Here we come!

bpseafields — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:08:15 +0000

We are ready now. We can face our worthy opponents now. Our months of prep have kept us alert and ready. Our mascot’s all eager too. So see you, Seafieldians. Send us on our way with your blessings as we carry the flag to the east coast.

And we will go with our solar boat too. We are taking it to Ma’Daerah – no, we are not sitting in it. May the Trengganu sun fire up our solar cells and churn the propellers at top speed to victory!

So, ta da everyone! Wait for the good news we bring when we come back!

Some shots from the noticeboard

bpseafields — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:45:49 +0000

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. Here’s an eight thousand word essay piece:

When the going gets tough, the tough goes to FRIM..

bpseafields — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:27:15 +0000

The Form 5 and Form 6 Maths and Science Society members went to FRIM on the 24th July 2010.
They visited the Orang Asli Museum in Gombak, tucked in a substantial lunch and then went jungle trekking at FRIM. They braved the canopy walkway system, trekked uphill using a dirt path trail and then descended through the Rover Track. As the trail was physically demanding, the not-so-physically-fit members panted and were quickly out of breath. The teachers were doing far better than the younger ones. Head to the gym, members of the Maths and Science Society…

While enjoying the panoramic view of the forest, their guide showed them interesting creepy crawlies and medicinal plants. After a tough trail, they enjoyed themselves at the waterfall. What better way to learn about sustainable environment than to see it for ourselves at FRIM..Armed with such knowledge, the members should be able to survive in the woods…should they get lost in one!

Below are the snapshots taken during the trip:

Snake-like roots

[gallery]

Not for the faint-hearted..

Lush greenery

The color of the teachers' t-shirts are blending in with the color of the trees..

Stop over before entering the forest.

Markets

bpseafields — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:36:18 +0000

Markets – they are a modern lifestyle statement! We go to the wet markets to buy fresh fish and veg. We go to hypermarkets to window shop. We go to minimarkets to buy groceries. And some go to the stock markets to trade in stocks, futures and unit trusts.

In Seafield, our students also learn about markets. The canteen opens up different stalls to cater to different taste buds. Students join the school cooperative store and learn how to buy and sell and keep stock. In fact, the cooperative store is doing so well it has been able to sponsor many gifts and awards for students and teachers alike.

Then there was the recent school carnival. It was such a success we achieve our target of RM180k! This is before deducting the costs. With the various needs of the school, we hope enough will be left over for building new school toilets. Everyone enjoyed themselves and here are some photos to show the excitement of that day.

Its history now, but recently some of our form 4 students dabbled on the oil market under the BPScience programme. They enjoyed themselves and I’m sure they have learnt some things about this market. It’s wise to hold on to your stocks and even wiser to know when to buy and sell your stocks. If you want to have a go at this game, every year during the Minggu Teknik dan Vokasional, the Economics Panel organizes a simulated game of buying and trading stocks based on the actual Bursa Malaysia. You could sign up and see if you made millions or bore a hole in your pockets!

Our Solar Boat Unveiled!

bpseafields — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:48:42 +0000

So far our solar boat project has been kept as secretive as possible, except for the one time when I leaked out about using carbon power for our boat in my post on World Cup Football? Seafield? Guess it’s time to tell you more especially if you have been inquisitively waiting and prying for our ideas, and especially if you are from a rival school reading through these blogs for any leaks.

Through our vast networking which stretch over the seas and the fields (Seafield, get it?), we contacted our sources here and there in those ivory towers, top secret research centres and subterranean bunkers to buy or spy for information on how to design the ultimate solar boat. Then we regrouped and huddled together inside our bengkel behind closed doors to work on our prototype. If you walked past the bengkel during the nights, you could possibly hear the tinkering and the hammering as our young foursome designers tried to produce the prototype.

And the result is as below:

On the first trial run, it sank! But it swam beautifully under water! Yes, we didn’t produce a boat. Instead we came out with a submarine! Our spies must have gotten the wrong information! Now, if they changed the competition to solar submarine, we just might win hands down!

Sorry, wrong photo. No, what did you think? That I was going to show you our superboat? I guess you’ll have to wait till next week when our superboat will be unveiled. (By the way, the photo really does show a remote controlled submarine designed and created by another different batch of creative foursome Seafieldians!)

Our Mascot’s on the way to Ma’Daerah

bpseafields — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 07:28:44 +0000

There is the time of the year when turtles go to their birthplace, you know like salmons, to enjoy the beach and the sun and the waves. Hey, if you think our mascot’s going for a holiday, think again. Turtles have been landing on the coasts of Trengganu and Kelantan for umpteen ages to lay eggs. Unfortunately, poachers steal these eggs and sell them to you for your breakfast of soft-boiled eggs. Huh, I hope you are not guilty of this.

Yes, our mascot has grown up and is going to carry out its God-given duty of propagating the species. Our mascot’s going to a safe place in Pusat Santuari Penyu Ma’Daerah, ahem, not to lay eggs, sorry. Our mascot will lead the Seafield team to glory in Ma’Daerah. Turtles normally lumber up the beach to dig a hole to lay their eggs. Not our mascot. Ours more like the Ninja Turtles. You could ask our mascot (if you see him in Ma’Daerah, Kertih) to show you a few kung fu stance and strikes. Our mascot will inspire and whizz our team through the competition.

Still don’t recognise our mascot? Okay, the CSI team in Seafield has come up with a few mugshots of our mascot, which I attach below. Isn’t our mascot good-looking? Beady eyes that stare into you, a curling of the lips that gives it an adorable smile, bald-headed with a little toupee for the new trend in hairstyles, … Yes, get his autograph if you see him in Kertih.

Addressing Climate Change – Pt 2

bpseafields — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:39:09 +0000

In recent years, man has been lamenting about the overwhelming heat that is affecting the quality of their performance in their daily activities. We have repeatedly been blaming the Sun for mercilessly shining its unbearable and intolerable heat. Research by meteorologist has proved that the 20th century and the 1990’s were the warmest decade in the past 1000 years. Melting polar ice caps, disappearing glaciers, rising sea levels, extreme weathers and diminishing colourful and exotic floras and faunas strengthen and washed away all doubts that our Earth is indeed facing climate change. This global climate change is already contributing numerous discernible impacts which are affecting every one of us. Should we point accusing fingers at Mother Nature for causing us to suffer these staggering consequences? Hence, what is causing this drastic climatic change? How should we as individuals tackle this problem?
Man’s insatiable needs have meant that urban development and agriculture has rudely encroached Mother Earth and all its living components. Deforestation, mushrooming industrial factories, open burning and the significant increase of vehicles on the road are pouring greenhouse gases at a life-threatening rate. In addition, burning fossil fuels releases billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide that has been locked away in the Earth for millions of years. Modernisation has caused the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide to increase by 30%, a doubled in their concentration of methane and a 15% increase of nitrous oxide resulting in deadly global warming. This is the culprit that has open the way to the abrupt, unexpected climate change. So, do we still have to wonder the cause for this deteriorating, frightening problem? Has it finally struck us that our greed, ignorance and selfishness are causing ourselves to suffer?
What should we as individuals to put a halt to this problem before it gets out of hand? We need not follow the footsteps of climatic activists Danish who have staged demonstrations to express their stands on the issue of climatic change. As we know the extreme weather phenomena- droughts, tropical cyclones and snowstorms are mainly caused by the emission of greenhouse gases, the best way to tackle this by cutting down our own emission! Firstly, do not waste! We must switch off tights and other electrical appliances when we do not need them. Switching off 5 lights in hallways and rooms when not in use can reduce 400kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year. In addition, by unplugging electronic gadgets like the television, stereo system, the computer after we have used them, can save on electrical consumption by as much as 10% a year. Turning off the tap while brushing our teeth can save several litres of water while a dripping tape can waste enough water to fill a bath in one month. Therefore, by not squandering and eliminating this nasty habit of wasting, only can we ease Mother Nature’s pain but also save money on our water and electricity bills!
Apart from that, recycling is also the key to reduce consumption of greenhouse gases. It does not cause us a lot of trouble to collect recyclable products such as newspaper, magazines, aluminium cans, glass bottles and plastic wares. At the end of the week, we can easily send them to recycling centres situated within a stone’s throw away from our residence for our convenience. If not we can always keep in touch with the authorities or recycling organisations. This healthy action not only helps ourselves, but also the forests, crop yields and water supplies, the animals in the ecosystem that are endangered and all severely affected by climatic change. Hence, the next time we are throwing away any recyclable items, think twice and next time we are throwing away any recyclable items, think twice and keep in mind the 5R concept, ‘Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair’ and practice the old adage of ‘Waste Not, Want Not.’
Petrol-guzzling and pollutant –emitting machines are known to be the major source of global warming. Therefore, instead of driving individual vehicles, we should car-pool or use alternative ways, for instance public transport. Furthermore, we should walk or ride a bike if our destination is within a kilometre or two away. Besides that, do not speed. Driving faster than 120 kilometres per hour increases fuel consumption by 30% compared to 80km per hour. Moreover, speeding on the road can jeopardize our safety and well-being. In short, although it does not completely eliminate the problem, by lowering fuel consumption, we are reducing our carbon footprint, thus making global warming more manageable.
As smart and responsible consumers, we should make an effort to but environmental-friendly goods. This means we should abstain from non-biodegradable or disposable products. Instead, we should buy products that can be reuse, biodegradable and energy-efficient. We ought to opt for energy-saving light bulbs or better still switch to green electricity! Fitting solar panels on the roof of your home might be quite costly in the beginning but beneficial i the long run. Solar energy is ecologically acceptable and environmental friendly as it does not pollute the environment. Besides, it is always available and does not charge us based on the amount we used not forgetting it does not lead to any side effects like noise or air pollution. Without doubt, the more solar powers we used men less we’ll have to rely on fossil fuels, and this mean lesser contribution to global warming!
Homosapiens-us have conquered the world because of our gifted, supreme intelligence. We have upset the ecosystem; caused Mother Nature thousands of grieves and made sure that nature will never be the same again. Climate change which has been agreed to be a serious threat for mankind is only the tip of the iceberg if we continue our lackadaisal attitude and turn a deaf ear and blind eye to this overwhelming, frightening situation. Nature’s patient has been tried to the limits and now man must be humble before nature and treat it with care for nature is sensitive, manipulative, powerful and unexpected. Therefore, let’s cooperate with one another and ‘pull our socks’ to end this horrible massacre, our own self-destruction before we succumb to its negative repercussions. Together, we can make a difference!
Natty Phoon

Addressing Climate Change

bpseafields — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:07:08 +0000

How do we as individuals make a difference?
Worldwide rainforests are disappearing at a rate of one and a half football fields per second. Deforestation due to urbanisation has caused climate change, a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time. The Fourth Assessment Reportof Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows that the Earth average surface temperature has risen by 0.76°C since 1850. There are many ways that can be taken to prevent climate change.
First and foremost, we should support campaigns and activities launched by the NGO to realise that our daily activities contribute indirectly to the climate change which leads to the shrinking of 300 glaciers worldwide, according to a study published in the October 2006 issue of Geophysical Research Letters. Media mass should also provides more information about how to prevent climate change through advertisements on encourage the public. By having a better understanding about factors that contribute to climate change, the public will avoid actions which lead to this problem.
Besides, we should involve actively in the recyclingand reusing program which is encouraged by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Millions of trees are chopped down to produce papers. Thus by practising recycling, we can save the trees which arethe natural habitats of endangered species. Recycling also cuts down energy usage such as aluminium (95%), plastics (70%), paper (40%) and glass (30%). Therefore, the 3R project is not only economical, but it also prevents climate change.
Furthermore, in order to prevent climate change, we should comply with the acts enacted by the government. Illegal logging has been banned in the National Forest Policy 1978 and National Forestry Act 1984. However, many of the people nowadays refuse to give in to the laws set because they want to reap huge profits due to their selfish behaviours.Therefore, we should set good examples to the younger ones by avoiding open burning. As the future generation have the right to reside in the surroundings that is pollution-free, we should protect the environment from climate change.
Apart from that, we should drive less but walk, bike, and carpool or take mass transit as it can help to reduce gas consumption and one pound of carbon dioxide. Researches also show that replacing a regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent one saves 150 pounds of carbon dioxide every year. We should play an active role in the tree planting campaign by planting more trees as trees help to moderate the temperature by absorbing carbon dioxide. By making a frivolous act in life, we can ensure environmental protection and prevent climate change.
“Charity begins at home”, therefore as individuals, we can take small steps in our daily life to achieve that end. If we do not act now, the ecological systems will breakdown creating diseases we cannot resist and the necessity of gas masks whenever one goes outside. Since the nature is the man’s intimate friend, we should make sure that the environment is wholesome and frees from pollutions, as the creator intended.

Yeo Xin Ying

Hangovers

bpseafields — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 06:19:11 +0000

First, some apologies. After the World Cup Final and the School Carnival and the late nights, I really needed this one week to recover. And I believe you needed it too. I can tell by the sleepy eyes in my classrooms. By the way, pardon me if I appear to be blurbing nonsense in this blog – blame it on hangovers.

So what’s news? I just heard our school Eco Rangers are growing to plant more trees in the compound. Do you know that they have already planted one area with forest trees? I look forward to that day when we can relax and walk beneath the cooling shade of the trees and enjoy the invigorating breeze rustling among the leaves. I’m wondering – if they plant fruit trees, we might even enjoy the fruits during their seasons. By the way, as you walk around the school and along the roads, do look up into the trees. Many of them are blooming with flowers now – red, yellow, blue, white. They are beautiful to behold indeed. Of course, if you don’t look up but down on the road, you only see the litter they made. Then you will only see the negative side of things but not the beauty of nature.

And do you remember the two weeks when we collected newspapers and what-nots for recycling? I heard we got about 2k for that stuff. Just imagine that we have been throwing so much ‘cash’ away all our lives. So guys and gals, buck up and reduce your trash. Just a thought, people are saying that we needn’t buy papers or print out documents anymore, that we should just read online or from the PC. Just wondering (again), does that really help? Yes, we use less paper but we’ll be using more electricity. And electricity is not generated cheaply without great cost to the environment!

Speaking of that, what’s the school’s 5R society doing? Just in case you’re not sure what’s 5R – it means Recycle, Reuse, Reduce, Repair and Reeducate – I think. I’m sure the letter R can mean many other things in the environmental conservation sense. Can you think of any? If you can, please add your comments to this blog. For example, R can mean Rethink – rethink how to do certain things – instead of writing a few lines of text on a sheet of paper, fill it with more lines of text. Instead of using a new sheet of paper, use the fresh side of a used paper. Yes, all this seems insignificant but they add up over time, over millions of people. So there, give me your feedback, ok?

First week of school holiday

bpseafields — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:11:58 +0000

During the first week of school holidays, 5.6.10 to 8.6.10, we (Rishika, Brian, Ming Wei and Shania) started on our solar boat at the Kemahiran Hidup workshop (bengkel). Our teacher advisor, Cik Dziatul, robotics expert, Lee Loong Kuan, Phyisics teacher, Pn Goh was there to help us. We started our activities by sketching out plans. After that we decided on what materials to use. We used the materials given by BP and recyclable materials such as bottles, wood and much more.

Guess what are we doing for these 4 days? Rishika started the presentation on her laptop. Brian started to cut and solder the wires to make it shorter so more electricity can pass through the wire and power up the motor while Ming Wei cuts a wood to stick on the foams. After that, Rishika and Shania stuck the solar panels on the wood using a glue gun.

Besides that, we also went to a hardware store at Taipan and Summit to find a few things. How about the new motor and propeller? Do we need it? Yes, we already decide to buy the new one because the motor given by BP could only take about 6V of electricity but we want to use all three solar panels. So, we went to a toy shop and robotic shop but sadly the shops did not sell any motors and propellers. We are still looking the place where we can get our new motor and propeller. Did you know the place to buy these things? If yes, feel free to find us and let us know about it.

We got a lot of experience doing this activity although we need to come to school while other students carry out their own activities with their family. But we never regret it because we are representing SMK Seafield. For us, it was a great holiday. What else can we say? Of course we are happy with the results of our hard work but we know there is still a lot for us to do.
~aja aja fighting ~