Characteristics of creativity among human beings.

A CREATIVE PERSON IS MOTIVATED BY THE DESIRE TO ACHIEVE , NOT THE DESIRE TO BEAT OTHERS.

-Ayn Rand

-Daring :

Steve Irwin , the Original Crocodile Hunter and Real life Wildlife Warrior:

With the world facing continual fear and despair both natural and man made, this incredible person still managed to make such an impression on us.Combining research and education with the unpredictable element of wildlife, he was capable of entertaining with an almost comic relief style of going head first into what seemed to be extremely dangerous and wild situations, making serious issues like 'Wildlife Preservation' actually very entertaining and interesting.This crocodile hunter was definitely the most daring person we have ever known.Sadly , he is no longer alive today but he really portrayed creativity by being daring.

-Independent:

 Malini Kanjanapathy , masters student of Mmu , Cyberjaya.

Apart from being a good friend of mine , I adore and look up to this 27 year old simply because even tho after all the things that she has gone through , she is the most independent girl I know here in campus.She did a degree in accounting and now she is pursuing her masters here in the cyberjaya campus.Sadly her dad passed away a couple of years back and her mother is the sole supporter of six siblings and financially her single mother and siblings cannot support her education.But , she still managed to find a part time job just so she can pay for the masters fees while actually studying masters.She could not get a scholarship or a loan for masters so she has to work to pay for the tuition fees , her daily expenses and the hostel fees.Nevertheless , she has big dreams and she plans on not quitting at masters , and actually continuing up to the PhD level someday.She is very independent.She is studying and actually supporting her own self at the same time.I look up to her and wish someday I would be just like that.

-Wide range of interest:

Shamir Anandani , Aircraft engineer and currently trainee at Air Asia.

The second picture shows his marine or aquarium tank.He's been collecting all kinds of salt water fishes ever since.He's currently working at Air Asia and is a huge fan of airplanes.He has the widest range of interest because he's job is all about airplanes and his hobby includes setting up his tank and visiting marines and getting new ideas on how to beautify his very own marine fish tank.He spends his off days going to this fish shop in Subang to watch and learn more about the lives of sea living creatures.He adores all kinds of fishes and actually reads more and learns about them.He knows the names and characters of almost all fishes including starfishes , corals and snails.On the other hand , he loves his job very much and can tell from a distance the type of engine the plane that is flying is actually using.He is compassionate about both his job and his hobby.Therefore he has a wide range of interest ranging from marine life to engines of airplanes.

-Attracted to abstract ideas:
Annavisha Alfred , first year mechanical engineering student from Mmu Malacca.

Besides being like a sister to me , this outstanding and dedicated student of the faculty of engineering is of of the most creative people I know.The picture above shows how creative this student is , to create a whole chicken costume out of sugar paper , colour paper , manilla cards , paint , cones , ribbons , glue and tape.This was during a play for the subject Human Development that she had during her foundation in engineering , last year.Now she is studying mechanical engineering in the Mmu , Malacca campus.This play was a group project and she created entire costume by herself for her role , as the chicken.The chicken was the main idea on how the farmers in the farm in villages bred chickens and then sold their eggs to the town.This was their main income and the story was supposed to show how hard work and determination managed to make this farmers afford to send their son to study abroad.She displayed a huge amount of creativity with the creation of the costume based on the given concept and story.She displayed a huge amount of being attracted to abstract ideas cause she was able to create this whole look solely based on the concept of how these farmers developed their lives from raring chickens to being able to make enough money to own a restaurant and send their son to study and change his lifestyle.She really is attracted to abstract ideas and this creativity has and will always help her to succeed.

-Resourceful:

Pejabat EXCO YB Puan Elizabeth Wong Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Pelancongan, Hal Ehwal Pengguna Dan Alam Sekitar.

The biggest example is the implementation of 'No Plastic Day ' every Saturday by the Selangor state government.
This shows the ability to act effectively and to think of approaches that can solve problems , even when the problem overcomes others and there aren’t many resources available for dealing with it.It's a very big step towards saving the environment and mother nature.It's a good way to encourage people to recycle and be more Eco-friendly.This step is also encouraging the nation to use more echo-friendly products or nature friendly and be more green.Even tho not everyone is supporting and taking this decision that seriously , the government is resourceful because it's coming up with a way to help the environment and actually save the world.It might sound cliche but they government is doing the best they can and we have to start doing our part from now because these campaigns are merely just the first few steps towards stimulating the public to actually rethink the impact of our 'use and throw' habit on the very environment that sustains life.

-Hardworking:

The picture above shows some volunteers doing some voluntary work at a hindu temple in Muar.The volunteers are cleaning the temple after a prayers function that was held there just a few days back.This picture was taken by Kasthuri Sritharan when she attended the prayers with her family.This shows hard work and dedication at doing voluntary work.Even with their busy lifestyle , and the nearing of exams , they still managed to clean  , wash and beautify the temple without being asked for.This definitely shows how creative people are hardworking.

 Kasthuri Sritharan , final year masters student of Multimedia University , Cyberjaya.
 But there's more to the meaning of hardworking in critical thinking.For example,creative people are also industrious.They can easily absorb themselves in finding a solution to any problem.They are competitive, but in a different way from others which means , that yes they do want to win, but they want to be victorious over a problem, and definitely not over other people.Take for example , the girl in the picture above , Kasthuri is also hardworking but in a very smart and creative way.These people do not necessarily need to do work to show that they're hardworking.Their hardworking skills can be seen in how victorious they are over any problems.Of all the people I've known , Kasthuri has always been the one who would come up with the funniest and most creative solution.

-Dynamic:

Shawn Benedict , Electronics Engineering student majoring in Nanotechnology , of Multimedia university , Cyberjaya.

Being dynamic means always looking on the bright side or the silver lining of things.Dynamic people are very positive and instead of looking at whats wrong in front of them , they focus to the positive things that are happening. They never have negative thoughts and they are always positive about everything.They never ever allow their minds to become passive, accepting, or even unquestioning.They also always keep their curiosity burning and can be playful at time.But this sense of playfulness is what helps them in being creative.The picture above shows a dynamic student from Multimedia University.Besides being a full time engineering student , he also was the Indian Cultural Society's president of the year 2009/2010 and is currently the chairperson of clubs and society management division, student representative council of 2010/2011.Being a student of the engineering faculty itself is already tough,yet he has the time to indulge in so many activities because he's dynamic.Instead of focusing on how difficult the subjects in the engineering degree are , he looks on the positive side and portrays creativity by being active in so many clubs and he's very sociable.That playful side of him always comes out even tho he's studying for an exam.He never fails to show me how creative and dynamic he is.It's a very good thing because he's an all-rounder.I'm very sure he'll go very far in his life.

This House Would Legalize the Distribution of Condoms in School

a few weeks ago, i had to do a group presentation for my Organizational Behavior class and we decided to have a debate about teenage pregnancy. therefore, before any good debate could start, i had to do research on the subject and why such a subject should arise in the first place.

currently, The United States of America is in the list of top 10 countries with the highest teenage birth rates, highest being Niger. they do however have the highest rate in the industrialized world. this is the core of the problem which needs a solution.however, in status quo, most schools in the US do have sex education programs. alas, the exposure of these programs varies among schools between the ages that the students receive this information and the contents that s revealed. basically, there is no fixed outline or syllabus for this programs.

how then should such a problem still occur when most of the sex education programs brings forth and promotes the idea of abstinence? these classes teaches the students that having sex before marriage would ultimately lead to immoral, unhealthy and harmful practices. but then again, on the other hand, these same kids are the ones that are given over exposure and influence of MTV and all other current things on tv and the internet that promotes and glorify sex.

in the end of the day, the fact is that:
1. teenage pregnancy is still happening.
2. teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of high school.
3. they will be and remain a single parent

so lets contemplate on what is wrong in the equation here. yes, they are aware of the different forms of contraceptives but why aren't they using it? it is because of the fact that these kids are at the age of as young as 13 or 14 and even the idea of going to the store to buy a pack of condoms is an outrageous thought. it is much easier for them to not wear it with hopes they can still have safe sex.

so then how can we solve this problem? we can do more talks and classes to promote awareness. include parents and children in a forum where they can voice out their opinion. but let's admit that just talking is not enough. therefore, personally, the best solution that i could come up with is to distribute condoms in school. no we are not just going to give out a lot of condoms to these kids. the condoms should be distributed to the students that are at the age of 13 and onwards after they attended their yearly sex education class. they will get only 1 condom each as a significant representation of accepting the responsibility and trust that they would think carefully before engaging in an intercourse.

in the end of the day, for those who are already open to the idea of having early sex at such an age, at least they already have an available condom in hand, which hopefully would open a trend for these generation to have safe sex, and maybe would lead to less teenage pregnancy. n the long run, the early exposure of sex education adding with the act of entrusting a condom to them despite the notion whether they are going to use them or not shows the weight of responsibility and trust that we are giving them. they eventually will understand and comprehend the need to have safe sex or the idea of sex after marriage. with this, they would mature earlier and hopefully leads to lesser underage sex.

implementation of syllabus:

in this post, i used the 4 problem solving step model in order to do a complete research. i defined the problem, which was teenage pregnancy, analyzed the problem, as in to why these kids do not use contraceptives even after they were taught to. finally i list the possible solution and decided on the most appropriate alternative. with this, this house would legalize the distribution of condoms in school.

Hanging Garden - Fact or Fiction?

I just finished this interesting novel called “7 wonders of the ancient world”,by Mathew Rilley. To tell you the truth, I never really knew exactly all of the wonders before. I always assumed that the wonders of the world consist the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Great Wall of China. But the book got me to research about the wonders of the world.

I found out that the original 7 wonders were of the ancient world, dated from hundreds of years BC that was recorded by a lot of historians including Herodotus and Callimachus. Originally, the Greeks didn’t call them “wonders” but “theamata”, which translates closer to “must-sees”.

These were the wonders that was in the novel i read.they are;
- the Great Pyramid of Giza
- Hanging Gardens of Babylon (at which some people say never really exist since there are no records)
- the Temple of Artemis
- the ever famous Statue of Zeus at Olympia
- the Mausoleum of Mausolus
- Colossus of Rhodes
- the Lighthouse of Alexandria

The story of each wonder itself was very interesting and according to the writer, he got his idea by reading those facts. He really did his research on the subject. Therefore, I did my own internet search solely on the Hanging Gardens because it piqued my interest and found out many interesting facts about it. For example, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was built as a token of love by Nebuchadnezzar II for his home sick wife. This is my most favorite wonder of all because of it’s mystery.Tthere are no recorded Babylonian document from that time stating the existence of this most spectacular garden. Some say that it was the imagination of poets and ancient historians that blended all these elements from the places that they have been to produce one of the World Wonders since they themselves have never really seen it-I think(heck, it might have just been a normal garden,only filled with exotic flowers and fruits…but then how can it be hanging???).

Different poets described the basics the same…that it is above ground level but that is all to it. They then vary on describing it in particular. fruits and flowers… Waterfalls… Gardens hanging from the palace terraces… Exotic animals… this is the picture of the hanging gardens of Babylon in most people’s minds. It may be surprising to know that they might have never existed except in the minds of Greek poets and historians!

Most historians described it like a normal garden, elaborating only on how indescribably beautiful it was but the foundation of the garden is always on solid ground. But then if it is so, is it still considered as a “hanging” garden? There must be a reason why they call it the “hanging” garden instead of the “elevated” garden. True, since it was translated from a different language, it might not really mean hanging but overhanging…in which case is already a different story. I mean, what is so interesting about an overhanging garden that it became one of the wonders of the ancient world? the fact that such a garden could grow in the plain terrains of Mesopotamia? if they had created a system that could water the lands, anything could grow…cant it???

So this is where creativity kicks in. What if, just for the sake of creative argument, we take the word “hanging” literally? How would the garden look like then? The writer described it as a garden carved into a very large stalactite hanging from a huge cavern, therefore having the name the hanging garden. Hence, maybe, that is the reason why nobody ever actually saw the garden before since it might be hidden inside a mountain. Whatever it is, this book would be a must read for those who likes fast-paced action and for those who would like to feel a twisted sense of reality.

Implementation of syllabus:

In this post, I tried to apply the six thinking hats. at the beginning of the post, i put on the white hat and tried to be neutral. i tried to find out facts after reading the novel to find out which was true and which was not. later on, i put on the green hat and tried to follow the writer to think creatively. since there is no recorded account on how the garden actually looked like, we used word definition and took the word "hanging" in it's literal meaning, and try to envisioned how the garden would look like then.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Review

I have been meaning to voice out my opinion on this matter since the movie released but a lot has happened in between that I never really got the chance. Therefore, I am using this opportunity to briefly leave a comment or two on the subject. After watching the trailer for the first time, I had really high expectations for the movie. I have to admit that as a movie, it is fairly entertaining. However, as a book adaptation, I feel that it let me down even lower than I had anticipated. Being the thickest book out of all the volumes, I understand that in order to adapt it on screen, some slight changes would be made. Nevertheless, the amendment that was made was a bit too much for my liking that I felt like they (being the director, script writer, producer, etc.) have changed the whole perspective of the story.

As a frequent reader and a devoted Potter fan, I have read the book cover to cover and I can vouch for the other readers when they say that the book revealed to us the story of not just any boy, but a hero and the journey he has to endure, who struggles with himself, in finding out more of his past, who he is and who he needs to become in order to triumph against evil. On the other hand, the movie focused more on the romance part and on Harry’s love interest or Ron’s and Hermione’s affection towards each other. Half of the movie tried to prove that Harry Potter is just a normal boy who lives and faces typical teenage problems; whereas everybody who’s watching already knows that he’s not just a normal boy. He is the “Chosen One” who one day will have to face the Dark Lord Voldermort in an epic battle and coming out victoriously.

With this major change of direction in the movie, they also lose the whole emotion that arises upon the death of their beloved Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. The movie did not capture the complicated relationship that both of them shared throughout the book’s journey. I recall when I was reading the book last time, I cried in the end because I could grasp the feeling of sad and despair of having the person that you look up to died in front of your eyes and there is nothing you could do to stop it. Nevertheless, that same feeling did not surface after watching the movie.

A friend of mine said that maybe the reason why I had such high level of expectancy is because I have read all the books and had my own version of how it goes. So, when the movie did not come out as I envisioned, I was thwarted. Well, it is reasonably true, but then again, I never expected that the different focus would make the movie bleak. They didn’t manage to capture the emotions and manner when certain scenes happens like the panic feeling of having death eaters roaming free, or sad and despair of having lost a lot of the people you know and love, or even dedication and determination during the fight at Hogwarts. Frankly speaking, the movie didn’t even touch the essence of the book, which teaches the value of friendship and the power of love and sacrifice.

Implementation of syllabus:

In this post, I am instigating an argument on why the movie Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is not a good movie adaptation. After much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that the main reason why the movie was a disappointment (at least to me) was because the focus of the movie was altered as compared to the focus of the book.

Along with my conclusion, I also included premises to support my conclusions. To help reinforce my premises, I applied the roles of supporting statements, which are the DSAERA that we were taught in class. For the post above, I have used assumptions, anecdotes and supporting arguments for the three premises that I presented.

We're all daddy's little girls

This here is a version of my Father's Day letter I wrote to my dad but never actually sent it.

Dear papa„

Instead of being home and spending father’s day with You,I'm back in my room after an outing Sunday.I'm sorry I ain’t there but I want you to know I love You and you're the most important person in my life.I know I don't say those three words to you but i mean them with all my heart.I didn't even call to wish You,I don't know why.I guess I know you are disappointed with me„I didn't turn out to be the daughter You always wanted me to be,I'm sorry I broke your heart when I quit Engineering.I really shattered your dream I know,
but I'm so happy with Fom now..Yet I'm sad when I realise that I screwed up but I want you to know I'm happy doing what I do now.and tho I ain't the perfect daughter„I never wanna let you down and I'm gonna make you proud.i promise Ill make you smile like how You always put a smile on my face„
how without saying it,i know you love me tons.I still remember how You would drive all the way to pick me up If I’d day I cant sleep.i wanna go home.you’re the best father in the world and ill never trade you for anything.you’re superb at what you do and I'm so happy i have you.seriously i dunno what ill ever do without you.When i look at little girls being held by theirs dad’s and taken for walks,I remember how you pushed me towards swimming to overcome my fear,you would sit and wait till i was done learning,and you made me fall in love with water =)today I'm proud to say That guy„there,he’s my dad.my greatest person in the world.papa I just wanna apologise for all those nights when I made you cry„when you used to be the one who would wipe my tears when I'm having a bad day„
I want you to accept and love me for who I am,I'm sorry for all those times i broke your heart,i promise ill give you something,Ill make you proud papa,I will.Happy fathers day and thanks for being there for me throughout this 20 years,promise to be there for me forever„alrights?I love you papa.


 This father's day letter of mine can be used for Fallacies part 1 in Critical thinking.
The Ad populum fallacies can be used to describe my writting.
The Ad populum fallancy is an attempt to persuade someone by appealing to emotions rather than giving reasons that support the truth.
my first few sentences are an example of Ad populum appeal to vanity:

Instead of being home and spending father’s day with You,I'm back in my room after an outing Sunday.I'm sorry I ain’t there but I want you to know I love You and you're the most important person in my life

I didnt give a reason to explain why I was out rather than there with my father.Instead I told him how much I love him and how important he is to me.Basically I used emotions and feelings rather than giving strong supporting arguments to support the reason or truth on why I wasn't home spending Father's day with my papa.I made him feel special by saying he was the most important person in my life so that he would agree with my argument and not get mad at me for not spending father's day with him.I made my father feel closer to me and therefore agreeing with my argument.

Critical Thinking.

We would love to start our blog by quoting what our lecturer said during a group discussion in our tutorial class.Those wise words were really encouraging and it surely helped us make this assignment a success.

"in order to be someone in this world , we have to have something and we have to be unique and different in our own way."

-Mr Zamri,our critical thinking lecturer =)

Yours Truly.

Jareen Kaur             1092700375 

Shahirah Mahther   1081108591