Song Selection

PASCHENDALE

In a foreign field he lay

lonely soldier unknown grave

on his dying words he prays

tell the world of Paschendale

Relive all that he's been through

last communion of his soul

rust your bullets with his tears

let me tell you 'bout his years

Laying low in a blood filled trench

killing time 'til my very own death

on my face I can feel the fallin' rain

never see my friends again

in the smoke in the mud and lead

the smell of fear and the feeling of dread

soon be time to go over the wall

rapid fire and the end of us all

Whistles, shouts and more gun-fire

lifeless bodies hang on barbed wire

battlefield nothing but a bloody tomb

be reunited with my dead friends soon

many soldiers eighteen years

drowned in mud, no more tears

surely a war no one can win

killing time about to begin

Home, far away. From the war, a chance to live again

Home, far away. But the war, no chance to live again

The bodies of ours and our foes

the sea of death it overflows

in no-man's land God only knows

into jaws of death we go...

Crucified as if on a cross

allied troops, they mourn their loss

German war propaganda machine

such before has never been seen

swear I heard the angels cry

pray to God no more may die

so that people know the truth

tell the tale of Paschendale

Cruelty has a human heart

every man does play his part

terror of the men we kill

the human heart is hungry still

I stand my ground for the very last time

gun is ready as I stand in line

nervous wait for the whistle to blow

rush of blood and over we go...

Blood is falling like the rain

its crimson cloak unveils again

the sound of guns can't hide their shame

and so we die in Paschendale

Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire

running straight at canon fire

running blind as I hold my breath

say a prayer symphony of death

as we charge the enemy lines

a burst of fire and we go down

I choke I cry but no one hears

feel the blood go down my throat

Home, far away. From the war, a chance to live again

Home, far away. But the war, no chance to live again

Home, far away. From the war, a chance to live again

Home, far away. But the war, no chance to live again

See my spirit on the wind

across the lines beyond the hill

friend and foe will meet again

those who died at Paschendale

"Paschendale" is a song by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden from their 2003 album Dance of Death. It is the eighth track on the album, following "New Frontier" and preceding "Face in the Sand".

The muddy conditions of the battle are reflected twice in the lyrics, with the lines, "In the smoke, in the mud and lead" and "Drown in mud, no more tears." The machine gun, a relatively new weapon on the battlefield, is referenced in the line "Rapid fire and the end of us all." The barbed wire that was used by both sides to impede the movements of the enemy is referenced twice, in the lines "Lifeless bodies hang on barbed wire" and "Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire." The line "Surely a war no one can win" recognizes the stalemate that was occurring on the Western Front of the war, where the battle took place.

The no man's land between the trenches is referenced in the line "In No Man's Land God only knows". The battle was one of the bloodiest of the entire war, as reflected in the line "Allied troops, they mourn their loss". The war was one of the first where propaganda was heavily used by both sides, partially reflected in the line "German war propaganda machine/Such before has never been seen". After the two guitar solos, the song becomes an account from the soldier's perspective of an unsuccessful charge on the enemy's trench. After a final chorus, the song ends as it began, slow and poignant, as the soldier describes his soul joining those of his fallen comrades and enemies, in peace.

Comparisons between TWO leaders' speech

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill and Adolf Hitler are world famous leader in a world war II. Their leadership has brought an enomous effect to this entire world, even in this modern century. Both of them are not friend, but they are enemies of each other in upholding their leadership in World War II.

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill served as a Prime Minister of the Great Britain while Adolf Hitler lead the German Nazi's Army. Both of them are vital enemies during those days. However, both of them had common similarity which is, their speech, their courage, their leadership that led to the risen army in World War II.

Sir Winston Churchill in his speech, had given his courage to the army of the Great Britain to face the German army led by Adolf Hitler. Upon Churchill's very first entrance into the House of Commons as Britain's new Prime Minister on Monday, May 13, 1940, he only received a lukewarm reception from the assembly, while at his side, outgoing Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was heartily cheered. Churchill then made this brief statement, which has become one of the finest call-to-arms yet uttered. It came at the beginning of World War II when the armies of Adolf Hitler were roaring across Europe, seemingly unstoppable, conquering country after country for Nazi Germany, and when the survival of Great Britain itself appeared rather uncertain.

While for Adolf Hitler, his speech are considered highly gifted and prolific even by his enemies. His leadership's speeches was very long  that largely spoke on issues pertaining to Winston Churchill. As one of the founders of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler made many speeches that was offensive to some but appealing to others.

Animal Farm --++==animated movie==++--

Animal Farm is a classic work by George Orwell and a noted piece of literature, which, of course, may help the reader to catapult the imagination beyond the horizons of dogmatic adherence to idealistic or Utopian thoughts. It however, represents human characteristics in an analogy of animal instincts. There are seven commandments are made in between the animals in animal farm.

The Seven Commandments are laws that were supposed to keep order and ensure elementary Animalism within Animal Farm. The Seven Commandments were designed to unite the animals together against the humans and prevent animals from following the humans' evil habits. Since not all of the animals can remember them, they are boiled down into one basic statement: "Four legs good, two legs bad!" (with wings counting as legs for this purpose, Snowball arguing that wings count as legs as they are objects of propulsion rather than manipulation), which the sheep constantly repeat, distracting the crowd from the lies of the pigs. The original commandments were:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.

Eventually the laws are replaced with "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others", and "Four legs good, two legs better!" as the pigs become more human.

Mona Lisa's Smile

Set in 1953, Mona Lisa Smile tells the story of Katherine Watson, a new young art history professor at Wellesley College, an all-female campus with a prestigious reputation for academic excellence.

Unfortunately for free-minded Berkeley grad Watson, her East Coast teaching stint comes during a less-progressive time that finds most of her students. Watson challenges her students and the Wellesley faculty to think outside of the current mores of the community and redefine what it means to be a success; meanwhile, she tries to come to terms with her own heart's desires.

Lean On Me

The movie "Lean On Me" is all about the dedicated but tyrannical Joe Clark is appointed the principal of a decaying inner-city school that he is determined to improve.

Lean On Me is based on a true story of a principal in a New Jersey high school, Eastside High. The Principal, Joe Clark, is hired in 1983 to run one of the worst schools in this state. His mission is to turn this crime, drug, and graffiti infested school around completely in one year’s time. Clark must bring order and peace to this school and must also bring up the learning level of the students so they can pass the state’s minimum basic skills test.

One of the first things Joe Clark did to reform this school was expelling 300 minority students who he claimed were "educationally hopeless and overage underachievers, parasites, hoodlums, and drug pushers". To make sure these now ex-students stayed out and could not return, Clark chained and locked the school doors from the inside. Clark demanded respect from not only his students but also with the faculty. If respect was not given Clark simply removed you from the school.

The reason of his action was only to get his students be well-mannered and discipline person. He said to himself that he is going to change the bad past to the good future. So, he said, just "LEAN ON ME"....

A great injustice vs The merry maid

 'The Great Injustice' and 'The Merry Maid' for me are two short stories worth read nowadays. Unintended pregnancy is a serious issue which is spread to the entire world. If that single mother can handle the situation and deliver tha baby to this world, then it is can be accepted. But, most of them seek an abortion. Why do they must kill the innocent baby??

In “A Great Injustice” by Heah Chwee Sian, the unintended pregnancy and abortion can be clearly seen through the main character, Ah Nya. Ah Nya is a teenager who had an abortion at the young age because of the society’s perception towards single mother who had an unintended pregnancy. Ah Nya was forced to do an abortion because she didn’t want her family get the shame from the sin that she have done. Although she know that abortion is sinful and not good for her health, he made that decision without thinking much, so that her family cannot be blamed and get the shame for what she have done.

In the other story, “The Merry Maids” written by Dr Jayakaran Mukundan, the issue is the same as in the story “A Great Injustice” by Heah Chwee Sian. It is all about a single mother who has been influenced by the society in making her decision to give her daughter to a family that has a good name in society. As a summary, the protagonist of the story, Lakshmi has a baby as a result from her relationsip with Shanmugam at school. She thinks she can’t raise her own daughter with her own hand. It is all because of the power of the society’s perception to a single mother with a big problem in her life when the baby’s father got caught in a robbery. She thinks she cannot raise her daughter in this kind of situation where her daughter will grow up in a bad influence and environment.

In conclusion, both stories have shows the reader a great value of life. Although in the story "The Merry Maids", the baby was passed to the other hand, it shouldn't be like that because, the mother herself should raise the baby with her own hand.

Everything’s Arranged and A Question of Dowry

        The dowry system has been in place since before the written record and it has been used by parents in every country imaginable, including America in older times. The point of the dowry system was to provide for the bride should something unfortunate occur with her husband such as death or divorce.  In “Everything’s Arranged” and “A Question of Dowry”, we can see how dowry is mistreated.

In “Everything’s Arranged”, the dowry is just a bribe. When Rukumani's father heard that his daughter has a relationship with a chinese boy, he increase the dowry. The dowry should not be treated or mistreated as a bribe, but in Everything's Arranged, the name of dowry in Indian culture has gone bad because of that situation.

While in “A Question of Dowry”, the situation of dowry is a bit different because, the grooms cannot be united just because Mr Ramachandran has money for dowry, so the marriage is cancelled. It shouldn't be like that because the use of dowry is not to separate the grooms, but to unite them and in the name of dowry they should unite and together last forever.

In conclusion, dowry should not be mistreated. It is an honor in Indian culture for dowry in one's marriage.