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".

------------------------------------------------

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).

Arguementative Essay 1 Draft 1

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

Junk food is defined as unhealthy food and 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 litter 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 litter problems. Schools should educate students about good nutrition and introduce more healthy food policies to promote good eating habits. Moreover, most importantly the eating habits of children at home need to be changed to a healthier way. (Tran 2005)

Final version of Text Production Essay

What are the potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change and how can they be arrested?

Global warming is no longer a future fear, instead it is happening now. (Riebeek 2007) With some countries like China and India which are developing at an increasing speed, there is a big boost in the number of factories and vehicles. Billions of tons of greenhouse gases, namely carbon dioxide, are emitted into the atmosphere, causing the thermal radiation to be trapped in the earth. Thus, the earth has warmed and climate change occurs. Unequivocally, there will be potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change like rising of sea levels, frequent happening of natural disasters and disorder of the balanced ecosystems but people can cut down the carbon dioxide emissions to arrest those problems.

One of the effects of global warming is the sea-level rise. It happens when the oceans get warmed up and the water expands. The melting of mountain glaciers and ice sheets has also contributed to the rise. According to Riebeek (2007), the rising sea levels will erode coasts and cause more frequent coastal flooding. This is a great threat for people who live in coastal areas less than 10 meters above sea level, for instance in Florida, California or Bangladesh. Although the sea levels are only rising 3cm per decade, it is massive enough to let the houses disappear underwater.

Another effect of global warming is that natural disasters will happen more frequently. Examples of those disasters included destructive storms, flash floods, widespread droughts, hurricanes and tornadoes. When the ocean gets warmer, it causes stronger storms. As the water temperature increases, the wind velocity increases and the moisture content increases. (An Inconvenient Truth 2007) Thus, Hurricanes Katrina formed in Florida at 2005. The consequences are pernicious. People are losing their properties, family and friends. Besides, heat wave also happened in Europe at 2003 which caused an estimated death of 35,000 people. In short, scientists expect that the erratic weather patterns will lead to more sufferings of people in earth.

Furthermore, global warming also affects our balanced ecosystems. Plants and animals grow well in the balanced four seasons. However, global warming leads to the earlier coming of spring and later of fall. Animals need to migrate earlier and plants need more water to withstand the longer growing season. If the temperature keeps on getting higher, the animals and plants which cannot adapt will face extinction. On the other hand, global warming also melts the ice sheets. The polar bears, which depend on the ice, will soon face extinction too. In short, global warming is putting pressure on ecosystems. (Riebeek 2007)

In order to reduce global warming, people should lessen the emissions of carbon dioxide. There are many ways that an individual can do. For example, buy energy efficient appliances and lamps that reduce energy for heating. It is also better to walk, use bicycle, public bus or hybrid car to travel from one place to another. (Woodford 2006) People should also switch to renewable sources of energy instead of fossil fuels which would emit large amount of carbon dioxide. Besides, use less electronic appliances to save energy. Open the window instead of turning on the air-conditional. In other words, every individual can help to cut down carbon dioxide emissions by small practices.

In conclusion, global warming in terms of climate change has devastating potential effects and they must be arrested. It will lead to sea-level rise, frequent happening of natural disaster and disorder of the balanced ecosystems. Reducing the carbon emissions will help to solve the problems. In fact global warming has been happening many years ago and most importantly it is irreversible. It is a good thing that we have the awareness of reducing global warming. However, in the meantime, we should adapt the climate change that happens. (Carter 2008)

Text Production (Draft 2)

What are the potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change and how can they be arrested?

Global warming is no longer a future fear, instead it is happening now. (Riebeek, 2007) With some countries like China and India which are developing at an increasing speed, there is a big boost in the number of factories and vehicles. Billions of tons of greenhouse gases, namely carbon dioxide, are emitted into the atmosphere, causing the thermal radiation to be trapped in the earth. Thus, the earth has warmed and climate change occurs. Unequivocally, there will be potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change like rising of sea levels, frequent happening of natural disasters and disorder of the balanced ecosystems but people can cut down the carbon dioxide emissions to arrest those problems.

One of the effects of global warming is the sea-level rise. It happens when the oceans get warmed up and the water expands. The melting of mountain glaciers and ice sheets has also contributed to the rise. According to Riebeek (2007), the rising sea levels will erode coasts and cause more frequent coastal flooding. This is a great threat for people who live in coastal areas less than 10 meters above sea level, for instance in Florida, California or Bangladesh. Although the sea levels are only rising 3cm per decade, it is massive enough to let the houses disappear underwater.

Another effect of global warming is that natural disasters will happen more frequently. Examples of those disasters included destructive storms, flash floods, widespread droughts, hurricanes and tornadoes. When the ocean gets warmer, it causes stronger storms. As the water temperature increases, the wind velocity increases and the moisture content increases. (Gore, 2007) Thus, Hurricanes Katrina formed in Florida at 2005. The consequences are pernicious. People are losing their properties, family and friends. Besides, heat wave also happened in Europe at 2003 which caused an estimated death of 35,000 people. In short, scientists expect that the erratic weather patterns will lead to more sufferings of people in earth.

Furthermore, global warming also affects our balanced ecosystems. Plants and animals grow well in the balanced four seasons. However, global warming leads to the earlier coming of spring and later of fall. Animals need to migrate earlier and plants need more water to withstand the longer growing season. If the temperature keeps on getting higher, the animals and plants which cannot adapt will face extinction. On the other hand, global warming also melts the ice sheets. The polar bears, which depend on the ice, will soon face extinction too. In short, global warming is putting pressure on ecosystems. (Riebeek, 2007)

In order to reduce global warming, people should lessen the emissions of carbon dioxide. There are many ways that an individual can do. For example, buy energy efficient appliances and lamps that reduce energy for heating. It is also better to walk, use bicycle, public bus or hybrid car to travel from one place to another. (Woodford, 2006) People should also switch to renewable sources of energy instead of fossil fuels which would emit large amount of carbon dioxide. Besides, use less electronic appliances to save energy. Open the window instead of turning on the air-conditional. In other words, every individual can help to cut down carbon dioxide emissions by small practices.

In conclusion, global warming in terms of climate change has devastating potential effects and they must be arrested. It will lead to sea-level rise, frequent happening of natural disaster and disorder of the balanced ecosystems. Reducing the carbon emissions will help to solve the problems. In fact global warming has been happening many years ago and most importantly it is irreversible. It is a good thing that we have the awareness of reducing global warming. However, in the meantime, we should adapt the climate change that happens. (Carter, 2008)

Text Production (Draft 1)

What are the potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change and how can they be arrested?

Global warming is no longer a future fear, instead it is happening now. With some countries like China and India which are developing at an increasing speed, there is a big boost in the number of factories and vehicles. Billions of tons of greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere, causing the thermal radiation to be trapped in the earth. Thus, the earth has warmed and climate change occurs. Unequivocally, there will be potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change like rising of sea levels, frequent happening of natural disasters and affecting the balanced ecosystems but people can cut down the carbon dioxide emissions to arrest those problems.

One of the effects of global warming is the sea-level rise. It happens when the oceans get warmed up and the water expands. The melting of mountain glaciers and ice sheets has also contributed to the rise. According to Holli Riebeek (2007), the rising sea levels will erode coasts and cause more frequent coastal flooding. This is a great threat for people who live in coastal areas less than 10 meters above sea level, for instance in Florida, California or Bangladesh. Although the sea levels are only rising 3cm per decade, it is massive enough to let the houses disappear underwater.

Another effect of global warming is that natural disasters will happen more frequently. Examples of those disasters included destructive storms, flash floods, widespread droughts, hurricanes and tornadoes. When the ocean gets warmer, it causes stronger storms. As the water temperature increases, the wind velocity increases and the moisture content increases. (Al Gore, 2007) Thus, Hurricanes Katrina formed in Florida at 2005. The consequences are pernicious. People are losing their properties, family and friends. Besides, heat wave also happened in Europe at 2003 which caused an estimated death of 35,000 people. In short, scientists expect that the erratic weather patterns will lead to more sufferings of people in earth.

Furthermore, global warming also affects our balanced ecosystems. Plants and animals grow well in the balanced four seasons. However, global warming leads to the earlier coming of spring and later of fall. Animals need to migrate earlier and plants need more water to withstand the longer growing season. If the temperature keeps on getting higher, the animals and plants which cannot adapt will face extinction. On the other hand, global warming also melts the ice sheets. The polar bears, which depend on the ice, will soon face extinction too. In short, global warming is putting pressure on ecosystems. (Holli Riebeek, 2007)

In order to reduce global warming, people should lessen the emissions of carbon dioxide. There are many ways that an individual can do. For example, buy energy efficient appliances and lamps that reduce energy for heating. It is also better to walk, use bicycle, public bus or hybrid car to travel from one place to another. People should also switch to renewable sources of energy instead of fossil fuels which would emit large amount of carbon dioxide. Besides, use less electronic appliances to save energy. Open the window instead of turning on the air-conditional. In other words, every individual can help to cut down carbon dioxide emissions by small practices.

In conclusion, global warming in terms of climate change has devastating potential effects and they must be arrested. It will lead to sea-level rise, frequent happening of natural disaster and affect the balanced ecosystems. Reducing the carbon emissions will help to solve the problems. Actually global warming has been happening many years ago and most importantly it is irreversible. It is a good thing that we have the awareness of reducing global warming. However, in the meantime, we should adapt the climate change that happens. (Bob Carter, 2008)

WTF Aussie News (Weird True Freaky) -- A wrong Song to play

Teen Nathan Wilkie arrested for playing 'offensive' rap music from car


A TEEN has been arrested for listening to what police deem offensive rap music.

In what could be a legal test case, 19-year-old Nathan Michael Wilkie faces a charge of offensive behaviour after police arrested him when he was listening to music by underground rapper Kid Selzy on his car stereo, the Herald Sun reports.

Mr Wilkie was parked outside a Timboon supermarket, waiting for his mother, when he was arrested.

The Warrnambool Magistrates' Court heard he was listening to lyrics such as "shut your f------ mouth bitch, f------ motherf-----".

The court was told the arresting officers found the music offensive and derogatory to females.

Mr Wilkie allegedly told officers: "You're a joke, go do some real police work."

The teenager is believed to be the first person charged under Australian law with offensive behaviour for listening to music.

Through his lawyer, Amanda Chambers, Mr Wilkie plans to plead not guilty when his case continues on June 11.

Mr Wilkie said he was thankful to have the support of Kid Selzy, who plans to attend in June.

"I am grateful to have Kid Selzy's support as this charge is a reflection on his music, that is not supposed to be offensive in any way," Mr Wilkie wrote.

"As Selzy said, 'I know what I mean and the people who buy it know what I mean, and that's what really matters'.

"He also mentioned 'if you read my lyrics, it's just my opinion'.

"And from what I believe, everyone has the right to their own opinion.

"I have lost two of my best mates in the last couple of years in tragic circumstances and I feel that listening to his music relates to life."

Kid Selzy, who gave his real name only as Jack, said he was astounded at the arrest.

"It's a joke that some kid's been arrested for doing something that's not illegal," he said.

"It's not illegal to have your windows down or to buy a CD. It seems to be a waste of taxpayers' dollars.

"If profanity's not your thing, don't listen."

The rapper said the case first came to his attention when Mr Wilkie's mother, Carolyn Wilkie, posted a message on his MySpace page.

"My son bought your CD ... from JB Hi-Fi and was playing it in his car," the message reads.

"Unfortunately he saw me (his mum) coming out of the local supermarket with shopping bags and left his car running and music playing to help me with my bags and the local cops pulled in.

"They stuck their head in his half-open window and were very offended by the lyrics of your CD.

"The end result is he has been served a summons for offensive behaviour for playing your CD, which they said was too loud and the lyrics offensive, especially to women."

Police are expected to play Kid Selzy's latest album, The Creepshow, at the next hearing.

Critique:

It's indeed the most special news I'd read so far. It can't be denied that the increasing number of "Rapper" in the recent music industry like Jay-Z and Eminem had influence the teens' preference for music. Usually the content of rapping is quite offensive to the country and certain gender but all of those are only the own opinions of the song writer. However, if the song has caused hard feelings to the others and penalization need to be taken, the song writer should be the one who is sued, not the public who play their songs. It sound a bit weird and funny to arrest a teen who play a rap song in his car.

Aussie News -- Sydney for settling down?

Sydney the city of broken dreams as mortgage stress mounts

SYDNEY is still the toughest town in which to buy a house after a jump of more than 25 per cent in home loan repayments, the latest housing affordability survey found.

The pressure came from higher prices, a rise in interest rates and the winding down of the Government's first homebuyers' grants.

And it is unlikely to get easier as demand is tipped to overtake supply for the next four decades and interest rates rise over the rest of the year.

The Housing Industry Association calculated NSW would have to build more than 40,000 houses a year if the state's population was to reach its forecast population level of 10.5 million by 2050.

The HIA reported yesterday that mortgage repayments in Sydney rose by $627 in the three months of the December quarter. This related to the cost to average income earners of making a typical first home purchase.

It found that repayments went from $2413 a month in the September quarter to $3040 a month in the December quarter.

And Sydney was easily the lowest rating on the HIA's affordability index, falling from 127.4 points in September to 99 points in December. By comparison, Melbourne's affordability index was 115.6, Brisbane's 107.3, Perth 110.5, Adelaide 134.2 and Hobart 134.

Canberra had the closest affordability rating to Sydney's - 104.6 points - and an average repayment level of $2875 a month.

HIA's NSW executive director Graham Wolfe said slow construction, which was not keeping up with demand, meant "house prices and rents are expected to continue pushing upwards through 2010".

"Prior to the December quarter, first home buyers had a small window of favourable affordability conditions to enter the market," Mr Wolfe said.

"This window is now closing, with affordability retreating to early 2008 levels when interest rates were significantly higher."

Opposition parliamentary secretary for housing Gary Humphries said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his Government must explain why 2010 had become the year of housing unaffordability.

"When Kevin Rudd described the issue of housing affordability in 2007 as the 'ultimate barbecue stopper' Mr Rudd was clearly angling for political capital," he said. "When he got into Government, we have witnessed the number of homeless rise, private rental costs rise, interest rates go up and now housing affordability plummet."

Labor backbencher Kelvin Thomson said population growth was to blame for the spike in housing prices.

"Runaway population growth is damaging our young people's chances of buying a home," Mr Thomson said.

Critique: The raising demand for housing estates in Sydney but limited to scarce resources have lead to shortage and the rising price of houses. This problem has not only occurred in Sydney, but also in other cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and New York. The common characteristic of these cities is having a very concentrated population. Thus, what can be done to ease this situation? Government can provide subsidies for the housing estate agents to lower the price of houses. Besides, more jobs should be introduced to reduce the rate of unemployment and hence increase the people's affordability to buy a house.
p/s: Sorry that the critique might sound a bit ECON as there are full of economics terms and it's an business news too. However, i'll be glad if you can reply in a more econ way. =D

Aussie News -- Queensland: Waiting for floods

Towns wait grimly as floodwaters wind their way through the bush

ST GEORGE residents breathed a collective sigh of relief last night as the Balonne River peaked about 13.5m, sparing the town from major devastation.

Twenty-four homes were flooded and 40 families remained at the evacuation centre.

But while the threat eased in St George – after fears water levels would exceed 14m – more outback towns were warned to prepare for flooding this week.

Floodwaters are continuing to head for Cunnamulla, 825km west of Brisbane.

The western Queensland community remains on 24-hour flood watch as the Warrego River continues to rise. It was 9.95m at the Cunnamulla Bridge at 6am today and is continuing to rise.

It is only a matter of hours before water floods the bridge.

A temporary levee bank has been created across the eastern end of the bridge and will be blocked off once the bridge is flooded.

Theodore, in central Queensland, and Hungerford, Eulo and Dirranbandi, in the state's southwest, could be swamped today, as water from swollen rivers continues downstream.

Authorities warned that Theodore could be inundated by floodwater levels not seen since 1983, with the local river expected to peak around 13.2m.

Evacuation centres have been established at the Theodore State School and Theodore Hotel in preparation for the flood's arrival.

Downstream from St George, residents of Hungerford, Eulo and Dirranbandi were warned to prepare for several days of isolation.

The Paroo River is expected to peak about 6m today, isolating the small township of Eulo, west of Cunnamulla.

Darcy Washington is one of many incredible stories of luck and survival coming from the region, having to spend a night in a tree after floodwaters swamped his ute last Tuesday night.

Mr Washington was 80km from St George on the Moonie Highway when his ute stalled in rising water.

"There was water gushing down from the hills and it washed me and the ute off the road. There was just no stopping her," he said.

"It was a bit scary, just like you see in movies, me trying to get out the window and the water coming in."

Mr Washington managed to scramble out a window, grabbed a torch as he went and then grabbed hold of a tree branch.

"I had to sleep in the trees. The water was dragging me one way and the ute another."

On Wednesday morning, a farmer on a tractor organised a boat from a neighbour's property to rescue Mr Washington.

But the Hughes family of Autumnvale Station, north-east of Thargomindah, were looking at the bright side – enjoying an "island" holiday without leaving home.

The family's homestead on the 33,000ha station was surrounded by water, with only levee banks protecting them from floodwaters.

"We're all on levee watch. If it comes over the levee we'll be in a lot of trouble," Andrew Hughes, 27, said.

EMQ estimated that about 300 homes had been affected in Charleville alone, with 65 SES volunteers deployed to Charleville and a further 19 to Roma to help clean up.

Emergency Management Queensland spokesman Mike Shapland said the state was not "out of the woods" yet, with communities in 17 local government areas isolated.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said the worst rainfall was over, with only scattered showers predicted for the flood-affected areas over the next two days.

But the next major problem could be a mosquito plague, with the flooding creating a massive breeding ground for the pests and sparking a mad rush for repellents.

Charleville's Murweh Shire Council will this week seek urgent assistance from Brisbane City Council to bring in heavy duty vector management equipment.

It will join with a string of southwest councils including those centred on St George, Roma, Cunnamulla and Quilpie in a pre-emptive strike against the pests.

While dengue fever is not a concern, Ross River Fever and Barmah Forest Virus are.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the Federal Government would continue to provide support to the State Government through the national disaster relief and recovery arrangements.

Premier Anna Bligh will tour St George today.

Critique:

Our mother earth needs our attention! The weather is getting unusual recently. The continuous raining weather in Queensland increases the level of floodwaters day by day. This is no joke and a serious matter as the flash flood would lead to the loss of properties and even deaths. Subsequent effects arise like the dengue fever, Ross River Fever and Barmah Forest Virus. On the other hand, another example of natural disaster that happened last couple of days was the 8.8 scale earthquake in Chile. All of these provides us enough reason to love our one and the only earth. Save our planet people.

Australia News: Aussies cooling on global warming

AUSTRALIANS are becoming less concerned about the threat of global warming, pushing environmental issues down the list of threats.

Climate change is no longer rated the top foreign policy issue for the Federal Government, a Lowy Institute poll will reveal today.It was top of the list in 2007 but now is ranked seventh out of 10 policy priorities. Out of 12 possible threats, Australians rated global warming the fourth most critical, the survey found.However a significant majority of Australians, 76 per cent, still saw climate change as a problem.

The poll follows comments from Professor Ross Garnaut, author of the federal Government's climate change review, who claims the rancorous debate on an emissions trading scheme (ETS) is one of Australia's worst cases of policy making on a major issue.

``I think this whole process of policy making over the ETS has been one of the worst examples of policy making we have seen on major issues in Australia,'' he told ABC television.

``It is a very difficult issue so I suppose it was never going to be easy. But the way it has broken down is extraordinary.''

Professor Garnaut recommended the Labor legislation be passed.

``If we could find it within ourselves to pass the ETS - and everyone knows that I don't think it is perfect - and then lay the base for implementing earlier rather than later, that would remove one bit of uncertainty in what is a very difficult and uncertain international climate for discussing these issues,'' he said.

The Government knows how difficult it would be to get its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation, which would set up an Emissions Trading Scheme, through the Senate.

Preliminary negotiations underlined that the Government will need Opposition support if it is to get a moderate version of the Bill approved.

The Greens produced amendments - almost certain to be rejected by the Government - which called for harsher treatment of fossil fuel users, and Family First's Steve Fielding accused the Greens of wanting to send Australia back to the Stone Age.

"If we did what the Greens propose, Australia would no longer exist because there'd be no industries left to drive our economy," he said.

Their amendments yesterday called for limited compensation to emission-intensive industries.

Summary:

This news article mentions that nowadays Australians are less concerned about global warming. Global warming, which was the top issue in 2007, is now rated fourth most critical from a survey found. Government comes out with Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to reduce the carbon pollution. However, Professor Ross Garnaut, author of the federal Government’s climate change review, thinks that ETS is one of the worst examples of policy making. According to him, it is hard to follow the Greens propose as it will send Australia back to Stone Age and there would be no industries left to drive the economy.

Critique:
It is really difficult for government to plan everything. The purpose of government to come out with ETS is to help global warming by reducing the emission of carbon monoxide. However, it affects certain industries as their machines will emit harmful smokes. If government would really follow the rules strictly, those industries will find it very hard to continue their production and this will hit the country’s economy. Nothing is perfect though. We won’t be able to make everything to go on the way we like. Thus, to reduce global warming while not affecting the economy, the least we can do is to use public transport and if possible cycling.