Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Science: Human Sexual Reproduction - How sperm fuses with an ovum

Life begins when a sperm travels through a tough journey in female reproduction organ, meet and fuses with an ovum. Fusion of male and female gametes is called fertilization. A zygote is formed and then become embryo. Embryo will begin the journey from Fallopian tube to the uterus wall for implantation.







Sperms as you looked from electron microscope. Sperm is the tiniest cell in human body.






An ovum


After watching the video, now you realized that it was not an easy path for the sperm to reach ovum. Only one sperm is allowed to penetrate through the ovum's membrane out of millions of sperms. So, you are actually a successful product in God's eyes. Do not give up yourself, God never fail you.

Be a lousy client to your BANK.......Part 2


Next time when you are working, surely you will subscribe a few credit cards from your respective banks. The credit card salesman equipped with giving free gift marketing strategy will approach you personally in persuading you to have one card. Eventually, when you go for shopping, you swipe the card and you feel excited cause you feel that you don't need to pay with cash. You can buy all things you wanted with credit cards. You are only required to settle  a minimum payment in your credit card bill. Later on, you found out that you are in big trouble to settle the credit card bill. Now, you become a loyal and good customer to your bank. No wonder why so many youngsters nowadays go broke..... (read here)

The bank loves you very much with your heavy debt that incurred from your aggressive spending. The bank earns money from charging you a minimum interest of 13.5%, late payments, annual fees and you also need to pay for goverment credit card tax. Then the other bank as well will offer you balance transfer, credit card loan and advanced cash facilities. These all tactics are used to earn money from you legally. If you don't know how to make good use of credit card, in reality you are getting poorer. For me, I use credit card for convenience purpose. How about you?

Do you know you are not a good customer if you pay debts on time?
From The Star newspaper dated on July 26

I AM quite sure the bank that issues me my credit cards (just two) does not consider me a good customer. I spend way below my credit limit and, save for a few occasions, pay my bill in full and on time. A friend who works in the industry once told me: “To be honest, you are not the kind of customer we want. A good customer is one who spends more, defaults now and then, and allows us to charge interest on his outstanding balance.” Card issuers have long found their bread and butter in penalty fees and high interest rates paid by consumers who carry a balance. Now, frugal-minded consumers are charging less on their credit cards, paying down their balances and steering clear of penalty fees – steps that are financially responsible but have the industry scrambling to find new ways to make money.”

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Physics Form Five: Chapter 4 - Experiment on Cathode Ray Properties

This video is very useful especially for those students who do not have a chance to do experiment in school laboratory. Inside this video shows:
  • how cathode ray travels in a straight line
  • how a green shadow of Maltese cross formed.
  • how kinetic energy of electrons convert to light energy.
  • how magnetic field deflects cathode ray. (use Left Hand Fleming Rule to determine the direction of force)
  • how increasing voltages affect current and number of electrons emitted.
Enjoy and appreciate this demonstrations!

Physics Form Four: Chapter 3 - Principle of Archimedes

The principle of Archimedes states that "The buoyant force acting on an object completely submerged in water equals the weight of the displaced water."

For surbmerged objects,
Buoyant force = Weight of the fluid displaced
 
For floated objects,
Buoyant force = Weight of the fluid displaced = Weight of the floated object

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Tuition Teacher - How to choose the right home tutor?

Basically, there are four types of tutor in market now
  • Undergraduate students tutor
  • Full time tutors
  • Working adults tutor
  • Current or Ex-school teacher
The first thing you should know is that a good home tutor is not the one that has a good educational background (meaning a university degree), strong teaching experience or is highly recommended by a tuition agency.Tutor's educational background is important but it is not the main ingredient to become a good tutor. A tutor may have PhD level and intelligent but it does not mean that she/he has the ability to teach. The perfect home tutor is the one that you feel comfortable with, that able to stimulate your intelligence and commitment for study and also able to touch your life.

Qualities a good tuition teacher:
1. Ability to make student understand - So a good home tutor is the one that has the ability to make student understand and pick up the subject he/she has problem with; the one that is able to discover student  lacks on a certain subject; and the one that can stimulate the student's mind and commitment.
2. Ability to motivate student - If a student is weak in a certain subject and fail to attain the desire results, he or she will lose interest on the subject when times go by. A good tutor should be able to motivate him or her from not giving up and set a healthy and positive mindset for the student. The one that has the ability to motivate student to work hard.

3. Has passion in teaching - A good tutor should not treat tutoring as a job and just for money.

Personally, I believe the most important of all qualities of a tutor has is the:-
4. Ability to touch student's life  - Tutor should care and concern about student problems that hinder them from studying and performing well in examination. The one that can set himself/herself as an example of morality and responsibility.

Physics Form Five: Chapter 3 - AC and DC Generator

For those students who can not imagine the mechanism of AC or DC generator works, please watch the video below to get better understanding on this subject.

AC Generator






DC Generator

  • AC generator uses two slip rings
  • DC generator uses a commutator.
  • Both AC and DC use Right Hand's Fleming Rule

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Tuition is a boom business in Singapore! Same as in Malaysia

A summary from The Star newspaper:

In Singapore, school test papers are hot commodity selling $30 and $40 per set. Designed by individual primary and secondary schools to test their own pupils annually, they have long been packaged and sold. The higher ranked the school, the greater the demand. In a suburban town centre, 12 or more tuition centres are flourishing together with the trade in test papers has becoming a booming industry, probably raking in hundreds of millions of dollars and providing jobs for thousands of people. A reporter who did a random interview with 12 students found that their parents spent an average $500 a month on their tuition fees. There was a father spent almost $960 a month to pay for his son's English lesson.

Some tuition even takes place online. where test papers can be downloaded more cheaply. Some top junior college graduates have taken it further by selling their study notes on the web. The Sunday Times conducted a poll in 2008 of 100 primary, secondary and junior college students and found that only three students did not have any tuition at all. Even some university students have sought special tuition but starting age is getting lower. Two in every 10 involve kindergarten kids. Contrary to belief, not all who seek help are students of average or poorer grades. They include straight A-students, too. A Physics tutor to 80 students reportedly earns about $20,000 a month. Even students such as undergraduates and junior college students are earning good pocket money this way.
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My opinion:
Tuition is essential for those students who are average, slow learner or obtained poorer grades. But, what happening now is tuition has became a trend or necessity in Malaysia and Singapore. I can understand why Malaysian parents have to send their children for tuition but I wonder why Singaporean parents are so kiasu despite of their higher quality of teaching compare to ours. Singapore schools supply a general education that is quite modern and diverse. It is winning accolades from some countries which have adopted its method of teaching. 

Nowadays, tuition becomes so commercialized instead of rendering help to those weak students with passion heart. I really hope that our school teachers put education as their top priority to develop our country human resource instead of making education a money spinner. Some school teachers teach certain subject so lousy in classroom but teach so well at tuition centre. No wonder, so many parents want to send their children to tuition centre and this situation encourages more tuition centres mushrooming in our towns.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Did your school teach you about financial planning.....? Where got this subject? Part 1

Read the below news from The Star dated on 19 July

Debt-ridden young adults seek professional help on money management

PETALING JAYA: They are young and affluent but poor in managing their finances.By the time they’re 30,they are so debt-ridden they have to seek professional help to get out of bankruptcy.Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) corporate affairs and communication head Devinder Singh said 15% of the more than 39,600 people enrolled in its debt management programme are below the age of 30.
He said many young adults risk being declared bankrupt because of credit card overspending and failing to observe basic rules in sound financial management.
He added that people would not be drowning in debt if their total loans did not exceed 40% of their gross monthly earnings.“People must learn to draw up a budget and live within their means.“If they can reduce expenditure by 5% a week, they can save 20% by the end of the month,” he said, adding that such practices would help build a strong financial foundation.Devinder was responding to a Bank Negara report that 50% of credit card holders who had been declared bankrupt were those below 30.

Under the Bankruptcy Act 1967, bankruptcy action could be initiated against those owing as low as RM30,000.Devinder said people tend to default on payments due to poor financial planning and lack of control in credit card usage.“Those having problems settling their debts should seek early help before compound interest takes a toll on them,” he advised.

Voicing similar concern over the alarming increase of young adults being declared bankrupt, Fomca chief executive officer Datuk Paul Selvaraj agrees that most of them are in trouble because of mismanagement of credit cards.“Once declared bankrupt, life would be very tough because their names would be blacklisted in the Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) database,” he said, adding that their applications for loans would be automatically rejected.Paul said many young adults were trapped in debt because they lived beyond their means.“When these youths are just starting out, they are highly impressionable and are easily influenced by friends’ lifestyles.“They generally do not manage expenses properly, thus allowing credit to accrue over time,” he said.

He also said brand-conscious youths rarely take affordability into account.“They do not feel the pinch when they swipe credit cards, but they will feel the pain at the end of the month,” he added.

Science Form Two: Chapter 5 - Water Treatment


Penangites are so blessed with clean and cheap water. We pay the cheapest price of water among the states in Malaysia but we also ranked the highest in terms of water consumption. Most of water supplied to us is from Kedah's river. Our own Air Itam and Teluk Bahang dam is not sufficient for domestic water consumption. What happens if the severe drought hit us in future due to global warming phenomenon? Let us start now to save our river and use water wisely. Otherwise, we may end up to drink water from waste water instead of water from river. Watch yourself this below video how waste water is treated!




Saturday, July 17, 2010

Chemistry Form Four: Chapter 6 - Electroplating of copper metal


1) Anode --> plating metal = copper
2) Cathode --> object to be electroplated = iron key

3) Electrolyte --> salt solution that contains electroplating metal ions = copper (II) sulphate




cathode: A brown metal deposited on the surface of the iron key.

anode: Copper anode becomes thinner.


Dear Students,
 You can also watch the electroplating of metal in industry through below video.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Are we ready for sport........?


All systems go for ‘1Student, 1Sport’ policy next year
KUALA LUMPUR: All necessary plans have been made to introduce the “1Student, 1Sport” policy school next year, said the Deputy Prime Minister.“We have informed our officers on the appropriate ways to implement this at both primary and secondary school levels, as students of different ages have a different approach to sports,” said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at a press conference after opening the Second Asean Schools Games at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium here yesterday.Muhyiddin, also the Education Minister, said that almost all schools had sports teachers, but quality must be there.“One teacher training institute has been tasked to train highly qualified sports teachers.”Muhyiddin added that about 70% of schools had adequate facilities, while the remaining 30% with insufficient facilities would be assisted.

“I admit that we have not given special attention to sports infrastructure for a long time and we will address this,” he said. In the meantime, he said schools could turn to facilities owned by the Government or the municipal councils.Last week, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the ministry had decided to make sports a compulsory condition to enter public universities and it would be implemented gradually in a systematic fashion in all schools.
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My Query:
  • Do our school have sufficient amenities and sport infrastructures for student to undergo training? Some school especially SRJK's type do not have field.
  • Do we have enough dedicated and qualified sport science teacher or coach to give training to our students? 
  • Are academic teachers also need to involve in sport activities?
  • Does the school hours extended to 5 pm?
  • How to evaluate student's sport performance when some of them are not sport-inclined or have sickness? 

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Physics Form Five: Chapter 4 - Half and Full Wave Rectification

Rectification is the process of converting alternating current to direct current.






Example of diode









Half wave rectification











Full wave rectification






Smoothing Voltage
  • The purpose of smoothing voltage is to get a more stable and steady current.
  • The capacitor must be connected parallel with load in the circuit.

    Click on the diagram below to play!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Octopus striked again.....All 8 World Cup matches predicted correctly!


Spain won the final World Cup, a lot of people lost their bet when they picked Spain in 90 minutes match, bookies raked in millions of profit and I think the biggest winner in this version of World Cup is most probably goes to OCTOPUS. The sotong now become the most famous animal in the world. Thanks to the 2010 World Cup. Behind the scene, I believe the owner of this famous sotong can now laughing all the way to bank. Read the news below:

         $4 Million p.a. Package on Offer
NEW YORK, NEW YORK–Top US Investment Bank Goldman Sachs is said to be offering a US$4 million per year package for the Paul the Oracle Octopus to head up its proprietary trading book.Goldman will convert part of its trading floor in its New York Headquarters into a fish tank for Paul and put boxes representing different markets, stocks, indices, equities and bonds for Paul to choose from. They hope this will translate into more profitable business from them. Paul will work closely with the Head of Global Strategy to recommend asset allocation strategies.Also the rounds is a rumour that Merrill Lynch are bidding for Paul to replace their entire research team.


You have learnt probability in mathematics. So, what are the chances for Octopus to predict all 8 matches correctly. There are 3 possibilities in a soccer match:- win, lose or draw. To win the match, the probability is 1/3. Therefore, to win all 8 matches, the probability = 1/3 x 1/3 x1/3 x 1/3 x 1/3 x 1/3 x 1/3 x 1/3 = 1/ 6561= 0.01524%.

The owner of this sotong is a smart person. Before the Euro Cup and World Cup, this sotong was worth a few hundred dollars. He publicised and highlighted all the Octopus's predictions through media of electronics to attract crowd. There is nothing to lose for the owner if the Octopus predicts wrongly. The scenario will change if the Octopus successfully predicts correct for 8 matches eventhough the probability is very small. Now, you can witness yourself that the Octopus is worth millions of dollars! In future, this sotong may be kept in an aquarium at muzium to attract tourist or to be used to choose which stock, equity or bond to buy. They will manipulate this sotong to make more money from you. Think about it! If the sotong can choose a stock behalf of you, then we don't need to learn share fundamental value at all. Come on,.......there is no free lunch in this world.

My dear students, beware of this belief! The world is full of deception and manipulation for financial gains. These greed bookies and businessmans will go all out to deceive you into believe in that the sotong can help you. Do not be deceived by them but study hard and learn diligently throughout your life to become a wise man. If all of your efforts and works are God-centered, HE will surely grant you a victory in your life according to HIS plan.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Poor and Young Malaysian by 2030 ! Oh my God.....!


Where we are by 2030? A recent survey conducted by Merril Lynch shows that Malaysian will be relatively young but poor. Other countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea which are on par with us during 60's have moved up to the category of high income nation. These nations do not have much natural resources but still can progress and prosper well under a good leadership of their respective goverment.

After 53 years of Merdeka, we are still remain in the middle income trap .We are a blessed country in terms of natural resources and we should have used these resources to develop our human resources in a meaningful way long long ago. We need knowledge based economy to elevate us to become high income nation.

My dear students, do you want to become poor in future? There is no short cut to success. The key to success is through education. Once you obtained the degree, you still need to acquire new knowledge or skill to make you competent in this highly competitive world. Your salary is paid according to your skill, knowledge and experience. You may end up in high-end industry that can pay you high or become entrepreneur or you want to become one of them in these pictures below. It is your choice which path you want to taken now.

By 2030, because of our country young population, perhaps Malaysia can send many of them overseas to work as maids or construction workers.


     .  

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Beauty of Mathematics !!!!!!!

Absolutely amazing!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9

12 x 8 + 2 = 98

123 x 8 + 3 = 987

1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876

12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765

123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654

1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543

12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432

123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
1 x 9 + 2 = 11

12 x 9 + 3 = 111

123 x 9 + 4 = 1111

1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111

12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111

123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111

1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111

12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111

123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88

98 x 9 + 6 = 888

987 x 9 + 5 = 8888

9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888

98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888

987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888

9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888

98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

1 x 1 = 1

11 x 11 = 121

111 x 111 = 12321

1111 x 1111 = 1234321

11111 x 11111 = 123454321

111111 x 111111 = 12345654321

1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321

11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321

111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.

How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.


If:

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K   =  8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E   =  11+14+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E   =  1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D   =  12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Have a nice day & God bless you all !!

Chemistry Form Four : Chapter 6 - Electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate

Electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate using carbon electrode. The bulb is lighted indicates that copper (II) sulphate is an electrolyte which can conduct electricity. Carbon electrode is inert which does not react with electrolyte or product of electrolysis.




  At anode : Hydroxide ions ions are selectively
  discharged. Gas bubbles are formed which lighted up a glowing wooden splinter. This gas is oxygen.





At cathode : Copper ions are selectively discharged. Shiny brown metal deposited around cathode. This metal is copper.




 







Electrolysis copper (II) sulphate solution with copper electrodes
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
At cathode : Copper ions are selectively discharged. Shiny brown metal deposited, makes the cathode thicker. This metal is copper.
 
 
At anode : Copper electrode eroded and became thinner. Copper anode dissolved to form copper ions.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Endurance + Determination + Perseverance + Courage = Victory

Last Sunday, I was so rush to Gurney Plaza after Add Maths tuition to give moral support to my ex-student who participating in Mr Penang competition. I am so proud of his success to clinch 2nd spot in junior category. He succeeded in his childhood dream to become a body builder. Before he won this competition, he got consolation prize of last year Mr. Penang competition. Despite of the last year lesser prize, he continues his effort in fulfilling his dream without giving up. Look at his body from the picture! It tells all the stories of effort, endurance, determination, perseverance and courage he has to undergo during training and preparation for this competition. Whether he realizes or not, he learn these great values during schoolhood time.

I still can remember vividly of his plump size and fat belly around his waist when he was my student in 2005. He was not a bright student in his school. Nevertheless, he will do and finish all my Add Maths and Chemistry homeworks assigned to him. He didn't attend any tuition class except I gave 2 hours tuition for his Chemistry and Add Maths subject per week. Sometimes, he will seek my help to solve his Physics questions. He will do his own revision. He has nurtured a right attitudes to success throughout the lesson. To my expectation, he scored A in Chemistry, Add Maths, Physics and Modern Maths in SPM 2007. Later on, he also managed to sail through STPM without attending any tuition class. I attribute his success to his right attitudes.

My dear students, I hope that you could emulate his attitude. The process of study throughout 13 years in school can  help you to nurture these values. Whenever you encounter troubles or trials, do not give up but accept and face it. Through adversity, you are able to learn endurance, determination, perseverance and courage in order to make you more mature and complete person. Then, you will able to attain victory in your life.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Learn History in conjunction with Georgetown World Heritage Day, July 7

It is confirmed that July 7 is a school holiday in Penang in conjunction with Georgetown's celebration as World Cultural Heritage site. Surely, it is a good news to students and teachers waiting eagerly for federal government to approve this special holiday in Penang. At last, it was approved when I read the news on Saturday's Star newspaper.

What are you going to plan for this coming Wednesday? Going for shopping....., sleeping...., cinema....!
Why not we learn some history about Penang? I know, you guys always dislike History subject in school. Always getting the low marks for History paper, complaining this subject is so bored, have no interest at all in History books and the story goes on......

Okay, I can understand your grouses about History subject. But, as a Penangite, you should at least know the Penang's history. Do you know that Penang is so blessed by God? Not so many cities in the world have been accorded as a UNESCO Heritage Site, not even Hong Kong, Singapore or New York which has so many magnificient skyscrapers. At our own, we have very uniquely and distinctively old historic colonial buildings shaping Georgetown sea-front city. A truly cultural living city in our midst!

Let's we make History subject a real and fun learning process coming this Wednesday, rather than you sit in the class room listening to your history teacher....blah...blah....blah...
No wonder you feel bored.....