hello.

just reviving the blog.

wish benji, JT and namanaanmanmnamanamn the best of luck for humanities quiz.

i have no idea why i'm doing this.

:D

anty

Yo people, wishing you all good luck for Science prac tomorrow =x

I know it's a bit late, but just want to wish everyone good luck. Hahaha.

Suggest you all bring your own safety goggles, the lab ones are really like... Old and scratched -.-

If you have to shake the test tube, don't do it too vigorously... *cough*

By the way what will most probably come out will be test for hydrogen gas. (Sulfuric acid + something) > something sulfate + hydrogen gas.

Also, a tip for gas testing: Use something to block the top of the test tube which your metal/base is reacting in. Blocking it off will create like this concentrated gas sample, which will be a lot easier to test.

After all, if the gas escapes the test tube then it's harder to test right -.- common sense.

Likewise, for the carbon dioxide test, use this method to get more concentrated gas to suck up into your dropper. Low concentration of gas harder to test for carbon dioxide (bubbling in limewater) it'll just be like, very little reaction ._.

Effervescence is produced usually when there's a gas produced. For example, reacting metal with acid gives hydrogen gas and salt. There will be effervescence as there is a gas produced (hydrogen, H2). This tip helps if you know that there will be a gas produced, since if your observations don't include effervescence then you can add them in.

One last tip. Since the instructions are given, look out for the reactant... Hydroxide/Metal Oxides will produce water. The thing you really need to look out for are metal carbonates which will produce carbon dioxide gas and water, and metals which will produce hydrogen gas.

Hydrogen gas is harmful to you, don't breath in too much of it.

Well, that's pretty much all I can help you all with... Anything else that you should know has been covered in Sec 1 =x so if you don't know it you're pretty much screwed.

-benedict

Hello guys.

Time for your weekly update. I'm spending my precious chinese mugging, science mugging, english project and science project time giving you this update. I think I'm high on root beer and too enthu. But nevermind. I have dumb monthly shoot later -.-

In anycase. Here's what you really want:

Projects due (it's end of term, what do you expect? extension over school holidays?)
1) Science Acid Spill Project (i think we're all dead for this. deadline: Monday)
2) English Theme Handout (Tuesday in yearplan that was given out on day 1; deepak says thursday)
3) TKAM Poetry Portfolio (due Wednesday)
4) Computer Studies Storyboard

Homework for weekend
1) English CRAFT assignment
2) Maths Worksheet on Simul. Eqns.

Tests to mug for:
1) Science practical (I have no idea when)
2) Chinese/ Higher Chinese CCT (Monday!)

Events this week:
1) Assembly: CEC Investiture (not fair you get to march in this year you fishfaces)
2) Friday: No school (i think) - A Level Results Celebration
3) Swimming on Monday.

I think that is all. Thankyoo you.

Benjamin

tom have to stay back till late:( but hopefully interstin and benji the song durin ripb is dam nice :) lol lets see tom wat time it ends!(groan)

aww yea we survived week 8 and totally forgot about my quote in the diary.
"it is the bright burning flame that resides within us that makes us strive for the best and only the best." yes I know it is damn corny but its supposed to be in the diary so...?

Okay i was just posting a note on fb. never mind. thanks to calvin for destroying our fun class blog and yet put something rather useful to us up here.

Here comes a status update for the week:
TUESDAY 3 MARCH 2009 (i think there are girls coming!)
RIPB 2009 PREFECTORIAL BOARD PREFECTS' INVESTITURE (chiraag is the AV for that day!)
Watch us sing and dance to a LIVE BAND after the solemn stuff in the beginning! And us in our blazers!

Homework!
Maths WS 5 (on changing subject of formula)
Geography WS (remember the cartoon?)
HCL Mock Paper and Idioms Worksheet
Preparations for Presentations

Upcoming tests!
MT CCT 1 on Week 10 Monday (muggable)
History SEQ (2nd lesson of the week right? someone confirm) (study calvin's stuff!)
ERP (when is this?) (read for goodness sake. i have about 300 pages to go!)
Philosophy Fallacies (Friday)
Science Quiz (Friday, last lesson of Science)

I think that's all. Cheers to a long list of stuffs.

Have fun this weekend and complete all your work. I spent about 15 minutes of MY precious time writing this (:

Smiles and cheers and wobbles!
Benjamin (:

The history SEQ will be about the founding of Singapore. You will need to know

1. Reasons for the founding of Singapore
2. Definition of the term "founder"
3. Raffles, Crawfurd and Farquar

Reasons for the founding of Singapore

1. To combat piracy (Not in textbook). Pirates were commonplace back then, and often a trade ship would get intercepted by pirates and cause traders to lose a lot of revenue. Singapore was placed at the perfect spot to combat piracy, it being close to the pirates' base of operations and Singapore could harbor several man-o-wars at a time, making it easy to send these warships to do battle with the pirates and protect the trade line. Also, the British could bribe the pirates to attack Dutch ships instead of British ships, in order to try to break Dutch monopoly and to reduce Dutch trade output slightly.
2. The Industrial Revolution (Not in textbook). The Industrial Revolution caused British to develop many new inventions, such as the steam engine, more efficient ways to produce hydrochloric acid (hydrochloric acid was expensive back then due to how expensive it was to produce) and the cotton spinning machine. This caused the British to rely on trade more than ever to get her raw materials such as cotton and ore, and also to improve her output by selling what they produced.
3. Pressure on the government (Not in textbook). The Industrial revolution put immerse pressure on the government to find a port in the tip of the Malay Archipelago so that British traders could avoid the hefty tax imposed on the British, which was growing by the day as British output started to increase greatly and constantly. Also, the prime minister of Britain at that time was already infamous, having passed the corn laws at that time which restricted the import of corn till the price of corn increased to an acceptable level due to the glut of corn in Britain, which caused Lord Liverpool, then prime minister of Britain at that time to become infamous. Also, Lord Liverpool had restricted certain things in Britain like freedom of speech and required something such as Singapore, which would generate money for the traders to gain support.
4. Defense (Not in textbook). Britain fully understood of the importance of her colony, India. Britain also saw herself as the guardian of the world, after she left relatively unscathed from the Napoleon wars (The majority of Napoleon's army had been worn out by the invasion of Russia and could not launch a proper offensive against Britain). National pride was at an all time high and as Britain was miles away from Asia, the best way to have a base of operations for the defense of Asia would be a port in Asia. Singapore was used as a defense against any imminent threat, due to her location.
   
5. Rise of India and China trade. India was one of Britain's most important colonies and was generating Britain tons of money. Tea, cotton, porcelain (slowly falling out of favor) and spices were what the British needed from both China and India. However, due to the Dutch having trade monopoly in the area, the British could not traverse to India and China without paying exorbitant taxes, thus increasing the need for a port in the area.
6. Location, deep water etc. Singapore was perfect for a port, having all the necessities of a port, being in the perfect position for trade and having deep waters for ships to enter.
7. Dutch competition. The Dutch was a fierce competitor with Britain for trade. Having trade monopoly over the Malay Archipelago, the British had to break the Dutch monopoly by having a port in the middle of this area to wrestle control over the area from the Dutch.

Definition of the word "founder"
Here are some suggested answers

• A person who discovers a place
• A person who nurtures a place through its critical stages
• A person who establishes a place and made it a dominant place

Raffles

• A man with great vision
• Came out with the ideas for a free port and racial harmony (town plan)
• Exploited the Sultan, getting near total control over Singapore for payment, Singapore generated a lot more money than payment
• Foresaw the fact that opium and gambling were evil
• Did not do much in the development of Singapore, left Singapore after signing the treaty
• Died in 1826, which disallowed him from helping Singapore
• Did not leave Farquar any funds for development of Singapore

Farquar

• Succeeded in attracting people to Singapore and generating a trade volume for Singapore despite having no funds
• Installed a police force and cleared Singapore of many pests
• Was limited by circumstances, could not do anything else due to lack of funds, was forced to sell contracts for gambling and trade of opium
• Was a pragmatist, compared to Raffles being a visionary person, led to conflict
• Police force was ineffective in upholding law
• Looked after Singapore partially for personal gain (wanted to be considered founder of Singapore, argued later on after his dismissal)
• Allowed the trade of opium and gambling with licenses
  

Crawfurd

• Influenced the Anglo Dutch treaty of 1824 (wikipedia it)
• Was committed to Singapore
• Actions limited by British High command
• Did not instill much change

I am accepting any essay questions, send it to my email: juventus.rocks@gmail.com and I will post a completed essay here ASAP. Send any questions to my email as well.

Hey guys, this is your History rep here. I will try to post watever i can to help you all mug for any incoming tests and *ahem* pass, so check here often. Also, I do not have all the time in the world, so sometimes you have to put in effort and not just rely on me.

Your SEQ is NEXT WEEK. It will be 40 minutes, and will be 15 marks. It will NOT be added to your term 1 marks, it will be part of your term 2 marks, so there's no way to redeem yourself if you screw up your SBQ (like me :'( ), so do your best. Passing mark is 9 marks, try to hit 10 cus 10 looks nicer than 9.