Can Justice and mercy co-exist?

I think that mercy and justice can co-exist.
Punishment within the justice system can be merciful. But there are still cases of justice without mercy but they can be mutually exclusive. On the other hand, mercy is also considered to be a part of justice. It is important that an eye for an eye is not justice but considered as revenge and should not be misunderstood as justice. The purpose of justice is not revenge, but to ensure nobody is at the losing end. Although in some cases, punishent can be given out but more often, mercy and the act of forgiving are more effective ways of securing well being for all. Mercy gives the offender an opportunity to turn over a new leaf and at the same time it also gives happiness to the person showing mercy. Nobody is at the losing end. An example of this is the Iranian example. An Iranian women was disfugured by acid by another man and in the process, lost an eye. The Iranian law allows her to make the man lose an eye to but she chose to forgive. This is a good example of justice and mercy co-existing. The law sentenced the man which is justice, and the forgiveness of the women as mercy. Thus, I believe that mercy and justice can co-exist, but there is always an exception to everything.

What do you think is Shakespeare's intention of creating Shylock in The Merchant of Venice? Support your opinion with examples.

Well I feel that Shakespeare's reason for creating Shylock in the Merchant of Venice is to emphasise the discrimination of Jews that time and wants to let people watching his play stop the discrimination. Potraying Shylock in a cruel and cunning manner in the play, Shylock's ending will draw empathy from play-viewers. Shakespeare hopes that they will regret their action. An example is the purpose of Shakespeare to potray Shylock in such an evil manner. This would cause viewers to reflect on their actions on the Jews. Even by calling Shylock not by his real name but calling him "The Jew" causes huge discrimination to happen. This is and insult to his religion and Shakespeare hopes to tell people that if anyone insults his or her religion, how upset the person would be.

How to Raise a Global Kid, by Lisa Miller

I feel that the main arguement Jim Rogers is saying is that Asia is the future. He said that America is in a decline and thus, chooses to live in Asia, learning chinese. He knew that the East is now prospering and the West is now in debt, thus, he chooses to sick to the East where all the creditors are, as a normal person would do the same. I agree with this arguement, as for now, America is truly in a decline, while Asia is prospering, escpecially China. China now attracts numerous foreign investors and is forseen to be the future America. Thus, to groom children into future global people, the child must be immersed into the Asia culture and thus, learn China's language, Chinese. This would allow the child to get a headstart into the future world that will most likely revolve around China, like in the past when the world revolves around America.

Comment on Janelle Lee's view of Singapore's education system

Janelle Lee's letter has changed my view towards the education system of Singapore completely. Once I thought to be the best in the world, now I realise its major flaws. By bombarding us with facts, we are not able to ask 'why' questions, as she said. Our thinking will be shallow. If we are able to be effective thinkers and ask questions, imagine how fast will the world develop, inventions are made by previous scientists thanks to their curiosity to find out more. Example such as science, is a good way to express the flaw. In science, schools teach us about atoms and what they form, but never where they come from. If this was found out, imagine what a revelation it would make. How would shallow minded thinkers lead a country? They only depend on facts and their own knowledge to lead the country, without thinking and questioning about more effective ways. Janelle Lee's letter also adressed about the character development. She was right, it depends on the character if a person is going to do well in studies or not. Teachers also should not use those classes for other subjects as those classes could be considered the most important among all subjects, although it is not graded.

An ideal education system is possible, but to achieve this feat, the system must prepare the student morally, intellectually, socially, aesthetically and physically for life, or else it is not considered a ideal education system. But to do this, each student would have to be analysed as different people would need different methods to educate them about those required qualities. The streaming is not very effective as those that are good in studies but have bad attitude will be together with those good in some other ways but bad in others, are not able to learn together. To achieve most effective learning, students will have to take different classes with those similar quality people. Thus, for an effective education system, it has to be diversified and planned very carefully

The Religion of Water

Water, as a commotive is something everyone neds and have to be purchased. For example water bills Singaporeans have to pay if they used water at their homes. Water as a human right, meant that everyone deserves to get water, with or without a price tag. Its not about the money, its about the fact that water does not belong to anybody. Water is part of Earth and Earth cannot be purchased by anyone, nor is there a king of the world. In my opinion, I feel that water should be a human right to have it. To be honest, governments, kings do not have any right to claim that the water surrounding their countries are theirs, water is supposed to be a consumable for everyone to survive. If we humans have to buy water, then why do animals do not have to? They drink water everyday, some even more than us. If we look at the situation in this angle, water should be for everyone for free, a human right to drink it without cost.

Legislation of weekly days off for maids working in Singapore

Should giving weekly days off be legislated in Singapore? Well in my opinion, it should be. According to a report conducted, Singapore's maids compared to other countries, are the lowest paid, although they have the most working hours. This is already the primary factor that gives a valid reason for the legislation of weekly days for maids working in Singapore. Would not it be unfair if those maids work the whole day but are not allowed weekdays off? Compare those maids to those normal working citizens, there is a drastic difference between them, those maids in Singapore deserve rest, considering the amount of work they have done to their employer's family. Human rights exist in this world, slaves were banned but if these maids were not given any holidays, would not they be slaves? Those puny salaries are considered nothing in the higher cost of living in the modern world, if weekly days off are not given, then at least increase their salaries. Considering the stringent entry test in to Singapore for maids. Thus, I feel that weekly days off should be legislated in Singapore, what Halimah Yacob did was just getting the maids' justice back

Analysis on poem - children in the darkness

POINT OF VIEW - A 3rd person's
Edvidence - The poet is talking about 'them' which referred to the children and how they have 'no light'
Elaboration - Being a 3rd person, the poet wants to convey the message to people around the world on how pitiful these children were, abused since young, they were forced to fight wars instead of studying in schools

SITUATION AND SETTING - Pitiful children in a third world country
Edvidence - 'children in the darkness' and 'war consume them'
Elaboration - These phrases meant that there was a war going on and these children have to take the hard path and fight a war for the cruel leaders. Instead of studying in schools, these pitiful children are being brainwashed to fight a war/

LANGUAGE/DICTION - Metaphors etc
Edvidence - 'Light'
Elaboration - The 'light' in the poem did not meant the lightbulb kind of light. It refers to the children's future. The bad people have ruined the childrens future, surrounding them with 'darkness'. The poet wrote the poem with a touching tone that want readers to pity these children

PERSONAL RESPONSE -
Edvidence - I feel touched and relate these events with the current world
Elaboration - This poem evoked feelings in me, unable to lead a normal life like us kids, these children have been brainwashed to fight wars. But we are unable to anything about it. Comparing these children to countries around Libya, the situation is the same. Suffering children

Report of poem - Children in the darkness

This poem is talking about children, not leading a normal life. They were forced to fight in the war, equipped with weapons instead of books and pencils which they should have at their age. They should be studying in school, but some evil people put them in the wrong direction, making and teaching those pitiful children how to fight a war

Does nuclear energy still have a part to play in this world?

I think that it still has a part to play. The electricity we get now is mainly through the burning of fossil fuels. Intensive research by scientists has shown that fossil feuls is not going to last forever and cannot be produced in a short time, not even a century. Fossil feul naturally is produced after hundreds of millions of years when the bodies of dead organisms decompose. Thus, with our unecessary excess usage of electricity, it has lead to a faster rate of burning of fossil feul. People these days use more and more electricity so thus, nuclear energy came about. Nuclear energy can last for a much longer time and although it costs alot to built a nuclear plant, the rewards are promising. A country can save alot on electrical bills and save the environment, killing two birds with one stone.

Letter to relative in Singapore

Dear Aunt,

  Surviving the recent Tsunami was a very traumatising experience for me. 

  I was just going home from school when it came. I did not know what to do. I felt vibration suddenly so I acted on my instincts and clung on to a lamp post to stop myself from falling. After that, I figured that I had better get onto a high ground and stay there in case there is a Tsunami as I live in a town beside the ocean. As I expected, the Tsunami came. It was horrifying. The wave crashed upon the town and destroyed everything in its path, leaving behind a trail of mass destruction. A cruise ship came along with it and it crashed onto the roof of a nearby building. I saw my house being submerged in the 10 metre wave and I was shocked at the power Mother Nature. It all happened in the blink of an eye. 

  Me and the people that were stranded on the roof of the school we were on were the lucky ones. We were rescued immediately and were brought to the shelter.

  This is the first time I had seen a Tsunami and experienced an earthquake and it was a horrifying experience for me. I have no idea what lies in the future and there had been numerous aftershocks happening since we brought to the shelter. And recently there was bad news that the fukushima nuclear plant had exploded.

Yours sincerly

Jun Hong

Comments link

I apologise as I do not know how to print screen, so I would provide the links to my comments
http://iamapropudge.blogspot.com/2011/02/v-behaviorurldefaultvml-o.html#comments
http://sicarawks.blogspot.com/2011/01/home-learning-comic-strip_24.html#comments
http://2a317-la-2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/character-description.html#comments

Point of view from a parent from Dead Poet Society part 1

After listening to the headmaster's speech, I felt delighted that I had made the right choice by sending my son to this school, with more graduations from any other schools, it was pratically the best school in America. I felt that the ceronmony was nice as we get to know the 4 pillars. Those values were perfect to me. When the ceronmony ended, I shed tears as I hugged my son and bade him farewell and good luck. The teachers in the school were excellent, I though as they were former alumnis of this school. Overall, I concluded that my son would have a very bright future studying in this prominent school.

Describing photo of our school

The Hwa Chong school gate greets everyone when they attend school and bades them farewell after school. The majestic structure is one of the more prominent structures in our school and will be well remembered by our alumni. With a mouth that swallows cars into our school, one must pass through it to enter our beloved school.

LA lesson reflection

After going through 7 weeks of LA lesson, I learned how to apply characterisation in my story and elements of a short story. My most enjoyable part of the programme was the analyzation of characters in the story To Kill Mockingbird. After analyzing, I get to understand the story more. A change would like about the LA programme is the book given to us to read. I feel that they should use a more renowned book that we have interest in reading. Before we started reading To Kill A Mockingbird, I believe that few of us have heard of the book more or less read it. A lesson I particularly enjoy is the lesson we have to present on the traits of the character we analyzed. I thought it was interesting as we get to hear different views on different characters

Characterisation : Story excerpt on Spongebob Squarepants

“Hi Squidward!  Hi Squidward.  Hi Squidward.  Hi Squidward. “ Spongebob hollered through Squidward’s window, waking Squidward up with a shock.

“What are you doing outside my window?” Squidward screamed at SpongeBob who was smiling his big two-tooth smile at Squidward, “It’s 5am in the morning!”

Spongebob replied “Cause its opposite day! No wait it’s not opposite day!” Squidward was angry as Spongebob started singing at the top of his voice in Squidward’s room. Squidward took action and threw Spongebob out of his room and shut all the doors and windows. But even after this, somehow Spongebob still got into his room and started making chaos again.

Squidward suddenly had a brilliant plan and said “Spongebob, weren’t you never like this? Since today is not opposite day, you’re not supposed to be quiet!”

“OH! I don’t see. I shall not be quiet then,” Spongebob said after pondering for a short while.

So for the rest of the day, Spongebob became quiet and Squidward finally got some peace and quiet.

Which place means alot to me

The school gate means the most to me. It was the first thing I saw when I stepped of the bus. It reminds that I must be proud of my school. Everyday after school as I walked out of the school gate, I reflected on what I had done in school and that tomorrow would be a better day. I made a promise to myself that after I graduated from Hwa Chong, everytime I see the school gate, I would recall my life in secondary school.

What is the main message of the black eyed peas song "Where is the Love"? What part of the song do you have the strongest meaning and why?

The main message of this song is saying that the people of Earth doesn't love the people around them. They show discrimination and not care about the health of others for example nuclear plants. The chorus where is the love had the most impact on me as it is expressed in such a way that it is sort of begging for people to stop their discrimination acts and start loving their lives and others. The chorus is always followed by stories of what is happening in the world for example murders and children suffering to show that we should be grateful that we can live happily and help others in doing so.

How did the movie 2012 have an impact on me?

The movie 2012 is about a man struggling to save his divorced wife and children from the "End of the world.". Being the one of the few people other than government officials to know this, he acted early, saving them in the nick of time. His struggle to save his family allowed me to feel his ever-lasting love for his family. His never give up attitude achieved the impossible. This allow me to understand that by putting in effort and dedication, there is nothing that one cannot achieve. That man and his family were the only normal people ones that made it to the ark that the world governments put together. Other people on the ark were those that paid a fortune on a single ticket and important people like the presidents of different country. By never giving up, i began to understand that nobody can succeed without trying and a person can only succeed by trying his very best.