The holy month of Ramadhan meets more than a billion Muslims tomorrow. Ramadhan is the month when Muslims seek Allah's blessings and forgiveness. It is the month when the gates of mercy are open and evil spirits are chained. The next thirty days will test Muslims all over the world as they abstain from food, water and any other activities or behaviour that could nullify the fast, during the period of time when the sun rises till it sets. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and every Muslim is obliged to fast during Ramadhan unless they are unable to do so due to medical reasons.
A Muslim who satisfies the following conditions must fast during Ramadhan:
1) Sane, normal, and not mentally ill
2) Reached puberty
3) Is able to do so, not badly sick or weak
A Muslim is excused from fasting during Ramadhan only if:
1) he or she is sick
2) he or she is travelling (musafir)
3) he or she is old and very weak
4) she is pregnant and/or breast-feeding the baby
Besides abstaining oneself from eating or drinking, a Muslim is also not allowed to do certain activities which could nullify the fast (from the period of time after the sun rises till it sets) such as:
1) Sexual intercourse
2) Engaging in activities that could cause the ejaculation, such as masturbation and watching pornographic videos
3) Taking injections or abusing drugs
4) Smoking
5) Menses
My non-Muslim friends often ask me if fasting affects our ability to study or revise our work as we may be hungry and thirsty. Well, we Muslims actually treat the fasting month as the perfect opportunity to revise our work. We will use our breaks or recess time to study instead of eating ot drinking in the canteen. Besides that, we usually stay at home during the day instead of going out. We spend the time at home completing out revision. In fact, Ramadhan is perhaps the best time I can fully focus on my studies while returning to Allah in repentance. I believe spirituality can affect the effectiveness of our revision sessions.
So have I ever skipped a day of fasting? Well, I guess I did so a couple of times when I was still a child:
TPJCian Magazine will cool down this September. There will be less posts. Read the full update tomorrow.
Muslims To Embrace Fasting Month Tomorrow
Teachers' Day Concert: Reader's Review
Blogged by Goh Chong Han Wayne (08A04).
Edited by azhar.
I shall start with the student performers. All of them did well, let it be those accompanied with their guitars or the ones who shone with their vocals. One group even performed with a saxophone, clarinet and harmonica. It showed a variety of instruments and got the crowd interested initially. However, the level of interest seemed to deteriorate soon enough when the vocals entered - the song was sung in Chinese. Perhaps this is something the councillors can consider in the future, as it would perhaps be better if everyone could understand the lyrics. Nevertheless, it was evident that a lot of effort was put in for the performance.
In my opinion, the second performer, Fym, was the best student performer during the concert. She had the best voice and was the most original performer who sung (and played) her self-composed song. I thought it was a bit queer with how certain words were sung. Nonetheless, it was definitely a great rendition of the song and I think she deserves special mention. A group of students also delivered their own Teachers' Day version of a Westlife song which had the crowd burst into laughter. The other solo performer, Mark Chan, was not bad as well.
TPJCian Magazine interviewed Fym on how she felt performing on stage. Below is her verbatim reply:
Ermmm...feel on stage you mean? I was feeling a lil' excited actually, cos it's the first time i spent my teachers day in this way...hahah. but just felt that i need to express my gratitude to the teachers beyond just giving flowers and gifts like every other years before this. cos they've really sacrificed, alot, like staying in library & holding remedials till 8-9pm for us...without much complaints, yet we're the ones complaining...
The game show was probably the main attraction for the concert. The host did a terrific and professional job, pulling jokes out of his hat which had the crowd in giggles. The game was very well planned and the teachers who played were outgoing and helped enliven the event. However, I think the game show took a little too long maybe? The questions were interesting, and I learnt a thing or two during the course of the event.
As the councillors entered the hall with candles in their hands, some of us soon realized where our 50 cents went to. It took quite a long time for the candles to be given out to all the teachers while the councillors were singing and I soon found myself thinking whether such a gift was appropriate for Teachers' Day. I mean, what would they do with the candles? Pushing the assessments aside, I'm sure it's the thought that counts. Isn't that true? :)
When I looked behind, I was honestly very shocked at what I was seeing; students leaving the hall even before the concert ended. I felt a sense of sadness - not for me, but for the teachers who witnessed their very own students leaving on their special day while the concert was still on. It was truly a disappointment.
Nevertheless, it was a well executed concert and a very memorable one indeed. I give it a 3.5/5 stars.
Teachers' Day '08: The Review
I think the ending of the concert was rather draggy. The 23rd Student Councillors had to repeat the song they sang twice. The movement of the councillors to present the lighted candles to our dear teachers was not smooth too. I could see a whole pack of student leaders crowded on either side of the hall at any one time. The audience got impatient and some started to leave the hall through the back door. The ending was just messy.
Luckily this did not happen:
What they should have done is to assign each councillor to hold two to four candles. If there isn't enough manpower, they could have sought help from their seniors or CCA leaders. One more thing I have to add on is that instead of the whole bunch of councillors going to one side of the hall, they should have formed two rows and split up to the left and right as they approach the end of the red carpet. That can significantly reduce traffic congestion.
The game show 'Are You Smarter Than A TPJCian' was pretty well done. The host did a terrific job and the audience enjoyed his sense of humour. However, I think there are major technical errors when the game was about to commence. The stage curtain was opening and closing as if it was 'drunk'. The stage crew who was responsible to control the stage curtains should be fired for that. He or she is lucky that the host was able to pull a joke or two to cover the blunder.
Nevertheless, the performers did a fabulous job. The singers did what they are supposed to do - entertain the teachers. The second performer who took the stage, Fym, made a spellbinding performance with her very own composed song, Every September The First. The crowd was jubilant after she pronounced the final word of the lyrics.
The 'PostSecret' video was hilarious. Video quality was stunning, although I think they should have delayed the transition between any two photos a bit longer. The Student Council did an exceptional job for the video.
One more thing...I am very impressed with the courtesy that some councillors showed when they instructed us to leave the hall for the rehearsal. To be honest, quite a number of TPJCians I know were unhappy that they had to evacuate the hall. They rebelled but the councillors kept their tone low and kindly directed us to exit the hall. As a result, we cooperated. Good job, guys.
Special congratulations to Mr Malik for being shortlisted as a finalist in the President's Award For Teachers this year. He really deserves it and I hope he wins it ultimately.
Overall, I give an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Readers, what do think of this year's Teachers' Day celebrations? Do comment below and participate in the poll.
It's E-Learning Day!
An original content brought to you by TPJCian Magazine.
During E-Learning day...
A Message To JC1s Taking The Promotional Exam
Original content brought to you by TPJCian Magazine.
A trip by an EV team member to Tampines Junior College...
Why Singapore Needs More Babies
Bigger baby bonus, longer maternity leave and higher tax relief. These are some of the new and improved measures designed by the Singapore government to tackle the plunging birth rate. The issue received extensive media coverage and Singaporeans gave mixed opinions regarding the solutions proposed. So why the huge fuss? I will explain two critical reasons in this post - economic and social.
Singapore is facing an ageing population now. In about ten to twenty years time, many workers will reach the retirement age. A fresh group of workers are needed to occupy the vacant job positions. Furthermore, companies and factories located in Singapore rely heavily on the country's manpower. The economy will slow down if there is a shortage of skilled labour supply in the future. Since the population is mainly made up the white-haired (in the future) who depend on their Central Provident Fund (CPF) balance, the demand for goods will start to decline. They are most likely to save for the future, then use it to purchase goods. An economic slowdown begins.
Besides this, Singapore is also an export-driven economy. This means that the country depends on foreign countries to exports its locally-produced goods to drive the economy. Many companies outsource to Singapore due its pro-business environment and skilled workforce. Without the next generation of young workers, the factories in Singapore may suffer a low productivity rate. The older workers are not skilled enough to use the new and advanced technologies invented in order to increase productivity. The producers need fresh graduates who are ready for work. Retraining can help solve this problem, but the costs incurred are just too costly for small or private firms. With low birth rates, a shortage of skilled labour emerges and factories may start looking elsewhere for the better and more productive workers. Producers are not able to enjoy economies of scale and cut costs, leading to high prices. Singapore will find it more difficult to compete in the global market. If this situation do happen, the country's export-driven economy suffers and the balance of trade continues to deteriorate.
Social reasons are also contributing factors that push the government to solve the low birth rate problem fast. Singapore's population may fall tremendously if the birth rate continues to go south. However, the economy needs to be continuously fuelled with productive workers. Thus, the government may have to turn their heads to immigration. So what is the problem with immigration? The government struggled to maintain racial harmony during its first years of independence with the presence of racial riots and more. It is still improving its legislation to suit the cultures and beliefs of the three main races here - Chinese, Malay and Indian. Our leaders consistently remind us not to take the current racial harmony for granted; instead, we must put every effort to strengthen it.
An exodus of foreign workers to Singapore may complicate things here. For example, the Westerners are generally more open to racism. Racism is widespread in many Western countries which still practice complete freedom of speech and expression. They may bring along the culture into Singapore and perhaps challenge the legislation here. For example, anti-Muslim sentiments are still prevalent in Australia, especially among the youngsters. If the foreigners come with their families into Singapore, the intolerant behaviours may also be imported into the island. Preserving racial harmony may get more complicated than ever.
Amy And Archie In A Relationship?
An original content brought to you by TPJCian Magazine.
Note: The story below is fictional. No harm is intended.
Amy and Archie have been trying to keep their relationship private, but it's all revealed now. In July, the couple got matching paintbrushes. Yesterday, the couple was spotted at a hotel in Tampines. Several witnesses say they were having intimate moments together in the swimming poll there. Nevertheless, Archie has denied the rumour and said that they were 'just friends'. Amy, on the other hand, could not be contacted. The college celebrities last made an appearance during the college open house in July.
__________________________________________________________
Source
Rihanna and Chris Brown having been trying to keep their relationship a secret, but it’s all out in the open now. In January the couple got matching neck tattoos. Yesterday, the couple were at the Hilton Kingston Hotel in Jamaica. A Witness said Chris and Rihanna were making out, kissing, and fondling each other a lot.
Sometimes I wonder how the stars of today are coping with the extensive media attention surrounding them. The paparazzi are everywhere. Is it a breach of privacy? If you ask me, my answer both Yes and No. Yes, because the reporters are not providing enough space for their own private time. No, because sometimes I feel the artistes themselves are also 'playing' with the media, taking advantage of the widespread coverage. The constant denials over an obvious fact or truth (like the one above) may be intentionally made to create suspense and develop more curiosity among fans or music lovers. Well, instead of admitting and ending the rumours fast, why not get your pictures published in tabloids for a longer period of time? You can sell more albums.
Will TPJCians Attend The Upcoming Teachers' Day Concert?
There seem to be no buzz regarding the Teachers' Day concert for this year. Perhaps, the updates were announced to the current JC1 students in the courtyard. To be fair, posters advertising the balloons to be sold by the Student Council as Teachers' Day gifts can also be seen around the school.
If I am not wrong, the balloons carry a form of blessing for the teachers; the recipient will have to pop the balloon to receive the blessings. This is quite an innovative use of the balloons - instead of allowing it to slowly deflate and wasting money, why not burst it beforehand and be blessed at the same time?
Nevertheless, the JC2 students seem to be left out in the updates or events leading to the celebrations. We have no clue whatsoever regarding the programme for the concert which is held on 29th August in the school hall. The last announcement made regarding the concert to the whole college was about a month ago. As the JC2 students prepare for their Preliminary examinations this few weeks (and we proceed to our examination venue in the morning straightaway), we have 'lost contact' with any updates from the Student Council. What is going on during the concert this Friday?!
Let's put the above issue aside and welcome another. I have also heard news that some TPJCians, especially the JC1 students, will be paying a visit to their Secondary school teachers instead of the ones teaching them now. I fully understand their situation; they have spent four years with their Secondary school teachers. I am pretty sure the bonds forged between the teachers and students there are strong and close. I will not be surprised to witness a low attendance rate among the JC1 batch this year. In fact, I believe other colleges are suffering the same fate too. There will be a few students who skip school to visit their Secondary school teachers.
I hope the Student Council can post an announcement via TPJC.net and notify the students of the programme schedule during the Teachers' Day concert this Friday. I remembered there was a contest for the celebrations. Any update on it? I am not sure if there is even an online announcement about the contest since TPJCians may miss out on it during morning assembly weeks ago. This is our last year and the JC2s are hoping to repay the contributions of their respective tutors and lecturers. What do you think?
TPJC's Mosaic Masterpiece: Showcasing Our Creativity And College Spirit
Prior to the National Day celebrations this year, our JC1 students teamed up to decorate tiles which reflect the uniqueness of their respective classes. The response was great and the 23rd Student Council managed to arrange the tiles together to form a mosaic masterpiece. The art exhibit, which carries the slogan '43rd National Day, Celebrating The Singapore Spirit', now hangs proudly just outside the Council Room, effectively showcasing the students' creativity and college spirit.
Good job, TPJCians!
Lets Make Babies!
Not now, of course. A dwindling reproduction rate was the top of the agenda for this year's National Day rally delivered by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. In his speech, he pointed out and urged singles to find a soul mate, get married and -you guessed it- deliver babies.
I remembered reading the newspaper about the latest effort by the government to teach Junior College students how to be involved in a healthy relationship. The objective is not to educate the tertiary students about sex; it serves as a workshop to improve understanding among the partners of the opposite sex. Interesting move, I must say.
It is good to start a relationship when we are still young, so that teenagers can gain the experience and perhaps be better companions in the future. In fact if we look at the wider picture, this measure may be helpful in shaping our culture in the future. Now, the young is immersed in a materialistic world. We study hard, get a degree and apply for a high-pay job to satisfy our lust for the latest gadgets, fashion and many more. Marriage is no longer the bull's-eye young people are aiming for. The birth rate is going south.
Things have changed now. That is what our parents always remind us. As much as I try to disagree, what they claim is indeed true. As more and more Singaporeans become educated, the island is filled with more career-minded people. Success in life to them is wealth, a car, a huge house, you name it. Remember the quote which says, 'My car is my girlfriend.' in the movies? The past was very much different - having a happy family with a beautiful wife and children was everyone's dreams.
If Singaporeans are taught about the value of relationships early, then we may heading to a new direction. The mentality of the future generation will change. Life will be no longer be about having a top career to raise one's affluence but about having a stable occupation to raise a family. Happiness is no longer defined as owning expensive (or trivial) things that we desire, but as having a more closer and intimate relationship with your family. The young will no longer think that having a baby means a huge pie of income forgone as a result of the expenditure when bringing up their newborns. Instead, having offspring means a blessing to them - observing how their babies grow over the years under their care is a priceless experience for them.
After writing all these, I guess I will have to work hard to overcome the first hurdle, my 'A' level examinations. After serving National Service, get into a university, hook up one lovely girl and graduate with a degree. Next, get a good job and date for another year or so to accumulate income for the grand wedding. After all that is accomplished, I can enjoy the first night finally. I aim to have 2 children, one girl and one boy. Ahh...what a dream.
*wakes up* Oh no, I have yet to cover Vectors for my Maths paper next week! Hehe.
Diagnosed As Cancer
A few months ago, my mother informed me that my friend has been diagnosed as having cancer. She could not hold back her tears and was literally mourning in front of me. I was motionless and speechless for a few seconds, struggling to absorb the piece of news into my brain. Pixels of my friend's image began to appear one by one, before a young innocent face finally took shape.
Despite suffering from cancer, my friend was adamant and wanted to sit for his 'A' level examinations this year. I was also notified that he still revised his work on his hospital bed. He repeatedly told his parents that he was ready for it and ignored any pleas from them to rest and concentrate on recovering instead.
My friend epitomizes the true meaning of will-power and the determination to succeed. I still can't imagine how he managed to study with all those tubes inserted all over his body. Blood tests became like a daily ritual. Doctors were trying to figure out what type of cancer was in his body, slowly consuming his healthy cells. The results was out after a few days of blood testing - he had a rare form of germ cancer.
Yesterday, his attenuated body lay in the operation room for twelve hours as a team of doctors and nurses led a war to remove the cancer cells. The enemy troops had conquered his heart and lungs, the doctor said. There was a huge blood loss. Germ cancer poisons the blood, therefore infecting his organs more readily. The heart suddenly became the guilty party; it was pumping the polluted blood throughout the body.
My brave friend is now in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). His will-power and determination to live has enabled him to survive the war. Doctors are hoping that they have successfully removed all the germ cancer cells to prevent any future infections. His parents are praying that his strength would not condense in the upcoming few days. As for me, I will continue to believe that he will emerge victorious over the disease. And I know he will.
I hope this story somehow or another inspires you to work hard for your academic performance. Life is short and we must make use of every opportunity that is given to us now. Let's study hard for our 'A' levels and make our parents proud while they are still alive. Every parent wants to see his or her daughter successful. Most importantly, let's do it for ourselves and for our future. If my friend can do it, so can we.
TOP 5 Funniest Olympic Videos!
The Olympic fever is here and we have chosen the TOP 5 most funniest Olympic videos for you to enjoy. Sit back, relax and enjoy the videos!
1) Michael Phelps 100M Butterfly Victory!!!
2) World's Worst Olympic Swimming Trial
3) Olympic Sprint Skating
4) The Beijing Olympics: Are They A Trap?
5) Classic Funny Olympic Video
Any HOT Teacher In TPJC?
If you know one and feel that his or her hard work, determination and (of course) looks should be recognized, then grab your digital camera and start snapping photos of your beloved teachers now! Oh...don't forget to seek their permissions first, though.
STOMP's youth wing, Youthphoria, is organizing a contest called 'Teach, You're Hot!' to illuminate the contributions of your teachers. Nominate and vote for your teachers today for a chance to win a notebook computer for yourself as well as your teacher.
So what are you waiting for?
New TPJC Public Website Launched: Here's The Review
Some of you may realize that I have written an article on TPJCian Times regarding our college's ageing public website. In the article, I lamented about the website's poor layout (worse for Firefox users), obsolete text fonts (for main banner) and poor colour combination. Well, good news - the college IT department has responded. And I think they did a commendable job. Here's the review:
Improved website compatibility
I was actually looking forward for this. The previous website was not compatible for Firefox users. Many students have complained that the layout was completely out of place. You can view lines arranged haphazardly for some pages. A JC1 Tpjcian, Cheng Jia Ying (08A04), expressed her concerns regarding this issue saying, 'oh oh and the site is absolutely out of place in mozzy!'
Fret no more, as the new revamped website is now suitable for both Internet Explorer (IE) and Firefox users. In short, it is more user-friendly.
Before
After
Better Web Layout
Previously, the web layout seemed static and old. The features were outdated and lack sophistication or the 'Wow' factor. Boxes and one ticker tape bar greet visitors of the website. In seemed abandoned.
Everything has changed now; it looks more professional and sophisticated. For example, there there is a TPJC Gallery available in the main page now. Click on it and a pop-out image slide show will appear, displaying high-quality photos. You may click the 'NEXT' button on the top right corner of the photo to view the next picture.
The navigation links for visitors to hop onto a new page are also enhanced. You no longer see links queuing up one below another at the main page. Now, only five navigation panels line up just below the banner. Roll over a link and the text colour will instantaneously change to lime green, before a small box begin to crop up displaying the sub-pages. To sum up, the new website looks more refreshing, professional and neat.
Oh yeah, if you have heavy fingers, there is a search box which allows you to find answers to your queries fast. The new system is hassle-free and saves a lot of time.
Good Colour Combination
I will be straightforward; the colour combination for the previous college website was horrid and dull. It was a mixture of white and green (light and dark). The colour combination for the boxes displayed all over the 'Academic Subjects' page was even more unpleasant to the eyes, with a myriad of colours such as blue, green and black all lumped onto one single page.
I heaved a huge sigh of relief upon visiting the new website. It is definitely better. It is a mixture of dark grey, orange and green - perfect colour combination. I love the way they play around with the colours for each post title and, sub-heading and even the calendar dates. It is much better now.
Nevertheless, I feel the design for main banner can still be improved.
I believe the main banner should be outstanding. Since the main font used for the navigation and content is traditional (looks like either Times New Roman or Arial), what about having a totally different font for the main banner text. I like the school logo, though. Keep experimenting!
Overall, I give 4 out of 5 stars for the our new public website.
If Only We Can Do This For Our Structured Remedials
An original content brought to you by TPJCian Magazine.
[Click to enlarge]
Original layout: Facebook Friend Notifications
Media Propaganda On Russia vs Georgia Conflict
When news about the recent conflict between Georgia and Russia started to make waves, I grew skeptical about the credibility of the sources. As a history student, I comprehend the causes and motive of international conflicts, small or big. And so I was not at all surprised that an American interference followed almost immediately when the current Georgian leader, President Mikhail Saakashvili, announced through Western media that his country was being attacked by Russian troops.
What really happened in Georgia?
Some basic facts:
1. The citizens of South Ossetia have long expressed a desire to break away from Georgia and, in fact, declared themselves independent from Georgia in the 1990s.
2. On the first day of the 2008 Olympics, Georgia launched an all-out, "shock and awe" attack on numerous civilian targets in Tskhinvali, the capital city of South Ossetia
3. Russia, which shares a border and a long historical connection with South Ossetia, sent troops into the region to fight back the attacking Georgian military.
4. The arms for Georgia's attack on South Ossetia were largely provided by the US.
5. The US and UK news media have successfully managed to portray these events as a random, unprovoked and savage attack on Georgia by Russia.
Source
The rest of the story is simply a copy paste from my history textbooks. The agenda for further negotiations will revolve around the violation of human rights in the Russian's part and pressure by the Americans to remove the Russian troops. Oh yeah, don't be amazed to view news reports that (only) the Georgian citizens are languishing in the war - a slide show of photos depicting dead bodies and displaced people will be shown to tap your emotions. The next thing that may hit headlines is 'Georgia Gains Independence'. Proponents of Georgian independence can't wait longer.
The (Western) media is obviously controlling our minds. You only hear one side of the conflict. Why did the Russians suddenly send an exodus of troops in Georgia? There must be a reason why Vladimir Putin commanded his army into Georgia. Putin should realize by now how Chinese President Hu Jintao felt regarding the Tibet conflict. What about United Nations? It is completely useless for both cases as Russia and China are in the Security Council. Any attempt to pass a resolution is paralyzed since the countries can use their veto powers.
Take a look below on how the media tried to conceal the truth:
Conflict Between Mr Differentiation And Ms Function
An original content brought to you by TPJCian Magazine.
A Group Of Tpjcians Creates 'Hair-Waxing' Video
Poor boy. I am not sure if the wax strip is still lying outside the classroom. The college attendants must be shell-shocked if they find it. Anyway, in case you spot it, do return it to the rightful owner. Oh wait, maybe it is stuck in one of our shoes? Who knows...
Sex Change, A Photoshop Cyber Bully Favourite
I have covered a topic on cyber bullying earlier this year. In that post, I discussed why cyber bullying is more dangerous than physical bullying. I gave an example of how cyber bullies victimized their prey using social networking websites such as MySpace. They would pretend to befriend their victims at first, before throwing insults at them in a heinous attempt to smash their victims' confidence and self-esteem. To them, that is victory.
Being the cunning wolf in the Little Red Riding Hood is just one of a cyber bully's favourite malicious acts. Hidden in his sleeves is another tool that is fast becoming widespread in the Internet - the Photoshop. The (Adobe) Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed by Adobe Systems which allows its users to edit their pictures for their own personal or commercial use. The program is so famous that the word 'photoshop' is widely used to describe an action when one is modifying his or her pictures.
You can do almost anything with Photoshop - sharpen your nose, shape your body to look slimmer and even tone your skin. To a cyber bully, the features allow them to explore outside the box to drown their victims, including a 'sex change operation' for his victims. The Lasso tool effectively creates a boundary around the victim's face. Next, the dark artist will copy the face and paste it over a woman's. He completes the artwork with a few small adjustments so that everything looks real and perfect. There you go, sex change in less than 5 minutes. The end product usually ends up in the e-mail inbox of thousands of people or maybe even in the photo-sharing websites such as Photobucket. Imagine the humiliation.
Oh well, you get what I mean.
7 Videos You Must Watch (If You're Really Bored/Stressed)!
Taking a break from studying or working? Feeling stressed over your revision? Can't solve a question after trying hard for more than an hour? Stuck at home and feeling bored? Enjoy the 7 videos we have selected just for you. Laugh and smile all you like. Most importantly, have fun and give your brain a well-deserved rest.
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Are You A True TPJCian?
Remember those IQ/personality tests your friends used to to send you via e-mail. Well, we have decided to create one just for you. The purpose is to show you how the online quizzes create a false reflection of yourself as an individual. Some of the questions are ridiculous. At the end of the test, the result will be shown to you. There are quite a number of people out there who used the results as a guide in their lives, especially the ones concerning love. As a result, the relationship fails to last. There are also instances whereby self-esteem is shattered upon receiving the test results. Imagine finding out that you are 'gay' or 'lesbian'.
Go ahead and take the test.
SuperPoke!ing And Your Real Life
I checked my e-mail inbox today and my eyes were fixated to an e-mail entitled, "You've been SuperPoked!". Apparently, my friend has 'given gold' to me. Being a good friend as I am, I decided to SuperPoke! back. It took me ten seconds to sign in my Facebook account, before I started to skim through the various available actions I can choose to SuperPoke! her back. It has to be unique; something that her other friends would never have thought of. After a painstaking three minutes or so, I decided to choose this:
Yes, I decided to name a sewage plant after her. How romantic can I be?
OK, that is besides the point. The objective of writing this post is to show to you guys how the Internet - or to be more precise, online social networking - allows us to do things which is not possible to be done in real life. You can't throw a sheep at your friend, can you? Do that, and the next thing you will find is headlines about you violating animal rights the next morning. And if that does not satisfy the sadism in you, you can 'drop a bomb' on your friend.
I have always wondered if Amnesty International or People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA) will step up and launch another campaign against VIRTUAL violation of human and animal rights respectively. Well, a virtually naked U.S. Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard is not bad. I have always wondered if such organizations are getting worried that social network users, especially the impressionable youngsters may be influenced by the actions and perhaps even imitate them! It's just like how you watch kissing scenes over and over again throughout your teenage years. Soon, you get curious and want to know how it feels like to lock lips with your partner.
Well, it we explore the other side of the issue, SuperPoke!ing can serve as an alternative for people with brutal or violent behaviour. Ahhh...instead of body slamming your friend in college, you can now do it in the virtual world. I am fully aware that there are people who enjoy hitting their friends for fun, laughter and joy. Unfortunately, it's a dangerous sport. Well, Superpoke!ing can save those bruises all over the body. It is fun, too.
Moreover, I also believe SuperPoke!ing can -to a certain extent- improve your social relations. Instead of typing a message to inform your loved ones that you are all right during your overseas trip, you may choose to 'blow a kiss' at them. Your friends can reply back with a 'high five'. It's a fun virtual interaction between you and your social circle. A SuperPoke! feature which allows you to send the action to your friends is a bonus, as it saves time. If you are shy and wish to make new friends, being nice and sending the 'smile at' action to him or her may help you.
As for me, I hope my lovely friend smiles when she discovers that there is a sewage plant named after her.
Tpjcians Are Still Patronizing Good News Cafe Despite Rising Prices
According to our web poll, Tpjcians are still burning their pocket money on food and beverages offered by Good News Cafe. This is quite an interesting finding, considering the fact that the food and drinks sold at Good News Cafe bear a heavier price tag given a smaller bite size. I expected a landslide 'victory' for John Cafe, bearing in mind that the canteen stalls prepares a more hearty meal with similar price increments as its competitor - I was proven wrong. Below is one reason why students continue to consume the food and drinks provided by Good News Cafe despite the rising inflation.
Price inelasticity
The sandwiches, ice blended drinks and even hot dogs served by Good News Cafe is becoming more price inelastic. This means that an increase in the price of the food and beverages sold in Good News Cafe brings about only a smaller than proportionate decrease in quantity demanded of the food and drinks. This is primarily due to the fact that there are no close substitutes available.
For example, although John Cafe do sell sandwiches at a cheaper price than the ones sold in Good News Cafe, the quality of the latter is twice as good as its rival. Some students argue that the sandwiches from Good News Cafe fills their stomachs more readily than the ones provided by John Cafe. Others commented that the Cafe sandwiches give a sense of exclusivity to the students. Somehow, the triangular plastic containers seem more appealing to them than the flimsy ones. Moreover, several Tpjcians also highlighted that the Cafe sandwiches are more healthier that the ones sold in the canteen. Each sandwich is prepared with at least two slices of tomatoes and lettuce. All these have not only enticed Tpjcians to purchase the Cafe sandwiches, but stretched the degree of substitution of the sandwich itself.
Another possible reason why students still flock to the Good News Cafe is the ice blended drinks sold there. The drinks are so popular that the owner has introduced a promotion early this year, whereby you can redeem a free drink after collecting a number of stamps upon purchase. The drinks are price inelastic due to the lack of close substitutes. Students no longer leave the school to purchase the ice blended drinks from nearby bubble tea shops. Instead, they prefer to buy the drinks from the Cafe for convenience. Convenience is a key factor now as students are making sure they spend most of their time to revise their work as examinations are approaching. Furthermore, the opening hours of the Cafe stretches until 6pm or above, therefore allowing students to enjoy the drinks during the CCA trainings. And most recently, discount coupons are also given to Tpjcians who choose to study late in school. All these measures have successfully diminished the degree of substitution of the drinks provided by the Cafe. Hence, students still consume them despite the price increase.
And oh yeah, who can forget 'Tantalizing Tuesday'?
Thank You, Readers!
Hi there!
Our country turns 43 today. I would like to wish my readers a Happy National Day and I thank you all for supporting this blog ever since it was born. It has been a challenging 6 months or so for this young blog as it continues to build its reputation and produce more insightful posts and updates. Since the support from Tpjcians has been great, I figured it would be nice if I show you the visitor statistics for this blog.
Are you ready?
There you go! = )
Thank you for all your support and have a great weekend. Special thanks to all the contributors of this blog. They are none other than Berlin, Ding Jie, Rashma, Wai Wan, Julius and Joshua. I can't remember all of them. Sorry. Hehe.
Best regards,
Azhar (07S16)
25 Pictures You Must View To Beat Stress!
I have always believed that laughter is the best medicine. Jokes and amusing pictures never fail to help me forget stress, even if it's just for a few minutes. Below is a list of funny pictures I have compiled for my readers. I know all of you are stressed with the upcoming examinations. I know you need a break from studying and working. I hope you will smile at the end after viewing all the pictures. If you do, do inform me! Hehe.
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