--x3LEMONN~

2010-05-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

1. Point of view

- The poem seems to be written from the point of view who has suffered or seen the effects of Agent orange spray. The speaker seemed to be present before and after the war to witness the effects. The sentences “America did not foresee”, “Now thinking twice” and “Toll on the innocent and unborn” demonstrates how America was not able to predict the disastrous after effects and is thinking twice after witnessing the effects. The effects have affected people outside the war, the “innocent and unborn”. The speaker seems to have fought in the war and had a first-hand experience on how agent orange can affect a person.

2. Situation and setting

- During and after Vietnam war
Evident in the usage of “Agent Orange”, “did not foresee”, “thinking twice”, “Birth Defects” and “Generations untold WILL pay”
Agent Orange was part of the rainbow herbicides during the Vietnam War which determined the time period and where it took place. The poem demonstrates the use of Agent Orange and its after effects which shows the poem is about during and after the Vietnam war.

3. Diction
- Potpourri
Unusual or interesting mixture of things
Used together with death – death potpourri
Suggests a mixture of death with “Green, pink and purple”
Green pink and purple are other color agents (rainbow herbicides)
- Omnipotent, Deceit, Nefariously
Words to describe America
Omnipotent – Having unlimited power, able to do anything
Deceit – An act of keeping the truth hidden to get an advantage
Nefariously – Evil or immoral
America has the power and is able to do anything with the use of the rainbow herbicides. They lie to their people to get them to war. They do not tell their people about the negative effects so that there is lesser reason to deter them from taking part in war. This act is evil and immoral which was committed by America, leading their people astray.

4. The poet wrote the poem through his experience and expresses the after effects of war. The after effects draws sympathy towards the innocent and unborn babies. The innocent played no part in the war but was affected with many illnesses and deformities. The unborn babies were innocent but were fated to suffer the moment they were born. America, having unlimited power, picked on Vietnam and used the rainbow herbicides to their advantage and caused harm to many generations of the people who live there. The poet conveys the message that war is not over even when it is over and the after war effects would affect many others as well.

2010-05-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

Rainbow death was written by Hubert Wilson, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the USAF security service. He was part of a dozen or so intelligence school graduates who were separated into 2 groups and sent to Agent Orange hotspots. Hubert Wilson suffers from severe headaches, progressive limb pains, radical deterioration of his central nervous system with parkinsonian type tremors etc. No physician has diagnosed or been able to render him any medical assistance. He guesses his condition was the after effect of his consumption of the heavily contaminated water he consumed at Shemya as an intelligence analyst.

Rainbow death is about the rainbow herbicides used by the US during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange was the most widely used herbicide in the herbicidal warfare during the Vietnam war. Agents green, pink and purple produced the contaminants which Agent Orange possessed but wasn’t as widely used as Agent Orange. The use of the rainbow herbicides affected both parties. 4.8million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange which gave them 400000 deaths and disabilities and 500000 children born with birth defects. The US sprayed Agent Orange over 20% of South Vietnam’s jungles over a 9 year period to reduce jungle foliage and to deny use of crops to sustain themselves and used for spot clearing in areas like base perimeters. Agent Orange left many health problems to the people exposed to it: Lung, Larynx (Voice box – Adam apple) and prostate (gland in male reproductive system) cancer, Cleft palate (Birth defect where the tissues of the mouth or lip don't form properly during fetal development), mental disabilities, hernias (contents of a body cavity bulge out of the area where they are normally contained) and mutations such as extra fingers or toes.

Thus Rainbow death was written in the aim to bring across the message that wars are not over even when they are over. There are many after effects that follow from war. Both sides will suffer as a result of war. As technology improves, the horror of warfare grows with it as well. People are unable to lead back their normal lives after the war. Nothing good comes out of a war and future generations should learn to coexist in peace with one another without the need for disputes.

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#Rainbow

http://mon-aime.blogspot.com/2010/05/analysis-of-rainbow-death.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6224

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate_cancer

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/ears/cleft_lip_palate.html

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hernia/article_em.htm

^ a b The Globe and Mail, June 12, 2008. 'Last Ghost of the Vietnam War'

^ Arthur W. Galston « 2004 « Articles « LASNews Magazine « Alumni & Friends « College of Liberal Arts & Sciences « University of Illinois

^ JEREMY PEARCE (June 23, 2008). "Arthur Galston, Agent Orange Researcher, Is Dead at 88 - Obituary". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/us/23galston.html?ref=us. Retrieved 2008-08-18.

^ a b Frumkin H (2003). "Agent Orange and cancer: an overview for clinicians". CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 53 (4): 245–55. doi:10.3322/canjclin.53.4.245. PMID 12924777. http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12924777.

^ Barlett, Donald P. and James B. Steele (May 2008) Vanity Fair - http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805?currentPage=1 Retrieved 2008-12-09

^ a b Dwyer and Flesch-Janys, "Editorial: Agent Orange in Vietnam", American Journal of Public Health, April 1995, Vol 85. No. 4, p. 476

^ Committee Recommendations: 2,3,7,8- Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)

^ Abstract for TR-521 - 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (CASRN 1746-01-6), Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (CAS No. 1746-01-6) in Female Harlan Sprague-Dawley Rats (Gavage Studies), National Toxicology Program (accessed: 02/19/2010)

^ Institute of Medicine - http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3793/4689/4695.aspx Agent Orange are respiratory cancers, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, primary amyloidosis.

^ National Academy of Sciences - Data Suggest a Possible Association Between Agent Orange Exposure and Hypertension: "the report also concluded that there is suggestive but limited evidence that AL amyloidosis is associated with herbicide exposure".Retrieved on 19 May 2008.

^ Pellow, David N. Resisting Global Toxics: Transnational Movements for Environmental Justice, (Google Books), MIT Press, 2007, p. 159, (ISBN 026216244X).

^ a b c d Anatomy of a War by Gabriel Kolko, ISBN 1-56584-218-9 pages 145

^ Tucker, Spencer. Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: Political, Social and Military History. ABC-CLIO, Inc. Santa Barbara. 1998.

^ Anatomy of a War by Gabriel Kolko, ISBN 1-56584-218-9 pages 144-145

^ Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs - [http://www.mofa.gov.vn/vi/tt_baochi/nr041126171753/ns050118101044 Support Agent Orange Victims in Vietnamese.

^ a b "Agent Orange blights Vietnam". BBC News. December 3, 1998. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/227467.stm. Retrieved April 23, 2010.

^ "Agent Orange: Diseases Associated with Agent Orange Exposure". Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards. 2010-03-25. http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/diseases.asp. Retrieved 2010-05-04.

^ Killing Me Softly: How Agent Orange Murders Vietnam's Children

^ Agent Orange

^ The Hatfield Consultants

^ CRS Report for Congress Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange and US-Vietnam Relations

^ Agent Orange information site

^ Specifics of Agent Orange use

^ Alvin L. Young, Ph. D. (December 2006). "The History of the US Department of Defense Programs for the Testing, Evaluation, and Storage of Tactical Herbicides" (PDF). http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/reading_room/TacticalHerbicides.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-04.

^ "Report on DoD Herbicides Outside of Vietnam" (PDF). http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/docs/Report_on_DoD_Herbicides_Outside_of_Vietnam.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-18.

^ "Agent Orange: Information for Veterans Who Served in Vietnam" (PDF). http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/docs/AOIB10-49JUL03.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-18.

^ "People angry with Agent Orange package turn to class-action lawsuit". The Canadian Press. 2007-09-13. http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jf86SisH1AAn3uWIlyJPujHxvQhA. Retrieved 2007-10-01.[dead link]

^ Kevin Danaher, ed (1994). 50 Years is Enough. South End Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-0896084957.

^ "Psychological Warfare during the Malayan Emergency by Herbert A Friedman". http://www.psywar.org/malaya.php. Retrieved 2010-04-27.

^ New York Times, 3 July 1996

^ Vol. 259 No. 11, 18 March 1988

^ Answers.com - Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation. Retrieved on 19 April 2007

^ Wilcox, Fred. Waiting for an Army to Die: The Tragedy of Agent Orange. ISBN 9780932020680.

^ Dying Veteran May Speak From Beyond The Grave In Court: Lakeland Ledger

^ CBS Evening News

^ "The Mayerson Law Offices". The Mayerson Law Offices. http://www.mayerson.com/html/about.html. Retrieved 2010-05-04.

^ Earth: The Agent Orange Mystery: Omni Magazine

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^ Questia: Waiting for an Army to Die: The Tragedy of Agent Orange by Fred A. Wilcox; Seven Locks Press, 1999

^ Agent Orange - Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards

^ PL 102-4 and The National Academy of Sciences

^ February 22, 2008 Decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals re: Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange v. Dow Chemical Co.

^ "Order List" (PDF). The United States Supreme Court. March 2, 2009. pp. 7. http://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/030209zor.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-04.

^ "Vietnam Friendship Village Project". http://www.vietnamfriendship.org. Retrieved 2008-08-18.

^ "Agent Orange Class Action". Merchant Law Group LLP. http://www.merchantlaw.com/agentop.html. Retrieved 2007-10-01.

^ Shawn Berry (August 4, 2009). "Moncton judge rules in Agent Orange lawsuit". The Times and Transcript. http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/search/article/749829. Retrieved 2010-05-04.

^ timestranscript.com - Moncton judge rules in Agent Orange lawsuit | By SHAWN BERRY - Breaking News, New Brunswick, Canada

2010-03-07T03:44:00.001-08:00

Today - 9th Encounter ♥

Comparison between JC and Poly

2010-03-06T04:51:00.001-08:00

I was surfing through the Stomp website when i came across a forum where youths were discussing over the choice of JC or Poly route. This perked my interest and i read through the 7 pages of discussions they had. Thereafter, I proceeded to search the web for more discussions on the choice of JC or Poly route. After some research, i drew out the main and repeated points in th discussion forums. The many repeated points all pointed to the stereotypes and reasons as to why somebody chooses the JC or Polytechnic route.

Junior College

People describe JCs as

1. Stressful (Study a lot)

2. Working towards a university degree (furthur education)

3. Places emphasis on the academic aspect of tertiary education

4. For people with better results (Compared to poly or ite)

5. For people who still have not decided on their career choice

6. People have misconceptions and perception that JC is much better

7. Stringent schedule

Polytechnics

People descibe POLYs as

1. Flexible and relaxed

2.More freedom

3. Specialization into their chosen career choice

4. Many choices (courses)

5. For people with poorer results

6. People have misconceptions and perception that Poly is not as good

The choice of JC or Poly are totally different; JC inclines towards academic prospects while Poly inclines towards the teaching of applications skills for future careers. Both are contrasting choices which decides one's future. JC and Poly cater to different people depending on their individual choices and preferences. It is not true that JC are definitely for the smarter students or vice versa. There have been many cases of people who have chosen Poly despite results which allowed them to enter any JC in Singapore. My teacher's daughter is 1 such example where she chose to go Ngee Ann Poly instead of a JC with her score of 9 points in her O Lvls. This was due to the fact that she had already decided on her career choice and favoured and wanted the hands-on experience which Poly offers. Furthurmore Poly is not a walk in the park as well. There are reports, assignments, presentations, projects for each course one takes up on an average weekly basis with tight deadlines as well. The reason where people think is easy-going in Poly is perhaps the flexibility in timing of lessons. Another factor which people consider JC as better is the prospect in furthur education like university. This has truths to it but Poly offers better prospects for jobs. They have the Hands-on experience which would be a considering factor for employers. This makes them more competent in the job they are applying for as compared to JC students who never had any experience. To add on, one might choose Poly over JC in fear that they fail A Lvls and therefore end up going to poly and wating few more years of your time. People who study in JC do not experience what Poly students are learning and vice versa, therefore it would be unfair of students to comment and judge on other schools based on their own perception. Poly basically is more realistic with the experience and feel and taste of working life while JC is more of a textbook kind of learning which is pretty straightfoward.
However no matter what one's choice, importance should be placed on th rid of local stereotyping of JCs and Polys. Every student should be treated equally regardless of what he/she chooses and studies. It is in the individual's choice that he/she makes a decision which best serves his/her interest. Unhealthy perceptions and stereotyping should be gotten rid of in society and this branches to not only the topic of JCs and Polys but many other stereotypes which exist in society.

Some food for thought:
1. What about comparison to ITE and studying abroad?
2. What other stereotypes exist in society?

Please feel free to comment on my post or your thoughts on the below mentioned questions.