Respecting Elderlies

Summary:
One day, all of us will get old. It might seem obvious to treat the elderly with care and patience, but sadly this is not the case in most scenarios. Above all, we have to learn to appreciate their knowledge, wisdom, grace and fortitude.
Firstly, we tend to associate being older with being outdated. This is hugely mistaken, as some elderlies might have worked with computers when they were younger, and would have more experience on how to use them. If they do not understand something and proceed to ask you, we must answer to our best knowledge.
Secondly, we have to start noticing elderlies around us. In their own way, they are contributing to our society, and are to be respected, even admired. We also have to care for them, as they might not be as physically able as us.
Lastly, we should not assume that they are helpless, but instead, we should share our personal memories with them. If we are lucky enough, we might even get to hear their precious experiences in the past, and compare it with present life.

Opinion:
We have to respect the elderlies' knowledge, wisdom, and experience but sadly, most youths these days tend to look down on the elderly, sometimes even taking advantage of them. Although it might seem a world away to us, we must always remember that we too will one day get old, and should treat the elderly exactly how you would want your grandchildren to treat you. We should also not be impatient as them, as unlike us, they did not grow up with electronics surrounding them. In recent years, many digital breakthroughs have been made, but we have to remember that even though we are accustomed to them, our elders aren't, as in their childhood, games meant playing outdoors.

Summary :
Chinese New Year is a festival where families come together to have a break , reunite and have fun. To some , Chinese New Year is a great time where people can come together to enjoy different types of activities. No matter what it is we do ,it would always be great fun for us and our family.
Opinions:
To me , Chinese New Year is a time where I would visit my relatives in malaysia or vise versa. It is also a time when I can relax and have fun, eating goodies ,playing fire crackers and many more. Hong baos, oranges new dresses and new year decorations are also an essential part of Chinese New Year.

Education,Fiona

Summary:
Education is an important part of our lives. Education is imporant as it helps us develop thinking skills and increase our knowledge. In Singapore, all PR and singaporeans have to complete their primary education. This is to ensure that almost all the people in our society are educated. However, some children lament that their workload is too huge and they are under too much stress during exams.
Opinions:
I think education is necessary as we can gain more knowledge through it. I also think that children's workload should be manageable. Usually, it is because of a lot of tuitions that make the children's workload unbearable and as long as they study for their exams, children have no reason to be stressed out.

How To Respect Older People

SUMMARY: Everyone will be a elder one day. Respecting their wisdom, knowledge, grace and fortitude should come second nature to younger generations but it isn't always the case. We should always consistently remind ourselves the importance of respecting elders. Firstly, we should reflect on our ageism. We always think that old means outdated and a lot of assumptions are made about aging and most of these assumptions are unhelpful generalizations that prevent connection and knowledge sharing. We should start throwing aside assumptions about people based upon their age. No matter our age, we are still unique individuals, with the same range of values, gifts and flaws as any other person.
Many retired people still continue to work in their field, often for free, contribute to world knowledge. Others are taking considerable care of grandchildren or other people's children through care arrangements in home or at childcare centres, ensuring that the next generation is getting the best start possible in life.Be considerate of older people's well-being and show respect through manners that acknowledge the greater breadth of wisdom and life experience of each older person. Avoid assuming helplessness and help aging people keep their autonomy as long as possible by not doing things for them that they can do for themselves. All in all, we should care for our elderly more as they are aging and all they wish for is someone to accompany them.

OPINION: I think that respecting the elderly plays an important part in our lives as it brings out the compassion and respect in us. We should treat them the same way in which others would treat us when we are older. We should not belittle the old aged, thinking that they are useless and are only a burden. On the brighter side, they can help the society with their past knowledge and their efforts to bring up what the world is like today.

Falling Oil Prices

Summary:
In July 2014, oil was going for $100 per barrel. However, now it has been reduced to $60 per barrel. This is due to the increase in supply, mainly from Libya. Another factor was that OPEC could not agree on production cuts, therefore there is more supply than demand, leading to a drastic drop in prices. Although this is good news for consumers, it can be a blow to government funds in countries such as Iran or Nigeria, where they depend heavily on oil revenues to fund government programs.
Opinion:
This article has taught me that we always have to look at both sides of a story. Although a fall in oil prices may be good news to consumers such as us, who use it for fueling cars or cookers, we have to remember that countries that depend on oil to provide money for their government will be facing  hard times, and we must appreciate what we have. I also learnt that we have to think of the worst case scenario so the times of hardship, we have something to fall back onto.

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Fiona Ong, environment

Summery
Quite a few species of trees are on the verge  of extinction due to rapid deforestation and climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)'s research shows that only about 3% of the world's tree species are actively managed. The FAO have even formed a plan to save species of trees from extinction. However, governments also have to follow that plan of action in order for it to work. There are many benifits we take from trees. Some trees have medicinal value while others are a type of staple food for us. Furthermore, if the trees become extinct, the entire ecosystem might be affected. 
Opinion
I feel that the governments should take action to protect the nature. We have learned so much from nature. We should give back to it in some ways or at least try to preserve it. If we continue deforestation, the climate might become too unbearable and most of the trees might be cut down. If we continue deforestation at this rate, our future generations might not be able to see any more rainforests.