ThreeWisdomOhSeven's Xanga

June

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:37:48 GMT

I know we're all supposed to be studying, and nobody has time to go online, right?

But just in case anyone decides to join me, I put up a new tagboard because our flooble one got deleted (probably due to lack of updates)

Feeling pretty shitty whenever I think about the Os ):

Nat

ITS MAY BIATCHES!

Thu, 01 May 2008 12:44:02 GMT

lots of drama in class nowadays.

you-know-who almost breaking down in class.

you-know-who being such a bitch to you-know-who about ~~the speech~~ you-know-what.

TYM professing his love for you-know-who's beauty and asking a certain you-know-who to sit on his lap.

and i can proudly say that we are still sane! (most of us, at least)

5 months left!

WE CAN DO IT!

chao!

huixian

I NEED A GANGSTER NAME! TELL ME YOUR SUGGESTIONS!

Becoming a Thingus Acaedemus

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:12:51 GMT

Just thought this article on epigenetics is worthy of being passed down to all you Biology students and perhaps switch on some [Math] genes in you.

Also, as we are on the topic of Heredity, I discovered this rather amusing Darwin site. Do go try WHO WANTS TO LIVE A MILLION YEARS and the quiz, and discover if you are a thingus deadenus or a thingus acadaemus! http://science.discovery.com/interactives/literacy/darwin/darwin.html

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The Ghost in Your Genes

The scientists who believe your genes are shaped in part by your ancestors' life experiences.

Biology stands on the brink of a shift in the understanding of inheritance. The discovery of epigenetics – hidden influences upon the genes – could affect every aspect of our lives.

At the heart of this new field is a simple but contentious idea – that genes have a 'memory'. That the lives of your grandparents – the air they breathed, the food they ate, even the things they saw – can directly affect you, decades later, despite your never experiencing these things yourself. And that what you do in your lifetime could in turn affect your grandchildren.

The conventional view is that DNA carries all our heritable information and that nothing an individual does in their lifetime will be biologically passed to their children. To many scientists, epigenetics amounts to a heresy, calling into question the accepted view of the DNA sequence – a cornerstone on which modern biology sits.

Epigenetics adds a whole new layer to genes beyond the DNA. It proposes a control system of 'switches' that turn genes on or off – and suggests that things people experience, like nutrition and stress, can control these switches and cause heritable effects in humans.

In a remote town in northern Sweden there is evidence for this radical idea. Lying in Överkalix's parish registries of births and deaths and its detailed harvest records is a secret that confounds traditional scientific thinking. Marcus Pembrey, a Professor of Clinical Genetics at the Institute of Child Health in London, in collaboration with Swedish researcher Lars Olov Bygren, has found evidence in these records of an environmental effect being passed down the generations. They have shown that a famine at critical times in the lives of the grandparents can affect the life expectancy of the grandchildren. This is the first evidence that an environmental effect can be inherited in humans.

In other independent groups around the world, the first hints that there is more to inheritance than just the genes are coming to light. The mechanism by which this extraordinary discovery can be explained is starting to be revealed.

Professor Wolf Reik, at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, has spent years studying this hidden ghost world. He has found that merely manipulating mice embryos is enough to set off 'switches' that turn genes on or off.

For mothers like Stephanie Mullins, who had her first child by in vitro fertilisation, this has profound implications. It means it is possible that the IVF procedure caused her son Ciaran to be born with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome – a rare disorder linked to abnormal gene expression. It has been shown that babies conceived by IVF have a three- to four-fold increased chance of developing this condition.

And Reik's work has gone further, showing that these switches themselves can be inherited. This means that a 'memory' of an event could be passed through generations. A simple environmental effect could switch genes on or off – and this change could be inherited.

His research has demonstrated that genes and the environment are not mutually exclusive but are inextricably intertwined, one affecting the other.

The idea that inheritance is not just about which genes you inherit but whether these are switched on or off is a whole new frontier in biology. It raises questions with huge implications, and means the search will be on to find what sort of environmental effects can affect these switches.

After the tragic events of September 11th 2001, Rachel Yehuda, a psychologist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, studied the effects of stress on a group of women who were inside or near the World Trade Center and were pregnant at the time. Produced in conjunction with Jonathan Seckl, an Edinburgh doctor, her results suggest that stress effects can pass down generations. Meanwhile research at Washington State University points to toxic effects – like exposure to fungicides or pesticides – causing biological changes in rats that persist for at least four generations.

This work is at the forefront of a paradigm shift in scientific thinking. It will change the way the causes of disease are viewed, as well as the importance of lifestyles and family relationships. What people do no longer just affects themselves, but can determine the health of their children and grandchildren in decades to come. "We are," as Marcus Pembrey says, "all guardians of our genome."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/ghostgenes.shtml

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PLUS, speaking as your very own nutritionist I strongly advise all of you thingus acaedemuses to watch these two documentaries that I mentioned during class speech,

SUPER SIZE ME

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1432315846377280008

which is on my favourite topic, fast food;

and The Future of Food

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1421685194187478421&q=future+food&ei=CtURSMeON6X4qwOAhaydAg&hl=en

which is an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind genetically engineered foods lining supermarket shelves.

Please please go and view them FROM START TO END, beginning with Super Size Me. Do take care not to fall asleep on the computer like jesminetan.

Wishing you all the best in your quest towards becoming a Thingus Acadaemus,

Trina Ng

The Hot Property Auction

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:09:14 GMT

THE HOT PROPERTY AUCTION!

Stake your claim now or miss these priceless properties forever!

Guaranteed in good condition - used only once(by Eunice) before!

Limited stock(depending on Eunice's fanices of the moment) so make your bid today!

Property 1: OP

Bids: None yet, you're lucky!! Place your bid now before this offer is withdrawn!

Description: Shady and questionable property. Quickly lost the interest of Eunice, but a little tidying up and clearing up the mess Eunice left behind will make him a real cosy abode.

Property 2: TYM

Bids: Several are considering this RED-HOT property, once Eunice officially finishes with it and puts it up on auction.

Description: Presently a considerable turn-off to the average english-educated civillian as interiors possess an overwhelming Qing-dynasty layout and design. The walls are lined with teachings of Confucius and other deceased philosophers renowned in their time. The entire propety is saturated with cologne-fragrance, to keep away what smells like body odour secreted in profusion from the walls. It is however, considered a rare bird in modern-day, civilised society where educated civillians are adept at sleeping without drooling. Critics slammed Eunice for her "extremely bad taste" in acquiring this particular piece of property, but it seems she has finally set her sights on greeener pastures and is currently finishing the paperwork process.

Property 3: Seth Tan

Bids: Nat the Queen(and being the queen, she will be a very difficult contender)

Description: As you can see from the advert, SETH is a natural team leader, standing out in the property market like the infamous Eunice among her decent classmates. Lauded as Eunice's best choice yet and known locally as a House of Humanities, SETH has been given glowing reviews and promises to provide a condusive studying environment for that coveted A1 in Humanities. As Nat the Queen(the major contender besides Eunice) once put it in an article published in The SNG English Times, SETH cheery yellow exterior lights up your day, "which is quite hard considering the walls are already a sunny yellow" and how "infectious joy leaks from every orifice". All fierce competition is worth enduring to lay hands on this most golden property! Such is the piping-hot popularity of SETH that it even has a website dedicated to its humanities jargon, www.humjipeng.wordpress.com

Faced with such a tantalising offer, how can anyone not even consider bidding!

Property 4: "Somebody else"

Bids: None for the moment, since everyone knows her unreliable Eunice's taste is.

Description: A wildcard by Eunice. In response to intelligent predictions by property market analyst Tessa that "Eunice is going to grab Seth Tan next", Eunice has leaked her plans on a mysterious "Someone else". Reports indicate she vehemently protested "Am not going to i swear! i've got someone else..". Will 'Somebody else' be another mind-blowing property like the much sought-after SETH or just a temporary fling like OP? Only time(and Eunice) will tell...

SO, PLACE YOUR BIDS IN THE RED-HOT PROPERTY MARKET TODAY!

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Reporter: Trina

sn.fiestaaaaa:D our wisdomalds

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:54:30 GMT

hello! sorry for posting so late! my computer has problems uploading the pics. :X SORRY ABOUT IT. but anws, feast your eyes now, wise peeplings!

OUR STALLLL! (it's the ONLY stall that had a queue!)

FRYING THE FRIES!

:D all smiles!

NAT. THE QUEEN. hahah. thanks for everything.

this is a cute picture! look at ah-belle.

MISS LEE.
what was she trying to do?!

Renee!

nat phoon! i took this shot when she didnt notice! :D

BUSY PEOPLEEE! :D

while those people queue up, i took a pic! (i mean, since the customers are ALREADY waitng for our lovely cheesey fries)

THE PRO FRY-ERs! :DD

shu jie! camera-shy? :D

the queue of people!

we were the walking adverts for the first shift! we made a lot of noise and did our nachos cheer loudly in canteen (shamelessly. :))

they worked very very hard the whole day!

Eunice and Chua!

sti nicks in the morning! :D

we went for the jog in the morning! :D

very soon, we wont see this anymore. :l

thank you everyone. for all your efforts and sweat. and thank you for making my last year in st nicks extra memorable. love much. ♥

shanna

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:59:33 GMT

Thank you so much, 4 Wisdom, for everything you guys did yesterday.

Thanks to your hard work, we had extremely extremely successful sales :) Special thanks to

a) those who stayed at the stall all day
b) those who did all the before-Fiesta action
c) the logistics people
d) the people who got everything ready for the big day
e) Miss Lee, our dedicated ft
f) Mr Seth Tan who is really too kind for his own good
g) the class, for being too cute

Nachos- SOLD OUT
Fries- SOLD OUT

I love you guys. We really pulled it off.

Once again, thank you everybody. This is one relieved Fiesta leader signing off.

Nat

learning journey! with loads of sour plums + laughter:D

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:08:31 GMT

HELLO MY DEAR CLASSMATESS♥!

we're just 2 days away from fiestaaa! we must really thank nat huang, yujie + friends for all their efforts! we must jia you alright! We shall make this last fiesta for us a great one! :)) nachos and fries, anyone?

pictures for today's learning journey! i thought it was quite exciting. :D we hardly have this kinda stuff y'knw.

eunice lim (the person who has a love affair with mr tym) and shanna! :D

ethel and tessa!

chua and tanchenggggg♥

mr ratnam! OUR CLASSSS! :D the lovely sec 4 wisdom♥♥♥! :D the wisest people. :D

♥shanna

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 07:21:40 GMT

I'm quite looking forward to our new class t-shirt.

Thank you Sermin for the idea, Delaney for extracting the idea and doing the design, Nat & Yujie for getting it printed.

And everyone else who helped and I don't know about, thank you too :)

Tessa

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:19:27 GMT

ZUO BIAN DE JIU SHI IVY NG SHIN JUNG

qin ai de tong xue men, wo jin tian you hen zhong yao de hua ti gen ni men tan!

ni men xi bu xi huan JI? na jiu shi ni men ying wen shuo de CHICKEN. wo mai de jiu shi yi zhi hen TE BIE de JI.

ji ming jiu shi XIN JING (IVY NG SHIN JUNG), zai chuang shang you hen duo JING YAN. ZANG ZANG! zai zhong guo, hen leng, wan shang xu yao WARMTH and COMFORT, suo yi wo men ji you hen duo sheng yi. ivy hen hao de, zhi dao hen duo dong xi (zang x10) ta de SPECIALITY jiu shi HEAVING, CARBS-GALORE he CHINKO DAISUKI. ta fei chang RE QING de wor!

BIDDING STARTS AT SGD0.10. yao mai de ren gan kuai zai TAGBOARD shang PLACE ni de OFFERZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Xiao Luo Bo

4W CNY!

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:18:38 GMT

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

The last one we have.

Sec ones/twos, raise your oranges! (:

The specs stand.

(the freaks of)Four Wisdom.

Nanyang JC Lion Dance Troupe

FourWisdom[1]

FourWisdom[2] with Ruijuan. Sorry for the flash. (:

FourWisdom[3]. With Claire and MeiXuan and Delaney.

Nat and friends what doing you?

Haha and I couldn't resist THIS.

Cheng, don't slouch and you'll be 30cm taller!

And THIS.

I am a mushroom that sprouted and left Chua behind.

Sorry Chua. Buy some fertiliser! Heard ZooPoo is quite good.

Further evidence.

With my two favourite HotIndianMan and The Lim.

I know lah, I look like a darn monkey with too much muscle.

Hahaha go FourWisdom! Let's all go the same JC together.