Marvelous Earthworms

What has no eyes and is blind, no ears and cannot hear, breathes through its skin and has the strength to dig tunnels throughout its life? Well, it is earth's best friend, the earthworm.

There are approximately 50,000 earthworms per acre of moist soil. They live in deep, dark, long, and narrow tunnels or burrows under the ground, away from the Sun and the heat. If they want to get a breath of fresh air, then night time will be the best time for them to surface. Many will leave their burrows when it rains as they might drown if their tunnels are overflooded.

Although many children will squirm at the sight of the wriggly creatures, earthworms are friends of gardeners and farmers. Earthworms help them grow better flowers, crops and plants by bringing organic debris into their burrows from the surface and by eating their way through the soil.

The leaf litter that can be found on the surface of the ground are comprised of dead leaves and animals. These will be digested by the earthworms as they are excellent sources of nutrients made by plants during photosynthesis. Calcium, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and organic minerals are found in dead leaves. Nutrients from dead animals contribute to the earthworms' diet too.

It may come to a surprise to you but it is actually the earthworms' excrement or waste product, called castings, that is deposited on the surface of the ground, that is rich in nutrients. These castings provide food for other animals and microorganisms. This organic material is then further broken down by microorganisms of the soil, releasing nutrients in a farm available for absorption by plants.

In this way, earthworms help produce fertile soil that is essential for the growth of plants. Isn't that a fantastic way of recycling? Nothing goes to waste! Even when earthworms die, they continue to contribute to the fertility of the soil by decomposing and releasing additional nutrients for plants.

Earthworms move by lengthening and shortening their bodies. Their mouths are at the pointy end in front. And though they have no eyes, they possess light-sensitive cells and can 'sense' light. Even though they cannot hear, they can fell vibrations of animals moving nearby.

Have you seen a bird trying to pull an earthworm out of the ground? The earthworm will try to hold on tight to the wall of its home using bristles found on the underside of its body. However, if the bird's pull is really strong, then the earthworm will be torn into two. The bird gets half and the hind end will wriggle back into its burrow and the lost part is regenerated. In fact, if a worm is pulled in half, the head end will grow back.

In this way, we will never have to worry about earthworms becoming extinct!

A Family Reunion

T'was the morning before New Year, when someone got out of the house.

Not a single one in the family, not even a mouse,

Knew that someone was in need of concern,

A fact too late to be learnt.

The parents were snug in their bed,

While Grandmother was nodding her head.

A note was stuck on the wall,

Bidding farewell as the last call,

Because he wants to see his life better,

And that was the core of the matter.

T'was not a while before the sun shone strong,

Did the family learnt something was wrong.

Why did not Tom at the breakfast table appear,

This in the parents' heart struck a chord of fear.

With a little quick thinking,

Mr Chin in a quicksand was sinking,

Remembering what Tom had asked of them a fortnight before,

Why must we live in poverty and more.

"Now, Tom, Father is trying his best,

Four jobs in all, without a day's rest,

To put food on the table each meal,

What more could you ask for, it is the best deal!"

Tom's lips turned down,

With his head bowed, he felt like a clown.

And just as the parents were about to call the police,

The sound of a lock and the door was released.

"Tom! My dear son,

Where have you been, on a cold Mon?"

He was wrapped in a sheet from his head to his foot,

And his face was covered with ashes and soot.

A haversack of clothing fell from his back,

And with a look of regret, he confessed his lack

Of understanding for his father,

His parents gave him a big hug, telling him that it ain't no big matter.

An Animation In The Making

Certainly, Ugly and the Beast is a tale as old as time. With a seemingly complex message that beauty is only skin deep, this animation really is about loving one another – even if one looks and has a character that is unlovable. Director Lewis Charles has it in his blood to present the tale in such a way that it can be easily understood by even the youngest child.

The story unfolds with a fair young lady who was unkind to an enchantress disguised as a starving beggar. Seeing how ugly her character was, the enchantress cast a spell on her, putting a hideous scar which ran across her face. The lady was told she would for the rest of her lifetime remain ugly until she learnt what true beauty was and another could see beauty from within her. The lady’s fate seemed sealed, until one day, when she met a creature more hideous than her – the Beast. Ugly, as many in her village called her, had chanced upon the injured Beast when she ran to the woods in a bid to avoid the mockery of her fellow villagers. Her friendship with the Beast became her only hope of getting back the face she once had.

With the clever twists in the plot and the inclusion of many lively supporting characters, Kevin Langhorne sculptures a cast of characters who offer a sincere heart – something that animation films before it lacked. Together with Steve Mack’s moving music score, Ugly and the Beast brings to light how love can overcome darkness and how true beauty is above physical appearance. The magic in this animation draws its audience into the heart of the story and the sadness and joy experienced by the characters dive deep into their minds, letting the audience forget that they are watching an animation and not a non-animated film. Indeed, it is a film that is moving and takes the audience where they want to go and not where it wants them to go.

Flawlessly rendered, this animation has landed itself a nomination in this year’s Wildcard Film Award. The talented voice cast includes Jasmine Bernard (Ugly), Bobby Williams (The Beast), and many other celebrities from Hollywood. Perhaps, the secret of the film’s success lies in the therapeutically beautiful theme song Ugly and the Beast. Stay for the credits to listen to Ewan Nelson and Jaime Swazi perform the theme song, making the closing experience of the animation show completely surreal and satisfying.

Connecting With An Elderly

As nuclear families become the trend in the establishment of family units in our society today, the interaction between grandparents and grandchildren is reduced. This further widens the generations in a family. The following is an extract of a conversation among teenagers who have had trouble communicating with grandparents whom they do not see often.

“There I was,” Mabel told his friends, Siti and Marian, “Sitting with this ‘ancient’ elderly whom I call ‘Grandmother’. I didn’t know what to say to her! My parents and John had left earlier for his school’s parents-teacher meeting, so I was supposed to keep her company till they returned with dinner. What do you talk about with someone that old?”

“Well, I can understand. I’ve been in similar situations. I can hardly hold up a decent conversation when I see my grandparents at family celebrations or birthday dinners. I mean, what can a 21st century teenager talk about with someone who remembers the Japanese invasion and surrender in World War II?” Siti nodded her head as she gave Mabel a sympathetic look.

Marian shot up her right hand, “This is because we don’t live with our grandparents and are not familiar with them. The elderly do understand us as they have been teenagers like us once. A good way to break the ice is to ask them a question. They have to give a reply and in a matter of time, you have a conversation!”

“But what kind of questions do we ask? We certainly do not want to sound silly or rude,” Mabel quipped as her eyes widened with curiosity.

Marian took a few tips from the fizzy drink she was holding and said, “Most elderly people enjoy talking about the ‘good old days’. Ask about their past, what they dud and where they lived. However, be prepared for some melancholic answers. At that age, they must have had some loved ones whom they’ve lost along the way.”

“On yes, I remember Aunt Fatimah once told us that the elderly do not think of themselves as ‘old’ but just slower in movements and not as agile. It would be quite interesting to ask them the same type of questions you’d ask a friend and hear about their views. There must be some common issues between us,” Siti added, delighted at what she had shared.

“Talking to the elderly isn’t hard once you get started. Start talking, and soon they’ll be telling their friends what a nice young grandchild she had,” Marian encouraged as she stood up and walked to the nearest bin to throw her empty drink can.

TTSH History

In the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic, Tan Tock Seng Hospital became a 'household name' as the hosptial and centre which housed numerous SARS patients. If its founder, Tan Tock Seng, were still alive today, he would have been proud to be greatly associated with this institution that saw to the care of many sick and dying SARS patients.

Tan Tock Seng was born in Malacca in 1798. There were three other boys in the family, two in China and one in Malacca. Tock Seng's father, Tan Whay Teck, could barely make ends meet for the family and poverty drove the young and ambitious Tock Seng to Singapore, seeking his fortune. Tock Seng was a survivor who had no qualms about trying out new things. Not long after settling in a foreign land, he kept his living by purchasing fruits, vegetables and fowl in the rural community and selling them in the town. With hard work and much favor, Tock Seng oepned a small shop along the Boat Quay riverside. He did this all on his own, with savings he had from selling fruits and vegetables.

According to Tan Tock Seng's great grandson, Tan Hoong Siang, his great grandfather was fluent in English and thus could communicate effectively with the Governor of his times, J.H. Whitehead. It was believed that this close-knit relation unlocked a chain of favors that led to Tock Seng's fortune-yielding speculative ventures, making him one of the richest Chinese in Singapore.

Tan Tock Seng was not merely famous for being one of the richest Chinese but also for being a philanthropist. His generosity towards the poor did not go unnoticed. Many Chinese immigrants were particularly grateful to Tock Seng for burying their deceased loved ones as a proper burial was of importance to the Chinese and life was too difficult for poor people then to afford burials. This quality of Tock Seng made him the first Asian to be made Justice of Peace by Governor Butterworth.

It was Tock Seng's generous donation of $5000 to the Chinese Paupers' Hospital that made him an honorable founders. Continued support from his wife and son for the hospital saw the day when the management of the hospital decide to rename the hospital after its great contributor, Tan Tock Seng.

Tan Tock Seng passed away in 1850, leaving behind wa wife, three daughters and three sons. Each child received a substantial sum of money and property and continued to build on the legacy that their father, Tan Tock Seng, had established.

Examinations And Education

In this fast-paced technological society, mainstream modern education still depends on the 'old-fashioned' method - the examination system of testing and evaluation of learning. In fact, it has become more indispensable, being a tool which evaluates pupils' abilities without the presence of textbooks and other 'help buttons'. Every one who has had some form of formal education would have undergone an examination. The result of the examination would then be used the key to assessing the pupil's understanding of a subject. Although its growing importance is recognized by many, the examination system is also subjected to increasing criticism for being an inadequate and unfair tool to measure a pupil's success.

Individuals who want to do away with the examination system reason that its existence encourages the wrong behavior of pupils who focus on getting high grades rather than acquiring knowledge. These pupils will not be motivated to innovate nor strive for creativity. Instead, they become bookworms who regurgitate facts and concepts without knowledge of applying them to work and improving life for humanity. Education is more than a tool that enables pupils to make a livelihood in their later years. It also shapes their characters and the way they live their lives. However, it is believed the present examination system has drawn pupils further away from these sacred purposes.

If there is any regret a pupil should have, it would have to be this: memorizing chunks of information of a subject in preparation for an examination and then forgetting them once the examination is over. Certainly, what can be a greater waste than this?

On the flip side of the coin, examinations must have its set of benefits; even famous scientists of our times such as Marie Curie and Thomas Edison have taken examinations in the course of schooling.

Evidently, what makes people successful is not the examination system but the attitude one has towards learning. There is a temptation for some students to embrace a nonchalant attitude towards the examination system as they are the group of pupils who fare better in practicum than written theory. Of this lot of students, there could be a Marie Curie or Thomas Edison - one who is not apt at scoring in an examination.

A fair suggestion would be for the examination system to be further improved instead of removing it altogether. After all, removing a stone in one's path does not take away the possibility of an accident.

Cancer Is Alive And Active

The term 'cancer' just about instills the greatest fear in people as it is very much associated with the notion of 'no cure' and hence, death. Cancel is a complex group of over 100 different diseases and the formidable aspect of it lies in the fact that it can encroach on any and every organ in the human body. The human body is made up of cells and these cells divide and multiply to keep the body functioning properly. When this multiplication of cells escalates beyond its normal growth rate, growths are formed. These growths, more commonly known as tumors, can either be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

The oldest recorded case of cancer to date was made in ancient Egypt, about 1500 BC. According to the eight documented cases written on papyrus, the tumors were found in the breast. Treatment for cancer in those times was by cauterization. Cauterization, a method requiring the use of a hot drill, was employed by the ancient Egyptians to kill tissues. Besides this treatment, there was no other medical aid for cancer. Cancer, in the olden days, was feared as much as it is today.

Surprisingly, although medical advances and technology were absent in ancient times, there were recorded evidence that the Egyptians know how to differentiate the benign tumors from malignant ones. The inscriptions on the Egyptian walls tells us that growths which appeared near the surface of the skin were surgically removed with sharp knives.

People living in earlier times than the ancient Egyptians were less fortunate. The Greek doctors, for example, had little knowledge of the human body and could only treat common ailments. The general belief was the body was made up of four substances: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. For many years, the black bile was thought to be the main cause of cancer. This belief was embraced for thousands of years. Of course, in superstitious societies of those times, the supernatural was the other primary cause. Even in ancient Egypt where treatments were available, many attributed cancer to God's wrath upon the people.

Cancer grew to be a notorious disease, killing millions each year and topping the ranks as the primary killers. The greatest advancements in the treatment of cancer took place in the 20th century. Oncologists have identified carcinogens as the cause of cancer and administered treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation to destroy cancer cells. No doubt cancer continues to prevail today, but man is not about to give up on researching to find a cure for sufferers.