martes, setiembre 30, 2003
[ 347: Prelim Results ]
Chemistry: A
Physics: D
Math 9233: A
Math 9234: C
I haven't got an inkling about my general paper. I'm rather happy for my results actually. Hope to at least maintain it, if not push that C up even more.
Going to the airport to study in a while's time. Seeya~
Shannon left at 1:06 p. m..
[ 346: A levels ]
Shannon left at 12:09 a. m..
[ 345. CLC2 ]
Went to airport today to study... still struggling with physics i guess. Can't even do newtonian mechanics. Argh. I hate myself. Haa. I mean... i always ask myself, what the heck am i doing in science stream...? Never mind, i think it's far too late to regret now.
Shannon left at 12:05 a. m..
domingo, setiembre 28, 2003
[ 344: Service ]
Really don't feel like blogging. I don't know if i have made a right choice in telling him how i really feel. Am i plain selfish to simply want to get my message across and demand to know how he really feels? Or should i have left it unsaid and pretend everything was ok...? I'm unsure.
Shannon left at 8:38 p. m..
sábado, setiembre 27, 2003
[ 343. Sentosa ]
Sentosa.... it's been a long time since i last stepped onto that little island... haah... and believe it or not, it's my first (decent) outing with the class... haa. Went there... and the guys were all topless... playing soccer ... and so elena had to come and fetch me. Yeah. The moment i got there, and elena was like, eh, go into water leh... and alex was like, eh, go play soccer leh... lolx. i can't play soccer for nuts. And i was darn hesitant in taking off my shirt lo... i mean, i'm fat, so i don't have a good bod... yeah. (Aiyah, people shy larz.) In the end... i was like, heck with it, everyone's topless already, just join them lo... i'm not even the fattest one around... haa... went into the water and spent half my time there. Including time when i put sand into zhichao's pants. Time when we walked over to the kayaking corner and capsize junli. Oh... it was all great fun. Too bad i can't be there earlier... so i didn't get a tan. Haa. So sad... ah yes!~ C was there too... haa. just feel funny saying hi to me... and i realized, he calls me by my chinese name... And i'm wondering how he knows.
After that only paul, chao, carl and me stayed for dinner at harbourfront, before going over to cuppage plaza for pool. That was rather boring actually... i felt very tired, can't even hold the cue up properly... haix. Wearing sr shorts with the saints tee-shirt in the middle of orchard road doesn't help much either. I mean, SHORTS, in ORCHARD ROAD? please. I felt so awkward... I mean, no matter you're a guy or gal, wearing shorts there will grant you much attention. Unnecessary attention. The only difference is that while a gal usually gets it better, for guys... it's often looks of disgust. Haa. So i went home looking rugged... yeah.
Shannon left at 10:34 p. m..
viernes, setiembre 26, 2003
[ 342. Bored ]
Shannon left at 10:27 p. m..
[ 341: Prelims Finale: Enlistment Notice ]
You are hereby required under Section 10 of the Enlistment Act (Cap 93), to report for enlistment on 10 Dec 2003 (Wed) from 1.00pm to 1.30pm to BMTC Sch 2.
Argh... you know the kind of feeling that you feel a bit lost? Yeah... thinks it happens kind of too fast. I haven't played enough. =/ Aiyah... see how lah, think i'll go take napfa at the stadium lo. well, they shifted the place from toa payoh stadium to clementi stadium. DARN. so far.
Shannon left at 3:29 p. m..
jueves, setiembre 25, 2003
[ 340: Pink ]
I found a male prototype that likes PINK!!! especially HOT PINK!!! wow. That's really a rare breed!!! I mean, i go for pink too, but alas only the pale ones. =) Hot pink will never, ever work for me. =)
and darn... i just realized that pink and purple, though near, but don't go well with each other. Urgh.
Shannon left at 8:41 p. m..
[ 339. Visits ]
Next on plan was sajc. Badly wanted to crash sa today, but decided to sleep in instead... haah. So ended up paying xiaohei a lunch visit. Well... junting was there, so ended up doing his chem mcq instead. And the paper was murderous. Then i took his paper to do while waiting for him to end school, and the paper was again, murderous. Argh. Went home together, talked, eat, make ac-sa jokes, and whatnots.
I said i was pissed at someone. Then he (as usual) retorted, "Since when you're not pissed at (the person)?" Then i was like... hmm... thought about it on my way home. I realized that i'm seldom in a fiery mood. In fact, almost never. If i was in a mood other than (anything along the line of) craziness, that has to be meloncholy. If people did me wrong, i'd be more upset than pissed. Pissed... perhaps, but it never fails to turn to self-pity party. Yeah man. I'll be like wondering... "What did i do to deserve this... why that guy is doing this to me... i thought i was a friend... *blah* *blah* *blah*..." That's me for you. =) Well, i learnt (the hard way) that people cannot always be nice to you. Not saying that friends are there to torture you, but everyone has their moods and need to be alone at times... yeah. Things happen to test relationships all the time... and the best way to keep a friend is to let go. He's a friend, not a possession. We always say that of steads... but never of friends... but i guess it applies to friends as well. Yeah man. Back to me, yes... you seldom catch me angry (i think). But being melancholic... it's a different story. I seems to enjoy it sometimes. "...!!!..." Haa... cya~
Shannon left at 7:16 p. m..
[ 338: 28 Days ]
Went to clarke quay... for supper. Haa... actually they wanted to drink, but ended up having stingray. So anyway, nothing much actually, just chatting and eating... got to know classmates better in that way. =)
Shannon left at 9:12 a. m..
miércoles, setiembre 24, 2003
[ 337: Philo II ]
The Platonic Answer
Success in life requires knowledge of the nature of things that are important in life; knowledge is acquired by reason and argument. Therefore, those who are best at reasoning and arguing must be most successful. Therefore, the way to become successful is to become a reasonable person.
The Dale Carnegie Answer
Success is a matter of happy human relations. Human relations are happy when others are willing to do what one wants. Getting others to do what one wants is largely a matter of persuasion, not reason and argument. Therefore, the way to be successful is to become a 'people' person - that is, a persuasive person.
Which answer do you agree with more, and why?
Personally, i would go with the Dale Carnegie Answer. What measures one's success is usually by his or her accomplishments, but alas, there's only so much a single human being can do. After all, we are just less than one-billionth of the population on earth. Hence, success can only be attained by one if and only if he receives help and support from people all around him. People are hence a key factor for one to be successful.
Let's take a look at some of the more successful people around us. Politicians wins their seats in the Parliament, because their residents voted for them. Not because of how right they got their facts, but how they actually took the effort to show the residents that they do want to give their part to serve them. If success was based by how right one is or how arguable one is, i'm certain that Dr Chee will (most likely) be sitting in the Parliament now as well. Many corporate leaders do not succeed base solely on their mangement or entreprenuerial abilities as well. By managing tens, hundreds, or even thousands subordinates, they have to hone their inter-personal relations skills before people will do any work for them. People will work for money, but they'd still rather have a happy working relationship with whoever they work for.
Why are 'people' people more successful than reasonable person? This perhaps could be due to the nature of man itself. Everyone was born with a need for social interaction, a need to be accepted, loved and cared for in the society. Unlike knowledge which has to be acquired through experiences and learning, this nature is in-born. People do not care how much you know, but rather, they'd rather know how much you care for them. Hence, simply put, to get people to do things for you, you have to be able to persuade them into doing so. Even if we are learned and experienced over years of life, there's always a streak a childhood in us: the need to be coaxed and given attention to. Perhaps that's why a quarrel never works out even if all the facts brought out are correct, because both parties are not listening and taking each other's feelings into consideration; they are just arguing loudly.
(Ok, i'm crapping. I dunno what to say liaoz.) =p
Shannon left at 5:27 p. m..
[ 336: Philosophy ]
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip.
Try this quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of t he Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.
Easier?
The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."
(Charles Schultz)
Shannon left at 5:23 p. m..
[ 335. Prelims Day 8: One more ]
Shannon left at 5:19 p. m..
[ 334: Quiz ]
Which band instrument are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Shannon left at 12:09 p. m..
[ 333. Prelims Day 8: Soon ]
And it's three easy papers... heeh...
Today's fmaths paper was manageable... not. Well, woke up with the stronger-than-usual unwillingness to wake up, due to a phone call last night (haaaa...=p), and went for the paper. Yeah. Happily doing statistics first to keep my spirits up, and one and a half hours later, i swept the entire stats section. Could pass with statistics alone if there's no major mistakes. BUT... that seldom happens. Yeah man. But never mind la... i guess i have to make a decision to trust God for it, because... i barely did about 10 marks (out of 43) worth of mechanics. Ouch. God, please....!!!
Going back for chemistry paper soon. People... (especially some buggers who have finished prelims) please pray for me!!! I need that A!!!
And haa... will be going airport again to study with shawnie... he needs help in math... hehe, and i'm going to give him the paper he hates most... njc. =p
I've never been so cheerful for a long time... God, thanks for reviving this optimism in me again. Yeah man, love you so much~ *muAcKs* =) I conclude: only when you have gone through a ravine then will you appreciate the warmth of the light... And hor... sustain the joy k?!?!?~
Shannon left at 11:53 a. m..
martes, setiembre 23, 2003
[ 332: Prayer ]
After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God...If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk.He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He did not get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli."Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk."It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn Down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection.Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will." He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop.He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semi commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the in the car seat."Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away.The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep."What is it?"The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you. The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen.The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying."We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some.Are you an Angel?"The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward
his car. tears were streaming down his face.He knew that God still answers prayers.
Shannon left at 8:26 p. m..
[ 331: Prelims Day 7: Physics Prac ]
Quarantine was fun... actually. I must be kidding right? No... me and carl were happily listening to praise and worship music... yeah, and joking about me going around collecting 'offering' (handphones) before the exam... haha... and about blasting praise and worship music in the lt. lol. Talking about the lt, it's noisy as... fish market. This (i guess) is the only time where we can legally make noise and teachers have no say over it. Haah. And we spent the last 45 mins trying to solve a mechanics question. Try this:
A uniform rod AB, of mass m and length 2a, rests at an angle 30deg to rough horiontal ground with the end A in contact with the ground. Equilibrium is maintained by a light elastic string, of natural length 3a and modulus mg, attached to B. The string passdes over a smooth fixed peg C, which is at a height 3a above the ground, and the other end of the string is dixed to the point D on the gorund with D vertically below C. The points A, B, C and D lie in the asme vertical plane. The part BC of the string makes an angle * with the vertical.
(i) Show that BC = 2a sec* and hence find, by using Hooke's Law, the tension in the string in terms of m, g and *. [3]
(ii)Show that tan * = (root3)/4 [5]
(i) is easy... (ii) is the challenge that kept us 45 mins. =) (One darn thing about blogger is that any abstract symbols don't show properly.)
Then went up to airport to study with shawnie... looks like we are going to spend lotsa time studying together... ;-) That includes tomorrow. yeah. Gonna help him in math... =)
Shannon left at 7:26 p. m..
lunes, setiembre 22, 2003
[ 330: Prelims Day 6: Monotonous ]
Oh, saw shawn at clementi mac while i'm having tuition... and we're gonna study at airport (again) tomorrow. Yeah.
Shannon left at 10:20 p. m..
[ 329: Prelims Day 6: No paper ]
Plans for today:
Principle for planning: NO BOOKS!!!
up to 1300: slack at home, play around with my piano
1300 to 1500: go nus have lunch with choon
1500 to 1800: math tuition near ngee ann poly
1800 to 2200: go for clc2
Ok... a recap of last week. I realized that i've went to the airport 4 times so far in the past week... and i love the place. So i guess i may end up camping there just before my 'A's... i'm getting nervy. Haa. all 4 sessions there... interesting things happen, meet new people, talked to friends about personal stuff and so on. It's really a special place. Yeah, at least for now. Well, it was the place when me and her had our first friction (after almost a year...?) never mind about there. We were commenting about how waste of space the airport can get... but it's to us students' advantage anyway. The viewing gallery at terminal two is simply... beautiful. The place is quiet and not so brightly lit.. but bright enough to do work. well, don't blame us for getting myopic anyway. It's like... you'll see bunch of friends lying on the ground doing tys questions... couples sitting behind the plants or pillars facing the runway... families sitting on the seats, idle chatting and teaching their babies how to say the word 'aeroplane'... so nice~ Looks like i'm gonna spend my days prior to 'A's at the airport... yeah... i still pretty suck at physics. Perhaps as much as how ken suck at math. Haiz.
Received a letter from a friend in thailand about a month ago... and i have not replied! Gosh... i just remembered that i have not even replied her previous letter... what am i doing? Haizz...
Shannon left at 12:44 p. m..
domingo, setiembre 21, 2003
[ 328. Home ]
Yeah. just got home from the airport. Rather different today, went to study first, before receiving my mom back fom shanghai. And on the way home, she was like telling me how cheap the things there were (haizz.) and how i should go for her convocation there next year.... oh yes, she was there for some study trip for her master's degree course... yeah. Ok, i'm bored. I'm outta here.
Shannon left at 10:38 p. m..
[ 327: Service ]
Service... enghow came today! Haha... great surprise for me really... that encouraged me a lot. Or sorta lifted my spirits somewhat... Yes.
Ok, i'm off to study at airport now... yeah.
Shannon left at 4:11 p. m..
sábado, setiembre 20, 2003
[ 326: Airport ]
Then i went to airport to study. We sat on opposite sides of bk for hours without knowing it... until i called. Then we went viewing mall to study cuz we were being chased. Yeah.
Just got home. Tired, burdened, yet relieved.
Shannon left at 11:09 p. m..
[ 325: Jmulbed Wrdos ]
Shannon left at 10:15 a. m..
[ 324: Sweetness ]
When i woke up... i received the same sms from both derek and C...
"It's not who u r to e world, it's who u r to me. It's not how many times i say i cherish u... it's how much i really do. Take care my dearest friend (-_;)"
Derek alawys message me that kind of times... haah... he's such a sweet bro... but for C it's a first. awww... haah. So happy~
Shannon left at 9:58 a. m..
viernes, setiembre 19, 2003
[ 323: Prelims Day 5: Cucumbers ]
Shannon left at 1:23 p. m..
jueves, setiembre 18, 2003
[ 322: Quiz ]
Youth
?? Which Angel Or Demon Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla
Shannon left at 10:30 p. m..
[ 321: Prelims Day 4: Burnt ]
Went to airport to study with her today. Reached there about 2, and planned to do my entire math c statistics... before 5, i've completed my entire revision. That's kinda too fast you'd say right...? Guess i'm pretty quick at catching things... further more, i don't (think i) have a problem with statistics, just wanna do a bit of refreshing only... There's also physics tomorrow, but i'm just not gonna do anything about it.
Guess i'm pretty burnt out by now. It's only the fourth day. Well, it's like... i could feel it just now. I was just flipping through my notes, then attempting other prelims questions. I didn't even bother writing down proper solutions... just scribbling, scribbling, scribbling on the question paper itself... and whenever i stop studying, i'll feel very guilty, cuz it's like i know i can't afford to be complacent. And yet when i start studying... i just feel so freaked out and fearful.
Then something happened just now... i guess i did something which i wasn't aware of... she didn't looked too happy... but she said it was her, but not my fault... but i just feel down. Wanted to call me, i said i'm gonna sleep... haix.
I'm feeling confused... after talking to R and C over the past few days... i know it's wrong to think about such things at this point in time (exams...), but i can't help it... argh...
Shannon left at 9:46 p. m..
[ 320. Prelims Day 4: Chemistry ]
10 questions - 3 physical, 2 inorganic, 3 organic, 2 env chem.
1st hour - 3 physical
next 1/2 hour - 2 inorganic
next hour - 3 organic
last 15 min - 2 env chem.
Ouch.
So i guess my marks will go something like
physical - 20/30
inorganic - 12/20
organic - 24/30
env - 5/50 (if i'm lucky)
total - 61/100
haha... That's just a B. Ouch. 2s1 gonna get screwed by suresh... haiz. So demoralising. Guess i might be better off dead. Haix.
Shannon left at 11:45 a. m..
miércoles, setiembre 17, 2003
[ 319: Prelims Day 3: Chemistry ]
Was blog surfing again... and found out something shocking...
though i read his blog a few times already... this is the first time i really read it...
and boy... i'm really... haiz. *speechless*
I could have been like him... but because of a decision i made half a decade ago... i can't do that...
Going airport to study tomorrow...
Shannon left at 9:54 p. m..
[ 318: Prelims Day 3: Argh. ]
Forget it. It doesn't work.
Ok, meeting her for dinner later... and studying my env chem.
I just REALIZED that i have not TOUCHED my env chem.
God bless me.
Shannon left at 5:30 p. m..
[ 317: Prelims Day 3: Breather ]
Fmaths... was bad. I lost 43 marks to undone and confirmed wrong answers.
How to get my C...? Haiz.
Shannon left at 11:44 a. m..
martes, setiembre 16, 2003
[ 316. Prelim Day 2: Thank You ]
And we agreed on something. Joseph, shed your three-quarters and sleeveless image. It looks quite
Shannon left at 11:17 p. m..
[ 315. Prelims Day 2: Study Plan ]
Except... the quarantine area is bad. No air con!!! Never mind. Remember how SM Lee praised the inventors of the air-con? If not Singapore will not be able to progress thus far. You get what i mean.
My study plan:
Will be covering one fmaths paper 1, followed by a crash course in 2 year 'A' level physics in 3 hours.
Ended up studying at mos burger for 2 hours... then feeling super stressed by physics, i came home to rest. ARGH. going down to central mac later at night to study...
Shannon left at 12:55 p. m..
lunes, setiembre 15, 2003
[ 314. Quiz ]
Aphrodite/Eros
?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla
Shannon left at 11:54 p. m..
[ 313. Ancedotes ]
Shannon left at 11:34 p. m..
[ 312. Prelims Day 1: Nightmare begins ]
in summary,
GP1: "To what extent are films a reflection of people's lives?"
GP2: Workaholism.... good or bad?
math1: damn the maclaurin series.
Gotta go for clc2 now... not so early actually, but wanna catch an hour or two of study time.
Shannon left at 5:41 p. m..
[ 311. Exams ]
Got a few unexpected smses as well, actually only one, cuz the rest were.. expected? heez... it sounds rather funny actually: "Hey.. goot luck for tomolo's paper... Erm... tt's if you have papers tomolo la... eh.. all the best ya? Hope you pass wel.. hoho.. Nitez!" It's really rare that marcus (liew) actually messaged me... though i messaged him occasionally last time... yeah. Ok, gonna prepare for school now. Cya~
Shannon left at 6:11 a. m..
domingo, setiembre 14, 2003
[ 310. Opposing Viewpoints ]
Viewpoint 1: Christian should not accept homosexuality
by D. James Kennedy. Homosexuality. Mary E. Williams, Ed. Opposing Viewpoints® Series. Greenhaven Press, 1999.
Recently, a leader in the homosexual rights movement asked to see me. Toward the end of our meeting he said one of the most astonishing things I've ever heard on the subject. "The Bible nowhere even mentions homosexuality," he stated.
Unfortunately, our time was over and I couldn't discuss with him what the Scriptures do say. Today the "gay lifestyle" has grabbed a lot of attention, and many people twist the Scriptures to justify the sin.
God's Word, however, is clear:
"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable" (Lev 20:13).
"God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another" (Rom 1:26-27).
"Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. That is what some of you were," Paul added. "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor 6:9-11)
Visit to Sodom
One of the most familiar passages about homosexuality is in Genesis 19. The Lord and two angels, appearing as men, came to the city of Sodom at evening. Lot graciously invited them to spend the night in his home. But before they went to sleep, the men of the city surrounded the house. "Where are the men who came to you tonight?" they demanded. "Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them" (Gen 19:5).
Such flagrant wickedness is the reason the Lord destroyed the city (v12-13). Yet some today claim that this story has no relevance to the modern issue of homosexuality. The sin of Sodom was inhospitality, they say, or pride or disregard for the poor.
The people of Sodom were clearly inhospitable. They were proud, wealthy, and had no concern for the poor (Eze 16:49). But they also committed sexual abominations. It was this sin that caused their destruction.
A brochure from a pro-homosexual church asks, "Why do all the other passages of Scripture referring to this account [Sodom] fail to raise the issue of homosexuality?" That question ignores the words of Jude:
Jude 7 "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire."
The message could not be clearer. If the Bible does not teach that sodomy is a sin, it doesn't teach anything is a sin.
Hating Sin, Loving Sinners
How do people respond today when we say that homosexual behavior is a sin? They say we are homophobes, that we are filled with hate.
Someone has said that this accusation is like calling the Surgeon General a smokophobe. When he put the health warning on cigarette packages, did that prove he hated smokers? Most smokers probably have family members who have tried to dissuade them from smoking. Is that because of hate? No! It's because of love.
A study of First John makes it clear that we must not hate. "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness" (2:9). "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (3:18). "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (4:8).
The Christian position is that we must love the sinner but hate the sin. I think robbery is a terrible sin, and I hate it. I think rape is a terrible sin, and I hate it. I think the same about murder and many other sins. But that doesn't mean I hate the people who do them. I have counseled with them and prayed for them and witnessed to them.
Likewise, I have counseled with some who have committed homosexual sin. I know some who have come out of that lifestyle. I know some who are still struggling to overcome it. And I know others who want to stay there. As followers of Christ, our prayer must be that all will be set free.
What Are the Facts?
Tragically, some today insist that people can't be set free from homosexuality. They say it is something they are born with, that there is nothing they can do about it.
The Kinsey Report claimed that 10 percent of American men were homosexuals. More reliable studies of recent years have put the total closer to 1 or 2 percent. One study showed that 2 percent of American men admitted some homosexual activity in the past, but not in the present. This suggests that there may be more ex-homosexuals in America than active homosexuals. So much for the lie that people can't change!
What about recent studies indicating that homosexuality may be genetic? Each of those studies has serious scientific flaws. But even if the studies suggest predisposing factors, they do not prove determinative factors. People have different kinds of personalities. Some are aggressive, others shy. Some have tendencies toward alcoholism or hot-headedness. That does not mean society should put its imprimatur on those things as being right.
Redefining Deviancy
Christians in America need to understand the goals of the homosexual activists. Now that homosexuals have gotten themselves into positions of influence, they are trying to move society in their direction.
The process involves two parts: D.D. Down and D.D. Up. The first means "defining deviancy down." When deviancy becomes prevalent in a society, people tend to make the definition of deviancy smaller. Otherwise, it is too uncomfortable to deal with. An example of this occurred several years ago when the American Psychiatric Society declared that homosexuality was no longer a pathological condition.
D.D. Up is the opposite. It means taking what has always been known as normal and defining that up into deviancy. As one writer explains, "That distracts us from real deviancy and gives us the feeling that, despite the murder and mayhem and madness around us, we are really preserving and policing our norms."
Do you know who the new social deviates are? Anyone who says that homosexuality is wrong or sinful. That's why homosexual rights activists march in front of churches with signs saying, "Stop the Hate." (They don't mention the threats or vandalism committed by some radical homosexuals.)
Churches are not the only target. Today there are psychologists and psychiatrists who seek to restore homosexuals to a heterosexual lifestyle. Attempts are being made to have such therapists declared unethical. They are abusing psychiatry, the activists say.
The homosexual agenda may be most dangerous in the public schools. One study suggests that 26 percent of 12-year-old boys have sexual ambiguities. By age 17, that drops to 5 percent, and by age 21 probably to about 2 percent. But in some schools young children are hearing that "Heather has two mommies" and "Johnny has two daddies"--and that it's perfectly normal. Talk about creating sexual confusion!
Taking Our Stand
When Lot resisted the demands of the men of Sodom, they accused him of being judgmental. "This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge!" (Gen 19:9). We will probably hear similar accusations.
In addition, homosexual activists will work hard at convincing us that they are the victims in this controversy. The book After the Ball explains their strategy: "In any campaign to win over the public, gays must be portrayed as victims in need of protection so that straights will not be inclined to refuse to adopt the role of protector.... We must forego the temptation to strut our gay pride publicly to such an extent that we undermine our victim image."
We must not let the ploys and accusations of the homosexual movement keep us from our responsibility to speak the truth in love. America is being conned, and the consequences are serious. May God give us the wisdom to wake up while we have time.
Viewpoint 2: Christians should accept homosexuality.
by Alice Ogden Bellis. Homosexuality. Mary E. Williams, Ed. Opposing Viewpoints® Series. Greenhaven Press, 1999.
For many years, I was convinced that because the Bible had nothing positive to say about homosexuality--and because its few comments on the subject all seemed to be negative--the Bible had to be regarded as condemning all forms of homosexual practice. I was not homophobic. I liked many of the gay men and lesbian women I knew. Yet, intellectually, I found it difficult to read negative as positive.
Oddly enough, what began to change my approach to this issue--and to Scripture in general--was my study of women's stories in the Hebrew Bible. I was particularly moved by the Book of Ruth.
The Subversive Story of Ruth
Ruth is a sweet little story, but it is also highly subversive. Many scholars have concluded that the book was written in the post-exilic period, a period of Israelite history characterized by narrow exclusivism. Given this context, since Ruth was a Moabite, and the Moabites were among Israel's most hated enemies, she is an odd hero. Ruth's story undercuts the exclusive attitudes of her time, particularly the negative feelings toward foreign women, which we find expressed in Scripture in both Ezra and Nehemiah
(Ezra 9:12; Ezra 10:1-44; Neh 13:23-30).
Even more surprising is the fact that Ruth seems to overturn a biblical law which prohibits any Moabite from being part of the Israelite community for ten generations (Deut 23:3). According to the genealogy at the end of Ruth (Ruth 14:17), Ruth is the great grandmother of David. By this genealogy, David comes only three generations after Ruth. According to the law expressed in Deuteronomy, David was not legally a member of the Jewish community!
Of course, many scholars believe the Book of Ruth is a historical novelette, and that the genealogy at the end is an example of "creative" genealogy. Yet, whether historically accurate or not, its function is the same: to uphold God's inclusive love for all people--even foreign women, even Moabites. (This idea is explored further by André LaCocque in The Feminine Unconventional: Four Subversive Figures in Israel's Tradition.)
Realizing that the Book of Ruth contradicts the law of Deuteronomy has changed the way I view Scripture. The Bible is not static but dynamic. It must continually be reinterpreted by the religious community to fit each new historical context--sometimes even to the point of doing a 180-degree turn.
Over the centuries, advances in various fields of knowledge have occasionally caused the Christian community to reevaluate its methods of interpreting the Bible. The discovery that the earth is not flat but spherical, and that it revolves around the sun, not vice versa, forced interpreters to grapple with the biblical image of a flat earth at the center of the universe. This and other scientific findings have led most interpreters to conclude that the Bible is authoritative in matters of faith and morals but not in matters of science.
More recently, women's changing roles have pushed interpreters to develop hermeneutical principles for understanding the negative material in the Bible regarding women. For example, it seems clear that statements such as 1 Timothy 2:9, which claims that braided female hair is immodest, need to be regarded as human, culturally bound pronouncements. Many scholars have concluded that passages which seem to offer specific advice to specific people, such as the admonition for women to remain silent in church (1 Cor 14:34), must be read in light of timeless statements such as Gal 3:28, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus".
We have been forced to realize that the treasure of God's Word comes to us in an earthen vessel, that is, a document containing many human features. The struggle to discern God's eternal Word in the midst of the human words of the Bible is not easy. But once we admit the human element in the Scriptures, we have no choice but to seek to hear God's voice through the human voices, rather than assuming the two are identical.
Changing Attitudes
Just as changing attitudes toward women's roles have fostered new principles of biblical interpretation, new information and attitudes regarding homosexuality are nudging biblical interpreters to reconsider their existing hermeneutical principles and, in some cases, to form new principles. I would like to suggest three governing principles of interpretation that can guide us as we explore scriptural teachings regarding homosexuality.
The first principle is that biblical teaching must be viewed in light of its cultural context. For example, when we read the biblical injunction to "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 1:28), we must keep in mind that at the time of this utterance, the Israelites needed to expand their population in order to survive and thrive. In today's world, where so many are in need, simply filling the world with more and more bodies is a recipe for destruction rather than survival.
Similarly, as Robin Scroggs noted in his landmark 1983 book The New Testament and Homosexuality, the kinds of homosexual relationships prevalent in New Testament times were pederastic and exploitative. Biblical material condemning such practices (Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Tim 1:10) should not be read as denunciation of the kind of monogamous homosexual bonds that exist today, but which were apparently extremely rare in Hellenistic times.
It is more difficult to determine the cultural background of the anti-homosexual laws in the Levitical code (Lev 18:22; 20:13). But we should keep in mind that these passages are included in a body of law that promotes kosher food laws (Lev 11; 20:25), prohibits sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman (Lev 18:19), and forbids wearing clothing made of a mixture of fibers (Lev 19:19). Christians usually feel free to ignore these laws, following Paul who taught that Christians were not required to follow Jewish requirements such as circumcision (1 Cor 7:19; Gal 5:6; 6:15; Eph 2:15).
The Sodom and Gomorrah story in Genesis 19 is not really about homosexuality but rather about homosexual rape. Like all rape, it is more a matter of power than sex. In this story and the similar passage in Judges 19, the point was to humiliate threatening outsiders by treating them like women. The misogynist ideology behind the practice should be noted.
Informed Biblical Reading
The second hermeneutical principle I would stress is this: Biblical teaching should be read in light of later teaching on the same subject, the general direction of Scripture, and, for Christians, especially Jesus' teaching.
It is not widely known that within the Hebrew Bible, earlier laws are sometimes challenged by later teaching. For example, as Walter Brueggemann has pointed out in Using God's Resources Wisely: Isaiah and Urban Possibility, Isaiah 56:3 criticizes Deuteronomy 23:1, which declares that no eunuchs shall ever be part of the Israelite religious community. It is not enough to understand Deuteronomy 23:1 in its cultural context alone; we must also be aware of what Isaiah said on the matter. Since Isaiah came after Deuteronomy and both are in the canon, the teaching of Isaiah on this matter takes precedence over that in Deuteronomy.
In a similar way, Jesus reinterpreted laws governing marriage and divorce, as well as adultery. Jesus responded to these laws not with a new legalism but with an understanding of the purpose of marriage (Matt 5:27-28, 31-32; 19:3-9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; John 8:3-11).
Unfortunately, we have no record of Jesus saying anything specifically about homosexuality. Yet Jesus did give us moral principles to guide us in all ethical matters. When asked about the most important law, he replied that the greatest law is that we should love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4, quoted in Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:29-30, and Luke 10:27. The second law Jesus gave is that we should love our neighbors as ourselves (Lev 19:18, quoted in Matt 22:39). It's difficult to derive a negative understanding of homosexuality from these laws.
Moreover, Jesus continued the direction established in several books of the Hebrew Bible by including those who were considered outcasts as part of God's people. The Old Testament Book of Ruth included the hated Moabites. Jonah extended God's love to the Ninevites. Jesus included the Samaritans (John 4:7-30), tax collectors (Luke 19:1-10), and "bad" women (Luke 7:36-39).
If Jesus were alive today, and a person were "caught" in a homosexual act and brought before him, what would he do? Would he tell the homosexual to "go and sin no more" (John 8:11), or would he turn the tables on the accusers by telling the story of "the good homosexual" (Samaritan) (Luke 10:29-37)? Perhaps, if the sexual act were exploitative or casual, Jesus might have told the first story, since he regarded the sexual union of two persons as a sacred trust not to be violated. But since there are many monogamous gay unions, it is equally possible that he would have told the second story.
The Spirit of Biblical Law
The third hermeneutical principle is that the Bible should not be read as a blueprint for living so much as an architectural school where we find the tools we need to build our lives. As in schools, certain basics will never change, but other aspects of the curriculum are endlessly reworked.
The biblical authors employed far greater freedom in interpreting their traditions than is generally recognized. When Matthew used Isaiah 7:14 as the basis for his Immanuel prophecy (Matt 1:22-23), he totally reinterpreted the text. It was not originally a messianic prophecy but a prophecy of deliverance from an immediate historical crisis. A young woman, already pregnant, would survive the crisis and bear the child. This was the sign of God's presence with the community.
Similarly, Jesus reinterpreted much Hebrew law, explaining that he came to fulfill it, that is, to bring it to its proper conclusion, not to throw it out (Matt 5:17-18; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17). He was criticized for his unorthodox behavior (Matt 12:1-8; Mark 2:15-17; Luke 5:29-32; 6:1-5; 7:39). He in turn criticized the establishment for living by the letter of the law rather than by its spirit (Matt 23:23-24; Luke 11:42).
Jesus' creative approach can be seen in his response to the disciples' request that he teach them how to pray. Jesus did not teach them by rote. In spite of the long tradition of repeating the Lord's Prayer verbatim each Sunday, Jesus did not say to pray by repeating his exact words, at least according to the text in Matthew. Rather he told his disciples to pray "like this"--he gave them a model, an idea to emulate.
We may wonder if all this gives us the right to be as creative with the tradition as Jesus was. We may fear that this opens up a world of subjectivity. Does such an approach mean we must consider all interpretations to be equally valid? Somewhere I read of a woman who interpreted Paul's admonition to "put on the new man" (Eph 4:24) as a mandate for her to get a new husband. It seems that such "creative" approaches are clearly against the grain of the Spirit of the Bible. How can we know if our interpretations are right?
The short answer is we can't. There is no guarantee that any of us will interpret the Scriptures accurately. But there are some important indicators. As we evaluate and reevaluate our own understandings, we must pay careful attention to important clues such as the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, the consistency of our interpretation with the overall thrust of Scripture, and, in the long run, the acceptance of the Christian community.
It is true that the Bible never says anything positive about homosexuality. In spite of this, and after years of considering the matter, I have made a 180-degree turn in my understanding of the Bible on this issue. I have concluded that a positive attitude toward homosexual marriage and ordination of gay men and lesbians for the Christian ministry is not only consistent with Scripture but mandated by it.
Moreover, I feel that God has again made a way where there appeared to be no way. I marvel at the richness of the Scriptures, the subtlety of God, and the joy of new perspectives.
Shannon left at 6:38 p. m..
[ 309. Nerved ]
Shannon left at 6:05 p. m..
sábado, setiembre 13, 2003
[ 308. Bored ]
Today is kinda slow... met freedy up for breakfast this morning. Sometimes i don't know if i envy him or pity him. In an attempt to get... ermz... fat, he keeps binging on food, and usually unhealthy food. Like today. He ate this big four dollars worth of noodles, followed by kfc two piece chicken meal. His metabolism rate is really very high for him to eat like that and still look so thin. I, on the other hand, have to watch my diet. Argh.
Had tuition in the afternoon... followed by shepherding in the evening at nexus. Attempted to do some fmaths paper after that, then to my horror, i'm left with 2 pieces of foolscap paper only. Darn. So i sort of gave up and went shopping instead. Haha.
Ray said he thought he saw me at airport today... do i have such a common face? Perhaps. (Kekeke... no offence, friend. You messaged me to say you're leaving. That's really sweet... =D)
Give us your strength, Lord,
Because sometimes things get tough,
and we are ready to quit.
Give us your love, Lord.
Because sometimes people reject us,
and we are tempted to hate.
Give us your eyes, Lord.
Because sometimes life gets dark,
and we lose our way.
Give us your courage, Lord.
Because often we are put under pressure,
and it's hard to do what is right.
Give us yourself, Lord.
Because our hearts were made for you,
and we will not rest until we rest in you...
-by: mark link, s.j.
Shannon left at 10:42 p. m..
viernes, setiembre 12, 2003
[ 307. Quizzes ]
I am the BLUE.
I value my feeling, compassion and empathy for people. I love to talk to people and talk about anything and everything. I get particular meaning from my conversations when I can inspire and motivate people.
I am in search of meaning and significance of life. I am very spiritual.
I value harmony. I do not like hostility, anger, aggression and confrontation. You see, I keep everything personally. I will give many second chances but your last chance will certainly be your last chance. I tend to always remember when I have been hurt by another.
At Work...
I want a boss who is fair and equal to everyone. I believe in the team spirit because I am a team player. I want to work at making a difference in people's lives. I prefer a work setting that is warm, dramatic, creative, motivating, and personable. I like my co-workers to be communicative, nurturing, and helpful.
In School...
I value a warm, encouraging classroom environment. I like teachers who are approachable and will maintain the dignity of each student in class. I like the personal touch. I achieve best whenthe instruction is warm, sympathetic, supportive, and personable.
* I dream of love, affection, authenticity.
* I value compassion, sympathy, rapport.
* I dislike deception, hypocrisy, insincerity.
My Motto is...
"To thine own self be true"
True Colors
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Went blog surfing today again. And i realized, everyone seems to be saying how much they have slacked during this week watching movies or tv / talking on phone / going out with friends / biking lessons / going to beach to take photographs / eating vegetables / so on, and oxymoronically gave me the how-many-papers-i-did / how-many-hours-i-spent / i-go-somewhere-to-study-everyday / watever routine. Then later on after the prelims, they'll either be busily wondering how come they are so smart to score an a or B when they (thought they) have slacked so much, or they'll cry and wonder if they are stupid enough to score so badly even after studying so hard. Argh. Students. Bah.
Shannon left at 10:10 p. m..
[ 306. Airport ]
Perhaps it's destined. I messaged him that i was going off, and he said that he's going off too... so we met on the bus.
Went down to bishan to have dinner with her. Went for pasta mania... such a long time since i was there. Had a long talk over dinner... talking about yesterday's cg, about studies... then went around window shopping for a slight while. Ended up having quite a lengthy talk outside the mrt station... yeah, before i sorta 'chased' her home. Even as i'm typing this... i finally understand the pains of wanting to type certain things, but when you realize that your blog is not as private as it used to be, it gets pretty tough...
Shannon left at 9:27 p. m..
[ 305. Breakfast ]
And to kenneth and jiahui... happy birthday. Yeah. Today marks my 5th spiritual birthday as well, and i'm still counting. =) 5 years is a young age... =p Well, pray that i will continue to walk closer with God in the coming year, though things may be more challenging as i enter a new phase of life. Yeah.
1 Timothy 4:12 says...
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
Shannon left at 11:23 a. m..
jueves, setiembre 11, 2003
[ 304. Things God Won't Ask ]
THINGS GOD WON'T ASK
God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
God won't ask the square footage of your house, but He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
God won't ask what your highest salary was, but He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
God won't ask what your leadership title was, but He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
God won't ask how many friends you had, but He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won't ask about the color of your skin, but He'll ask about the content of your character.
God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, but He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
Shannon left at 11:40 p. m..
[ 303. Quizzes ]
What are You in the Sky? I am The Star! I have many friend, and I like to wink ;) Quiz made by Tiara Powered by Quizilla |
Shannon left at 9:21 p. m..
[ 302. Vegetables and water III ]
Howdy! Well... ok, i'm still holding on ok? I made my granny buy cucumbers so i can much on them. Haha. Well, anyway, it's not suanning lo. It's called courtesy call. =/ Ok, back to my cucumbers. And i'm still holding on. =)
Shannon left at 9:11 p. m..
[ 301. Turn Left Turn Right ]
Went out with suxin, edmund, cindy, kelvin today. Haha, first time ever with these bunch of people. And yes... we watched the movie...! Actually i was telling myself not to watch it... cuz i'm such a sucker for romance and i will jolly well be thinking about the plot for the next week or so. Well, i gave in anyway... and it was really a good one...! Though a simple plot that talks about two persons who are always so near and yet so far get to meet one day, and got separated again by... smudged telephone numbers. Well, for the record they are actually staying one wall apart. The flip side of it is that... the 'mirror' effect got a bit too much. Those who watch it will know what i mean. Nonetheless... there are some nice extra bits and pieces that really spice up the entire movie. Recommended.
Had dinner with the just-recovered-from-food-poisioning-and-thus-have-'no-choice'-but-to-be-picky deborah, along with kelvin and ed. Surprisingly, someone actually suggested going home after that... hmmm... something's amiss. =/
Something's disturbing me actually... it's about today's caregroup. Somewhat i feel that there's something rather wrong, i guess. Perhaps... it's what we call the post restructing effect. Well, hope it settles soon.. and God, all the more we need you. And i need you to guide me as i play a part in this group... help.
Life is full of surprises... will two parallel lines ever meet.........?
Shannon left at 8:57 p. m..
miércoles, setiembre 10, 2003
[ 300. Quiz ]
blood
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
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Shannon left at 11:14 p. m..
[ 299. Vegetables and Water II ]
Hi! I'm glad you remembered the vegetable and water pact... =) So how's the first day? I think you mentioned you'll be eating fruits for breakfast, yong tau foo for lunch and boiled veggies for dinner right? How's it going? And yes... you need the coloration on your cheeks too. To balance off the excessive red on the cheeks... hee... =p And it's ok, i'm fine with my complexion for a guy. So 9 more days to go... =)
Shannon left at 10:36 p. m..
[ 298. Betrayed ]
Proverbs 27:6 says...
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
Thanks for the kisses.
On a lighter note, went to study with her today. And gosh... it was the most fruitful session together ever. Haha... we studied for more than 6 hours, just doing maths. And my maths is still quite bad i'd say... tried tjc and ajc 2002 prelim paper 1. Here's the report card: tjc - 62%. ajc - 54%. Argh. Still a long way to go... God, you sustain me k? Really thanks for pulling me through these few weeks... things were toughing up again, but your love remained the same... every so often you never fail to remind me never to rely on my own strength, but i'm just so unobedient at times... I'm sorry... I need you...
Shannon left at 10:30 p. m..
martes, setiembre 09, 2003
[ 297. Mooncake Festival ]
Shannon left at 11:43 p. m..
[ 296. Quiz ]
You represent... hope.
You're quite a daydreamer and can be a hopeless
romantic. You enjoy being creative and don't
mind being alone at times. You have goals, and
know what you want in life... even if they are
a little far fetched.
What feeling do you represent?
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cuddle and a kiss on the forehead - you like to be
close to your special someone and feel warm,
comfortable, and needed
What Sign of Affection Are You?
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Shannon left at 11:37 a. m..
[ 295. Rehearsal ]
Saw a few people that i have not seen for a long time at mos burger just now. One of them is yongxin... i'm so glad that he's doing very fine over at the YA group. Also saw jiajin... haha, some weird memories came back to me about him. heez.
Hopefully the testimony will turn out fine tomorrow... yeah, God, be with me k? Use it to touch the lives of people...
There's many uncertainties in my life now, but one thing for sure... i wanna move on with God. So God... help me, you know my problems, you know what i face. Prayerfully i'll get through them... amen.
Shannon left at 1:04 a. m..
lunes, setiembre 08, 2003
[ 294. NUS ]
Shannon left at 12:57 p. m..
[ 293. Quiz ]
Sunrise - You seek to learn all you can so that you
may teach the wisdom of the world to others.
You enjoy tranquility and peaceful beauty, and
like to feel at one with the world.
When are you?
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My inner child is ten years old!
The adult world is pretty irrelevant to me. Whether
I'm off on my bicycle (or pony) exploring, lost
in a good book, or giggling with my best
friend, I live in a world apart, one full of
adventure and wonder and other stuff adults
don't understand.
How Old is Your Inner Child?
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Shannon left at 9:00 a. m..
domingo, setiembre 07, 2003
[ 292. Testimony ]
Shannon left at 10:37 p. m..
[ 291. Writings ]
THE EVOLUTION OF MATHS TEACHINGS
You guys kept complaining that Maths is so difficult nowadays. Do you know what you children and grand children will be going through? Take a look at this:
Year 1960s
Exam Question: A farmer sells a bag of potatoes for $10. His costs amount to 4/5 of his selling price, that is, $8. What is his profit? [1 mark]
Year 1980s
Exam Question: A peasant sells a bag of potatoes for $10. His costs amount to 4/5 of his selling price. What is his profit? [2 marks]
Year 2000s
Exam Question: A farmer sells a bag of potatoes for $M. His cost amount to 4/5 of his selling price. Given that his profit is $2, find the value of M. [2 marks]
Year 2020s
Exam Question: A farmer sells a bag of potatoes for $10. His production costs are $8, and his profit is $2. Underline the word "potatoes" [1 mark] and discuss it [5 marks]. (Note that an additional 4 marks is allocated for the use of language.) [Total = 10 marks]
Year 2040s
Exam Question: Calculate the cost of potatoes [5 marks], by plotting a smooth curve [5 marks], to calculate the variations in the prices of the potatoes in the current market from the source given [5 marks]. [Total = 15 marks]
Year 2XXXs
Exam Question: A farmer sells a bag of potatoes for $10. His or her production costs are 0.80 of his or her revenue. On your calculator, graph revenue vs. costs [2 marks]. Run the POTATO program to determine the profit [2 marks]. Discuss the results and thus write a brief essay that analyzes this example in the real world of economics [16 marks]. (Note that an additional 5 marks is allocated for the use of language.) [Total = 25 marks]
Differences Between Physicist, Biologist And Chemist
A physicist, biologist and a chemist were going to the ocean for the first time. The physicist saw the ocean and was fascinated by the waves. He said he wanted to do some research on the fluid dynamics of the waves and walked into the ocean. Obviously he was drowned and never returned.
The biologist said he wanted to do research on the flora and fauna inside the ocean and walked inside the ocean. He too, never returned.
The chemist waited for a long time and afterwards, wrote the observation, "The physicist and the biologist are soluble in ocean water".
Shannon left at 8:54 p. m..
[ 290. Vegetables and Water ]
Shannon left at 7:19 p. m..
[ 289. Service ]
Ahh... received two additional gifts today. Thank you so much, derek for the planner and cushion... and it's in ORANGE!!! Hee!!! =p, and jieyun as well for the key chain... it's so cute! Haha... thanks for remembering.
Surprisingly, i have to thank God for waking me up in time (for once) and going down for hop early (for once) and being early enough to have my breakfast (for once) and still be early enough to wait for everyone else (for once). Haaz... thank you God! The virtue of patience you taught me through this... i'm surprised i didn't scream, ok, maybe nag down the phone at those latecomers. And i thought i was at the wrong place initially. Haha...
Times of refreshing
Here in Your presence
No greater blessings
Than being with You
My soul is restored
My mind is renewed
There's no greater joy, Lord
Than being with You...
Shannon left at 6:00 p. m..
[ 288. Sub District Meeting ]
Was lying on my bed last night, and wanting to get to sleep. Just one of those times which i allowed my mind to wonder off again. Several things flashed through my mind... in particular alan's teaching and orientation 2003. Alan's teaching... was another one of his hard teachings. Daniel 3:17-18... will i ever have the conviction to say that? The answer now stands as i don't know. Nothing has brought me to that point as yet to make that decision... Many things has really pushed me to consider giving this race up. My struggles, my faith, and what i can do... sometimes i'm really at a lost. I really feel that perhaps things may be better for others without me. I ask God why He chose to use me, and sometimes i myself is not convinced that its really Him who chooses. As i type all these, I know deep down in my heart that i will not give up. However... I'm still searching for the reason for holding on... God, show me the reason for my faith. Please. The orientation... i remembered one of my peer ldrs jh... recalled how we met online before the orientation... and not knowing each other's identity until some time after the orientation. Share a unique friendship and feeling with him... haha, that's why i chose him as one of the peer ldrs mah... (tsk tsk, i'm just so biased.) Nonetheless, then i messaged him... and it's really a miracle that he still remembers me. Yeah.
And yes, it's official. weilong's group is moving out of PTN1. So that leaves me solely under jason's eye. Wonder what's on for me in the coming months.
Ok... i'm off to do my stuff. God... make known to me what You have for me...
Shannon left at 7:39 a. m..
sábado, setiembre 06, 2003
[ 287. Inkblot Test ]
eric, your subconscious mind is driven most by Love
Your instinct to love and be loved is rooted very deeply in your subconscious and affects most of the decisions you make in life — whether you are aware of it or not.
You inspire people to experience their true feelings of love and act kindly towards others. You also value your personal relationships more than most people.
Your unique capacity to love may be greater than those around you, which means you may have more to give in relationships than your friends or romantic partners do.
Your psyche is very rich; the more you learn about it, the more you will understand who you really are.
Shannon left at 10:46 a. m..
[ 286. Nigel's Blog ]
And to think of it, i'm really a jack of all trades. Can do everything to a better-than-average-amateur standard... but never specialized in anything. Argh. I hate that.
Congratulations, eric!
Your IQ score is 131
This number is the result of a formula based on how many questions you answered correctly on Emode's Ultimate IQ test. Your IQ score is scientifically accurate; to read more about the science behind our IQ test, click here.
test taken at Emode.com
Shannon left at 12:15 a. m..
viernes, setiembre 05, 2003
[ 285. Sheep ]
Which flock do you follow?
this quiz was made by alanna
Shannon left at 9:58 p. m..
[ 284. Thank God ]
Psalm 30:11-12 says...
You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Shannon left at 3:22 p. m..
[ 283. Friday ]
Just returned from watching legally blonde 2 with carl, paul, roy and hongchuan. It started off as a dumb blonde show with a (dumb) blonde fighting for her dog's mother to be released from a animal testing facility to attend her wedding, and she went all the way to washington to fight for the bill against animal testing to be passed. Sounds really dumb eh... but at the end of the day, the blonde shows us that blonde and pink rules the day. LoLx. And yes, the dog's really a cute one... just that i never believed that a male dog should wear a pink skirt. yilch.
Gonna cram my maths 9233 later on. ciaoz.
Shannon left at 3:13 p. m..
jueves, setiembre 04, 2003
[ 282. Revamp ]
How does it look? Yeah, i know, still black. It's just me. =)
Enjoy it.
Oh anyway, i went to ang mo kio library to study today. Rather popular place for jc students to study, i observed. Saw students from ajc, nyjc, hcjc and even rjc. Kinda interesting though. Saw someone who looked like tuanyi. Don't know if it's him. Can't be bothered anyway... hah.
Going back school tomorrow for chemistry lessons. Urgh.
Shannon left at 6:34 p. m..
[ 281. Smile ]
You're the smirk,a frown-smile hybrid that's a
little bit cocky and usually associated with
evil or arrogant,but attractive people.You
probably just don't give a damn,but it's
everyone else's fault if you don't because
you're too awesome to have any real faults.
What Kind of Smile are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Shannon left at 9:35 a. m..
miércoles, setiembre 03, 2003
[ 280. Everything I Own ]
Artiste: Bread
You sheltered me from harm.
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, Set me free
The finest years I ever knew
were all the years I had with you
I would give anything I own,
Give up me life, my heart, my home.
I would give everything I own,
just to have you back again.
You taught me how to love,
What its of, what its of.
You never said too much,
but still you showed the way,
and I knew from watching you.
Nobody else could ever know
the part of me that can't let go.
I would give anything I own,
Give up me life, my heart, my home.
I would give everything I own
Just to have you back again.
Is there someone you know,
you're loving them so,
but taking them all for granted.
You may lose them one day,
someone takes them away,
and they don't hear the words you long to say
I would give anything I own,
Give up me life, my heart, my home.
I would give everything I own
Just to have you back again.
Shannon left at 10:11 p. m..
[ 279. My Birthday! ]
Just wanna take this time to go through my day and thank lotsa people along the way...
Thanks to all those who dropped a message last night and today... quite a fair bit, so not gonna list the names. Haha... had a few unexpected smses though, from people like zeke, neeta, liza, winnie, even mervin's friend jasmine... and i wonder how they know today's my day... heez.
Thanks to ptn1... jason, freedy, bowen, xiaohei, weilong, nicholas, jiehui, hongyao, melvin... thanks for the wonderful dinner, for the wonderful card, the wonderful affirmations and the wonderful monkey!!! Yeah... you guys really rock! yes, even though i didn't share much today, but i just wanna let you guys know that i really treasure you guys. Thanks for standing by all these while... =)
Thanks to suxin and gang, and sok hui and gang... i realized a common trend in srjcians: they love to WASTE paper. In suxin and co's gift, they used 3 red (you guys know me best!) bandannas to wrap scrap paper with evidences of physics on it... and in the latter's gift, there are about 18 layers of magazine paper that i was instructed to remove layer by layer. But thanks for the gifts anyway...!
Well... and everyone else who made my day a special one... thanks~! Love ya all...
And along with me... there are tons others who are having their birthdays this month. Including...
01sep - Shuyi (ajc)
02sep - Yvonne (dance)
03sep - Dennis (yhope)
04sep - Ray (yhope)
05sep- Dominic Soh
07sep - Ps Jeff
12sep - Jiahui (2s1)
12sep - Kenneth (2s28)
17sep - Jane (tjc)
19sep - Christina (2s5)
23sep - Joshua Yong (choir)
24sep - Sokhui (2s1)
27sep - Suping (ajc)
Haiz... make september seemed so insignificant. Market spoilers. =/ hee...
Shannon left at 9:39 p. m..
[ 278. Last Day ]
Will save my thank-you list and (as promised) birthday list till the end of today.
Let me share my last gp essay (before prelims) with all of you...
It's the 'timed assignment' that the school wanted us to do.
In layman's term, it's a test. Enjoy.
How important is visual appeal?
The sense of sight has been the most powerful of the five senses. In the world today, people are more concerned with what they see, much more than what they hear or smell. Seeing is believing is the common notion in the world today. As such, there has been an increasing awareness of the need to the visual aspect of people, hence rendering visual appeal as one of the most important and powerful tools used today.
The use of visual appeal has been evident in many areas of life, from the most obvious sense such as advertising right down to education in order to achieve their respective aims. This is due to the ability of the human eye to capture and remember things much more easily than via any other input methods. As such, we will see the varying degrees of importance that visual appeal holds in each of the areas that they are being used.
The most obvious user of visual appeal is the advertising industry. To aid promotion of products and services, much effort has always been put into advertising and packing. This allows people to be lured into purchasing a product of engaging a service. Visual appeal is used extravagantly in advertising: right from the packaging, which decides if a product is trendy or otherwise, to the spokesperson used, which consumers can identify with easily. Definitely, almost everyone would go for a product that looks fashionable and promoted by an international celebrity, say, Jackie Chan, rather than this antique looking product represented by the girl next door, ceteris parabus. Without the use of any form of visual appeal, firstly it is needless to say that the advertising industry would go bust. More importantly, it would reduce the average consumer's knowledge of products, making it harder to make a decision of purchase based on just manufacturing facts that the consumer might not comprehend.
The role of visual appeal in the mass media is somewhat similar to that of the advertising industry. Much more visual aids, such as newspaper file pictures, video clips on television programmes, images on the internet allows people to better understand what they are reading or hearing, and influence people's thinking and behaviour as well. Definitely, as a picture depicts a thousand words, it is more enticing to view a one minute news clip with footages from the United States during their blackout rather than a thousand-word report describing the impact of the blackout.
The importance of visual appeal is also significant due to the large size of people that it caters to. As there is no skill required to see, hence all one need is just a pair of eyes in order to see. However, if one chooses to attract the masses with literary devices, he has to consider the literacy level of the target group, and it can be considerably less. Hence, the primary avenue of communication is still through the visuals. For example, when a team of volunteers goes over to a Third World country to render help and donations, there is often a communication barrier, leading to the locals putting themselves aggressively on guard against the 'intruders'. When these locals views the necessities such as clean food, clothes and so on, they become more accepting as they finally understood that the volunteers were there to provide for their needs.
At a more micro level, we humans often based our preferences on first impressions, and this is where sight comes in again. Between a beautifully wrapped rock and a diamond wrapped by a torn newspaper, we will usually first choose the beautifully wrapped rock to unwrap first. This shows how judgmental humans are based on their sense of sight, thus allowing the use of visual appeal to steer us towards a desired direction. Some may argue that this is due to the insufficient knowledge of the choices that one wants to make. However, in the real world this ideality of perfect knowledge of options can never be attained, thus we follow our primary instincts based on our senses and intuitions. Even as we make friends, we tend to approach those who look friendly or physically appealing, before another other possible choices.
In conclusion, visual appeal is an important aspect of life. It helps to make many decisions, even though it may not be the right one at times. It has been sued to manipulate humans, as many are guided by what they see alone, and that is exactly what others want of them: to go for the more attractive one. Without the visual appeal, this world would be a boring place, as everyone plays according to his real abilities. As the eyes are the windows to the soul, visual appeal enables things to satisfy the carnal nature of humans.
Disclaimer: this is the unmarked product of my essay. Feel free to comment. 797 words.
Shannon left at 4:00 p. m..
martes, setiembre 02, 2003
[ 277. You Are My World ]
Words and Music by Marty Sampson
My father I adore You more
Than anything my heart could wish for
I just want You
And Jesus my beloved Savior
Everything I have I owe to You
I owe it all to You
And angels come and adore You
And we Your children worship You
You are my world
You are my God
And I lay down my life for you
You are my Lord
The one I love
No one could ever take Your place
And everything I have
I give to You my Lord the One I live for
I live for You
And all my days are gifts from You
I pray I'd use them as You want me to
Use them for You
Shannon left at 9:47 p. m..
[ 276. School ]
Tomorrow shall be the day of double celebration...! Hahah... =p
And yes, i will definitely study. Anyone wanna study together? Gimme a call.
Shannon left at 6:00 p. m..
lunes, setiembre 01, 2003
[ 275. NUS ]
Went down for shepherding... well, apparently some things were hinted... and i don't have a very good feeling about it... i'll say more on saturday.
Really feel troubled by that thing... i don't know how to react. I know i only have myself to blame for this... but somewhat i know if the unexpected turns out i'll turn bitter against God...
I’m held by Your love,
Upheld by Your strength,
On Your shoulders You bore me,
By Your faith I stand,
Cherished by You, Lord,
Treasured in your sight,
So close to Your heart,
Held firm in Your hands.
So awesome is Your love,
So mighty is Your hand,
On eagle’s wings You carried me,
Your grace shall be my strength…..
So perfect is Your love,
You sacrificed Your Son!
Amazing love reached out to me,
With joy to You I come.
Not by my wisdom,
Not by my strength,
Gently You guide me,
Lead me by hand.
Total surrender, Jesus I am Yours,
Now and forever,
In Christ, I now stand.
Shannon left at 11:35 p. m..
[ 274. Breakfast ]
Just chatted with a net friend:
xuan: yoyo~
ray: heyZ.
ray: how's ya studies coming along?
xuan: so-so... still on chem and math and a bit of fmath. u?
ray: oso ok la...
xuan: i'm getting old. =PpPp
ray: aye... i'm already 18 lor.
xuan: haha. I'm still 17. lolx.
ray: fews more days onli
xuan: hahaha. so does tt mean u owe me a present? =pPpP
ray: huh... no...
xuan: hahah. gosh, i'm getting more bhb... lolx... haha...
ray: liew... u tink i charitable organization r
xuan: no lo, it's for a worthy cause. =pPpPp
ray: haha.. sounds like NKF... (i hate nkf)
xuan: lol... does that imply u hate me? heee... =p
ray: no la.. i imply dat the money is going to the wrong places... it shld stay in my pocket
xuan: haha.... who sez it needed money?
ray: hmMm.. den? b'dae hug? kiss?
xuan: haha... i dun mind... lol... but think it'll severely gross u out... haha...
ray: .. nvr said i meant it... =P
xuan: yeah... way to go guy... haha...
ray:=P=p=P
Haha... i'm really getting damn bhb... haiz. signs of getting cranky as you get older.
Wait up... there's a birthday special post coming up on my birthday... look out for it. And yes, it's a whole list of people who's birthday are around this time. Argh.
Shannon left at 10:59 a. m..
the guy
xuan shannon male single 030985.ntu cs year1 / vocalconsort tenor2 / hopesg nyc ntub1.
msn me.
his wishes
new clothes, new shoes, new bike, new friends, fantastic grades.his horizons
malaysia, penang. australia, brisbane/gold coast. thailand, hatyai. malaysia, genting. malaysia, johor. malaysia, melaka. thailand, chiangmai. australia, perth. canada, edmonton/cold lake. australia, rockhampton. thailand, bangkok. austria, vienna. czech rep, olomouc. austria, salzburg. germany, munich. switzerland, zurich.people.
andieboh.angeleighkhoo.
cathryn.
charmain.
cindytan.
chuanyangchee.
deana.
dereklim.
dingneng.
eddygoh.
erwinnah.
felixwang.
hanseltan.
hazelang.
henrylim.
joelcheong.
johnson.
keesiangchua.
koonylow.
layminglee.
liyantan.
mabeltan.
mandrictan.
marvinkhoo.
mervlee.
mingyangkoh.
nigelchoong.
nurshaikhah.
pastorbenlee.
qiuqungoh.
ricelim.
ruiwenlim.
samuelkwan.
sherleenng.
shiyun.
shuyifoo.
sikeng.
suxinchua.
suya.
wantinglow.
windcheong.
xuanlim.
yongjianchia.
zekegao.
ziliangchong.
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