more blog news..
Yahoo! News - Blog-Tracking May Gain Ground Among U.S. Intelligence Officials
Thursday, 29 April 2004
golden homes
i saw this sight from my window yesterday at around 5pm and couldn't resist taking a couple of shots with my digital cam.. a few minutes later, it poured cats and dogs for a good two hours or so.. the evening was nice and cool and the smell of rain lingered on till late into the night.. i love the smell of the air after a rain..
can't wait for this week to come to an end.. next week will be the final week of my teaching practice at a real educational institution in singapore, with real students, real teachers and real classroom problems.. the end of a part fun part stress part agony experience and then i can look forward to another short holiday before we're finally told our destination for the next three years..
these two weeks have been a spinning mix of excitement, uncertainties, heart-stopping highs, revelations, friendships and all things that make life challenging but meaningful...
i'm looking forward to this weekend.
i saw this sight from my window yesterday at around 5pm and couldn't resist taking a couple of shots with my digital cam.. a few minutes later, it poured cats and dogs for a good two hours or so.. the evening was nice and cool and the smell of rain lingered on till late into the night.. i love the smell of the air after a rain..
can't wait for this week to come to an end.. next week will be the final week of my teaching practice at a real educational institution in singapore, with real students, real teachers and real classroom problems.. the end of a part fun part stress part agony experience and then i can look forward to another short holiday before we're finally told our destination for the next three years..
these two weeks have been a spinning mix of excitement, uncertainties, heart-stopping highs, revelations, friendships and all things that make life challenging but meaningful...
i'm looking forward to this weekend.
Wednesday, 28 April 2004
sunrise 28 apr 2004
i didn't do this morning's sunrise justice.. was rushing out of the house and decided to take just a few cursory shots... came back just now to look at the pics and could only find one decent one.. which is the one i just posted above...
it was A LOT more beautiful than what you see here...
nonetheless, this is for my friend who's feeling stressed.. cheer up.. :) ... the weekend is almost here... :)!!
i didn't do this morning's sunrise justice.. was rushing out of the house and decided to take just a few cursory shots... came back just now to look at the pics and could only find one decent one.. which is the one i just posted above...
it was A LOT more beautiful than what you see here...
nonetheless, this is for my friend who's feeling stressed.. cheer up.. :) ... the weekend is almost here... :)!!
China targets blogs in latest censorship of Internet
BEIJING: China is targeting blogs -- diary-style personal pages for Internet users -- in its latest attempt to censor the increasing popularity of the Internet in the country, according to a rights group.
Two sites hosting blogs for thousands of people -- who express their views about news, themselves or anything they want -- have been shut down by the government, the Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders said.
One of the blogs, "BlogBus.com," hosted more than 15,000 blogs that have now been made inaccessible, the group said in a statement.
(see full story)
Internet censorship of blogs??.. the most deplorable form of censorship. no less.
BEIJING: China is targeting blogs -- diary-style personal pages for Internet users -- in its latest attempt to censor the increasing popularity of the Internet in the country, according to a rights group.
Two sites hosting blogs for thousands of people -- who express their views about news, themselves or anything they want -- have been shut down by the government, the Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders said.
One of the blogs, "BlogBus.com," hosted more than 15,000 blogs that have now been made inaccessible, the group said in a statement.
(see full story)
Internet censorship of blogs??.. the most deplorable form of censorship. no less.
Monday, 26 April 2004
Sunday, 25 April 2004
Saturday, 24 April 2004
architecture in singapore
Studio Jay Dokken | Kampung
look at singapore architecture in a new way..
some of his comments (you have to click the little media button below the arrow) are sheer hysterical....
Studio Jay Dokken | Kampung
look at singapore architecture in a new way..
some of his comments (you have to click the little media button below the arrow) are sheer hysterical....
i thought people were being mean when...
they wrote, like in this blog:
"William Hung's "Inspiration"
Wow, it's bad. Really bad. Worse than you think. By reducing William Hung to a solely auditory phenomenon, Inspiration leaches all the joy in his goofiness and replaces it with sheer sonic horror. It's like listening to karaoke only you're not drunk and you're not with your friends. "
until i heard it for myself..
gulp...
i think it's a crime to put a CD like this on the market... i'm sorry if i come across really mean... trust me, i'm not normally so critical... but just don't let your kids hear any of the songs.. it may keep them up all night...
they wrote, like in this blog:
"William Hung's "Inspiration"
Wow, it's bad. Really bad. Worse than you think. By reducing William Hung to a solely auditory phenomenon, Inspiration leaches all the joy in his goofiness and replaces it with sheer sonic horror. It's like listening to karaoke only you're not drunk and you're not with your friends. "
until i heard it for myself..
gulp...
i think it's a crime to put a CD like this on the market... i'm sorry if i come across really mean... trust me, i'm not normally so critical... but just don't let your kids hear any of the songs.. it may keep them up all night...
Friday, 23 April 2004
Thursday, 22 April 2004
Wednesday, 21 April 2004
a moment to treasure
when i saw the sunrise this morning, i was blown away....
i never knew i could witness a sunrise as stunning as this in my little garden city ... and from my apartment window... glancing nervously at my watch to make sure i wasn't going to be late for work, i ran to grab my digital camera and managed to snap but two shots before the sky brightened, almost in the blink of an eye..
i almost missed it!
it suddenly dawned on me that many things in Life are really like that... a moment of indecisiveness, hesitation, procrastination and the opportunity passes you by, never to be seen again.. imagine if i stood by and just wondered if i should take the picture.. after a minute or so, the whole process of decision-making would have been pointless..
so i believe in following my intuition.. my gut feel.. though i have frequently been accused of being a daredevil of sort, taking risks of all kinds, seemingly without care of consequence or repercussion, it's really only because i'm afraid of missing an opportunity which stares me in the face.. just because i was afraid... or worried about what others would think....
I believe I should live Life the way I believe..
(this stunning picture is dedicated to my new friend... happy one week anniversary! :) .... thanks for giving me the courage and reason to do so..... and thank God for all the wonder and beauty in my life... :)
when i saw the sunrise this morning, i was blown away....
i never knew i could witness a sunrise as stunning as this in my little garden city ... and from my apartment window... glancing nervously at my watch to make sure i wasn't going to be late for work, i ran to grab my digital camera and managed to snap but two shots before the sky brightened, almost in the blink of an eye..
i almost missed it!
it suddenly dawned on me that many things in Life are really like that... a moment of indecisiveness, hesitation, procrastination and the opportunity passes you by, never to be seen again.. imagine if i stood by and just wondered if i should take the picture.. after a minute or so, the whole process of decision-making would have been pointless..
so i believe in following my intuition.. my gut feel.. though i have frequently been accused of being a daredevil of sort, taking risks of all kinds, seemingly without care of consequence or repercussion, it's really only because i'm afraid of missing an opportunity which stares me in the face.. just because i was afraid... or worried about what others would think....
I believe I should live Life the way I believe..
(this stunning picture is dedicated to my new friend... happy one week anniversary! :) .... thanks for giving me the courage and reason to do so..... and thank God for all the wonder and beauty in my life... :)
Monday, 19 April 2004
dumb joke (via email) .. too good not to be shared..
A middle age woman decides to have a face lift for her birthday. She spends $5000 and feels pretty good about the results.
On her way home, she stops at a news stand to buy a newspaper. Before leaving she says to the clerk, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but how old do you think I am?"
"About 32," was the reply. "I'm exactly 47, " the woman says happily.
A little while later she goes into McDonald's and asks the counter girl the very same question.
She replies, "I guess about 29." The woman replies, "Nope, I'm 47." Now she's feeling really good about herself.
She stops in a drug store on her way down the street. She goes up to the counter to get some mints and asks the clerk this burning question. The clerk responds, "Oh , I'd say 30." Again she proudly responds, "I am 47, but thank you."
While waiting for the bus to go home, she asks an old man the same question. He replies, "Lady, I'm 78 and my eyesight is going. Although, when I was young, there was a sure way to tell how old a woman was. It sounds very forward, but it requires you to let me put my hands under your bra. Then I can tell you exactly how old you are."
They waited in silence on the empty street until curiosity got the best of her. She finally blurts out, "What the hell, go ahead." He slips both of his hands under her blouse and under her bra and begins to feel around very slowly and carefully. After a couple of minutes of this, she said, "Okay, okay,...how old am I?" He completes one last squeeze of her breasts and removes his hands and says, "Madam, you are 47." Stunned and amazed, the woman says, "That was incredible,... how did you know?"
The old man replies, "Promise you won't get mad?" "No", she said.
So he replied, "I was behind you in line at McDonald's"
A middle age woman decides to have a face lift for her birthday. She spends $5000 and feels pretty good about the results.
On her way home, she stops at a news stand to buy a newspaper. Before leaving she says to the clerk, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but how old do you think I am?"
"About 32," was the reply. "I'm exactly 47, " the woman says happily.
A little while later she goes into McDonald's and asks the counter girl the very same question.
She replies, "I guess about 29." The woman replies, "Nope, I'm 47." Now she's feeling really good about herself.
She stops in a drug store on her way down the street. She goes up to the counter to get some mints and asks the clerk this burning question. The clerk responds, "Oh , I'd say 30." Again she proudly responds, "I am 47, but thank you."
While waiting for the bus to go home, she asks an old man the same question. He replies, "Lady, I'm 78 and my eyesight is going. Although, when I was young, there was a sure way to tell how old a woman was. It sounds very forward, but it requires you to let me put my hands under your bra. Then I can tell you exactly how old you are."
They waited in silence on the empty street until curiosity got the best of her. She finally blurts out, "What the hell, go ahead." He slips both of his hands under her blouse and under her bra and begins to feel around very slowly and carefully. After a couple of minutes of this, she said, "Okay, okay,...how old am I?" He completes one last squeeze of her breasts and removes his hands and says, "Madam, you are 47." Stunned and amazed, the woman says, "That was incredible,... how did you know?"
The old man replies, "Promise you won't get mad?" "No", she said.
So he replied, "I was behind you in line at McDonald's"
will you still love me tomorrow...
this is sweet.
teaching practice is becoming more challenging by the day.. other than the endless amounts of lesson planning, there is the constant uncertainty that accompanies us whenever we step in and out of a half-dead class... sometimes, at the end of the day, we wonder if we have made a dent of a difference to anyone at all..
for a profession that is entirely people-centered, it's easier said than done to "just do our best" (something that many kind souls have been telling me to do...) after all, our results and our sense of achievement are determined almost entirely by the impact we have made on other people, not on the amount of teaching we have done in the classroom ...
these past few days have been scorchingly hot in the daytime, turning classrooms into furnaces.. sometimes, even i feel sleepy when i walk in, only to be blasted by the heat from the oven-baked walls... the kids are comatosed after hours of endless lessons and nothing seems to be effective in reviving them.. except for occasional lame jokes such as:
Q: Why did the bee cross its legs?
A: Because it couldn't find a Bee Pee (BP) station .
teaching is hard.
this is sweet.
teaching practice is becoming more challenging by the day.. other than the endless amounts of lesson planning, there is the constant uncertainty that accompanies us whenever we step in and out of a half-dead class... sometimes, at the end of the day, we wonder if we have made a dent of a difference to anyone at all..
for a profession that is entirely people-centered, it's easier said than done to "just do our best" (something that many kind souls have been telling me to do...) after all, our results and our sense of achievement are determined almost entirely by the impact we have made on other people, not on the amount of teaching we have done in the classroom ...
these past few days have been scorchingly hot in the daytime, turning classrooms into furnaces.. sometimes, even i feel sleepy when i walk in, only to be blasted by the heat from the oven-baked walls... the kids are comatosed after hours of endless lessons and nothing seems to be effective in reviving them.. except for occasional lame jokes such as:
Q: Why did the bee cross its legs?
A: Because it couldn't find a Bee Pee (BP) station .
teaching is hard.
Friday, 16 April 2004
Thursday, 15 April 2004
Monday, 12 April 2004
funky pinhole cam
there's no doubt about it.. i'm constantly and abundantly blessed in those things that really matter to me.. photography, travel, career, friendships, a wonderful family and other inspirational figures in my life....
someone just lent me this fun plastic pinhole cam... see GAKKEN OTONA NO KAGAKU
now i've a new toy to play with... :) it takes normal film but requires no battery whatsoever..
i take first and then show you, ok? :p
in the meantime, look at the results of a pinhole photography experiment (called 'Emulsification') this Japanese guy did with some giant glass balls... he custom-made these giant glass globes and then coated the insides with some photo emulsion thing before covering the outside with black material and foil, leaving only a small hole at one end. He then leaves the whole glass ball out in the garden to capture the scenary.. I guess at the end, he removes the outside covering and illuminates the globes from the inside to complete these amazing creations..
the Japs are truly imaginative and creative!
there's no doubt about it.. i'm constantly and abundantly blessed in those things that really matter to me.. photography, travel, career, friendships, a wonderful family and other inspirational figures in my life....
someone just lent me this fun plastic pinhole cam... see GAKKEN OTONA NO KAGAKU
now i've a new toy to play with... :) it takes normal film but requires no battery whatsoever..
i take first and then show you, ok? :p
in the meantime, look at the results of a pinhole photography experiment (called 'Emulsification') this Japanese guy did with some giant glass balls... he custom-made these giant glass globes and then coated the insides with some photo emulsion thing before covering the outside with black material and foil, leaving only a small hole at one end. He then leaves the whole glass ball out in the garden to capture the scenary.. I guess at the end, he removes the outside covering and illuminates the globes from the inside to complete these amazing creations..
the Japs are truly imaginative and creative!
The Psychology of Color - According to Dr. Max Luscher
i found this Color Preferences Reveal Your Personality test in the school computer and tried it..
here are my results...
PROBLEM UNDERLYING THE PRESENT STRESS -- Works to strengthen his (her) position and bolster his (her) self-esteem by examining his (her) own accomplishments -- and those of others -- with critical appraisal and scientific discrimination. Insists on having things clear-cut and unequivocal.
DESIRED OBJECTIVE -- Seeks an affectionate relationship, offering fulfillment and happiness. Capable of powerful emotional enthusiasm. Helpful, and willing to adapt himself (herself) if necessary to realize the bond of affection he (she) desires. Needs the same consideration and understanding from others.
CURRENT INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR -- Circumstances are such that he (she) feels forced to compromise for the time being if he (she) is to avoid being cut off from affection or from full participation.
like all online personality tests, the results are unsurprisingly accurate....erhmm....
spent the long weekend doing a stock-check on my current state of existence, looking for answers and affirmations... also managed to go for a run at East Coast, went swimming twice (including once to the very exciting Jurong East Swimming Complex with best pal Kai) and work out some fresh changes to my current weekly work/play routine..
i'm ready to face this new week with a smile on my face. :) Thank God!
i found this Color Preferences Reveal Your Personality test in the school computer and tried it..
here are my results...
PROBLEM UNDERLYING THE PRESENT STRESS -- Works to strengthen his (her) position and bolster his (her) self-esteem by examining his (her) own accomplishments -- and those of others -- with critical appraisal and scientific discrimination. Insists on having things clear-cut and unequivocal.
DESIRED OBJECTIVE -- Seeks an affectionate relationship, offering fulfillment and happiness. Capable of powerful emotional enthusiasm. Helpful, and willing to adapt himself (herself) if necessary to realize the bond of affection he (she) desires. Needs the same consideration and understanding from others.
CURRENT INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR -- Circumstances are such that he (she) feels forced to compromise for the time being if he (she) is to avoid being cut off from affection or from full participation.
like all online personality tests, the results are unsurprisingly accurate....erhmm....
spent the long weekend doing a stock-check on my current state of existence, looking for answers and affirmations... also managed to go for a run at East Coast, went swimming twice (including once to the very exciting Jurong East Swimming Complex with best pal Kai) and work out some fresh changes to my current weekly work/play routine..
i'm ready to face this new week with a smile on my face. :) Thank God!
Sunday, 11 April 2004
Saturday, 10 April 2004
Minolta DSLR
this is going to interest only those keen on photography but anyways...
for the longest time, Minolta die-hard loyalists like myself have been asking "When is Minolta going to introduce a DSLR?".. we've waited patiently, but ever so often we'll break down, lament how Minolta has "let us down", threaten to dump all our Minolta gear (a frightening array built up over the years) and switch to the rival brands which have come up with one after another of these pro digital cams, seemingly with little effort and at temptingly great value..
but still we hung on.... and finally.. THIS!
announced at this year's PMA Convention... due in Fall 2004.... looks so sleek..... so perfect looking... except for that ugly long row of text at the top.. grr..... why can't they just leave it as "Minolta"?? funny font too..... sigh..
so far, we don't know enough about this camera except for the bit of info released.... (see more info on sites like this one)..
"The new camera is tentatively named the Maxxum 7 Digital and it will be based on the Maxxum 7 film body (the Dynax 7 outside the U.S.). It will be a 6.0 megapixel camera with an APS sized image sensor and it will be fully compatible with the Maxxum system including all Maxxum 35mm lenses."
There is also an anti-shake technology in the camera body - not in the lenses - which allows every lens used with the camera to have this anti-shake function! Isn't that so cool? :)
Just as I was about to calculate how much I should put aside every month from now on to ready myself for the hefty purchase once the camera is launched in "Fall 2004" (i.e. Aug/Sep), I suddenly realised that there is one huge concern I didn't actually think of earlier.... considering that it is only 6 megapixels (sounds like a lot but not all that impressive once you consider how quickly technology is changing nowadays), one worries if Minolta will promptly come up with Version 2.0 no more than 6 months later,
What will happen then? ... no doubt us Minolta fans will be hopping mad again..
sigh.. to save up or not to save up? that is the question...
this is going to interest only those keen on photography but anyways...
for the longest time, Minolta die-hard loyalists like myself have been asking "When is Minolta going to introduce a DSLR?".. we've waited patiently, but ever so often we'll break down, lament how Minolta has "let us down", threaten to dump all our Minolta gear (a frightening array built up over the years) and switch to the rival brands which have come up with one after another of these pro digital cams, seemingly with little effort and at temptingly great value..
but still we hung on.... and finally.. THIS!
announced at this year's PMA Convention... due in Fall 2004.... looks so sleek..... so perfect looking... except for that ugly long row of text at the top.. grr..... why can't they just leave it as "Minolta"?? funny font too..... sigh..
so far, we don't know enough about this camera except for the bit of info released.... (see more info on sites like this one)..
"The new camera is tentatively named the Maxxum 7 Digital and it will be based on the Maxxum 7 film body (the Dynax 7 outside the U.S.). It will be a 6.0 megapixel camera with an APS sized image sensor and it will be fully compatible with the Maxxum system including all Maxxum 35mm lenses."
There is also an anti-shake technology in the camera body - not in the lenses - which allows every lens used with the camera to have this anti-shake function! Isn't that so cool? :)
Just as I was about to calculate how much I should put aside every month from now on to ready myself for the hefty purchase once the camera is launched in "Fall 2004" (i.e. Aug/Sep), I suddenly realised that there is one huge concern I didn't actually think of earlier.... considering that it is only 6 megapixels (sounds like a lot but not all that impressive once you consider how quickly technology is changing nowadays), one worries if Minolta will promptly come up with Version 2.0 no more than 6 months later,
What will happen then? ... no doubt us Minolta fans will be hopping mad again..
sigh.. to save up or not to save up? that is the question...
Friday, 9 April 2004
Remember The Cross -|---
On this day, let's remember what Jesus did for you and me....
"The Christian teaching about who crucified Christ is not that the Romans or the Jews or whatever people happened to be there did, but that you and I did, and that all human societies without exception are involved in the crucifixion of Christ. Northrop Frye's " ... this is something to keep in mind as you watch Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ... it's definitely NOT an anti-Semitic movie...
No one can truly fathom the pain and suffering Jesus experienced on the cross to redeem us. It was a divine exchange: we took His good and He took our bad. Totally unfair, but that was how much Jesus loved us.
Isaiah 53 lists this exchange.
On the cross, Jesus ............................. So that we might
was devoid of beauty .......................... have His beauty
was rejected .........................................be accepted
was a man of sorrows ..........................have joy
was despised ....................................... be esteemed
carried our sicknesses and pains ........ be healed
had no peace ....................................... have peace
bore our sins and shed His blood ......... be forgiven
did not have anybody speaking for Him before God .......... have a High Priest in heaven speaking for us forever
On the cross, God laid on Jesus the sin and filth of the whole world, and the wrath and judgement of God came upon Jesus like no other man has ever suffered or will ever suffer.
For three hours, darkness covered the earth while Jesus experienced pain and torment that was unimaginably hideous and vile when He took on His own body our sin and sicknesses. When Jesus died, God tore the heavy veil in the temple that separated man and God, thus signifying man’s eternal acceptance into His presence.
Having exhausted His wrath, God raised Jesus from the dead and He now sits at the right of God in heaven as our High Priest. The precious blood of Christ, once shed, forever settles the need for judgement of sin on man.
Now we have a permanent right standing with God, and complete access to Him to bring all our requests, big or small. He loves us with an everlasting love and we are forever His children, beloved by Him.
Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29
(text reproduced from the new creation church website: What Jesus Has Done For You)
On this day, let's remember what Jesus did for you and me....
"The Christian teaching about who crucified Christ is not that the Romans or the Jews or whatever people happened to be there did, but that you and I did, and that all human societies without exception are involved in the crucifixion of Christ. Northrop Frye's " ... this is something to keep in mind as you watch Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ... it's definitely NOT an anti-Semitic movie...
No one can truly fathom the pain and suffering Jesus experienced on the cross to redeem us. It was a divine exchange: we took His good and He took our bad. Totally unfair, but that was how much Jesus loved us.
Isaiah 53 lists this exchange.
On the cross, Jesus ............................. So that we might
was devoid of beauty .......................... have His beauty
was rejected .........................................be accepted
was a man of sorrows ..........................have joy
was despised ....................................... be esteemed
carried our sicknesses and pains ........ be healed
had no peace ....................................... have peace
bore our sins and shed His blood ......... be forgiven
did not have anybody speaking for Him before God .......... have a High Priest in heaven speaking for us forever
On the cross, God laid on Jesus the sin and filth of the whole world, and the wrath and judgement of God came upon Jesus like no other man has ever suffered or will ever suffer.
For three hours, darkness covered the earth while Jesus experienced pain and torment that was unimaginably hideous and vile when He took on His own body our sin and sicknesses. When Jesus died, God tore the heavy veil in the temple that separated man and God, thus signifying man’s eternal acceptance into His presence.
Having exhausted His wrath, God raised Jesus from the dead and He now sits at the right of God in heaven as our High Priest. The precious blood of Christ, once shed, forever settles the need for judgement of sin on man.
Now we have a permanent right standing with God, and complete access to Him to bring all our requests, big or small. He loves us with an everlasting love and we are forever His children, beloved by Him.
John 1:29
(text reproduced from the new creation church website: What Jesus Has Done For You)
Tuesday, 6 April 2004
The Purpose of Education
i picked up an old copy of Time Magazine dated Sep 11, 2002 today and on the cover was a montage of pictures and a row of text that simply read "9/11 One Year Later"
Expecting to find little else besides the special report on the Sep 11 incident, I was hence surprised to find a four-page article in the magazine on Unit 731 - the notorious biological and chemical warfare experiment lab used by the Japanese imperial army during the Second World War.
for those old enough to have caught a documentary movie several years ago of the same name ("Unit 731"), you will be familiar with the horrors of this so-called research centre, used during WWII, where Japanese scientists conducted cruel and sadistic experiments on Chinese POWs and civilians for some 13 years until they were forced to surrender in 1945. Hapless victims were frozen alive to research frostbite, burnt alive to study on human combustion, stuck into vacuum chambers until their bellies exploded, infected with plague, anthrax and cholera viruses and germs, and subjected to vivisection without anesthesia. Some even had their hearts cut out while they were fully alive. Even though i was quite young when i watched the movie with my parents, these images were indelibly and vividly etched in my mind..
many questions came to my mind at that time, and with the reading of this article, they once again resurfaced in my consciousness..
can people really be so evil?
does human evilness have any limits?
most importantly, after years of so-called "civilisation", is mankind any "better" than before? or worse?
in my radial ponderings, i started surfing the net for what is the TRUE purpose of education... after all, if this is what I am supposed to be working on at this point in my life, I should at least know there is a deeper aim (or maybe even divine purpose) to why I chose or have been chosen for this profession and not anything else...
and rather pleasantly, I chanced upon this in The Seattle Times: Martin Luther King Jr.: "The Purpose of Education "
Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one's self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda...
We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not only the accumulated knowledge of the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.
If we are not careful, our colleges will produce a group of close-minded, unscientific, illogical propagandists, consumed with immoral acts. Be careful, "brethren!" Be careful, teachers!
So true! Education for the purpose of developing a mind able to think on its own and a moral character able to stand for what is right.
with so much priority given to academic achievement compared to everything else in most schools now (a sad situation considering all that is being done and proposed at the governmental level to correct this), there is certainly room for worry... a developed society that is morally and socially lacking... what's the point, eh?
i picked up an old copy of Time Magazine dated Sep 11, 2002 today and on the cover was a montage of pictures and a row of text that simply read "9/11 One Year Later"
Expecting to find little else besides the special report on the Sep 11 incident, I was hence surprised to find a four-page article in the magazine on Unit 731 - the notorious biological and chemical warfare experiment lab used by the Japanese imperial army during the Second World War.
for those old enough to have caught a documentary movie several years ago of the same name ("Unit 731"), you will be familiar with the horrors of this so-called research centre, used during WWII, where Japanese scientists conducted cruel and sadistic experiments on Chinese POWs and civilians for some 13 years until they were forced to surrender in 1945. Hapless victims were frozen alive to research frostbite, burnt alive to study on human combustion, stuck into vacuum chambers until their bellies exploded, infected with plague, anthrax and cholera viruses and germs, and subjected to vivisection without anesthesia. Some even had their hearts cut out while they were fully alive. Even though i was quite young when i watched the movie with my parents, these images were indelibly and vividly etched in my mind..
many questions came to my mind at that time, and with the reading of this article, they once again resurfaced in my consciousness..
can people really be so evil?
does human evilness have any limits?
most importantly, after years of so-called "civilisation", is mankind any "better" than before? or worse?
in my radial ponderings, i started surfing the net for what is the TRUE purpose of education... after all, if this is what I am supposed to be working on at this point in my life, I should at least know there is a deeper aim (or maybe even divine purpose) to why I chose or have been chosen for this profession and not anything else...
and rather pleasantly, I chanced upon this in The Seattle Times: Martin Luther King Jr.: "The Purpose of Education "
Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one's self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda...
We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not only the accumulated knowledge of the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.
If we are not careful, our colleges will produce a group of close-minded, unscientific, illogical propagandists, consumed with immoral acts. Be careful, "brethren!" Be careful, teachers!
So true! Education for the purpose of developing a mind able to think on its own and a moral character able to stand for what is right.
with so much priority given to academic achievement compared to everything else in most schools now (a sad situation considering all that is being done and proposed at the governmental level to correct this), there is certainly room for worry... a developed society that is morally and socially lacking... what's the point, eh?
New subjects like drama and economics may be offered in Secondary schools
Education --> more exciting changes to come... see news
"More variety, more choices are now the buzzwords in education."
Education --> more exciting changes to come... see news
"More variety, more choices are now the buzzwords in education."
Monday, 5 April 2004
Scrap A levels
MP Tan Cheng Bock said: 'Scrap A levels let all O level students go to the poly' - APRIL 4, 2004
'The A levels are a British heritage we have kept for far too long. The time has come to rethink this. My view is that we should scrap the A levels and let all O-level students go to the polys.'
the more i think about it, the more it makes sense... by golly, i think he's right..
MP Tan Cheng Bock said: 'Scrap A levels let all O level students go to the poly' - APRIL 4, 2004
'The A levels are a British heritage we have kept for far too long. The time has come to rethink this. My view is that we should scrap the A levels and let all O-level students go to the polys.'
the more i think about it, the more it makes sense... by golly, i think he's right..
Sunday, 4 April 2004
Thinking on your Feet
i'm reading a book now called "How to Think on your Feet" by Patrick Quinn and decided to surf the net to search for some more tips on how to develop this fundamental skill that I think all teachers need to have (and which i still sorely lack)...
check out this great story i found:
There was a boy who worked in the produce section of the market. A man came in and asked to buy half a head of lettuce. The boy told him that they only sold whole heads of lettuce, but the man replied that he did not need a whole head, but only a half head. The boy said he would go ask his manager about the matter.
The boy walked into the back room and said, "There's some jerk out there who wants to buy only a half a head of lettuce." As he was finishing saying this he turned around to find the man standing right behind him, so he added, "and this gentleman wants to buy the other half...
The manager okayed the deal and the man went on his way. Later the manager called on the boy and said, "You almost got yourself in a lot of trouble earlier, but I must say I was impressed with the way you got yourself out of it. You think on your feet and we like that around here. Where are you from son?" The boy replied, "Canada sir." "Oh really? Why did you leave Canada?" asked the manager. The boy replied, "They're all just whores and hockey players up there."
"Really," replied the manager, "My wife is from Canada!!" The boy replied, "No kidding! What team did she play for?
i'm reading a book now called "How to Think on your Feet" by Patrick Quinn and decided to surf the net to search for some more tips on how to develop this fundamental skill that I think all teachers need to have (and which i still sorely lack)...
check out this great story i found:
There was a boy who worked in the produce section of the market. A man came in and asked to buy half a head of lettuce. The boy told him that they only sold whole heads of lettuce, but the man replied that he did not need a whole head, but only a half head. The boy said he would go ask his manager about the matter.
The boy walked into the back room and said, "There's some jerk out there who wants to buy only a half a head of lettuce." As he was finishing saying this he turned around to find the man standing right behind him, so he added, "and this gentleman wants to buy the other half...
The manager okayed the deal and the man went on his way. Later the manager called on the boy and said, "You almost got yourself in a lot of trouble earlier, but I must say I was impressed with the way you got yourself out of it. You think on your feet and we like that around here. Where are you from son?" The boy replied, "Canada sir." "Oh really? Why did you leave Canada?" asked the manager. The boy replied, "They're all just whores and hockey players up there."
"Really," replied the manager, "My wife is from Canada!!" The boy replied, "No kidding! What team did she play for?
Saturday, 3 April 2004
what i learnt about the power of love over hatred
All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle
~ Francis Of Assissi
Love seeks healing, peace and wholeness. Hatred can never overcome hatred. Only love can overcome hatred and violence. Love is that light. It is that candle that cannot be extinguished by all the darkness and hatred in the world.
~ Francis Of Assissi
Love seeks healing, peace and wholeness. Hatred can never overcome hatred. Only love can overcome hatred and violence. Love is that light. It is that candle that cannot be extinguished by all the darkness and hatred in the world.
Friday, 2 April 2004
Life is Unfair...
... cos i get all the beautiful views of sunrise from my real table-sde window every morning and you can only view them from your Microsoft Windows...
wahhahahaha... see a close up of those lovely cranes (Singapore's National Bird) here.
Am i in a good mood? haha.. ya, I am.. how did you guess? :p ... been a good day. Thank God! :)
... cos i get all the beautiful views of sunrise from my real table-sde window every morning and you can only view them from your Microsoft Windows...
wahhahahaha... see a close up of those lovely cranes (Singapore's National Bird) here.
Am i in a good mood? haha.. ya, I am.. how did you guess? :p ... been a good day. Thank God! :)
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