Minister to visit schools to ‘get feel of the ground’

xiaoyunlovesgeog:

As an education minister whose policies would undeniably affect the future of Singapore, Mr Heng Swee Kiat should recognise the importance of crafting effective education policies that would train Singaporean children to become skilled and intelligent adults who would someday lead Singapore into further progress and prosperity. This is especially crucial in the case of Singapore; our lack of natural resources signifies that we have to make up with a pool of talented human resource. Regardless of social or financial statuses, all children should be imparted with not only academic knowledge, but also critical life skills and the right values which would cultivate a virtuous character in them. The Singaporean identity should also be nurtured such that they would learn to be grateful and give back to the society using their expertise when they finish formal education.

To gain insight on what policies should be implemented, the minister should visit many schools to get a feel of the ground. Many online cynics have claimed that a ministerial visit equates to a staged welcome by the school such that they would impress him. I think that Mr Heng should make a request for the school to give honest feedback on the school performance, the welfare of the students and other relevant issues. He should also get the feedback from many teachers and students alike, not just from the top class of students or the best staff. This would result in a better and fuller impression of the school environment and allow him to implement an appropriate policy to tackle the problems.

 Mr Heng’s job as an education minister is challenging and important as policies implemented in his term would shape the future of the younger generation. I hope that he would implement policies with foresight, vision and wisdom. 

(298 words)

edunloaded:

People in Potong Pasir making it known that they want chiam see tong!

(via hanzharis)

lori-rocks:

Stonehedge Sunset , England
by ally-n-mike

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rhamphotheca:

The Bird Photos of Jim Neiger:  Bald Eagle fish drop

(via walkthelines)

Newspaper Review 6- April 28

In the light of our current examination period, I have not really been following the news. Thus, this article gave me a rude shock as besides the upcoming General Elections, I have not really been following the news. It is often thought that in more developed countries in the world, the damage caused by natural disasters is not as great. However, the amount of damage caused by the storm in America proves to be a strong reminder of how all of mankind, no matter how developed a country we live in, are vulnerable to attack by the forces of nature. This is one thing that man will always have to acknowledge defeat to, as no matter how developed technology becomes, there is no way of controlling natural disasters. 

The earthquake in Japan, and now this storm, have all occurred in some of the most developed countries in the world. however, the damage done and the amount of losses incurred by these natural disasters have far exceeded the amount of damage that most people would imagine to occur in highly developed countries such as the US. 

This, amongst many other recent natural disasters, has served as a wake up call. It is as if Mother Nature wants man to know who’s really in charge- that no matter what technology we develop, or how advanced we become as a species, the laws of nature are still in charge. and everything on this planet, from microscopic organisms to the largest animals in the world, are unable to overcome Mother Nature. Some people may say that this is the Earth’s way of fighting back against what damage we have caused to it. I say that we are just reaping what we sow. The amount of greenhouse gases we are injecting into the atmosphere are making the Earth behave in strange ways beyond our wildest dreams, and we know it well enough. To prevent, or at least reduce the occurrence of such disasters, we should act while we still can, and reverse the effect that our Urbanization has had on the Earth. We can still make a difference, so why not start today?

jnbrg:

If you know me or have been following me for, say, more than a day, you probably know I fucking love karst topography. 

This is a pretty handy (if simplified) graphic explaining what karst is — it’s essentially a kind of landscape shaped by water interacting with carbonate rock (dolomite or limestone) and forming carbonic acid (or HCO₃). This acid then begins to eat through the rock. Carbonic acid is weak, and it’s really dilute, and the limestone and dolomite is only very slightly soluble, so mostly this reaction happens along fractures and bedding planes. A whole lot of time passes, and, very slowly, these fractures deepen and deepen and deepen. All these dissolved carbonates have to go somewhere, too, so if the water flows somewhere and evaporates, it’ll leave behind deposits of chemical limestone, also known as travertine.

As a result, you get all sorts of cool formations — sinkholes, caves, speleothems, all sorts of crap. What’s not to love?

(via walkthelines)

neiture:

The Bend (by Tomas Kaspar)

OXBOW LAKE FORMING!!!

(via ecocides)

(Source: photographmusic)

landscapelifescape:

Tulalip Bay, Washington State, USA

Brilliant Evening Colors (by beau.daddy)