Attitude + Aptitude = Altitude

Australian News #10: Business calls for carbon tax

2010-09-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.australiannews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=508816&articleID=

The new chairman of National Business Leaders' Forum on Sustainable Development (NBLF), Rod Leaver would like to include climate change mitigation into the nation's political and business agenda. He suggested a carbon tax to make sure that the country is well-prepared to face the future and also achieve two of the twenty-three key reforms of the forum, which is by cuttin 25% in greenhouse gas by 2020 and 90% by 2050. The opportunity appeared as both major political parties were seeking for votes from the independence. Carbon tax was seen as a way to give Australian businsesses the confidence required to invest and develop the economy.

Australian News #9: Maggie Beer soup stock recall

2010-09-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

http://www.australiannews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=508814&articleID=

Maggie Beer Chicken Stock 500mL BARCODE 873006005054, Maggie Beer Vegetable Stock 500mL BARCODE 873006005061 and Maggie Beer Beef Stock 500ml BARCODE 873006005078 were being recalled by a company founded by Adelaide food identity Maggie Beer. This was done as the products were being suspected of bacterial contamination. Due to the consumers' health concern by the company, the products were asked to be removed from the shelves and sales. there will be full refunds for the recall. Those who have consumed the products and concerned about their health situation may want to seek for medical advice. The adverse effects of the negative consumption will be the symptoms of food poisoning.

Australian News #8: Preparations underway for flooding

2010-09-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.australiannews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=508807&articleID=1736207

The communities living in Victoria are on high alert when there is a deluge predicted by the meteorologists. The worst conditions are expected in northeast Victoria. Incident control centres have been established in many regions and warnings are given out too. People are afraid that the downpour will melt the snow which later flows into the river, aggravating the situation. Besides that, potential victims are asked to 'quarantine' themselves from the floodwater as it can jeorpadise their lives. The businessmen which might be affected are also moving their inventories to higher ground. The forecast flood is the first since the fires in 2006. Furthermore, people are also advised to stay away from trees which limbs may be weakened by previous fire. The flood water may cause them to fall. Lastly, the drivers and motorists are discouraged to drive through roads immersed in water. They should keep watch on strong winds, flash flood and slippery roads.

Australian News #7: Hundreds of sharks in feeding frenzy

2010-09-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.australiannews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=508801&articleID=1736201
An unprecedented feeding frenzy of sharks was filmed on the spot by a rescue helicopter crew at the beach which is located 10km north of the resort town, Noosa. Hundreds of sharks were witnessed feeding on copious amount of baitfish and tuna. Relevant authorities have been notified regarding the unusual phenomenon so that effective precautious measures and control can be carried out.

Australian News #6: Massive quake rocks Christchurch

2010-09-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

http://www.australiannews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=509054&articleID=

Earthquake with magnitude 7.0 has struck Christchurch today with no fatalities reported. This was considered as very fortunate by the locals. However, the damage caused by the unprecedented quake was substantial. The people were terrified during the incident. A state of natural disaster was declared by Civil Aviation Centre. The victims described the incident vividly whereby the boulders which size were bigger than cars tumbling down the hillsides. Moreover, principal of a school near the epicentre felt the quake as a train slammed into his house. Besides that, the old buildings in the scene were worst affected. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has promised a distribution of fund worth $NZ2 billion to alleviate the situation and cover all the costs involved. Christchurch is currently under curfew.

p/s: After typing all of these, I just realised that this is not an Australian news but a New Zealand's.

Australian News #5: Nine dead in NZ plane crash

2010-09-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

http://www.australiannews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=508981&articleID=1737016

All the nine passengers and pilot were perished in a plane crash today. The crashed plane was a fixed-wing aircraft belonged to Skydiving New Zealand. As the name of the company suggested, the plane was for the purpose of skydiving. This tragedy was the first in nearly 17 years. Among the fatalities, there were one pilot and four local skydiving instructors. The rests were tourists. There were also few witnesses describing the accident. The plane was engulfed in a fire ball with smoke puffing out profusely. The last plane crash in New Zealand happened in 1993 where there were also nine people reported dead.

Australian News #4: Police wary of Facebook 'ruse'

2010-09-04T06:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.australiannews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=489011&articleID=

This article reported that the police were suspecting the possibility of Facebook account of a 21-year-old criminal named Justin Grant being operated by someone else. The case occurred since the escape of the criminal from Townsville the day before in the hospital. The news can be traced back by the following link: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/22/2960724.htm. Grant's facebook account has since become active and post insulting messages to the authorities too. Hence, the police suspected the prank and warned anyone who assisted Grant will face the music. The escape of Justin Grant was the fifth case of the year.

Australian News #3 Rudd vaults back into election spotlight

2010-08-05T02:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/05/2974612.htm

Well, Rudd is the ex-PM of Australia. Recently, he claims that he will be joining Ms Gillard's government, as a vehement protest towards the governance of the Opposition Leader, Mr Abott. This has been triggered as Mr Abott tends to destroy Labor's legacy which is claimed by the ex-PM that rescues Australia from economic recession. The public remains in the veil on which post he will be holding in the current PM's government. However, Mr Abott refutes Rudd's statement by illustrating Labor's legacy as violence.

Australian News #2: Bureaucrat stood down over carcinogenic water

2010-07-18T02:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/16/2955669.htm

Government official has been allegedly ignored the incident of water supply being polluted by underground coal gasification. Cougar Energy which is responsible for the gasification has actually found cancer-causing chemicals in the water but did not report it to the relevant authority until the end of June. Government has promised to carry out intensive investigation over the matter and the company is not allowed to operate until further tests are done.

Australian news #1:Abbott says no to carbon price

2010-07-18T01:51:00.000-07:00

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/18/2957035.htm?section=justin

Abbott is the leader of federal opposition coalition in Australia. He declared that there will be no carbon pricing being imposed on Australians if his coalition wins over the Government. His argument was that it was impossible for India and China which were now emphasising more on improving living standards to comply with international agreement on carbon pricing. It is because to live a better life in the nations with overwhelming population requires extensive use of energy. Nevertheless, The Greens labelled Abbott as being ignorant regarding carbon pricing. The Senator also iterated that Australians want carbon pricing.

Text production for Television Viewing (Argumentative) Final Version

2010-05-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Since its invention, television has gained overwhelming product loyalty from people from all walks of life as it is fascinating (Leigh 2001). This is partly due to the fact that consumers can employ it effortlessly. To operate a television set, all the audience need to do is to press the button. It is also easy to search television programs matching with an individual’s tastes and preferences (Rutherford 2002). The high accessibility of television is proven by the estimation that at least one television set is available in more than 90% households in developed nations (Sharif 1999). Nevertheless, it is a fallacy to speculate that only children love television. This is evidenced by both Time Use Surveys conducted by UK and US governments in 2000 and 2003 respectively. Statistics obtained shared the same trend whereby the adults spent the most hours daily during leisure time in watching television programs. However, extensive television viewing among the children has remained controversial as it brings more harm than good.

First of all, watching television programs uncontrollably can adversely affect mental and physical health of the children especially when the programs are inappropriate to be viewed. Their personalities are being molded at such a tender age. Hence, their mentality can be influenced easily by television programs because “seeing is believing”. For instance, the profuse violence content in a show is capable of generating ‘immunity’ towards violence. Violence is thus deemed by the children to be part and parcel of life and an ideal option to deal with problems. Besides that, programs broadcasted like ‘Friends’ have always solved problems within half an hour. Consequently, children have set in mind that life struggles can be overcome easily. However, once the reality is against their will, they become discouraged instantly. Apart from that, kids are physically inactive in front of the idiot box (Sharif 1999). As they indulge in snacks while enjoying television, problems such as unfavourable weight gain and related diseases come in (Rutherford 2002).

Secondly, television viewing is able to shape the behaviour of a child in a negative way. It is a catastrophic disaster when television becomes the only companion of children. Their lives can be jeorpadised when they try to imitate dangerous actions carried out by their favourite characters. Disciplinary problems can occur if they follow the behaviour of a bad character. Furthermore, in most of the movies the roles in life have been narrowed to certain genders. People are being simply categorized. These can lead to unwise attitudes among the children towards others and themselves (Sharif 1999).

Finally, sitting in front of television for the programs broadcasted can also reduce the span of children’s attention upon a task (Sharif 1999). As a result, they cannot concentrate on their homework for a long period of time. Even the educational psychologist has iterated that most of the television-addicts have poor academic achievements at school (Leigh 2001). The indicator of addiction towards television is the withdrawal symptoms when its viewing is forcibly made unavailable (Rutherford 2002). The passive activity has grabbed away the imaginative skills which are essential to spruce up in problem-solving and organizational ability among the future generations (Leigh 2001).

In conclusion, the disadvantages of viewing television outweigh its advantages. Children’s ways of thinking, health, conduct and academic performance can be adversely affected by watching television programs without selection particularly. It is extremely urgent to stop children from taking television viewing as the only option during leisure time since it brings more harm. This can be achieved by introducing more interesting and healthy activities into their lives as they are the future assets governing a nation.

Text production for Television Viewing (Argumentative) #2

2010-05-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

Since its invention, television has gained overwhelming product loyalty from people from all walks of life as it is fascinating (Leigh 2001). This is partly due to the fact that consumers can employ it effortlessly. To operate a television set, all the audience need to do is to press the button. It is also easy to search television programs matching with an individual’s tastes and preferences (Rutherford 2002). The high accessibility of television is proven by the estimation that at least one television set is available in more than 90% households in developed nations (Sharif 1999). Nevertheless, it is a fallacy to speculate that only children love television. This is evidenced by both Time Use Surveys conducted by US and UK governments. Statistics obtained shared the same trend whereby the adults spent the most hours daily during leisure time in watching television programs. However, extensive television viewing among the children has remained controversial as it brings more harm than good.

First of all, watching television programs uncontrollably can adversely affect mental and physical health of the children especially when the programs are inappropriate to be viewed. Their personalities are being molded at a tender age. Hence, their mentality can be influenced easily by television programs because “seeing is believing”. For instance, the profuse violence content in a show is capable of generating ‘immunity’ towards violence. Violence is thus deemed by the children to be part and parcel of life and an ideal option to deal with problems. Besides that, programs broadcasted like ‘Friends’ have always solved problems within half an hour. Consequently, children have set in mind that life struggles can be overcome easily. However, once the reality is against their will, they become discouraged instantly. Apart from that, kids are physically inactive in front of the idiot box (Sharif 1999). As they indulge in snacks while enjoying television, problems such as unfavourable weight gain and related diseases come in (Rutherford 2002).

Secondly, television viewing is able to shape the behaviour of a child. It is a catastrophic disaster when television becomes the only companion of children. Their lives can be jeorpadised when they try to imitate dangerous actions carried out by their favourite characters. Disciplinary problems can occur if they follow the behaviour of a bad character. Furthermore, in most of the movies the roles in life have been narrowed to certain genders. People are being simply categorized. These can lead to unwise attitudes among the children towards others and themselves (Sharif 1999).

Last but not least, sitting in front of television for the programs broadcasted can also reduce the span of children’s attention upon a task (Sharif 1999). As a result, they cannot concentrate on their homework for a long period of time. Even the educational psychologist has iterated that most of the television-addicts have poor academic achievements at school (Leigh 2001). The indicator of addiction towards television is the withdrawal symptoms when its viewing is forcibly made unavailable (Rutherford 2002). The passive activity has grabbed away the imaginative skills which are essential to spruce up in problem-solving and organizational ability among the future generations (Leigh 2001).

In conclusion, the disadvantages of viewing television outweigh its advantages. Children’s ways of thinking, health, conduct and academic performance can be adversely affected by watching television programs without selection particularly. Watching television should not be the only option during leisure time. More interesting and healthy activities have to be introduced into the lives of the children.

Text production for Television Viewing (Argumentative) #1

2010-05-16T10:04:00.001-07:00

Since its invention, television has gained overwhelming product loyalty from people from all walks of life as it is fascinating (Leigh 2001). This is partly due to the fact that consumers can employ it effortlessly. To operate a television set, all the audience need to do is to press the button. It is also easy to search television programs matching with an individual’s tastes and preferences (Rutherford 2002). The high accessibility of television is proven by the estimation that at least one television set is available in more than 90% households in developed nations (Sharif 1999). Nevertheless, it is a fallacy to speculate that only children love television. This is evidenced by both Time Use Surveys conducted by US and UK governments. Statistics obtained shared the same trend whereby the adults spent the most hours daily during leisure time in watching television programs. However, extensive television viewing among the children has remains controversial as it does more harm than good.

First of all, watching television programs uncontrollably can adversely affect mental and physical health of the children especially when the programs are inappropriate to be viewed. Their personalities are being molded at the tender age. Hence, their mentality can be influenced easily by television programs because “seeing is believing”. For instance, the profuse violence content in a show is capable of generating immunity towards violence. Violence is thus deemed by the children to be part and parcel of life and an ideal option to deal with problems. Besides that, ‘Friends’ has always solved problems within half an hour. Consequently, children have set in mind that life struggles can be overcome easily. However, once the reality is against their will, they become discouraged instantly. Apart from that, kids are physically inactive in front of the idiot box (Sharif 1999). As they indulge in snacks while enjoying television, problems such as unfavourable weight gain and related diseases come in (Rutherford 2002).

Secondly, television viewing is able to shape the behaviour of a child. It is a catastrophic disaster when television becomes the only companion of children. Their lives can be jeorpadised when they try to imitate dangerous actions carried out by their favourite characters. Disciplinary problems can occur if they follow the behaviour of a bad character. Furthermore, in most movies the roles in life have been narrowed to certain genders. People are being simply categorized. These can lead to unwise behaviours among the children towards others and themselves (Sharif 1999).

Last but not least, sitting in front of television for the programs broadcasted can also reduce the span of children’s attention upon a task (Sharif 1999). As a result, they cannot concentrate on their homework for a long period of time. Even the educational psychologist has iterated that most of the television-addicts have poor academic achievements at school (Leigh 2001). The indicator of addiction towards television is the withdrawal symptoms when its viewing is forcibly made unavailable (Rutherford 2002). The passive activity has grabbed away the imaginative skills which are essential to spruce up in problem-solving and organizational ability among the future generations (Leigh 2001).

In conclusion, the disadvantages of viewing television outweigh its advantages. Children’s ways of thinking, health, behaviour and academic performance can be adversely affected by watching television programs without selection particularly. Watching television should not be the only option during leisure time. More interesting and healthy activities have to be introduced into the lives of the children.

Text Production for Junk Food (Argumentative) #2

2010-04-25T01:37:00.000-07:00

As the name suggests, junk food is something edible but non-nutritious and non-beneficial to health (Smith 2005). According to Health Foundation (2005), approximately 50% of the most popular snack foods ranging from biscuits to flavoured yogurt have low nutritional values. The addiction towards junk food can be evidenced by the fact that more than half of the contemporary Australian schoolchildren have their meals in school where abundance of junk food is available (Tran 2005). Junk food manages to gain loyalty among buyers and sellers as it is highly flavoured and can be easily accessed and brings supernormal profits. Nonetheless, it is indispensable to ban the sale of junk food in school canteens for several reasons.

First of all, the high-kilojoule-content junk food triggers childhood obesity. Most junk food contains high proportion of flavour and fat to enhance its taste (Smith 2005). Besides partaking junk food in school canteens, children have the tendency to consume it at home too. This is revealed by the chart published by Australian Nutrition Journal (2004) whereby most of the 12-14-year-old children in 2003 have more intakes of fat and sugar than recommended. Fresh fruit and vegetables were neglected badly. It is the overconsumption of food with high contents of fat and sugar that causes obesity among the children. They even speculate its consumption as safe since it is allowed in school and thus, indulging themselves in it. Consequently, it leads to unfavourable weight gain.

Furthermore, other health problems can also be originated from the frequent consumption of junk food. Based on the information given by The Food Show (2005), junk food reduces the intake of nutritious food by the schoolchildren. Consequently, their health development, growth and learning potential are adversely affected as all of these require a balanced diet. Research study also proved that reduction of junk food helped in improving the children’s daily conduct. Their behaviour can be deviated due to the chemical additives contents in the unhealthy food. Hence, by banning the sale of junk food in school canteens, the disciplinary problems among the schoolchildren can be overcome.

Last but not least, prohibition of junk food sale in school canteens can minimise the litter problem in the school vicinity too. Junk food is packaged and the schoolchildren tend to throw the packages indiscriminately. Litter is a bad habit as it not only causes hazard to the people nearby but also degrades the image of the citizens in the eyes of the outsiders (Smith 2005). Moreover, litter also reduces the effort spent in maintenance projects by the school groundsmen as cleaning requires much effort. Hence, stopping junk food sale can assist in improving the school hygiene and facilities, beneficial to all school occupants.

In a nutshell, the sale of junk food should be forbidden in school canteens by virtue of several factors, namely the degradation of schoolchildren’s health and environmental damage. School News (2005) showed that canteen profits were directly proportional to the sale of junk food. Therefore, it is understandable that the sale can hardly be stamped out completely due to the high profits offered in a short span of time. For the sake of our future generations, it is important to educate the children about the detrimental effects of junk food by both parents and school teachers so that the knowledge can act as a deterrent.

Text Production (Argumentative) Draft Version

2010-04-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

Question: Should the sale of junk food in school canteens be banned?

As the name suggests, junk food is something edible but non-nutritious and non-beneficial to health (Smith 2005). According to Health Foundation (2005), approximately 50% of the most popular snack foods ranging from biscuits to flavoured yogurt have low nutritional values. The addiction towards junk food can be evidenced by the fact that more than half of the contemporary Australian schoolchildren have their meals in school where abundance of junk food is available (Tran 2005). Junk food manages to gain loyalty among buyers and sellers as it is highly flavoured and can be easily accessed and brings supernormal profits. Nonetheless, it is indispensable to ban the sale of junk food in school canteens for several reasons.

First of all, the high-kilojoule-content junk food triggers childhood obesity. Most junk food contains high proportion of flavour and fat to enhance its taste (Smith 2005). Besides partaking junk food in school canteens, children have the tendency to consume it at home too. This is revealed by the chart published by Australian Nutrition Journal (2004) whereby most of the 12-14-year-old children in 2003 have more intakes of fat and sugar than recommended. Fresh fruit and vegetables were neglected badly. It is the consumption of food with high contents of fat and sugar that causes obesity among the children. Junk food does fulfill the features and thus, it leads to unfavourable weight gain.

Furthermore, other health problems can also be originated from the frequent consumption of junk food. Based on the information given by The Food Show (2005), junk food reduces the intake of nutritious food by the schoolchildren. Consequently, their health development, growth and learning potential are adversely affected as all of these require a balanced diet. Research study also proved that reduction of junk food helped in improving the children’s daily conduct. Their behaviour can be deviated due to the chemical additives content in the unhealthy food. Hence, by banning the sale of junk food in school canteens, the disciplinary problems among the schoolchildren can be overcome.

Last but not least, prohibition of junk food sale in school canteens can minimise the litter problem in the school vicinity too. Junk food is packaged and the schoolchildren tend to throw the packages indiscriminately. Litter is a bad habit as it not only causes hazard to the people nearby but also degrades the image of the citizens in the eyes of the outsiders (Smith 2005). Hence, by stopping junk food sale can assist in improving school hygiene.

In a nutshell, the sale of junk food should be forbidden in school canteens as its consumption affects the health of the schoolchildren and damages the environment. School News (2005) showed that canteen profits were directly proportional to the sale of junk food. Therefore, it is understandable that the sale can hardly be stamped out completely due to the high profits offered in a short span of time.

Final version of Text Production Essay

2010-04-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

Natural greenhouse effect supports life on Earth as greenhouse gases trap sunrays and reradiate them back to provide the planet warmth. Nonetheless, human activities have increased their concentration drastically, trapping more heat from sunrays and global warming ensued. Since Ice Age, global temperature has risen by 5°C whereby around 84% is contributed by recent decades. Scientists claim that higher temperature will alter world climate. Food for thought, traditional climate change warms up or cools down the whole planet while the modern one has similar but irregular effects. This makes the living on Earth struggled. Thus, the potential complications of global warming should be clarified and arrested immediately.

The potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change include the extinction of flora and fauna. It happens as climate change is capable of triggering glacial accumulation in some areas while reduction in elsewhere. It warms the Polar Regions faster too. According to Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), Arctic has lost approximately eight percent of its sea ice over the last three decades and will become denuded in summer by 2100. Its disappearance can jeopardize the polar creatures and migratory birds flying there for reproduction purpose. Coral reefs which serve as the base of ecosystems will be destroyed by increasing temperature of the oceans. The extinction of 30-40% of global species due to climate change has been foreshadowed.

More unprecedented and severe disasters can also be resulted from global warming. Climate change alters the rainfall of a region (Woodford 2006). More rainfall can be observed in the areas having wet weather and located high above the sea level. However, it is not the frequency that increases but the magnitude (Riebeek 2007). Furthermore, the frequency and severity of disasters such as El-Niño, storms and heat waves have also increased (Woodford 2006). This is evidenced by the reports conducted by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) over half of the past century whereby there were more frequent heat waves and intense rain. The reports also revealed that there were more cyclone and drought-stricken places since 1970s (Riebeek 2007).

Moreover, global warming can also affect the peoples’ welfares. Climate change induces erratic weather. When there is more rainfall in some places, there are longer-lasting droughts (Woodford 2006) assaulting other places. This scenario will further limit the source of nutrients. Global warming shifts the growing season too. Earlier spring forces migratory species to prey their food earlier. Meanwhile, shorter-lasting winter is unable to eradicate bugs from overrunning an ecosystem. Besides that, vectors can reach greater range of places due to climate change (Riebeek 2007) as more places become warmer. It is estimated that two third of the world population have the risk of being infected by malaria by next century.

To tackle the impacts of climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases should be reduced. Consumers should purchase energy-efficient appliances and request for more proportion of household electricity to be generated from renewable energy. Usage of self-transport should be reduced. While driving own vehicles, ‘drive with better fuel economy in mind’ (Woodford 2006). On the other hand, Nzone Tonight’s Climate Change – has it been cancelled? U-Tube video suggests the world to compromise with climate change and accept it like any other natural disasters as the former is also part of the nature. According to the video, the needy should be given assistance at the same time.

In conclusion, each individual has the obligation in arresting climate change caused by global warming as it is human contributing to the problem as stated in the film An Inconvenient Truth – a global warning (2007) directed by Davis Guggenheim. Based on the film, the warnings of the disaster must be acknowledged and given appropriate reactions. When the controversy regarding the seriousness of global warming is ongoing, the problem is worsening too. The Stern Report urges for instant investment in overcoming climate change as the longer it takes to defeat the problem, the higher the cost will be (Woodford 2006).

Text Production Essay #2

2010-03-31T10:20:00.001-07:00

Natural greenhouse effect supports life on Earth as greenhouse gases trap sunrays and reradiate them back to provide the planet warmth. Nonetheless, human activities have increased their concentration, trapping more heat from sunrays and global warming ensued. Since Ice Age, global temperature has risen by 5°C whereby around 84 percent is contributed by recent decades. Scientists claim that higher temperature will alter world climate. Food for thought, traditional climate change warms up or cools down the whole planet while the modern one has similar but irregular effects. This makes the living on Earth struggled. Thus, the potential complications of global warming should be clarified and arrested immediately.

The potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change include the extinction of flora and fauna. It happens as climate change is capable of triggering glacial accumulation in some areas while reduction in elsewhere. It warms the Polar Regions faster too. According to Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), Arctic has lost approximately 8 percent of its sea ice over the last three decades and will become denuded in summer by 2100. Its disappearance can jeopardize the polar creatures and migratory birds flying there for reproduction purpose. Coral reefs which serve as the base of ecosystems will be destroyed by increasing temperature of the oceans. The extinction of 30-40 percent of global species due to climate change has been foreshadowed.

More unprecedented and severe disasters can also be resulted from global warming. Climate change alters the rainfall of a region (Chris, 2006). More rainfall can be observed in the areas having wet weather and located high above the sea level. However, it is not the frequency that increases but the magnitude (Holli, 2007). Furthermore, the frequency and severity of disasters such as El-Niño, storms and heat waves have also increased (Chris, 2006). This is evidenced by the reports conducted by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) over half of the past century whereby there were more frequent heat waves and intense rain. The reports also revealed that there were more cyclone and drought-stricken places since 1970s (Holli, 2007).

Moreover, global warming can also affect the peoples’ welfares. Climate change induces erratic weather. When there is more rainfall in some places, there are longer-lasting droughts (Chris, 2006) assaulting other places. This scenario will further limit the source of nutrients. Global warming shifts the growing season too. Earlier spring forces migratory species to prey their food earlier. Meanwhile, shorter-lasting winter is unable to eradicate bugs from overrunning an ecosystem. Besides that, vectors can reach greater range of places due to climate change (Holli, 2007) as more places become warmer. It is estimated that two third of the world population have the risk of being infected by malaria by next century.

To tackle the impacts of climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases should be reduced. Consumers should purchase energy-efficient appliances and request for more proportion of household electricity to be generated from renewable energy. Usage of self-transport should be reduced. While driving own vehicles, ‘drive with better fuel economy in mind’ (Chris, 2006). On the other hand, Nzone Tonight’s Climate Change – has it been cancelled? U-Tube video suggests the world to compromise with climate change and accept it like any other natural disasters as the former is also part of the nature. According to the video, the needy should be given assistance at the same time.

In conclusion, each individual has the obligation in arresting climate change caused by global warming as it is human contributing to the problem as stated in the film An Inconvenient Truth – a global warning (2007) directed by Davis Guggenheim. Based on the film, the warnings of the disaster must be acknowledged and given appropriate reactions. When the controversy regarding the seriousness of global warming is ongoing, the problem is worsening too. The Stern Report urges for instant investment in overcoming climate change as the longer it takes to defeat the problem, the higher the cost will be (Chris, 2006).

Text Production Essay #1

2010-03-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Natural greenhouse effect supports life on Earth as greenhouse gases trap sun-rays and re-radiate them back to provide the planet warmth. Nonetheless, human activities have increased their concentration, trapping more heat from sun-rays and global warming ensued. Since Ice Age, global temperature has risen by 5°C whereby around 84 percent is contributed by recent decades. Scientists claim that higher temperature will alter world climate. Food for thought, traditional climate change warms up or cools down the whole planet while the modern one has similar but irregular effects. This makes the living on Earth struggled. Thus, the potential complications of global warming should be clarified and arrested.

The potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change include the extinction of flora and fauna. Climate change triggers glacial accumulation in some areas while reduction in elsewhere. It warms the Polar Regions faster too. According to Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), Arctic has lost approximately 8 percent of its sea ice over the last three decades and will become denuded in summer by 2100. Its disappearance can jeopardize the polar creatures and migratory birds which fly there for reproduction purpose. Coral reefs which serve as the base of ecosystems will be destroyed by increasing temperature of the oceans. The extinction of 30-40 percent of global species due to climate change has been foreshadowed.

More unprecedented and severe disasters can also be resulted from global warming. Climate change alters the rainfall of a region (Chris, 2006). More rainfall can be observed in the areas having wet weather and located high above the sea level. However, it is not the frequency that increases but the magnitude (Holli, 2007). Furthermore, the frequency and severity of disasters such as El-Niño, storms and heat waves have also increased (Chris, 2006). This is evidenced by the reports conducted by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) over half of the past century (Holli, 2007).

Besides that, global warming can also affect the welfare of the people. Climate change induces unpredictable and exceptional weather. When there is more rainfall in some places, there are longer-lasting droughts (Chris, 2006) assaulting other places. This scenario will further limit the source of nutrients. Global warming shifts the growing season too. Earlier spring forces migratory species to prey their food earlier. Meanwhile, shorter-lasting winter is unable to destroy bugs which can overrun an ecosystem. Besides that, vectors can reach greater range of places due to climate change (Holli, 2007) as more places have their temperatures increased.

To tackle the impacts of climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases should be reduced. Consumers should purchase energy-efficient appliances and request for more proportion of household electricity to be generated from renewable energy. Usage of self-transport should be reduced. While driving own vehicles, ‘drive with better fuel economy in mind’ (Chris, 2006). On the other hand, Nzone Tonight’s Climate Change – has it been cancelled? U-Tube video suggests the world to compromise with climate change and accept it like any other natural disasters as the former is also part of the nature. According to the video, the needy should be given assistance at the same time.

In conclusion, each of us has the obligation in arresting climate change caused by global warming as we have contributed to the problem as stated in the film An Inconvenient Truth – a global warning (2007) directed by Davis Guggenheim. Based on the film, the warnings of the disaster must be acknowledged and given appropriate reactions. When the controversy regarding the seriousness of global warming is ongoing, the problem is worsening too. The Stern Report urges for instant investment in overcoming climate change as the longer it takes to defeat the problem, the higher the cost will be (Chris, 2006).

Schools leaving students at the mercy of psychological bullying

2010-02-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

Schools leaving students at the mercy of psychological bullying

Article from:
Tanya Chilcott
February 23, 2010 12:00am

QUEENSLAND schools are failing to properly deal with the two worst kinds of bullying and often don't even check how their existing anti-bullying measures are working, the Government's own expert has warned.

Current approaches to tackling bullying inside the education system are unlikely to stem the growing menace of cyber-bullying. They also are unlikely to curb the effects of children deliberately excluding others.

The stark warnings are contained in a highly anticipated report by Professor Ken Rigby, commissioned last year by the State Government.

The report says cyber-bullying and social exclusion are "now seen as the most damaging of all to the mental health of targeted children".

After a review of the state's schools, Prof Rigby has concluded they are failing to follow up on how well their existing anti-bullying measures are working.

"This needs to be remedied before schools can discover, with confidence, what works at their school," his report said.

Prof Rigby also warned the Government that it needed to continually provide the best new advice to its education department.

He recommended every school be made to report annually on its anti-bullying tactics and then be encouraged to note them on their website.

One in three children are bullied in class almost daily, according to research released by Education Queensland last year.

The Rigby report, Enhancing Responses to Bullying in Queensland Schools, highlights a lack of education in schools about the range of anti-bullying measures available.

It wasn't all bad, however, with Prof Rigby saying he was "much impressed" during his visits to state schools on their "dedication and sheer inventiveness on what was being done to address bullying".

"I have worked with schools in every state in Australia, and it is not my impression that Queensland schools are less dedicated or less effective in dealing with bullying than any other state or territory," he said.

"However, I do believe that a good deal of useful advice and guidance can and should be provided by the Department of Education and Training and by other educational jurisdictions."
Prof Rigby acknowledged he only visited a small sample of schools, with only staff and stakeholders – not parents or students – interviewed.

Education Minister Geoff Wilson said he would "carefully consider" the recommendations.
Mr Wilson said the report was an important step in his commitment to dealing with bullying and behaviour in Queensland schools.

The report will be released today.

adapted from:http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26761013-952,00.html

Summary

The two worst ways of bullying in Queensland schools are cyber-bullying and social exclusion which can adversely affect the victims’ mentality. However, they are unable to tackle the problem completely. A review has been done and it shows that they have neglected the effectiveness of current anti-bullying measures. Prof Rigby suggested the schools to share their tactics in overcoming the problem and also disclose them in the internet. He also mentioned that the Department of Education and Training has the obligation to provide advice and guidance to solve the problem.

Critique

The article highlights the issue of bullying in the state by disclosing a statistics released by Education Queensland last year. It is found that a child has one third probability to be bullied almost every day. This indicates the seriousness of the problem. However, it seems like Prof Rigby only emphasized on the responsibilities of the Government and school authorities in the effort of tackling the issue. I disagree that the parties mentioned to carry the full burden. Parents should involve actively in the anti-bullying measures as well to enhance their effectiveness.

Research

2010-01-26T04:11:00.000-08:00

Topic: Alternative Energy
Research Question: Are biofuels an ideal alternative energy?

Interest in this area of research:
Heavy investment in the development of alternative energy ensued as fuel crisis hit the globe in recent years. Among the alternatives, biofuels are the only fuel available worldwide consistently. When people treat them as the solution of global warming, the drawbacks of biofuels are unearthed. However, their advantages cannot be ignored. In the dilemma, development of technology for this fuel is still ongoing. By doing the research, I wish to discuss the capability of biofuels as an ideal alternative energy. It is urgent to ensure that there will be no wastage of energy, time and investment.

Specific aspects:

Definition of biofuels
Reasons of developing biofuels and their current usage
What are the sources of biofuels and how to process them?
Why are biofuels an ideal alternative energy?
Why are biofuels not an ideal alternative energy?
What are the barriers encountered with the application of biofuels?

update blog

2010-01-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

update blog...:)

Okay, it's now 12.47am. So..it's yesterday morning...
The whole class was asked to update his or her blog...oh well, now I'm feeling to do it :p
So...okay, I've thought of something to write of.

First, life is unpredictable. We'll never know what's going to happen next moment. Yesterday is pass, future is uncertain, but today is present. We should cherish whatever we're having at the present: friends, families, relatives, so on and so forth...we might lose them any moment.
We'll never know when it is...

Second, okay, this one is just for fun, but it's truth...dont get shocked when see this...
I SAW A COCKROACH IN BLOCK A LEVEL 3 toilet bowl for the first time...(well, last time was in the bathroom...)

Lastly, we're emotional, especially when we're alone. By the way, I realise that most of my friends express their true feelings and thoughts more often in the social networking like Facebook and Windows Live Messenger...Well, I've to admit that I do that also...it's just very difficult to tell them verbally...facing each other. More often than not, I'll get teased and other unfavourable reply...zzzzz~~

Oh ya, my friend told me something WLM, I thought what's that? Oh well, WLM stands for Windows Live Messenger...then I argued with that fellow: Why not the more commonly known MSN?
I got the reply: Oh well, WLM is for new generation like me; MSN is for old generation like you.

(The fact is that fellow is older than me....)

Oh, so, no MSN but WLM? ahahhaha~~

Australia

2009-08-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

One of the characters that I would like to talk about in the movie ‘Australia’ is King George. He was the indigenous people on the land called Australia. He had a grandchild whose name was Nullah. His physical appearance resembled the dark people. Yes, he was dark and wore like any other people isolated from the society for generations, living in the forests. He had curly hair and thick beard. He was half-naked too. There was always a spear clung by him, everywhere he went.
He believed in the existence of spirits in every creature, just like his ancestors did. Thus, he was equipped with different kinds of songs and spells created by his ancestors in order to survive in the forests. Later on, he passed these down to Nullah, a half cast.
Initially, King George was accused of murdering Lady Ashley’s husband for he was an Aborigini witch doctor. However, the latter was killed by the glass-tipped spear, not the one possessed by King George. Since there was no alibi to prove his innocence, he was later brought to the court. Nonetheless, he managed to free himself out when the Japanese bombed the prison.
King George was uneducated but he was better off than some of the English men. For instance, father of Nullah, Neil Fletcher was cruel towards his own family. After the death of Nullah’s mother, Neil Fletcher did not heed the welfare of the child. On the other hand, King George was willing to take the obligation to take care of the child. He even asked his grandchild to live together with him in the wild. Moreover, King George could only converse in native language. He could be considered as the first teacher encountered by Nullah, teaching him different spells and songs to mingle with the nature and also catch fish. Through this, he was a responsible grandfather, better off than the irresponsible father of Nullah. All in all, King George was lack of the knowledge of civilization, but he still withheld the values what a human should withhold.
King George played a paramount role in ‘Australia’. Without him, either Nullah or the Drover would be killed by his biological father, Neil Fletcher during the invasion of Japanese. It was in the nick of time when he managed to fling his spear and hit on the target precisely. Consequently, the bullet fired from Fletcher’s gun did not penetrate through any part of Nullah’s body. This scene revealed the unconditional love of a grandfather towards his grandchild.

Movie Review (sorry, no image available)

2009-08-18T05:02:00.001-07:00

‘Coach Carter’ is a movie released in 2005, directed by Thomas Carter. It was a two-hour long movie, sharing about the struggles of a basketball coach in the particular sport.

Ken Carter was employed as a new basketball coach in Richmond High with high salary. However, his life as a basketball coach was very tough by virtue of the deviant and misbehaved basketball players of the school. Before starting the basketball training, he signed a contract with the players. Initially, the rules in the contract were unachievable and unacceptable by everyone. Ignoring the vehement protestation from both players and parents, he continued with his plan. To everyone’s astonishment, Richmond basketball team revived under his leading, gaining streak wins in the area. However, things did not end here when the players failed to achieve the minimal academic performance as stated in the contact. As a result, the gym was closed and they were forced to study in the library. Chaos ensued as they were not allowed to play on the basketball court until Coach Ken Carter was sacked, or more appropriately, quit on his own. The gym was unlocked but the players had done something unexpected that made Coach Ken Carter return to Richmond. Finally, they managed to get themselves into the state level basketball match.

The characters in the movie include Coach Ken Carter, the coach, players:Damien Carter, Cruz, Kenyon, Junior, Worm and Lyle, Kyra and Principal Garrison.

There were several noticeable characters in the movie ‘Coach Carter’. First of all, Coach Ken Carter, who was the protagonist in the movie. He was a student in Richmond High thirty years ago, playing basketball. He realised the importance and urgency of education in order to survive in the society and to avoid being sent to prison due to the involvement in criminals. He wanted to emphasise on both academic and extra curricular performances of the players. Hence, he included the minimal academic performance and no loss during matches in the contract between the basketball players and himself. He even asked for academic reports of the players from the school authorities. He hoped that his team players, whose failure of having tertiary education was guaranteed by the principal and citizens, managed to enter colleges. Things turned out to be disappointing when almost the whole team players failed in their exams, skipped classes and did not sit in front row of the class. By locking up the gym, calling off every competition, and asking the players to come to the library to brush up their studies, he hoped that they could settle down to study hard to achieve the minimal academic performance. He cared about the players more than anything. Besides that, he did not reject the request of Junior to reenter the basketball team after the latter left the team. Junior could not understand and withstand the request of Coach Ken Carter to strive in academic performance even after they had won in so many games. Same thing happened to Cruz after he left the team for the second time. However, he was reaccepted into Richmond for Couch Ken Carter knew that Cruz had changed entirely and he accepted the new man.

Cruz was an aggressive antagonist in the movie. At first, he was asked to leave the gym due to profusely-spoken vulgar language. When not playing basketball, he got himself involved in drug selling. However, he was a man who could not live without basketball. He tried to rejoin Richmond but was troubled by Coach Ken Carter. He had to complete a tough task in limited time before he was readmitted into the team. He was willing to follow the instructions even though he knew that it was an impossible task. Fortunately, he managed to get back to the team when the other players gave him a hand. The virtue of cooperation and team spirit was inculcated simultaneously in each of the team player. Nonetheless, Cruz was a man of no commitment. Due to the stress to achieve the minimal academic performance and the banning from playing ball because of the locked gym, he left the team again, indulging in drug selling. After the death of Renny which was shot by the syndicate, he decided not to have any contact with them. He went to find Coach Ken Carter desperately, wanting to play basketball.

The climax of this movie will be the period between the discovering of the locked gym and the order to unlock the gym. After Coach Ken Carter received the academic reports of his players, he was in despair and decided to put aside the basketball trainings. Instead, he started to find ways out to help them in academic performance. His good intention could hardly be understood by anyone, except his wife. He locked up the gym and asked the players to go to library. In addition, he managed to get the respective subject teachers to assist them in their academic progress. Sadly, the players still did not realise the importance of having higher education so that they can improve their lives. Cruz felt unworthy and left the team again. However, there was a slight change in the opinion of the boys when Coach Ken Carter revealed the actual statistics of Richmond High students entering college hit the bottom line, the unbelievable large percent of teenagers who failed to enter college and indulged themselves in social ills, leading them to the life staying in jail. They were willing to give it a try. For the days without training and games, the people in the district protested. Mass media was even called to interview Coach Ken Carter on the issue of banning the players from playing ball. The crowd hoped to see the boys play ball on the court, ignoring the academic performance of the boys. Coach Ken Carter reiterated that the boys were bound to the rules of the contract. Even Principal Garrison felt that it was not his onus to bother about the academic performance of the boys. Subsequently, the issue was brought to the court. At the court, Coach Ken Carter stood firmly on his stand, which was achieving the minimal academic performance before unlocking the gym and allowing them to compete. He tried his very best to convince the attendants about the importance of education, not only to the boys. However, his endeavour was in vain. People voted him to be sacked. In great grief, Coach Ken Carter quitted. Out of his expectation, the boys moved the tables and chairs and studied in the gym, accompanied by the respective subject teachers. “…They can’t make us play.” These were the words from the boys. Finally, they also realised the significance of education in order to improve not only their lives, but also their families. Here, there was a shift of the perception of the boys towards education, from indifference to enthusiasms.

There was a list of social issues displayed in “Coach Carter”. First and foremost, it was the issue of teenage pregnancy. Kyra, girl friend of Kenyon was pregnant before marriage. She thought she could rise up the child, just like her sister. However, Kenyon saw the hidden obstacles. Both of them had to quit schooling at tender age and start working in order to earn a living. In the end, Kyra aborted the child, for she did not want to burden Kenyon. Lesson that I learnt was, intercourse before marriage is a no-no.

Besides that, illegal trading was also shown in the movie. Cruz involved in drug selling. This was speculated as a way of living in the crooked society. Nevertheless, it would lead to the loss of someone we loved, just like Cruz who lost Renny. Another issue will be the negligence of education. People in Richmond wanted the boys to play basketball instead of striving for their academic results. They neglected the education of the boys, for their own sake. Education was the only way to improve one’s standard of living and also to survive without being sent to jail. Furthermore, Principal Garrison and the crowd were giving up the boys. They did not even give a try to help the boys so that they could grow to be a better man in the future. For them, it was the boys’ destine to fail in the exams. Moreover, the society in the movie was not well-disciplined. The conversation among the boys was always bombarded with foul language, particularly “shit” and “nigger”. Last but not least, people became arrogant and proud when they faced no failures. For instance, the boys thought that they were the one who won in the games incessantly for Coach Ken Carter. They insisted that they were the one running and jumping on the court, not their coach. However, they never reflected that before they had Coach Ken Carter, they were nobody. It was the coach who trained them to become so skillful. Likewise, people in Richmond thought the coach did not have the rights to stop the boys from playing ball. They could even ask Coach Ken Carter to resign so that the boys could play the ball! They should have realised that without Coach Ken Carter, there were no such boys in Richmond. Thus, people should also be taught to appreciate and remember the good deeds of the others. As for the players, “Once the coach, forever the coach”.

I have learnt several values from the characters in the movie. First of all, I learn values from Coach Ken Carter. He was a never-say-die middle-aged man. Although the academic performance of the boys hit the bottom line, he still attempted to help them to pass their exams. When everyone gave up the boys, he picked up the obligation to rescue the boys from the spell of being low-educated. He was caring too. Coach was a career to give appropriate trainings to the players. However, he did more than that. He cared about the academic performance and the lives of his players. All of us should be likewise, to be caring towards the people around us, their needs and pleas. As from Richmond team, I saw the burning team spirit. Each of them was willing to pass the ball to each other in order to score and win the games. After all, basketball is not a one-man show.

In a nutshell, “Coach Carter” is a strongly recommendable movie. The language used was simple and the scenes were well-directed. By watching the movie, one will be exposed to the sophisticating basketball skills.

will this miracle replay?LOLz

2009-07-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

well, this was the first time when we din hav the Q & A sessions for SOFA...oh yea!
cheers!~~~
hope tat this will happen every time aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~

SOFA

2009-07-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, SOFA is the abbreviation of software applications...
it is not as cosy and comfortable like the one we have in our living room a...
it's STRESSFUL!!!!!
it can crack your head!!!!==

First blogging day

2009-07-27T01:37:00.001-07:00

I've just created my gmail account!
Blogging ensued...wakakaka
This is my first blog, nothing much to share...
:D