PL PARCEL #6

PLPARCEL PLPARCEL

Theme of the month:

28April2023

EATING INSECTS IN SINGAPORE

HE F I NE DI NI NG EXP ERI ENCE

DID YOU KNOW THAT SINGAPORE IS LEGALLY ALLOWING INSECTS TO BE CONSUMED? THE SINGAPORE FOOD AGENCY (SFA) HAS JUST COMPLETED A REVIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR INSECTS AND INSECT PRODUCTS TO BE IMPORTED AND SOLD AS FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

HOWEVER, NOW, SFA IS ANTICIPATING PERMITTING THE SALE OF INSECT AND INSECT PRODUCTS FOR HUMAN AND ANIMAL CONSUMPTION. THIS APPLIES TO BOTH IMPORTED, AS WELL AS LOCALLY FARMED AND PROCESSED INSECTS THIS MAY SOUND DISTASTEFUL TO SOME OF US, BUT EXPECT TO SEE A LIST OF 16 INSECT SPECIES APPROVED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION BY SFA SHOW UP ON MENUS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THESE SPECIES CAN BE STIR FRIED OR EVEN MADE INTO PROTEIN BARS FOR HUMANS TO CONSUME. SFA HAS TAKEN REFERENCE FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AND COUNTRIES SUCH AS AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH KOREA AND THAILAND, WHICH ALLOWED THE CONSUMPTION OF CERTAIN INSECT SPECIES AND RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THOSE WHO WERE IN THE INDUSTRY.

WHY INSECTS?

OF THE MANY AVAILABLE SOURCES OF PROTEIN THAT CAN BE EATEN, INSECTS ARE SEEN AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCE. PERHAPS, YOU HAVE HEARD OF ALTERNATIVE FOOD SOURCES SUCH AS IMPOSSIBLE FOODS OR BEYOND MEAT, WHICH ARE CELL OR PLANT BASED MEAT SUBSTITUTES. SURPRISINGLY, INSECTS ARE EXTREMELY RICH IN PROTEIN, AND ARE HIGH IN VITAMINS AND AMINO ACIDS. IT CAN ALSO BE LESS OF A HASSLE TO FARM COMPARED TO OTHER PROTEIN SOURCES, PRODUCES LESS WASTE AND EMITS FEWER GREENHOUSE GASSES WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER LIVESTOCK, WHICH MAY HELP OUT SINGAPORE DUE TO ITS LAND SCARCITY. IF THAT IS NOT CONVINCING ENOUGH, A FIRM, THE ASIA INSECT FARM SOLUTION, HAS EXPLORED USING CRICKET POWDER TO SLOWLY INTRODUCE THE IDEA OF INSECT CONSUMPTION TO LOCALS BY BLENDING IT IN SMOOTHIES TO MASK THE IDEA OF INSECTS SO IT WILL BE MORE APPEALING FOR SINGAPOREANS.

EATING BUGS SINCE 2015

AFTER HAVING THE EXPERIENCE OF TRYING FRIED BAMBOO WORMS IN 2015, FOO MAOSHENG, A 34-YEAROLD ENTOMOLOGIST, STARTED TO INCORPORATE INSECTS INTO HIS DIET HE WROTE IN HIS INSTAGRAM THAT HE FELT DELIGHTED TO KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS FINALLY ALLOWING INSECTS TO BE CONSUMED IN SINGAPORE. UNLIKE MANY, FOO DID NOT FEEL THAT INSECTS WERE UNPLEASANT AND DID NOT FEEL HATRED TOWARDS THEM. ACCORDING TO HIM, AS THE PRICES OF CONVENTIONAL LIVESTOCK INCREASE AND HAVING SMALLER AREAS TO GROW FOOD, SINGAPOREANS DO NEED TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND NEVER JUDGE BEFORE TRYING SOMETHING. HE HOPED THAT SINGAPORE WOULD BE MORE ACCEPTING OF INSECTS BEING INTRODUCED TO THE FOOD MARKET IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

ALTHOUGH EATING INSECTS MAY STILL SOUND DISTASTEFUL, ELSEWHERE, PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD EAT BUGS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WE SHOULD BE MORE OPEN MINDED TO THESE NEW ALTERNATIVE FOOD SOURCES.

Bon Appetit!

WRITTEN BY: KRITHI SUGENTHIRAN (1.5), CHLOE PEH (2.4), TAN SHEENA (3.8)

DESIGNED BY: JANELLE ANG (2.6), EVA AN LEW (2.2)

Who is Mr Shou?

TikTok CEO

Written by: Krithi Sugenthiran (1.5), Naomi Zoe Ng (1.4), Ow Yong Yu An (1.3)

Did you know that TikTok CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is actually a Singaporean who has been the CEO of TikTok since 2021? Born and raised in Singapore, Mr Chew was formerly chief financial officer for the company, but climbed up in ranks after former CEO, Kevin Mayer, stepped down in March 2021 claiming that he had " no interest working under US buyers".

What happened during his meeting with congress?

On March 23, during a meeting with Congress, Mr Shou testified about TikTok’s data security, privacy practices and its relationship with the China government, as some officials are still pushing for a ban on the app. There were certain reports – among many others – that the company had looked through journalists' private information to find out which employees had leaked information on the company, so Congress is worried about the privacy of American citizens.

On 15 April, Montana officially became the first US state to allow the banning of TikTok. If this is signed into law by the Governor, the ban may start in January 2024

What is Project Texas?

TikTok is now working on a program called “Project Texas” and its main goal is to ensure that they can transfer user ’ s data to somewhere out of reach from the China government. “The main goal of Project Texas is to make considerable progress towards compliance with the final agreement with the U.S. government that will fully safeguard user data and U.S. national security interests,” TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a letter.

How will the ban affect users of TikTok all around the world?

If this ban is really implemented all across the United States, we will be affected in ways that we may have never thought about.

For a start, many content creators use TikTok as a platform to showcase their talents and communicate with fans. With the ban of the app, not being able to upload content and communicate with fans on TikTok would deal a significant blow to them, especially those who built their careers from the ground on TikTok. For some fans, who look forward to seeing their favourite creators’ content after a long day, some may find it hard to relax and kick back after a hard day’s worth of work.

ban affect

Furthermore, businesses on TikTok use the app to promote their brand to their audience. This new marketing strategy is very important as through TikTok’s FYP (For You Page), users of the app are able to view content from recommended businesses. Without the support from fans both locally and abroad businesses would not be able to thrive as they are now. Businesses require the support of fans abroad to sustain a healthy business.

Conclusion

The fate of TikTok in the United States is still unknown. However, the ban of TikTok in the US will bring about a large change to people all around the globe, including us Singaporeans. However, in light of this, we all have to learn to adapt to our changing environment, and we can surely learn and grow from this new uncertain situation as a whole.

Credits

As Congress weighs ban, CEO of TikTok Shou Zi Chew will appear for a hearing, Ken Tran, 16 3 2023 https://www usatoday com/story/news/politics/2023/03/16/tiktok-ceo-congresstestify-china/11484909002/

TikTok hearing: CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies before US Congress amid looming ban –as it happened, Kari Paul and Johana Bhuiyan, 23 3 2023

https://www theguardian com/technology/live/2023/mar/23/tiktok-ceo-hearingban-congress-live-

updates#: :text=The%20first%20appearance%20in%20Congress,protections%20for% 20its%20youngest%20users

Shou Zi Chew: Who is the TikTok CEO?, BBC News Nicholas Yong, 22 3 2023 https://www bbc com/news/world-asia-65022596

Project Texas: The Details of TikTok’s Plan to Remain Operational in the United States, Matt Yong, Samm Sacks, 26 1 2023

https://www lawfareblog com/project-texas-details-tiktoks-plan-remainoperational-united-states

Designed by: Jean Wong (3.3)

Edlysia Goh (3.4)

PL'S INTEREST(ING) GROUPS!

Written by: Janelle Ang (2.1), Charaine Neo (2.2) Designed by: Adele Wang (3.6), Teo Wen Qi (1.4)

Introduction

School is not only a place for learning academic subjects, but also a hub for various extracurricular activities and interest groups. These groups bring together students who share common interests and provide opportunities for them to explore and develop their passions. From Robotics to International Chess, there are countless interest groups in schools that cater to a wide range of interests and hobbies.

ACE Math and Science

In PL, students have the opportunity to participate in various interest groups, one of which is ACE. During their first year, ACE students explore both the Math and Science aspects of the programme, and in their second year, they choose to continue in either the Math or Science track. In ACE Science, students focus on conducting research to help promote sustainability in Singapore. Through the programme, they gain practical experience by conducting scientific experiments, collecting and analysing data, and reading research papers. We spoke with a Secondary 2 student in ACE Science, who described the programme as "essentially very fun."

In ACE Math, their students are tasked with writing a mathematics essay on a topic related to any aspect of their lives that can be connected to maths. This involves discussing mathematical concepts, theories, or applications in a written form. To prepare for this, Secondary 2 students took part in game analysis in Term 1, where they used mathematics strategies to win the game. Although this may seem daunting, students worked in groups and engaged in peer discussions to facilitate their understanding.

Robotics

Another popular interest group in PL is Robotics. In Robotics, students conduct research on various topics like climate, transportation, entertainment, healthcare and many others, then present their findings. The group also participates in competitions such as the recent Singapore Amazing Flying Machine Competition, in which one group in our school attained the "Best Presentation Award." Other than that, they also attend hands-on workshops like the Raspberry Pi Workshop in 2022 during the March holidays, which was described by a student ble".

Chess Club

One more interest group in PL is the International Chess, also known as the PL Chess Club. Students in this club participate in chess competitions and learn new strategies and techniques to enhance their gameplay. Despite chess being a challenging game, members of the Chess Club work together appreciating the game and improving their skills. This club not only allows students to engage in their passion for chess but also provides an opportunity to make new friends and forge strong bonds with fellow members. Moreover, the Chess Club is open to beginners who are interested in learning how to play chess, making it a great platform to start picking the game up. All in all, joining the PL Chess Club is an excellent opportunity for students to enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills while indulging in their love for chess with like minded peers.

Global Scholars Programme

Finally, the Global Scholars Programme is another noteworthy interest group in PL. Through this programme, students get the opportunity to broaden their perspectives and develop their skills in areas such as critical thinking, communication, and problemsolving. For instance, in the programme, students learn about a wide range of topics, including sustainable food management and Singapore's '30 by 30' goal. A student from Secondary 2 shared her experience and said that she found the programme both interesting and useful. She mentioned that prior to joining the programme, she had little knowledge about where Singapore's food came from and that the programme allowed her to learn more about the country's food sources and dependencies on other countries. She continued, recalling an event when the students in PL communicated with students from Taiwan through Zoom. Overall, the Global Scholars Programme provides a platform for students to enhance their knowledge and skills in various fields while also fostering a deeper understanding of s.

Conclusion

While interest groups may seem like just another extracurricular activity, they are much more than that. They provide students with a space to explore their passions and develop new skills, while also promoting a sense of community and belonging. Interest groups can help to shape the social and academic experiences of secondary school students, and should be encouraged and supported by schools. As we move forward, it is important to recognise the value of interest groups and work to ensure that all students have access to these opportunities.

Special thanks to Ang Sze Zin (2.1), Chloe Chan (2.3), Claire Chong (2 4) and Sophie Tay (2.4) for the interv responses!

Written by: Janelle Ang (2.1), Charaine Neo (2.2)

Designed by: Aareesha Gill (1.7)

Opening The Curtains

White and the Seven Dwarfs, the streaming service Disney Plus, or the enchanting and captivating Disney theme parks? For many of us, Disney has been a beloved part of our childhood, with memories of Disney Princesses and films playing a significant role in our lives. Yet, how many of us are aware of the fascinating history of this cherished brand? Let's delve into the story behind Disney and uncover some hidden gems.

It's a common misconception that Mickey Mouse was the first character created by Walt Disney. However, before he relocated to California in 1923, Disney had already produced "Alice's Wonderland," a cartoon featuring a little girl in an animated world. The cartoon was a success, and Disney sold it to a distributor, marking the beginning of his illustrious career. Initially named the Disney Brothers Studio, the company was later renamed the Walt Disney Studio on the recommendation of Disney's brother, Roy.

Walt Disney's journey to creating the iconic character of Mickey Mouse was not an easy one. He had previously created the Alice Comedies and 26 Oswald Cartoons, but was forced to create a new character after losing Oswald to his distributor. The introduction of sound in movies was revolutionizing the industry, and Disney had to adapt to keep up. After the first two silent Mickey Mouse movies failed to sell, Disney created a third became an instant hit. cartoons, paving the e it is today.

TheManBehindTheMagic

Walt Disney is best known for setting up The Walt Disney Company, which has produced some of the most beloved shows and characters of all time. Having won an impressive 22 Oscars from 59 nominations, it is easy to see why he is a respected and celebrated figure to most. In fact, Disney took up drawing at a young age, attending art classes as a young boy. After high school, Disney attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago, and later worked parttime as a commercial illustrator for an advertising company. In time, he moved to Kansas City and began working as an animator, which ultimately led to the creation of Disney Brothers Studio, and the rest, as they say, is part of Disney's legendary legacy.

TheHappiestPlaceonEarth

In 1955, Disneyland opened its gates to the world, becoming the first-ever theme park created by The Walt Disney Company. Despite Walt Disney's initial vision of a smaller park, the proposed location was too vast to contain his humble plans. Fast forward to the present day, and Disney's theme parks can now be found across the globe, from Tokyo to Florida. The magical memories created within these parks remain treasured by those lucky enough to have experienced them.

Disney's Legacy

It's hard to imagine a world without the magic of Disney. And now, with the introduction of Disney+, you can have access to all of your favourite shows, as well as exclusive content, all in one place. So it goes. Disney continues to be a household name, and new shows and movies are continually being released. While some may argue that the classic movies outdo the modern tales, there is no doubt that Disney is still as popular as ever. Disney's legacy of magic and imagination continues to captivate audiences, leaving an unforgettable mark on the world of entertainment.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt Disney

https://d23.com/disney-history/#timeline

https://en wikipedia org/wiki/Disney%2B

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland

Written by: Felicia Low (3.1), Chloe Peh (2.4)

Designed by: Aaresha Gill (1.7), Pooja Palanikumar (1.8)

Musicals, or musical theatre, are theatre performances which tell a story using songs and dance in addition to dialogue and acting. Music, movement and speech work together in harmony to effectively tell its story and allow the audience to connect with the show’s message. Although musicals may be improvised or scripted, most are thoroughly planned out from start to finish and rehearsed numerous times before they are performed in front of public. In this way, musical theatre requires a large production crew that consists not only of actors and directors but also dramaturges, stage crew, set designers, wardrobe designers and more, working together to get a show on stage.

The term “musicals” is typically used to refer to musical plays such as Broadway shows which are performed on stage. However, they also encompass any form of theatre production which involves the use of song and dance. As such, musicals also include films, television and movies which make use of song and dance to forward and support their plot. That said, just because many Disney movies are considered musicals does not mean that the target audience of all musicals are children and youth.

Musicals are performances interweaving song, dance and storytelling into a cohesive act. Singapore’s place as a melting pot of different cultures extends to our musical theatre scene and musicals in Singapore range from touring productions of overseas shows to those Singaporean produced and performed. There is no shortage of musicals in Singapore; film and movie musicals are constantly on air and musical plays are regularly performed live in a multitude of theatre venues. Have musicals piqued your interest yet? Make sure to check out some of the past and upcoming shows when you find the time to support the many creatives both local and outside Singapore!

1.

THE SCIENCE THE SCIENCE THE SCIENCE

BEHIND SLEEP BEHIND SLEEP BEHIND SLEEP SCHEDULES SCHEDULES SCHEDULES

Written by: Ow Yong Yu An (1.3), Naomi Zoe Ng (1.4)

Designed by Pooja

Palanikumar(1.8), Teo Wen Qi (1.4)

When and how much should we sleep?

2. What happens when we sleep, and why is sleep so important?

Have you ever been interested to find out what happens when we sleep? One of the most important functions of our brain that takes place when we are asleep is storing and strengthening new information formed throughout our day.

Some of us may have the habit of cramming numerous subject chapters or facts all at once before the exam, usually at night. This would not be effective as the more time we spend cramming, the less time we would have to sleep. During this period of sleep, our brains would have significantly less time to store and strengthen the new information we have just formed. As a result, we may wake up the next morning not remembering much of what we had studied the previous night.

3. How do we make our own sleep schedule?

As daunting as it may seem, planning out our own sleep schedule is not as complicated as we think it is. A sleep schedule is simply when you go to bed and when you wake up every day. Like mentioned earlier, having 8-10 hours of sleep is ideal for must. While maintaining this time, we can shift around the time when we go to bed and when we wake up every morning to fit our own needs. The most important part is having a consistent sleep schedule, which means following our schedule even through the weekends. Although this may be hard at first, we can set small goals to help achieve our own target and work towards them at our own pace.

4. Conclusion

We hope that you have learnt more about sleep schedules and sleep from this article. At the end of the day, it is important to remember that every person is different, so we will all have our own sleep schedules. We should remember that the main point is to make one that suits you, and your own unique needs.

%20say%20falling%20asleep%20between,circadian%20rhythms%20and%20daylight%20exposure

What is the Best Time To Wake Up?, Warm Things, 29 1 2021 https://warmthingsonline com/blogs/news/what-is-the-best-time-to-wakeup#: :text=That%20particular%20time%20frame%20would,best%20time%20to%20wake%20up

How to Reset Your Sleep Schedule, Laura Rubin, 13 12 2022 https://thesleepdoctor com/sleep-hygiene/how-to-fix-sleepschedule/#: :text=Your%20sleep%20schedule%20is%20when,off%20from%20time%20to%20time

Toxic Positivity: A detrimental min and coping mechanism

Whatistoxicpositivity?

I'm sure all of us have heard comments such as to "look on the bright side of things" as we share our struggles with those around us. At that time, you may have felt the urge to simply hold onto the belief that everything happens for a reason and ignore your negative feelings in favour of staying positive. What you may have experienced is 'toxic positivity'. Toxic positivity is the suppression and refusal to acknowledge all negative emotions due to the strong belief that one should always be positive regardless of the situation. However, being overly positive invalidates negative emotions and can be extremely harmful for our mental health.

Writtenby:

FeliciaLow(3.1),TanSheena(3.8)

Designedby:

EvaAnLew(2.2),JanelleAng(2.6)

Toxicpositivityvsapositivemindset

At first glance, toxic positivity may not seem all that different from a normal healthy mindset. However, contrary to what the names might suggest, there is actually a stark difference between the two. While a mindset of toxic positivity revolves around one invalidating his or her emotions and convincing oneself that he or she is happy, a person with a healthy positive mindset would accept that negative emotions are part of being human in order to pull through whatever hardships they face. Having said that, an obsession with maintaining a positive mindset can quickly develop into toxic positivity.

toxicpositivityreallythat unhealthy?

"Is toxic positivity all that bad?" you may ask, "Surely any form of positivity would be better than a pessimistic mindset?" This may not strictly be the case. In fact, in many circumstances, toxic positivity can actually be incredibly hindering –not only to one's mental state but also to one's growth and development.

If we are always under constant pressure to be happy, negative thoughts and feelings may become more and more overwhelming as they build up without the owner acknowledging and properly dealing with them. This could lead to emotional outbursts and irritation or even anxiety or depression. Toxic positivity also prevents growth from one's experiences, as people do not learn how to cope and adapt even as their life progresses and they merely opt to move on. This may be detrimental to their personal improvement as they put little to no effort into finding solutions, as they believe that their emotions are a flaw in their character.

Tacklingtoxicpositivity

Now that you know why it is necessary to avoid a mindset of toxic positivity, how can you go about tackling it? Firstly, to deal with it, we must be able to identify when our positivity is becoming toxic. Some common signs of toxic positivity include dismissal of all negative thoughts, guilt over your emotions, commonly assuring yourself or others that no matter the situation, it could always be worse or that everything happens for a reason. In order to circumvent such toxicity, one may try looking to those around them for support. Voicing our feelings to those around us encourages us to accept our feelings. We may put more effort into identifying our emotions as we focus our attention on trying to solve the crux of the issue causing us distress. We can also attempt to pay more attention to how we communicate with others in terms of our responses to others sharing their pain with us. We can avoid telling them thoughtless sayings such as "It will all work out in the end" to comfort them, and instead, acknowledging their emotions and experiences.

In conclusion, although positive thinking is important, we should not blindly compartmentalise our emotions into positive and negative, focusing on the positive to escape the rest. Instead, we should recognise all our emotions for what they are and simply work towards improving the upsetting situation.

Parting Message

from PL Parcel Editorial Team 2022

The PL Parcel was a ground-up initiative by several Secondary 4 students in 2022, out of interest to engage more people with the beauty of writing. As a team, we would like to sincerely thank those who contributed to the magazine, be it as a reader or team member. We hope many PL-Lites gained more knowledge and joy from reading our publishes, and that it was A READ WORTH YOUR TIME.

Behind The Parcel! (BTP)

For those aspiring PL-Lites who are interested in building up your own projects or activities in school, go for it! All it takes to kickstart your own initiative is an idea, a team and a courageous mindset. We believe in you! DARE to breathe life in to your work and passion. The first step is always the hardest :)

(Peep Myu)

The beginning stages of PL Parcel! Step 1: Pick a logo.

Once again, thank you all for the TREMENDOUS support!

Step 3: Write, Design, Publish!

Step 2: Countless video calls.. (or, dog calls)

(Left to Right) Evelyn, Zi Qing, Amelia, Heidi, Kiera and Myu

PL Parcel is a student-initiated project — Our school's very own student publication!

We aim to cover a wide range of content and share timely topics with our readers. We also hope these publishes can spark PL-Lites to discover the joy and benefits of reading, as well as to keep up-to-date with global and school-related matters.

We'd like to thank everyone who put in the effort and contributed to this publish, and those who read our works!