The future of reading:

E-books vs. the printed word

Tina Herr

Would there be a time in the future where nobody would have to flip a page on a book ever again?

This is the 21^st century. When people back in the 1920’s depicted the future as place with flying cars, learning helmets and artificial people—we turned those predictions into reality by creating the jet plane, the personal computer and robots.

So what’s there to lose when the announcement of electronic books came to surface? Reading would be a hassle-free experience, plus fewer trees would e used in the production of e-books. It would be more convenient for people on the go, and it would reach almost everyone around world. The e-book is practicality in a small, handheld object.

What about printed books, then? Book printing has been around for a very long time—and it has been a big part of our heritage. Of course, no electronic gadget could replace the smell of a freshly-opened book or the beautiful yellowing of its pages as time passes.

So take a stand. Would it be a vote for the E-book, or the printed word?

Image source: http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/04/kindle-with-books-featured.jpg

It’s in the bag:

A guide to what you should and what you should not bring everyday

Marine Herra

You’re in the middle of class or a meeting, and you are asked to bring out a pen. But—after an hour of fumbling through your bag, you realize that you have forgotten your pen at home.

How often does this scenario happen to you? Not only with pens, but with other items such as your phone, a comb or even reading glasses. No matter what preparation you do at night, you will always forget to list down one small but significant thing in your checklist.

So how do you avoid this? Here’s a list of essential things you should bring everyday, and things you ought to leave at home.

DO:

1. Bring your wallet, your ID, and your phone—these are the three main things that you could use in emergencies. Just to be safe, never forget to pack these things in your bag.
2. Important Files— May it be homework or papers for a client, always make sure that you have them ready.
3. Personal Medicine- Especially when you have allergies or asthma, you should never forget to bring your medication with you, just in case.
4. A travel charger—handheld solar chargers may cost a bit more than a normal charger, but it’s worth it especially when you’re out on a trip and your phone suddenly goes dead.
5. An extra pen would come in handy, too.
6. A small emergency kit—containing alcohol and bandages. You never know when a small accident could happen, so it is best to be ready.
7. A small Swiss army knife—for self defense and convenience too.
8. A small bottle of water, for long trips.

DON’T

1. Bring bulky items—other than add to the space in your bag, it would give off a lot of weight, too.
2. Bring things that you wouldn’t use for the whole day.
3. Bring fragile items such as glass.

So, there you have it. But with all of these in mind- make sure that you pack the most essential things: Common sense and the right mind to think.

Img source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7t90_05oQVE/SeQyxjHRbPI/AAAAAAAAAUg/lQ1C-GymtK4/s400/bag-unpacked-1.JPG

The world’s societies are slowly aging where the population contains more of elderly people aged 60 and above.  Statistics suggest that by the end of the 21st century, the demographics will show a declining birth rate and a stabilization in the population.  Literature suggests that Asia and Asia Pacific countries have 2/3^rd of the world’s elderly population of 2050, which would be a staggering two billion elderly people aged over 60 years. By 2050, 10% of the world’s population would be over 80 years of age, and will make up about 379 million in numbers.  The European demographic will contain 12% elderly people by 2060, which will be around 62.4 million. The concept of “Graying America” is already a hot topic as it is estimated to put a lot of pressure in the healthcare sector. It is estimated that by the year 2030, 20% of the US population, which would approximately be 72 million people, would be over the age of 65 years. The exception to these demographics is the African population, which will remain young with 1/3^rd of its population still under 15 years of age.

The main drivers of population aging are increased longevity and decreased fertility. Longevity has increased primarily due to healthy living, prevention of diseases, senescence prevention and excellent medical care. Studies also show that the population of older people is directly proportional to the high income status of the country. Reduced fertility rate is observed in 2/3^rd of the world’s population, and is thought to be due to personal choices and shift in paradigm associated with childbearing and childrearing.

An aging society will have a negative effect on the country’s economy since older people cannot contribute to the economic growth.  Decreased fertility rates would lead to economic and demographic deficits and reduced labor availability.  The ability of a country to finance its public welfare program in case of increased longevity will put a lot of financial pressure on the government.

Some of the ways to tackle this scenario would be to increase labor force by supporting immigration, increase fertility rate by providing incentives to the parents and increase age of retirement.

 Xu Yuan Ming

In modern China, the virtues of success and ability have overtaken the ideals of love and acceptance. Being a society shaped mainly by a revolution, many have been made to believe that revolutions have ended and that the society has reached the apex of opportunity. In particular, this static train of thought has prevented many people from benefiting from their failures. This mindset has become a silent epidemic in dire need of a revolutionary vaccine.
Mao Zedong, widely considered the “father” of modern China, famously stated that “we think too small, like the frog at the bottom of the well.” He added that this frog thinks that the world is only as big as the top of the well but that, as it surfaces, it sees an entirely different view. Like this frog, many Chinese students lack clear awareness of the world around them. The only difference is that the frog’s ignorance is innate, whereas that of Chinese students is not inherited but instilled in them by their educators.

Unlike the frog, Chinese students have the ability to accept their shortcomings, but as in the case of an unwanted parasite, this ability is relegated to a dark corner by their educators. In an education system where standardized test scores determine the student’s future, the capacity to show some vulnerability has become not only undervalued but also undesirable. Students are taught that spending countless hours studying for exams and competing against one another will bring them many opportunities. However, taking this path has substantial costs. Educators do not emphasize that one should accept one’s failurebecause they themselves are ignorant of their own shortcomings and believe that paying full attention to success while ignoring failure is the only means of achievement. They fail to recognize that it is the acceptance of failure that has brought about some of China’s biggest accomplishments.

Although their familial bonds can help Chinese students pursue rewarding academic and professional careers, a larger bond with society through the tolerance of failure is expected to bring greater benefits for all. Chinese students are taught the verses of some of the world’s greatest visionaries, and these thoughts become engraved in their brains like ancient hieroglyphs in caves. However, these views alone are not enough to guide out of their wells. What they need and long for is a deeper human connection with their surroundings. After an undesirable outcome, simple words of encouragement such as “that’s okay, you’ll do better next time” may be all they hope for from their educators. Instead, they receive scornful looks of disappointment accompanied by a long critique of their shortcomings.

Although there are many avenues available to Chinese students for achieving success, not everything is what it appears to be. There is more for them to discover, and many are likely to escape the short-sighted view of their educators by taking a path toward fruitful thinking. These students can eventually use their experiences to become the vaccine their society needs and bring about a completely different view for China. Hopefully, this new view would be something reflecting more love and tolerance for shortcomings of one another.

Wang Suilin