This picture depicts a scene in an area being hit by a natural disaster, flood. this can be seen as all the place wherethe people are in are surrounded with water. From their skin colour, I suppose that they are africans. Base on the areaand the cloths that the people are wearing, i can tell that their family are not very well of.
The little boy in grey seem to be crying as I can see from his facial expression. He might be afraid as the flood hasreached his height and therefore, he is unable to stand in the water. But fortunately, I suppose, his releative or maybehis father is taking care of him. As the boy is still young, he needs someone to look after him or else he will just be drowned to death or die of hunger if he cannot find food in order to survive. The two of them might be looking for some safe places to rest or a dry area, awating for the rescue workers to arrive.
The man behing should also either be a relative of the man and the little boy or a fellow villager whose village has been struck my the flood. He seemed to be also heading along the same way as the man and the little boy. He is also carrying some things on his back. I suppose they are some food so that he can eat while awaiting for the rescue workers to arrive.
Upon looking at this picture, I feel very fortunate that I am able to live in Singapore. Singapore is situated in a good geographical location which is not prone to lots of natural disasters. That is why Singapore is not often hit by natural disasters. Although so, Singaporeans should not take for granted. We should help those people out there whose country is being hit by all the natural disasters.
This picture depicts a scene in an area being hit by a natural disaster, flood. this can be seen as all the place wherethe people are in are surrounded with water. From their skin colour, I suppose that they are africans. Base on the areaand the cloths that the people are wearing, i can tell that their family are not very well of.
The little boy in grey seem to be crying as I can see from his facial expression. He might be afraid as the flood hasreached his height and therefore, he is unable to stand in the water. But fortunately, I suppose, his releative or maybehis father is taking care of him. As the boy is still young, he needs someone to look after him or else he will just be drowned to death or die of hunger if he cannot find food in order to survive. The two of them might be looking for some safe places to rest or a dry area, awating for the rescue workers to arrive.
The man behing should also either be a relative of the man and the little boy or a fellow villager whose village has been struck my the flood. He seemed to be also heading along the same way as the man and the little boy. He is also carrying some things on his back. I suppose they are some food so that he can eat while awaiting for the rescue workers to arrive.
Upon looking at this picture, I feel very fortunate that I am able to live in Singapore. Singapore is situated in a good geographical location which is not prone to lots of natural disasters. That is why Singapore is not often hit by natural disasters. Although so, Singaporeans should not take for granted. We should help those people out there whose country is being hit by all the natural disasters.
Lloyd's Picture Discussion!
This illustration portrays a scene in the city streets. This photograph should be taken in the city of Singapore, judging from the people and trishaws. The traffic sign at the back of the background is definitely from Singapore. The sign ambiguously imparts that pedestrians are prohibited from crossing the road. From this I infer that the traffic in this road can be heavily congested at times thus pedestrians are discouraged from jaywalking across the road. The road is rather wet and slippery from the reflection of puddles of water on the road in a fine weather, thus I deduce that a downpour has just stopped. In the background there are visibly three trishaws, followed by more further behind. Riding on these trishaws seem to be a group of tourists who are visiting Singapore, as they seem fascinated by the attractions around them. The lady in the middle, riding on the first trishaw is looking bewilderedly in the sky. She should be around the age of an aunt, from the way she is modestly dressed. She seems to be reluctant to answer anyone, thus showing an disregarded expression towards the public. The driver of the trishaw the lady is riding on is staring at her. He appears to be speaking to her, and in a manner that she is unwilling to listen. I reckon the driver is preaching the lady about her attitude. The plump man riding on the second trishaw is beaming brightly with exuberance. He should be engaged in a entertaining conversation between his friends and the drivers. In my opinion, I like to be engaged in conversations like these where everybody is chatting and joking away happily, as this will greatly improve the bonds and relationships between friends and families. Moreover, it will definitely help to reduce stress and pressure after a long day's work or studies. This makes me reminisce a period of time when I had loads of homework undone yet I was able to relieve myself from all the stress by chatting and joking with my friends. From there I was able to complete my homework with a lighter heart. The young man on the third trishaw seems to be the youngest of the tour group. Apparently, he is holding on to a digital camera as he smiles while looking at it. From this I can deduce he must be satisfied with the beautiful photographs of the sceneries he have taken. He should be hoping to be able to share the photographs with his family and friends when he return to his country. In my opinion, taking photographs as memories is very essential as we might not have the chance to tour very often. I am inclined to think that photographs are a sense of achievement as looking at them will make me feel gratified that I have been to that specific area before. These trishaws used for sightseeing today are rather advanced and improved compared to the plain and simple ones that were used as transportation in the past. Installed on the trishaw is a overhead cover which can be folded when not in use. In my opinion, this will enhance sightseeing as the sceneries will not be blocked as much. There is even a sound horn installed for the drivers to honk whenever they need the vehicles or pedestrians to make way. These features has brought much more convenience and I feel that the government has played a part in improving the standards of jobs and living, thus showing a distinct advancement of this developing city. The bunch of drivers seems to be colleagues, from their similar attire and elderly age. In my opinion, a trishaw is definitely exhausting to maneuver, as it requires manual paddling in order to accelerate. With the passengers in addition, being a driver is definitely enduring, yet these senior citizens strive hard to complete their tasks, regardless rain or shine. From this I can infer that these aged men are still determined, strong and fit, pedalling their way to make a living. I recall watching a online video from YouTube three middle-aged foreigners filmed themselves bullying a old Singaporean rickshaw driver at Clarke Quay. The three men were mocking and laughing away at how slow the driver was pedalling, ignorant of how enduring and exhausting it is to pedal, even at such an age. After a while they got off and claimed that they do not have enough money for the service fee of five dollars, and even hopped on a cab, leaving the old man alone in the middle of the streets. In my opinion, the old man only demanded for five dollars for his service yet these men who were able to pay for a more expensive service, were reluctant. I feel that this has shown to us how unfilial and immoral these adults are, and it tells me that they do not have at all, basic respect and are totally shameless people. I hope that they would put themselves into the old man's shoes and do some soul searching, realising that making a living through trishaw services is not easy. In conclusion, I feel that this photograph has been taken for several meanings. The expressions of the tourists promotes the attractions and landmarks of Singapore, thus inviting more guests and visitors to tour in our country. Moreover, trishaw rides are not frequently found in many countries, thus the viewers of this photograph may be interested in the traditions of Singapore. Lastly, I am sure the trishaws and the drivers that are focused on in this photograph have a special meaning. Whether I remember the situation of the old trishaw driver bullied, or respect these men who toiled their way to make a living, I must definitely thank them on what they have done for the society and wish them the best in their career life and health.Photo DetailsLink: http://www.trekearth.com/viewphotos.php?l=3&p=29476Date Taken: 2004-01-05
Picture Discussion
This picture should be depicting a scene in India, judging from the dark skin colour of the four women in the picture and their traditional Indian clothing, Sari. In the picture, these four women seem to be close to each other, thus perhaps they are a family or are neighbours as they are seated close together and do not look like strangers to each other. The group of women is crying their hearts out and they seem devastated. All four of them look exceptionally heartbroken, with their sorrowful looking eyes and their mouths in the shape of crying.
From the depressing look on their faces, I can deduce that perhaps a natural disaster of flood or tsunami has just occurred not long ago. The background of the picture shows bits and pieces of shattered bricks, which is probably a result of the flood and the reason for causing the women to weep sorrowfully as their precious homeland has been destroyed by the flood. Furthermore, it could be supported by my geographical knowledge that a flood has taken place as India’s geographical location causes it to be prone to flooding and tsunamis. It should also be the enormous power of the water that has caused the collapse of their houses.
Upon seeing this sight, I feel pitiful and sympathize for them but at the same time, I also feel fortunate for myself. I sympathize and pity with them for having lost their homes and perhaps, even their family members, as the picture does not seem to show the presence of their family members. This brings me to think how fortunate I am to be living in Singapore, located at a good geographical position that is being shielded by neighbouring countries and thus have minimum or even no possibility of occurrence of natural disaster.
The picture had given me an obligation to help the victims of natural disasters, to do my part in whenever and whatever is possible. Also, this picture reminds me of the more recent natural disaster that has taken place in China, Sichuan province where strong earthquakes had occurred. The video footages and photos of the victims have really proven that victims of natural disasters really require help and the same goes to the women in the picture.
Lastly, I think that after this scene medical help would be arriving soon to fetch them to temporarily shelters while reconstruction work would take place soon to restore the homes of the victims as fast as possible and I hope that they would be brave and aim to reconstruct their home to aid them in surviving their darkest period of life.
This picture depicts a group of people in the middle of a road during night time . A vehicle can be seen at the right side of the picture . The top of the vehicle has been torn off and the windows are all dented and broken . I guess there had been an accident not long before this picture is taken . There is a person in a black sweater and a pair of jeans lying on a stretcher . I believe he is one of the victim from the car accident . Crowding around him is eight men in uniform . Judging from their attire , I think that six of them in black-white stripes attire are the medics that are saving the injured and the other two are cops that came forward to inquire about the accident . All of them are checking on the injured .
Another medic is not far the crowd . Perhaps he might be waiting for the victim to be pushed there so that he can , together with other medics , carry the injured man up to the ambulance and send him to the hospital . On the floor beside him is a hood that might be from the crashed vehicle . Looking at the hood i guess the accident happened with a great impact that caused the hood to detach from the vehicle . However , the impact is not too big as i guess that there is no fatality in this accident . A medic can be seen at the rear of the vehicle . Probably , there might be other victim involved in this accident but was not taken in the picture .
Towards the side of the road , several faces could be seen . They are peering at the injured man . I guess they might be checking in out of curiosity . Either or , they might be also involved in this accident but was injured . On the road , there is a dark patch which could have been done by a car skidding . Perhaps the vehicle was at top speed driving and suddenly lost its balance and crashed onto the sideway of the road . If this is so , it must have been the driver's fault to carelessly speed on road . From this , I have learnt a lesson ;drivers should be responsible on road , it is better to be safe than sorry .
Siewyan (23)
Labels: Picture discussion
Bernice's Picture Discussion!
This picture depicts a disaster scene. Judging by the vintage cars in the foreground, I am sure this disaster occurred a very long time ago. Accompanied by stars and bright lights made obvious in the dark sky, I believe it is already night time. I can see that many eye witnesses at the disaster scene are dressed in long sleeved clothing such as trench coats, which is unsuitable for warm weather like Singapore's, so I assume this has happened in a foreign country with cold weather.
The building in the background that has been destroyed partially is big and has many windows, seemingly like a school. From its damage pattern, it does not seem like it has been damaged by natural disasters like earthquakes as not the whole building is affected and the infrastructure nearby are safe as well. This gives me suspicion that the building has been destroyed by means of explosives, like bombs. This can be further confirmed by the scraps of material scattered several metres away from the scene, which shows the impact of the explosion. The affected area has been badly damaged and it looks like it cannot be recovered further. This leaves only half of the building standing. Numerous cranes in the building premises are needed to clear the debris left by the explosion. Many rescue workers can be seen standing atop the debris. They could be looking for survivors under the wreck. I think this may be quite tough as the dark sky may deter them from going deeper into the wreck.
There is a crowd gathered a mere distance from the building. The area does not look like it has been cordoned off, but the people know well to stay safe and keep away from the scene as not to affect rescue operations. I believe these people are concerned about the survival of the people in the building. They may be teachers of the school or even friends and family members of children still not found in the wreck as they have been given priority to go near the disaster scene. They must be eager to hear news of survivors, yet it would be sad to know that someone has been killed.
There are about ten vintage vehicles parked disorderly in the area. They do not seem to have been damaged, thus I infer that these vehicles drove in later after the blast. The one in the foreground on the left of the picture even has its headlights on. The middle vehicle in the foreground seems to have a tank and coiled hoses on it. It may be the water supply for survivors to clean up themselves. Right beside it is a wheelbarrow with a piece of cloth hung on its rim. This could also be part of the cleaning equipments. Upon the same vehicle are a man and a woman. They could be medical helpers waiting to help survivors. They are paying close attention to the scene in case help is needed.
There is a lady in the foreground dressed in uniform and wearing a hat. She looks like a police in her smart attire. She seems to be cordoning off unauthorised people from the scene in order not to affect rescue works. The people seem to be looking at the disaster scene in distress. I think it must have been a blow to them that such a terrorizing incident has occurred in their hometown. It must be very saddening as the lives of many students and even teachers could be lost in this cruel bombing attempt.
I believe the photographer's intention of taking this photo is to show how such hazards can happen anytime and anywhere when we are caught unaware. It is a form of warning to us about the extent of terrorist attacks. Even though this disaster happened a long time ago, we are still witnessing such attacks. An example is the 9/11 hijacking incident. Even though sometimes such attacks cannot be foreseen, I believe good security should be enough to prevent strangers from doing misdeeds. As for the friends and families of victims of the disaster, I offer my condolences.
Picture credited to: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/exhibits/railroad/other/newlondon.html
This picture depicts a scene of a masked figure confronting many heavily armed military police. The masked figure holds a lighted explosive in one hand, which will most likely be thrown towards the police. I believe this is happening in a riot, where the military police have arrived to try and stopped the rioting people.
From the picture, I see that the masked figure is alone. His companions could have abandoned him at the sight of the armed military police, or he could be the last person left in his riot party.
I can see that the armed military police's shields are somewhat dented. This suggests that they was already there for quite sometime, and have successfully suppressed some of the rioting people.
This picture makes me think. Do they have the need to cause a riot? Do they not wish for a peaceful life? Is it the people's fault for causing a riot or is it the government's fault for making them unhappy? I personally feel that both party have some fault in the happening of this event. Maybe there really is things that cannot be settled without resorting to causing many people's injuries and deaths. But is it really necessary? I believe not.
Done By: Lim Wei Siang, No. 35 from Class 3D.
This picture shows a scene in the ocean, whereby two men are jumping down from a helicopter. Below, in the ocean, are two three people. Only their heads are visible. Thus, I conclude that this is a rescue mission.
The three people in the water are not struggling much in the picture. Maybe it is because they know that they are going to be rescued and that they do not need to waste their energy. Another possible reason is that it is coincidental that this shot is taken when the three are not showing obvious signs of struggling.
Since only their heads are visible, it is not possible to describe their features clearly. However, whether it is due to the angle of the camera or not, two of them are close together, while the other is some distance away from the two. Perhaps this is because one of them is not able to swim well. Hence he or she requires help from the other person.
The helicopter itself is painted in two bright colours, red and yellow. This is most likely to allow it to be spotted easily by those in need. This shall allow them to not give up and persevere while help arrives.
There are a total of four people who arrived in the helicopter. Two of them are wearing suits which helps them float and does most of the rescuing. The other two are both pilots of the helicopter. One is squatting near the door of the helicopter to coordinate the rescuers jump while the other manages the helicopter.
Both of the pilots are dressed up in dark blue clothing with yellow and red strips. While wearing helmets, only their hands and part of their face are visible.
The two rescuers are dressed up in brightly coloured suits. I assume that their red and yellow figures works the same way as their helicopter. They both wear yellow helmets and goggles. The man on top is facing us while the other has his back facing us. I see that the rescuer's face is nonchalant. Perhaps this is due to his experience in rescuing people.
I believe that this picture does not really show much that is happening. For instance, i believe that this rescue operation is not as easy as what the picture implies. It would require skill to hover the helicopter at that level and keep it steady. Jumping out into the ocean would need courage. The people down in the water might also be at the end of their hopes before spotting the helicopter. Thus, i believe even though it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, that thousand words are not enough.
Done by : Quek Jie Sheng (38)
Picture Discussion
This picture shows a couple getting married. It is a traditional white wedding ceremony. The bride and the groom should not be Christians or else they would have chosen to get married in a church instead. They are also not Chinese or they would have a Chinese-styled wedding.
I can tell from the bride’s smile that she is very happy. This is probably a dream come true for her. This will most likely be a very memorable day for her. From the way the bride’s hair is curled, I can tell that she had spent quite some time getting ready. The dress she is wearing is also very beautiful. The groom might have been quite overwhelmed when he saw her. The photographer is probably trying to capture the happiness of the bride and the groom. The groom is looking in a different direction, so maybe there is more than one person taking a picture.
The wedding takes place out in the open. The bride and the groom may be nature-lovers, that is why they choose to have their wedding among nature. There are not many decorations, so perhaps the wedding could be a small-scale one with only their close friends and families invited. Although the preparations are little, they are still beautiful. The flowers are simple, but they are beautiful. The bride and groom must have planned it very carefully. From this I can tell that the preparations are planned very thoughtfully and that the couple may have been looking forward to this wedding very much.
Most likely, the groom will put the wedding ring onto the bride and they will kiss. After that, they will be ready to go off on their honeymoon. I can tell from the way the couple stand close together that they are very much in love. I hope that they have a bright and happy future.
(I am Beatrice. Just using Bao Lin's account cause I was not invited to this blog as a co-author.)
Picture Discussion
This picture depicts the aftermath of minor flood. The population of this country consists mostly of darker-skinned people and their country seems undeveloped. The people there seem to be having some difficulty moving around due to the water level. If immediate action is not taken, other problems such as the spread of diseases and lack of sanitation might arise. The reason behind the flood might be because of the incessant rainfall and the lack of a proper drainage system. This is probably a minor flood as not much damage is done to the buildings in the area and the water level is only up to their knees.
One negative impact the water has on the people are that their daily lives are disrupted and their movements hindered by the water. In fact, the only guy in the picture that seems relatively happy is the man driving the horse as he still has customers regardless of the flood. The water might also be a threat to the people's health as it is brown and is likely to be contaminated and dirty. People who unknowingly swallow a few mouthfuls of the water might find themselves bedridden after a few hours due to the germs in the water. Another negative impact is that mosquitoes might breed in these waters and threaten the lives of the people there. The lack of sanitation might also prove to be a major problem to these people as there might be overcrowding on those places unaffected by the flood when the victims go there to seek shelter.
This event made me realise that not all countries are as fortunate as ours and not all countries are free from natural disasters. It has also made me realise that sadly, the predicament of these unfortunate people is not widely known to the rest of the world and that help may not always be available to them.
I sincerely urge other more well-to-do countries to chip in on the effort to ease the predicament of the more unfortunate people in the world and help tide them over their crisis. I also urge each and everyone of you to also help out in the effort to improve the living conditions and the education system as education is considered power in the known world. Also, please help to stop the poverty cycle which are affecting less developed countries and make the world a better place to live in for both them and us!!
Done by:Chua Yi Cheng(29) ............... yet again using hai jin's account
Save our Earth
This picture shows a girl holding a picket sign with ‘save or earth’ written on it. The background of this picture is a forest with trees and plants. Did anyone tried to think why the background was a forest and not any other places? Could anyone imagine what this place will look like if deforestation happens at this place? If deforestation did happen in this place, this piece of forest will be gone. After what happens, all the animals living in this forest will lose their own habitat and their home will de gone. If the habitat of a certain species were changed for example North Pole, the polar bears will decrease in number or they have to leave their own habitat and look for another place that they could leave. If this really happens the animals depending on the polar bears may decrease in number and those animals that used to be their prey will increase in number and their food they depend on will decrease in number. If a specific animal decrease or increase in number, the whole eco system will be affected. If deforestation happens, there will be an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide and this will causes global warming to happen. The increase in global gases that were caused by vehicles or factories will also causes global warming. Global warming will causes the ice berg in the poles to melt and this will causes the increase in the sea level. The increase in sea level will causes flooding and low lying area to be flood by water. Although before the situation become very serious, we may think that it will not affect humans too much, the change of the eco system will eventually affect us and the impact on us will be very huge. Humans could not predict what will happen in the future but if deforestation, global warming and pollution continue to happen, what we can see and know is that one day our mother Earth will get destroyed by us. When human beings get injured, we could heal quickly but if the Earth gets injured, it could not heal easily, it could not heal after bandage. Now we are destroying and hurting the Earth, but what really happen in the future is we are also hurting our next few generation. They had to suffer from what we did now so I hope that we could save the Earth by lessening the harmful activities we do to our mother Earth. I hope that we could really save our mother by changing some of our daily activities like saving plastic bags and use the fan instead of the air conditioner.
Leung Lai Yin(07)
9/11 Disaster.
This photo illustrates a scene of a man jumping of a building, judging from it, i can tell that the building is one of magnificent proportions, a very tall and huge one indeed. It could most probably be the result of the terrorist attacks on the Twin towers in New York, year 2001, 9/11.
As seen in the photo, part of the building is totally in ruins, the hole in the building looks like total hell, with raging flames on a never ending onslaught. Some steel can be seen hot red from above in the photo. Concrete and wood could be seen lying around the area probably caused by the impact of the planes ramming into the building.
The most eye catching and heart wrenching part of this photo is the only person in the picture, a man jumping of the towering skyscraper. The man is without shirt as he had taken out his shirt due to the intense heat that is surrounding him. I reckon that the man had been driven to desperation and he most probably had only two options which is wait to be incinerated alive or jump to his death. Sadly, he had absolutely zero chance of survival. If observed very closely, the man could be seen calling someone when he jumped off the skyscraper.To me, this is certainly a very sad and heart-breaking scene. He must have called his loved ones to talk to them for the very last time. Most probably to tell them how much he love them as he would never have the chance again.
For me, I would definitely not have that enormous amount of courage to jump off, as it is as good as committing suicide, moreover we are talking about leaping off a height of around 50 to 100 over storeys. I would maybe just break down and cry as I will lose everything, especially my family, I will miss them so much. However people in that situation had totally no options, burning to death would be a very painful one, hence jumping off was less painful. Adding on to that was the fumes of smoke bellowing from the building. The more the people exhaled, the sooner they will lose consciousness hence most would rather jump off at least their bodies could be found.
Judging from how fast the buildings collapsed, i certainly feel that the planes crashing into the buildings was not the sole contribution to their collapse. One look at the photo, we can tell that the steel was definitely reinforced, they were very strong and would no melt and give way just by the burning of jet fuel, no way!
How could quarter mile high buildings with phenomenally strong core structures be designed to fall into their footprints in the event of a disaster? Moreover the melting point of steel is more than 1500 degree Celcius, jet fuel's was only about 800 degrees Celsius. Reports had also said that there were witnesses of ground shake on the ground floor. Even if the top part of the building collapse, it would not be strong enough to push the rest all the way down. Investigations have suggest that the buildings collapsed in a matter of a few minutes just after the plane crash. This is only possible if bombs were involved.
Hence till today, everything remains a mystery. Many suggest that it could be an inside job. Moreover only an estimated sum of $600,000 dollars was spent on the investigations of this incident as compared to the staggering $50 million set aside for the Columbia shuttle disaster. Nonetheless, I am sadden by deaths of the many innocent people, some which even had to jump off the building like the man here. I am indeed sadden by these tragedies which caused some much destruction and lives lost. Overall, I really hope that World peace one day will be a success so that chances of these happenings can be reduced.
Picture discussion
This picture shows a scene of a tea ceremony at a forest. From the fallen leaves on the ground, I can tell that is around autumn season at that time. As the fallen leaves are in brown and orange. From their sitting posture and attire, I think they are Japanese. Other than that, I also think that it is a formal occasion. As they were wearing kimono which are normally wore in formal occasion by Japanese and tea ceremony is counted as formal occasion in Japan. They also left their shoes beside the mats. I think that it is very tiring to sit in that position as their legs might feel numb after a long time. There are four people sitting on two mats lying on the floor. One of them is preparing the tea for the tea ceremony. As she is the only one sitting on the mat next to the utensils. I think she might be a professional for making tea for tea ceremony. As the tea ceremony is a formal occasion so they might not want an amateur to do it. The other three people are sitting on another mat, they seem to be the one that are going to drink the tea. The three customers all wore a different mask, they seem replacing as the Japanese ghost to participate in the tea ceremony. I think this tea ceremony is to calm down the ghosts so they might not do anything bad to the living. I also think they might have to hold this tea ceremony annually. I think that this ceremony is very interesting and I think that it is quite like our hungry ghost festival in Singapore that is being hold during the lunar 7th month.
Civilians being injured in crossfire between insurgent groups and the security forces
The Iraq War
An ongoing conflict, which has been termed as the Iraq War, "Gulf War II", or the "Second Persian Gulf War”, began on March 20, 2003 with the United States-led invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition composed of U.S. and U.K. troops supported by smaller contingents from Australia, Denmark, Poland, and other nations.
But shortly after the initial invasion, violence against coalition forces and among various sectarian groups led to strife between many Sunni and Shia Iraqi groups, and al-Qaeda operations in Iraq. Estimates of the number of people killed range from over 150,000 to more than one million.
As a Singaporean, I feel that I am lucky not living in a war-zone like the people living in Iraq and having luxuries that they may not have the chance to have in their lifetime. Their lives are disrupted by war for 5 years now…first by invading forces now it’s by insurgent groups who are supported by terrorists. Human rights abuse case are a norm over at Iraq so I would feel that its lucky that human rights abuse cases doesn’t happen to often in Singapore and I also feel safe due to the government planning in such a way that the multi-racial population in Singapore would stay peaceful and not have any racial hatred against any particular race or religion.
This picture shows a scene of a flood. The population of this country consist mostly of Malays and Indians.The flood has cause movements to be disrupted and transportation to be cut of as movements around the area is difficult due to the floods. If this situation does not improve, many people will suffer and diseases like Dengue and Malaria will start to spread as this floods are a good breeding ground for the mosquitoes.Looking at the environment of this country, we can conclude that it is a third world country as transportation are not very advance and transporting of goods are manually done. In a third world country,the sewage system is very poor due to the lack of talents and financial assistance, therefore once there is a excessive amount of rainfall, floods occur.As the infrastructure is not damage at all, we can see that the floods are not caused by problems like bursting of river banks.
Due to the presence of water, the speed of the transportation was affected badly . From my conclusion,the man riding the trishaw should be quite happy as he has customers.The reason why he has customer is that many people are not used to move in water therefore are willing to pay for the trishaw to transport them from place to place.I think that most of the people there did not receive any education when they were young, thus, they can only take on the job of rickshaw pullers. This tells me that education is very important for our future.Therefore to be able to shine in our future, we have to excel in our education as educations plays a big part in our jobs.
I realised that the water is very dirty.The people living there may consume the water as they are unaware of the consequences of drinking polluted water. As there is no clean supply of water for consumption, people will die due to dehydration.People are wondering where they are suppose to go as their houses are covered with water too. Their faces all have the same expression in them-sadness. I feel sympathetic for them as their lives are already very poor and now they still have to fight with the floods which has disrupted their lives even more badly.I am suggesting that if the country is always affected by floods, the government has to take some actions.
The people will suffer every time a flood occurs if the government still does not do anything.If the government is unable to pay for the sewage systems, they can ask for helps from the United Nations. Charitable groups will be please to help them too. If this floods stay for a long time and always happen, the economy of the country will be very poor. I also think that rich countries should do their part by donating money and necessities to this country and also help me improve the standard of living.
As a Singaporean myself, I feel extremely grateful as we does not have to experience this type of natural disasters. To conclude, I feel that people should precious their lives as many people in other countries are fighting for their life.All in all, the world should help each other when one is in need.
DONE BY : HENG WEI JIE DESMOND (32)
Picture Discussion
This photograph depicts a scene after an earthquake. From the look of the damages which the infrastructures are subjected to, i can infer that the earthquake must have been a severe one and there must be many casualties.
Many soldiers are present at the scene and it seems that they each have their own respective tasks to accomplish. Some are searching for survivors from the earthquake while some seems to be carrying a young boy away from the site. The young boy looks dishevelled and weak, he is most probably one of the victims of the earthquake that has been just rescued out from the collapsed buildings. The child seems to be saluting to the soldiers to show his appreciation, i hope the child could reunite with his parents soon .
The people in the picture are all of chinese race, therefore i can conclude that the earthquake took place in somewhere of China. At the back of the photograph, some soldiers are still continuing their search for survivors. The soldiers seem very diligent and cooperative when carrying out their tasks. At the right side of the background, smoke is emerging from behind the hill, i guess the earthquake could have triggered off a fire perhaps due to broken gas pipes. I think, in the next few minutes, some of the soldiers would hurry to the area where the fire is and extinguish it , the young boy would be sent to the shelters where volunteers would attend to him and maybe the soldiers would also discover another survivor under the collapsed building.
The earthquake must have also caused a lot of damage to some other areas and the rebuilding would be a tedious one. I hope the people could live through this crisis and return back to their normal life soon.
Done by : AngJiaPei (1)
This picture depicts a scene during the event of a minor flood. This place is mostly made up of blacks. The water level has risen to quite a level and the people are having difficulty moving around due to water resistance. If this problem is not quickly taken care of, the water level will ocntinue rising and problems will arise. This country should not be very advanced as their main source of transportation are trishaws and the buildings in the background look old. I think the main reason for the flood is too much rainfall. In less developed countries, they do not have a very efficient drainage system thus leading to floods often. It is less likely that the flood occured due to overflowing of river banks as infrastructure would be damaged. This scene does not show any signs of buildings collapsing or any kind of damage caused by the flood except causing inconvenience to the people.
It is very obvious that the people's movements are slowed down and their travelling time is increased. The man who is driving the horse looks happy as he has a smile on his face. In my opinion, he feels happy as he still has customers. During the event of a flood, rickshaw pullers would have no business as no one would leave their houses in these weather conditions. I also feel that the guy is very lucky to have a customer. My guess is that most of the people there did not receive any education when they were young, thus, they can only take on the job of rickshaw pullers. This has made me realised that education plays an important part in our life. To be successful in the future, we have to do well in our studies. Knowledge is power. With knowledge, making money is just easier.
I realised that the water is very dirty as it is brown in colour. The people there might drink this water as they do not know the consequences. These places are also great breeding places for mosquitoes. There will also be the outbreak of infectious diseases as there will be no clean drinking water available. Vehicles are useless when floods occur. The mini van is being pushed by its driver instead of being driven by him as the van will spoil when water enters its engine. People are wandering aimlessly in the streets unsure of what to do as their lives have been somehow disrupted by the flood. Their faces all have the same expression in them-sadness. I feel sorry for the people living there as the flood must have caused them a number of problems and they can do nothing but wait for the flood to subside.
If the area is prone to flooding, the government should find a solution to prevent floods and reduce the damage caused by heavy floods. The people will suffer everytime a flood occurs if the government still does not do anything. Even if the country is poor, they can seek help from powerful countries like United States Of America. I am sure other countries would be pleased to help them. The economy would be affected if the flood affects a large area. If the economy falls, the people's lives would take a turn for the worse as everyone would lack money. Strong countries should donate money to help build schools in some parts of poor countries so that the children would be educated and they can help their country when they grow up.
I feel very lucky to be born in Singapore. It is free from natural disasters and education is made compulsory. We never had to experience earthquakes and floods, which i think we are very lucky as a lot of money is needed to repair the affected areas. We can use that amount of money wisely. For example, it could be used to groom future Singapore leaders. In Singapore, everyone has a chance to study ,learn and maximise their potential in certain areas. Putting it simply, Singapore is a good place to live in.
Done By: Chiang Hai Jin(26)
This picture portrays a scene of a group of people celebrating. They are raising their hands up and holding on to cups of drinks. I think that they are having a toast which the chinese calls "yum seng". They dressed rather casually in shirts and shorts. It seem to be an informal gathering. In the picture, i can see paper plates, cups, bottles drinks and barbecue foods on the table thus I think that they are having a barbecue gathering in a park where barbecue pits are available as there is a tree behind...
Looking at their expression, they seem to be grinning from cheeks to cheeks. I suppose that they are happy and probably celebrating for a certain event or success by toasting. The table seem to be rather untidy with used plates and cups all around. I think that they should make sure that all these stuffs are being clean up at the end of the barbecue to keep the environment clean and green. My attention is drawn to the hand holding on to a bottle. This is unique from the rest as they are all holding on to a cup. In my opinion, I think that the person really want to be part of the toast but there is probably a shortage of available clean cups, Hence being enthusiastic, he grabbed a bottle instead.
Looking at the background, the scene seem to take place at night as the sky was dark. I think that it is better to go home in a group instead of alone as it is rather dangerous at night especially for the girls. In my opinion, I think that this type of gathering is a good way of bonding as everyone gathered together to buy the barbecue stuffs, to start the fire and to cook the food. This will help improve the relationship and bond between family members, schoolmates, classmates and friends.
DONE BY: LOW PEISI JOLENE(11)
*it is kind of short... eeyer...
This picture portrays a scene of a rescue operation being carried out at a place where a disaster had happened, presumably the recent Sichuan earthquake, as most of the people in the picture are Chinese. Before this scene took place, I think that the families of the victims are informed of the earthquake happening there, before they rush to the scene. The people in the picture, are wearing a raincoat and are holding umbrellas, perhaps it is drizzling.
I think that the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) dispatch this rescue operation, as the people from the rescue operation are wearing a cap with a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) badge. I feel that this is a good way of expressing our concern to them and this may set a good example to the public: we must lend a helping hand to those in need.
I think that the person lying on the stretcher is probably a little boy since he has a short hair and has an arm of the size of a typical boy. I think that the woman with the red helmet and the man with a yellow cap are his parents as they are mourning upon seeing their child. I suppose their child is death and their ties are strong. As people in China are allowed to have only one child, I believe that this is their only child. It must be upsetting as their child they once had, had died in the blink of an eye. Since he is dead, I suppose they would be exempt from the one child policy and would not be able to enjoy the benefits given to parents who have only a child. I think that this is unfair, as the parents of the victim have a child once. Moreover, I think that we should help them at this point of time instead of following rules that are not beneficial to them as they have lost their love ones.
In the background, there is a crowd of people surrounding the area; I supposed that they are waiting for their family members to be rescued from the ruins of the buildings they are in. I think that they are wishing that their family members would survive from the earthquake.
After this disaster had happened, I suppose that homes will be built to those who had survived and are homeless and food rationing would be carried out for them. I feel that this catastrophe has help them to cooperate better and think for others, and I hope that people should cherish their life because, as you can see from the picture, your loved ones will be grieving the most.
Done by: Goh Guan Hui (4)
Picture Discussion
This picture depicts a scene of many distraught, saddened and badly traumatized faces from everyone who is there. Something terrible and unacceptable must have happened in that place that everyone is in. If not, I see no reason why they would be in such a distraught state that I hugely sympathize with them.
From the woman who is right in the middle of the picture and seemingly the most distraught person in it, I presume that the place that has been badly affected took place somewhere in China. The reason to back what I have presumed is because the women who seems the most distraught looks like a Chinese, a Chinese from China. And i suppose that it is raining quite heavily there as well because everyone is clad in raincoats and many people are holding onto umbrellas to shelter themselves and maybe others from the rain.
The woman whom I have used to back what I have presumed, seems very badly affected by whatever that had happened there that people have to hold her back from whatever she is going to do or where ever that she is going to. She is so devastated that she does not even bother to open her umbrella that she is holding in her hands to shelter herself from the rain. From that, we can see just how devastated she is. Because for a normal person, when it is raining and there is an umbrella with you, you would open it up to block the rain away. But this woman does not care about the rain at all. And she is gripping onto the umbrella very tightly. Something really bad must have happened. A natural disaster must have happened for her to feel that way. Something like an earthquake or flood. But I think an earthquake had occurred instead of a flood because everyone seem to be still on low-lying land as seen from the background. There are still trees at the back which i think if it is a flood, they would have gone to much higher lands to avoid the flood. I really sympathize with that woman as I think it was her closed and loved ones that were lost in that event because only your closed and loved ones can cause you so much pain if they were really gone. I suppose she knows that her closed and loved ones are still in whatever that have happened and wants to go look for them. Even if they have really left her, i think she would still react in such a way and want to look for them. If she knows her family are in the crowds, she will not be reacting in such a way. She would be looking for them in the crowds rather than forcing her way out, back to the place that had been struck.
On the left hand side of the woman, there are two men who are soldiers. I can see that from the uniform that they are clad in. I suppose that they are either situated there to control the crowd of people if anything happens and to take care of everything there or they are also evacuating to a safe place like everyone else. But before whatever had happened, they were working thus they are in their uniform. But I doubt the latter that i have said is likely as it is more likely and possible to be taking care of the people. From one of the soldiers' action, the one nearer to the distraught woman, I presume he also wants to help to control the woman as that is part of his job when he is in that uniform. But even if he is not in his uniform, he should give a helping hand when needed too, not only when he is in his uniform. That should be the spirit of everyone, to help anyone when needed.
A man, holding onto a stick, standing at the extreme right of the picture seem to be in great pain and torture. He seems to be holding back his tears as i suppose, like the woman, he has lost his loved and closed ones. He has a face that is on the verge of crying yet he is holding it back. I think he is being very strong as a very big and unfortunate thing had happened but he is not allowing himself to cry. I suppose he wants to be strong so that he can still support the survivors of his family, to help them continue their life without the others.
My heart really goes out to all those people who have suffered in this unfortunate event, especially the survivors of the terrible event. They will have to continue on with their life, whether they like it or not. But they have been badly traumatized, both physically and mentally. Physically was what that event have caused and what was left afterwards. If it really was an earthquake, they will have to rebuild their homes again. But mentally is worst of all, they have to accept the fact that they have lost their closed and loved ones forever. It is a thorn that can never be taken out of them, even until the day they die. That is the most horrible and painful thing that the survivors will have to bear, it is something worse than punishment, something worse than torture. I would really hope they would get all the support and care that they would need. I know it is not easy for them to get over it and I have no rights to console them as me, myself, have not gone through this sort of terrible trauma but I would really wish them all the best in the next chapter of their life.
Accomplished by : Clarissa Ng (13)
Picture Discussion: weiting (12)
This picture describes a scene of a mechanical robot seem to have been taken in some kind of open day or some kind of science exhibitions. Obviously, this is happening outside as we can clearly see that the robot is moving along concrete to pick up what looks like a can of soft drink. That’s partly what makes me think of some kind of show because I’m sure that this robot cannot have been designed just to pick up a can of soft drink, especially when a soldier appears to be operating it. He can be seen in uniform behind it.
The other thing that makes me says is some kind of exhibition as the number of people standing around and at the background; they could also be looking at another exhibit. I think robots of any kind have some fascination for us because they are trending creatures, don’t you think so? The little boy at the centre is studying the machine intensely. He's probably trying to figure out how the robot moves along the concrete floor and how the arm can stretch out to pick up the can. The boy seems to be fascinated by the robot because his head is tilted to show him studying the machine, as he stands still with his hands in his pocket, a model of concentration.
There seem to be some kind of video camera attach to the arm so that it can see where it's going. i think this could have been invented, you know, to work in a hostile environment, perhaps on the moon. Although I'm not really sure whether it would worked out smoothly. The main part have the appearance of a mini tag as a belt runs over the wheels to drive it forward. I can't say exactly how it can turn in order to make it move but i presumed the fact that the front and rear wheels operates separately.
Some of the adults seems quite relaxed about it all from their postures. a couple at the top left of the picture are an example of that. The boys which i mention earlier on is
more interested than his sister although she too is following the movements of the robot. I think the man at the top right is explaining something about the robot to his son. perhaps the people at the background have already watch this performance and have moved on. When the parents have decided to bring their children, they had hoped to get them interested in science.
While this picture could have been taken in Singapore, i think that's unlikely. the people look and dress differently from those in Singapore. the boy on the right could be of Hispanic origin. Furthermore, the soldiers in the background is not wearing a uniform that a Singapore Armed Forces soldier would wear. Given these facts, i think it's more likely that this picture was taken in the united States or Europe.
It is difficult to tell all their reactions because many of the faces have been cut off in the picture.
This picture has clearly shown that the technology has propelled the world forward inexorably and has improved our quantity of life greatly. technology continues empowering our lifes and we should not let them have some ways to take over the world and end up destroying ourselves.
This picture depicts a country living in poverty. Most probably a natural disaster has just taken place as many people is laying their mats along the road and are resting there. Probably an earthquake has just occurred and had destroyed their homes and leading to the large number of people lying along the streets. This is because the mat on the floor have boxes that seems to contain the belongings they can take with them.
Some people are sitting while some are resting on the mats, they look helpless, depress and injured from the earthquake. Like the man in sarong in the bottom right hand side of the picture, he looks badly injured as his finger and arm is bandaged, and his wounds are covered with bandages. The woman in red seems to be related to him. She looks sad and depressed, perhaps due to the loss of her house and having his family member injured. The rest of the people down the street seems injured too. Perhaps they are queueing outside a nearby clinic or hospital to see the doctor. During such period, I think the hospital would be packed with casualties and there will be a shortage of doctors and medications due to the sudden increase of casualties.
Due to the natural disaster, many do not have enough money to buy food as their income are destructed by the disaster and the country most probably has lost much of its resources. Many are also not able to afford proper meals. I can tell this from the things the people eat. For example the man lying on the bed, by his side is a loaf of bread and a cup of plain water. Probably he shared the meal with the women in red whom is standing by the bed. This tells that the people are so poor that they cannot afford proper meals and can only buy some dairy products and drink plain water to fill their stomachs.
At times like this, I think we should do our part by donating some necessities or money to the Singapore Red Cross Society which will give our donations to these people. In such disaster, there will be much destruction done to the infrastructures of the country and lots of money and manpower is needed to restore the country back to its original state. Thus we should offer our help by doing what we can and sacrifice some of our pocket money and donate to these people.
The country would be chaotic and many people might panic as they are trapped in the collapsed infrastructure and might still lose their lives. Assistance might be provided from other countries, to help save those who are trapped under the collapsed infrastructures. It is very sad and sorry if anyone were to lose their life in this disaster, and thus we should cherish those around us when they are still alive.
done by: alexia lee [o6]
Judging from their wearing,i can tell that these people are from Thailand.The costumes they are wearing have unique designs and patterns.The colours used are striking and some of them are wearing a tiara-like thing made of gold on their head.Overall,I think that the whole dressing really suits.They seem to be in a happy mood,so i guess they are celebrating some joyous occasion.The three women standing at the center of this picture are each holding a watergun.It looks pretty stange to me because it kind of look childish on them.The waterguns give me an idea that this festive season may be related to water.
From what i know,water festive is the day when people from some other countries,mostly southeast asia,throw water at each other.They dance,sing and party all day.On the top right hand corner,i can see a caucasian man smiling to himself.i guess he is enjoying himself in this special festival.Although this is a total new experience for some people in the picture,because they are of different races and culture,i feel that it is very important for them to respect each others traditions.Back to the picture,i can see a group of people at the back of the picture in somehow similar costumes.Judging from their facial expressions,i can tell that they are having lots of fun together.In Singapore,we do not celebrate such occasions.So,i think that it is very rare for people here to get together once in a while,as a country.
Although water is precious,i feel that it is equally important for us to celebrate such occasions because this a tradition passed down many years ago.People should continue it and passed down to future generations.Furthermore,such occasions can help reduce stress and lighten poeple's mood.It can also bring people from all over the country together.I will really like to join them in this special occasion someday.
Done by:Poh Jie Ying(15)
The picture above potrays a scene in the event of a flood. I gather that this disaster happened in a country that was not very well off as the houses around looked old and tattered. In the picture, i depict that the residents of this country are in the process of getting rescued from a rooftop by rescuers in lifeboats. I presume that the flood that befell this country was not a minor one as the water had already mounted to an exceptionally high level. As seen, the water level towers almost as high as the building.
The occurrence of floods causes great impacts to the country. In this case, this flood greatly affect the people and the environment of this country. I am sure that many would have been killed in this natural disaster as floods are natural hazards and thus it is difficult to predict when a flood willl occur. Many happy families would have been cruelly torn apart due to these disaster.
Besides the lost of lives, flooding also cause damage to property and infrastruture. Many homes would have been ruined by the floodwaters and the roads would have became inaccessible. Floods also disrupts power supply and phone lines as well, cutting off communications. Such damage is very costly and takes a very long time to repair. The economy of this country would deteriorate to a large extend. Moreever, this flood happened in a not so wealthy country and i am certain that this country would need an even longer time to make a comeback.
In addtion, i have learnt that floods also cause the spread of diseases. This is because the victims of this flood have lost their homes and would have to be housed in overcrowded makeshift shelters which lack sanitation and clean drinking water. From the picture, i can see that the water looks murky and dirty. Thus if the residents of this country consumed them, they would fall sick and would cause the outbreak of diseases.
Furthermore, this flood would destroy the trees and plant life and the natural habitat of animals. Hence, thus causing severe damage to the coastal ecology. The crops would also be destroyed and this adds to the country economic losses.
I am fortunate that i am living in Singapore, a country that is free of major disasters.
I must learn to cherish and care for the people around me and to love my country.
I really do hope that the victims of this country would carry on living their lives well, and not to ponder over the dead. I give them my greatest sympathy.
Done By: Valencia Sim (18)
This picture depicts a scene of the result of an earthquake. I presume that this earthquake was the recent Sichuan earthquake that happened in China as I can tell from the face of the woman that she is a chinese. In the background, I can see chunks of bricks and scraps of metal lying all around, it is probably the debris of a collapsed building. From that, I infer that the impact of the earthquake was tremendous as it had collapse the building which is probably the woman's house. That might explain the reason why her face was filled with distress.
From the picture, I can see that the woman's face is creased with agony. She is probably devastated by the event of the disaster. One of her hand is reaching backwards. If you look closer, there is an unconscious man under the collapsed structure. The man might be the woman's husband. This may be another reason why she felt so anguished as she can only helplessly watch her husband being crushed by tonnes of debris. As the rescue team has not arrive, I think that the man will not survive long unless miracle happens.
I believe that the event of the Sichuan Earthquake has inflicted physical and psychological damage not only to the woman from the picture, but to all the people around the world. This disasters have lead to thousands of death and destruction. However, the greatest pain was instilled to the survivors of the disaster as they have to face the deaths of their loved ones and think of ways to carry on with their lives. Psychological wounds are the hardest to heal and it will take a long time to erase this hurtful memories.
Done by: sherman
picture discussion
This picture depicts a scene of 3people burning offerings to somebody who had just passed away.
They could be villagers from a nearby village because the place they are in looks like it is located far away from the cities in the midst of jungles, away from communication.
A woman is crying her heart out in the process of burning the offerings to the deceased. She seems to be very emotional while grieving over the death of the deceased whom i think might be a very close relative or friend of hers and she is unable to get over the death of the deceased. A tragedy might have taken place before the deceased passed away and it could be either an epidemic outbreak or a catastrophe such as earthquake or tsunami. I feel sorry for the woman as it is not easy to accept the fact that she had just lost a close relative of hers especially if the relative was her children. It would be regretful and unfair for a child to not have the chance of learning and interacting more with the people around them and pass away as there is stil a long way for them to go. There may be many memorable and enjoying experiences the woman has had with the deceased before he or she passed away. The sudden loss of her close relative might result in an emptiness in the family and her life thus causing her to feel depressed and devastated which may lead to illnesses such as depression.
Another woman with black sunglass on whom i think is the relative of the woman, is trying to support the woman in case she passes out as the woman seems to be having a hard time accepting the fact that her close relative had just died. The umbrella she is holding on to and the sunglass she puts on suggests that the weather is hot and sweltering. The woman looks aggrieved by the death of the deceased too but i can see that she is trying to supress her feelings and not break down at this time as she must be there to support and care for the other family members who are grieving over the death of the relative.
The man who is next to the grieving woman believed to be in his forties might be the husband of the woman next to him. He is occupied from burning the offerings to the deceased and does not seem to be paying much attention to the woman next to him. He, also, looks glum and disappointed due to the death of the relative and is burning joss papers to the deceased in hope that the deceased can rest in peace.
There is a guy wearing a mask over his face dressed in white who is passing by the group of people burning the offerings. He could be a volunteer who is helping out with the victims of a catastrophe judging from his attire which may be his uniform. He might be helping out with the rescue of earthquake victims who are stucked under collasped buildings so that they are able to receive medical help as soon as possible. I think that the reason why he is wearing a mask over his face might be for hygeine purposes and to prevent himself from contracting any diseases that are common especially when helping out with victims of catastrophes because of the overcrowded and unhygenic conditions in the makeshift shelters put up for disaster strucked victims.
There is a group of people in the background whom i think are the also the relatives of the people burning offerings to the deceased. They could be waiting for them to finish with the process and send them home safely afterwards.
This photograph tells me not to take the people around us for granted and that we should treat everyone with respect. The feeling of losing your loved ones is miserable and we should cherish the moment we have with the people we love especially our family. I hope that the relatives of the deceased in the picture are able to get along with life because they should know that their loved ones had already passed away and that they would never be with them again.
Picture Discussion by Jing Ting
Source: http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/apparently-not-enough-people-say-im-gonna-go-lishten-to-my-britney-shhpears-record/ This picture depicts a scene at a riot. From the photograph and various riot-related videos featured in the evening news, I assume that this picture was taken in the USA.
The man in denim is holding a
Molotov cocktail and is getting ready to throw it at the riot control. Although I am not able to see their faces, I believe everyone in the picture is feeling either angry or scared. The rioters must have been very upset to do something so dangerous and unlawful. Still, no matter how upset they are, they shouldn't do something that could put innocent people in danger.
The remains of
Molotov cocktails are scattered near where the riot control officers are. Quite obviously, those have been thrown at the officers by the rioters. Such dangers are the reason the riot control officers need protective clothing and riot shields. The rioters should consider the consequences before doing something so inconsiderate. The officers have families too. If the rioters or riot control officers get injured or even killed, their families would be devastated.
As if natural disasters like the recent Cyclone
Nargis and the
Sichuan Earthquake didn't cause enough damage! We don't need anymore cost incurring
reparations to be done because people get upset with government polices or
something like that. Everyone gets upset, they should learn how to deal with it. If everyone started a riot because they didn't like the way things are done we'd probably be living in bomb-
proof homes by now. Instead of trying to injure each other, why not use the money wasted in starting, ending and repairing damage caused by riots to end world hunger or overcome recent price hikes? That will be more productive than throwing petrol in bottles at police who are going to arrest you.
Discussion by Tan
Jing Ting(20)
Name : Nicole Tan Ming Min (21)Class : 3D
I did not attend the english remedial thus Vanessa has given me permission to use her account to post this entry.
Judging by the photo above, a terrible disaster has happened and many childrenare trapped in a hole awaiting the touch of rescuers. The disaster that happened ismost probably the recent Sichuan earthquake which shocked people worldwide due tothe "China Rescue" words printed on the suits of the rescuers in orange.
The children trapped in that horrible hole caused by the vicious earthquake that strucktheir country not long ago were probably, or majority, dead. This is judged by their unconciousness and how they are buried in the earth below tons of rubble and building materials. In the picture, only children are seen unconcious and not adults, allowing meto acknowledge that this was probably a school. And by the faces of these youthful yet tormented children, this was probably only a primary school. The thought of that strikesme as cruel as these children have just begun their journey of life yet they had to face such a disastrous event that had probably taken away their lives which had yet to be fullyexposed to the world.The even cruel fact is that the parents of these youths would have tolive a life without their seeds of happiness any longer, if they were alive.
In the picture, we can tell that the rescuers had spent much time recovering the bodies ofthese children and it makes me feel much respect for them as it is a dangerous job and onlypeople filled with passion and love for the victims of the dreadful earthquake can fufil therequirements. The rescuers seem anxious to bring these children out, to let them have a deep breath of fresh air once again. They crowd over the unconcious children, awaiting tocarry one, even though there are more to go underneath the dirt. These much respected rescuersare, as I can see, filled with compasssion for these children. Their jobs may not pay much, but to actually help, is the reward for them.
All in all, I give my deepest condolences to the families that have lost their children and children that have lost their parents. They deserve our applause, to survive even after thetraumatic incident. As for the children in the above picture, I would like to tell them tostay strong and allow the hands of the rescuers to bring them out of that vicious hole thathas probably trapped them for a long long time. I pray that these children are alive to meettheir parents' loving gazes once more and to breathe the fresh air that they could not reach while being trapped in that hole.
I think that this place is in kenya as there is a signboard saying kenya. Most of the poeple are crowding around something and are looking at it, and some of the poepl on the second level of wad seems like a double decker bus are also looking down at wad the crowd is crowding around. Perhaps someone had died or is injured and they are deciding whether to perform first aid on the person. A small boy is looking at the ground smirkly and I think that either he is glad that something had happened or that he is involved in the accident. I think that if an accident had happened, someone would have called the ambulance and they all are waiting for the ambulance to come and bring him to the hospital. I think most of the crowd are tourists passing by or people living there and they are interested to noe wad had happen so they had stayed there for a period of time and perhaps to give statement of wad had happen or wad was the situation. A lady wearing a red shirt and a hat and gloves with a scarf seems to be looking at the ground sadly. Perhaps she felt sad that the accident ad happened and the victim might also be her relative or friend. A guy with a sunglasses seems to be staring angrily at a woman in front of her perhaps he knows that the woman is involved in this accident and he is folding his arm as though he is very impatient to noe wad had happened.
P.S. about the photo being small I tried to make it better but it turned out to be very pixelated, for a clearer picture go to,
PICTURE DISCUSSION
This picture depicts a scene of a relief operation taking place in a disaster struck location. It is most probably that this particular area of the country have been stucked by a natural disaster, such as floods, earthquake and even droughts. This could have been the after effect and the citizens there seek help from the red cross emergency-relief team.
In the centre of the picture, there is a guy as well as a lady dressed in shirts with the red cross symbol. They could be the red cross members sent there to aid in providing help, care and necessities. Behind the two red cross members, there is a huge pile of bags, which most probably contains the relief supplies provided to help improve the conditions within that area. The relief supplies seems to be distributed by a team in an orderly and systematic manner.
There is also huge group of people in front of the red cross members. They are most likely to be the victims of the natural disaster and their homes destroyed. They seem to waiting for instructions from the red cross members as to what they should do. They could also be a voluntear-rescue team setted up to help rescue those people trapped or in danger. Their faces hold expressions of fear and dispair. The natural disaster could have been a great blow to them and now they experience trauma of it.
Drawing my attention to the man pointing his finger towards a particular direction, he seems to be giving instructions to a young lad. From the looks of the young man, he seems to be paying full attention as to what the guy has to say to him. This is because a slightest mistake made now in this condition could make things bad to worse. He has to fully understand what he needs to do before setting off. What he does could also make a life and death difference.
I can also see that there are buildings that have been destroyed due to the wrath of mother nature. Roofs being blown off and walls collasped, leaving only the interior stucture, which seems vulnerable of collasping anytime.
I believe after which, temporary shelters would be set up and the more vulnerable people such as the young and the old could stay there for the time being, until full reparations comes in place. The red cross federation would also most likely send help in the job of vaccination, as diseases such as malaria and cholera, spreads most easily in these conditions.
This picture reminds of the two most recent natural disasters, cyclone nargis in Myanmar and the sichuan earthquake in China. This two natural disasters have claimed lots of lives and have caused huge damages. The speed in which help arrives is also very important, the longer the delay, the more lives lost. In all, the damages caused by such natural disasters is devastating and the death toll would be extremely high.
done by: DARREN TEO BEI LIANG (3d,30)
