Ballistic Techniques

In the last class on Principle of Games, we were discussing on ballistic movements and how the general sequence of movements for an overhead throw or a forward kick are similar, especially with regards to the way bigger muscles in the body are moved first before the smaller muscles move to efficiently shoot a projectile (i.e. Summation of efforts).

The video clip below was shared with us to have a glimpse of how primary schools in the States conduct target games for their students where ballistic techniques are required to perform the tasks.

Osaka and Radiation Myth

When I got back from Japan last June, the most often asked question was "Is Osaka safe? Is there radiation?" (referring to the leaking nuclear power plant caused by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March. Airlines were busy offering discounts to their Japan flights or reducing their flights in response to dwindling passenger numbers on routes into Japan.)

As a comic book fan who idolises Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk and certain members of the X-men, I wished I could explain enthusiastically how I have went through genetic mutation and obtained special powers after getting slapped by a wave of gamma rays while posing with the Glico neon poster along Shinsabashi.

However, on closer observation of the geographic distance between Osaka and Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant...

(Picture artefacts added by me. Picture courtesy of Google Maps, 10 July 2011.)

... which is about 500km, it seemed unlikely that radiation leaks from the plant will reach Osaka directly. The radiation rays would have to learn to defy physical laws and climb over mountains in order to do that.

Experts did warn that microscopic or macroscopic particles that are radioactive may still travel across long distances if the wind conditions are favourable. This prompted me to google for information about general wind directions and what I found was reassuring for me but perhaps pretty unsettling for people living in Los Angeles.

(Youtube video showing wind directions generally move from Fukushima out towards the sea and eventually reaching the western coast of USA)
In light of my research, I am glad to reassure my concerned family and friends that Osaka is 99.9% safe at the moment and people should take advantage of the 50% discount by Singapore International Airlines on Osaka flights when they have the chance to.

School Anthem

As I stood at attention in the hall ready to sing my new school anthem, it dawned on me that this was the first time that I will be singing one in English.

My primary and secondary school anthems were both written in Mandarin and I even had to sing in Malay during my junior college days! Add to that, Singapore's national anthem was also written in Malay, so after many years of singing school anthems in two of our nation's most spoken mother tongues, it felt most unusual to be mouthing English lyrics during flag raising ceremony at 7.45 a.m.

The only group of people I know who have a more bizarre experience are the grandparents in Singapore who have stayed in Singapore since the 1930s. I realised that they are the ones who would have learnt how to sing 3 different national anthems, when Singapore was once a British colony, part of Malaysia and later as a sovereign state.

The significance of this thought patiently warmed up in the back of my mind as I gradually learn to appreciate my unique identity as a Singaporean.