I've learnt from a guy certain substitutes for certain uses of the f-word. However, as you must realise, the f-word is extremely versatile; no other word even comes close to its versatility. Thus, many words would have to be used just to substitute this word. As the use of this word is apparently frowned upon, it might be worthwhile to find certain substitutes.
Original-O Substitute-S
O: "You're f**ed."
S: "You've really messed up bad."
O: "F***!"
S: "Goodness gracious me I've/you've/it's really messed up."
O: "F*** off."
S: "Shoo."
O: "F*** you!"
S: "You're a real mess."
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Learning journey on friday to science centre.
We ALMOST went to the zoo. Frankly speaking I would have preferred science centre. Zoo is stinky and you don't learn much. Okay you do learn about how people are destroying the earth yadayada... but by being a miser you are pretty much the ultimate conservationist, if you don't take externalities into account, that is. And if you have had a proper science education, your conscience would take the externalities into account pretty well when you make decisions. So yeh. Zoo = useless for us.
Then we got to the science centre we all felt pretty out of place. The science centre was full of primary school kids running about and we were like the only jc students there(in school uniform some more!). But we didn't regret for too long. It was indeed quite a nice and fun learning experience. Even though we probably didn't learn a lot, but still better than zoo in that 1) you learn more 2) got air con 3) you can play with all the exhibits.
The exhibit I liked the most (and our class spent the most time in) was the exhibit on Corroilis force. Essentially it is just a turntable, but they provide steel and plastic rings and discs for you to slide or roll across the turntable. BUT I found out that if you roll the disc across a chord of the turn table at the right speed, the disc would orbit around the centre of the turntable, and eventually it would collapse nicely at the centre! Sometimes, it would form an elliptical orbit with an epicentre that orbit around the centre, which just looks darn cool. We spent about 30 hour there, which is pretty long compared to all the other exhibits.
Later we left when we thought there wan't much time left, but our teacher i/c said that we could stay another 30 mins more, to our delight. So we took him to the turntable and he played with us for the next 30 mins. Then some kids came so we let them play. But they couldn't really appreciate the exhibit, as they just slid the discs across. But nvm we were nice people, so we showed them how to do it, but their attention span wasn't long enough. Oh well. It is still pretty amazing after playing that for an hour.
OH and once we had a big metal ring and and small metal ring orbiting round in an elliptical orbit and they croosed paths and the small one went through the big one that they continued orbiting! All the people watching (about 9 or 10 ppl) were like "WOAH!". Seriously, it was spectacular. After that we tried to repeat it to the teacher, but we only managed to get the small one to crash in the middle of the big one sideways such that the small one collapses in the big one. Not bad anyway. Impt thing is I got to see it :-P
The one thing I felt was that some of the spectacular stuff is somewhat cheem, so primary school kids generally don't really understand it, and once they grow up they wouldn't go science centre anymore. So does the science centre really contribute to science education? I think the answer is a definite yes, because all the cool exhibits would makes science interesting (not like physics lectures). Even though they might not understand how the cool stuff actually works, they would continue to read up, and the interest would take them through.
OMG I just accidentally wrote something that can be used for learning journey reflections. I'm amazed.
We ALMOST went to the zoo. Frankly speaking I would have preferred science centre. Zoo is stinky and you don't learn much. Okay you do learn about how people are destroying the earth yadayada... but by being a miser you are pretty much the ultimate conservationist, if you don't take externalities into account, that is. And if you have had a proper science education, your conscience would take the externalities into account pretty well when you make decisions. So yeh. Zoo = useless for us.
Then we got to the science centre we all felt pretty out of place. The science centre was full of primary school kids running about and we were like the only jc students there(in school uniform some more!). But we didn't regret for too long. It was indeed quite a nice and fun learning experience. Even though we probably didn't learn a lot, but still better than zoo in that 1) you learn more 2) got air con 3) you can play with all the exhibits.
The exhibit I liked the most (and our class spent the most time in) was the exhibit on Corroilis force. Essentially it is just a turntable, but they provide steel and plastic rings and discs for you to slide or roll across the turntable. BUT I found out that if you roll the disc across a chord of the turn table at the right speed, the disc would orbit around the centre of the turntable, and eventually it would collapse nicely at the centre! Sometimes, it would form an elliptical orbit with an epicentre that orbit around the centre, which just looks darn cool. We spent about 30 hour there, which is pretty long compared to all the other exhibits.
Later we left when we thought there wan't much time left, but our teacher i/c said that we could stay another 30 mins more, to our delight. So we took him to the turntable and he played with us for the next 30 mins. Then some kids came so we let them play. But they couldn't really appreciate the exhibit, as they just slid the discs across. But nvm we were nice people, so we showed them how to do it, but their attention span wasn't long enough. Oh well. It is still pretty amazing after playing that for an hour.
OH and once we had a big metal ring and and small metal ring orbiting round in an elliptical orbit and they croosed paths and the small one went through the big one that they continued orbiting! All the people watching (about 9 or 10 ppl) were like "WOAH!". Seriously, it was spectacular. After that we tried to repeat it to the teacher, but we only managed to get the small one to crash in the middle of the big one sideways such that the small one collapses in the big one. Not bad anyway. Impt thing is I got to see it :-P
The one thing I felt was that some of the spectacular stuff is somewhat cheem, so primary school kids generally don't really understand it, and once they grow up they wouldn't go science centre anymore. So does the science centre really contribute to science education? I think the answer is a definite yes, because all the cool exhibits would makes science interesting (not like physics lectures). Even though they might not understand how the cool stuff actually works, they would continue to read up, and the interest would take them through.
OMG I just accidentally wrote something that can be used for learning journey reflections. I'm amazed.
Friday, June 30, 2006
hooray CTs over.
I need A for physics and chem, B for all the rest. And darn, that is really hard to get, considering that are the CTs are not easy.
Problematic subjects: Econs and KI. I think that the critical thinking could probably save my essay for me to get a B, but econs! 12 marks out of 50 marks are gone because didn't do the questions... sigh. And being an essay writing humanities subject, there is no guarantee to how many more marks I can lose. I can only afford to lose 8 more marks. oh man. oh woman. oh hermaphrodite. oh eunuch.
Wish I could transfer a few marks from my other subjects to save econs. If I could, I'll transfer 4 marks each from physics and math. (But of course they should not implement that because China scholars can just pass econs, pass GP, then from math physics chem transfer here tranfer there get all A. China scholars, it's all your fault.)
Speaking of transfering marks, this reminds me of the Kyoto Protocol as mentioned in my econs paper, where companies that exceed their carbon emmisions quota could buy "carbon credits" from those green companies that are more efficient than required by Kyoto Protocol, or else they face a fine that is much higher than the price of carbon credits. Singapore joined Kyoto protocol not because we want to save the earth, but because the government wants Singapore companies to earn carbon credits to sell overseas.
Man what a business opportunity because of certain requirements expected.
Just like tuition.
I need A for physics and chem, B for all the rest. And darn, that is really hard to get, considering that are the CTs are not easy.
Problematic subjects: Econs and KI. I think that the critical thinking could probably save my essay for me to get a B, but econs! 12 marks out of 50 marks are gone because didn't do the questions... sigh. And being an essay writing humanities subject, there is no guarantee to how many more marks I can lose. I can only afford to lose 8 more marks. oh man. oh woman. oh hermaphrodite. oh eunuch.
Wish I could transfer a few marks from my other subjects to save econs. If I could, I'll transfer 4 marks each from physics and math. (But of course they should not implement that because China scholars can just pass econs, pass GP, then from math physics chem transfer here tranfer there get all A. China scholars, it's all your fault.)
Speaking of transfering marks, this reminds me of the Kyoto Protocol as mentioned in my econs paper, where companies that exceed their carbon emmisions quota could buy "carbon credits" from those green companies that are more efficient than required by Kyoto Protocol, or else they face a fine that is much higher than the price of carbon credits. Singapore joined Kyoto protocol not because we want to save the earth, but because the government wants Singapore companies to earn carbon credits to sell overseas.
Man what a business opportunity because of certain requirements expected.
Just like tuition.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
I can't believe my luck!
I broke my spectacles the night before chem CT, at like 2 am. Good thing I have a spare that is 100 degrees less. Makes me giddy though.
Anyway, to ensure I wake up on time for the test, I set 2 alarm clocks to 5.50am. They never failed to wake me up before. I made sure they were activated before I went to sleep.
The next morning the first thing I realised was that it was 7.45 am! w00t! I'm supposed to be in school at like... NOW??!! So I just wore my uniform, splashed some water at my face, drank milo and went off. (good thing my father helped me call a cab) Took a cab. Rush hour. 30 minutes ride. Reached the LT at 8.25am. The paper started at 8.11am. w00tness... I have like 15 mins less than everyone else to do the paper.
But then again look at the bright side, I have 15 mins more to study/sleep! By taking taxi I saved 10 minutes! So in total I have 25 more minutes to invest in chem test(by studying or sleeping)!
Buahahaha I bet you are all jealous.
I broke my spectacles the night before chem CT, at like 2 am. Good thing I have a spare that is 100 degrees less. Makes me giddy though.
Anyway, to ensure I wake up on time for the test, I set 2 alarm clocks to 5.50am. They never failed to wake me up before. I made sure they were activated before I went to sleep.
The next morning the first thing I realised was that it was 7.45 am! w00t! I'm supposed to be in school at like... NOW??!! So I just wore my uniform, splashed some water at my face, drank milo and went off. (good thing my father helped me call a cab) Took a cab. Rush hour. 30 minutes ride. Reached the LT at 8.25am. The paper started at 8.11am. w00tness... I have like 15 mins less than everyone else to do the paper.
But then again look at the bright side, I have 15 mins more to study/sleep! By taking taxi I saved 10 minutes! So in total I have 25 more minutes to invest in chem test(by studying or sleeping)!
Buahahaha I bet you are all jealous.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
I still remember part of the speech during the Council's investiture. The part from Alice in Wonderland.
If you don't remember, fear not! I have the book and I shall quote it directly.
***
'Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinning a little wider. 'Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. 'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a great deal on where you want to get to.' said the Cat.
'I don't care much where - ' said Alice.
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
' - so long as I get somewhere,' Alice added as an explanation.
'Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, 'if you only walk long enough.'
***
It does seem that one needs a goal to know what to do. Perhaps, when you ask yourself, "What should I do now?" It really depends on what you want to achieve. And if you believe in a mechanistic universe, "want" doesn't really make sense. How can this blob of interacting charged particles "want" something? Yet it seems like it does. Strange.
What if I take it that if a system tends towards a certain condition, I say that it "wants" that condition? So if a person tends to a state of happiness, then he wants to be happy? If an atom tends to form an octet configuration, it "wants" to form an octet configuration? If unlike poles attract each other, they "want" to be together?
Hmm wait, don't they all obey the second law of thermodynamics?
So, if we all tend towards where we want to get to, why do I still get lost, and wonder what everything is for? Why am I searching for what I really want, even though it is just supposed I want to do now?
Perhaps it's because what I want to do now may make it difficult for me to do something else later.
If you don't remember, fear not! I have the book and I shall quote it directly.
***
'Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinning a little wider. 'Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. 'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a great deal on where you want to get to.' said the Cat.
'I don't care much where - ' said Alice.
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
' - so long as I get somewhere,' Alice added as an explanation.
'Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, 'if you only walk long enough.'
***
It does seem that one needs a goal to know what to do. Perhaps, when you ask yourself, "What should I do now?" It really depends on what you want to achieve. And if you believe in a mechanistic universe, "want" doesn't really make sense. How can this blob of interacting charged particles "want" something? Yet it seems like it does. Strange.
What if I take it that if a system tends towards a certain condition, I say that it "wants" that condition? So if a person tends to a state of happiness, then he wants to be happy? If an atom tends to form an octet configuration, it "wants" to form an octet configuration? If unlike poles attract each other, they "want" to be together?
Hmm wait, don't they all obey the second law of thermodynamics?
So, if we all tend towards where we want to get to, why do I still get lost, and wonder what everything is for? Why am I searching for what I really want, even though it is just supposed I want to do now?
Perhaps it's because what I want to do now may make it difficult for me to do something else later.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Random thought:
Ever read any stories where the protagonist is sucked into the mirror? Maybe you haven't, or maybe you have watched a channel 8 tv show "My date with a vampire II" (sometime in 2000). In those cicumstances, the protagonist who gets sucked into the mirror finds out that all the words are laterally inverted, and that right handed people are now the minority! Oh my! Just imagine yourself being sucked into a mirror! But as I thought about it, those would probably be two of the last few things I'll worry about.
Being in a world where everything a a mirror image of your current world also means that all your laevorotatory optically active compounds would become dextrorotatory compunds. This has more serious implications that having to read everything through a mirror. Recall that many biological molecules are optically active.
Firstly, you can't eat anything there except for saturated fats, glycine, salt and tartaric acid. All other foods are non-superimposable with the kind that your body can use. You can't take any vitamins, suppliments or medicine, as they all have to be dealt with by emzymes. Ahh, you wouldn't suffocate though, majority of gas molecules in the air are achiral.
Secondly, you would be immune to all diseases that come from the exterior. The microbes that try to make you sick wouldn't be able to penetrate your defenses to do anything serious, because the macrophages would engulf everything that the body doesn't recognise, and even if they get through they have nothing to eat. Ahh, true, virii don't need to eat, but they can't do anything to your cell either because they can't even force their way into the cell. They can't take control either because all their proteins or RNA enzymes are optically active.
Thirdly, most things would smell and taste different. Our smell receptors idenitify the molecule's shape. So probably what smells nice here wouldn't smell quite as nice there. As for taste, sour and salty tastes would remain the same because they depend on ions, which are achiral.
Lastly, male or female, whoever goes there would be sterile. The enzyme that the sperm uses to penetrate the ovum would not work there. (If you recall, you are effectively immune to all pathogen caused diseases too) Perhaps this means that you would not need contraception in the mirror world.
Pretty cool huh?
Ever read any stories where the protagonist is sucked into the mirror? Maybe you haven't, or maybe you have watched a channel 8 tv show "My date with a vampire II" (sometime in 2000). In those cicumstances, the protagonist who gets sucked into the mirror finds out that all the words are laterally inverted, and that right handed people are now the minority! Oh my! Just imagine yourself being sucked into a mirror! But as I thought about it, those would probably be two of the last few things I'll worry about.
Being in a world where everything a a mirror image of your current world also means that all your laevorotatory optically active compounds would become dextrorotatory compunds. This has more serious implications that having to read everything through a mirror. Recall that many biological molecules are optically active.
Firstly, you can't eat anything there except for saturated fats, glycine, salt and tartaric acid. All other foods are non-superimposable with the kind that your body can use. You can't take any vitamins, suppliments or medicine, as they all have to be dealt with by emzymes. Ahh, you wouldn't suffocate though, majority of gas molecules in the air are achiral.
Secondly, you would be immune to all diseases that come from the exterior. The microbes that try to make you sick wouldn't be able to penetrate your defenses to do anything serious, because the macrophages would engulf everything that the body doesn't recognise, and even if they get through they have nothing to eat. Ahh, true, virii don't need to eat, but they can't do anything to your cell either because they can't even force their way into the cell. They can't take control either because all their proteins or RNA enzymes are optically active.
Thirdly, most things would smell and taste different. Our smell receptors idenitify the molecule's shape. So probably what smells nice here wouldn't smell quite as nice there. As for taste, sour and salty tastes would remain the same because they depend on ions, which are achiral.
Lastly, male or female, whoever goes there would be sterile. The enzyme that the sperm uses to penetrate the ovum would not work there. (If you recall, you are effectively immune to all pathogen caused diseases too) Perhaps this means that you would not need contraception in the mirror world.
Pretty cool huh?
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