Diet

Since the last post was on sports, I shall now write on a healthy diets as it is equally important in healthy lifestyles.

There are a few important food you need to have in your diet.

They include:

Fruits (bananas, tomatoes, grapes, etc)

image from drpbody.com

Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, etc)

image from drpbody.com

Water

image from auburn.edu

We should have at least 2-9 servings of fruits and 2-9 servings of vegetables a day. (5 being average)

Here are several examples of one serving.

-One banana

-6 strawberries

-2 plums

-15 grapes

-1 apple

-1 peach

-one half cup of fruit juice

-five broccoli florets

-ten baby carrots

-one roma tomato

-3/4 cup of tomato juice

-half a baked sweet potato

-one ear of corn

-four slices of onion

Sourced from : nutrition.about.com/od/fruitsandvegetables/f/servingfruit.htm

Now you know how to manage your diet with fruits and vegetables!

Vegetables contains calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K.

Fruits contain fiber, vitamins C and antioxidants.

However, do not neglect carbohydrates, protein, calcium, etc.

Proteins are usually meat such as beef, pork, chicken.

Examples are steaks, ham, pork chops, chicken breast, drumsticks, chicken thighs, chicken wings, bacon and other forms of meat.

image from befit.net.au

Carbohydrates are usually sugary foods.

Examples are bread, etc.

image from elev8.com

Calcium is used for building bones.

Milk has a high concentration of calcium, so we should drink it more often.

image from fishoilomega.com

Here are some food pyramids for easier understanding.

image from marksdailyapple.com
image from krithigab.com

Generally, the idea is that you need to have more carbohydrates, followed by fruits and veggies, then calcium and protein lastly by dessert and sugary foods.

Now you get the idea on how to construct your healthy diet. Remember to go in accordance with your body. Eat more carbohydrates and fruits, lead your own healthy lifestyle!

Sports

Since this is the middle of the YOG, specifically day 6, I shall write about some of its 26 sports.

As you all know, sports in an important part in our life as we have to balance working out and studying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is also a form of relaxation, thus, I shall be writing about some sports.

First, Badminton.

-It is a racquet sport, played by 2 opposing sides

-It's game type can be a single game (1 opponent on each side) or doubles (2 opponents on each side)

-The projectile used here is the shuttlecock. (see image, image from wikipedia.com/Badminton)

-It has a conical shape, formed by 16 feathers attached to a rounded cork base.

-The racquets used here are light, have a thin shaft and has a oval-like shape head with strings pulled across. (image from wikipedia.com/Badminton)

-Different racquets and string tensions appeal to different people.

Rules:

-Basically, to win a game, a competitor needs to score 21 points before his opponent does.

-To win the match, the player needs to win 2 sets of games, thus the total games that can be played is 3.

-To win a point, a competitor needs to hit the shuttle such that it touches the ground of the opponent's designated play area.

-A typical court looks like this:

-If the shuttle flys out of one side, you lose a point as it is 'out'

-Certain smaller rectangles are considered out of bounds in certain types of play, hence, you lose a point if you hit a shuttle there if it is O.B

Strokes/shots:

-Different kinds of shots include:
-Back Hand, Fore Hand, Lob, Smash, Net, etc.

Badminton is a vigorous sport that is taxing to your body. Hence, if you play it, much calories can be burnt. You might get quite tired after a game as you need to run around the court and jump to take shots, etc. Thus, badminton allows us to lead a healthy life style.

2nd Sport - Basketball

-It is a team sport, traditionally consisting of 5 players on each of the two sides (5-on-5).

-Different kinds of game-play have been invented such as 2on2, 3on3, slam dunk competition, 3pointer competition, etc.

-Basically, the aim of the game is to get the basketball,

(wisconsinsportsacademy.com)

into the hoop,

(indyalleycats.com)

- A typical court looks like this :

(basketballgoals.com)

-You can score one point, two point or three points maximum per hoop, depending on where and what kind of shot you take.

One-pointers would be a free throw, where you opponent causes a foul or certain circumstances that might disadvantage your team.

Two-pointers would be shots taken from inside the three-pointer line, which is the big semicircle, one on each side of the court.

Three-pointers are shots taken outside the three-point line.

*You must shoot at the hoop where your opponent's side is.

Slam dunks and lay ups are shots that are taken close to the hoop, mostly guaranteeing the team to score the 2 points.

Time allocation:

Traditionally, 4 periods with times ranging of 10minutes(FIBA) or 12 minutes(NBA) . Other clubs have their own sets of rules to follow.

Fouls are committed if a player walks with the ball or causes hurt intentionally or not, emotionally or physically to another player.

Since Basketball is a team sport, it might not be as taxing as badminton, however, it can still enable us to lead a healthy lifestyle as it is an exercise. It can be also very fun to throw the ball into the hoop.

Lastly, swimming.

-Competitions are usually held in Olympic pools (length of 50m)

-Triathlon athletes swim in the open ocean

There are different kinds of swimming styles, including butterfly, breaststroke, freestyle or backstroke.

At the end of the 50m, the swimmers can do turns such as open, tumble or backwards flip turn.

To conclude, SPORTS are a very important part of our lives. In order for us to lead a healthy lifestyle, we need not just plainly exercise, but we can play sports as it is fun yet taxing to our body. Hence, if we are studying for long periods of time, we can play some sports to relax ourselves.

War Poetry

Hello.

Since we studied war poetry, I would be writing on some weapons of war.

First, Assault rifles.

Quite common in Singapore, the M16A1 rifle, which was previously the standard Singapore Armed Forces weapon.

It has a 5.56mm caliber round. It weighs 3.5kg unloaded and 4kg loaded. It's length is around 0.999m.
It was used by the United States of America during the Vietnam War, replacing the M14.

Locally, it is the rifle used for NCC Part B's IMT trainfire.

Credits go to wikipedia.com /wiki/M16_rifle

For the next rifle, the SAR21

It is the rifle that originates from Singapore.

It is now used as the standard military rifle for Singapore.

It weighs around 3.82 kg, also utilizing 5.56mm caliber rounds. There are several types of SAR rifles, they include SAR 21 Light Machine Gun, Sharpshooter, Grenade Launcher, P-rail, Modular Mounting System and Light Weight Carbine. Each has its own specific use.

It is quite a low-maintenance equipment.

Credits go to wikipedia.org/wiki/SAR_21

Lastly, the AK-47 assault rifle.

It uses 7.62mm caliber rounds, 4.3kg with loaded empty magazine.

It originates from the Soviet Union.

It is quite widely used.

credits : wikipedia.org/wiki/AK_47

What I have learnt from the research is that weapons of war are used during war, to kill people. The different and improved variations of weapons are built to improve the efficiency of killing enemies. Hence, we should avoid war, and it is best not to get hold of a weapon as it would mean a bad thing, for example war might be coming or has arrived.

E-Learning May 26, 2010

Poem I have Chosen:

Difficulty Rating: **
Rainbow Death by Hubert Wilson

America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread!
Nefariously America was led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!

Task 1.

Based on your understanding of the selected poem, perform extensive web research and write a report detailing the conflict represented in the poem(s) of your choice. Bear in mind that this piece of background information will allow your blog audience to further understand the poem as well as your analysis of the poem in Task 2.

Be sure to include your references and credit your sources.

Report:

The conflict represented here is that the poet criticizes the American government that they did not bother about the next generations of people. This small poem speaks of a modern day ingredient of warfare that has caused appalling death and suffering – not only to its intended victims, the Vietnamese people, but also the service personnel that used or even just came into contact with “Agent Orange”.

Agent Orange is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant—contaminated with TCDD—used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War.4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities, and 500,000 children born with birth defects. Hence, this explains "Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead." and "Generations untold WILL pay -", "Execrable effects of agent orange spray!"

Hence, the Agent Orange conflict suggest that the poet is referring to war as Agent Orange, and criticizing the government at the same times, hence we can see that he is telling every one the harsh realities of war, and the harsh effects war equipments have.

Sources:http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#Rainbow

Task 2
Complete the template provided in Annex A, focusing on (1) Point of View; (2) Situation and Setting; (3) Language/Diction; and (4) Personal Response, and post your response to Task 2 on your blog. This template is based on John Lye’s ‘Critical Analysis of Poetry’, and you can make reference to this in Annex B when in doubt.

(1) Point of View

This is the point of view of the poet, Hubert Wilson. His meaning intended when writing this poem is to critize the American government for their lack of concern for the following generations as the use of Agent Orange creates many disadvantages to the victims of it. For example, from the second stanza, we can see that the victims of Agent Orange had lots of illness, and they were prematurely dead. Their off springs had a lot of birth defects.

Toll on the innocent and unborn can refer to the innocent victims who had nothing to do with the war were affected, and their innocent yet to be babies which were not born yet also were affected.

(2)Situation and Setting

The setting is in the Vietnam War, as America used a lot of Agent Oranges during the Vietnam war. The situation is that many people who are innocent are getting affected by the use of toxins, etc. The setting may also refer to families whose members have died due to the war as the poem says that the government disregards who were mourning. This poem's situation can also be linked with the bombings in Hiroshima, Nagasaki during World War 2 as the effects of the nuclear bomb affected generations and generations of people in that area.

(3)Language/Diction

There are many descriptions used in this poem. For example "Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!" Refers to different kinds of poisons mixed together and causing many people to die, explaining "death" here. "Expecting others to pay a high price" suggest that those who were victims of the toxics had to suffer for the rest of their lives and live with their illnesses of defects. "Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn" refers to the American government being all mighty and do not care about those people who died in the war, much less their family who are mourning for them. "All the deceit continues to spread" may refer to the government still lying that war is good as you can die for your country, etc. Lastly "generations untold will pay" refers to those poor future generations who are not even born yet having to suffer by the effects of the Agent Orange poison.

(4)Personal Response

I chose this poem as I empathize with those victims of Agent Orange as there were innocent, yet they had to suffer the evil ways of the American government. This poem is also very interesting as it describes the happenings and effects of use of toxins during war. After reading this poem, I felt that war is very, very ruthless as it makes innocent people suffer just because of the interests of one country's government hence, we should prevent war from happening.

In conclusion, this poem relays the drastic effects of war time equipments, and we should prevent future generations from suffering by preventing war.

Colours

Colours are... fascinating! Without colours, we might only be able to view everything in black or white. Thus, I am going to research mainly on the colours of the rainbow.

Firstly, RED.
Examples o things that are red:
- Blood
- Red Apple
- Red Ribbon

Why red?
Red is said to catch people's attention. Thus, many warning signs use red so that it catches driver's attention and ensures that the driver reads the warning.
It stands for affection or love, boldness and enthusiasm.

Secondly, ORANGE.
Examples of things that are orange:
- Orange (Fruit)
- Pumpkins

Why orange?
Similar to red, due to its brightness, orange is used in the construction industry on road signs and safety jackets to warn passers-by of the pending dangers ahead.

Thirdly, YELLOW.
Examples of things that are yellow:
- Sunflowers

Why yellow?
Yellow is very bright and glaring, thus it also catches the attention of people. However, overexposure to yellow might injure the eyes.
It can be used to describe cowardly.

Fourthly, GREEN.
Examples of things that are green:
- Leaves

Why green?
Green is said to be peaceful to the eyes. Looking at green may relax the eyes.
It is the symbolic colour of environmentalism. It represents youth too.

Fifth, BLUE.
Examples of things that are blue:
- Blueberries

Why blue?
Blue is commonly used to describe the sky, (e.g.blue sky).
It is also calming.

Sixth, PURPLE.
Examples of purple things:
- Orchid

Why purple?
Purple is said to be a colour of royalty.

That's all on the brief introduction to the colours of the rainbow.

Day 1 of Sabbaticals

Today was the Day 1 of Sabbaticals.

I feel that it was a memorable day as I was introduced to... Debating!

I feel that we, as students from Hwa Chong, are privileged as we have interesting and fun programmes such as the Hwa Chong Sabbaticals. From this programme, we can get introduced to things we like, such as sports, or subjects of interest. We can also further understand and revise things that we know already through this sabbatical program.

Sabbaticals, from my point of view, is a useful program as we can take up new challenges and improve or learn more skills.

Thus, I hope that we can have more such events.

In conclusion, the sabbatical's first day was a memorable one and I hope to enjoy it for the next few days.

Thank you
2P210 Yi Jie

Whales - Research on them

The reason why I am researching on these is that I feel that I would like to know more about sea animals. Thus, a the whale species would be a good example. I also feel that I should be more educated about whales so that I can learnt how to protect its species as it is endangered. After all, knowing about an animal species is also general knowledge, thus, being knowledgeable in such things would benefit me in the future such as looking for jobs, etc.
What are Whales?
The term whale is a common name the common name for any large marine mammal which have forelimbs modified as fins, a tail with horizontal flukes and nasal openings on top of the head. The term whale is used to refer to the members of the Delphinoidea superfamily, such as dolphins and porpoises. These smaller species belong to the sub-family toothed whales, which also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale and beluga whale The sub-family baleen whales, are filter feeders that feed on small organisms caught by straining seawater (e.g. plankton) through a comblike structure found in the mouth called baleen. This sub contains four sub-families and fourteen species including the blue whale, humpback whale, bowhead whale and minke whale.

Body parts...
Some of the whale's body parts include:
1. Blowhole - Like all mammals, whales breathe air, regulate their body temperature, warm-blooded, nurse their young with milk from mammary glands, and have some hair. Thus, the blowhole exist to allow the whales to breathe. Baleen whales have two blow holes and toothed whales have only one. The blow holes are located on top of the whales heads, allowing it to remain mostly submerged whilst breathing.
2.Teeth - Toothed whales, such as the sperm whale, possess teeth with cementum cells overlying dentine cells. Unlike human teeth, which are composed mostly of enamel on the portion of the tooth outside of the gum, whale teeth have cementum outside the gum. Only in larger whales, where the cementum has been worn away on the tip of the tooth, does enamel show.
3.Blubber - Beneath the skin lies a layer of fat called blubber, which stores energy and insulates the body.
4.Bones - Whales have a spinal column, a vestigial pelvic bone.
5. Heart - A four-chambered heart.
6.Neck - The neck vertebrae is typically fused, trading flexibility for stability during swimming.

Behaviour and reproduction...
We refer male whales as bulls, females whales as cows and newborn whales as calves. Many whales also exhibit other surfacing behaviour such as breaching and tail slapping.

Unlike most animals, whales are conscious breathers. All mammals sleep, but whales cannot afford to become unconscious for long because they may drown. It is thought that only one part of the whale's brain sleeps at a time, so they rest but are never completely asleep.

Some species, such as the humpback whale, communicate using melodic sounds, known as whale song. These sounds can be extremely loud, depending on the species. Sperm whales have only been heard making clicks, because toothed whales use echoes and can be heard for many miles. They can generate about 20,000 watts of sound at 163 decibels.

Male genitals retract into body during swimming, reducing drag and preventing injury.

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Most species do not maintain fixed partnerships and females have several mates each season.

The female delivers a single calf tail-first to minimize the risk of drowning. Whale cows nurse by actively squirting milk, so fatty that it has the consistency of toothpaste, into the mouths of their young. Nursing continues for more than a year in many species, and is associated with a strong bond between mother and calf. Reproductive maturity occurs typically at seven to ten years. This type of reproductionproduces few offspring, but increase survival probability.

Whales are known to teach, learn, cooperate, scheme, and even grieve.

Habitat! Endangered!
Whales inhabit all the world's oceans and number in the millions, with population growth rate estimates for various assessed species ranging from 3% to 13%. For centuries, whales have been hunted for meat and as a source of raw materials. By the middle of the 20th century, however, industrial whaling had left many species seriously endangered, leading to the end of whaling in all but a few countries.

Zoom in!
Lets zoom in at the killer whale species. This is because I think that it is a very interesting species because of its features such as its 'white eye patches' as shown from the picture at the very top. In spite of the fact that there is a picture of a killer whale on the top, I am providing
one more for convenience:
Here you see two whales jumping above the surface of the ocean.

About it...
Killer whales are the largest species of the dolphin family. They are found in all of the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas. Killer whales as a species have a diverse diet, although populations often specialize in particular types of prey. Some feed exclusively on fish, particularly salmon, while other populations hunt marine animals such as sea lions, walruses and seals. Some feed even on even large whales. Killer whales have no natural predators.

Killer whales are distinctively marked with a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. Calves are born with a yellowish or orange tint, which fades to white. Killer whales have a heavy and robust body. They also have a large dorsal fin up to 2 metres tall. Behind the fin, they have a dark grey "saddle patch" across the back.
Antarctic killer whales may have pale grey to nearly white backs. Males typically range from 6–8 metres ( long and weigh in excess of 6 tonnes (6,000 kilograms). Females are smaller, generally ranging from 5–7 metres and weighing about 3 to 4 tonnes (3,000 - 4,000 kilograms). The largest male killer whale on record was 9.8 meters (32 ft), weighing over 10 tonnes (10,000 kilograms) while the largest female was 8.5 meters (28 ft), weighing 7.5 tonnes (7,500 kilograms). Calves at birth weigh about 180 kilograms and are about 2.4 meters (8 ft) long. The killer whale's large size and strength make it among the fastest marine mammals, able to reach speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h).

Types of Killer whales
Generally, there are three different types of killer whales, mainly:
1. Resident: These are the most commonly sighted of the three populations in the coastal waters of the northeast Pacific. Residents' diet consists primarily of fish and sometimes squid, and they live in complex and cohesive family groups. Female residents characteristically have a rounded dorsal fin tip that terminates in a sharp corner. They are known to visit the same areas consistently. Researchers have identified and named over 300 killer whales over the past 30 years.

2.Transient: The diet of these whales consists almost exclusively of marine animals, however, they do not eat fish. Transients in southern Alaska generally travel in small groups, usually of two to six animals. Unlike residents, transients may not always stay together as a family unit. Pods consist of smaller groups with less persistent family bonds. Transients vocalize in less variable and less complex dialects. Female transients are characterized by more triangular and pointed dorsal fins than those of residents. The gray or white area around the dorsal fin, known as the "saddle patch," often contains some black coloring in residents. However, the saddle patches of transients are solid and uniformly gray.

3.Offshore: A third population of killer whales in the northeast Pacific was discovered in 1988 when humpback whale researcher Jim Darling signaled to killer whale researchers Michael Bigg and Graeme Ellis that he saw some in open water. As suggested by their name, they travel far from shore and are believed to feed primarily on schooling fish. However, because of the large presence of scarred and nicked dorsal fins resembling that of the mammal-hunting transients, the possibility that they eat mammals and sharks cannot be dismissed. They have been seen traveling in groups of up to 60. Currently, little is known about their habits, but they can be distinguished genetically from residents and transients. Offshores appear to be shorter and females are characterized by dorsal fin tips that are continuously rounded.

White!?!?!
White killer whales occur sporadically among normal whales, but are rare.

Intelligence
Killer whales have the second-largest brains of all marine mammals. They are easily trained in captivity and are often described as intelligent animals.

"Killer" whale?
Killer whales were historically feared as dangerous, savage predators.
However, there have been very few confirmed attacks on humans by wild killer whales, none of which has been fatal.
Competition with fishermen also led to killer whales being regarded as pests.

The largest animal known to have existed...
The blue whale is the largest animal known to have existed. Its average length is 35 metres and average weight is 150,000 kilograms, compared to pygmy species's such as the pygmy sperm whale, which is around 3.5 metres in length.

Lastly, I would like to research more about the blue whale as it is, after all, the biggest animal found on the Earth.

Blue Whales
Here is a brief introduction to the blue whale:

The blue whales belong to the baleen whales family.

The blue whale's body is long and slender, and can be various shades of bluish-grey dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath. There are at least three distinct subspecies. As with other baleen whales, its diet consists almost exclusively of small krill.

Blue whales were abundant in nearly all the oceans until the beginning of the twentieth century. For over 40 years, they were hunted almost to extinction by whalers until protected by the international community in 1966. Before whaling, the largest population was in the Antarctic, numbering approximately 239,000 (range 202,000 to 311,000).

The blue whale has a long tapering body that appears stretched in comparison with the stockier build of other whales.

They have small dorsal fins, visible only briefly during the dive sequence. Located around three-quarters of the way along the length of the body, it varies in shape from one individual to another; some only have a barely perceptible lump, but others may have prominent and falcate dorsals. When surfacing to breathe, the blue whale raises its shoulder and blowhole out of the water to a greater extent than other large whales such as the fin.

Their flippers are 3–4 metres long. The upper sides are grey with a thin white border. The lower sides are white. The head and tail fluke are generally uniformly grey. The whale's upper parts, and sometimes the flippers, are usually mottled. The degree of mottling varies substantially from individual to individual.

Blue whales can reach speeds of 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph) over short bursts, usually when interacting with other whales, but 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph) is a more typical traveling speed. When feeding, they slow down to 5 kilometres per hour (3.1 mph).

I have reached the end of my research.

To sum up, the video bar on the right side may contain videos on whales, thus you can watch them by clicking the icons!

Hope you have enjoyed!!!

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