As a visual learner, I often rely on visual aids such as diagrams, pictures and videos in order to refine my understanding of a particular subject, especially Chemistry. For example, I memorized my Organic Chemistry concepts by viewing recorded lectures available in Youtube. It is definitely more interesting and engaging then merely reading handouts provided by my tutor.
I have found a very good website that can help you polish your understanding of Organic Chemistry. It is known as TeacherTube and it strives to lay out a safe platform for educators to share their instructional videos with students anywhere and anytime. The website is reliable as every video is reviewed intensively by the staff to ensure that they are of high quality. And most importantly, the service is absolutely free.
I strongly suggest you watch the video below if you are still struggling with Organic Chemistry. It is as if your lecturer is teaching you using a tablet PC, but the only difference is that it all happens at the comfort of your home!
Polish Your Understanding Of Organic Chemistry With TeacherTube
New Blogger: POCKET MANILA
Starting from today, we will review one new blog hosting service for the next four weeks. We hope our posts will help broaden your choices when considering which blogging platform to use for your next virtual diary.
Pocket Manila (previously known as moeskine.com) is a service which enables its users to share their thoughts online through virtual notebooks . It allows users to customize their notebooks by choosing the right colours to match their personalities. They can change the top, middle and bottom colours of the notebook with just a few clicks. It is all about mixing and matching the colours until the perfect combination is produced.
One innovative feature that Pocket Manila possess is the the Quick-Flip. Unlike most Blogger and Wordpress websites whereby we are forced to scroll the page down to read the full posts, Pocket Manila's Quick-Flip allows readers to flip pages just by dragging your mouse either from left to right (forward) or otherwise. Long posts are automatically divided into several pages.
Pocket Manila was also set up to promote less use of paper. The name was inspired by the recycled manila paper journal. The online application aims to be a useful tool that can be used to store useful information and notes in our everyday lives, just like what a real notebook can do.
The service is still under beta mode and users may encounter problems updating their notebooks once in a while. I tried to sign up and create my first virtual notebook with Pocket Manila but was greeted with this message instead:
Can A FAT Person Be Happy?
I am not a fan of the Tyra Banks Show, but one particular episode captured my attention. Tyra Banks, who is also widely known as a supermodel, invited around six overweight guests to her show. They were discussing if it is possible for a fat person to be happy at the same time. The topic sparked a huge and intense debate between the guests and some members of the audience.
Most of the people who attended the show that day agreed that being obese eats your freedom to move and do whatever you like away due to health concerns. I remembered one of them, who was once suffering from obesity, suggested that there is just no way that a fat woman can lead a happy lifestyle as she has to incur great medical expenses and possibly a high volume of stress due to discrimination. She cited her own experience as an example and nearly teared in front of the cameras. She then criticized the guests as 'disgusting' and begged them to change their unhealthy lifestyles.
Nevertheless, the guests refuted her every word and fired back at the spectator for her insensitive use of the word 'disgusting'. One of the guests, a plus-size freelance model who posts pictures of herself posing in sexy outfits as well as uploading videos of herself dancing seductively in her website, even stood up and puts her head high up in the air before putting forward a speech that electrified the crowd.
I could not remember exactly the words that came out of her mouth but it was something like this:
'Do you know that there are thousands of young girls out there who are contemplating suicide because they are unhappy with how they look like? Well, I am happy for what I am right now. When I go out there, I approach these girls and tell them two things. Number one, if you look into the mirror and you are not happy with what you see, then DO SOMETHING. Number two, but if you look into the mirror and am happy with the reflection, then just ACCEPT IT. The most important thing is that you are happy.'
Her words were very strong and deep. It definitely taught me a lesson. Like many other men out there, I also do wish I look better. Who does not want a hot body or a handsome look? Sometimes, I do fall into the deep semiconscious world known as 'emo-land'. But hey, after hearing the inspiring speech, I learnt that I am worrying unnecessarily. I used to be always concerned about what people think of my physical features. That is no longer important; the most important thing is that I am happy with how I look like presently.
How Twitter Helped Build A New Classroom In Tanzania
For those of you who have yet heard of Twitter, it is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables users (or twitters as they name themselves) to post and read other users' updates (also known as tweets). The tweets are shown on the user's profile and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them.
Tweetsgiving, an online project set up to help build a new classroom for a school in Tanzania, had managed to raise over $10,000 in just 48 hours just by utilizing Twitter. It was an extraordinary example of altruism all made possible thanks to the hard work and generosity of hundreds of Twitters. The ambitious project was initiated by Epic Change, a non-profit organization based in the USA.
The success of this project clearly demonstrated the power and influence of the social web. In this case, not only do Twitters provide a $10 donation to help by the bricks needed for the construction of the new classroom; they were also encouraged to follow at tweetsgiving to receive latest updates of the project and help spread the cause through other social media platforms such as Facebook. Those who donated $100 would become a 'Top Turkey'.
Social networking and blogging platforms can be useful in making this world a better place for people to live in. Who would ever taught Twitter could actually help build a new classroom in less than 48 hours?!
A Good Way For Students To Enrich Their Vocabularies
Sometimes it is just too cumbersome for us students to bring along our paper flash cards wherever we go. We are required to memorize new words and other important definitions in order to enrich our vocabularies and do well in our examinations.
However, the disadvantage of having paper flash cards is that once lost, we will have no choice but to rewrite the entire content on a fresh piece. Furthermore, it can be quite tedious to rearrange them once we (inadvertently) mix them up.
Well, fret no further now that we have Quizlet! Quizlet was created by Andrew Sutherland back in October 2005 (I know...it took me three years to finally find it!) when he was just 15 years old. His mission is to make learning vocabulary not a chore. His start-up was designed so that students can effectively absorb new words into their vocabularies.
So how does Quizlet work?
Members create a new set of words, including their definitions. Then, they will familiarize and learn the words. Next, they can take a short test to make sure they truly understand the meaning of the words. And finally, users can take part in word games such as Scatter and Space Race to test how fast they are able to connect or match the words with their definitions.
So what are waiting for? Try it out now!
Click HERE.
Men's Bras A HIT In Japan!
I stumbled upon this interesting piece of news hours ago. A major Japanese online shopping mall, known as Wishroom shop, has reportedly sold over three hundred men's bras for 2,800 yen (S$44.50) each. The shop also sells men's panties and lingerie for women.
"I like this tight feeling. It feels good," Wishroom representative Masayuki Tsuchiya told Reuters as he modeled the bra, which can be worn discreetly under men's clothing.
I believe the rising interest in men with bras means two things. Firstly, more Japanese men are turning to fetishes to satisfy their sexually desires. A quick research by me showed that Japanese men are well-known to be too shy to make the first move in dating. This further proves that more Japanese men are opting for bras and panties to keep their sexual desire at bay.
They have a desire but at the same time a conflict around it. The conflict is that they are painfully shy and probably conservative. The desire keeps trying to get expressed, so it comes out in a disguised form. That would be a symptom or behaviour (cross-dressing), which would help hold the desire at bay.
Secondly, the new trend could mean more Japanese men are cultivating a homosexual identity. However, this particular connection is rather sensitive as the act of cross-dressing itself does not apply any motives.
Share with us what you think of this topic.
New Exclusive Prom Details Released!
UPDATE: The Prom Night review will be published tonight (2nd December) at around 10pm. Stay tuned! =)
I received a lot of queries about the details of this year's Prom night. This post will answer some of the questions, plus an exclusive sneak preview of the event's poster advertisement and ticket design.
How do I get there?
You need to take the train (East West Line). Stop at Tiong Bahru station. For more information, I suggest you click HERE. There are numbered bullets at the right-hand side of the map. Click the number 4 to view how you have to navigate your way from the MRT station to the hotel. If it is too complicated, grab a few friends and take a cab there together!
When does registration begin?
Registration starts at 6.30pm.
Do I have to wear masks?
Ermmm...I guess so.
Where can I buy the masks?
You can get them from costume shops located along Arab Street.
Source
TOUCHING: Senior Citizen Gave Up Seat To Poly Student in Train
I was taking the train back home. It was around 4pm. The train was not packed with commuters. I stood beside a female Polytechnic student who was carrying her laptop and about four stacks of notes. Right in front of us was an elderly man seated comfortably with a light blue sling bag around his right shoulder.
The Poly student looked debilitated, struggling to support the heavy stack of notes using only her left arm. She then placed her laptop on the floor. Then suddenly, one of the never-seen-before-but-very-moving things I ever witnessed happened. The old man stood up and offered his seat to the student! Although I do not understand what he was speaking to her, I knew from his hand gestures that he was giving up his seat to the student.
The student, of course, refused. He tried to persuade her but the student kept declining the generous offer. He then alighted from the train at the next station.
--
Here comes the anti-climax. As soon as the old man stepped out of the train, another passenger, a medium-built businessman holding a briefcase and newspaper, quickly rushed to the vacated seat. He then began reading the newspaper and pretended to be oblivious to his surroundings.
I remembered coming across a saying that older people are more courteous that younger ones. I wrinkled my eyebrows whenever I heard it but after this incident, I told myself that it is so true.
Grammar Blogger: 14-Year-Old Or 14 Years Old?
Which of the following examples is correct:
(1) He is a 14-year-old blogger.
(2) He is a 14 years old blogger.
Well, the answer is (1).
Explanation:
When modifying a person with his or her age, the compounded phrase is hyphenated: my six-year-old son. However, when the age comes after the person, we don't use a hyphen. My son is six years old. He is, however, a six-year-old.
Source
An easy way to remember when to use hyphens in age-related terms: if the word is year, hyphenate. If the word is years, do not. So you’d say The two-year-old kid wailed, but The kid, who is two years old, wants some ice cream.
Source
Hope this helps!
A Year In Review: TPJC's Very Own Mariah Carey!
Mohammed Asrisarhan B Jasman was the Champion of the annual college singing competition, Songfest, in 2007. He was popular in college for his capability in singing in falsetto. He has a strong preference for songs originally performed by female artistes.
Two of his memorable performances were 'Bleeding Love' by Leona Lewis and 'Without You' by Mariah Carey. Asri started singing when he was 5 years old. His inspiration was watching Whitney Houston on Bodyguard.
His very own rendition of the song 'Without You' by Mariah Carey was the performance that crowned him the Champion of Songfest a year ago.
Our Fascination With the Undead
I began reading Twillight today, and after barely a few chapters, I began to feel like it was just a fluffy pile of...well, fluff. No offence to those who really like Twillight. Years of conditioning by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Anne Rice's vampires have left me unsatiated by the book. Then again, maybe it's just the first few chapters.
At any rate, it got me wondering: why do we have this strange fascination with vampires? Since the days of Bram Stoker's Dracula (who, by the way, is a legend!), many other vampire worlds have sprung out: Buffy and Sunnydale, Blade, Lestat and his vampires (my personal favourite), and now, the much sought-after Edward Cullen.
Perhaps it's because vampires (and ghosts and other undead things that go 'BOO!' in the night) offer us some form of the after-life. It answers the eternal question of what happens after we die. After all, in some way or another, many of us fear death. The belief in these undead beings gives us some hope of life after death. Maybe we become ghosts, or spirits. Maybe vampires exist. Maybe zombies are real.
Personally, vampires are my escape. And I'm sure there are many others out there who feel the same. The description of Lestat, Louis, Armand, Marius and all their escapades offer a journey into a world that exists within the pages of the book, or behind the film projector. It gives you a place to hide out. It makes you feel like there is someone out there, someone whom you can turn to, escape to when things get too hard for you.
So maybe that's why we're so fascinated with these things. Anyhow, I might as well get back to Twillight. It may be fluff, but I can't not read it!
--written by bhavna :)
Grammar Blogger: Learning From Xiaxue's Mistake
In today's lesson, we are going to educate our readers about a common grammatical mistake made in blogging so that you will not repeat it in your future blog posts. We will use an excerpt from Xiaxue's blog.
"So yeah, back to my interest in the elections. So what if I care? I know I have a blog and maybe it can sway some Americans' opinions on who to vote for, but I do not pretend to be smart enough or informed enough to tell others what to do!"
The error lies in the usage of the pronoun 'who'. The presidential candidate is the object while the group of American netizens is the subject. Since she is referring to the object of the sentence, the correct phrase should be 'whom to vote for'. If you are unable to comprehend the previous three sentences, below is a more simpler explanation:
Use 'whom' when the answer of the question ends with either a him, her or them. For example, if the question is, 'Whom are you voting for?'. The answer is 'I am voting for him.'. Nonetheless, if the the question is, 'Who voted for Mr Obama?'. The answer will be 'They voted for Mr Obama.'.
That is all for today. Thank you for reading. =)
Teenage Couples Smooching In Public: Acceptable Or A Bit TOO Much?
The boy was caressing his partner's breasts, arms and legs. Each stroke was a delicate one, making sure she remained aroused. Their lips locked as they simulated the whole sexual scene. The Ahhhhs and the Ohhhhhs reverberated from the love bubble and floated inside the bus. And then suddenly...
'SHUT UP!' wailed an old women who was seated across the other side of the bus.
That was exactly what I observed in an incident about four years ago in a SBS bus. The couple, who probably felt so embarrassed after being scolded in public, alighted from the bus at the next stop. It was shocking but funny at the same time. The couple might have the 'courage' to showcase their affections in public without a single tinge of shame hanging over them, but all that 'courage' seemed superficial when they were chided by an old harmless women.
So is it acceptable for teenagers to smooch in public? Or is it just too much? In my opinion, I believe such public displays of affection are a bit too much. Firstly, we must understand that Singapore is a relatively conservative society founded by Asian traditions and values. Kissing or caressing in public is like a taboo in our society. We should respect our cultural values and not let Western imperialism overwhelm it. Singapore must not lose its identity as an Asian nation to foreign influence. It is never too late to preserve our culture for future generations.
Secondly, giving the green light to public sexual exhibitions could worsen the moral degradation among Singapore youths today. If the elderly woman did not stop the couple from kissing in the bus, they may develop the mentality that such activities are widely accepted. From there, our teenagers become more daring to experiment more 'ambitious' things such as oral sex in public. In fact, sex in public is experiencing a rising trend among youngsters today, as highlighted in a Berita Harian report recently. If the trend is perpetuated, then conservative teenagers may find it hard or even abnormal to stick to their traditional or religious values in the future.
Finally, it is also important to take note that we are living in a multi-cultural society. What our teenagers do represents how much their communities have matured, let it be Chinese, Malay or Indian. Nobody can deny the fact that racial stereotypes are still prevalent in today's society. And since Singapore consists of small minority groups, this provides little or no excuse for the respective groups to be experiencing social problems among their youths. Racial stereotypes such as the Malay teenagers being more sexually active (due to newspaper reports showing Malay youths having the highest rate of teenage pregnancies) may cause unnecessary tensions to arise. (Another example is how the African-American teenagers are stereotyped as more likely to commit crimes in their country.) Thus, witnessing a young Malay couple kissing in public may further deepen the stereotype.
Public displays of affection among teenagers are not acceptable at all. The multi-cultural Singapore society is not ready to accept them due to our conservative beliefs. We are Asians and we must be proud of our traditional values and beliefs.
Recent Controversy Over Birthday Celebrations By JC Students: The Review
Several local bloggers and STOMPers have been censuring Junior College (JC) students recently for their 'inappropriate behaviour' while celebrating birthday bashes. Some have even went further by condemning the whole JC student population and questioning what values are being taught in their campuses.
The attacks happened when STOMP released two reports on JC students allegedly bullying and humiliating their schoolmates during their birthday celebrations. The two reports -one shining the spotlight on ACJC and the other on SAJC- were published only three days apart from each other. Both articles have attracted hundreds of comments.
So are the incidents a case of bullying or just merely fun birthday celebrations? We have to look at it by a case-by-case basis and study the videos carefully.
In my opinion, the birthday celebrations by the group of ACJC students may have gone a little overboard. The video clearly showed that the girl was feeling greatly uncomfortable throughout her ordeal. She was struggling throughout and was even crying at certain parts of the video. The victim's peers should have stopped the 'birthday bash' as soon as they heard her wails. Prolonging the activity could constitute the act as bullying as it can be viewed as an intentional physical assault to the victim.
What could have cause this is not due to the wrong or missing set of values taught in college; it all boils down to maturity degradation. The students have failed to respond to the circumstances in an appropriate manner. I am very sure they never intend to hurt or bully their friends, but the way they reacted to the girl's manifestations showed the emotional immaturity they possessed. They should have stopped the activity the moment they heard the victim cry.
However, the other article involving SAJC students slamming one of their friends genitals against a pole does not qualify to be labelled as a a bullying or ragging case. STOMP has totally misled their readers. If you look at the video closely enough, the boy's genitals did not even come into contact with the pole. The boy blocked the impact by using his inner thighs to protect his genitals.
STOMPers were quick to criticize the incident as a bullying. They pointed out how the boy struggled at the beginning, thus proving the above criticism. In my opinion, their accusations are inaccurate. Like any other sabotage, the element of surprise must have triggered an initial struggle. Nevertheless, after that the boy was laughing and was not struggling even when his friends grabbed his arms and legs. Thus, it is not a case of bullying.
I would also like to express my disappointment with how some STOMPers and bloggers commented that the birthday celebrations were a disgrace to JC students. They condemned the acts as childish and stupid. Well, such birthday bashes are very common among teenagers today. It is very unfortunate that the videos landed in the hands of profit-maximizing media firms with a following of mostly narrow-minded readers.
The comparisons between JC, Polytechnic and ITE students were also unnecessary. Some irresponsible parties are trying to exaggerate the whole issue. We do not look down on Polytechnic and ITE students. I saw a lot of similar comments about the alleged widespread elitism. All of them are not true and are merely generalized statements.
These two incidents have shown us how the new media may invade our privacy and turn facts into fiction. As to how the birthday celebrations were conducted inappropriately, I believe only the ACJC incident may have gone a little overboard. Other than that, such sabotaging birthday celebrations are common among youngsters today. And most importantly, they are for fun, laughter and joy.
Sorry, You Are Too FAT For This Job
Weight discrimination existed ever since clothing was manufactured in a range of sizes. Anything beyond the Large or Extra Large size is considered 'abnormal'. Furthermore, the mass media widens the chasm between the thin and obese by excessively promoting slim men and women as successful people.
Weight-loss programmes are more pervasive now than thirty years ago. Famous talk show hosts like Oprah Winfrey often invites obese Americans to join her weight-loss programme. The end results were then broadcasted in her show and participants would boast how fit and energetic they are after finishing the treatment.
All these has led to weight discrimination. A recent British newspaper report showed that overweight women are more likely to lose their jobs than their thin colleagues. Moreover, the report also revealed that obese women felt more discriminated than their overweight male co-workers.
Reported discrimination based on weight has increased 66% in the past decade, up from about 7% to 12% of U.S. adults, says one study, in the journal Obesity. The other study, in the International Journal of Obesity, says such discrimination is common in both institutional and interpersonal situations — and in some cases is even more prevalent than rates of discrimination based on gender and race. (About 17% of men and 9% of women reported race discrimination.)There is a popular stereotype in the society that fit men or women are more productive in their work. Employers often have the false belief that there is a strong correlation between a worker's weight and his job performance. Such stereotype is inaccurate. An employer should never take his worker's weight as a prerequisite to applying for a job in his company. He can only do so if the work truly requires a high level of physical fitness, such as a firefighter.
An overweight person is also less likely to receive a promotion at work. In fact, they are likely to be demoted or disciplined. This is primarily due to the low self-esteem suffered by the fat person. When an obese person is subjected to continuous discrimination at work or in his community, he will gradually develop a mind-set that he has no hope in achieving greater success. And once he gives up, his health begins to deteriorate, therefore affecting his job performance.
Weight discrimination is a serious issue. If not tackled, the obese people may feel alienated from society in the long run. Society may have the false perception that an overweight person is unproductive and a burden to the community. If this is allowed to continue, the fat gets fatter, while the thin gets thinner.
New Gruesome Baby Torture Case Shocks Britain
Local British newspapers have reported a very chilling report on a torture case committed by a wicked man on his stepson, named as Baby P. More intriguingly, not even a single social worker or doctor who met the toddler manage to spot the brutal abuse.
The victim, Baby P.
Baby P's fingertips were sliced by a Stanley knife and his little nails were yanked off by pliers. The tragedy's only witness, a 15-year-old teenager, also revealed that the victim's genitals were smacked with a shoe. His face would sometimes turn blue as his windpipe was pressed down with unimaginable force by his evil stepfather.
Instead of carrying him on his arms while putting him to sleep with a lullaby like every other father should do to his son, the stepfather grabbed Baby P by his throat and threw him into his filthy cot. No one was allowed to change Baby P's diapers. At times, the sadist would drop him six feet onto the floor.
Computer-generated images revealing the injuries inflicted on Baby P.
The victim's mother concealed all the ill-punishments by cooking up excuses. She would smear the boy's face with chocolate to cover up the bruises. She also told doctors that another child pushed her son into a marble fireplace when questioned about the bruises caused by a fall.
The shocking dossier has angered many British citizens. Death threats against the victim's stepfather were also issued by outraged readers. We wonder what could have prompted or influenced the stepfather to commit such horrendous abuse. Baby P was pronounced dead in August 2007.
Read more HERE.
TPJCian Magazine: Preparing For 2009
We are entering the year 2009 very soon and this magazine will undergo some changes for the upcoming year ahead. Listed below are some suggestions:
1) New Editors
TPJCian Magazine could not afford to hire writers and pay them regularly. It is still at infant stage and it needs more time to finally earn a stable monthly revenue. Right now, the amount of money earned through its advertisements is only $35. I need a minimum of $100 to cash out the money. In other words, I am earning nothing.
Nevertheless, TPJCian Magazine is my baby and I have worked very hard to make sure that it continues to live on. I have saved up to about $100 of my very own pocket money and am looking forward to invest it on new editors. I am going on a really tight budget. The money will be spread over five months, meaning $20 per month.
This is a formal appeal. If you are want to be part of my team and engage in the online community, please do inform me. Your pay is low ($10 per month), but if you are someone who is simply passionate in sharing what you know and what people should know, then this job is the right one for you. You may build a portfolio from your work here. I need two loyal, enthusiastic and creative editors.
Your job is to write articles and bring in contributors for their opinions.
2) Updates
In order for the magazine to gain more exposure, I will have to reshape the way I promote the blog. I will never compromise the quality of my blog posts and resort to writing sex-related articles just to gain attention, like many other bloggers out there do.
Instead, I will have to market the blog more aggressively. TPJCians will most likely get updates via online message once per two months beginning from next year. Only featured and exclusive articles/interviews will be promoted through the online message system.
Updates via forums will stay as it is.
3) Global
The market in college is just too small for the magazine to earn money and pay editors and writers better. I believe in money as a form of incentive to work hard. The rest comes from the person's passion and enthusiasm.
Therefore, in order to earn more, this magazine will have to provide more current affairs articles for the general public. Editors will share their honest opinions via this magazine. The posts may be useful for General Paper too.
Furthermore, with the high quality articles, our college name will definitely be polished in the online world.
These are the suggestions for now. Please share with me your feedback.
'It is my dream to make this magazine become a reliable, interactive and creative medium for people from all over the world to come together and share their views. It is like a mixture of Newsweek, Time and Readers' Digest, but better.'
EXCLUSIVE: Prom Night Details Released!
What can we expect for Prom Night this year? Find the answer to this question and more in this exclusive interview with Felina Bte Fadzli Tan of 08A06, the overall in charge of the event of the year.
Why Midnight Masquerade?
As a committee, we chose the theme Midnight Masquerade because we feel that Midnight is a time which exudes a kind of mystical aura. Masquerade, on the other hand signifies a form of metamorphosis. And so collectively, Midnight Masquerade is a theme which encapsulates a magical change.
What food and beverage will be served?
The J2s will be served an eight-course dinner. The menu, however, will vary. It will depend whether the table is a Muslim one or a Chinese one. But we (the Prom committee) can assure you the food will not be bad :)
The event will be strictly non-alcoholic as we have to abide to college regulations.
What kind of performances will be lined up?
The performance schedule is currently still in the works. But the J2s can expect performances which are heartfelt and sincere :)
Who is the host for this year’s Prom Night?
The college has decided to engage an events company to help with the running of the Prom. The emcee will be someone from the company, Adrenalin Events. The name of the emcee is Richardo and trust us (the Prom committee), he is a really nice chap and can be quite a joker (not in a corny way)!
P/S: He was Prom King of his college back when he was in Temasek JC.
What prizes can we expect for the Prom Queen and Prom King?
All the prizes given to the Prom Queen and Prom King will come in pairs (his and hers). At the moment, we are looking into skincare products, perfumes, vouchers, and possibly timepieces :)
Are you and your team nervous for the big night?
Oh hell yeah we are! The word nervous itself is truly an understatement. We know how important this event is and we really really really (x 1 000 000) do not want to screw it up for the J2s! We will do what we can to put together an awesome Prom which will be so unforgettable (in a good way!) and the memories will stay etched in your hearts for eternity.
21 Must-See Pictures For You
In this article, we have compiled a total of twenty-one pictures for you. The pictures are meant not only to inspire you, but to also draw a smile on your face as your eyes examine each and every one of our selected photos.
We have worked hard to ensure that the sources of the original photos are accurate. The captions written on each photo are our interpretations to what the photos mean.
We hope you enjoy viewing the pictures. Thank you. =) 
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NS Life: Before, During And After!
National Service (NS) plays an important part in the lives of every Singaporean men as it provides an opportunity for them not only to learn about themselves, but to also work with the new people around them. In this article, one of our graduates, Toh Zheng Han from 05S32, shares with us ideas on how to prepare for National Service, what we can expect during our stay in camp and the lessons he learnt from the experience.
___________________________________________________________________________
The following are details of an e-mail interview by TPJCian magazine, sent on 9/11/08. Some of the questions have been edited for brevity and clarity, and extraneous material omitted.
___________________________________________________________________________
1) How should we prepare ourselves for National Service?
Exercise, exercise and more exercise. Running and chin-ups are especially important. Both of these exercises take time to build up so it would be wise to start early. After hitting your gold or silver results for NAPFA, challenge yourself to the standard of IPPT (Individual Physical Proficiency Test). Other than exercising, stay fit by eating healthy food. If you are a heavy sleeper, perhaps you would like to practise sleeping at 2230 sharp and waking up at 0530.
2) How different are the types of BMT available? Are there any differences in training? If so, how different?
There are many forms of BMT. It would be wise to go to www.ns.sg to read up more. For Enhanced Leadership batch which I was in, the schedule was very tight as we only had a mere ten weeks together and you had to complete a wide range of activities like combat shooting, field camping, Sit-tests, BCCT (Basic Close Combat Training), grenade throws, road marches and many more.
As I came from a Enhanced Leadership company (Bronco company 01/07), my group did not have any obese people. All of us had at least a silver for NAPFA.
3) What can we expect in the first week of our National Service?
For the first week of your NS life, do expect a lot of lectures, similar to what you have in TPJC, as your OC, 2IC, CSM, PC, PS and 3SG guide you through your soldier conversion course.
The key to making your NS transition smoother is to make more friends, less enemies and getting into the good book of your commander. The point is not to make yourself stand out in a way that make yourself look bad in front of your superiors and your friends. Cooperate and help one another and life will certainly be easier.
Vocabulary
OC(Office Commanding)- Head of a company
2IC(Second In Charge)- 2nd to the OC
CSM(Company Sergeant Major)- In charge of disciplinary matter, drills etc
PC(Platoon Commander)- Head of your platoon
PS(Platoon Sergeant)- 2nd to your PC
SGT(Sergeants)- Your immediate superior
4) What kind of food and drinks can we expect in camp?
You can expect rather good food in army especially in BMT(at least that was what I thought). There are a wide range of food (Muslim, non-Muslims and Vegetarian). Cutlery are provided and you do not have to wash them but do remember to return the plates and cutlery for washing after eating. When packing your stuffs for enlistment, remember to bring a coin box for you to buy canned drinks should your commanders allow you to do so.
5) How do you guys clean yourselves and your clothes after intense training?
We wash our own clothes in army in the basin and hang them out to dry. You and your friends can help one another by using both of your "hand power" to squeeze dry the clothes so that they dry faster.
Your sergeants will assign each of you a role in which you must clean the dry yard and toilets, sweep the floors and corridors, empty the dustbins and many more. Whatever it is, cooperate and you will get your job done faster.
6) Do you find it hard to be accept authority initially? What kind of punishments can we expect if anything goes wrong?
They will give you time to slowly adjust in army so don't worry about not being able to adjust to life there. There is a two weeks grace period (or 1 week for some) whereby they would normally not mete out physical punishments or other form of disciplinary punishments if you commit minor offences.
The worse form of punishment I ever got was this night when all of us had to "empty our cupboard" before falling in the parade square, laying everything out, keeping them again, running to "that thing over there", running back, running again to "another thing over there", push-ups, sit ups...I think you should be able to get an idea of what I am talking about.
7) What is the pay like for the different ranks?
I am not sure what the pay is like for different ranks but of course the higher your rank the better your pay is. The amount of your pay is also determined by other factors such as the unit you are in, combat or non-combat vocations and whether you have risk pay and other allowances.
8) Is it true that NS buddies are the best buddies? What do you guys do during your leisure time?
Quite true. You 'chiong sua' (literally run-forest or battle/fight in a forest) and go through all the s*** together. So yes, there is bound to be this bond between you and your army friends. Till now, I still go out with my BMT friends. We make it a point to meet up at least twice per year; one our enlistment day itself and our ORD despite our hectic schedules. I just met them on 111108.
9) Name two qualities that you learnt from your NS life.
1) Cooperation. As I had mentioned many times, cooperate with one another and do not have that mentality that you do not need help. Having many friends in NS will certainly do more good than harm to you.
2) Dealing and engaging with people tactfully. The people you will be meeting in BMT will come from a wide range of backgrounds. Do not expect things to always turn out the way you want to as everyone of you has a different way of thinking. So do be mindful of your words and actions.
10) Share with us any funny or scary experiences in camp.
I do not exactly have any funny experiences in camp. Waking up in the middle of the toilet to go to the toilet alone (when in company line) or when you are your buddy are walking to the designated toilet area in the jungle can be scary. You will also meet all kinds of people that will spice up your NS life.
11) Any last words for people entering NS soon?
Keep a positive mind-set to prepare yourself for the challenges that you will soon be facing. It is up to you whether you want your two years(1 year 10 months for me and others that get at least a silver for their NAPFA) to be a pleasant or dreadful one. Two years will pass very fast (at least when you are looking back). I have already finished serving my NS on 111108 and I assure you that two years down the road, some of you might be looking back and thinking about the time when you were still preparing for your NS and looking at this article.
12) Do you miss TPJC? Any shout-outs to teachers and/or friends?
Probably a little. I miss teachers such as Mr Simon Reynolds and Mr Remedios. Both GP teachers are now gone. I also miss Mrs Foong Lee Har, my Mathematics tutor. Study hard and treasure your time in TPJC and do the college proud. Aim and achieve!
SPECIAL: Why The Post-Prom Party Was Not Approved
I sent an enquiry to Ms Dawn Ng, one of the teachers-in-charge of Student Council, and she had kindly agreed to explain why this year's post-Prom party was not approved by the college.
Dear Ms Ng,
Is it possible for you to reveal why the college disapprove the post-prom party this year. A number of JC2s are puzzled why it was approved last year and not this year? I remembered posters of last year's post-prom party was all over the college.Thank you. = )
Her response:
Hi Azhar,
In response to your enquiry, here is an explanation why we did not approve the post-prom this year.
Firstly, the college did not approve of a post-prom last year.
It was more like there was an external party that was privately planned and the organizers asked the school admin if they could just paste posters in our college. It was not a collaboration with the college. The students who were involved were also involved in their personal capacity.
Secondly, that post-prom was a strictly non-alcoholic event, which then makes it a lot less complicated. The one proposed this year allows alcohol to be sold. This is not something we want to encourage regardless of whatever measures are taken.
Thirdly, last year's post prom was not a council event. This year, they wanted to collaborate with us but were rejected. The students involved then went further to bypass the teachers and the committee to get the councillors involved in publicity, despite the fact they have been rejected 2 days earlier.
Original, unedited Post-Prom message delivered to JC2 students:
"Hello class reps! Please please please help spread the word to your class that there will be a post prom part at Zouk after prom on the first of Dec. Pre-sales are going at 20 whereas ticket at the door is 25. Tickets are limited to 600 and tpjcians are allowed to bring their friends along(16 and above). Doors will be opened at 10 and the first 300 will receive a goodie bag. Every ticket is entitled to one free drink(alcoholic). There will be 2 house band performances. A booth will be set up in front of the council room for the sales of tickets. It will be open from 29th Sept to 10 Oct."
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Prom Night Promotion!
Written by Beatrice Tan (08S04).
The blogger also writes for TPJC Link, the quarterly magazine for Tampines Junior College.
The last thing that you ever want happening during Prom Night is to be caught wearing the same dress as someone else. Turning up in the ballroom wearing the same dress, same clutch, same heels as any other attendees eats up your mood. It is your Prom and you own it.
The theme ‘Midnight Masquerade’ is challenging. It demands your creativity in order to look different from anyone else, at the same time looking as gorgeous as a top runway model. With the current economic crisis biting a huge hole in our pockets, it is about time we turn a simple dress into a masterpiece. So let’s skip the regular Zara or Daniel Yam and do your purse a good deed by heading over to these online boutiques to get 'The Dress' instead.
Accessories are crucial if you want to stand out among the rest. Nonetheless, it is important not to have them overpower your dress. Try to match the colour of your heels with your purse or clutch to avoid having too much colours in one outfit. Show off your elegance with a neat and stylish outfit for the night!
In other to enjoy the 10% discount, please state the promotion code ‘TPJCian Magazine’ upon purchasing. You may e-mail or fill up the order form available in the respective online boutiques.
First up…
If you love pink, then this one is the perfect one for you. The dress material is silk and it is priced at only $24.30 after discount. Match this dress with a pink masquerade feather mask or if you prefer simplicity, a glitter pink mask would do. As for the colour of the heels, it is important to examine the shade of the dress and the other colours it has. Since the dress below is mainly pink, a white heel is an ideal choice. Alternatively, a black heel to match the lace is a great combination too. You can get the dress at http://applefashion.multiply.com/photos/album/4/Dresses# [Promotion available for all items.]
Next…
FLD-021 from fazeline.com, $25.90
I’m not a big fan of brown dresses but if you are, get this one. It is only $25.90 and you know what this means - you have more to splash on accessories! The great thing about accessories is that you may reuse them again. And the pretty gold heels look good on any feet! [Promotion available only for items FLD-021, FLD-025 and FLD-016.]
All right, for the girls who do not plan to bare their arms (haha), here’s a really, really sweet dress from UNICOemo.blogspot.com/ that can work out to be something really good!
Instead of the fancy hairdo, stick to a modest look and go for a long re-bonded hair (Please do not dye your hair to that shade! You’ll risk looking like an AL instead. Really…) paired simply with simple accessories.
The earrings can be purchased from that store too! Midnight masquerade oh midnight masquerade… Get out there and purchase a mask! I am pretty sure you can work something out with materials from Spotlight, Little India and Arab Street! Here are some mask ideas that you can wear with this dress! [Promotion available for all items.]
Our T&C for the 10% Discount for TPJC students:
1. Please quote "TPJCian Magazine" under 'DisID:' when placing order.
2. Applicable to all instocks and pre order items, excluding clearance sale items.
3. Not to be used with any ongoing promotions.
4. Min order: At least $15.00
Discount is valid till 31st Dec 2008.
Next up…
#D031 from wearetc.blogspot.com, $32
Oooh…this dress channels babe vibes! With the reasonable price, this dress is seriously worth considering, although it does comes with a risk of looking just like everyone else. (Black? Check. Tube dress? Check. Classic LBD.) Therefore, you need to accessorize. Go for something bright! Something cheery! Something sexy! Note: You want to Differentiate yourself from the millions of LBD donning girlies! I suggest a more Aphrodite than after-work party and you’ll be fine. [Promotion only available for items #D031, #D030 and #D029.]
For the gorgeous ones who already have plenty of accessories in black at home, GOOD FOR YOU! Use it to your advantage this Prom Night! Go Victorian this time and glam it up with lacy gloves, lacy chokers, ribbons… and then top it all off with a dark MASK! TPJCians get it at slightly less than 20 bucks at http://myownsweetime.wordpress.com/category/in-stock/ [Promotion only available for items IS084 (Black), IS139 (Black) and IS111 (Black).]
Last but not least, our final dress up for sale is the golden inspired satin dress. Get this dress for as low as $22.50 now at http://lizzie-shop.com/clothing/dress/! Amaze your friends with a golden masquerade mask to match the dress. Flaunt your figure with this dress! [Promotion on available for selected items marked with a 10% discount.]
Why Me?
We often ask ourselves the question 'Why me?' whenever something bad and unfortunate happens to us. We always wish for a perfect life - good grades all year round, great friends and a happy family. We despise sadness, defeats and failures and hope they never return into our lives again. (Because) when it does, our smiles capsize, our shoulders retreat, our heads tilt down and our minds stagnate.
Why must failure come knocking onto my door, and not his or hers? Why must I lose? Why not him or her?
Perhaps it is because God knows that you are strong enough to open the door and face failure. And that you have the guts to fight it before eventually emerging victorious at the end of the day. Perhaps God wants you to be an inspiration to the other imperfect human beings out there. Maybe you are born to motivate and encourage others who are suffering the same fate as you.
Failure comes in many forms and one of them is a punch right on your face. Then when you wake up, it is just you stranded all alone in the hospital, with nobody else beside you. It is like how you feel when your result slip lands on your innocent palms. When you fail to get the result that you really wanted, everything around you suddenly vanishes. It is just you and a dark background around you. You are shocked, depressed and angry. And you ask yourself again 'Why me?'.
We all know everything happens for a reason. There is an explanation to why we are who we are and the state we are in. There is a justification to why we are fat, to why our results are disastrous, to why we simply fail to do well in a certain sport and even to why our faces are full of pimples. Maybe, just maybe, it is a message to us to change our lifestyles. Or maybe God does not want us to get carried away if the reverse materializes instead.
This may sound a bit crazy but being thankful to the obstacles that God places in our lives can be helpful. There are even more serious and worse challenges being faced by other people out there and we should be fortunate that none of them happened to us instead. As long as we are given the chance to redeem ourselves, we should use it well and not waste it. Most children in Africa are still denied access to education due to war and poverty.
The next time your life turns miserable, tell yourself that there is a reason why you were chosen to face the problem and be thankful for whatever that you have right now.
Relationships In College: A Motivation Or Distraction?
Can being in a relationship actually encourage you to do better in your studies? Or will it backfire and distract you instead? I am not sure about you, but I think it really depends on how you divide your time for studying and spending quality time with your partner. Your level of maturity in dealing with the ups and downs of a relationship plays a significant role too.
I have seen couples who did well in their examinations. Either partner is proficient at a particular subject and tips are exchanged among each other. They motivate each other and improve on their respective weaknesses. Such activity is useful and helpful in producing better results, but we do not need to be in a relationship to do that, do we?
So what makes engaging in a relationship better than the common hi-talk-bye friendships that we already have? I think it all boils down to love and the commitment that comes with it. Your boyfriend or girlfriend may be more dedicated to spend more time with you studying as compared to your normal friends.
Sometimes, our normal friends may prefer quality studying time on their own. I believe it is different in the case of our soul mates. They tend to grab any opportunity to study with us. It is known as love. And love connects people more than anything else.
Whatever that is written above actually happened in real life, and that is why I am able to share it with you. In other words, the above hypothesis had been proven true. One example I can never forget is the story of a repeat student from my Secondary School. It was as if he fell into a deep hole and was abandoned there for years before finally meeting someone on top working hard to pull him up back to the surface.
That person is none other than his beloved girlfriend and he eventually came out of the hole as one of the top students in school. He shared his story of how his partner sacrificed a lot of her time to coach him in his studies - something rare before he met her. I remembered clearly how he told us he was inspired by the sheer determination of his companion and wanted to do well in the 'O' levels not only for himself and his family, but also to make her proud.
Nonetheless, it is vital to remind oneself that an overdose of love can 'kill' you and your results. Being in a relationship can definitely be a huge distraction for you, deviating your attention away from lecture notes and tutorial worksheets. Spending too much time holding hands, hugging and kissing replaces the plus and minus signs with breasts, lips, butt, sex and more sex.
And then comes the heartbreaking break-ups. Being able to get over it well and fast requires a high degree of maturity. What I mean is that only a matured person can fully realize that life needs to go on! Letting your mind pick up the shattered pieces of broken heart and attempting to glue them back means a lot of study time burnt. You may lose consistency, a key determinant of success in college.
Just remember that while love can be helpful, an overdose of it will definitely paralyze you. And one more thing, there are true friends out there who are also very committed to help you in your studies in whatever way he or she can.
'A' Levels
A few more days and it is all over. Taking 'A' levels is like taking a roller coaster ride with Ms Helen Choo beside you (what kind of an analogy is that?). It is like having to feel depressed for the difficult papers, but at the same time being motivated by your friends to look forward and do better for the upcoming papers (confused? try reading again).
I have learnt a lot from 'A' levels. The number one most important lesson I can extract from the examinations is to find a purpose of taking the examinations. I think there is a difference between taking the 'A' levels for the sake of enjoying the freedom soon after it ends and taking it to achieve our dreams in the future.
Even so, different dreams have different impacts to the person who is taking the examinations. If you dream only to be a rich person with a high-paying job and nothing else, then you will only gain the technical information from the papers you sit for. You are going to be the next contestant in the rat race.
However, if you dream to become a happy man with a happy family living in a happy world full of happy friends, then what you profit from the examinations are the life skills and knowledge. You are going to be the audience for the rat race.
Your intentions are important. Obama wants to be the next President of the United States Of America as he intends to unite the whole country. George Bush wants to start a war in Iraq (and decided to leave other more troubled countries in Africa such as Rwanda) as he intends to grab the black gold.
As for me, I intend to take the 'A' levels to create a better life for my family and the people around me.
Addicted To Sex
I first learnt about the sex addiction phenomenon in a report by Berita Harian on David Duchovny's public confession about his obsession with sex. What caught my attention was that the article claimed it was a mental illness. I began to wonder if he was simply mentally ill or sexually hyperactive?
And so I did a research and found interesting information related to the illness. Firstly, there is a scientific explanation to this newly-found 'media pet'. It is a mental illness caused by uncontrollable and excessive production of dopamine (a hormone) by the brain when the patient is engaging in sex. Patients are addicted to the pleasure of having sex and are unable to avoid it. They may even engage in fetishes with objects to satisfy their insatiable lust (spot the paradox?).
Recently, a 25-year-old British woman, Terri Hunter, broke news to the world regarding her sexual addiction. She told News Of The World that she had slept with over a thousand men, most of whom she met from the Internet. She is currently taking anti-depressants to control her addiction.
The question now is this: what could have caused such a mental illness? I believe the mass media has played a huge role in the development of sex addiction. Pornographic videos boast the high level of sexual pleasure enjoyed by the casts. The images are then played in the mind over and over again, gratifying his virtual desires. From here, curiosity kills his control for sexual pleasure; like how curiosity killed the cat.
Like the famous Pringles logo, 'Once you pop, you can't stop' - the same thing applies once he begins to imitate whatever that plays in his mind. Once you ahh, you just can't stop...
[BIZARRE] Baby Born With 16 Toes
An eight-day-old baby was discovered to have eight toes on each of his foot. The baby boy was discharged from the hospital on November 5, 2008. The baby weighs 3.4kg and has five fingers on each hand, but without thumbs. He was born in Nanxing, Guangdong, China.
Experts said his strange condition may due to genetics or environmental pollution.
Bali Bombers Executed
Amrozi, 47, his brother Mukhlas, 48, and ringleader Imam Samudra, 38, had been executed at around 00:15 am (1715 GMT Saturday) today. The three terrorists were killed by a firing squad and their bodies were transported back to their home villages via helicopters. In 2002, the bombers murdered more than 160 foreigners in a nightclub located in Bali.
Honestly speaking, I doubt this move can help subdue terrorism. The radical supporters are already welcoming their dead bodies back home as martyrs. This blatantly proves the level of misinterpretation of Islamic teachings among them. I fear the proliferation of such misleading teachings among youths in the future, thus breeding more vicious and merciless Islamic radicals.
I strongly believe having a 'war against terrorism' will not work. The more terrorists you kill, the more members the radical organizations will try to recruit. It is a never-ending cycle - one dies, three more are born. Terrorists are violent in nature and revenge to them is sweeter than honey. Executing them in the light of massive press coverage turns them into 'heroes' overnight. Furthermore, retaliation from supporters is imminent, endangering more civilian lives.
Islamic radicals, to me, are being misled to conduct terrorist activities. Many of them are poor and uneducated. Their top leaders are the ones who distorted verses from the holy book Al-Quran before spreading the false ideologies to their followers. Of course, stories of real life discrimination such as on the Palestine-Israel conflict are sprinkled all over their sermons.
Yes, there is a thin line between freedom fighters and terrorists. I believe a freedom fighter is one who fights against an enemy to regain back his or her country's sovereignty. A good example is the Palestine-Israel conflict. How would you feel if the country that you loved so much was suddenly stolen by a group of foreigners?
My definition of a terrorist is the exact opposite. A terrorist, to me, is someone who uses violence to steal the sovereignty or lives of the civilians of a foreign country. This is unacceptable and forbidden under the Islamic law. All claims that the terrorists are anti-American are only partially true. I strongly believe their greed for power is the driving force behind the deadly activities.
Islam is a religion of peace and it does not condone violence. I suggests a 're-education' program for the captured terrorists. It is even be better if the government captures the most influential radical of the lot. Having strict guidelines for the choice of clerics in public Islamic institutions or mosques is also helpful. Once this happens, the reverse process begins - one 're-educates', three others turn over a new leaf.