Friday, July 31, 2009

A Review: Biology Form 5 Textbook



Surprisingly, I actually managed to read the whole textbook for the first time! And well, I thought some of you might have a opinion of the book somewhere in a place call the internet but I couldn't find one that is honestly, honest. So here I am trying to share my views on this free* book compliments from the Malaysian Government and despite my lack of Book Critic credentials,experience let alone recognition--- I'll do one just for the sake of fun.

*Taxpayers money

http://bibliothecary.squarespace.com/storage/me4.jpg
(first image that popped out for "book reviewer" courtesy of Google)

The book starts of with acknowledges to the people who contributed to the book, then the contents and message from the government...much like a Form 1 folio. Geez, did they refer to their folios as a reference for a SPM quality book? The irony..

Now the book is essentially a part of a 5-part episode of "Science" series in secondary level. This biology book is actually a spin-off title that started from "Biology Form4" textbook. However, more details of the plot is found in this book that expands the stories found in the previous 4 books.

For example, in the first chapter(Transport), we learn more one of the most important characters throughout the series which is "Red Blood Cell" & "White Blood Cells". In this book, we learn the different names they are referred to and not only that, the sub characters that are part of them(Think Monocyte,Basophil for Red Blood Cell). Not only that, we learned more about another character which has a very 'emo' name that is"Heart" and this book explains more on the chracteristics of the character and clarify that "Heart" is indeed not an 'emo'.

(Don't touch me or I'll cut my wrist to bleed to death!)

In a gist, the first chapter of this book has done well to explain more on those popular characters found in the previous book. Good start.

Not the 2nd chapter. Apparently the 2nd chapter(Locomotion and Support) is a totally story altogether and is a short story itself.Here, we learn about bones,bones and bones. That's it. It's about as relevant to my aspiration as a box of matches on the moon.And if you are thinking the chapter is all about the television series, it's not.

http://asiandramaddict.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/bones_03_poster_01.jpg
(Not found in the chapter. Sorry)


But as readers continue on with the 3rd chapter, you find that the previous chapter sets the prologue for it. Apparently the government is trying to do is convince us that chapter 2 is linked with chapter 3. Bad plot settings, they might as well combined the whole chapters in the book and make a Star Wars series out of it.

http://www.dan-dare.org/Dan%20Saber/StarWarsWallpaper800.jpg
(The next proposed Biology syallabus)

But we are introduced back a sadly obsucre character found in "Science Form 3" textbook. That is the nerve cell. And it has a cooler(but more geekeir) name---Neurone. And now the character is also expanded with 3 more sub characters, the Affrent Neurone, Efferent Neurone and Interneurone. We also get a glimpse of the setting which the story takes place which is in the Spinal Cord. If you don't have time to read all the chapters, read this one. It's worth your time you allocate for "ponteng".

We learn another group of characters which are in a organization called "hormones". They are bascially the "Power Rangers" of our body and in this book they are explained thoroughtly and dare I say it, they are cool!

http://aboutheroes.com/Power-Rangers200-thumb-285x247.jpg
(Imagine them as hormones, but a lot less geekier and ridicolous)

Okay, now this is the part everyone has been waiting for since "Science Form 4" the more exciting, but not less controvesial chapter---Reproduction.

I must say the authors of this book really knows to sell their book.(Although it was given free* by goverment) Not only that expand more on the plot found in "Sciene Form3", but they dedicated an arc,which consist of 3 chapters!!!

I'll sum up the 3 chapters dedicated to sex. In chapter 4, we learn a little bit* more on how menstrual cycle works, how the two lovely character called "sperm" and "ovum" meet and their origins.

*Ten pages

http://backseatcuddler.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/twilight-movie-poster.jpg
(I'm not saying anything)

In the next chapter, the readers will be enthralled by the "after" part of birth. We learn about another character which is a pain in a butt to read that is "chromosome". Since we learn alot about them in the previous book, we now learn how they influence babies all around the world so that they won't look like the parents they are hate* for the rest of their lives.

*The writer isn't in any circumstances relating himself

"Everyone is Different"

That is how the last chapter (Variation) starts itself.Now the "chromosome" has a bigger part in this last chapter of the book. And surprisingly, I feel the way the last chapters sums up the arc of "Reproduction" and not to reveal too many details is really a great techinique of ending the story. The readers are left to wonder how will "choromosome" end up after the book and it's adventures later on in life. Actually, there are canon's of reproduction for plants but hey, learning about our own body is way more interesting.

So, I can say that the last 3 chapters of the book wants to give a clearer picture on the reproduction. From "Penis+Vagina= Babies" into "Male reproductive system+ female reproductive system=the next generation". Wait, isn't it the same? And more complicated??

Because of making this the whole process more complicated, I'll have to reconsider giving a good endorsement. Thus, after some considerations, I give "Biology Form 5" a 6 out of 10*.

*Now I just hope my bio teacher doesn't see this.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Friends for Sale Poem. =.='

In order to publicize myself so that everyone will "buy" me. I created an impromptu poem to attract people. Not sure they bought me because of the poem, or my good looks or just that they want to have fun buying me as their pet. =.=' I hope it's not the latter.

I use to play hide and seek,
but that does not mean I'm meek.
I'm crazy over Facebook,
it got me on the hook.

My price may be more than a triple,
but that's because of Mrs. Pineapple. (That's Tze Yen btw =P)
I write with right,I kick with my left,
I have a friend whom I call What-The-Ef!! (Wei Teng Wei Teng.... XD)

A man like you seems like a nice person,
but you can never be that handsome.
A crowd,You may gather with your beauty,
but compared to my mother, you're look like your ninety.

I'm have great friends whom I trust dearly,
cause I appreciate them truly.
So if you want to know them more closely,
BUY ME BUY ME with my heart I say sincerely!!


Opinions?? :D

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Scape Goat

I was doing my "Bible Study Fellowship"(BSF) work moments ago and this year we are studying about the life of Moses, in Egypt and out of it. Specifically, Exodus and right now, Leviticus.

So this week we were learning about the goat and sacrifices.Now, as I was doing the questions. One of the question reads:

10."Describe the symbolic ceremony for the removal of the sins that had been atoned by death"
(ref. Leviticus 16:20-28)

Apparently the process is somewhat unique, to say the least. Aaron(the high priest, not the one blogging about this when he's got better things to do) is to bring forth a live goat.But before this, he actually has to find 2 goats in the middle of the dessert. Thankfully he has the whole community of Israelites ready to help him cause they too, committed MANY sins.


(Their worst)

I'll bring you back to another part of Levitcus, 16:7-10.

"....Then he is to take the two goats and present them before he Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.He is to cast lots for thre two goats-one lot for the Lord and another for the scapegoat.Aaron shall bring the goat whose lots falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering.But the goat chosen by lot as a scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat."

Some of the things I learn:

1) The method of casting lots for choosing a goat to kill is also used to elect the new disciple to replace Judas.
2)I never know sacrificing goats involves lucky draws, or for this matter, unlucky.
3) Either way, both goats are screwed.

Anyway, back to the topic. In essence, if Aaron the High Priest is to make a sin offering to God, he has to choose 2 goats. One of them gets a quick but brutal death whilst the other has oppurtunity to die with dignity,albeit a slow but painful one.

http://www.nigraphic.com/files/images/iran_desert_maranjab_1.jpg
(I'm sure one of them is still wandering here...)

I want to concentrate on the goat which will be spending it's last days in the desert.The whole process continues when Aaron is "to lay both hands" on the goat.Why? "To confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites-All their sin-and put them on the goat's head". Basically Aaron is placing all the wickedness of the Israelites unto the goat and thus, the goat will be used as a "scapegoat".After that, the goat will carry the sin's of the people ans sent to the dessert to rot and die.

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_261/120880575814v4D2.jpg
(Death to you evil goat!)

If you haven't noticed, this is where the term "scapegoat" originated. It's amazing that the many of the phrases used nowadays originated from the bible. Think of "David vs Goliath", "Spare the rod,spoil the child" or even what we call our loved ones:"apple of my eye"! The word scapegoat is defined as "something or someone selected to bear blame for a calamity" (Wikipedia.com), very much the way the Israelites did for the goat.Ironically, the Israelites will be scapegoats themselves during the Holocaust period as they are blamed for Germany's poor economy during Post-WWI period.

But there is another scapegoat, this time on a bigger scale-Jesus-. He is hummanity scapegoat don't you think.We can't denied the fact that everyday, more and more people are doing bad things and thus, more sins are committed. Now, we can't atone for our sins anymore with goats because:

1) All goats are imperfect as they may have some defects, externally and/or internally.
2) There is too many people's sins for that poor little goat.
3) If more goats are slaughtered, they will become endangered species and WWF will be making a big news out of farm animals.

.
(not this one)

So that's why God gave us a solution. And it meant that His only son, Jesus Christ has to be a human being, live like a commoner,be a servant,live in the desert for 40 days(the irony),laughed at,got in disputee with religious authorities,and to top it all, DIE FOR US ON THE CROSS. He die in place of all of us on that cross that he has to carry by himself most of the time and nailed on it, 3 times.Moreover, he was flogged,spatted at,beaten,blashphemed and all of his disciples fled away.But the greatest comfort in the crucification is that Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead 3 days later!!! And that is why he has the power to atone for our sins cause he is sinless and he is alive to be a testimony to all of us and the Devil himself.

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_233/1202265296v54Kl3.jpg
(Somewhere in there Jesus is laughing at Death and the Devil)

And all Jesus Christ ask from you and me is that we accpet him to be his Lord and Saviour. No other conditions, just a short prayer to acknowledge him for all the torture and ordeal he had to go through. Isn't that the best deal we can get in our lives?


References:

www.Wikipedia.com
www.dreamstime.com
www.brandsoftheworld.com
www.nigraphic.com
www.dreamstime.com

Friday, July 24, 2009

REVO RECESS

Now I can safely say SMK Hamid Khan has kickstart it's Revo program.Our first activity has cleaning the class room.

First of all, I'm quite dissapointed that most of the committee were not able to make it. Some of them came to school, some had to do their scout and guide activities, while some went to QB because it was a matter of life and death.

Jokes aside, first of all we prayed and then we plan which row of classes we were going to do some cleaning. One of the REVO members who is the school's cleanliness prefect told us that 4K1 is the dirtiest class, so we decided to clean up all the form 4 classes.

I must say a very big "THANK YOU" to God because alot of people came....until I can't give all of them one REVO badge each.I'm missing one more, so if Pragash is reading this post...PLEASE SPARE ME A FEW MORE BADGES!!!I want to give it as a gift to encourage them to participate in this activity more often.

Nevertheless,credits must given to all the people who helped, even those who are not from SMK Hamid Khan's CF.You all doing something meaningful to the school, and slowly but surely, a change CAN and WILL happen in SMK Hamid Khan!!

God Bless.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

A-B-C tag.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to copy-paste this note, and answer all the questions. At the end, choose 10 people to be tagged - including the person who tagged you.

ABC About You Questions:

A - Available: =D

B - BIRTHDAY: 4th May

C - CRUSHING ON: Someone.. =P

D - DRINK YOU LAST HAD: Soya!!

E - EASIEST PERSON TO TALK TO: Errmm..probably Sher Lynn

F - FAVORITE SONG: Billie Jean-Michael Jackson

G - GUMMY BEARS OR GUMMY WORMS: ?????

H - HOMETOWN: Chadler,Arizona

I- IN LOVE WITH: Please refer to C

J - JUGGLE: Tried, failed miserably

K - KILLED SOMEONE: Well..."techinically" yes. "physically" no.

L - LONGEST CAR RIDE: I forgotten what part of Western Australia...it took like 8 hours :S

M- MILKSHAKE FLAVOR: Any combination of chocolates.

N - NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: 1

O - ONE WISH: To dream about the girl you love, and hold her tight,so HAPPY TOGETHER!!

P - PERSON YOU CALLED LAST: My dad who came back from Taiwan

R - REASON TO SMILE: My life.

S- SONG YOU LAST HEARD: Fill Me In- Craig David

T - TIME YOU WOKE UP: 6.25 AM

U - UNDERWEAR COLOR/PATTERN: White. That's more than enough info.. XP

V - VEGETABLE(S): Anything green except "kiam chai"

W - WORST HABIT: Forgets alot... =.=

X - X-RAYS YOU'VE HAD: So far none...

Y – YOYOS ARE: something I played when I was young and stupid. XD

Z - ZODIAC SIGN: Monkey

Random Questions

  • About You spell your name without vowels: RN CHNG TZN Y. rotl XD
  • What color do you wear most?: Red,Blue and Black
  • Least favorite color?: Old people's colour... -.-
  • What are you listening to?: Anything.As long as it's music to my ears.
  • Are you happy with your life right now?: Sure, but still I can do better..
  • What is your favorite class in school?: 3 Bestari!!
  • When do you start back at school/college?: Tomorrow...
  • Least Favorite pair of shoes?: My school shoes...
  • Where do you wish you were right now?: Frankly, I don't know...

THE CANS:

  • Can you dance?: Maybe, never seen myself in person to know. XD
  • Can you tie a cherry stem with your mouth?: Now who would do that?
  • Can you whistle?: Out of tune... =X
  • Write with both hands?: My left hand writing isn't that bad...
  • Walk with your toes curled?: Yes! :D

THE DO'S:

  • Do you believe there is life on other planets?: I don't wanna know..
  • Do you believe in miracles?: Yes
  • Do you believe in magic?: As long as I don't know the secret
  • Love at first sight?: Oh yes...
  • Do you believe in Satan?: Duh....
  • Do you believe in Santa?: No, I personally think he's too fat to fly.
  • Do you know how to swim?: Errmm..I can get myself out of trouble if that's what u mean.
  • Do you like roller coasters?: YEAH!!!
  • Do you think you could handle the stuff they eat on those reality shows?: I don't wanna know

THE HAVES:

  • Have you ever been on a plane?: Sure. Of course!
  • Have you ever asked someone out?: Well, if you count a prom invitation
  • Have you ever been asked out by someone?: Yes.By someone I least expected from.
  • Have you ever been to the ocean?: Uh huh
  • Have you ever painted your nails?: =.='

THE WHATS:

  • What is the temperature outside?: Same ol 30'C
  • What radio station do you listen to?: 104.4 Lite FM
  • What was the last restaurant you ate at?: Hidden Recipe. My favourite
  • What was the last thing you bought?: Fried Rice in school...
  • What was the last thing on TV you watched?: History Channel..weee...

THE WHOS:

  • Who was the last person you IM'd?: Adrian & Wei Lun
  • Who was the last person you took a picture of?: I forgot...
  • Who was the last person you said I love you to?: Mummy!!

CRYING SECTION:

  • Ever really cried your heart out?: Oh yes.
  • Ever cried yourself to sleep?: Nah..never!
  • Ever cried on your friend's shoulder?: No....
  • Ever cried over the opposite sex?: Yeah.....
  • Do you cry when you get an injury?: Only when it's really really bad..
  • Do certain songs make you cry?: Yeah. Come Undone-Duran Duran
  • Are you a happy person?: I don't know, better ask my friends...
  • What can make you happy?: Alot of things
  • Do you wish you were happier?: Yeap
  • Can music make you happy?: Often it does.

LOVE SECTION.

  • How many times have you had your heart broken?: once...
  • Have you ever loved someone so much that you'd die for them?: Only if that person willing to die for me.

LOOK AT ME.

  • What is your current hair color?: Black.
  • Current piercings?: none
  • Have any tattoos?: -.-
  • Eye color?: Black with a little bit of brown

IN A BOY/GIRL:

  • Favorite eye color: Blue
  • Short or long hair: Short
  • Height: Anything height, but not too tall..
  • Best clothing: Let's see...knee length skirt that sways in the wind and a decent blouse. XD

HAVE YOU EVER

  • Been to jail: If you count in a museum,yeah.
  • Laughed so hard you cried?: Yeah!! It was so funnt I forgot what izzit. =.=
  • Cried in school: Got....
  • Thrown up in a store: Yeah, in Cameron Highlands
  • Done something really stupid that you still laugh at today: :D
  • Gone skinny dipping: =.=
  • Pepsi or Coke: Anything.
  • McDonald's or Burger King: McD!!!
  • Single or Group Dates: Group?? me,her and her friend. Enough
  • Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate
  • Strawberries or Blueberries: Strawberries!!
  • Meat or Veggies: Both
  • TV or Movie: Both, I'm sooo greedy
  • Guitar or Drums?: Guitar
  • Adidas or Nike: Adidas!!
  • Chinese or Mexican: Chinese
  • Cheerios or Corn Flakes: Cheerios!!
  • Cake or Pie: Pie!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Finished~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TAG:

1) Adele
2) Qian Wen
3) Adrian
4) Tzeyen
5) Joshua John

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Monthly Test (JULY)

I'm not kidding. I'm going to have SPM already, and yet my beloved school is giving us a test....it's probably as relevant as a box of matches on the moon.

But, I still have to take it seriously. Cause, even though it's just a midget compared to SPM, it still matter. Cause it will be in my report slip and most importantly, I'll get heavy bombardment from my parents if I don't do well.

Frankly I think it's pointless.Look, there's 118 more days till SPM and yet we are stuck with a test which WILL definitely not be looked-in when applying for college. They'll look at your "more-important-but-not-as-compared-to-SPM" trials in enrolling you in their college and thus, paying them your leg & hands for your tuition fees.

But, if God can still pay attention to a "petty" like me, shouldn't I be treating my test as the same too?I mean, I'll just one in a BILLION on earth, and yet he gave his only son Jesus to die for me cause I meant the whole world to him.In fact, I am ashamed for not only me, but for mankind. He gave it all(literally) for us to be in heaven and yet many people still reject him, some go as far as saying that the cruxification never happened. Sad.

So, I'll do my part and give my best to my test.Although it won't matter much, at least I "run the race" for him and see what there is in store for me.

Monday, July 20, 2009

5 Thoughts of the Week XIII

I hate polystrene when they are rubbed together. Hearing the screech gives me the bumps...

My test is starting tomorrow. Wish me all the best, I gotta do well!


"M@l_y$!_N Politicians Says the Darnest Things". Indeed, indeed....

I must confess that I really have no time to finish reading my James Bond novel "Devil May Cry". Argh, perhaps the holidays?

If I have to say one type of person I hate, that is those that is N.A.T.O. (No action,talk only).

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Sentimentality

I found this great picture here. You know all the inspirational pictures with all the good attributes like "Determination", "Attentiveness" and with their one-liners. Someone did the same thing except he was inspired by the comic Calvin and Hobbes.



It does bring back some memories don't you think? I don't know about you, but I grew up reading Calvin and Hobbes. It may very well be the first comic strip I ever read and surely the best so far.When I was a kid, I like to read the comics because of all the elaborate expressions both the characters do and the overall drawing. Some of the scenes are magnificent such as my title header.

But as times goes by, I too grew up and I begin to laugh at the comic strips again; this time it isn't the drawings or caricature but the puns Bill Waterson often put in his strips.

I must have respect for Calvin cause he still keeps Hobbes around even though he has grown up to be an adult.And as you can see in the picture, Calvin lets his unnamed daughther to play with Hobbes and the daughter looks alot like Susie Derkins, Calvin's chilhood crush and I think we'll can safely say who's the mother...

Talking about the picture and the one-liner it comes with. Although not quite the "quote of the century", but you have to admit it makes sense(in a peculiar way).

When we were kids, we play with many toys and take it with us no matter where we go. I used to bring my toy cars, Thomas the tank engine or even my bears along when we travel somewhere else.It's basically our "ipod or Handphone" when we were young.

However, as we grow up and the hormones start kicking in. We longer play with those stuff, branding them as "childish" or something like that, but we do not know how much those things are valueble when we realized, they are gone.

I still have my childhood toys, but I donated some insignificant ones to Salvation Army. Only left are my bears, Hotwheels cars and Thomas the engine. Speaking about Thomas the tank engine, when I was in Changi Airport in Singapore, I found out that they are still selling it.....but those replica's are now made in metal! My collection was the original one's which were made out of wood. Now I know why my parents insist that I keep it even though I do not play with it.

Even my pyramix cube,which is a Rubik's cube but in a form of a triangle. I got it from A&W way,way back when I was still learning my A-B-C. Now, it's longer available and most importantly, I'm the only one in my school who has one. :D

So, go treasure-hunting,get back your old toys,clean it and keep it for your chilldren to play stuff you played as a kid.I'm sure it will be fullfilling experience(although I'm not married,let alone have a kid yet).

Friday, July 17, 2009

Why me????

A picture speaks a thousand words; A string of it speaks more than....you do the math.

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2677/image001kgi.jpg


Speaks alot don't you think?No? Go bang the wall. See how much it hurts without your father or mother stopping you.

God Bless, and remember it isn't just about you only.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

"Both of You are too Strong!!"

That's the reason I got because of my question on the teacher's justification on splitting me, Wei Lun and Esther up. But before that, let me give you the prologue of the problem.

Initially, we wanted to register as a team for 5S1 to join the debate competition.But since Sarifah Sarah wants to join too.We decided that Esther would join us in the Semi-Finals, and Sarifah would be our 1st speaker in the finals.(If we win)

It was a "close victory" according to the teacher.(Yeah,the same teacher I mentioned, she's going to play a big part in this story, albeit a "poor player" as William Shakespeare used to say) A lot of blunders were made between our team(goverment) and the opposition team.

Nevertheless, we had a fun time. So we eagerly wait for our finals between the other two teams.

When the results were out, the teacher suddenly had a plan so brilliant she would be short-listed in receiving the Nobel Prize, if and only if the judges had a brain capacity smaller than an ostrich.

She thinks that me and Wei Lun will surely win the final and so, she decided to split me and him up. The form4's were "excited" by the proposal and a loud applause soon happened.Thanks alot, I really appreciete that. Sincerely. Also to the TL of 39 G.T.(S), thanks for all those unecessary comments you made, you'll get into so much trouble if it not that Saik Ian thinks you *still have what it takes to lead our troop.

I got into an arguement with the teacher, and for good reasons of course. We entered the competition as a team, and now we are suppose to fight each other?? What's the point of registering us in the first place. We might as well just get random names and pick the good ones to form a team for the final? Doesn't that save time and there would be no fuss? I'm sure SMK H_K teachers would agree cause they need to "concentrate on the acedemic stuff".

Wei Lun wasn't satisfied, but he just brush it away. Telling me that it doesn't matter, but then what ticked me off soon after that is that the teacher said Sarifah shouldn't compete. Because she wants Andrew to be in my team, along with Nicholas.

Now, why didn't she questioned Wei Lun's team when he has 2 form 5's in his team, and a Form 4 who was in our school team? She also said that Andrew should be given a chance because he worked hard in preparing his speeches. HOW ABOUT SUHA AND YI XIU?? Didn't they work hard also??? Heck, I think they wanted to win the competition as well, why shouldn't they be recognized for their hard work and participation. It's good enough we have classes willing to join the debate, why mix them up??

What's more ironical is that the teacher wants Andrew Loh to be in the team so that the Form 4's will be prepared for next year. And yet, she wouldn't let go of me,Wei Lun and Esther. This is getting way to oxymoronic.

Now I'm stuck with a catch-22 situation, if I walk out, surely someone will bad-mouth me for being so "immature". (Yes, I quoted that from someone who went to a local university to get a teaching degree).What's funny is that the debate topic was "It is better to study locally than overseas". I guess I was at the wrong side of the arguement.

But if I stay on, the very purpose of 5S1 people of joining the debate is lost. We wanted to go and a team, win as a team. And that's all gone so that the students will have something interesting to watch. What? Me arguing against Wei Lun is a "must-watch"? What are we? Entertainment?? Screw you.

Right now, you can say I'm sulking. I have to admit I was doing that, and I am still pretty mad with what has happened.

So, to the "screenies" of my beloved school, I leave you with this quotation from the late MJ:

JUST BEAT IT!!!

Go read other SMK HK student blogs and be the secrurity act you guys are known for,

**********

Btw, we eventually have to compete against each other. But Wei Lun's team defeated us.

Congrats to him,Esther and Sara.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

English Week

Probably my most satisfied week ever in school, even though at the expense of my studies.But hey, it's just one week only, so what?

First Day.

I had to give a 5 minute speech on that day. Well, it wasn't so bad, i did manage to get a few to chuckle. But I still can't get over the fact that both my friends PPK me. =.=

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Malaysianairlines_b747-400_9m-mpj_arp.jpg/800px-Malaysianairlines_b747-400_9m-mpj_arp.jpg
(The airline they used.Hey, at least it didn't crash..)
Then today,they "unintentionally" leaked that someone said that they PPK me. Come on, it's your fault for not getting up early or setting the alarm at the wrong time.Why put the blame on me pointing out your mistakes? The irony is that these people like to pinpoint mistakes in everything: People, organizations, Politicians....you name it,they have an library in their mind dedicated to being just plain critical .

Besides, I need something to make people laugh. XD

After that, it was the scrabble competition. I'm Form 5, so I don't get to play =(

But nevertheless, I had a fun time. We get to walk around, laughing at people who had great tiles to put BINGO's or nice places to put 3-letter words that can score 30+ points.( I mean it)


2nd Day


Also known as today.

The scrabble competition ends today with 3 games of King Of The Hill, if you have no idea what's that. Surely you never playes HALO before.

http://hce.halomaps.org/images/files/lg/ACF530.jpg
(Warning: Hysterical laughter may occur followed by a
state of sorriness for the doom of mankind. )

It's basically position #1 vs #2, #3 vs #4, #5 vs #6....you get the idea.The most interesting part(Or rather the lack of it) of the format is that sometimes #1 can play #2 for alot of times.I been to 3 days competition and the #1 played against #2....... 7 times.

Man, to think that I couldn't even last 3 games with the same person.

***********
3rd Day

Elocution day.And also the Spelling Bee competition.

It was fun looking at people misspelling words. XD

Then it was the elocution. Me and Sakthi were the only reprentatives for our class.

He got 3rd. I WAS CHAMPION!!! XD Thanks alot to my mum for helping me in choosing a topic and God that make it happened. =)

Monday, July 13, 2009

5 Thoughts of the Week XII

Wow, last week's BSF questions were quite a handful. Thank God the questions are straightforward. XD

I can't get enough of "Stranger of Moscow" & "Human Nature"

" We will revert back to BM in the teaching of Science and Maths,but will concentrate more on English"Does anyone see an oxymoron here?

YAY!! I got my 1st custom-made cop. =)


Happy Birthday to you!May god bless you.Sincerely, from us.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

I'm speechless...

Another article to add into the "Back to BM by 2012" Fiasco.

All I can say tothe author of this article is..

"What's with you?? Are you having stress ? Need a break from Politics?
No. Seriously.
"


*****************


ZULKIFLI BIN NOORDIN
AHLI PARLIMEN
KULIM BANDAR BHARU


Saya mengalu-alukan keputusan kabinet untuk menghapuskan Pengajian & Pengajaran Sains & Matematik Dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI).

Ini adalah kemenangan kepada pejuang-pejuang bahasa Melayu yang tidak kenal penat lelah, tanpa batasan kepartian atau fahaman, tetapi bersatu bertekad untuk memartabatkan bahasa ibunda. Ini membuktikan bahawa apabila bangsa Melayu boleh mengenepikan fahaman politik dan kepartian, mereka boleh bersatu dan mempertahankan hak, maruah dan martabat mereka.

Ini juga membuktikan bahawa keputusan yang dibuat tanpa konsultansi, muafakat dan rujukan kepada mereka yang pakar akan menjerumuskan rakyat dan negara ke kancah kecelaruan dan haru biru. Dasar yang dibuat oleh Mahathir Mohamed tanpa rundingan dan perbincangan telah menganiaya ramai generasi desa dan kampung yang kepentingan dan kebajikan mereka langsung tidak ada dalam kamus Mahathir Mohamed.

Sebenarnya Artikel 152 Perlembagaan memperuntukkan bahawa Bahasa Kebangsaan adalah bahasa Malaysia. Oleh itu tidak timbul persoalan mengapa kita tidak boleh memartabatkan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa ilmu. Mendakwa bahasa Melayu sebagai bukan bahasa ilmu adalah satu penghinaan kepada sejarah, peradaban dan ketamadunan bangsa Melayu.

Kita telah melihat banyak bangsa yang langsung tidak menggunakan bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa ilmu namun berjaya dipersada pentas keilmuan dunia. Lihat sahaja bangsa Jepun, berapa ramai tokoh ilmuan dan saintis mereka yang menerima anugerah kehebatan duniawi termauk Anugerah Nobel sedangkan mereka sepatah bahasa inggeris pun tidak mereka ketahui.

Sebaliknya kita lihat bangsa Filipina contohnya yang begitu fasih berbahasa inggeris tetapi sekadar berjaya mengekspot ramai pembantu rumah!

Saya berpendapat sesuai dengan slogan 1-Malaysia, maka sudah tiba masanya Bahasa Melayu dimartabatkan semula sebagai satu bahasa ilmu dan bahasa persekolahan.

Sesuai dengan itu, saya sarankan kerajaan melaksanakan perkara-perkara berikut:

1. Mengembalikan tulisan jawi sebagai asas kepada Bahasa Melayu. Dasar meromawikan tulisan bahasa Melayu telah menyebabkan generasi masakini buta jawi dan buta Al Quran. Mereka kehilangan roh bahasa Melayu. Tulisan adalah roh sesuatu bahasa.

2. Menyelaraskan sistem persekolahan kepada "1-Sekolah 1-Bahasa". Ini akan menyegerakan proses integrasi dan memalaysiakan rakyat sebagai bangsa Malaysia. Sebagai langkah pertama, kerajaan perlu ada kekuatan politik (poltical will) untuk memansuhkan semua sekolah bukan aliran kebangsaan. Saya tidak faham kerana apa setelah 52 tahun merdeka kita masih mengekalkan sisten pecah & perintah yang diamalkan penjajah. Mengapa kita masih mengekalkan sekolah kebangsaan aliran lain sednagkan kita adalah rakyat Malaysia.

Daripada mengekalkan sistem pengasingan saperti yang diamalkan sekarang, mengapa tidak diujudkan satu sistem persekolahan yang menggunapakai bahasa Malaysia sebagai bahasa perantaraan.Ini tidak bermakna kita menafikan hak bangsa lain. Sebaliknya saya sarankan supaya bahasa-bahasa utama lain saperti bahasa Cina, Tamil dijadikan sebagai matapelajaran pilihan bagi pelajar-pelajar kita. Malahan pelajar-pelajar Melayu sewajarnya digalakkan mengambil matapelajaran bahasa lain ini sebagai pilihan mereka. Dengan cara ini, proses integrasi dan perpaduan kaum akan lebih segera tercapai.

3. Kita menyedari akan peri pentingnya bahasa Inggeris. Bagi tujuan itu, pengajaran mata pelajaran bahasa Inggeris perllu dipertingkatkan. Saya sarankan supaya pengajaran bahasa inggeris dijadikan matapelajaran pilihan wajib dan dipertingkatkan dengan pengajian kesusasteraan inggeris.

Saya mengharapkan keputusan kabinet akan membawa satu sinar baru kepada memartabatkan dan mengembalikan maruah bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa ilmu dan pemacu ketamadunan gemilang.

Zulkifli Bin Noordin
Rabu15 Rejab 143008 Julai 2009

*****************

I got the article from here.

Unsurprisingly, the author received nagative comments.One of them is (quoted) :

"Tuan membandingkan Filipina tetapi kenapa tuan tak membandingkan dengan INDIA yg ramai fasih bahasa inggeris dan mengeksport ramai PAKAR MATEMATIK,IT dan TEKNOLOGI ke seluruh DUNIA??"

He's got a point....Here's another one:

"Bercakap tentang Jepun......rakyatnya bertungkus lumus mempelajari bahasa Inggeris dan menterjemahkan ilmu-ilmu sains dan teknologi ke dalam bahasa Jepun.....sekarang mereka boleh mendabik dada.....tanpa sepatah pun tahu bahasa Inggeris. Ini adalah kerana terjemahan ilmu mereka terlampau banyak hasil usaha orang terdahulu."

Wow,I never tought of that before...

Nevertheless, I do hope the goverment will reconsider their desicion and re-think about the whole policy.I'm sure the goverment are made up for people that are calliber in their duty and get out and hear the people's thoughts.

Meanwhile, cast your vote on "Back t0 BM" in http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/

MALAYSIA BOLEH!!!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Student Card

Finally, our school has reached to it's senses and decided to do something for our students. A student card.-The most essential for all students to show their identity in the school.

Before this, we have to make use of what we had. Whenever we wanted some student card discount, we use our Library Card which is more or less the same as a Manilla Card that is crudely designed. About the same as wearing a Tesco suit to the Prom.Works, but what's the point?


Apparently the student card has an expiry date. I mean sure, there's some sense on having an expiry date, but what about us Form 5's??? There's 4 more months till we graduate, we seldom watch movies cause we have SPM coming, so what is the relevance for us to have a student card??

As a sounvenir??? Ohhh..sure. But wait, let me quote what is stated at the back of the card:

3) Pelajar yang berhenti sekolah atau bertukar sekolah perlu menyerahkan kad pelajar kepada pihak sekolah.


Bummer. =.=' Now I'm curious why do they need our cards back. We paid Rm4 for the thing, and we don't expect the money to come back to us cause the Adminstators are living on a different time zone than us.

" The reason we need to take back the card is to ensure that no one will misuse the card after they leave school".

Sure, you can say that. Then what's the expiry date for?? I know, a cheap joke.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

5 Thoughts of the Week XI

With all due respect Michael,I still think Neil Armstrong is the one who invented "Moonwalk".


Wohoo!! My exam results was better than I expected.I got 3rd!!! TQ Lord.


But now I have a coming July test...in 2 more weeks...=.=


YES!!! My Cristiano Ronaldo in FIFA07 gets his Mercurial Vapour V!!



My favourite song: Billie Jean. At least there's some recognition from my peers who had no taste in music.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Stereotypes

What are stereotypes anyway?I have none of a clue of it actually.Until I finally found out itis a type of logical oversimplification in which all the members of a class or set are considered to be definable by an easily distinguishable set of characteristics(Wikipedia)". Darn it,I know it's quite a hard thing to comprehend.But hey, it's Wikipedia,you get what you ask for.

In my opinion,it is basically labeling someone as someone(or something) which they are not.We stereotype someone simply because they may posses some characteristics which are unique to that group of people.(e.g. Who spikes his hair until it touches the sky and put on loud Cantonese Pop music? "Ah Beng"s.)No matter how you look at it, not ANYONE of us fits into ANY stereotypes.

Not all Americans eat burgers and hold a Cola on the other hand,not all Chinese are hardworking,not all Malays wear black shirts and "shuffle" in Queensbay Mall skating ring,not all PFS students are arrogant(I hope not),not all Heng EE students are well-discipline and not all SMK (insert any Malay VIP name here) students are gangsters.If anyone of you who are reading this have or had such stereotypes to those people,you can't be blamed.I too have my own stereotypes; I used to think girls think more of their outfit then their well being till I saw this person on American Idol.

In essence,we all are bound to stereotype a person whether we realize it or not.Look at any teenage girls who have short hair,you might think they are from PCGHS or PTHS,but there are some girls in my school who do have short hair too. We can't judge a book by it's cover.

http://991.com/newGallery/Mariah-Carey-FHM-324948.jpg
(And many people still wonder why FHM is still doing great in the economic crisis)

Which brings to me to my next point,WHY STEREOTYP-ING A PERSON IS BAD.Firstly,our words are as sharp as a sword.It can build relationships or destroy them in seconds.It helps to grow a person or ruin their life.You can even try a experiment if you want,although you might not want to bear the consequences.Pick someone dear to you,tell him/her something reguarly.Let's say "you can't do anything right in your life!"Wait for a few more years, I'm sure he or she "can't do anything right in his/her life".

There was a story of a father who had 2 daugthers.One of them was in her college's dean's list;while the other just got her first jail sentence.Now,what might have cause this?Turns out the girl who had her 1st jail sentence always got sinister remarks from her fathers,and then she started believing it herself,she initially just hang out with gangsters,then it went on to shoplifting then finally, her 6x6 jail cell. This my friend,is the power of our tougue.


(maybe not)

Besides cursing someone over one's life.Stereotyping had led to many controversies and chaoticincidents that has shocked the world.One them is the Rwanda Genocide,The "Tutsi" who fought with the "Hutu"in the Rwandan Civil War.The war gave rise to the term Hutu Power and this led to ethic tensions as The Tutsi intended to enslave the Hutu and rule over the country as the prime race.As the result,thousands and thoudsand of people have died not only from the genocide itself, but from epidemic diseases caught in Refugee camps and AIDS.Heck,there's even a movie about it.


(Are you smarter than a 5th grader?Yeah?Then guess what make the dip?)

Not only that, Iranians have complained about the movie "300"'s depiction of the Syrians as "decadent, sexually flamboyant and evil in contrast to the noble Greeks".

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2f/300-_Leonidas_and_Xerxes_discuss_surrender.jpg
(I don't intend to go to bed to you,but the producers made me do this)


Nevertheless,"We are made in the image of God".So that disqualifies us as someone who has authority to judge people,cause we all the same.We may have different skin colour,preferences,stand on politics or choosing either Adam Lamber or Kris Allen but we all are human beings in the end.Inside;and outside.Besides,God will do the judging when the time comes.In the meantime,let's witness miracles happen on Wimbledon.


(Or maybe not)