Just Jie Yang now.

Well, I’ve just skimmed through Tag’s blog and there was this post about… if I remember correctly, to “stop fucking A levels” and not complain about the system. Did I get that correct? Hope so, cause I’m feeling rather lazy to Ctrl-T and really pore through it. But anyway I would like to state my observation of the current time allocations of exams, which may seem a little unsubstantiated and myopic, but I duly hope the thoughts make sense.

There’s simply too little time to show how much we’ve truly understood.

Exams, essentially, are used as a measure of how well we know our content, by that, meaning our familiarity, depth of understanding, and hence ability to apply relevant skills with the knowledge gained over the past two years that coincide with the learning outcomes. One obvious flaw that remains to date, unaddressed for obvious reasons, would be that not all content can be squeezed into a single exam. Yes, some may say it is possible to lengthen exams to 5 hour long marathons with double the questions, but these people are obviously masochistic so we shall ignore them. But what is in deficit, is the amount of time available to fully expound our knowledge. The most direct counter-argument is that many students have been able to do so in the past (hence it shouldn’t be a problem for future generations), and that this helps to separate the good from the excellent. We are however, increasing the difficulty of questions every year; students pumped full with additional knowledge to help them deal with novel questions. While it is quite difficult to point out if Cambridge’s increasingly difficult questions are fuelling this trend or the other way round, I think the time allocated to do each question should be increased relative to the difficulty.

To draw up some examples, I would like to illustrate this point first with Economics. Case studies are requiring higher level skills, question requirements for essays becoming more although question length remains more or less the same. Precision and accuracy are the most essential skills needed to deal with them. But to fully cover the scope of the question would be a problem. The time limit is placing an unnecessary penalization on those who write just that tad slower. Write faster then, you would chorus. But is that really a valid suggestion? Constructive, no doubt, in the short term for the individual. But I really doubt, with my perhaps-myopic perspective that writing speed actually matters in the “real world”. Lengthening time limits would leave detractors saying that those who are not familiar with the content would be able to take advantage of the extra time, and hence an inaccurate reflection of the students’ abilities. One such subject that would be brought up to support this point would be Math. But in the case of Math, wouldn’t a genius who is able to work out answers without revising much be valued over someone who mugged half his lifetime just so he could do those questions? Pragmatism may lead us to the realization that pure genius is a rather good advantage that can be built upon. Chances are that dilligence can be inculcated but intellect cannot be created. And to be honest, the chances of figuring out math questions without basic understanding are rather low. Hence, the increase in time would not result in poor distillation between the good and the less academically inclined.

What I’m proposing isn’t something radical like 2 hours more for every exam or something along that scale. It would be frivolous and unnecessary. Perhaps, something like 15-20 mins? That could make a world of difference. It may mean one page more of full content that shows the examiners that hey, I didn’t slog 2 years just to show you nonsense (thanks to my chimeric hand of snail and human genes).

This year’s national anthem was quite brilliantly sang, I could feel the Majulah in Majulah Singapura, which I hadn’t felt in quite a while. It was like singing Hwa Chong school song for the first time (after that it just sounds kinda weird). I thought the revised version of “Stand Up for Singapore” was kinda great too, and overall there was a nice feeling to the parade, so good job, Ivan Heng.

Thought about whether I would want to stay in Singapore all my life. And well, answer is no, simply because absence will make the heart fonder and I think I would want to travel around before deciding where I want to settle (that’s if I have the financial capabilities in time to come). But for now, I don’t think I wanna leave my friends behind. (You may go “awwwww…” now.)

Which is kinda strange because I have friends like them.

Just kidding. They’re great people.

And although there is the NDP, this national day seems otherwise, normal. I was unable to feel the spirit of a good day coming or anything, even with the increased decor around the neighbourhood (that increased my doubt that government funds are prudently used). I guess next year it’ll be different when I am an army boy. Then I will be able to scoff at the people at parade and update on Facebook and Twitter that all those are just for show. And next next year I may get to participate too, and be the marker because I’m so tall. Yay. That’s what I see.

Gonna finish up my chem with the strength of a million now. Goodnight.

Sometimes, I really doubt the existence of human rationality. We able to solve complex puzzles, point out differences between highly similar, and reason why phenomenons occur, but yet, we are aren’t able to draw the effect of our actions. Why would we kill people if we know we are going to be hanged/sentenced for life? Why would we steal even if there’s a high risk of getting caught?

And following this line of thought, I am able to derive further questions that delve into the intricacies of life thrown up to me today:

1. Why do teachers collect homework when they’re not gonna mark it?
2. Why give prelim papers when the students haven’t revised?
3. Why print fresh materials only after teacher has gone through it?
4. Why would you commit to a higher wastage of time of the other individual even if he would waste less of your time?

Seeking to be the analytical mind that my school groomed me to be, I deduced certain answers that I hope, would be logical too.

1. Simply to just check that people did their work. Because there’s a sweet sense of satisfaction knowing that your student did their work, even if they wrote crap, the fact that they did their work shows all the respect in the world for you and the effort they’ve put in. And that the “SEEN” placed at the end of the page would indicate that you’ve looked through the work thoroughly too also lulls the student into a sense of security.
2. To help them revise. But that’s lame too. I have no comments on this chicken-and-egg thing because different approaches work for different people.
3. To ensure that the material remains fresh in a file, unannotated, or so as to waste stapler bullets attaching scribblings (that cannot be referred to) at the back of these materials. This also allows to student to focus (or pretend that they’re listening) in class on the single sheet of material flashed on the visualizer, making the cost of the projector worth while, and also boosting the spectacle industry.
4. Because you are just simply selfish, you don’t think before you act, and if you didn’t understand the first two phrases beforehand, you’re just an inconsiderate dumb f___.

I feel so good already. Now I’m wondering why I even care about it when nothing’s gonna be changed. Your welfare is our affair? More like students’ welfare is just some calefare.

In the recent light of oral and anal sex being legal in Singapore, I would like to highlight the fact that perhaps, Singaporeans are not ready for this privilege (even though if they do it, no one will know). Take a look at what caught my eye when I was reading Mind Your Body by the Straits Times yesterday.

I’ve calculated some scenarios where this kind of ignorance can possibly happen in a country where advertisments propagating safe sex, the use of condoms and the usage of instruments to chart when one is fertile, are actually everywhere.

1. Her nephew scammed her. Their petting were done erm, clothes on, but clothes on hands too, thus causing some of the stuff that came out to may have gone in.
2. She doesn’t trust her nephew. I would think her nephew assured her that pregnancy would not occur, she thought it was better to waste the time of a gynaecologist.
3. Her nephew is dumb, causing her to be affected by his sheer stupidity.

Anyway, I think the nephew should be placed with a condom at all times.

The fact that he can be so easily aroused makes me feel scared. Young people, tsk, so horny.

He should take biology lessons too. Rat dissection can be a wonderful educating experience.

So please, keep your seminal fluid to yourself, and educate your brain with rich knowledge that can be obtained from any brochure or inside a condom packaging. It won’t hurt, especially when you know it can happen without any real sex.

Was on the bus today, noticed that there were many not-so-slim girls around me. Well, it was my fortune, cause I was living the reality in reality TV, with TVmobile showing a reality TV programme about housewives and middle-aged women trying to overcome their inner fears, which are as you may have guessed, caused by their fats adipose tissues. So well, while they are not very slim, I was fortunate enough to think along the lines of inner beauty of women (which saved my sanity), cause not many people, or more specifically men, are attracted to the opposite sex anymore. Perhaps, you may have heard of Otto Fong. I quote from http://theonlinecitizen.com

Otto Fong is a playwright, film-maker, engineer and a Science teacher and comic artist. He first discovered his love for drawing while storyboarding for the Beijing Film Factory production of Monkey King. In 2000, he won the 1st and 3rd prize in the first nationwide comic drawing competition, Toon Craze Toon Grace held by the People’s Association.

Talented right? He teaches science in Raffles Instituition, and draws a comic. Like these.

Cool eh? I wish Mrs Loi would draw that for me.

He’s gay. *Gasp*

But do we want to know? No.

Should he publicly confess? Don’t know.

Is he any different from us, whether we know he’s gay a not? I doubt so.

So why confess?

I don’t think he was trying to become more famous or anything, because for someone who can write this.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Not counting my childhood, I have spent more than twenty years in the professional closet. I am nearing my fourth decade on Earth. While I have had some successes in life, I am not content to be just average. As I have often told my students, “Why be average when you can be your best?”

Do you know what a bonsai tree is? A bonsai tree is an imitation of a real tree. It is kept in a small pot with limited nutrients, trimmed constantly to fit someone else’s whim. It looks like a real tree, except it can’t do many things a real tree can. It cannot provide shelter, it cannot find food on its own; its life and death are totally reliant on its owner. It is the plant version of the 3-inch Chinese bound foot for women: useless and painful.

Being in the closet, pretending to be straight, trimming our true selves to suit the whims and expectations of others, is just like being a human bonsai tree. By staying in the closet, we cannot even hope to be average, much less above and beyond average.

I felt that in order to reach my fullest potential as a useful human being, I must first fully accept myself, and face the world honestly. I have lived long enough to know that what I am is not a disease, an aberration or a mental illness.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am not sure if you might agree with him, but I believe that there was no real purpose or target to be achieved in writing an open letter. Was he trying to get people’s support? Educate others that gays are just like us? (I know that) Or was it to just you know, writing on impulse?
He was called forth into RI’s General Office, according to eyewitnesses’ report on theonlinecitizen. Was it really worth it? He championed his cause that being homosexual is as common as a butterfly fluttering in the air, but wow, he may lose his job, he may get unwanted attention and you know, the flooding of responses.

Perhaps, sometimes, voicing out the truth was not such a good idea after all. I believe, he can face the world without confessing.

Being gay is not a disease. Got that straight.

Well firstly, in case you didn’t know, Singapore is still in its infant stages on letting go on its censorship policies. As in with regards to sexual content on the TV, in the movies, and those in the newspaper, you know, avenues of media, there is possibly no way Singapore can let loose. We would just all go havoc.

Ok, perhaps you need to know why first to understand my view.

Let us take a trip to STOMP, the forums/newsboard thingy highly publicised by Straits Times as their pet project.

If you would then click on Talkback, then go to “I confess…” you would see that many Singaporeans are very open and yet immature about their sexual knowledge. I don’t feel the necessity to pollute my mind in order to educate you, but honestly, is there a need to share with the good, upright citizens of Singapore, the size of your assets, how often you take part indulging in night activities alone, in pairs, or with a crowd?

And neither should you be so open about it. And no, I won’t go around doing beastly stuff to girls, nor their property if I am one day single at 40.

While we need to develop the open mindset, it does not mean that we should show an open mindset, nor should we be open about the intimate details in our life. No one should go through the horrors of knowing what you do secretly. We keep secrets for a reason, you know. If you’re a virgin, do you need to tell the world?

Perhaps, it is a bid to desensitize Singaporeans to the idea of promiscuity, P.D.As, and also sex should not be done when you’re 16 and above. We promote condoms, safe sex, that having AIDS is not hip and cool, and warts on your $%@@%$#$ isn’t a great thing to boast about, but who really tells people who are making out on the bus to stop their exchange of bodily fluids? Or that they should really get a room? All in their faces, more so?

This picture was taken from http://rudesingaporeans.blogspot.com/2007/09/couple-making-out-in-local-bus.html

And of course, I love Singapore’s education, and especially how they go about doing practicals during sex education.

I took this from http://issacritz.blogspot.com.

Conclusion: Singapore cannot loosen up too much.

They say, when a butterfly flutters it’s wings in one part of the world, the other part of the world may experience a catastrophe. 

Perhaps, you were one of the lucky, or not so unlucky few in Singapore that experienced the tremors from the 8.4 large earthquake last night. Well, you may have thought it was a great experience (as Singapore rarely has earthquakes that are felt in the West) and just like me, felt that you should take time off to try to overcome the trauma in a desperate bid to slack. But earth’s fury, or sneeze, just highlighted the point that no one is invulnerable to nature’s wrath.

You would have probably guessed by now, I was studying at the time where the earthquake struck. Or rather, more specifically, talking to Andre about the seemingly insignificant EOY score calculations and such. Well, earthquakes are not common see, and my mom felt the tremors, but though she worked too hard in the day and thus felt giddiness, my 2nd bro thought it was his exam stress and dare not voice out. Well, let’s just say they all voiced out at once, and we soon realised we were not the only ones who felt it. Some guy named Jason called ChannelNewsAsia to describe the carpark. Or rather a very mundane description of the scene of the carpark. People running out of their office. People videoing everything down in a bid of fame by hitting 5 million hits on youtube.

I didn’t need to be told twice about the earthquake in Indonesia, especially when there were tremors in class this morning again.

Isn’t it just wonderful to realise that all I care about were marks at the time when the clock tower was shaking? Or the fact that I may die before my time by getting crushed to death when the HDB block I live in collapse? (I live on the 19th floor, mind you.)

I don’t want to die poor, nor do I want to die without getting to experience life’s pleasures.

Today, the professor who volunteered to take time off “his busy schedule” was certainly illuminating. He was your, “for money, will do any job” kind of guy. And he’s a professor? Is this what he truly wants to teach us at school? To join the engineering stream in Uni just to make tons of cash and be my own boss with my skills gained at the Engineering curriculum? Well, he said that passion was needed, (though as a sidenote), which led me to ignore his presentation immediately. I am not going to take Engineering. I may love money, but I’m sure, I rather work for passion with a moderate pay, than a boring job with lots of cash.

I am going to live my life to the fullest, and starting today, I am gonna work hard for the freaking exams, cause I know, I will emerge triumphant at the end of 4 years, with 4k of scholarships and awards awaiting me, making it all worthwhile.

Funny. It all started with a little shaking.

In view that we are experiencing something known to the Chinese as the “Seventh Month”, I shall push forward a new theory which explains the before and after-life process.

1. When we die, we go to another dimension.

Yes. You might want to believe this portion. You see, when humans die, there is erm, let’s say a piece of matter, known as a soul. This soul has to go somewhere, after his shell dies. So he goes to another dimension. And in this dimension, there lies a system that dictates where is the next place he goes to, what happens to his soul, and whatever that is arranged to happen in his next lifetime.

2. We originated from one being.

We may be from originally from a prototype of a soul. Whenever a soul goes to the next dimension, it is split into two or more parts, or remain wholesome for the next cycle of life. This solely depends on what this soul has commited in the previous cycle of life, or what we term as karma. Assuming that there is Adam and Eve, it may seem that there was a being before them, that had both feminine and masculine characteristics. When that soul went back to the dimension, it got split randomly into two, with regards to personality. This can explain why we have extreme personalities, in the middle characteristics, and also why we have flaws in human nature. This is simply because when a soul gets split over and over again, there will be more and more flaws in the characteristics. It also shows why we desire to have another half, to replenish our flaws. This seems logical to which why some people remain married for a longer time than others (in cases of true love), simply because the soul (or part of it) is united, therefore unlikely to split, till death causes natural parting.

3. Souls are distributed randomly, and what it does in one life cycle affects the next.

Due to the splitting of the souls, there might be cases in which souls created tend to be more violent in nature, and more gentle. This may result in people who murder others, or a soul claiming another. This may result in the soul of the victim and the murderer splitting into more than one, simply because the claiming of another soul is unnatural, with regards to the life cycle. It is termed as unnatural death, thus causing premature splitting of the soul. This may thus result in a soul having more flaws than a common halved soul. Souls are distributed randomly too, so it is very hard to find the other half of the soul. In cases of actual union, it maybe noted that the soul forms back into the original form before this particular life cycle, then splits randomly again.

Amazing, eh? I was thinking of it on a bus.