Home Learning Task 2

Point of View:

By analyzing the background of the poem, i can infer that the point of view is probably that of an American soldier during the Vietnam War, who strongly opposed chemical warfare. This is evident in the poem as it states " America did not foresee". He was actually critisizing his own country, America. This can be seen from the poem as it mentions "Toll on the innocent and unborn" and "Nefariously America was led astray ". Thus, i conclude that the speaker was actually more concerned about the consequences of using this chemical and not so much on whether are the victims his allies or enemies.

Situation and Setting:

After analyzing the background of the poem, i can infer that the setting of the poem was probably in Da Nang, vietnam during the Vietnam War. The situation is in the midst of a war and a hopeless mood was created through the usage of choice of words. The word "toll" was used in the poem to create a greater impact in the readers about the uncountable amount of deaths. This then depicts a very hopeless situation where there are lots of destructions. There is also no resolution in this poem as evident by the statement " Generations untold WILL pay". This further reinforce the hopeless situation where nothing can be done about this problem.

Language/Diction:

In first stanza second line, the poet uses the word “Potpourri” which means a mixture of materials or substances. Therefore, i can infer that it is used to show the mixture of deaths created by the devastating effects of war.

In the first stanza fifth line, the poet also uses the word "toll" which refers to the deaths and sufferings that war brings about. This also depicts the pessimistic side of war where countless amount of innocent lives are lost.

Personal Response:

In conclusion, i think that the poet is trying to show the negative side of war where nobody would benefit from it. This is especially unfair to those innocent lives that were taken away in the war, despite not having a part in the war. Thus, i agree with the poet that war is indeed brutal and unjust. Therefore, i personally feel that countries should not act rashly in a moment of anger but rather consider the consequences of war.

Home Learning Task 1

Rainbow Death

America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread!
Nefariously America was led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!

Background information of Hubert Wilson

Hubert Wilson was a Vietnam War veteran who served in the USAF Security Service. He was sent to Da Nang (an Agent Orange hotspot), where the environment was contaminated and it affected hubert wilson's health. His health problems eventually got worse, through out the war. At first it was only headaches and limb pains, then followed by the deterioration of his central nervous system. After that, he also started to experience spasms and severe headaches. However, no physician could diagnosed the specific illness. Therefore, Hubert Wilson was unable to receive any medical assistance.

Hubert's inspiration

In the poem, Rainbow death actually refers to the "Agent orange Spray. It was a chemical substance used during the Vietnamese war against Vietnam. (It was a herbicide and defoliant that are contaminated with Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin.)Approximately 4,800,000 Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities, and 500,000 children born with birth defects. It was known for causing serious skin diseases as well as a vast variety of cancers in the lungs, larynx, and prostate.

Thus, i conclude that Hubert Wilson was just trying to express his disapproval on the usage of agent orange spray as it kills numerous amount of innocent lives and also bring about horrible effects.

Integrated Resort Casino

Recently, there were many debates on the opening of the casino. There were many who opposed the building of a casino as they argue that it has a negative social impact on the community.

However, I personally feel that there is nothing wrong with setting up a casino. This is because when we look from a wider perspective, we will realize that building a casino actually brings about more benefits than disadvantages. Researches have shown that entertainment hubs may not be economically possible if we remove the casino component. Revenues generated from the casino are also used to cross-subsidies the other non-gaming attractions, thus attracting large number of visitors. When there is an increase in a country's income, the government will also have more money to spend on providing facilities for the residents. Isn't this a win-win situation to both sides?

There are no doubt side effects of building a casino. People are worried about social costs such as bankruptcies, fraud and embezzlement.

In my opinion, i feel that the choice to gamble or not actually lies in one's own hands. The government has done nothing wrong by building a casino as they have the welfare of the country at heart. The actual aim of the casino is to target tourists and not gamblers. Therefore, at times we should learn to be self-disciplined and resist our nasty temptations.

Sentosa Resorts World - Singapore

Ever since the opening of the integrated resort, Singapore's economic and tourism landscape has been changing very rapidly. Many countries like Singapore are moving quickly to develop major tourist attractions and exciting products. I guess this is probably the main reason why Singapore has to respond and adapt to the increasingly competitive environment or we will gradually lose out to others on our tourism share.

There are many advantages to an integrated resort. Firstly, it will contribute significantly to Singapore's overall positioning as a premium destination. It offers a wide range of entertainment experiences for visitors and this enhances our destination appeal. Next, it will also generate significant economic benefits for Singapore. This is due to the fact that the resort boosts tourism receipts and will attract numerous visitors, increasing Singapore's earnings. In addition, they also create significant jobs and economic spin-offs.

I have been to the integrated resorts to take a look and i am truly fascinated by its scenery. There are quite a number of shops, restaurants, convention and entertainment venues and other attractions. I highly recommend that you should go there too!