Being obese is not wrong

News adapted from News.com.au , 24 August 2010.

A NAIL salon in Georgia has charged a woman having a manicure and pedicure an extra $5 because she was overweight and could damage their chairs.

Michelle Fonville, 40, of Lithonia, said she was at the Natural Nails salon getting a burnt orange color applied to her fingers and toes, along with an eyebrow wax, when she was presented with what seemed like an excessive bill.

“I said to the clerk I thought I had been accidentally overcharged, I honestly thought it was an error,” she told ABC News.

But then, Ms Fonville said, “when she came over and wrote out the prices she then said, 'I charged you five dollars more because you're overweight'."

Kim Tan, the salon manager, told ABC News' Atlanta affiliate WSB-TV that the chairs in her salon can only hold 200 pounds and cost $2500 to repair.

"Do you think that's fair when we take $24 dollars and we have to pay $2500 in repairs?" Ms Tan said.

"I said to her I'm sorry, but next time I cannot take you."

Ms Fonville said she plans to protest outside the salon later this week.

Ms Tan returned the extra $5, ABC reported.

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I felt ridiculous and upset when reading this news. Obese is not wrong, I would say so. People who are obese are also ordinary people like us. Everyone of us deserves respect from the others. Respect needs to be earned. In the news above, Ms. Fonville did not actually damage the salon's chair, nor did she act in a rude way towards the salon workers. In the theory of success entrepreneurship, customers should be the main priority for every business. Saying you are charged an extra fee just because of your big and obese body size is definitely rude and insulting. Inevitably none of us wants to be humiliated in this way after consuming a service from a shop. We would certainly hope to be replied by a warm smile and be greeted politely, "Please come again next time". Hence, instead of charging extra on obese people, which is an immature act, the salon should order a bigger size of chair especially prepared for obese people. In this way, not only different body sizes of customers are treated equally important, the salon could eventually gain a good reputation among the customers.

Is "N-word" offensive?

News adapted from news.com.au , 10 August.

Denis Maurice Mulheron told a magistrate in defence of his slurs that "nigger" is everyday language. Picture: Jay Nel-mcintosh.

Have you even been called something racist? I bet all of us do not like to be called in a racist way. It will definitely harm the relationship among the races.

In Australia, a Queensland Judge has found the terms "nigger" and "sandnigger" are not offensive to a reasonable person. According to Urban Dictionary, the term "nigger" can be defined as the blacks or dark-skinned people. It is often used by the whites.

Besides, an Australian can be called as "Abo", a New Zealander as a "Kiwi" or an American as a "Yank". Supporters who accept the use of these terms argue that they are not enough to invoke criminal sanctions. Although the words used may be crude, unattractive and direct but they are not offensive to a reasonable person.

However, on the other hand, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said the use of the term "nigger" is highly offensive and has no place in modern Australia.

Apart from that, there is another similar case occurred last Thursday that it was acceptable for people to tell police officers to "f*** off".

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Whether the calling of these racist terms are out of intention or not, we should always avoid using them in order to prevent any misunderstanding among races.

Stomped on an Infant?

News adapted from news.com.au , 6 August.

A 35 years old man had imposed more than 10 years of imprisonment for brutally killed his girlfriend's baby son. This man has once served around 9 years in prison for the shooting manslaughter of a man in 1996 before he committed this crime again.

On the 7 November 2007, the man came home from a drinking session at a Blacktown hotel in Sydney's west. The baby's mother described the man was drunk, angry and very aggressive. He lifted the child, holding him around the neck with both hands, and shook him violently while chocking him. The baby's whole body was shaking, making a gurgling noise and having difficulty to breath. The man then just threw the baby back onto the mattress and stomped on his chest. By the time paramedics arrived, the baby had already stopped breathing had had no pulse.

Although the couple tried to hide the sin at first, the baby's mother finally made admissions three months after the incident. The man was charged with brutal murder and his earliest date of release from prison is December 2018.


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I believe that most of us, after reading this news would definitely feel dismay and sad over the incident. Life is brittle. An innocent life can be ended in just a single second. Treasure every moment you have with your love ones and respect others' lives at the same time. A peace and harmony world will only be achieved with respect, tolerance and endurance.

Let's eat out more!

News from The Australian.

Let's forget about deciding what dishes to cook tonight and what kind of breakfast to prepare tomorrow morning. It will be easier to just eat outside!

New research has shown that the Aussies might be eating out more than they did last year but at the same time they are still opting for healthier meals. Roughly 15% of Australians would say that they go out for breakfast once a week or more. 32% enjoy having dinner out each week while 38% go out for lunch. Although more Australians are eating out, one in four of them are found ordering healthier meals than they were 1 year ago. This is further proven by the claim that 20% of Australians have increased their salad consumption.

On the other hand, if analyzing through the states and genders, South Australia and Queensland have more women who choose to eat more healthy food. In contrast, New South Whales and Victoria consist of more health-conscious men.

In short, it's not entirely wrong or bad to dine outside. Common misconception is the outside food, mainly fast food, are bad for our health. However, if we can choose wisely and do in control, eat out more is definitely a great choice. People can socialize more and give our mind a moment of rest. =)

Argumentative essay:Television viewing Final Draft

The effects of television viewing.

Watching television is indeed one of the favorite pass time activities by people from all walks of life. According to American Time Use Survey (2003), watching television is the activity that both female and male spent the most hours on it every day. With television viewing getting more and more popular, it creates different perspectives on the effects that the activity might bring. Heated debates over the impacts of television watching for the viewers are getting more intensive lately. Nevertheless, I strongly believe that television can benefit its viewers as it lightens up the learning process, broadens our knowledge and encourages critical thinking.

First of all, the use of television as a teaching tool makes learning to be fun. As an audio-visual medium, television has provided another aspect on learning for the students (Leigh 2001). They can understand more easily and remember the information that they have seen and heard in the television better than just reading from the books. Rutherford (2002) has also further elaborated this point by using the example of “Sesame Street”, an educational program. Animation and puppets which are used in the show can make the learning of colours, numbers and letters to be fun for the pre-schoolers.

Moreover, viewing of television provides us with handy information to increase our knowledge. According to Leigh (2001), children who watch television are more aware of their cultural identity and the contribution of other cultures. Watching television also enables them to experience the excitement and wonder of the animal kingdom in an entertaining and enjoyable way (Rutherford 2002). Besides, television viewing generates curiosity and initiative to learn. For instance, “Play School” program equips pre-schoolers with a large vocabulary before they begin schooling (Leigh 2001).

Additionally, television viewing has the ability to develop critical thinking skills through the process of discussing how conflict is puzzled out in the programs (Sharif 1999). Undeniable by Leigh (2001), television is a stimulating and appealing medium which encourages critical thinking about important issues, ranging from globalization to homelessness. These latest local and international news can inspire the public to become involved and to motivate them to do works of charity. Sharing of issues and good talking points from television programs with friends and family has also promoted antisocial behaviour indirectly. Throughout the process of sharing and discussing, the skill of critical thinking, which is necessary in both social settings and at school, is developed.

In conclusion, viewing of television brings good effects for its viewers as it lightens up the learning process, broadens our knowledge and encourages critical thinking skills. Nevertheless, arguments are present for the opposite side of view where television is criticized. We should be clear that those criticisms are only focusing on the viewing habits that are unhealthy and excessive (Rutherford 2002). Therefore, I would once again emphasize on my stance that television viewing actually benefits the viewers.

Argumentative essay:Television viewing Draft 2

The effects of television viewing.

Watching television is indeed one of the favorite pass time activities by people from all walks of life. From American Time Use Survey (2003), watching television is the activity that both female and male spent the most hours on it every day. With television viewing getting more and more popular, it creates different perspectives on the effects that the activity might bring. Heated debates over the impacts of television watching for the viewers are getting more intensive lately. Nevertheless, I strongly believe that television can benefit its viewers as it lightens up the learning process, broadens our knowledge and encourages critical thinking.

First of all, the use of television as a teaching tool makes learning to be fun. As an audio-visual medium, television has provided another aspect on learning for the students (Leigh 2001). They can understand more easily and remember the information that they have seen and heard in the television better than just reading from the books. Rutherford (2002) has also further elaborated this point by using the example of “Sesame Street”, an educational program. Animation and puppets which are used in the show can make the learning of colours, numbers and letters to be fun for the pre-schoolers.

Moreover, viewing of television provides us with handy information to increase our knowledge. According to Leigh (2001), children who watch television are more aware of their cultural identity and the contribution of other cultures. Watching television also enables them to experience the excitement and wonder of the animal kingdom in an entertaining and enjoyable way (Rutherford 2002). Besides, television viewing generates curiosity and initiative to learn. For instance, “Play School” program equips pre-schoolers with a large vocabulary before they begin schooling (Leigh 2001).

Additionally, television viewing has the ability to develop critical thinking through the process of discussing how conflict is puzzled out in the programs (Sharif 1999). Undeniable by Leigh (2001), television is a stimulating and appealing medium which encourages critical thinking about important issues, ranging from globalization to homelessness. These latest local and international news can inspire the public to become involved and to motivate them to do works of charity. Sharing of issues and good talking points from television programs with friends and family has also promoted antisocial behaviour indirectly. Throughout the process of sharing and discussing, the skill of critical thinking, which is necessary in both social settings and at school, is developed.

In conclusion, viewing of television brings good effects for its viewers as it lightens up the learning process, broadens our knowledge and encourages critical thinking. Nevertheless, arguments are present for the opposite side of view where television is criticized. We should be clear that those criticisms are only focusing on the viewing habits that are unhealthy and excessive (Rutherford 2002). Therefore, I would once again emphasize on my stance that television viewing actually benefits the viewers.

Argumentative essay:Television viewing Draft 1

The effects of television viewing.

Watching television is indeed one of the favorite pass time activities by people from all walks of life. From a survey “Average hours per day spent in leisure and sports activities for the total population by selected characteristics, 2003 annual averages”, watching television is the activity that both female and male spent the most hours on it every day (ATUS 2003). With television viewing getting more and more popular, it creates different perspectives on the effects that the activity might bring. Hot debates are going on whether television viewing can bring negative or positive impacts for the viewers. I strongly believe that television can benefit the viewers as it lightens up the learning process, broadens our knowledge and encourages critical thinking.

First of all, the use of television as a teaching tool makes learning to be fun. As an audio-visual medium, television has provided another aspect on learning for the students (Leigh 2001). They can understand more easily and remember the information they have seen and heard in the television better than just reading them from books. Rutherford (2002) has also further elaborated this point by using the example of “Sesame Street”, an educational program. Animation and puppets which are used in the show can make the learning of colours, numbers and letters to be fun for the pre-schoolers.

Moreover, viewing of television provides us with handy information to increase our knowledge. According to Leigh (2001), children who watch television are more aware of their cultural identity and the contribution of other cultures. Watching television also enables them to experience the excitement and wonder of the animal kingdom in an entertaining and enjoyable way (Rutherford 2002). Besides, television viewing generates curiosity and initiative to learn. For instance, “Play School” program equips pre-schoolers with a large vocabulary before they begin school (Leigh 2001).

Additionally, television viewing has the ability to develop critical thinking during the process of discussing how conflict is puzzled out in programs (Sharif 1999). Undeniable by Leigh (2001), television is a stimulating and appealing medium which encourages critical thinking about important issues, ranging from globalization to homelessness. These latest current local and international news can inspire public to become involved and also motivate them to do works of charity. With sharing of issues from television programs with friends and family, antisocial behaviour is promoted indirectly.

In conclusion, viewing of television brings good effects for its viewers as it lightens up the learning process, broadens our knowledge and encourages critical thinking. Nevertheless, arguments are present for the opposite side of view where television is criticized. We should be clear that those criticisms are only focusing on the viewing habits that are unhealthy and excessive (Rutherford 2002). Therefore, I would once again emphasize on my stance where television viewing actually benefits the viewers.

The final version of the argumentative essay

Should the sale of junk food in school canteens be banned?

Junk food is defined as unhealthy food that has low nutritional value (Smith 2005). According to Nutritional Value of the Most Popular Snack Foods from Health Foundation (2005), junk foods like chips, hamburgers, instant noodles and soft drinks are all having low nutritional value. As junk food contains chemical additives, it is tastier and has longer shelf life. Its cheap manufacture cost and easy storage have also increased its popularity. I strongly believe that the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned as junk food can lead to childhood obesity, bad behaviour and littering problems.

Firstly, junk food is to be blamed for the rising of childhood obesity. It has been shown that the foods eaten at home by 12-14 years old Australian children in 2003 have an increasing trend on fat and sugar intake instead of fresh fruit and vegetables (Australian Nutrition Journal 2004). This problem is made worse when the school canteens are offering junk food to the students, making junk food to be widely available. Junk food is high in fat and sugar and it can promote youth weight gain due to the rising of kilojoule intake. Childhood obesity can be further lead to heart disease, osteoarthritis and some cancers (Tran 2005).

Besides, junk food causes behavioural problems in children according to Smith (2005). This has been further elaborated by Cray (2005) that students who consume more junk food cannot get sufficient nutrients for their health development and growth. Thus, their learning potential is reduced. Students often take junk food as their lunch in school. Certain chemical additives in junk food can cause students to be hyperactive and have poor concentration. There is a noticeable improvement in students’ behaviour in class and they are becoming calmer after lunch when junk food and soft drinks are removed from the school canteen (Green 2005).

Furthermore, the sale of junk food in school canteens can also lead to littering problems. Fast food often comes with plastic packaging and students will just dispose the packaging anywhere after eating the food. There are also empty soft drink cans everywhere. The cleaning cost increases and the school groundsman will have to spend a long period of time to clean those rubbish. This has reduced the time to spend on the more beneficial school maintenance projects (Green 2005). On the other hand, litter is a safety and health hazard and gives bad image for our communities.

In conclusion, the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned as junk food can lead to several negative impacts like childhood obesity, bad behaviour and littering problems. Schools should educate students about good nutrition and introduce more healthy food policies to promote good eating habits. However, most importantly the eating habits of children at home need to be changed to a healthier way (Tran 2005).

Arguementative Essay 1 Draft 2

Should the sale of junk food in school canteens be banned?

Junk food is defined as unhealthy food that has low nutritional value. According to Nutritional Value of the Most Popular Snack Foods from Health Foundation (2005), junk foods like chips, hamburgers, instant noodles and soft drinks are all having low nutritional value. As junk food contains chemical additives, it is tastier and has longer shelf life. Its cheap manufacture cost and easy storage have also increased its popularity (Smith 2005). I strongly believe that the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned as junk food can lead to childhood obesity, bad behaviour and littering problems.

Firstly, junk food is to be blamed for the rising of childhood obesity. It has been shown that the foods eaten at home by 12-14 years old Australian children in 2003 have an increasing trend on fat and sugar intake instead of fresh fruit and vegetables (Australian Nutrition Journal 2004). This problem is made worse when the school canteens are offering junk food to the students, making junk food to be widely available. Junk food is high in fat and sugar and it can promote youth weight gain due to the rising of kilojoule intake. Childhood obesity can be further lead to heart disease, osteoarthritis and some cancers (Tran 2005).

Besides, junk food causes behavioural problems in children according to Smith (2005). This has been further elaborated by Cray (2005) that students who consume more junk food cannot get sufficient nutrients for their health development and growth. Thus, their learning potential is reduced. Students often take junk food as their lunch in school. Certain chemical additives in junk food can cause students to be hyperactive and have poor concentration. There is a noticeable improvement in students’ behaviour in class and they are becoming calmer after lunch when junk food and soft drinks are removed from the school canteen (Green 2005).

Furthermore, the sale of junk food in school canteens can also lead to littering problems. Fast food often comes with plastic packaging and students will just dispose the packaging anywhere after eating the food. There are also empty soft drink cans everywhere. The cleaning cost increases and the school groundsman will have to spend a long period of time to clean those rubbish. This has reduced the time to spend on the more beneficial school maintenance projects (Green 2005). On the other hand, litter is a safety and health hazard and gives bad image for our communities.

In conclusion, the sale of junk food in school canteens should be banned as junk food can lead to several negative impacts like childhood obesity, bad behaviour and littering problems. Schools should educate students about good nutrition and introduce more healthy food policies to promote good eating habits. However, most importantly the eating habits of children at home need to be changed to a healthier way (Tran 2005).