they go to school and get an English education, and so on.
Memories of my grandfather will be lost with time, my great-grandmother's lost in my generation already. Perhaps this is why people look to leaving a legacy so much, at least in a family name - to keep the memories going in the form of heritage and hand-me-down family values. Ancestral lineage keeps at least respects coming. Like how I have my great-grandmother to thank for the endearing person I had in my grandfather.
The writer, 22, is a fourth-year law student at the National University of Singapore.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Internalisation
in⋅ter⋅nal⋅ise
–verb (used with object), -ized, -iz⋅ing.
1. to incorporate (the cultural values, mores, motives, etc., of another or of a group), as through learning, socialization, or identification.
2. to make subjective or give a subjective character to.
3. Linguistics. to acquire (a linguistic rule, structure, etc.) as part of one's language competence.
See the word above??? Well, i need you to internalise what you have learnt. It means not forgetting what I've mentioned before and adding on new knowledge. A good way to internalise is when you try it yourself after we have gone through something. Practise one or two times... You will get better. For example, you don't have to write a full expository essay. Just practise and run through the planning part, adhering to the principles of the essay structure I've taught + the development of each body paragraph.
Try it. You'll do better each time.
–verb (used with object), -ized, -iz⋅ing.
1. to incorporate (the cultural values, mores, motives, etc., of another or of a group), as through learning, socialization, or identification.
2. to make subjective or give a subjective character to.
3. Linguistics. to acquire (a linguistic rule, structure, etc.) as part of one's language competence.
See the word above??? Well, i need you to internalise what you have learnt. It means not forgetting what I've mentioned before and adding on new knowledge. A good way to internalise is when you try it yourself after we have gone through something. Practise one or two times... You will get better. For example, you don't have to write a full expository essay. Just practise and run through the planning part, adhering to the principles of the essay structure I've taught + the development of each body paragraph.
Try it. You'll do better each time.
Friday, April 17, 2009
A word a day.
ephemeral \ih-FEM-er-ul\, adjective:
1. Beginning and ending in a day; existing only, or no longer than, a day; as, an ephemeral flower.
2. Short-lived; existing or continuing for a short time only.
Success is very ephemeral. You depend entirely on the desire of others, which makes it difficult to relax.-- Eva Green
In "Mississippi Mermaid," the planter character played by Belmondo, a fellow who has sought a safe, permanent love, is liberated when he chooses to follow the ephemeral.-- Vincent Canby, "Truffaut's Clear-Eyed Quest.", New York Times, September 14, 1975
Rather, we must separate what is ephemeral... from the things that are of lasting importance.-- Patrick Smith, Japan: A Reinterpretation
1. Beginning and ending in a day; existing only, or no longer than, a day; as, an ephemeral flower.
2. Short-lived; existing or continuing for a short time only.
Success is very ephemeral. You depend entirely on the desire of others, which makes it difficult to relax.-- Eva Green
In "Mississippi Mermaid," the planter character played by Belmondo, a fellow who has sought a safe, permanent love, is liberated when he chooses to follow the ephemeral.-- Vincent Canby, "Truffaut's Clear-Eyed Quest.", New York Times, September 14, 1975
Rather, we must separate what is ephemeral... from the things that are of lasting importance.-- Patrick Smith, Japan: A Reinterpretation
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
IMPORTANT REMINDER
Mid-Year Examinations Paper 1 has been changed to 30 April (Thu).
{My bday *wahahaahaaa*}
Take note of text types for Section 1:
{My bday *wahahaahaaa*}
Take note of text types for Section 1:
- Narrative
- Personal recount
- Descriptive
- Exposition
Please memorise the format for each type. Section 2:
- Informal letter
- Formal letter (IMPT! Likely to come out for N levels)
- Information sheet (We did this in Sec 3!)
- Report
I will be conducting a Remedial lesson on Writing. More information on that later!
Do you want to Twitter???
A Straits Times article to share...
April 15, 2009
Schoolboy is top Twitterer here
His popularity seems to be due to his young age and his tech knowledge
By Tan Weizhen
FEW people are likely to be too interested in the one-liners a 15-year-old Singapore schoolboy posts online about his life, his interests or his thoughts, except perhaps his parents, family and friends.
But Xavier Lur, in Secondary 3 at Maris Stella High, has corralled 54,567 netizens from the world over into following the updates he broadcasts on Twitter, a free social-networking utility big in the online world since last year.
With that number of 'followers' or friends, he is the top local Twitterer.
Irish rock star Bono has only a third as many.
Many politicians, showbiz people, athletes and ordinary netizens get on Twitter to offer updates on their lives; people become followers to get these updates, to stalk celebrities or simply to make friends the world over.
But why are almost 55,000 people 'following' the updates or 'tweets' put out by this Singapore schoolboy?
Xavier's popularity appears to stem from his knowledge about things tech and his tender years.
This self-described technology blogger puts out tweets on the latest tech trends, for example, the latest mobile phone applications.
His close friend Zhou Tong, 14, noted that Xavier has also put out tweets about the social networking site Facebook - ranging from tech tips on how to make one's profile more visually presentable to comments on Facebook's design revamp.
One tweet Xavier sent out announced that he and Zhou Tong were developing a 'social asking platform', which whipped up a flurry of excitement, say his followers. People were just intrigued that a 15-year-old could write a computer program for this.
Xavier said adults overseas are a big part of his audience, many keen on a peek into school life here.
Like any schoolboy, he has views on his teachers - some flattering, others less so, laced with some humour.
He describes his life as a Singapore student, including days he stays home from school for 'e-learning', his class trips and about creating class blogs.
Sometimes, his tweets are more personal, about his father's business trips.
Other days, he is plain mischievous, if also resourceful, and willing to share his ideas on how to save labour: 'Too lazy to write a Chinese composition titled Health Is More Important Than Wealth, so I used Google Translate to translate it from English.'
He is helpful, too, with tips like 'How to insert images in a word document without embedding', accompanied by a link to the actual method.
He has, in turn, used Twitter as a 24/7 helpdesk for getting answers to his own tech questions 'within a minute or so', and stirred debate among netizens with questions like 'Which programming language is the easiest to learn?'
He said that vitally, using Twitter has improved his communication skills and taught him about other cultures and 'the outside world'.
He grew his network of Twitter friends when he had time on his hands during a school break.
He now spends an hour online daily, sending out about 20 tweets, but still makes time for soccer, badminton, his friends, or even helping his mother with 'adult' tasks like submitting online passport applications.
Interestingly, his ambition has little to do with the tech world. He said that when he grows up, he wants to become a financial investor 'just like Warren Buffett, and maybe a psychologist'.
He has a younger brother who is keen on online computer games.
Fellow Twitterer Eric Chua, who follows Xavier for his tips, said the teen stands out for his useful tips, for example, on blogging and how to run online businesses.
Mr Chua, 27, and the owner of a start-up involved in video production and online publishing, is himself among the top five Twitterers here.
A distant second to Xavier, with 13,147 followers, he got on Twitter mainly to recruit suitably skilled people to join his start-up.
But Twittering is also about social networking. He has met chief executives, former politicians and authors online.
'The world is now flat,' he declared.
Of the other three top Twitterers, one is a social worker and two, Internet marketers.
Social worker and avid blogger John Yeo, with 5,676 followers, said he joined Twitter mainly to share blogging tips.
April 15, 2009
Schoolboy is top Twitterer here
His popularity seems to be due to his young age and his tech knowledge
By Tan Weizhen
FEW people are likely to be too interested in the one-liners a 15-year-old Singapore schoolboy posts online about his life, his interests or his thoughts, except perhaps his parents, family and friends.
But Xavier Lur, in Secondary 3 at Maris Stella High, has corralled 54,567 netizens from the world over into following the updates he broadcasts on Twitter, a free social-networking utility big in the online world since last year.
With that number of 'followers' or friends, he is the top local Twitterer.
Irish rock star Bono has only a third as many.
Many politicians, showbiz people, athletes and ordinary netizens get on Twitter to offer updates on their lives; people become followers to get these updates, to stalk celebrities or simply to make friends the world over.
But why are almost 55,000 people 'following' the updates or 'tweets' put out by this Singapore schoolboy?
Xavier's popularity appears to stem from his knowledge about things tech and his tender years.
This self-described technology blogger puts out tweets on the latest tech trends, for example, the latest mobile phone applications.
His close friend Zhou Tong, 14, noted that Xavier has also put out tweets about the social networking site Facebook - ranging from tech tips on how to make one's profile more visually presentable to comments on Facebook's design revamp.
One tweet Xavier sent out announced that he and Zhou Tong were developing a 'social asking platform', which whipped up a flurry of excitement, say his followers. People were just intrigued that a 15-year-old could write a computer program for this.
Xavier said adults overseas are a big part of his audience, many keen on a peek into school life here.
Like any schoolboy, he has views on his teachers - some flattering, others less so, laced with some humour.
He describes his life as a Singapore student, including days he stays home from school for 'e-learning', his class trips and about creating class blogs.
Sometimes, his tweets are more personal, about his father's business trips.
Other days, he is plain mischievous, if also resourceful, and willing to share his ideas on how to save labour: 'Too lazy to write a Chinese composition titled Health Is More Important Than Wealth, so I used Google Translate to translate it from English.'
He is helpful, too, with tips like 'How to insert images in a word document without embedding', accompanied by a link to the actual method.
He has, in turn, used Twitter as a 24/7 helpdesk for getting answers to his own tech questions 'within a minute or so', and stirred debate among netizens with questions like 'Which programming language is the easiest to learn?'
He said that vitally, using Twitter has improved his communication skills and taught him about other cultures and 'the outside world'.
He grew his network of Twitter friends when he had time on his hands during a school break.
He now spends an hour online daily, sending out about 20 tweets, but still makes time for soccer, badminton, his friends, or even helping his mother with 'adult' tasks like submitting online passport applications.
Interestingly, his ambition has little to do with the tech world. He said that when he grows up, he wants to become a financial investor 'just like Warren Buffett, and maybe a psychologist'.
He has a younger brother who is keen on online computer games.
Fellow Twitterer Eric Chua, who follows Xavier for his tips, said the teen stands out for his useful tips, for example, on blogging and how to run online businesses.
Mr Chua, 27, and the owner of a start-up involved in video production and online publishing, is himself among the top five Twitterers here.
A distant second to Xavier, with 13,147 followers, he got on Twitter mainly to recruit suitably skilled people to join his start-up.
But Twittering is also about social networking. He has met chief executives, former politicians and authors online.
'The world is now flat,' he declared.
Of the other three top Twitterers, one is a social worker and two, Internet marketers.
Social worker and avid blogger John Yeo, with 5,676 followers, said he joined Twitter mainly to share blogging tips.
Monday, April 13, 2009
REMINDER
Just a GENTLE REMINDER (yah right!!!) to complete this HW by Wed (15 Apr):
Trial Examination 3 - Section 1 + Section 2(Passage A)
Hang in there!!! Mid-year examinations is only a couple of weeks away!!!
Trial Examination 3 - Section 1 + Section 2(Passage A)
Hang in there!!! Mid-year examinations is only a couple of weeks away!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
