Complain Letter
21st April 2010
Mrs Saraspathy Menon
Principle
Chong Boon Secondary School
Dear Ms Menon,
UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE AT THE SCHOOL LIBRARY
My friends and I have been going to the school library lately to do some self-studying. Unfortunately, there were some unpleasent event in the library. I am writing this letter to imform you about the incidents and I hope that you can take actions so that it is a condusive enviroment and other people can study as well.
There was this group of student that is so rude to the librarian that they argued with the librarian. I think that those students should be punished as being rude to your superior is not an appropiate behaviour.
Some students even bought food and drinks into the library and even spilled their drinks on the table, attracting ants as it was a sweet drink. I hope that you will ensure the cleanliness of the library.
There is a boy who came into the library in his PE attire. He was perspiring which is unhygienic as the library will smell like odour and will affect everyone in it. I suggest that these students should not go into the library after PE lessons.
Some people are using the computer to play games for a long time. These computerrs are meant for student who do not own a computer at home. This is a selfish act of foolishness. I think these students should be using the computer for a short period even when playing games.
The library was used to be quiet but now, it is noisy. Its no different from walking in the market.
I suggest you should put up the rules poster outside and inside the library so that the students know how to behave in a library. There should be more librarians around the library to inspect and check on students. I sincerely hope that you will consider about it.
Yours Sincerely,
Zachary Chay
Zac Chay
5:45 AM
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Final Summary
After doing this three reflections, i learnt that all of the endangered animals are going to be extinct due to the amount of sunlight which is global warming, hunting of the animals by animal hunters because of hunting competitions and the disturbance of humans such as fires made at the beach and noises made by the shot of a gun. Due to global warming and the greenhouse effect, some endangered animals dies as the water level of certain places increases and causes places to overflow and lilies leaves are sinking so that frogs or toads cannot float on the leaves to breath. Pandas are also about to extinct due to the decrease in amount of bamboo shoot. Sea turtles are also about to be extinct due to the noise made by human at the beach when new-borned turtles. These turtles are killed by other predators and fire made by humans. These endangered turtles are also hunted by turtle hunters because their shells can fetch an expensive price from the black market and the meat can be sold to market to sell as turtle meat and soup. Finally, please safe all this animals from being extinct, we can do our part by encouraging friends, families or relatives to save these animals and pass on the message.
Zac Chay
2:37 AM
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Reflection 3
Article On "Leatherback turtles extinction"
http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/e-animals.htm
Leatherback Turtles are found in most warm seas, often migrating from one continent to another. They are the largest of all turtles, sometimes weighing more than 1500 pounds. Their shells are covered by a thick layer of smooth leathery skin, instead of scales. Unlike other turtles, their ribs and backbones are not joined to the shell. These turtles have huge strong front flippers which can propel them in the water at high speeds.
Leatherback Turtles have a very unique way of laying their eggs. From August to September, female turtles travel vast distances just to lay their eggs on the exact spot where they had laid their eggs previously. Without fail, their homing instincts are always right and rarely do they lose their way to their nesting site. As soon as they reach the shore, they will not rest until they have arrived at their nesting grounds. By using their giant flippers, they heave themselves up towards the spot and dig a deep hole in the sand. In this hole, they will lay about 100 to 200 soft rubbery eggs at one time. While they are laying the eggs, they will start shedding tears to excrete the excess salt from their bodies while swimming in the sea water. Once they are finished, the turtles will cover up the hole with sand and return to the sea, only coming next year to the same spot to dig another hole to lay eggs.
The heat of the sun will warm the eggs and after a period of time, the hatchlings will climb out of the sand and crawl towards the sea. Even though many turtles are hatched, many do not survive the first few weeks of their lives. There are many predators such as seagulls who prey on the young turtles. The baby turtle's hard shell has not yet formed and has no hardened defence against the attackers. Some turtles are caught in fishermen's nets and left out to die. Other turtles are caught between the wastes man created such as plastic bags and eventually die of suffocation and strangulation.
To make matters worse, Leatherback Turtles are hunted for their ornamental shell while their eggs are considered delicacies. Illegal gathering for eggs to be sold in markets also helps in the decline of these turtles.
The coming ashore of the Leatherback Turtles to lay their eggs have become quite a spectacle and have drawn large crowds to witness this event. Unfortunately, the crowds created a large amount of noise and drove many turtles away. They also made campfires which scared them away.
In order to protect them, the Malaysian government has declared it as a protected animal. Various rules and regulations have been made and huge fines imposed on those who break the law.
MY REFLECTION:
Leatherback turtles are found in most seas. they often migrating from one continent to another. These turtles have a very unique way of laying their eggs. From August to September, female turtles travel vast distances just to lay their eggs on the exact spot where they had laid their eggs previously. Without fail, their homing instincts are always right and rarely do they lose their way to their nesting site.
The heat of the sun will warm the eggs and after a period of time, the hatchlings will climb out of the sand and crawl towards the sea. Even though many turtles are hatched, many do not survive the first few weeks of their lives. There are many predators such as seagulls who prey on the young turtles. The baby turtle's hard shell has not yet formed and has no hardened defence against the attackers. Some turtles are caught in fishermen's nets and left out to die. Other turtles are caught between the wastes man created such as plastic bags and eventually die of suffocation and strangulation.
I learnt that leatherback turtles are hunted for their ornamental shell while their eggs are considered delicacies. Illegal gathering for eggs to be sold in markets also leads to the decline of these turtles.
In order to protect them, the Malaysian government has declared it as a protected animal. Various rules and regulations have been made and huge fines imposed on those who break the law but we can also do our part by not littering the beaches where the turtles lay their eggs
Zac Chay
11:41 PM
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Reflection 2
Article On "Giant Panda Genome Reveals New Insights Into the Bear's Bamboo Diet"
Article From: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
The team has successfully sequenced the panda genome for the first time and now, the genetic insights gleaned from the work may aid conservation efforts for the endangered species.
Giant pandas are known for their bamboo diet but the researchers discovered that the animal actually lacks the genes necessary for compete digestion of this staple food source.
Professor Mike Bruford, Cardiff School of Biosciences, worked on the study as part of an ongoing collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, funded by the Royal Society.
He said: "The panda is a true bear and is a carnivore, so it possesses the genes necessary for being a meat-eater and yet its diet is almost exclusively herbivorous. This may suggest that it relies on microbes in its gut to digest bamboo rather than on anything in its genetic make-up.
"Taste is also important when it comes to the development of dietary habits and the sequencers discovered mutations in the panda's T1R1 gene which may affect its ability to taste meat, one possible explanation for why a potential carnivore would rely on a strict bamboo diet."
The study found no signs of low variation that is usually linked to inbreeding and results support the potential for successful survival despite the small population size of the species.
In spite of the panda's low reproduction rates, the study also identified nearly all the reproduction genes critical for mammalian gonad function and development.
Discussing the study, Professor Bruford said "The panda is at high risk of extinction, with current estimates putting total population figures at less than 3,000. The study gives us a fuller understanding of the genetic basis of the panda's biology, and will contribute to disease control and conservation efforts."
"Sequencing mammalian genomes also undoubtedly helps our ability to annotate the human genome. A major limitation to this has always been the prohibitive costs involved in the process but the study used a short-read technology that can generate genome draft sequences in a very cost-effective manner.
"This will have far-reaching implications for promoting future genome sequencing of non-model organisms."
MY REFLECTIONS:
The team of zoologies has successfully sequenced the panda genome for the first time, the genetic insights gleaned from the work may aid conservation efforts for the endangered species. Giant pandas eats bamboo for food but the researchers discovered that the animal actually lacks the genes necessary for compete digestion of this staple food source. Pandas are said to be bears that are carnivore, so it has the genes of a meat-eater and but its diet is almost herbivorous. This proves that pandas relies on microbes in its gut to digest the bamboo that it eats. This will prove that pandas are herbivorous.
Pandas are at a high risk of extinction, with current estimates putting total population figures at less than 3,000. The study gives us a fuller understanding of the genetic basis of the panda's biology, and will contribute to disease control and conservation efforts.
Sequencing mammalian genomes also undoubtedly helps our ability to annotate the human genome. A major limitation to this has always been the prohibitive costs involved in the process but the study used a short-read technology that can generate genome draft sequences in a very cost-effective manner.
Zac Chay
10:55 PM
Reflection 1
Article On "Not Global Warming, Killed Costa Rican Toad"
Article From: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100301151925.htm
Many researchers have linked outbreaks of the deadly chytrid fungus to climate change, but the new study asserts that the weather patterns, at Monteverde at least, were not out of the ordinary.
The role that climate change played in the toad's demise has been fiercely debated in recent years. The new paper, in the March 1 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the latest to weigh in. In the study, researchers used old-growth trees from the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve to reconstruct moisture levels in that region over the last century. They expected to see global warming manifested in the form of a long-term warming or drying trend, but instead discovered that the forest's dry spells closely tracked El Niño, the periodic and natural warming of waters off South America that brings drought to some places and added rainfall and snow to others.
The golden toad vanished after an exceptionally dry season following the 1986-1987 El Niño, probably not long after the chytrid fungus was introduced. Scientists speculate that dry conditions caused the toads to congregate in a small number of puddles to reproduce, prompting the disease to spread rapidly. Some have linked the dry spell to global warming, arguing that warmer temperatures allowed the chytrid pathogen to flourish and weakened the toad's defenses. The new study finds that Monteverde was the driest it's been in a hundred years following the 1986-1987 El Niño, but that those dry conditions were still within the range of normal climate variability. The study does not address amphibian declines elsewhere, nor do the authors suggest that global warming is not a serious threat to biodiversity.
"There's no comfort in knowing that the golden toad's extinction was the result of El Niño and an introduced pathogen, because climate change will no doubt play a role in future extinctions," said study lead author Kevin Anchukaitis, a climate scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
Average global temperatures have climbed about 0.8 degrees (1.4 degrees F) in the past hundred years, and some studies suggest that mountain regions are warming even more. In search of favorable conditions, alpine plants and animals are creeping to higher altitudes -- not always with success.
In a 2006 paper in Nature, a team of U.S. and Latin American scientists linked rising tropical temperatures to the disappearance of 64 amphibian species in Central and South America. They proposed that warmer temperatures, associated with greater cloud cover, had led to cooler days and warmer nights, creating conditions that allowed the chytrid fungus to grow and spread. The fungus kills frogs and toads by releasing poison and attacking their skin and teeth. "Disease is the bullet killing frogs, but climate change is pulling the trigger," the lead author of the Nature study and a research scientist at the Monteverde reserve, J. Alan Pounds, said at the time.
The new study in PNAS suggests that it was El Niño -- not climate change -- that caused the fungus to thrive, killing the golden toad. "El Niño pulled the trigger," said Anchukaitis
Proving a link between climate change and biodiversity loss is difficult because so many overlapping factors may be at play, including habitat destruction, introduction of disease, pollution and normal weather variability. This is especially true in the tropics, because written weather records may go back only a few decades, preventing researchers from spotting long-term trends.
In the last decade, scientists have improved techniques for reconstructing past climate from tiny samples of wood drilled from tropical trees. Unlike trees in northern latitudes, tropical trees may grow year round, and often do not form the sharply defined growth rings that help scientists differentiate wet years from dry years in many temperate-region species. But even in the tropics, weather can leave an imprint on growing trees. During the dry season, trees take up water with more of the heavy isotope, oxygen-18, than oxygen-16. By analyzing the isotope ratio of the tree's wood, scientists can reconstruct the periods of rainfall and relative humidity throughout its life.
On two field trips to Costa Rica, Anchukaitis sampled nearly 30 trees, looking for specimens old enough, and with enough annual growth, to be studied. Back in the lab, he and study co-author Michael Evans, a climate scientist at University of Maryland, analyzed thousands of samples of wood trimmed to the size of pencil shavings.
Their results are only the latest challenge to the theory that climate change is driving the deadly chytrid outbreaks in the Americas. In a 2008 paper in the journal PLoS Biology, University of Maryland biologist Karen Lips mapped the loss of harlequin frogs from Costa Rica to Panama. She found that their decline followed the step-by-step pattern of an emerging infectious disease, affecting frogs in the mountains but not the lowlands. Had the outbreak been climate-induced, she said, the decline should have moved up and down the mountains over time.
Reached by e-mail, Pounds said he disagreed with the PNAS study. He said that his own 40-year rainfall and mist-cover measurements at Monteverde show a drying trend that the authors missed because they were unable to analyze moisture variations day to day or week to week. The weather is becoming more variable and extreme, he added, favoring some pathogens and making some animals more susceptible to disease.
"Anyone paying close attention to living systems in the wild is aware that our planet is in serious trouble," he said. "It's just a matter of time before this becomes painfully obvious to everyone."
Scientists think climate change may drive plants and animals to extinction by changing their habitats too quickly for them to adapt, shrinking water supplies, or by providing optimal conditions for diseases. Researchers have established links between population declines and global warming, from sea-ice dependent Adelie and emperor penguins, to corals threatened by ocean acidification and warming sea temperatures.
Warming ocean temperatures are likely to have some effect on El Niño, but scientists are still unsure what they will be, said Henry Diaz, an El Niño expert at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency. He said the paper offers strong evidence that climate change was not a factor in the El Niño dry season that coincided with the golden toad's extinction. "Climate change is best visualized as large-scale averages," he said. "Getting down to specific regions, Costa Rica, or the Monteverde cloud forest, it's hard to ascribe extinctions to climate change."
That does not mean humans are off the hook, said Evans. "Extinctions happen for reasons that are independent of human-caused climate change, but that does not mean human-caused climate change can't cause extinctions," he said.
MY REFLECTION:
After reading this article, i learnt that the causes of the decrease of Costa Rican Toad is global warming. Due to the bad weather, warmer temperatures, associated with greater cloud cover, had led to cooler days and warmer nights, creating conditions that allowed the chytrid fungus to grow and spread. The fungus kills frogs and toads by releasing poison and attacking their skin and teeth.
The scientists had a theory that climate change is driving the deadly chytrid outbreaks in the Americas. University of Maryland biologist, Karen Lips mapped the loss of harlequin frogs from Costa Rica to Panama. She found that their decline followed the step-by-step pattern of an emerging infectious disease, affecting frogs in the mountains but not the lowlands. Had the outbreak been climate-induced, she said, the decline should have moved up and down the mountains over time.
We have to stop these toads from being extinct.
Zac Chay
10:44 PM
Total Defence Day
On the day when Total Defence was held in the school, it was the same day as Chinese New Year. In the morning, during assembly, Mrs Menon came up to the stage to deliver the Total Defence message to the whole school of students and teachers. On that day, Ms Jey and Ms Hui were not in class and mrs singh came to relieve us.
She briefed us about the points on Total Defence Day and what happened on the 15th of february. After the briefing section, she gave us five sticky notes each and instructed us to paste them on the designated boards are different places. So, we went to certain stations prepared for us and all we have to do is to watch and stick the sticky notes on the selected areas. There were a total of five items prepared for us, some were prepared by the Red Cross Youth, National Police Cadet Corps and the National Cadet Corps.
After a long walk around the school, the last station is at the canteen. My class was assigned a table to sit and have our lunch. For our lunch, we were given a packet of bread and a bottle of water each. Although it is not enough to fill our stomachs, but the people who suffered in the past when japanese fought against singapore, had lesser to eat than us. Even though the food distributed is less than I thought it would be, I eat my fill and was happy and grateful to be born in Singapore where there is sufficient food unlike other countries where children have to eat dead rats and plants for a living. On this day, I learnt that we should not waste anything that we are given and should never take things for granted.
Zac Chay
4:27 AM
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Growth Day @ Sentosa Beach Fiesta
On the day when the growth day was conducted, I went to school like a normal day, only we will be going to the sentosa beach fiesta for some fun. Straight after the assembly in the morning, we boarded the bus and went to sentosa siloso beach. It was a very hot afternoon and I was perspiring through my whole body. All I did was to play the games at the carnival to get the stamps for the redemption for the prizes of stationeries. At the beach fiesta, popcorn, milo drink and cotton candy was provided for us to eat. I had my fill of cups of milo and cotton candy. It was such a fun time at the beach because the games prepared were fun and creative. Before this trip, I thought that the ITE students were stupid and did not know how to do things properly but I was wrong. After this trip, I then knew that the students of ITE were so creative and intelligent. Their EQ of designing things are a lot more than us! As time goes by so fast, we had to go home. I wish that I can stay there a bit longer so that I can play all of the games installed for us. At the fiesta, we had lots of fun but we missed one important thing, which is learning something new. I think that I did not learn anything new. In the future, I would prefer to learn something at the place. I hope that the growth days trip and other learning journey will be held at night so that there is no sun to burn as alive! Overall, the trip to sentosa beach was very fun and enjoyable.
Zac Chay
4:20 AM
Chinese New Year/Hari Raya/Deepavali Celebration
On the day of the celebration, there was no need for studying as there was a concert throughout the whole day. At the start of the day, we had some items presented for us to enjoy.
After recess, the concert begins and there were a lot of nice and enjoyable performances by both teachers and students. During the concert, I was called out by Ms Chin for some disciplinary case so I missed part of the concert just for that.
When I came back from the disciplinary room, and went back to the hall for the concert, there was this bunch of boys that I saw in the canteen that were sitting and happily chatting among themselves. I think that they were skipping the concert. Doing this is a bad act as they will be caught by other teachers and will miss out on the fun others are having. As the concert ends, we are dismissed straight away. I think that the concert was awesome but some improvements can be made such as it can be held at night so I will not be so hot in the hall. Overall, I think that the concert was worth-while and enjoyable!
Zac Chay
4:15 AM
Personal Recount
"Okay class, I will be distributing the exams papers, so all of you better shut your mouth starting from now", Mr tan said. The whole class kept quiet and as the teacher told us to start, the class flipped open each of the exam papers and started moving their pens like machine guns. I was the only person who was not writing as fast as the others.
Questions by questions, I went through each of them carefully and was set aback, I did not know how to do most of the questions of the test. I did the rest that I knew steadily. After doing all of the questions that I knew, I turn to my friend beside me and asked him for the answers. I persuaded him to raise his paper to an angle so that I can see and copy his answers.
As I was busily copying my friend’s answers, Mr tan shouted my name. The moment I heard my name being shouted out by Mr tan, shivers were sent down my spine and my face turned as white as paper. As I turn my head around, my heart started pounding hard. Mr tan told me and my friend to stay back after the paper is over.
We ended up in staff room for cheating in the exams. As for or punishments, we have to give a public speech of apology and have to be canned after the apology. On that day on, i learnt to study hard and never cheat in life again.
Zac Chay
2:45 AM
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
My Aspirations and Target Setting...
For this year, i want to score at least 2 or 3 A's or maybe even more! i will promise to study hard and get into pure science and A math class. However, there may be obsticles and distraction such as friend influency, games and many more. i can prevent myself from these distractions by focus on my studies more often than having fun. Eventhough secondary two is already tough, i will pull through life. I aim to get into a good polytechic when i graduate out of Chong Boon Secondary School
I will want to get this marks for my end year exams:
English – 60 Above
Maths – 60 Above
Chinese – 50 Above
Science – 65 Above
Geography – 50 Above
History – 70 Above
Literature – 55 Above
Art – 70 Above
Home economics – 60 Above
Zac Chay
2:37 AM
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010