YOG Opening Ceremony

The Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony is held on 14th August 2010, at the floating platform at the Marina Bay. It took Singapore around 350 million dollars and two years of preparation just for this event.

The opening ceremony is led by young talent, who displayed the "can do" spirit of youth. The opening ceremony involved around 7000 performers who were mostly 18 years old. It also had effects such as water effects and is watched by around 27000 spectators from the stands and many more from their homes.

There were many interesting segments such as the part called "Playing with Fire". However, I liked the part whereby the torch was lit by Singapore sailor Darren Choy. Upon docking from a float, Amanda Lim, who is a Asian Youth Games and SEA Games medalist, passed on the torch to other torch bearers which ended up with Darren. When he reached the cauldron, he placed the torch at the edge of it and fire burst from the cauldron, firing up the cauldron. This was dubbed the "vortex flame".

I feel that the opening ceremony was a success as I felt that it was very grand and spectacular. I also felt that the fireworks was quite spectacular even though the one done during the National Day Parade just a few days ago was much better. Overall, I think that the opening ceremony was a success and I hope that the Games would be a success too.

Abortion - Is it Immoral?

This is a hotly debated topic and this topic was also discussed during one of my "Thinking" lessons. We shared our views on how we felt about this topic and in this blog post, I am going to share my views about this topic. I would talk about the pros and cons of abortion.

There are pros of abortion and one of it is that, if a child has a high chance of contracting a disease, for example, aids, it would be the right thing to do to abort the birth of the child as if it was to be conceived, the child would suffer with that particular disease. Another situation whereby abortion is alright is when a child suffers from some disabilities such as mentally or physically, like loosing a limb. This would cause them to have a social stigma when born and they cannot live a full life. Another circumstance is that if conceiving the child would put the mother's life in danger, aborting the child would be an option to save a life.

However, one of the objection to the child having a mental illness and suffering after being born, is that the child might not even know that it has the disease and would thing that everything in his daily life is normal, even when being bullied or mocked by other children.

There are also cons of abortion and one of it is that, it is immoral as it is depriving the child to have a chance to live. A child might be aborted for some reasons like the parents not having enough money to raise and give the child a good life. Furthermore, depriving a child the right to live is immoral and the child could be put up for adoptions after being born.

However, an objection to that point is that the child might have some disabilities like having a missing limb and the child would not be able to enjoy a happy childhood and is unable to live a full life. Thus, abortion might be considered to prevent the sufferings the child would experience after being born.

In conclusion, I feel that abortion is immoral in certain circumstances such as when the life of the mother is in danger. I feel that abortion is a matter not to be lightly taken as it determines whether a child gets to live. Thus, I am alright with abortion but to a certain extent.

Feel free to comment on this post.

YOG Torch Relay Ceremony

On August 11th, the YOG torch relay finally came to our school. I was very excited to see the torch as it was a once in a life time chance to do so. However, I was required to perform for the YOG torch relay as I was in the Lion dance.

After morning assembly, students started flooding the Kah Kee Drive and waited along the side of the road for the torch to arrive. As we waited for the VIP, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, to arrive. And when he arrived, we started playing and even though we started too early earlier on, we managed to finish our performance. We quickly carried our things like drums away so as not to block the cars. I was very disappointed as when we had put the things back to the room, the torch had already passed. However, according to one of my friends who saw the “torch”, he said it was really a let-down. He said that the “torch” was actually a lantern and furthermore, he said that the runner was actually walking.

If what my friend had said was true, I would rather not see the ceremony as the runner should be holding the flame with pride and not walking while holding it. It tells a person that the flame is either embarrassing to hold or it does not show any significance. I was really disappointed with this ceremony as I did not get to see the torch and also, the runner had no pride in doing so.

National Day Parade 2010 - Live Our Dream, Fly Our Flag

This year's national day toook place at the Padang rather than at the Floating Platform at the Marina Bay. This year's theme is "Live our Dream, Fly our Flag".

Some highlights for this year's National Day Parade was the aerial display. Fighter jets such as the F15SG multirole fighter. The mobile column was also very spectacular as new additions of tanks such as the Leopard 2A4 tanks and also artilerries was displayed. This year's NDP song was composed and sang by Corrinne May. The fireworks display was also equally spectacular as it was set at nine different positions - Padang, City Hall, Esplanade Theatre, Marina Bay, Suntec City, Pan Pacific hotel, Ritz Calton Millenia Hotel and UOB Plaza & Mayband Tower. Thus, even though many people didn't get to get tickets to see the National Day Parade at Padang, they could get a glimpse of the fireworks from the other places such as the Marina Bay by watching nearby.

I personally feel that this year's NDP was a success as it was very spectecular and it showed the success Singapore has such as in military. I was amazed by the fireowrks display as it was very grand and was very interesting and I hope that the next NDP would be as good as this one.

Peranakan Museum

As the Barclays Premier League has not started, I will be posting on recent activities like the upcoming YOG torch relay and also the National Day Parade. For this blog post, I would be posting about the recent field trip I had with my class to the Peranakan Museum. The objective of this trip was to have a deeper understanding of Peranakan Culture and also, to understand the book we are reading now, Emily of Emerald Hill.

On 27th of July, we went to the Peranakan Museum after school at 1.40pm. We boarded a chartered bus there and arrived there at around 2.30. Our English teacher briefed us on what the museum had and gave us a worksheet and we were asked to go in pairs or groups. I went with a group of my classmates and the first place I went to was the history of Peranakans. It told us the history of their people. After that, we went to the second floor, where we were required to draw a sketch of a traditional chair and also a table. Then, we got to see Sarong Kebayas and were also required to draw a sketch of it and also, we saw traditional wedding costumes. Then, we went up another level where we saw a traditional table setting of a Tok Pajang. Then, we saw other items commonly used in a peranakan household such as the mortar and pestle and also tengkats, which were tiered containers which are used to store food. After that, it was already around 3 and we gathered back at the lobby of the museum where we waited for the bus to bring us back to school.

From this field trip, I got to understand the culture of a Peranakan and I could better understand the text of the book Emily of the Emerald Hill. It gave me an in-depth knowledge of the book as for example, we understood that making certain recipes like the Babi Buah Keluar is a very tedious and a time consuming thing to do. Thus, we were given a chance to get a insight to a different culture and also the book.

Task 2 Analysis of Poem - Children in the Darkness

1. Point of View

The poet is trying to tell people that children are being used as soldiers and are taught to fight at a very young age. They are also sent to war and they might lose their lives. This can be seen from "Who someone will teach to fight" and "Or will a war consume them". He is upset about the fact that children are not able to learn the things children used to learn, that they were not given any chance for freedom. This can be seen from "And these children are not free" and "Could we give them half a chance". The poet is also trying to say that war is a dark and cruel place, saying that it is "dark" and there is no "light".

2. Situation and Setting

The situation in this poem is that children are being taught how to fight at a very early age and they are also deployed into the front lines, where they might lose their lives. He potrays war as a very cruel and "dark" place and that children are not given a chance to have freedom. This can be seen from "Who someone will teach to fight", "Could we give them half a chance" and "Or will a war consume them".

3. Language and Diction

The poet uses different types of words to express this poem. Firstly, he uses repetition to emphasize the situation in the poem. He repeats "Could we" in the third stanza and this emphasizes that the children are not given a chance to live a normal live by anyone. The poet also uses personification in the fourth stanza. He likens war as a human as war "consumes" children, potraying war as a very evil and cruel thing. The word "light" used in the poem also refers to the hope of those children. They are kept in the "darkness", which refers to the cruelness of war and that all children are scared of "darkness". They are not given any chance, or hope, to live a normal live, a chance to be free. The word "light" also refers to the carefree life of a normal child which children would love, compared to the "dark" and scary life of a child in war, which children would dislike.

4. Personal Response

Personally, I feel very sorry for the children who were sent to war at such a young age. Their lives are put on the line so that the country can survive and hopefully win the war. I feel that children at such a young age should not be exposed to such cruelty in war as they would be scarred for live after the war. The poem also makes me understand the importance freedom and that not every children are that fortunate to have them.

Language Arts (English) E-Learning

Task 1 (Background of Poem)

Background

This poem was written by Henry M Bechtold in the year 2010. He was in Vietnam, sitting in his hotel room in Saigon in the year 2009. He attempted to write a poem about a girl being mistreated by man while working in a park. He was angry, but was unable to write something that sounds good. Then, while watching the news on the television, he saw a photo of a young boy with army equipments such as an automatic rifle. This inspired him somehow and that was how this poem came about.

This poem is trying to say children during war times are being used as soldiers and taught to fight and shoot a rifle at such an early age. Henry M Bechtold is also saying that these children had no freedom, they could not learn the things children usually enjoy doing, like dancing. He is also trying to tell us that war is a very cruel place, and a scary place and the lives of young children are going through all those suffering, just to have a chance to die in war for their country.

Reference:

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#Children_

Children in the Darkness

There are children in the darkness

Who have not seen the light
There are children in the darkness
Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be
To this door there is no key
From this life they can not flee
And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle
Could we give them half a chance
Could we teach them how to read
Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them
Their body and their soul
Will their life and blood be poured
Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness
From which there is no flight
Back into the darkness
Into which there shines no light

Barclays Premier League - Liverpool Versus Chelsea

This was the biggest hurdle that stood in the way of Chelsea from claiming their third title. Although both teams started off slowly, Chelsea came out as the better of the two teams as they showed that their ability to become champions in the second half. They were able to walk away with three points, with the match ending 2-0, in favour of Chelsea.

In the early part of the first-half, there were three penalty appeals from both sides. Two were from Chelsea and one from Liverpool. Kalou was involved in both occasions. In the first, he seemed to have dived in the ninth minute and he tripped himself in the second occasion, with Liverpool's Lucas Leiva hot on his heels. Alberto Aquilani of Liverpool went down in the penalty box after a challenge from Branislav Ivanovic. This was a reasonable appeal for a peanalty as the Chelsea player did not seem to come in contact with the ball. Moreover, before half-time, Liverpool also lost Maxi Rodriguez through an injury and was replaced by Ryan Babel. This was a huge blow to Liverpool. Alberto Aquilani was involved in some of the chances created by the Liverpool. However, he failed to convert in those occasions.

Chelsea opened the scoring through Drogba in the 33rd minute. A sloppy back-pass from Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, handed Drogba a simple goal. Chelsea finished the first-half with a one nil lead, all thanks to an error from Gerrard.

In the second-half, Chelsea was clearly off to a better start. After six minutes in the second-half, Kalou pulled a cross into the six-yard box, only for Anelka to miss a simple tap in.

However, Anelka was able to create a opportunity in the 54th minute for Frank Lampard, who was able to convert from close range. His cross manage to pick out Lampard who slid in to score Chelsea's second and his 21st premier league goal this season.

Chelsea could have extended their lead if not for Liverpool's goalkeeper, Reina, to keep Chelsea at bay. This included a double save from Anelka then Kalou. Malouda's low shot was also saved by Reina.

The match ended 2-0 in favour of Chelsea and they move one step closer to claiming their third league title, with only Wigan standing in their way.

Barclays Premier League - Chelsea Versus Stoke

Chelsea went back to the top of the Premier League table with a 7-0 demolition of Stoke City. They sent a defiant title message to fellow title competitors, Manchester United, who went to the top of the table briefly with a 3-1 over Tottenham. Chelsea were able to achieve this result even without their suspended captain, John Terry. Ivorian Coast striker Salomon Kalou scored his first ever Premier League hat-trick, a brace from Frank Lampard, which included a penalty and goals from substitue Daniel Sturrudge and Florent Malouda completed the rout.

Chelsea dominated the match right from the start. Injuries from Thomas Sorenson, who had a suspected fractured elbow, and Stoke's captain, Abdoulaye Faye, who was struggling with a thigh problem, did not help with their embarrassing defeat.

Chelsea could have opened the scoring in the 12th minute when a shot from Frank Lampard was palmed into the path of Ashley Cole, who only managed to sent the ball straight at Sorenson. Didier Drogba forced a terrific save from Thomas Sorenson with a header from a cross supplied by full-back Paulo Ferreira. He almost put Chelsea in the lead in the 22nd minute, only for his shot to soar over the crossbar, straight into the crowds.

However, he created Chelsea's first goal in the 24th minute. Controlling a pass from Malouda, he whipped in a cross for Kalou to head the ball into the net for Chelsea's first goal. Frank Lampard nearly made it two nil three minutes later when his shot was saved by Thomas Sorenson.

The second goal came in the 31st minute. Nicholas Anelka's pass was smartly directed into the path of Lampard by Drogba. Lampard sent a first-time shot which Sorenson managed to save. However, Kalou was the first to react to the rebound and slid in to make it 2-0 in favour of Chelsea. Sorenson was injured while trying to prevent Kalou from scoring and he seemed to have fractured his elbow. He was carried off the pitch by a stretcher after undergoing a lengthy treatment on the pitch. He was replaced by Asmir Begovic.

Two minutes before half-time, Chelsea made it 3-0. Rubert Huth brought down Kalou inside the box and Lampard managed to convert from the spot.

In the second-half, Kalou almost completed his hat-trick 7 minuted into the second-half. His shot was just wide of the goal. However, he managed to complete his hat-trick in the 68th minute, making it 4-0 in favour of Chelsea. Cutting in from the right, he had his first effort saved but managed to slammed the rebound into the net.

In the 81st minute, substitue Sam Hutchinson whipped in a cross for Lampard, who cleverly clipped it over Asmir Begovic. The score now read 5-0.

Daniel Sturridge rounded Asmir Begovic to make it 6-0 in the 87th minute, with Drogba providing the pass yet again. Malouda completed the scoring two minutes later, after failing to convert a cross right in front of the goal in the 78th minute.

Chelsea secured all three points with ease and only Liverpool and Wigan stand in their way of clinching their third Premier League title.

Barclays Premier League - Wigan Athletic Versus Arsenal FC

Arsenal's title hopes seemed to be over as Wigan pulled off a magnificent comeback to beat Arsenal 3-2. Arsenal seemed to have all three points secured after Mikael Silvestre scored Arsenal's second in the 48th minute, after a goal from Theo Walcott in the 41st minute. Chelsea had earlier lost to Tottenham and with this win, they could have been within touching distance of league leaders Chelsea. However, Wigan scored three goals courtesy of Ben Watson, Titus Bramble and Charles N'Zogbia in the just 11 minutes. With this remarkable win, they had beaten three of the "Big Four" this season-Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. Most importantly, they are now seven points clear of the bottom three.

Arsenal dominated the first half of the game but could not find the net for the first 40 minutes. Then, in the 41st minute, Arsenal finally broke the dead lock. Nicklas Bendtnar's through ball found Theo Walcott and dodging a tackle from Titus Bramble, he managed to guide the ball under Chris Kirkland and into the net after breaking away from Figueroa. This was his seventh goal of the season. He should have scored two goal after he missed a one-on-one opportunity to score earlier on in the match, only to have the ball cleared after squaring the ball back for Nicklas Bendtnar. He should have added to his tally after his shot just brushed the top of the cross bar.

In the second half, Arsenal found their second goal courtesy of Michael Silvestre. Nasri whipped in a cross from a corner after a shot from Abou Diaby was blocked by Chris Kirkland. Wigan's defence were motionless as Silvestre headed in Arsenal's second.

Wigan had a few good chances later on but could not convert those chances into goals. Wigan finally pulled one back in the 80th minute after a pass from Victor Moses from the bye-line. Wigan equalised in the 89th minute. A corner from N'Zogbia and a mistake from Luis Fabianski allowed Titus Bramble a free header and the ball managed to cross the line even though Arsenal's Gaël Clichy tried to clear the ball before it cross the line. In the 91st minute, N'Zogbia scored Wigan's third and also the match winner. He produced a curling shot which eluded Luis Fabianski. The match ended 3-2 and Wigan supporters had something to cheer about after their side drew with Portsmouth, who were already relegated.

Barclays Premier League - Tottenham Versus Chelsea

Goals from Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale dealt a massive blow to Chelsea's chase for the title. It blew the title race open, with Manchester United, who had beaten their rival Manchester City with a last-gasp winner, now within one point of Chelsea. Moreover, Chelsea's captain John Terry was also sent off in this miserable evening for both fans and players of Chelsea. Even though Frank Lampard manage to score a goal for Chelsea, it was too late as Tottenham went on to win the match.

In the first-half, most of the pressure came from Tottenham. A 30 yards shot from Florent Malouda was parried by Heurelho Gomes but it was only the few chances Chelsea were able to create.

In the 15th minute, Tottenham opened the scoring. After two penalty appeals, Tottenham finally got what they wanted in the third appeal. Roman Pavlyuchenko stepped over a cross from Gareth Bale and Terry leant in with his arm, resulting in the referee awarding a penalty. Defoe was able to convert from the spot and the score read 1-0 in favour of Tottenham.

Pavlyuchenko almost doubled Tottenham's lead with a curling shot which Cech was able to tip it over for a corner. A volley from David Bently was also deflected off target after a skillful run by midfielder Luka Modric. It got worse for league leaders Chelsea when John Obi Mikel picked up an injury and was replaced by Michael Ballack in the 34th minute.

When Chelsea finally found the net, it was flagged offside and they were still trailing by one goal to none. Just before the break, Tottenham doubled their league through a goal from Gareth Bale. Cutting inside Paulo Ferreira, he used his unfavoured right foot to slot the ball into the net. Immediately after the goal, Chelsea almost pulled one back when Lampard's volley was saved by a fully-stretched Gomes.

Five minutes after the break, Defoe almost made it three nil when Pavlyuchenko played him through on goal, only for Cech to save the one-on-one opportunity. The feisty atmosphere went up a notch when Lampard and Huddlestone were involved in a tackle, leading to the Tottenham player getting a yellow card and Deco was also cautioned for his role in the aftermath. Terry, who received a yellow card by bringing down Pavlyuchenko midway through the half, was given a red card in the 67th minute when he fouled Bale. However, he told his teammates that he did not foul both of them as he came in contact with the ball when going down the tunnel after his dismissal.

It almost became worse for Chelsea when Bently produced a chip that almost when into the net, only for Cech to tip it over the goal. Tottenham hung on to secure all three points even though Frank Lampard pulled one back for Chelsea in the dying minutes. The game ended 2-1, in favour of Tottenham.

Barclays Premier League - Chelsea Vs Bolton

A jittery Chelsea was lucky to secure three points from this match. This was thanks to a strike from Anelka in the first-half. However, the performance by Chelsea showed that nerves were clearly showing as they try to pursue their third league title. The Blues had to wait 43 minutes before taking the lead. Furthermore, Bolton almost stole a point late in the game. Judging by the anxiousness the players are showing, the title race would be a thrilling one to watch, with Manchester United right on their heels.

It did not seem Chelsea would have a hard time overcoming Bolton as Yuri Zhirkov created an opportunity for his team in the fifth minute. He whipped in a cross only for Didier Drogba to send the ball soaring above the crossbar.

Following that chance, the Blues had lost their momentum. Bolton created many chances. on one occasion, Chelsea's goalkeeper failed to collect a cross from Lee Chung-yong. Matthew Taylor almost scored for Bolton, only for Cech to recover the ball in time.

Chelsea also almost took the lead in the 25th minute. Jussi Jaaskelainen punched a free-kick from Drogba straight at Kalou, only to hit his head and the ball went out of play.

Chelsea finally went in front in the 43rd minute. Anelka headed a cross whipped in by Drogba. Bolton defence was motionless as Anelka was able to get a free header inside the 6-yard box. Chelsea 1-0.

However, that goal did not step up the tempo of the game and Chelsea continued to look subdued. Even though Bolton enjoyed much of the possession of the ball, they could not find a equaliser. Kalou almost put the game beyond Bolton's reach in the 54th minute when he latched onto a through ball by Drogbe. However, he was unable to convert the chance, shooting the ball straight at Jaaskelainen. There were quite a few more chances that could have made out the game out of Bolton's reach, including a 20-yard shot from Frank Lampard which struck the inside of the pole.

Bolton almost found the net six minutes from time. Matthew Taylor provided a cross but substitue Johan Elmander headed the cross just inches wide of the goal.

Chelsea were able to hang on and manage to secure the three pointss, moving closer to their third league title.

Barclays Premier League - Blackburn Rovers Versus Manchester United

Manchester United's hopes of catching up with league leaders Chelsea suffered a huge blow as they ended a goaless draw with Blackburn Rovers. Paul Robinson had little to da after a magnificent save denied Antonio Valencia a goal. Furthermore, Dimitar Berbatov was a disappointment in front of goal and Rio Ferdinand appeared to be injured near the end of the game.

In the first half, two chances were created by Manchester Untied and both of those were given to Antonio Valencia. However, on both occasion, Valencia could not convert even with a clear-cut chance. The first one was created by Federico Macheda, who was starting for Manchester United in the Premier League for the first time. Valencia latched onto Macheda's neat pass and his shot was destined for the bottom corner of the goal, only for Paul Robinson to produce a fine save to deny Manchester United a goal. The second chance was created by Berbatov, who was given the duty to provide for Manchester United in the absence of Wayne Rooney. The Bulgarian set Valencia through on goal but yet again, Paul Robinson denied Valencia's shot from close range.

The first half ended goaless and the second half was not much of a difference. Alex Ferguson substituted Giggs, who was unnoticeable for most parts of the game, for Darron Gibson, who proved that he had the ability to shoot. Even though his shot in this game was off target, he still tried as Manchester United's title hopes slowly fades away.

Barclays Premier League- Manchester United Versus Chelsea

Chelsea went back to the top of the table after a 2-1 win over fellow title contenders Manchester United. However, the match winner from Didier Drogba was controversial as he seemed to be offside when latching on to a pass from Salomon Kalou. The magnitude of the error from the referees was further emphasized after a 81st minute goal from Federico Macheda shortly after that goal. If that goal was disallowed, Manchester United could have drawn the match and still be at the top of the table. However, Chelsea dominated for most parts of the match and they should have a larger lead over the home side. Wayne Rooney was largely missed by Manchester United as they lack the attacking flair they usually had. Chelsea had better possession of the ball but they could not convert those possession into chances. Even though they had shots blocked by Edwin van der Sar, none of those chances were clear-cut.

In the 20th minute, Chelsea took the lead through a goal from Joe Cole. The opportunity that led to the goal was also not totally clear-cut though. Holding off Darren Fletcher, Florent Malouda pulled the ball back to the near post. Joe Cole managed to beat Patrice Evra to the ball and slid the ball into the net with a back flick.

Midway through the second half, Drogba was brought into the game as a substitute. He certainly made a difference in the game after he struck the ball pass Edwin van der Sar following a pass from Kalou, giving Chelsea a two-goal cushion in the 79th minute. However, he was clearly offside and the goal should have been disallowed.

Manchester United responded instantly when Federico Macheda pulled one back for the home side. Nani whipped in a cross from the side and Macheda managed to find the net. It was an anxious last 10 minuted for supporters of both Chelsea and Manchester United but Chelsea managed to hold on and win the game 2-1.

Barclays Premier League - Chelsea Versus Aston Villa

Chelsea hammered Aston Villa 7-1, with Frank Lampard scoring four goals in this match. A brace from Florent Malouda and a goal from substitute Salomon Kalou completed the seven goal thumping of Aston Villa. Chelsea were dominant for most parts of the match, apart from the first half equalizer from John Carew.

Chelsea had the better of chances but could not convert until the 15th minute. A low cross from Florent Malouda was directed into the net by Frank Lampard at the near post. Villa managed to equalize in the 29th minute. Following a precise cross whipped in by Ashley Young, John Carew, who was allowed to stray into the 6-yard box by Yuri Zhirkov, headed the cross into the net to make it 1-1. In the 44th minute, Chelsea took the lead again with a second goal from Frank Lampard. Yuri Zhirkov was brought down in the box by James Collins and the referee pointed to the spot. Frank Lampard converted the spot kick, giving Chelsea the lead yet again.

In the second half, goals were flooding into the Villa net. Chelsea's third came in the 57th minute. Yuri Zhirkov found himself in space after a pass from Deco set him free. He whipped in a cross which found Malouda and he managed to convert the cross into Chelsea's third goal. Then, in the 62nd minute, Frank Lampard grabbed his hat-trick after converting from the penalty spot yet again. Yuri Zhirkov was brought down in the box again but this time, it was Richard Dunne who brought him down. Lampard scored and made it 4-1. Five minutes later, Paulo Ferreira and Frank Lampard worked together to set up Florent Malouda for his second goal of the game and Chelsea's fifth. The sixth goal came in the 82nd minute when Kalou drilled the ball pass Brad Friedel, making it 6-1. Chelsea made it 7-1 in stoppage time when Lampard scored his fourth goal of the match.

Barclays Premier League- Portsmouth Versus Chelsea

A 5-0 thumping of rock-bottom club Portmouth by Chelsea but the lead of Manchester United to just one point. A blunder from Portmouth's goalkeeper David James gave Chelsea their first goal, with Drogba capitalizing on that mistake. Florent Malouda's brace in the second half, followed by a goal from Drogba and Frank Lampard each.

In the first half, Chelsea dominated the game but it took the visiting side more than 30 minutes to find the net. A blunder from David James after missing the ball as he attempted to clear following a through ball from Deco to Drogba. He presented Drogba with a easy tap in and Chelsea were up 1-0 in the 32nd minute.

In the second half, Chelsea continued their dominance and in the 50th minute, they managed to find the net again. Florent Malouda latched onto a pass from Frank Lampard and from a tight angle, he slotted the ball pass David James to give Chelsea a two-goal cushion. Malouda found the net yet again in the 60th minute when he was the fastest to react after a shot from Frank Lampard was perried away by David James. He slotted the ball into the net and made it 3-0.

Drogba struck again in the 77th minute. He picked up a through pass from John Obi Mikel and managed to guide the ball pass David James to make it 4-0. The fifth goal came in the last few minutes of the game courtesy of Frank Lampard. He struck the ball into the net after being set up by Drogba.

Barclays Premier League - Manchester United Versus Liverpool

Liverpool's hopes of finishing in the top four was given yet another blow as they went down 2-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. The match-winner came from Park Ji-sung after a controversial equalizer from Wayne Rooney. Liverpool's only goal came courtesy of Fernando Torres in the fifth minute. Fernando Torres also missed a chance in the dying minutes of the match which would have levelled the score and would have given Liverpool one point. This was also Liverpool's tenth loss of the season and they seemed to be set to miss out on a Champions League spot, considering their current form.

In the fifth minute, Fernando Torres gave Liverpool the lead. Torres continued his run as Steven Gerrard found Dirk Kuyt. United's defence did not keep a lookout for Torres' run and by the time a cross was whipped in by Kuyt, Fernando Torres was already in acres of space. Torres latched onto the cross and managed to direct the ball into the net to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

However, Liverpool's celebrations were short-lived as Manchester United equalized in the 12th minute. A penalty was awarded after Javier Mascherano appeared to have brought down Antonio Valencia in the penalty box. The referee points to the spot but Liverpool's manager Rafael Benitez disagrees, indicating that Valencia was brought down outside the box. He was clearly frustrated with the decision as he was seen complaining even after Wayne Rooney slotted the rebound into the net after his penalty kick was saved by Pepe Reina to make it 1-1.

Then, in the 60th minute, Park Ji-sung made it 2-1 in favour of Manchester United. Neville's run provided some space for Darren Fletcher as Emiliano Insua moved towards his right. Darren Fletcher whipped in a cross and his cross was met by the diving header from Park JI-sung, guiding the ball pass Pepe Reina. Nearing the end of the match, Fernando had a chance to equalize. However, he miscued the cross from Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun could only head the ball straight at Edwin van der Sar. Manchester United managed to hold on to their lead and beat Liverpool 2-1, grabbing all three points.

F.A Cup Quarter Finals - Chelsea Versus Stoke

The Blues cruise pass Stokes City 2-0 to advance into the semi-finals. Goals from Frank Lampard and John Terry sank the stubborn Stoke side. After two successive defeats, Chelsea returned to top form to crush Stoke.

In the 35th minute, Lampard gave Chelsea the lead. A corner is awarded to Chelsea after Robert Huth put the ball behind. The resulting corner finds Terry, who tees up Lampard. Then, Lampard drove a 20-yard shot into the net, following a deflection by Sidibe. 1-0 in favour of Chelsea.

Chelsea dominated most of the match and had a significant number of efforts on goal. In the 68th minute, Terry headed a corner from Lampard into the net, giving Chelsea a 2 goal cushion over Stoke. After scoring the goal, Terry ran towards the Stoke supporters and pulled up his sleeve, showing his captain's armband. Terry had recently been stripped of the captain's armband and the Stoke City fans were taunting him for most of the match and he clearly wanted to demonstrate that.

The match ended 2-0, in favour of Chelsea.

Barclays Premier League - Wolverhampton Versus Manchester United

This match ended 1-0 in favour of Manchester United. Both teams had their chances and Wolverhampton almost equalised in the 90th minute following poor defending by Manchester United. Overall, Manchester United had more chances and took their chances, unlike Wolverhampton.

In the first half, there were many chances for both sides to take the lead but the score remained 0-0. One of the many chances was in the 35th minute. Wolves players were on the offensive and following a cross from Jones and Stearman has a free header in the bos. However, he headed it straight at Van der Sar when he should have buried it to put Wolves in front.

In the second half, both sides had many chances and shared almost equal amounts of possession for most of the second half. In the 72 minute, Manchester United broke the deadlock through a shot from Scholes, who scored his 100th premier league goal, thanks to a mistake by Wolves' defenders. Craddock hit Nani's cross straight at Scholes and slips when Scholes was about to take the shot. Manchester United goes in front and this goal was the match-winner.

To Kill a Mockingbird- Habitat of Mocking bird

Mockingbirds usually live in open scrub pine and oak forests. They have changed their living habitat over the years to mowed lawns and ornamental shrubs, which has an abundant source of food, which are insects and berries. They do not get frightened easily when close to people. Some mockers migrate toward warmer regions south or to the coast.

From their preferred high perch on tree branches they trill their varied songs. Mockingbirds love just about any fruiting shrub or tree, from honeysuckle to dogwood, from cherry trees to eleagnus.

Flora and Fauna existing in
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
In Maycomb, I think that there are lots of scrub pine and also oak forests. There are also tall trees, accompanied by fruiting shrub such as hawthorns, mulberries and junipers in the residents’ garden. There are also quite a number of mowed lawns and ornamental shrubs.

Mockingbirds live in Maycomb because there is an abundant source of food from the mowed lawns and ornamental shrubs. There are also trees for them to perch on and also there are fruiting shrubs which they love so much.

References:
http://yardener.com/YardenersPlantHelper
/MakingForAHealthyYardEcology/AttractingBirdsToTheYard
/TwelveWorkerSongbirds/Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird- Diary entry of Jem Finch

Dear diary,

Today, I finally found out the cruelty and unfairness in the Maycomb Society, the society which I am in. Today, I found out that prejudice is present in this society. I am sad to say that this society judges people by their colour, not by their personality, or the words they say.

Today is the day of the verdict for the trial. The witnesses, Mayella and Bob Ewell, had said their parts of the story. However, the suspect, Tom Robinson, who was a black American, contradicts them with his side of the whole incident. My father, Atticus, already uncovered the truth. He dug deep into the evidences and revealed that Tom Robinson was innocent. The truth was right in front of everyone’s’ face.

However, as I said, the society of Maycomb judges people by their skin colour. Thus, when Tom Robinson was accused of the crime, his faith was sealed. Even though evidences stand at his side, he still stands no chance of fighting for his rights.

Thus, a innocent, black American, is found guilty for something he has not done, and this really disgust and upsets me. Why does the society and people of Maycomb be so cruel? This is how it is here. And today, at the court room, where justice supposedly could be found, I finally found out the cruel truth of the Maycomb society.

Yours sincerely,
Jem Finch

Multiple Interlligence Test

I felt that the Multiple Intelligence test really helped me a lot. This is because it showed the different places where I am strong at or weak in. Through this Multiple Intelligence test, I learnt the things I am good at and put that into good use. For example, I am good at Logical things, in other words I am quite good with numbers. Knowing this, I can actually know that I am good in mathematics. Through this Multiple Intelligence test, I can also learnt the things I am weak in. Knowing this, I can try and improve on it and hopefully become better in that component. For example, I know that I am not so good in Kinesthetic. Thus, I can avoid using this learning style as I am not so good at it and might not learn as much and effectively as compared to using other learning methods. I can also try and improve on this by getting interested in physical activities, thus, improving the effectiveness of this learning style.

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp
/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/questions/choose_lang.cfm

Barclays Premier League - Arsenal Versus Stoke City

This match ended 3-1 in favour of Arsenal. However, this last-gasped win by Arsenal, which brought them within 3 points of league leaders Chelsea, was marred by the injury of one of their young players, Aaron Ramsey. Aaron Ramsey fell down in agony following a tackle by a defender of Stoke, Ryan Shawcross. His right appeared to be broken and his foot was pointing down at an awkward position.

There are 4 goals in this game, 2 in each half.

In the 9th minute, Stoke took the lead with a header from Danny Pugh. Rory Delap, known for his fatal throw-ins, once again helped Stoke take the lead against Arsenal, having done just that in the previous 2 meetings. Alex Song of Arsenal managed to keep the ball out for a corner but conceded a throw in instead and against Stoke, conceding either throw ins or corners are both dangerous. After throwing the ball into the 6-yard box, Danny Pugh headed the ball into the net, making it one nil in favour of Stoke City.

It took Arsenal 25 minutes to muster a effort on goal. This allowed Arsenal to regain confidence in themselves and in the 32nd minute, Arsenal equalised through Nicklas Bendtnar. Following a clever throw-in by Bacary Sagna, Fabregas whipped an inch-perfect cross into the box, meeting the head of Nicklas Bendtnar who headed the ball into the net to make it one all.

In the 66th minute, Arsenal suffered a massive blow. Aaron Ramsey fell down in agony following a tackle by a defender of Stoke, Ryan Shawcross. His right appeared to be broken and his foot was pointing down at an awkward position. Even before being sent off for the tackle, Ryan Shawcross, including most of the Arsenal and Stoke players, were all shocked by the injury. This tackle left Ryan Shawcross in tears. and it was a massive blow for Arsenal, who were still level with Stoke.

In injury time, Arsenal won the game with two goals from Cesc Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen, after showing much fighting spirit following the tackle. Nicklas Bendtnar attempted to feed the ball to Alex Song, who was sprinting into the box. However, the ball when straight to Danny Pugh, hitting his hand. The referee pointed to the spot immediately and Fabregas slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the goal and he dedicated it to Aaron Ramsey by hitting his leg with his hand. Shortly after the goal, Tomas Rosicky struck a decent shot from long range and Sorenson saved the shot, only to put it into the path of Fabregas, who squared it to Thomas Vermaelen to slot it into the net, making it 3-1 in favour of Arsenal.

Barclays Premier League- Chelsea Versus Manchester City

Chelsea loss 4-2 to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, their home ground. Manchester City got the better of Chelsea, who were hoping not to drop points as Manchester United were drawing closer to them. Poor goalkeeping by stand-in goalkeeper Henrique Hilario caused Chelsea the game. Chelsea were embarrassed even further when Wayne Bridge, the ex-boyfriend of the woman whom John Terry allegedly had an affair with, refused to shake the hands of Terry.

The match exploded into life in the 40th minute when Frank Lampard put Chelsea in front. A brilliant through pass by Joe Cole released Lampard, who timed his run perfectly and slotted it pass the onrushing Shay Given. One nil in favour of Chelsea.

Five minutes later, Carlos Tevez equalised for Manchester City. After a mistake by Mikel, Tevez went pass Terry and managed to poke a shot pass Hilario, who was suppose to have saved the shot. Chelsea conceded a soft goal and the score was one all.

Six minutes after the break, City stroke again. Craig Bellamy breaks from the half-way line and with only Mikel in front of him, he breaks into the area and takes his shot. Once again, Hilario was poorly positioned and another soft goal was conceded. 2-1 in favour of Manchester City.

In the 76th minute, City was given a penalty. Barry was about to take his shot when Belletti brought him down. The referee sent him off and pointed to the spot and having Hilario clueless on which way to go, Carlos Tevez slotted it home, opening up the lead. 3-1 in favour of Manchester City.

Another red card for Chelsea killed all hopes of them getting away with even a point. Ballack lunged from behind to bring down Tevez and it was a terrible tackle. The referee had no hesitation and sent him off with a second yellow card.

In the 87th minute, Manchester City made it worst by scoring a fourth. City broke the defence and having four man clear in attack, Shaun Wright-Phillips whipped the ball across the face of goal and Craig Bellamy was left with the simple task of tapping it into the net. 4-1 in favour of Manchester City.

Then, in the 90th minute, Chelsea were awarded a penalty. Barry tripped Anelka in the box and Lampard sends Given the wrong way, finding the bottom corner. This goal was merely a consolation for Chelsea as they suffered a humiliating defeat.

Barclays Premier League - Wolverhampton Versus Chelsea

A double from Chelsea's Didier Drogba sealed the victory for Chelsea, opening up the gap between Manchester United to 4 points. Drogba made sure that Chelsea capitalized on Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to Everton, scoring two goals, one in each half. Petr Cech was the busier of the two keepers. Even though Wolverhampton had their chances, it was Chelsea who emerged as the winner, having dominated the game in possession.

In the 40th minute, Chelsea took the lead. Didier Drogba struck a right footed shot from close range to the bottom right corner. He was assisted by Yuri Zhirkov. Zhirkov played a neat one-two with Michael Ballack before squaring it back for Didier Drogba to score his 24th goal of the season in all competitions. 1-0 Chelsea.

In the 67th minute, Chelsea wrapped up the game. Petr Cech pumped the ball to Didier Drogba, who chested it down and his left footed shot managed to find its way into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Chelsea win 2-0.

Carling Cup Final - Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa

What a Final? It was full of action and it really kept me at the edge of my seat. However, Manchester United won, to my disappointment. I really thought that Aston Villa could have won it. I was so relieved when the referee gave a penalty to Aston Villa and Ashley Young slotted the ball into the goal beautifully, giving Aston Villa a 1-0 lead. Although Aston Villa had the lead, I still thought that Vidic could have gotten a card for tugging at the shirt of Agbonlahor.

However, in the 12th minute, Manchester United finally equalized. Berbatov stole the ball from Richard Dunne and actually sprinted into the box. After a terrific challenge from Dunne, the ball when to Owen, who struck the ball into the bottom left corner.

Then, in the 41th minute, Owen was replaced by Rooney. Then, in the 70th minute, Rooney scored the goal which won the game. Berbatov played a nice one-two with Valencia, who struck a fabulous cross to Rooney who rose the highest to head in the match winning goal.

The final-whistle was blown and Manchester United won the Carling Cup for two successive years.

A New Year, New postings

This is the first post for the year 2010.
As this is a new year, I will be posting new things. I will be posting about soccer and also some current affairs. I would be updating the blog on soccer results, transfers and also posting about the performance of teams, especially Chelsea!