¤▬ siewlin ▬♠™

#27 Female taxi driver caught drink driving twice on the Central Coast

2010-09-02T01:56:00.000-07:00

A female driver was caught drink driving twice within a few days. In the first occasion she had 4 passengers in her taxi, and no passangers in the second occassion. The female driver is a 52-year-old woman. She underwent breath analysis and presented positive reading. She is charged with low and mid range drink driving and will appear in court next month.

Comment: I strongly stand against drivers of public transports from drink driving. Their actions risk the lives of the passengers and other road users. They need to have work ethics and comply with road regulations. To root out this problem, frequent inspection is needed to deter any drink driving cases. In addition, taxi companies should be more aware when selecting taxi drivers. Appropriate training courses could be given to the drivers.

#26 Economic boom, but inflation a problem

2010-08-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

Strong exports are set to push Australia's national income up by 10 per cent in 2010 while unemployment continues to fall, and inflation is set to become a problem over the next two years, the Reserve Bank (RBA) says.
RBA deputy governor Ric Battellino says that, while it is reasonable to anticipate firm economic growth, disciplined policy and improved productivity are needed to sustain it.
"Relative to prices of our imports, export prices are at their highest level in 60 years," Mr Battellino said.
"This is generating a large increase in income for the country: we are forecasting that Australia gross income (in nominal terms) will rise by about 10 per cent this year." - - - -multiplier theory: an initial increase in autonomous injection (exports) will lead to a series of induced spending that results in a larger increase in national income.
Mr Battellino also said he expected the jobless rate to continue on its downward trend as business investment strengthened.
"In this environment, we see further growth in employment, probably continuing to run ahead of growth in the labour force, so that unemployment will continue on a downward trend," he said.
Australia's jobless rate in July was 5.3 per cent, the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed.
That was up slightly from 5.1 per cent in June, a fraction away from the 5 per cent level generally thought by economists to be "full employment".
When the jobless rate gets that low, capacity restraints tend to show up across the economy.
The current resources boom, already up to four per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), was expected to rise significantly in the years ahead, and would provide a major impetus to growth, Mr Battellino said.
Mining investment typically ran at about one per cent of GDP, and in past mining booms it had reached up to three per cent of GDP.
But the prospect of higher inflation came with the good economic news, Mr Battellino told the audience at the Moreton Bay Better Business Luncheon at Redcliffe, in Brisbane's north.
"At present, underlying inflation has fallen back into the top half of the target range after rising noticeably over the second half of 2007 and 2008," he said.
"We expect that it will stay around its current rate for the next year or so but, after that, upward pressure on inflation is again likely to emerge with a strongly growing economy.
"History tells us that inflation can be a problem during resources booms, and while there are grounds for thinking it will be less of a problem this time than in the past, we need to remain alert to the risks."

Comment: According to the article, increased exports sales of Australia has provided the force for strong economic growth in the country, reducing unemployment at the same time. However, its dark side will be the danger of inflation because more demand means higher prices. Thus, I agree with RBA that says disciplined pocily and improved productivity are needed to sustain the economic growth without sacrificing inflation.

#25 Melbourne Uni 'world's 62nd best'

2010-08-17T04:27:00.000-07:00

Melbourne Univerisity has managed to put inself in 62nd spot in the ranking of the top 500 universities in the world, which is just three places behind Australia's top-ranked university - Australian National University. There were all together 17 Australian universities on the ranking list. The University of Queensland and University of Western Australia were in the top 150. Monash University also also improved its position, moving into the top 200, which University of NSW is also ranked in. Maquarie was in the top 300 whereas Newcastle and Wollongong universities were the top 400. Curtin University in Western Australia and James Cook in northern Queensland joined Swinburne and La Trobe in the top 500. The University of Tasmania dropped from the top 400 in 2009 to the top 500 this year. Meanwhile, for universities in other countries, Harvard University won the first ranking for the eighth year, while Cambridge, the best-ranked British university in the fifth place. Oxford was ranked 10th. Criteria for the rankings include quality of education and research output. Staff and alumni of the universities who win prestigious honours such as the Nobel prize are also considered in evaluation.

Comment: Most people look at the ranking of the universities to opt for tertiary education. Parents want to send their children to the best university possible if their financial status allow them to do so. Students themselves wish to enter the well known universities so that they feel more confident and proud of themselves. Also, the ranking of the universities may be one of the criteria that the employers look for when fresh graduates apply for jobs. However, some people may not be so particular about the rankings, instead they are more concerned with the environment and the living cost. It is up to individual's interest to decide which universities to go, as the most crucial thing to bear in mind is that to study hard and be a noble person. =)

#24 Melbourne man killed his father

2010-08-13T02:39:00.000-07:00

Christopher Philips, 37, is a drug addict who has been abusing alcohol and heroin since he was 12. He has killed his father, Douglas Barry Phillips, 73, at his home in Melbourne's south on June 6 2009. It was the sixth time he had attacked his father. Mr Phillips had been packing up in preparation to move to a retirement village until the day he was murdered. He sold his home in Frankston North, but he promised to his son that he will never abandon him, despite being repeatedly attacked. Mr Phillip's other children had been urging him to kick this son out of their family, but Mr Phillip refused to do so and he said, "he is my son and I would do the same to all of you". He hoped that his son will turn a new leaf, although Christopher had been sent to hospital five times over the past 10 years and been jailed for 7 times before. However, on that day, Christopher lashed out with a shovel, then a knife, stabbing on his father's abdomen and chest about 8 times, penetrating his heart! After the incident, Christopher admitted his guilt immediately, telling his friends and neighbours that "I think I killed my Dad". He will be sentenced on 20 August 2010.

Comments: I am appalled that son can kill his own father. Parents always love their children, no matter how bad they are. Parents always hope that with love, their children will change and become better. However, this does not apply to every family. Some people will abuse the love that has been given to them and keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. The love that out parents have given to us is enormous, and we should not do anything that will hurt their feelings and disappoint them. In another context, I hope that parents should always scrutinise their children's behaviours to prevent them from mixing with wrong group of friends and get themselves into troubles with drugs.

#23 CBD gang bashing: three more charged

2010-08-13T02:11:00.000-07:00

On August 1 2010, a brutal gang attack happened in a car park in Melbourne's CBD. A gang of six men assaulted the 20-year-old victim, Mo, causing him to sustain two fracutured eye sockets and a fractured jaw. Mo is a carpenter from Pascoe Vale. He left the multi-level car park near Russell Street intersection with three of his friends around 12.15am that day. They have had an argument with a group of six people, five of them looked Asian. The argument became more violent when one of the females ran towards Flinders Lane and returned with another 11 men. Now, five men have been charged over the attack and had been bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 20. However, the reason that started this argument was not stated in the news article.

Comments: Mercifully this did not lead to any death. Usually gang attack may lead to death cases, especially when the youths really cannot control themselves, keep bashing and stomping on the victim until the victim has no energy to yell and die on the spot. When confronted with a huge gang of unfriendly youngsters, it is always wise to leave as soon as possible, instead of staying and argue with them. Let them be right and this will avoid further affray. I hope that government can enforce a law that strengthen the surveillance system in public places which is to put more CCTV around car parks so that any incidents happen can be quickly detected.

#22 Paul Darcy Armstrong jailed 11 years for killing Felipe Flores

2010-08-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

Paul Darcy Armstrong, aged 47, is a man who stands more than 200cm tall. In 1991, he was in a gay bar in Oxford Street, Sydney, and picked up Felipe Flores and his sex partner. Flores' friend, Justin Terrence Buddin saw him leaving the bar with Armstrong. However, Flores' body was discovered by a security guard in a deserted area at Woolloomooloo (the lovers' lane) after half an hour after he had left the bar. Most importantly, he was brutally beaten to death! Flores was found to have sustained a broken nose, broken ribs, cuts and bruises. His face had been forcefully stomped. In addition, his liver was almost split into two. He was being beaten savagely. Mercifully, he died alomost immediately after he was beaten. The possible reason that caused this murder may be due to Flores telling Armstrong that he was HIV-positive after Armstrong and him had a sexual intercourse. Armstrong was diagnosed with HIV in 1999. He was arrested in 2008 and sentenced to a full term of 17 years prison, but will be eligible for parole in May 2020 after 11 years and six months.

Comments: Gay issues have been always sensitive, especially when it is associated with AIDS. I am appalled that the murderer can beat the deceased in such a merciless way. It is undeniable that having infected with HIV is nearly hopeless to be cured, but as he made the decision to have sexual intercourse with a male, he has to know the risks! We will reap what we sow. This is the reality.

#21 Plates not caught in headlights

2010-08-11T04:18:00.000-07:00

Roads and Traffic Authority is responsible for the issueing of car number plates. However, the new personalised plates that were issued have raised problems. This issue is raised up by NSW Police Assistant Commissioner John Hartley that he has seen in two occasions while he was driving where the number plates of the cars in front of him disappeared, unreadable from different angles and light conditions. He is concerned that the indistinguishable number plates will deter police from identifying an offending vehicle. If the problem comes from RTA, then RTA will have to recall all the number plates.

Comments: As a good citizen and a good driver, we should obey the rules on the roads. Having an obscure number plate is an traffic offend. Every driver should display their vehicles' plates clearly seen to others so that when any accidents happen on the roads, the vehicles can be easily identified. Some youngsters purposely make their cars' number plates vague so that they can speed on the roads without being caught. Another reason for obscure number plates may due to stealing of vehicles. Culprits want to avoid the cars being sought. In conclusion, prompt actions need to be implemented.

#20 Accused may have disposed of baby at Sydney Olympic site, court hears

2010-08-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

Keli Lane, an australia water polo champion, is accused for murdering her baby, named Tegan, after giving birth at Auburn Hospital, and threw the baby near Sydney Olympic's site, on 14 September 1996. After giving birth and disposing the baby, she managed to go her parents' house and attend a wedding ceremony. She has kept her pregnancy hidden from her boyfriend, family and friends. She has have five pregnancies so far. Two were terminated, two were not under her care, and one more is baby Tegan. She keep her pregnancies unknown so that she could compete in 2000 Olympics game. She also fear of rejection from her family and friends. In fact, she has a "very active social and sex life".

Comments: Women are perceived to possess instinct maternal characteristics. Under some circumstances, women may resort to abortion to terminate her pregnancy, such as incest, rape and life threatening. However, terminating a pregnancy due to personal career achievement is unacceptable. Not to say to murder the baby and dispose it away! This is inhumane. There are plenty of options that can resort to, such as placing the baby in foster care and adoption. Family and friends should also play a significant role in giving supports to them so that they will not fear to continue pregnancy. The ultimate solution is to lead a healthy social life that do not cause unintended pregnancies.

#19 Crocodile as big as a truck!

2010-08-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

The picture above displays a slaughtered crocodile in Manangoora, an outstation 56km east of Borroloola. It is measuring up to 6.5m and was found in a remote area in Northern Territory Aborigine community. It has to be killed because it was killing farmers' cattle. According to the natives, there were three huge crocodiles there. One of them is still out there at the moment. Farmers say they used to feed these huge crocodiles with dugong bones so that the crocodiles will not eat their goats, however, now they are attacking their cattle. Therefore there is no way but to kill the crocodile.
(However, this photo is believed to be taken four years ago =.=)

Comments: That's all that I can find about this piece of news. Just a sharing =) I just think it looks scary. Opps. Hope that when we are in Australia, we have the chance to get closer to the wildlifes there, kangaroos, dingoes~~ ^^ but not huge crocodiles. Well, Australia has got a vast area of deserted land and forests, just that there have no universities and so we will definitely not going to study at there. Anyway, if I have the chance and enough money to fund myself for big vacation, I will indeed go to those places ^^ Brand new experience!! The cultures, the animals, wildlife creatures, forests, snowing mountain.. okay okay, enough, stop crapping.

#18 Shotgun teen pleads guilty after Esperance school evacuated

2010-08-06T04:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, a 15-year-old boy took a shotgun to his school, Esperance Senior High School, causing teachers and students quickly evacuated while the boy was ushered into principal's office. The boy appeared in court this morning and was pleaded to guilty to charges of "being armed in a way that may cause fear, possessing an unlicensed firearm and possessing unlicensed ammunition". He has also other ammunition at his house, including two rifles. The reason for his bringing the gun to school was an argument he had had with another student. The boy will be suspended and expulsion may take place. Parents of the school students were astonished about this incident. However, parents compliment on the efforts that the school has done in evacuating students and controlling the situation. Students went back to school normally and parents feel safe. Education Department deputy director general David Axworthy was impressed that the staffs have done a good job. He will also make sure that counselling and access to psychologists will be provided.

Comments: High school students taking weapons to school is not a new topic. School shooting has been a shocked news that stunned the world. Students armed with weapons possess huge threat to the lifes of others. They cannot control their emotional feelings and once it is out of control, it bursts and tragedy happens. Bullying may be one of the reasons causing students to resort to violence to solve problems. School does not provide a friendly environment to them, for example, they are harrassed, isolated, and physically hurt by their peers. Victims of bullying, who can no longer endure the long-term emotional burdens, will act out to protect themselves in such a way that they retaliate. Parents and school authorities should make sure that youngsters can handle their emotions well and mix around with others. It is indeed, a portent that future generations are getting diverted from the correct pathway!

#17 Painful search for son

2010-08-02T03:28:00.000-07:00

A couple, Bob and Sue Neville, have been searching their missing son, Robert, since 2008. In September 2008, Robert, 32, went for a stroll in Wollongong and has not been seen since then. His parents, instead of sitting at home to wait for his return, they chose a proactive approach to find their son. They bought a caravan and used it to travel up and down to search for Robert. They stopped at major caravan sites and left brochures and photos of Robert to the managers. Every time they receive any tip-off, they will pack the caravan and take off. However, they were not successful. The old couple is determined to find their son and will not stop finding him. They believe that their son is alive. According to them, Robert had lost his job and had just ended a relationship when he disappeared. The couple wants Robert to know that he is loved and missed desperately. Superintendent Hughes said they will not give up on locating missing people.

Comments: I am touched when I know that the old couple is striving hard to find their son. Here we learnt a lesson: no matter what, our parents are the ones who love us the most. Even we become adult, we have our family and children, our parents will still love us and treat us like a little child who once they embraced in their arms. I feel so guilty for leaving them alone at home. I miss them and want to see them every day. Most people will not appreciate their parents when they are at home, however, when we grow up and have to leave our homes and face the world alone, only we realize how important our parents are. They love us infinitely. And I shall love them forever, and take good care of myself until the end of my life, because my live is given by them.

#16 Global warming undeniable: study

2010-07-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

According to 2009 State of the Climate report that focused on research from 48 countries to collect evidence about global warming, Victoria and Australia experienced second hottest year in 2009. The report also reveals that past decade was the world’s hottest. Between 2000 and 2009, every year was hotter than the average global temperature of the 1990s. Similarly, every year in the 1990s was hotter than the average of 1980s. More than 90% of the warming has gone into the oceans. There are 10 main indicators used to show the signs of global warming, including lower atmospheric and land temperatures, sea level and humidity. At the same time, glaciers, snow and sea ice cover have greatly reduced. Although only 0.6 degrees celcius change in the average surface air temperature since 1960s, it had made tremendous change to the planet. Some of the examples are the melting of glaciers and sea ice, heavy rainfall and intense heat waves. Some places are extremely cold and snowy while some other regions are unusually warm. Generally, the planet had one of the warmest winter ever. In Australia, heat waves hit in 2009, causing bushfires that took hundreds of lives.

Comments: Global warming has come to an alarming stage. Everyone knows about global warming. However, actual actions to protect the earth is seldom been taken. Trees are being cut down every second (as what Macy said). I wonder why paper usage is soooo heavy!! I personally dislike people using paper excessively. I wonder why people cannot switch off lights and fans before they leave their houses (sometimes I do so, sorry). Every little small effort we do every day may seem trivial and provides no help to curb global warming, but they are worth doing! Just do whatever you think is worth doing, do the right thing and have the right thinking.

#15 Seven Victorian child deaths 'preventable'

2010-07-30T02:40:00.000-07:00

Last year, the deaths of 26 children known to Victoria’s child protection authorities have been attributed to staff shortages, inadequate training and poor assessment practices. 4 of the 26 deaths were due to non-accidental trauma, 2 were suicides, 1 was substance abuse, 8 were due to congenital illness, 2 accidents, 1 SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and the other one is unknown. The other 7 are still under investigation. In fact, the findings reveal that there is a serious staff shortage and workload pressure. The child protection authorities did not work in collaboration with other welfare bodies. The chief executive of the Australian Childhood Foundation said that at least 7 deaths of children can be prevented. He points out that the child protection authorities underestimated the risks to children in Victoria and focused too much on violence and parents. Government has already allocated $300million in the past two budgets and for the first time, the scope of deaths investigated has widened from 3 months being in child protection to 12 months.

Comments: Under child protection system, those unfortunate children are protected from homelessness and illness by the government. This is one of the social security welfare that government has promised to the people, with suitable allocation of resources to take good care of them. However, due to staff shortage and insufficient training, number of deaths of children is shocking. In fact, many deaths can be prevented. The focus is shifted away from taking care of their health to other issues. More emphasis should be placed on their health. Government has the obligation to take care of every resident in the country and I strongly believe that if these children are taken good care of, they can become important resources for the country in future.

#14 Labor to force people to connect to broadband

2010-07-29T22:35:00.000-07:00

Customers will now be automatically connected to the upgraded broadband services in Australia unless they specifically request to opt out of it. This is due to the increase in the coverage of national broadband network. The coverage of the NBN will increase from 90% to 93% of the country. The additional coverage will include an extra of 300,000 households. The first state to experience the upgrade is Tasmania. Meanwhile, the remaining 7% of the nation will rely on a wireless system or satellites. It will cost $35 for a basic internet and voice service, and $50 for faster internet and voice. Extra charges would apply for additional advanced services. Opposition states that this cause massive use of taxpayers’ money and people would like to use better and more affordable broadband.

Comments: This means that when we are over in Australia, we can access online at almost everywhere. Emm.. how about costs? For the time being, we still don’t know which university that we will be going and which states we will be staying. Furthermore, whether we stay in the campus hostels or rent a house outside the university is still a question mark. However, I strongly believe that we will not face any problem accessing the internet. It is definitely that we can use the internet service in school, even the laptops can access internet in the school. If we were to rent a house or whichever way, how about the costs of internet? $35 as stated? Don’t know. It must be found out before we prepare ourselves to depart because I WANT TO SEE MY DAD AND MUM with skype everyday =) Hope everyone can get the university that they want and have an independent-without-daddy-mummy-life in Australia.

#13 Hack makes ATMs spew out cash

2010-07-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

A hacker has made the ATMs to expel cash by attacking the computers inside the ATMs. Those criminals have long known that the machines are not tamper-proof. Barnaby Jack, a computer hacker, bought an ATM from online and spent two years time to find out the weaknesses of the computers in ATM. He presented his results at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. His findings have great impacts because they affect many kinds of ATMs and expose the weaknesses of the software and security throughout the banking industry. He found out that the physical keys that come with the machines are the same for all ATMs. He used his own key to unlock the ATM and inserted a computer program that he wrote into the machine, commanding the machine to dump out it vaults! There are also weaknesses in the way the ATM makers communicate with the machines through internet. Outsiders are permitted to bypass the need for password. This remote style of attack is much more dangerous as the attackers do not need to open up the ATM and can control the machines through internet. Jack’s findings have alerted the ATM machines makers to further upgrade and tighten their software security.

Comments: Guys, must be careful when you want to take out some cash through the ATM. I always alert when I stand alone, looking here and there to ensure no one that looks suspicious is around =.= Stand closer to the ATM when you key in your PIN code, in case people behind you can peep. However, after reading this news, I realize that those real smart criminals will not be waiting around the ATM can snatch from you after you take out the cash. With technology, they can hack the computers operating inside the machines and get ALL the cash! This means anyone who saves money in the bank are at risks! According to the knowledge learnt in Econ, the banks will only have the amount stated in the minimum required reserve ratio. All other cash that people deposited will be used to provide loans and investments in order for the banks to earn profits. If one day, ATMs do not have cash to provide, this will definitely cause a panic situation! People will rush to the banks to withdraw their cash. But where the banks can get the money instantly? Puzzled..

#12 Good rains mean 10bn litre boost for Yarra

2010-07-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

Solid winter rainfalls, more efficient water management and water use by households in Melbourne allowed the government to release 22 billion litres of water to the Yarra and Thomson Rivers. This is because water storages are now up to 35.6 per cent from 26.9 per cent at this time last year. Melbourne Water said that between January 1 and July 22, water catchments that feed the city's dams have received 554 millimetres of rain, compared with just 357 millimetres in the same period in 2009. Meanwhile, total water use was 44 million litres less than the first half of 2009, despite the fact that water restrictions were eased from Stage 3a to Stage 3. This shows that residents in the city have been using water vigilantly. However, the flows will not be carried out until Melbourne's water restrictions are eased form Stage 3 to Stage 2. This is because as some targets were being met, it is still too early to allow the flows.

After reading this article, only I know that Melbourne has had this water restrictions enforced. I think this is a very good implementation by the government to encourage the efficient use of water, which is a scare resource. People may think that there are still icebergs at the poles, vast surface of the earth covered by sea water and rain falls often, there is no need to worry about water supply problem. However, there is in fact increasingly water supply problem in many countries. Some countries, due to over population, is suffering severe water supply shortage. While in some countries, people do not know how to use water frugally, resulting in water wastage. This enforcement of water restrictions is definitely helping to save clean water and promote wise use of natural resources. Prevention is better than cure. By keeping this environmental water, any emergencies in the future will not cause panic to people, at the same time leaving future generations with sufficient and sustainable growth.

#11 RBA won't rule out campaign rate rise

2010-07-22T02:44:00.000-07:00

Hope it helps you all for the coming econ quiz =)

Australian borrowers may face an interest rate rise during the federal election campaign if the economic data suggests it's prudent to do so, the central bank says.
Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens said the central bank's board would consider all data available and act accordingly.''
The board will meet (on August 3), it will consider all the issues for the economy and do its job,'' Mr Stevens said in Sydney.''What else would people expect.''
On the weekend, Prime Minister Julia Gillard called an election for August 21, which meant the RBA board's next monetary policy meeting will be held in the midst of the election campaign.
The overnight cash rate is currently 4.5 per cent and has remained at that level since the last rate rise in May.
In the November 2007 election, the central bank raised the cash rate by 25 basis points to 6.75 per cent.
Mr Stevens said the level of household debt had risen markedly, from about 50 per cent to 60 per cent in the 1990s to the equivalent of 150 per cent now, but that rate of growth was unlikely to continue.''
That is not especially out of line with a number of developed countries,'' he said.
''I would be very surprised if it keeps rising at that pace in the future and indeed, as I have said before, there is now a good deal more caution on the part of households about their saving environment behaviour.''
Household credit to income is probably still edging up at the moment, but much more slowly than it was.''

Mr Stevens said the world's economy had probably grown by about 5 per cent in the year to June 2010 but ballooning sovereign debt and fresh regulation would probably result in weaker growth in the future.
''The conclusion most people are reaching is that economic activity will, to some extent and over some horizon, be lower than otherwise,'' Mr Stevens said in the prepared speech entitled "Some Longer-run Consequences of the Financial Crisis," delivered in Sydney today. ''The question is, by how much and for how long?''
Mr Stevens said the heavy public debt burdens, triggered in part by the rush by governments to bolster(support) failing commercial banks, could hobble growth in the US and Europe even as the global banking system became more stable. At the same time, Asian governments were moving to slow growth to sustainable levels, which in turn could affect the broader worldwide economy.
In addition, the new consensus on banking regulation would probably follow the Basel II agreements implemented globally in 2008. Banks will probably be required to hold more capital to help ensure the overall stability of the banking system, a shift of assets that would impinge on the level of cash they can lend, Mr Stevens said.
“What regulators are pushing toward is a global banking system characterised by more capital and lower leverage, bigger holdings of liquid assets, and undertaking less maturity transformation,” he said.
“It is hoped that this system will display greater resilience to adverse developments than the one that grew up during the 1990s and 2000s.”

But customers of large internationally active banks will pay higher margins on loans, which would, for the foreseeable future, create a drag on growth, Mr Stevens said.
“In Australia we have been spared the worst impacts of serious economic recession in terms of lost jobs, much as we will be spared the prospect of higher taxes that face so many in the developed world,” he said.
“These are factors which support our native optimism, at least about economic conditions.”
Expectations for Australia’s economy, which avoided the recession triggered by the financial crisis, have dimmed slightly in recent weeks, however, with the government scaling back its growth forecast to 3 per cent for the current year from 3.25 per cent projected in May.
The RBA, in releasing its July meeting minutes today, said the June quarter consumer price index data – to be released next week – would be a factor in the considerations for the next board meeting on official interest rates, which are now at 4.5 per cent.
The central bank has raised interest rates six times to get them off their 50-year lows in October. Analysts however remain divided about the pace of future rate hikes, as the outlook for domestic and global growth faces considerable uncertainty.

#10 Diver dies, three others injured

2010-07-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

A scuba diver has died during a diving trip near the tip of Melbourne's Port Philip Bay. The other three divers are seriously ill. The group went to Queenscliff on Saturday morning for a diving trip. The male diver, aged in his 70s, fell unconscious under water. Three other divers quickly rushed the man to the shore and performed CPR. However, they were unable to revive him. He was pronouces dead 30 minutes later when the group reached the shore. The three rescue divers are now suffering from the effects of their quick ascent from the bottom of the sea to the surface. They were airlifted to the Alfred Hospital. Luckily, they are in stable condition now. The reason for the man's unconsciousness has not been known.

Comment: This tragedy makes me think of some unpleasant incidents. Water is dangerous. Deep sea water, spring water, river, etc. have potential dangers hidden behind. When my classmates and I went to Pulau Langkawi during last semester's break, we went for snorkelling at the marine park. We were provided with life jackets. Although I know how to swim, but I still afraid of sea water. Actually we were just playing at a shallow region, but I just could not let go of the fear. I really don't want any unpleasant incident to happen while having fun. Here I pay my deepest condolescence to the diver and family.

#9 Home alone boys throw petrol on heater

2010-07-17T00:11:00.000-07:00

At Port Lincoln in South Australia, two boys that stayed alone at home have set their house on fire by throwing petrol onto a heater. The boys are 8 years old and 9 years old. They were very lucky to escape from the house. However, the house has substantially been damaged. The boys were experimenting with some flammable liquid and threw it into an open combustion heater. As a result, a fireball has exploded into the house. The boys were holding the flammable liquid on their hand. It was extremely lucky for them because the fire did not flash to their hands and their clothes. However, they have been treated for mild smoke inhalation.

Comment: I wonder why the boys stayed alone at home. Where were their parents at that time? Why parents allow their children to reach to those flammable liquid? This clearly indicates the lack of parental control over their children. In addition, parents should teach their children about the danger of fire. Parents should be blamed on this, other than the children themselves. I believe this incident has given a great lesson to the parents of these boys. They should be very grateful that their children can escape their lives. If not, theywill feel guilty for the rest of their lives.

#8 Senior judge warns boy, 12, to 'behave or go to jail'

2010-07-16T22:37:00.000-07:00

A senior judge has warned a boy who had sparked a high-speed police chase that he needs to behave or to be jailed. The boy, 12, has yet to be sentenced for bashing his mother, stealing her car and driving for 85kmph form Murraylands to Adelaide. He sideswiped a car, hit a tree and crashed into a police car that was chasing him by reversing his car onto it. His lawyer blamed this incident on the stress that put on the boy who has sufferred from a disorganised home life. The boy has to live between two different families after his parents divorced. He has difficulty in accepting his parents' divorce. He sufferred from a conduct disorder. Senior Judge Stephen McEwen admits that the problem exists but it cannot be the excuse for the boy to commit such crimes. He disagrees with a child abdicating his responsibilities for his actions by blaming his parents. This is because the boy has put himself, the public and the police at risk. The judge has ordered the boy and his parents to attend a family conferencing to determine the child's living arrangements and the rules that he must comply.

Comments: Many disorganised families have brought adverse effects to the development of the children. Parents who divorce do not put sufficient care and attention to their children, resulting in lack of parental guidance and behavioural problems in the children. They cannot accept the fact that their parents have seperated. Children need a healthy family to build up good morale and mentality. Without that, children may face personality disorder and difficulty in comminicating with others. Many youth crimes such as gangsterism, bullying, vandalism and dangerous driving are the unpleasant results of disorganised families. To ensure that children can behave well, parents should act together to give as much attention as possible to their children even after they have divorced. The living environment of the children must be considered to give them a healthy and happy home.

#7 SA wind can power nation

2010-07-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

South Australia has the capability to double its energy-generation through expanding its wind power and sell the excess to the eastern states. In a Green Grid study, it has been identified that three wind zones on Eyre Peninsula and one in the state's north are targeted to deliver 30 percent of Australia's renewable energy. This shows that a simple federal regulatory change can lead to billions of dollars of investments on the expansion of infrastructure to generate large volumes of green power to other states. However, this change would require the cost of expanding infrastructure being largely paid by households in the eastern states for power to be transmitted to them. Under the proposal, there will be around $4.5billion of investment spending between 2015 and 2018. Of that, $1.8billion would be spent on SA that creates 1400 construction jobs. It is estimated that further 1600 indirect jobs will be created pertaining to that. The state's four major energy firms have shown interests in developing the infrastructure. SA has also set a state-based target of achieving one-third of the state's power generation from renewable energy by 2020.

Comment: Our natural resources are depleting at a fast rate due to the heavy industralisation and aggressive development in this globalisation era. New approach to generate energy should be undertaken to replace non-renewable resources with renewable resources so that the world will not face difficulties one day when there is no more resources left that we can rely on. The non-renewable resources take millions and billions of years to form. Once we finish using them, there is no more left for future generations. There is a strong need for every nations to explore new energy generation methods depending on topography factor of each. Some green power include wind power, hydro power, biofuels, solar power, etc. Using these green power will cut down the dependence on non-renewable energy.

#6 Schools fleeced as red tape leads to waste

2010-07-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

MANY public schools are overpaying when buying goods through government-endorsed delivery channels.

The overpayments run to hundreds of dollars - and in some cases thousands - each year.

An investigation by The Australian has found wastage in education departments is not isolated to the $16.2 billion schools stimulus building program. Public schools are being overcharged for products from projectors and calculators to refrigerators.

The problem appears worst in NSW, where the state government collects a fee of up to 2.5 per cent on all items purchased by government departments - and public schools - through its Smartbuy procurement program.

A survey by The Australian has found many products offered through Smartbuy can be bought on the open market for less than those prices offered through the government scheme.

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Government supplier Corporate Express is quoting $1708 for a 564-litre, LG refrigerator. An identical item is advertised online for $1276, including delivery. Another Smartbuy supplier is quoting the Bison AMP-1715 wireless projector to schools at $2905. The same product is advertised at $2499, including delivery. All prices and quotes include GST.

NSW public school principals must purchase all items through Smartbuy - regardless of their value - unless they provide the Education Department with details of the product, and the department approves each request.

NSW Education Department spokesman Liam Thorpe said: "We ask schools to notify us of cheaper products they have found so we can check they're the same size, same warranty and that there are no additional costs. If the product is the same, the school can purchase it."

The Public Schools Principals Forum, which is calling for centralised procurement to be scrapped, said the additional red tape meant schools rarely opted to purchase outside the program.

"The (NSW) Education Department is saying it doesn't trust principals to do the right thing, that the department knows better than principals do when it comes to school requirements," said forum chairwoman Cheryl McBride.

The federal opposition said last week a Coalition government would give school principals more autonomy, including more financial independence from state bureaucracy.

Mr Thorpe said NSW government schools purchased goods worth $12.5 million through Smartbuy in the first 11 months of last financial year.

A major supplier to NSW public schools is OfficeMax Australia, which sends schools a catalogue. The Australian has found many of the items in its catalogue can be bought for substantially less elsewhere.

The Canon Tx-220TS calculator quoted at $29.98 can be found online for $24.33. The Raffles medium-back executive chair offered for $371.81 is $315 at Allgood Office Furniture.

Both prices include GST and a three-year warranty.

OfficeMax has repeatedly refused to comment when contacted by The Australian in recent weeks.

When asked about the widespread cost differences, the NSW Department of Services Technology and Administration, which operates Smartbuy for all state government departments, said it was unable to comment on "commercial decisions made by individual suppliers".

"The prices for goods and services in state contracts are based on those included in competitive tender offers, and they factor in considerations such as delivery, warranty and compliance with government policy," a spokesman said. "The majority of state contracts have a clause that provides for NSW procurement to request suppliers to vary their prices if there is evidence that external market pricing is consistently more competitive."

He said an independent review for the 2008-09 financial year had estimated that $360m in "cost avoidance savings" were delivered across all NSW government departments from the use of state contracts. It was unclear how that figure was derived.

Ms McBride said such studies failed to account for the suitability of products delivered to schools and rewarded under funding of public schools. "The lack of choice means schools often end up with products that are not suited to their requirements, leading to even more waste."

The centralised procurement model was of particular concern to country schools, she said.

"The local businesses are seeing all the goods for the public schools coming in on the train from Sydney, so when it comes to those schools attempting to fundraise the local businesses want nothing to do with it," she said.

Comment:
I strongly agree that the excess payment on those equipment is a huge waste. Public schools are social welfare that the government should provide for its people. Expenses of the schools should be subsidized. (I'm using the knowledge I've learnt from Economics) However, in reality, the schools in NSW are actually paying more than what the equipment cost in the market (market price), where these equipment can actually be bought at much lower prices from the internet or other venues. In fact, the local government has arranged the particular supplier for the schools to buy their equipment from. What appal me is that the supplier is charging high prices to the schools! The principal of the schools had found some other suppliers where they charge lower prices, but according to the regulations set by the Education Department, they have to report to the department before they could buy from suppliers other than the one set by the department. Owing to this red tape, most schools refuse to opt for suppliers charging lower prices. They rather pay higher prices to avoid the complicated red tapes procedure. What a waste! If the equipment can provide good services, what is the need to buy them at high prices?

#5 Thousands without power after storm hits SA

2010-07-11T02:32:00.000-07:00

About 60,000 properties are without power across much of Adelaide and South Australia as a result of wild weather overnight.

Some parts of the southern suburbs and the mid-north could be without power until at least midday.

Emergency Services have responded to more than 350 call outs since 11:00 last night.

Falling trees have blocked roads and damaged houses and powerlines.

The weather bureau's Tom Boeck says wind gusts of up to 126 kilometres an hour have been reported.

They're going to be quite strong for the rest of the day but there will be a gradual easing sort of late morning, early afternoon," he said.

Bobby-Jean Stevens from the Transport Department says a tree has fallen on the tramline at South Terrace in the city, putting the tram out of action for a section of the line between Glengowrie and the Entertainment Centre.

"We do however have bus substitutes organised for any inconvenienced passengers," she said.

Tram services are expected to be affected until at least this afternoon.

Comment:
Natural disaster is really out of anyone's expectation. We cant predict the coming of any catastrophes exactly. However, government and authorities in-charge can react promptly by giving out helps and resolve the matter as soon as possible. Electricity is an essential in every households. People will certainly make complaints to the department responsible when their electricity is cut off. The fallen trees stroke by the storm may be one of the reason to the unavailability of electricity. In addition, the fallen trees brought inconvenience to the residents nearby, and even put their lives and properties at risks. The fallen trees may also cause accidents and traffic congestion. Authorities should act immediately to reduce the problems to minimum.

Television Final Version

2010-05-24T02:46:00.001-07:00

Estimated figure of more than ninety percent of the households in developed countries have at least one television set (Sharif 1999). According to American Time Use Survey (2003), the selected population spends most of their leisure time in watching television, around two to three hours per day. The prominent use of television has caused psychologists and parents to question the benefits and harms of watching television. Experts on child development criticise that unsuitable programs depicted on television adversely impair the thinking and health of children (Sharif 1999). On the other hand, some parties argue that, television, when watched in moderation, can bring valuable benefits (Rutherford 2002). I strongly believe that television brings more benefits than harms because television programs can increase world knowledge, provide an additional dimension to learning, and serve as an entertainment tool.

Firstly, new items shown in television programs increase the world knowledge of the public, which in turns geminates power to encounter bigger issues. For youngsters, television programs become good talking points to be shared among each other. Through sensible discussions, they become aware of global issues and are motivated to do charity works such as collecting donations for victims of tragedies (Sharif 1999). In addition, access to the latest local and world current events can inspire the public to exert pressure on authorities so that they will consider the reactions of audience when they make decisions. In this way, television may become ‘a force of democracy’ (Rutherford 2002, p.14). Therefore, watching television brings valuable knowledge that encourages critical thinking in relation to important issues on a wide range of problems faced by mankind (Leigh 2001).

Secondly, television programs provide an additional opportunity to learn more than what is in the text books. As television is an audio-visual device, children can see what other countries look like and listen to their music and languages. It is easier to understand and retain information through visual and audio rather than words. Instead of being passive, children who watch television develop curiosity about their surroundings. Furthermore, television presents science, geography and other subjects in an interesting way, making learning fun (Leigh 2001). This is also agreed by Rutherford (2002), where he states that watching television allows its audience to capture the astonishment of animal kingdom and witness the beauty of the world. Also, both of them agree that, through educational programs such as ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Play School’, pre-schoolers can count and recognize alphabets before they are recruited in preschools.

In addition, television is beneficial when it serves as a device to release tension after a hard day of frantic activities. Watching television is a soothing and restful leisure that enables viewers to be refreshed and ready to continue focus on other routines. For instance, young people can temporarily put aside the stress and frustration they faced when they entertain themselves with television programs. They gain a more balanced view of the situation after watching television (Rutherford 2002). According to UK Time Use Survey (2000), selected full-time workers spend most of their free time on television, video and radio. This shows that watching television is a good way to relax after work.

In a nutshell, television is beneficial to its users where it exposes viewers to local and world issues, provides additional knowledge in various aspects, and helps people to relax themselves. Despite the harms of television, if television is used in a positive way and watched moderately, the benefits of television can certainly outweigh its harms. Therefore, I stress that television brings more benefits than harms to its users.

#4 Australia toughens immigration laws

2010-05-17T03:06:00.000-07:00

Australia has announced changes to its skilled migrant scheme which will affect international students studying hairdressing and cooking in the country.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans says some people had found a back-door way into the country.

This was by studying low-value education courses in catogories listed as being affected by a skilled worker shortage. They then sought permanent residency.

He says the new skills list will ensure Australia gets the workers it needs, rather than having an immigration policy dominated by people doing particular courses.

Senator Evans says the new list has 200 fewer classifications and will not include hairdressing or cooking.

He says this will stop the education system being driven by migration outcomes.
"Fundamentally, my point is that if people come to Australia for an education they ought to get an education," the minister said.

"If people want to migrate to Australia then they ought to look at the skills needs of Australia and who we are looking to bring in."

comment: I personally think that one of the reason that causes Australian government to change its immigration policy is due to the increase in crimes and social problems done by migrants, other than skilled workers shortage. Some people wish to seek recidency in Austrlia because Australia provides a lot of job opportunities, which they couldn't find in their own countries. Moreover, the standard of living in Australia is high. By changing the policy, this will affect the number of students studying in Autralian universities, in this case, those taking hairdressing and cooking courses. Now, Australia only accepts migrants with skills they want.

resources: http://australianetworknews.com/story.htm?id=29250

Television #2

2010-05-17T02:56:00.000-07:00

Estimated figure of more than ninety percent of the households in developed countries have at least one television set (Sharif 1999). According to American Time Use Survey (2003), the selected population spends most of their leisure time in watching television, around two to three hours per day. The prominent use of television has caused psychologists and parents to question the benefits and harms of watching television. Experts on child development criticise that unsuitable programs depicted on television adversely impair the thinking and health of children (Sharif 1999). On the other hand, some parties argue that, television, when watched in moderation, can bring valuable benefits (Rutherford 2002). I strongly believe that television brings more benefits than harms because television programs can increase world knowledge, provide an additional dimension to learning, and serve as an entertainment tool.

Firstly, new items shown in television programs increase the world knowledge of the public, which in turns geminates power to encounter bigger issues. For youngsters, television programs become good talking points to be shared among each other. Through sensible discussion, they become aware about global issues and are motivated to do charity works such as collecting donations for victims of tragedies (Sharif 1999). In addition, access to the latest local and world current events can inspire the public to exert pressure on authorities so that they will consider the reactions of audience when they make decisions. In this way, television may become ‘a force of democracy’ (Rutherford 2002, p.14). Therefore, watching television brings valuable knowledge that encourages critical thinking about important issues on a wide range of problems faced by mankind (Leigh 2001).

Secondly, television programs provide an additional opportunity to learn more than what is in the text books. As television is an audio-visual device, children can see what other countries look like and listen to their music and languages. It is easier to understand and retain information through visual and audio rather than words. Instead of being passive, children who watch television develop curiosity about their surroundings. Furthermore, television presents science, geography and other subjects in an interesting way, making learning fun (Leigh 2001). This is also agreed by Rutherford (2002), where he states that watching television allows its audience to capture the astonishment of animal kingdom and witness the beauty of the world. Also, both of them agree that, through educational programs such as ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Play School’, pre-schoolers can count and recognize alphabets before they are recruited in preschools.

In addition, television is beneficial when it serves as a device to release tension after a hard day of frantic activities. Watching television is a soothing and restful leisure that enables viewers to be refreshed and ready to continue focus on other routines. For instance, young people can temporarily put aside the stress and frustration they faced when they entertain themselves with television programs. They gain a more balanced view of the situation after watching television (Rutherford 2002). According to UK Time Use Survey (2000), selected full-time workers spend most of their free time on television, video and radio. This shows that watching television is a good way to relax after work.

In a nutshell, television is beneficial to its users where it exposes viewers to local and world issues, provides additional knowledge in various aspects, and helps people to relax themselves. Despite the harms of television, if television is used in a positive way and watched moderately, the benefits of television can certainly outweigh its harms. Therefore, I stress that television brings more benefits than harms to its users.

Television #1

2010-05-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

Estimated figure of more than ninety percent of the households in developed countries have at least one television set (Sharif 1999). According to American Time Use Survey (2003), the selected population spends most of their leisure time in watching television, around two to three hours per day. The prominent use of television has caused psychologists and parents to question the benefits and harms of watching television. Experts on child development criticise that unsuitable programs depicted on television adversely impair the thinking and health of children (Sharif 1999). On the other hand, some parties argue that, television, when watched in moderation, can bring valuable benefits (Rutherford 2002). I strongly believe that television brings more benefits than harm because television programs can increase world knowledge, provide an additional dimension to learning, and serve as an entertainment tool.

Firstly, new items shown in television programs increase the world knowledge of the public, which in turns geminates power to encounter bigger issues. For youngsters, television programs become good talking points to be shared among each other. Through sensible discussion, they become aware about global issues and are motivated to do charity works such as collecting donations for victims of tragedies (Sharif 1999). In addition, access to the latest local and world current events can inspire the public to exert pressure on authorities so that they will consider the reactions of audience when they make decisions. In this way, television may become ‘a force of democracy’ (Rutherford 2002, p.14). Therefore, watching television brings valuable knowledge that encourages critical thinking about important issues on a wide range of problems faced by mankind (Leigh 2001).

Secondly, television programs provide an additional opportunity to learn more than what is in the text books. As television is an audio-visual device, children can see what other countries look like and listen to their music and languages. It is easier to understand and retain information through visual and audio rather than words. Instead of being passive, children who watch television develop curiosity about their surroundings. Furthermore, television presents science, geography and other subjects in an interesting way, making learning fun (Leigh 2001). This is also agreed by Rutherford (2002), where he states that watching television allows its audience to capture the astonishment of animal kingdom and witness the beauty of the world. Also, both of them agree that, through educational programs such as ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Play School’, pre-schoolers can count and recognize alphabets before they recruit in preschools.

In addition, television is beneficial when it serves as a device to release tension after a hard day of frantic activities. Watching television is a soothing and restful leisure that enables viewers to be refreshed and ready to continue focus on other routines. For instance, young people can temporarily put aside the stress and frustration they faced when they entertain themselves with television programs. They gain a more balanced view of the situation after watching television (Rutherford 2002). According to UK Time Use Survey (2000), selected full-time workers spend most of their free time on television, video and radio. This shows that watching television is a good way to relax after work.

In a nutshell, television is beneficial to its users where it exposes viewers to local and world issues, provides additional knowledge in a variety of aspects, and helps people to relax themselves. Despite the harms of television, if television is used in a positive way and watched moderately, the benefits of television can certainly outweigh its harms. Therefore, I stress that television brings more benefits than harm to its users.

Argumentative Essay Final Version

2010-05-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

Junk food is food that is unhealthy and of low nutritional value, usually loaded with chemical additives. Junk foods sold in school canteens have been helpful to the school authorities in generating profits for wages paying (Smith 2005). School News (2005) reveals that canteen profits are high when junk food is sold in the canteen while profits drop when mainly healthy foods are sold. However, junk food has been linked directly to the increase in childhood obesity, which has potential to cause future cardiac diseases and cancerous diseases (Weekend News 2005). Thus, it has been an argument on whether the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned. I strongly agree with the ban of sale of junk food in school canteens because junk food leads to health problems, induces behavioural problems and creates litter problems in schools.

Firstly, junk food has adverse effects on the health of children. Junk food is typically high in fat, salt or sugar content and usually contains synthetic flavour enhancers (Smith 2005). Health Foundation (2005) shows that most of the snack food are of low nutritional values, where only minority such as fruits and sandwiches are considered as healthy food. According to Weekend News (2005), junk food increases the amount of kilojoules intake that causes weight gain. Furthermore, most young people do not have adequate exercises. As a result, increased consumption of junk food leads to obesity. Reynolds (2005) from Central University says that school canteens have contributed to child obesity by selling junk food. The action of selling junk food in schools creates a false idea to students that they can eat junk food recklessly. The Dental Association also disagrees with the sale of soft drinks in schools due to the worsening of dental problem in primary-school children.

Secondly, junk food causes behavioural problems in children. The additives contained in junk food have been proven to trigger hyperactivity and poor concentration in children (Smith 2005). This has also been mentioned by Caputo (2005), a child psychologist. Dr Bill Cray in The Food Show (2005) has mentioned that students cannot absorb the nutrients they need for healthy development and growth because junk foods that are available in the canteens everyday prevent them from eating healthier diets. When this happens, their learning potentials will be greatly reduced. According to a teacher, Green (2005), marked improvement of students’ behaviours in classrooms has been observed after the removal of junk foods from the canteens.

In addition, junk food contributes to litter problems in schools. Junk foods are often well presented with attractive packaging. However, fast food packaging is the major element in causing litter problems. Litter is health hazardous as it creates serious hygienic problems. The presence of abundance litter increases the cleaning costs of the party responsible. Schools that have cut down the sales of junk foods in the canteens have also successfully cut down their litter problems (Smith 2005). Other than this, schools grounds men no longer need to spend so much time to clean the litter. They can have more time to spend on maintenance projects that will benefit all school communities (Green 2005).

In conclusion, availability of junk food in school canteens has resulted in health and behavioural problems in children while creating serious litter problems. School canteens should be used to teach students the correct way of eating healthily for the future health of the nation (Weekend News 2005). In addition, according to a dietician, Karimi (2005), the only way to change unhealthy eating habits in children should start from the banning of sale of junk foods in schools. Besides parents' responsibility to educate children about healthy eating at home, schools are also obliged to the welfare and safety of the students, including their health. Therefore, I do really agree that the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned.

Argumentative Essay #2

2010-05-04T04:39:00.000-07:00

Junk food is food that is believed to be unhealthy and of low nutritional value, usually loaded with chemical additives. Junk foods sold in school canteens have been helpful to the school authorities in generating profits for wages paying (Smith 2005). However, increase in childhood obesity, which has potential to cause future cardiac diseases and cancerous diseases, has been linked directly to junk food (Weekend News 2005). Thus, it has been an argument on whether the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned. I strongly agree with the ban of sale of junk food in school canteens because junk food is bad for health, can induce behavioural problems and cause litter problems in schools.

Firstly, junk food has adverse effects on the health of children. Junk food is typically high in fat, salt or sugar content and usually contains synthetic flavour enhancers (Smith 2005). Health Foundation (2005) shows that most of the snack food are of low nutritional values, where only minority such as fruits and sandwiches are considered as healthy food. According to Weekend News (2005), junk food increases the amount of kilojoules intake that causes weight gain. Furthermore, most young people do not have adequate exercises. As a result, increased consumption of junk food leads to obesity. Reynolds (2005) from Central University says that school canteens have contributed to child obesity by selling junk food. The action of selling junk food in schools creates a false idea to students that they can eat junk food recklessly. The Dental Association also disagrees with the sale of soft drinks in schools due to the worsening of dental problem in primary-school children.

Secondly, junk food causes behavioural problems in children. The additives contained in junk food have been proven to trigger hyperactivity and poor concentration in children (Smith 2005). This has also been mentioned by Caputo (2005), a child psychologist. Dr Bill Cray in The Food Show (2005) has mentioned that students cannot absorb the nutrients they need for healthy development and growth because junk foods that are available in the canteens everyday prevent them from eating healthier diets. When this happens, their learning potentials will be greatly reduced. According to a teacher, Green (2005), marked improvement of students’ behaviours in classrooms has been observed after the removal of junk foods from the canteens.

Last but not least, junk food contributes to litter problems in schools. Junk foods are often well presented with attractive packaging. However, fast food packaging is the major element in causing litter problems. Litter is health hazardous as it creates serious hygienic problems. The presence of abundance litter increases the cleaning costs of the party responsible. Schools that have cut down the sales of junk foods in the canteens have also successfully cut down their litter problems (Smith 2005). Other than this, schools grounds men no longer need to spend so much time to clean the litter. They can have more time to spend on maintenance projects that will benefit all school communities (Green 2005).

In conclusion, availability of junk food in school canteens has resulted in health and behavioural problems in children while creating serious litter problems. School canteens should be used to teach students the correct way of eating healthily for the future health of the nation (Weekend News 2005). In addition, according to a dietician, Karimi (2005), the only way to change unhealthy eating habits in children should start from the banning of sale of junk foods in schools. Besides parents' responsibility to educate children about healthy eating at home, schools are also obliged to the welfare and safety of the students, including their health. Therefore, I do really agree that the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned.

Argumentative Essay #1

2010-04-16T00:14:00.000-07:00

Junk food is food that is believed to be unhealthy and of low nutritional value, usually loaded with chemical additives. Junk foods sold in school canteens have been helpful to the school authorities in generating profits for wages paying (Smith 2005). However, increase in childhood obesity, which has potential to cause future cardiac diseases and cancerous diseases, has been linked directly to junk food (Weekend News 2005). Thus, it has been an argument on whether the sale of junk food in schools should be banned. I strongly agree with the ban of sale of junk food in school canteens because junk food is bad for health, can induce behavioural problems and cause litter problems in schools.

Firstly, junk food has adverse effects on the health of children. Junk food is typically high in fat, salt or sugar and usually contains synthetic flavour enhancers (Smith 2005). Health Foundation (2005) shows that most of the snack food are of low nutritional values, where only minority are considered healthy food. According to Weekend News (2005), junk food increases the amount of kilojoules intake that causes weight gain. Furthermore, most young people do not have adequate exercises. As a result, increased consumption of junk food leads to obesity. Professor Steven Reynolds from Central University says that school canteens have contributed to child obesity by selling junk food. The action of selling junk food in schools creates a false idea to students that they can eat junk food recklessly. The Dental Association also disagrees with the sale of soft drinks in schools due to the worsening of dental problem in primary-school children.

Secondly, junk food causes behavioural problems in children. The additives contained in junk food have been proven to trigger hyperactivity and poor concentration in children (Smith 2005). This has also been mentioned by Caputo (2005), a child psychologist. Dr Bill Cray in The Food Show (2005) has mentioned that students cannot absorb the nutrients they need for healthy development and growth because junk foods that are available in the canteens everyday prevent them from eating healthier diets. When this happens, their learning potentials will be greatly reduced. According to a teacher, Green (2005), marked improvement of students’ behaviours in classrooms has been observed after the removal of junk foods from the canteens.

Last but not least, junk food contributes to litter problems in schools. Junk foods are often well presented with attractive packaging. However, fast food packaging is the major element in causing litter problems. Litter is health hazardous. The presence of abundance litter increases the cleaning costs of the party responsible. Schools that have cut down the sales of junk foods in the canteens have also successfully cut down their litter problems (Smith 2005). Other than this, schools grounds men no longer need to spend so much time to clean the litter. They can have more time to spend on maintenance projects that will benefit all school communities (Green 2005).

In conclusion, availability of junk food in school canteens has resulted in health and behavioural problems in children while creating serious litter problems. School canteens should be used to teach students the correct way of eating healthily for the future health of the nation (Weekend News 2005). In addition, according to a dietician, Karimi (2005), the only way to change unhealthy eating habits in children should start from the banning of sale of junk foods in schools. Schools are obliged to the welfare and safety of the students, including their health (Karimi 2005). Therefore, I do really agree that junk foods should not be sold in school canteens.

Final Version of Text Production

2010-04-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

One of the potential consequences of global warming is the rising of sea level that induces more disastrous events. Besides water expands upon heating, glaciers and ice sheets in Antarctic and Greenland also melt, draining more water into the oceans. Scientists estimate that sea level could rise by 10cm to 1m by the end of this century (Woodford 2006). This is destructive as one-tenth of the world’s population lives in coastal areas that are less than 10 meters above sea level (Riebeek 2007). In 2002, the ice shelves of Larsen B had completely disappeared within 35 days. If melting were to accelerate, low-lying areas such as Florida, Netherland, Manhattan, Calcutta and Bangladesh would be sunk underwater. In addition, more frequent floods, hurricanes, tornados and typhoons that perish lives would be triggered (An Inconvenient Truth 2007). Apparently, global warming is capable to induce catastrophes by driving up sea level.

Another potential impact brought by global warming is the disruption of biological balance. Extinction of species is of high possibility following rapid climate change, as they cannot adapt quick enough to the environment. Global warming alters plants in Arctic, causing migratory birds that fly to Arctic every summer to be under threat as 50% of their breeding habitats disappear (Woodford 2006). Coral reefs are bleaching due to global warming, causing fish species that depend on them to be jeopardized. A scientific study shows that polar bears are found swimming 60 miles to reach ice sheets (An Inconvenient Truth 2007). Shorter winters due to global warming fail to kill insects, thus increases the risk of infestation (Riebeek 2007). Vectors spreading infectious diseases are expanding their range. 30 new diseases including SARS have emerged in recent years, besides the re-emergence of diseases that were once under controlled (An Inconvenient Truth 2007). Overall, biological ecosystem is severely interrupted by global warming.

Each individual can contribute to combat the worsening of global warming. Reducing personal carbon dioxide emission is the fundamental solution. This also means using energy expeditiously. For instance, replacing incandescent lamps with fluorescent lamps, switching to renewable energy and avoiding usage of cars by taking public transports will show immediate difference (Woodford 2006). More trees should be planted instead of deforestation. Standards of fuel economy should be raised. People can take part in international efforts that create awareness in the community. In the film An Inconvenient Truth (2007), the main character, Albert Gore says that giving priority on environment rather than economic development can bring greater affluence, because doing so can stimulate more job opportunities. In short, global warming can be arrested if individuals have the determination to avert the situation.

Global warming is an anthropogenic event. Thus, everyone has the ability to alter the consequences of their behaviors. They just need to find the strength to make it happens. Procrastination hinders human beings to start doing the right thing. Future generations may question, “What were our parents thinking? Why don’t they wake up when they had a chance?” We have to listen to that question from them now (An Inconvenient Truth 2007). In conclusion, rising sea level, occurrence of more catastrophes and devastation to ecosystem bring enormous tragedies to mankind. People need to be vigilant in addressing global warming to speak up the rights for Mother Earth.

Text Production Essay #2

2010-03-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Global warming is not merely an argument among scientists and politicians; it has accumulated increasingly more attention worldwide where everyone is experiencing the impacts it brings to all creatures on Earth. Global warming is the gradual rising of Earth’s temperature that causes erratic changes in climate patterns. The situation is getting worse, with the boosting of energy consumption generated from fossil fuels that subsequently increases carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere (Woodford, 2006). The potential effects of global warming that trigger climatic change are devastating but the degree to which it destroys can be minimized.

One of the potential consequences of global warming is the rising of sea level that induces more disastrous events. Besides water expands upon heating, glaciers and ice sheets in Antarctic and Greenland also melt, draining more water into the oceans. Scientists estimate that sea level could rise by 10cm to 1m by the end of this century (Woodford, 2006). This is destructive as one-tenth of the world’s population lives in coastal areas that are less than 10 meters above sea level (Riebeek, 2007). In 2002, the ice shelves of Larsen B had completely disappeared within 35 days. If melting were to accelerate, low-lying areas such as Florida, Netherland, Manhattan, Calcutta and Bangladesh would be sunk underwater. In addition, more frequent floods, hurricanes, tornados and typhoons that perish lives would be triggered (Gore, 2007). Apparently, global warming is capable to induce catastrophes by driving up sea level.

Another potential impact brought by global warming is the disruption of biological balance. Extinction of species is of high possibility following rapid climate change, as they cannot adapt quick enough to the environment. Global warming alters plants in Arctic, causing migratory birds that fly to Arctic every summer to be under threat as 50% of their breeding habitats disappear (Woodford, 2006). Coral reefs are bleaching due to global warming, causing fish species that depend on them to be jeopardized. A scientific study shows that polar bears are found swimming 60 miles to reach ice sheets (Gore, 2007). Shorter winters due to global warming fail to kill insects, thus increases the risk of infestation (Riebeek, 2007). Vectors spreading infectious diseases are expanding their range. 30 new diseases including SARS have emerged in recent years, besides the re-emergence of diseases that were once under controlled (Gore, 2007). Overall, biological ecosystem is severely interrupted by global warming.

Each individual can contribute to combat the worsening of global warming. Reducing personal carbon dioxide emission is the fundamental solution. This also means using energy expeditiously. For instance, replacing incandescent lamps with fluorescent lamps, switching to renewable energy and avoiding usage of cars by taking public transports will show immediate difference (Woodford, 2006). More trees should be planted instead of deforestation. Standards of fuel economy should be raised. People can take part in international efforts that create awareness in the community. In the speech of Albert Gore (2007), he says that giving priority on environment rather than economic development can bring greater affluence, because doing so can stimulate more jobs opportunity. In short, global warming can be arrested if individuals have the determination to avert the situation.

Global warming is an anthropogenic event. Thus, everyone has the ability to alter the consequences of their behaviors. They just need to find the strength to make it happens. Procrastination hinders human beings to start doing the right thing. Future generations may question, “What were our parents thinking? Why don’t they wake up when they had a chance?” We have to listen to that question from them now (Gore, 2007). In conclusion, rising sea level, occurrence of more catastrophes and devastation to ecosystem bring enormous tragedies to mankind. People need to be vigilant in addressing global warming to speak up the rights for Mother Earth.

# 3 Driver charged over school crossing accident

2010-03-25T23:28:00.000-07:00

The driver of a car that hit a woman and a child on a primary school crossing has been charged with dangerous driving.

The woman, 28, was crossing Regency Road near Prospect North primary school with four children, at about 4:20pm.
She and a child were struck by a silver hatchback, leaving the woman with life-threatening head injuries.
She is in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
A girl, nine, is in a stable condition at the Women's and Children's Hospital.
Senior Constable Tim Dodds says police are keen to hear from anyone who saw the accident.
"We understand that a lot of people saw the crash but they left before emergency services arrived," he said.
A man, 60, from West Beach has been given police bail and will face court later.

resource: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/26/2856678.htm

Comments: Dangerous driving by the man has caused the women's life to be threatened and the little child injured. What appals me is that this incidence happened at a primary school crossing. As a driver, the man should and must know that driving around school areas need to be careful and slow down the speed of driving. However, he knocked down a women and a child that are crossing the road. Luckily, the lilttle girl is in a stable and safe condition. Unfortunately, the women suffers severe head injuries. I hope that those witnessed the accident can show up themselves to the police in order to provide useful information. The women and the child need to be compensated and the driver need to be punished for his dagerous driving.

Text Production Essay #1

2010-03-21T06:38:00.000-07:00

Global warming is not merely an argument among scientists and politicians, it has accumulated increasingly more attention worldwide which has come to the extent that everyone is experiencing, or at least witnessing, the effects it brings to our daily lives. Global warming is the gradual rising of Earth’s temperature that causes erratic changes in climate patterns. The situation is getting worse, with the boosting of energy consumption generated from fossil fuels, increasing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere (Chris Woodford, 2006). The potential effects of global warming that trigger climatic change are devastating but the degree to which it destroys can be attenuated and arrested.

One of the potential consequences of global warming is the rising of sea level that induces more disastrous events. Other than water expands upon heating, glaciers and ice sheets in Antarctic and Greenland also melt, draining more water to the oceans. Scientists estimate that sea level could rise by 10cm to 1m by end of this century (Chris Woodford, 2006). This is destructive as one-tenth of the world’s population lives in coastal areas that are less than 10 meters above sea level (Holli Riebeek, 2007). In 2002, the ice shelves of Larsen B have completely disappeared within 35 days. If melting were to accelerate, low-lying areas such as Florida, Netherland, Manhattan, Calcutta and Bangladesh would be sunken underwater. In addition, more frequent floods, hurricanes, storms, tornados and typhoons that perish lives would be triggered (Al Gore, 2007). Apparently, global warming is capable to induce catastrophes by driving up sea level.

Another potential impact brought by global warming is the disruption of biological balance. Extinction of species is of high possibility following rapid climate change, as they cannot adapt quick enough to the environment. Global warming alters plants in Arctic, causing migratory birds to be under threat as 50% of their breeding habitats disappear (Chris Woodford, 2006). Coral reefs are bleaching due to global warming, causing fish species that depend on them in jeopardy. A scientific study shows that polar bears are found swimming 60 miles to reach ice sheets (Al Gore, 2007). Shorter winters due to global warming fail to kill insects, thus increases the risk of infestation (Holli Riebeek, 2007). Vectors spreading infectious diseases are expanding their range. 30 new diseases have emerged in recent years, besides the re-emergence of diseases that were once under controlled (Al Gore, 2007). Overall, ecosystem of the planet is severely interrupted by global warming.

There are a number of ways that each individual can contribute to combat the worsening of global warming. Reducing personal carbon dioxide emission is the fundamental solution. Everyone can use energy expeditiously. For instance, replacing incandescent lamps with fluorescent lamps, switching to renewable energy and avoiding usage of cars by taking public transports will show immediate difference (Chris Woodford, 2006). More trees should be planted instead of deforestation. Standards of fuel economy should be raised. People can take part in international efforts that create awareness in the community. In the speech of Albert Gore, he says that making the right choice between economy and environment can create wealth and more jobs, because doing the right thing pushes us forward. In short, global warming can be arrested if individuals have the determination.

Global warming is an anthropogenic event. Every individual is the cause of global warming. Thus, everyone has the power to change. They just need to find the strength to make it happens. Procrastination hinders human beings to start doing the correct thing. Future generations may question, “What were our parents thinking? Why don’t they wake up when they had a chance?” We have to listen to that question from them now (Al Gore, 2007). In conclusion, rising sea level, occurrence of more catastrophes and devastation to ecosystem bring enormous tragedies to mankind. People need to be vigilant in addressing global warming to speak up the rights for Mother Earth.

#2 Number of teenage mothers mounts in West Australia

2010-03-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

WA figures reveal 5 mums aged 13
11 WA mums aged 14
57 WA mums aged 15

HIGH school teens, barely out of primary school, are falling pregnant at an alarming rate.

Birth Registry figures reveal in Western Australia alone, five girl aged just 13 became mothers.

The Sunday Times can reveal that the number of very young mothers in WA jumped by almost 20 per cent in the past 12 months.

WA Births Registry figures show that 73 girls, aged 15 or under, registered as parents in 2009 - up from 62 in 2008.

This included 11 babies born to 14 year olds and 57 babies born to 15 year olds.

Child Protection Minister Robyn McSweeney said she was shocked.

"(These girls) are in no way emotionally mature enough to cope with the birthing process let alone the realities of looking after the demands of a baby," Ms McSweeney said.

Health Minister Kim Hames shared her alarm.

"It has concerned me to see the number of adolescent girls becoming mothers at such a young age has increased, and it certainly highlights how important our early intervention programs are," Dr Hames said.

Parenting WA manager Donna Legge urged parents to talk openly to their children about sex from a young age.

"Sex education should not be confined to the school system," Ms Legge said. "It's a very wise thing for parents to speak to their children honestly about relationships and sexuality."

Ms Legge said parents could discuss sexuality with their children from as early as primary-school age. She said underage girls would cope with motherhood only if they had a strong family and friend support network.

Ms McSweeney said there were various agencies to help young WA mothers.

Parenting WA offers an around-the-clock helpline for young mothers, family and friends. It also provides one-on-one support for teen parents at home.

Dr Hames said King Edward Memorial Hospital has a clinic that specialises in health care for mothers under 18 and in their first pregnancy.

Opposition child-protection spokeswoman Sue Ellery called for more sex education in the school system.

"It's clear that we need to be more vigilant to the early education of boys and girls about the consequences of sexual activity too early," she said.

* To contact Parenting WA, call 6279 1200.

resource: http://www.news.com.au/national/girls-become-mothers-at-13/story-e6frfkvr-1225837767155

Comments: This shows that sex education is inadequate. Teenagers are not educated well about sexuality and the consequences of their actions. They are easily influenced by their peers and follow them to involve in premarital sex. Also, they are not well informed of the safety of having premarital sex. When teenage girls find out that they are pregnant, they feel confused and frighthened. They might resort to abortion, a cruel way of killing a baby's life. On the other hand, teenage girls that decide to have their babies are actually incapable of bringing up a child on their own. They are too young to be mothers. They have to rely on their family members to support them financially. In some cases, some fathers are irresponsible. They do not want to take their obligation on their babies. This leaves the teenage mothers to take on all responsibles and be accused. In short, sex education should be given to teenagers since primary schools, and this can done by cooeperation among schools and parents.

#1 Body of dead baby girl found in Pinkenba water treatment plant

2010-03-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

MYSTERY surrounds the discovery of a baby girl's body, dumped at a Brisbane water treatment plant or washed into the system following an abortion or early birth.

Police remain tight-lipped about the gruesome find after two male workers at the plant on Main Beach Road, Pinkenba discovered the body at 11.30 last night.

The workers who found the body are in shock as well as the police officers who attended the scene.

"We'll make sure counselling is available to them," Acting Inspector for North Brisbane, Tod Reid said.

He said it was not known if the child, who was not carried to full term, was born or aborted.

"It is possible the baby was two months premature," Detective Reid said.

DNA testing is being carried out on the tiny body while police have launched a criminal investigation.
It's not known how long the baby had been dead for and police refused to say if there were any signs or bruising, cuts or broken bones.

They also wouldn't confirm if the body was found in the water system or if it was dumped on the grounds of the treatment plant, which services the greater metropolitan north area.

Police are checking the list of people reported missing in the area and Detective Reid said the force was treating it as a priority case.

"Detectives will be working on it all day and all night," he said, adding that a post-mortem examination was being carried out on the the baby's body.

"We've got a number of lines of inquiry open to try and establish the identity of the child's mother, with a number of different agencies and other government departments."

Police are concerned for the mother's health and welfare and are appealing for public assistance to locate her.

resource: http://www.news.com.au/national/body-of-dead-baby-girl-found-in-pinkenba-water-treatment-plant/story-e6frfkvr-1225837804768

Comments: This is a very cruel action. It was probably done by the mother of the baby girl. In my opinion, there may be several reasons for her to make this silly decision. First, she is an unmarried mother. She does not want the baby because she thinks that it is very humiliating to be pregnant due to premarital sex. She is afraid of how others look at her. Secondly, the family members of the mother do not support her. They disapprove the existence of that baby. Without support from family, the mother feels helpless and decide to throw away the little life. Besides, the father of theat baby girl may be irresponsible to take care of the baby. Knowing that no one would help her to bring up the child, the mother decides to throw away the baby. However, there are actually many ways other than throwing the baby! The mother can actually give her baby to adoption. Many couples in the world are very desperate to want a baby. In short, throwing away the baby is very unethical an immoral.

sorry, but i love you

2010-01-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

i'm sorry i'm always not the best one.

to my darling, my family, my friends..

i'm just.. stubborn, foolish and ignorant !!

but i love all of you =]

how i wish my love for you can outweigh my weakness

i sincerely apologize to everyone of you

i promised to be more mature

but i failed

i'm still learning, to handle everything smoothly

to be someone whom you can trust and rely on

to be someone whom you are proud of

i know i'm way too imperfect

i know i'm not a good daughter

i know i'm not a good girl friend

i know i'm not a good friend

i'm 18, but i always act like a baby >,<

i need to be independent, mature and determined !!

not to make anyone upset and angry

not to make anyone sad and feel irritated

i'm bad at controlling myself

i will try my best to change, i promise

sorry =[

but, i love you =]

my insanity

2010-01-05T06:11:00.000-08:00

why is everyone posting more and more articles everyday? utterly fascinated by your persistency =] well, i was once a regular blogger too. as time goes by, i become lazy. to express was once an easy job for me, but not now anymore. concealed yet exposed, blurred yet appealing =] hey what am i doing here =.=" srtiving for existence approval?! my conscience makes me feeling guilty right now, so forgive my insanity. was totally despaired by studies, you know i can't take things stressfully =[ when everything seems requiring efforts, persistency and patience, i feel very desperate. i myself also can't believe and don't want to believe that this is the fact, as for years im always assumed to be reckless =.= a reckless person doesn't look far, you know. ahh, don't bury me with all these. that's what i can say. realising that im completely not so into all these, the feeling really makes me very down. but what to do? taken road. walk down and straight, no zebras to pause, no roundabouts.. well, i hope there's a 2012 or avatar or whatever-you-name-it. LOL !! WHAT AM I SAYING !! crazy bugs flowing in my veins, sorry for that =p a reckless person posting a reckless article. hey, enjoy reading it =]

Take A Look At Me Now

2009-10-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

How can I just let you walk away
Just let you leave without a trace
When I stand here taking
Every breath with you
You're the only one
Who really knew me at all
How can you just walk away from me
When all I can do is watch you leave
'Cause we've shared the laughter and the pain
And even shared the tears
You're the only one
Who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now
Oh there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Take a look at me now
'Cause there's just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against all odds
And that's what I've got to face

I wish I could just make you turn around
Turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you
So many reasons why
You're the only one
Who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now
'Cause there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Take a look at me now
'Cause there's just an empty space
But to wait for you is
All I can do
And that's what I've got to face
Take a good look at me now
'Cause I'll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds
That's the chance I've got to take

Take a look at me now,
take a look at me now

ORPHAN

2009-10-03T02:04:00.000-07:00

was thinking to practise spec maths as my friday-after-class-activity.

but couldn't turn down the invitation to a movie by classmates XD

it's too appealing LOL

ended up going to midvalley for the whole day ..

everything went smoothly from inti to midvalley

no congestion in inti bus or ktm ..

thank god i can breath in the ktm

watched the movie that i wanted to watch for so long - ORPHAN

screamed and screamed >,<

really scary ..

but worth watching la

started waiting at ktm around 8pm

i think only until 9.30pm we managed to get into one

it was really very very packed

be careful when you are trying hard to get into the train

pick-pockets are everywhere

i stood in the ktm from midvalley back to nilai !!

pity myself T.T

couldn't get enough fresh oxygen

have to stable myself so that i won't lean against the guys behind me T.T

okay ~

focus !! stop playing !! go study !!

welcome home XD

2009-09-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

air asia again.
landed a bit late than usual as penang was raining VERY heavily.
straight away to supper.
just when i finished order all the penang food and sat down
the coffee shop went totally BLACK
and we ended up eating in the DARK !!
of cos the boss kindly provided us candles LOL
we eat our candle light supper hahahaha
i miss penang food !!
i ate hokkien mee, wantan mee and hokkien char. ^.^
slurppp delicious !!
can't describe the euphoria of coming home !!
when i reached home around 11.30pm, the whole street was DARK
no lights
my house has no current at all
WTH
mum quickly light on the candles
actually the worst thing i thought when i saw my house in black was:
gosh, can't online !!
haha
and when i think of i have to bath with cold water, no heater, at midnight
i was like TT.TT
luckily it recovers after one hour
muahahahaha
see the news and u will know
it was the most serious flood in penang for this year
it was really very horrible when u cant see anything infront the windscreen
and it spoil the raya festival mood cos some of their houses were flooded badly
all the new clothes, raya cookies and food were all gone >,<
today the weather is quite okay ^.^
have to start enjoy the holidays after the most torturous week ever in inti
tests !! tsk tsk tsk, I HATE TEST !!
inti, u ain't a very relaxing place after all =.="
feel like dont wanna go there again duh ~
more and more tests are coming
!@#$%^&*)(*&^%$#@!
btw, dont think of that now
ENJOY !!
woooohooooo ~~~

raaaaandoooom

2009-09-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

last friday was my first spec maths test. alright, ours.

finally i could think of the correct way of answering that question at the moment he said "last 10 minutes"

so, what to do? >,<

perhaps i didn't do my best, but this is the real me.

if i did do my best, that wasn't me anymore haha

went to pasar malam after the test

had a relaxing saturday

when i say relaxing, it means really relaxing =.="

free of books, full of pc muahahhaha

started doing exercises for english on sunday night

but what the heck was the point of doing them since i could not even give a confirmed answer just now ?!

okay okay, exercises are useful.

but as u do more, u get more confusing TT.TT

and when u look at the question paper, u will leave the first page blank, turn to the second page, leave the second page blank, and turn to the third page, and goes on ..

sobs.

but, i really enjoy doing bad in tests (oppss am i crazy)

the process is much more important than getting the results

and the process of discussing answers after tests is even more interesting muahahahha

don't blame the lecturers, blame yourselves for not hardworking enough LOL

and .. enjoy failures !!

MUAHAHAHAHHAHAH

to be ambitious is good, but to be aimless is not bad too ^.^

more tests are coming, and i did tell myself to be more student-like abit starting from this year

studying AND STAYING in inti is damnnnnn boring

everyday life may be different

but basically they are all THE SAME !!

argh can i be just a simple sixth former .. TT.TT

im talking too much in this post >,<

maybe i drink coffee this morning and it's the caffeine that makes me sooooo high now LOL

don't be surprise, i write even more in my own blog

it's time to go for dinner, ciao .. XD

Australia

2009-08-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Lady Sarah Ashley is a prim and proper English aristocrat. She has short, blonde hair and a slim body. She is a beautiful and well-turned out woman. Lady Ashley looks elegant, but is boastful because she comes from upper class society. She is married to Lord Maitland Ashley. Lord Ashley owns a cattle station in Australia and he has been trying to sell cattle to the Australian military.

Lady Ashley is determined to travel from England to northern Australia to force her presumed-to-be-cheating husband to sell his cattle station, a remote outpost in Darwin, named Faraway Downs. Sarah arrives and finds out that her husband has been murdered. She is tough because she does not give up easily due to her husband’s death. She realizes that Faraway Downs is in ruin and damn near worthless as King Carney and his crony, Neil Fletcher (the manager of Faraway Downs) have run the land ragged and have been stealing their cattle. Meanwhile, Fletcher is trying to gain control of Faraway Downs so that King Carney can have a monopoly in the Northern Territory and give him leverage with the Australian army.

At Faraway Downs, Lady Ashley is captivated by a half-caste boy Nullah, who was born to an Aboriginal mother and a white father. In this movie they call the half-caste child “creamy”. Nullah tells her that her cattle were being driven onto King Carney's land due to some underhanded business carried out by Fletcher. Fletcher tells Sarah that her husband was murdered by an Aboriginal elder with magical power, named King George. Lady Ashley is good in differentiating right and wrong. She believes in Nullah’s words. Because of this, Fletcher violently attacks Nullah and his mother, but is stopped by a horrified Lady Sarah.

Sarah has strong determination and is courageous because she fires Fletcher and decides to run the cattle station herself. She is also bursting with energy and compassion. Urged on by both pride and justice, she wants to drive her herd of cattle to Darwin so that she can sell them to the army, but she'll require the help of a drover to get them there. Sarah is also good in making decisions. She promptly endeavors to hold onto the place by hiring the dashing, rugged Drover to help her to drive the cattle.

Lady Sarah Ashley changes from a delicate character to a heroine. She learns to loosen up, lets down her guard with Drover, and turns sympathetic to Nullah's plight. This transformation is so well portrayed in the changing face of Sarah. At the start of the film, Lady Ashley is a ghostly white, tightly wound, satin-gloved shrinking violet. She comes to Australia by plane and with plenty of luggage and servants following her. She is very endearing, traipsing through the dust in her white high heels while trying to herd the cattle by shoo-ing them. As the film goes on, she gets tanned and less kempt. Her inner beauty shines through her almost plain face and her pained expression as she has gone through tragedy and is touched by sorrow and depression.

Lady Ashley discovers and strongly disagrees with the discrimination against aboriginal. Children forcefully taken from their parents to be civilized. One of the proofs is the blackened charcoal rubbed over Nullah’s face to hide his mixed race from the other audience members when he first watches "The Wizard of Oz". Lady Ashley and Drover attend a ball for the "Children's Island Mission", where she attempts to make the upper class whites realize that half-caste children belong to their mothers, not the government.

Lady Ashley is transformed into a loving nurturer of a child. When Nullah first appears in front of her, she felt shocked but she never mistreat Nullah as a half-caste. She wants to protect Nullah. Nullah's mother drowns while hiding in a water tower to avoid Nullah being caught. Nullah is sad and Lady Ashley wants to console him. She comforts Nullah by singing ‘Over the Rainbow’ to him. She hopes that by singing to him, Nullah can feel happier.

Sarah’s motherly bond with Nullah is very strong. Nullah wants to go walkabout with his grandfather. However, he is caught and sent to Mission Island with the rest of the half-Aboriginal children (the Stolen Generations). When Sarah finds out that Nullah is caught, she tries her best to get him back. She runs to the harbor and cries her heart out because she couldn’t help Nullah. Holding his hands, she makes promise to Nullah that she will certainly bring him back. While trying to secure his return, she works as a radio operator in Darwin during the escalation of World War II. Mission Island is attacked by Japanese and Sarah fears that Nullah is dead.

Lady Sarah Ashley falls in love with Drover. When they first meet, Sarah is uncomfortable with the surrounding while Drover is just carrying out his duties to send her to Faraway Downs. Sarah begs Drover for his help by offering him her Capricornia. Drover helps her to drive the cattle to Darwin and sell them to the Australian army. Eventually Sarah changes to become a tough lady, and Drover is fascinated by her. Both of them think that half-breed children should not be discriminated. They love Nullah. They act against the racial divisions and speak to their belief that ''just because it is, doesn't mean it should be". Sarah and Drover get separated from each other and from Nullah World War II. Sarah thought that Drover and Nullah are dead. When Drover and the half-caste children sail back from Mission Island and Sarah hears Nullah playing harmonica with the tune of "Over the Rainbow", she feels so happy because she knows miracle has happened! Her loved ones are still alive. They hugged each other thankfully because they can still reunite.

Lady Ashley is stubborn. She refuses to listen to others. However, she changes to become a tolerate person because she respects others’ culture. Drover challenges Sarah when she refuses to let Nullah to join his grandfather to walkabout. In the end, as Nullah, Lady Ashley, and Drover face the greatest threat to their union yet, they reveal that as much as love is about holding on, it is also about being willing to let go and knowing that true connection between them will endure no matter what changes have happened to them.

Coach Carter

2009-08-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ken Carter is the owner of a sports equipment shop in Richmond. He plans to just be a businessman and he wants to go on vacation with his wife. He receives a request from the basketball coach of Richmond High Oilers, Coach White, asking him to help to coach the basketball team. He had once played for the Oilers when he was in high school, and he still holds many records on the court, so he was ashamed to see how badly the school had fallen apart. At first Carter was reluctant to help, but after he watched the team plays, he decides to coach the team, under his conditions. He realizes that the team is in shambles because of the fights, cursing, and the overall attitudes of the members in the team. This makes the team has a horrible losing season last year. With their selfish playing style and lack of respect for the game, the Richmond Oilers seem destined to repeat the previous season's win total of four. The old coach does not have any idea on how to rein in the players.

Carter meets with the school’s principal, Ms.Garrison. She blindly accepts Carter’s request because she just wants the team to win again. Then, Carter meets the basketball players, including Jason “Worm” Willis, Junior Battle, Jason Lyle, Timo Cruz, and Kenyan Stone. While there are more players on the team, the movie focuses on these characters the most. The players do not respect their new coach, ignore his present and when Coach Carter talks to them, they speak rudely to him. Worm: We hear you, dog. But we can’t see you.
Cruz: Are you some country church nigger with your tie on and all that?

Coach Carter has his own way to discipline them. Coach Carter tells them, starting from today onwards, they are going to be winners, play like winners, and act like winners. He makes them sign a contract which states that they agree to attend all classes, sit in the front row, and wear coat and tie on game day. Moreover, they are required to keep a 2.3 G.P.A., more than the 2.0 G.P.A. that the school normally requires in order to play sports. Cruz leaves the team while the rest stay. Parents hold a meeting with Coach Carter, voicing out their objections on this contract. Coach Carter tries his best to persuade the parents. He emphasizes on education.
Coach Carter: These boys are student athletes. “Student” comes first.

Coach Carter starts to train them. He makes them run “suicides” and do push-ups, and makes plenty of strict rules for them to obey. For example, if the practice starts at 3pm, they are late as of 2.55pm and they have to run suicides. If they show bad attitudes, they will do push-ups. He addresses everyone “Sir” because this is a term of respect. He wants everyone to do so to each other too.

Carter’s son, Damien, asks to transfer from his private school, St. Francis, where a fellow player named Ty Crane is the star player for the St. Francis Mustangs, to Richmond High so that he can play for his father. Damien promises that he will maintain a 3.5 G.P.A.. Carter is shocked because his son has already made the decision without discussing with him. He thinks that his son should learn to make decisions and live with the consequences. Therefore, he agrees but raises the agreed G.P.A. to 3.7.

Timo Cruz who has left the team joins his cousin Renny in drug dealing. But he feels unsecured and does not want to do anymore. He wants to play basketball and live a normal life like his friends Worm, Lyle and Battle. Cruz finally decides to sign the contract and goes back into the team after Coach Carter puts him through his paces, including hundreds of push-ups and running suicides. Here the players show their teamwork and friendship when Cruz could not finish the tasks given by Coach Carter and the team helps him to finish doing them. On the other hand, Kenyon, who has a girlfriend Kyra pregnant, is having dilemma because he needs to stop playing basketball and works for his future family but he wants to go to college and continue playing basketball. Kyra does not think in the same way. She thinks that things will be fine as time passes. They quarrel and Kyra goes for abortion without Kenyon’s knowing.

Under Coach Carter’s inspirational guidance, together with the discipline and hard work, it pays off as the team comes together in an undefeated streak which puts the team on track for a run at the state championship. However, the success on the court is threatened by the players' poor grades. The players start to become big-headed. The overconfident players’ behaviors begin to stray. Coach Carter is worried by their behaviors. He scolds them when they are too arrogant.
Coach Carter: Since when winning is not enough? Playing hard not enough? What give you the right to take the game that I love with trash talk and taunting?

Coach Carter realizes that after the local winning championship game, the team, including Damien, had snuck out of their hotel rooms and had gone to a party at Susan’s house. He also finds out that Junior Battle does not attend Mr.Gesek’s class. He stops Junior Battle from playing basketball because he is absent from Mr.Gesek’s class. Battle’s mother begs Coach Carter to let his son back to the team because she has lost Battle’s brother Anton and she hopes Battle can studies well. Too many players are doing poorly in class and do not meet the agreed 2.3 G.P.A.. Coach Carter is really sad after looking at the academic reports submitted by the teachers. Therefore, he decides to take immediate actions. To the outrage of the team, the school and the community, he decides to lock the gym, cancel all the games and activities, and refuses to allow the team to play or even practice until they get their grades back up. This action leads to media attention and the wrath of the school's principal as well as the parents of the players. Some of the players’ parents, including Worm’s mother and Kenyon’s mother, demand the school board to fire Coach Carter. They see basketball as their kids’ only way out of poverty and a bleak future, but Coach Carter disagrees. He is soon attacked verbally and physically (a rock is thrown through his shop’s front window), but he stands firm to his ground.

It turns out that Coach Carter has a lot to teach these young men, and basketball is pretty far down the list.Coach Carter sends his team to the library instead of practice, where teachers are awaiting to help the boys. Coach Carter tells them about statistics of graduation rates in Richmond High School, dropout rates, college admission denials, gang violence, and prison sentences. Cruz’s cousin, Renny is killed on the street. Cruz who witnessed his cousin’s death is in deep fear and he goes to Coach Carter. Coach Carter comforts him as if he is son. Through hard work and determination, he inspires the boys to make a better life for themselves overall, and not just on the basketball court. As Coach Carter talks to these boys, telling them that their future lies in their own hands and that the world wants them to fail, I can feel the inspirational words floating down off the screen.

The school board eventually votes to end the unpopular lockout, despite dissenting votes from the principal and the chairwoman. Coach Carter is about to quit, but he finds the players sitting at school desks in the middle of the gym. The players point out that even though the gym is now reopened, the school board can't force them to play. Coach Carter is heartened by them and decides to stay. In this scene, Timo Cruz answers Coach Carter’s question: What is your deepest fear?
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Finally the boys study hard and they achieved the agreed G.P.A.. Coach Carter unlocks the gym and lets them play basketball again. Richmond Oilers make it into the state high-school championship playoffs. The climactic game takes place in the tournament's first round against the first ranked team in the state, St. Francis. In the last second, Ty Crane makes the winning shot to end Richmond's season. Although they lose, Coach Carter feels proud of them.
Coach Carter: I came to coach basketball players, and you became students. I came to teach boys, and you became men.

Over the closing song, it is shown that Richmond Oilers won five college scholarships and six of the players went on to play college basketball.

-------------------------------------------------------

Lots of comments in my mind now. As I watch this movie for the second time, I get to know more about it.
First of all, I learn some rude words from this movie. (opps!!) perhaps I should say like this, I observed that they use improper language. For example, nigger. According to Coach Carter, they don't call themselves nigger. If a white calls it, there will be a fight. If they call themselves nigger, they are teaching him to use it. Coach Carter teaches them to use the word "sir" as a term of respect. Eventually they make it as a habit to address him "sir".
I also find that the players, i mean, teenagers like them, are very hot-tempered. They easily get angry and quarrel, and then fight. At the beginning of this movie, when they lose in a game, they blame each other and fight against each other. Cruz leaves the team as soon as Coach Carter beats him up. Junior Battle also quit because Coach Carter stops him from playing.
But somehow i find them quite discipline. They follow every instructions given by Coach Carter during practices. They never disagree with Coach Carter. Although they are tired by doing suicides and push-ups, they never stop doing. Perhaps they enjoy the way he trains them. However, when they sneak out from their hotel rooms to a girl's house for party, that's not called discipline !! Well, they would say they are giving themselves some entertainment after winning a game.
I really agree with Coach Carter that education is far more important. Should young people, particularly those from impoverished backgrounds, be encouraged to pin all their hopes of a better life on sport? Coach Carter wants his players to be genuine student athletes, with an emphasis on "student". Unlike the rest of the school and the community, Coach Carter sees athletics as a way to help the students raise their self-esteem and better personalities. While he wants to make Richmond cagers into a winning team, he also wants to teach the boys to respect themselves and one another, and that they must excel in the classroom as well as on the court.
About the drug dealing that carried out by Cruz and his cousin, and the subsequent death, i feel really sad for this. I understand how Cruz feels. He wants to be a normal student, a normal basketball player. However, he is affected by his cousin. He looks at his fellow friends and he couldn't do anything but feel desperate. Coach Carter always asks him what is his deepest fear. Maybe Coach Carter already sense something. When Cruz appears in front of his door, crying helplessly, Coach Carter accepts him, comforts him. Cruz thanks Coach Carter for saving his life.
I strongly disagree with abortion. Kyra, Kenyon's girlfriend, goes for abortion without informing him. It is already a mistake for having pre-marriage pregnancy, she even goes for abortion! And before that, she thought that she and Kenyon can manage the family. She does not plan anything for their future. She disagrees when Kenyon says he wants to continue to play basketball in college. She thinks that Kenyon doesn't love her. And finally, she makes a stupid decision by killing a small life !!

wait me penang !!

2009-08-09T23:20:00.000-07:00

following the fridae-trip-to-mid-valley, i get serious headache for the whole week.
erm, basically, my life is summarized as :
sleep, wake up, class, sleep, and sleep.
even during the 2 hours lunch break between classes, i also sleep =.="
but, still, play basketball in the evening ..
i think all of us have abandoned FRISBEE haih >,<
but now is exam season, the whole inti is in very low pressure
no activities, no games, no loud musics at night
walk in the campus also feel very down LOL
but finally fridae comes again !!
went to mid valley with maychee by ktm
the KTM SUCKS !!!
i almost fainted in the train TT.TT
luckily i still managed to drag my body to mcd in mid valley
bought mc value and waited for sis for one hour ++
saturday morning we went to pick up DADDY + MUMMY !!!
YEAHHHHH ~~~
finally, after 38 days, i see my parents again TT.TT
my dad told me he counted the 38 days OMG dad i love u !!!
i wanna be ur cute lil daughther forever daddie mummiieee~~~
went to lunch at KLCC and then sent them to convention centre at the back
night, had dinner near sis house
sundae morning had breakfast at ipoh white coffee kopitiam XD
then 10am come back to inti
they came into my room, visit visit, enjoy air-con
then i be the tour guide to lead them for a campus tour ^.^
showed them where i always have my dinner, AL-SALAM, deli ..
then for the first time, i went to giant. =.=
then, they fetch me back to inti and we say "bye bye~~ TT.TT"
they have to go back to one-u for bus at 3.30pm
then i rusted in inti for the whole dae =.="

two more weeks , then i can go back to penang !!
i miss my mum's cooking !!
i miss penangn food !!
i miss everyone in penang !!

random

2009-07-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

thursdae

played badminton after class

so sorry that i abandoned frisbee >,<

classmates, please don't abandon frisbee too

after badminton, went to al-salam

came back, make noise at groundfloor until 1am++

met a genius

he was the judge for inter campus debate

i did nothing that day except having fun

felt guilty TT.TT

fridae

did "group discussion" on friday after class.
someone spilled my nescafe on someone's assignment.

opppsss ..
so sorry for that

here i swear: i will never drink coffee in common room !!

i apologize x1000 times
until now i still feel guilty TT___TT

rushed to pasar malam at 5++

murtabak !!

i love murtabak !!

miss murtabak in penang LOL

penang doesn't has malay pasar malam

almost all chinese pasar malam

i act as if i had never been to pasar malam =.="

kept on "wah wow ahhh" all the time

revive

2009-07-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

argh, terpaksa create a blog here AGAIN !!
i created my blog here ermmm.. maybe 5years ago ??
and it was revived last year, then it was deleted again
and now it is revived again !!??
blogger is famous huh
but i still like my wretch blog XD
since ms.dil says she will be giving marks on this blog
so i have to write some articles here >,<
friends, i've got a blogspot again !!
=.=