While walking home today, i realised something peculiar as i saw thick smoke and smelt something burning. It was a choking smell, and it forced me to look around to locate the source of it. Well, i saw a huge pile of ashes and i immediately know what it for was. Ironically, only with the fact that along my way i saw even more people burning incense and remembering you zhe mentioning of seeing SOMEONE while burning incense plus the fact that i took a look at my watch, then i recalled that today was the 15th day of the seventh lunar month... How muddleheaded can i get?!
If you have noticed, i'm starting to practise grammar here. Grammar holds a high percentage in essays, so i have no choice. Caution. It's going to be a long post.
Finally, I had a good sleep yesterday. The results of it were simply amazing. I seemed to be full of life in the morning though i had to report to school at 7am for lessons
sec 4 life, what to do? Mrs Tang had oral practice with a group so the rest of us were left in class. Somehow, i began to start reading through the articles she told us to read. It was especially astonishing, since i do not read much, other then compulsory passages, like the comprehension passages. I finished every single one of them and moved on to the stories. I was mesmerized by the first prize winning story and i do a hundred percent agree with the judges comments, that the writer had given a 'life' to the non living things. Kudos to the writer. I was also captivated by the works of the second prize winners, though i slightly preferred the one in local context. That was the story that john lau made small changes and posted on his blog.
After heading home, i decided to venture to the library. That was an impromptu decision, considering the fact that it had been ages since i last stepped into the library near my house and the last time i went to the library was woodlands library, and the intention was to study. As i have mentioned, you would not catch me reading a book other then the textbook, even if it is the latter, it would be rare as well. Ironically, i borrowed a book and read it. I do not know how long this will last but it is already a milestone achieved. Haha.
I went on to read through The Straits Times. I read quite a significant number of articles. Perhaps due to the fact that i'm having O Level English Oral Examinations next Monday, i may be sourcing for some ideas to 'crap intelligently' for the conversation part, or maybe even the picture discussion part.
I read about the issue of Georgia and Russia. It is said that Georgia started the war first and Russia acted in self defense, but overstepped the limit and went all the way in. I'm not going to elaborate the saga here, if not i would be doing a revision kit for the future generation taking history, don't you agree? So basically you can jolly well read today's Straits Times and you would know the story from what i believe is the neutral stand, London. Some may argue that London may help USA but it reported that Georgia had started the war, and not what USA claimed to be, isn't that ENHANCED RELIABILITY? So read today's Straits Times guys.
There's another point i want to pick out from this saga. From what i believe is who is USA to criticize Russia? The USA is the ones who invaded Iraq for oil in the first place and had jolly well trampled on international laws as well. Note that this is what the newspaper said, and i agree with them. Perhaps it's just biased thoughts against one another that create this saga. Come on, the cold war already proved it. Imagine Russia sending troops to Iraq to help against USA. Constant ceasefire violations still carries on, with them claiming that Russia is sabotaging and crippling Georgia's military bases like air fields etceteras. Civilians were used as targets, that's why both USA and Russia did. You call that inhumane, but war IS inhumane in the first place. What is the difference when you kill a soldier compared to when you kill a civilian? Both are lives and should be treated with respect. Go play some war games if you want kill anyone.
Now this is not propaganda, but didn't Singapore and Malaysia settled territorial conflicts via the international court? What is the difference is that these two superpowers have that ego in them. It is the ego that propels them into doing such things. It is like thinking, "i have nuclear, to hell with them, who are they to order me?" The other side would be thinking, "i have nuclear, to hell with them, who are they to not listen to me?" If both sides just spare a thought, just a little, for the other, nothing would happen. Let's face it. It's impossible.
We are now the audience of the saga. What we could do is to watch another crisis, probably named the Georgian Missile Crisis after the name Cuban Missile Crisis, and see how it develops. More essays for the syllabus that is if they decided not to hit the nuclear button and end the civilization. Men need not travel back to Mars and Women need not travel back to Venus, so do let the Earth remain here.
"With great power, come great responsibilities". However, it looks like the 'superpowers' aren’t managing their 'responsibilities' well.
I shall not talk about the education system. True enough they should make it fair for everyone if they want us to all take O levels or all ip. Some topic i came across was cyber-bullying. It may come out as the oral topic. What is defined by cyber-bullying shocks me. Even by scolding and criticizing someone over the Internet is considered cyber-bullying as well, so do think twice before you would want to hurt the fragile heart like mine of your victim. It is the anonymous status that we attain from our various accounts. No individuals will know who exactly you are, except those whom you wish to tell. This status makes us much bolder and people would do many things they won't do. At least i use someone or somebody when i'm fed up with whoever he/she is, even with a vice versa.
I came across something which i thought it's rather peculiar. It's the following:
'Forums such as The Straits Times online portal Stomp publicly lists banned and warned perpetrators and ban users. Stomp editor Serene Siew explained: "Stomp has a no-tolerance rule for flaming and bullying." '
From History or probably Social Studies we know that it's propaganda already. Where's the credibility when it's Straits Times own forum reported on The Straits Times newspaper? Furthermore, take a look at the comments if you have to, with the Singapore Seen, isn't that encouraging people to criticize on articles posted? I seriously do not know how many users they have to ban, just take a look at the comments and you'll get what i mean. Flaming.
Flaming is so common. With the anonymous status and the ability to recreate accounts and more accounts for free, seriously who would bother if they get banned? IP addresses can be changed, so it's another dead end. I agree it don't take much for one to start flaming, just boredom. Let's just face it. Whatever is invented with the original intention of being good would be misused sooner or later by people and then developed into problems. Take note that i'm just one of them as well. No one is perfect, so there's no perfect solution to any problems. It's still pretty much depending on you yourself.
I think that's all i wanted to say. Take note this post was created yesterday. I was so tired after settling so much stuff while typing; i fell asleep at about 4+ in the morning, while typing. So i completed this and post it up now. Don't be surprised by the date.
Anyway, i hope everyone's okay now, at least what i heard that is true. Cheer up! (: By the way, i seriously wonder who read finish the whole of this post without falling asleep or giving up. Haha, really curious to know. That's all. (:
By the way, including every singles word in this paragrah, the number of words is just slightly pass my record of 2614 words - the post on annual camp. Went back to read the post and the post before on Sec 3 camp. They bring back a lot of memories. Total number of words: 1482 words. (:
11:46:00 pm