Is the Music Industry Changing for the Better?

Is the Music Industry Changing for the Better?

Isabella C. 12, Island School

The music industry used to be dictated by music executives, but now with more singers taking their images and shows intotheir own hands, they can also have a voice and opinion on what they do.

Back before YouTube existed, the only possible ways of accessing music would be to listen to mix tapes and the radio. Thanks to the invention of YouTube, you can now find singers with talent just by clicking on a video. Of the many people who were discovered on YouTube, the most famous ones would be Justin Bieber and Rebecca Black. Not only does Justin Bieber have six million fans, he has also sold 15 million albums and has earned more than 55 million USD in the past year. Rebecca Black was an overnight success as she sang her song “Friday.” This song got over 157 million views onYouTube, and she now has an independent record label, “RB Records.”

With the development of the individuality of artists, you can now discover more styles of music that are different from what you would expect, but are still very popular. The most popular ‘recent’ genres of music are pop, pop rock, rock, contemporary R&B, Hip Hop, Electronic, Country, Soul, Folk and some Korean Pop and Japanese pop. The most popular song from an unusual genre is Gangnam Style (Korean Pop), which received over 1,000,000,000 views on YouTube. Gangnam Style also is a good example of how the music industry is improving. It is now welcoming much more unique songs. This song was popular not only because of its catchy music, but the dance and the music video.

Now with Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram and other social networking applications, you can follow your favorite artists anywhere they go, and if you are lucky, you can also communicate with your favorite artists. Using Twitter, you can send/read the text based messages of your favorite artists. Tumblr is a very blog based social networking website. You can see what pictures, videos and other news your favorite artists posts. With Facebook you can make fan pages for an artist/band, see what your favorite artists are up to, check for show dates and even see some moments of your artist which you may not have seen before. You can follow your artists on Twitter, so now you can feel closer to the artists that you like.

Although many people may think that the new development of the music industry exposes vulgarity and only cares about the looks of the artists, the ‘vulgar’ artists are just trying to show their individuality and there are certain settings in which you could block vulgar content. For some artists such as Adele and Kelly Clarkson, they don’t care if they aren’t a size 2, 5’11”, skinny singer, they have a powerful voice which they can showcase instead.

To conclude, the music industry is rapidly changing for the better. Now the music executives do not run the music industry. You can have a voice which will be heard. If you discover a great singer, you can post it somewhere and people will see the artist. The change in the music industry now helps a lot of people find good music and lets people with talent shine.

How Much Attention Should Killers Receive?

How Much Attention Should Killers Receive?

Sharon N. 12, St. Paul Convert School

There have been many shootings and bombings recently. There are merciless killers around us. Should the media just briefly introduce these killers to us and skip the most important part, which is the appearance of these terrorists? I don’t think so.

First of all, it is truly vital that the public knows about the killer as it relates to our lives. If you see someone in the streets, who looks exactly like, or even could be the killer you saw on TV, you could dial 999 and phone the nearest police station immediately. But if you don’t know what the killer looks like, you could have already died. It is less dangerous if the public knew at least the appearance of the “on the run” killer. This benefits not only the safety of the public, but it also benefits police who are trying to find the killer.

Secondly, we can understand why these terrorists did such a crazy thing. If it shows up on the media and we know the actual reason why these people do such a thing, we can help kids and teenagers who have the same problem, those who have a motive to kill or shoot innocent people mercilessly. For example, if the killer killed people because of bullying, the public can work together to help kids or teens who have been, or are being bullied. This could help decrease the number of terrorists in the future, which also benefits us.

Moreover, if this killing, shooting and bombing shows up on TV, parents can easily show and educate their purely innocent children how terrible and horrible it is to shoot innocent people. These children’s parents should really show their children why murdering people is a bad, crazy thing to do.

Some might say that showing criminals on TV and not mentioning anything about the victims is not fair to the victims. I understand that this is most unfair to victims, as they were the innocent people who are unlucky, but if we know who the on-the-run terrorist is, people would be cautious and less--or even no deaths--will occur if the terrorist is caught. We have to bring justice, ‘avenge’ those who have innocently died, and catch this terrorist, so that he or she can harm no more.

Due to our safety and better moral education, let’s make justice, ‘avenge’ those who have died unfairly, and catch the terrorist! I firmly disagree that we should banish these terrorists from the public mind.

Slumdog Tragedy

Slumdog Tragedy

Charmaine L, Age 15, Chinese International School

Motion: Were the children in Slumdog Millionaire treated unfairly or was it naïve for the children in Slumdog Millionaire to think their lives would totally change after the movie?

Despite the success of Slumdong Millionaire and its $15 million budget, childhood stars, Rubina and Azhar, are earning less than 0.004% and 0.016% respectively. Were the children in the Oscar-winningmovie Slumdog Millionaire ‘abandoned’ by the director? These 2 children were hired from the slums to star in a movie, Slumdog Millionaire. Just a few months before, they were walking on red carpet events and gaining worldwide recognition. Now, they are back where they were found- the slums. Fake promises were made and dreams were broken.

“what I liked about America is that it was clean. But when I came back to India I was crying. I won the Oscar, but my house was just the same” said Azhar in an interview for Reader’s Digest. After all this fame and publicity, why was this happening? They were promised 2 newhomes for their families and trust funds set up by Danny Boyle, the director ofthe film, but they haven’t received either of these promises. After returning to Mumbai, the children continued living in poverty and inhumane living conditions. Their ‘new’ homes were cramped, unhygienic and basically worse than the conditions in the slums. There was no water supply, paint was peeling off the walls and it was basically unbearable.

Furthermore, every kid living in a bad environment will accept any change for his or her lives to be better without any hesitation. The people who gave them fake promises are riding on the kids’ innocence. They leveraged on the kids’ disparity to trick them into thinking that they can pursue their dream. The kids were desperate to get out of their situation back then and anything to them is a dream. Without going through a detailed thinking process, Rubina and Azhar took up this role as actors and pursued their dream in America. However, others see this point and took advantage of them knowing that the kids may not be legally protected. If they don’t live up to their promises, the kids will not be able to find ways to sue or get back at them because of their lack of education and expectation.

How are they taking advantage of these kids? Hiring these kids from the slums is much cheaper and it requires a lot less acting experience because they are already from the slums. It will also make the film more realistic. This is a win-win situation for the film makers. They can raise the publicity of the movie by spreading the news that the kids actors are from the actual slums and they can also save a lot of money without paying them back full price. They will do anything to get famous, promise them a new apartment, promise them better living conditions in India etc. However, at the children’s point of view, they were swooped to wonderland from a hell, and then got thrown back to the dumpsters again. All the promises were fake and they believed them.

At the end of the day, the kids are innocent and usually kind-hearted. Naturally they would want to be famous and change their lives; I think it’s unfair for these people to take advantage of them.

What's in a Grade?

Ho Fai Tang, Age 14, St. Mark's School, MA U.S.A. 

What's in a Grade?

The chances of a student to be admitted to university should be determined not by race or ethnicity, but by their talent, potential and dedication. These are aspects of a human being that do not vary based on location or wealth. These are traits that cannot be bought or borrowed. No one can cheat their way through dedication; no one can fake talent, no one can buy potential. However, the measure of these traits is not purely consistent with scores or test results, nor is it made up only of activities. It is a mindset, a personality that prospective students around the world can have, no matter their religion, race, or gender. If a student in Mexico has the same dedication and potential as a student in Korea, they should be valued equally as potential candidates. Whilst students in poorer regions of the world may not be granted the same opportunities as those who are not, they are perfectly capable of achieving the mental capacity needed to accomplish greatness.

        Standardized test scores, grade point averages, community service, co-curricular activities. These are all things that should be taking into consideration when deciding a student’s admission decision. They are all important, more so than race, gender or ethnicity. Yes, those are also factors, but they should not overshadow the true intelligence of the student and their capabilities. The true measure of a student’s greatness should not be their country of citizenship, but their personality. A hardworking student with average grades who is a Hispanic without many opportunities should be given the same chance as a rich hardworking student Asian student with slightly better grades due to a larger series of educational opportunities.

        Potential and dedication are things that are hard to quantify or measure. That is why many educational institutions do not understand these traits about their students until years after they are accepted. They are not wrong for doing so. Measuring someone’s potential and dedication requires extensive background research, including interviews, IQ analysis, and educational history. This level of research allows schools to find students who not only have the potential to accomplish great things, but have done their best to do so with the resources that are available to them.

        There are those who would argue that schools need balance in their admission system through affirmative action. This is on the borderline of racism as it is racial discrimination against those who are from more educated areas. If students were to be judged based on dedication and potential, then students from rich and poor regions would have equal chances of getting in, despite one side possibly attaining higher grades than the other. As for the “race box”, that should remain in place and should still be a factor so that the admissions department can take into account the opportunities that each student has been given and what they have made of them.

        Of all the factors that are taken into account by the admissions department of a school, race and wealth should exist only to allow for context for the other, more prominent factors. A school’s decision should not be influenced directly by race; rather it should be background from the other factors to assist in finding the dedication and potential of the student. With this method, a school can be both equal and fair, without sacrificing its academic integrity.

An Open letter to Susan Patton

Charmaine L. Age 15, Chinese International School

An Open letter to Susan Patton

Dear Ms. Patton,

I don’t agree with the advice you’ve given to the young women of Princeton. Although they are college students and are practically grown up, they shouldn’t go to college just to ‘land’ the perfect spouse.

No doubt finding a husband on campus before you graduate can increase your chances, but it can also decrease your chances of getting a better job because your relationship affected your education. Princeton is such a good university and you should be maximizing your time on education than on a relationship. (Read Kelly Yang's opinion here!)

Aside from having a better future, education is the one thing that cannot be stolen from you. As Julia Shaw said, “men die, but your college degree is forever.” Education allows the possibility of more job opportunities and if you get a high paying job, you will be more financially secure. You also mentioned that the young women should ‘land’ a man who is intellectually equal or above you, but truth be told, not everyone in Princeton or any good university are obligated to be smart. There can be a lot of men, who are intellectually equal to you all around the world, so why waste your time on choosing the perfect one in college? Can’t men from your company in the future be as smart as you? Plus, the bonus side of this is that they are financially stable and they’ll know how to deal with the trials of the real world.

Some say that if you don’t get married at a young age, your chances will decrease and you may be labeled as a ‘left-over’ or considered ‘forever alone’. No one will take care of you when you get older and become your safety net. You will not have a spouse to share your joy with a new generation. I guess you can probably juggle both, education and relationship, but it would add onto the pre-existing stress you already have. To be honest, it’s hard to find a balance between your education and your relationship. If you are married when you’re in college, I don’t think you are intellectually experienced enough to handle your relationship and your education. A research in University of Pennsylvania stated that many students aren’t ready to settle down and be in a serious relationship. I guess they may classify settling down or being in a relationship a distraction and a burden.

In conclusion, I don’t think finding a husband on campus before you graduate is a good advice. If you want a successful future, you should spend your time in school and concentrate on your education. Knowledge is the most important thing and it will stay with you forever. Finding the perfect spouse can be postponed and I’m sure you can find the perfect partner with 7 billion people in the world.

Sincerely,

Charmaine

Let the Women Work

Megan W. Age 14, Canadian International School

Let the Women Work

        Since ancient times, women have been the ones to take charge of childcare duties, while the men have gone out to earn a living and support their families. However, since then, times have changed. Mothers are starting to become the breadwinners of the nuclear family while the fathers are fulfilling the domestic obligations around the house; hence why more women should work and let the men stay home.

       

        Women carrying out the “Honey, I’m home,” role has now become extremely common, especially in the United States, as women now possess the ability to earn enough for both parents, in the case of having a family. A research study conducted in early June of 2013 shows that 40% of American households have the woman, wife, and/or mother being the sole or primary breadwinner. Additionally, the number of stay-at-home fathers in the United States has doubled in the past decade, to approximately 626,000. History has also proven time and again that, contrary to popular belief, women are just as, if not more, capable of working a man’s job and excelling at it; even the two highest IQ scores ever recorded belonged to women.

        Having a stay at home parent is very beneficial to the child’s upbringing and behavior, although this

does not, by any means, insinuate that it should be the woman staying home. Choosing the parent that stays home should not be chosen by gender, rather that “whoever has more time can take on more of the domestic role,” states Karl Taro Greeenfeld, author of “Triburbia” and a stay at home dad.

        Another example of the idea that more women should work and let the men stay home is that of Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers in Hong Kong. These women have travelled hundreds of miles, and are under contract for 2 years at a time. Currently, the Philippines’ largest and main export trade is its female labor. Many of the helpers’ husbands, though many have jobs in their hometowns, have to take on the role of the caretaker while their wives are away, working hard to earn their families’ main source of income.

        On the other hand, women are, by nature and instinctively, more nurturing than men and traditionally, it is their place in the family to stay at home and take care of the children. Women are believed to have more skill or expertise in the field of children, whether this is simply an idea put into people’/s minds by society or otherwise.

        A University of Michigan research study suggests that the idea of women being naturally more capable than men to take care of a child is merely a social construct, perhaps even a man’s way of instating his dominance in the family. Other studies have also proven that genetically and psychologically, men and women are not all that different and neither one is ‘more capable’ of being a nurturing, loving, and caring parent.

        In the 21^st century, both mothers and fathers have an active role in raising a child, whether this role is financially supporting their family, or taking care of the household chores. Both roles are equally as important, and a woman is equally capable of fulfilling the breadwinner role of the family. Therefore, more women should be able to work and let the men stay at home.

In Today's World, it is Unnecessary to Look Good

In Today’s World, it is Unnecessary to Look Good

V. Lau, Age 15, Roedean School, UK

“Beauty is the path to happiness—by way of money,” said the economists at the University of Texas-Austin, led by Daniel Hammermesh. They have found out, through research and studies, that attractive people earn more money and that the economic benefits of being good looking make them happier than their homely

counterparts. (TIME Business) However, that is only one of many ways to measure happiness. Therefore if your unit of happiness is not a dollar sign, it is unnecessary to look good. Even if it is, you should not worry about being plain looking—

There are countless examples that point out that neither the essential nor desirable criteria of a job/post include good-looking. In reality, there are lots of successful people who had achieved loads in their career life but do not have the look. For example, Bill Gates who created Microsoft worked hard to get what he wanted even though he isn’t as charming as Brad Pitt and didn’t have everything handed to him—he earned it himself. Therefore, not being good-looking does not equal to not being successful. What makes you successful in your career is inside your skull, not outside.

Viewing another aspect of life—dating and marriage—although it sounds unbelievable, it is not all about the looks. Researchers from HeadHeartHand suggested that plain looking or even ugly people have better marriages, and if one wants a good, happy marriage, he or she should pick someone who is less attractive. Edinburgh University researched the impact of beauty on ethics and gave us some clues to why ugly people have better marriages. “Attractive people are not only selfish by nature, but also more self-sufficient.” In addition, Times explained that if one has a good-looking spouse, he or she is more likely to neglect his or her souse’s bad qualities and habits; when his or her spouse loses their beauty over time (aging and less attractive), he or she will “suddenly realize” how unsuitable his or her spouse is as a husband or wife. Since ugly people are appreciated for their personality or intelligence rather than their looks (obviously), they are “truly appreciated,” whereas good looking people are more likely appreciated for what they look like than who they really are. People can get so “caught up” in their outer beauty that they do not have time for their inner beauty. (The Benefits of Being Ugly, First Things)

In addition, there is great news for males who are considered “less attractive” than the others—“Women seeking a lifelong mate might do well to choose the guy a notch below them in the looks category. New research reveals couples in which the wife is better looking than her husband are more positive and supportive than other match-ups” said the researchers from LiveScience. The researchers suspect the reason behind this is that men place great value on beauty, whereas women are more interested in having a supportive husband. Some also explained that women are usually more insecure than man, and this is shown in the research about wives and husbands suspecting their spouses cheating on them: a lot more women than men had suspected or still suspect their spouse had cheated or are cheating on them. Therefore women may subconsciously eliminate men that are quite attractive and popular because that equals a higher possibility of cheating in women’s minds.

Last but not least, you’d think that efforts to improve one’s appearance would somehow lead to more happiness. But researchers say makeup, designer clothing, and plastic surgery aren’t the answers. (Time Business) This means it is unnecessary to be good looking, it is even more unnecessary to “try to look better” if one wasn’t born that way.

In conclusion, beauty is a great thing but it’s not the most important and definitely not the key to a successful, happy life. You can still have an amazing job and be married to a great person even if you are considered as not so attractive. Therefore, you should start caring a little less about how you look, and a little more about who you really are.

The Dangling Question

Rowel L, 14

The Dangling Question

“How has the transition been?”

She looks straight into his eyes and smiles mildly. “Easier than I expected, to be honest.”

The therapist nods encouragingly, dropping his pen onto his desk. “Did your colleagues throw a get-together of some sort?”

“Oh, I had quite the farewell!” Her quick eyes glaze over, as one does when recalling a memory of the past. It must have been quite a memory, because a bright gleam overwhelms her eyes and almost immediately, a delighted grin stretches across her face, riding high.

“You were quite popular,” he smiles politely. “I’m sure you’ll be missed.”

“Well, I was always the fun one.” The woman winks.

They share a quiet laugh, and settle into a comfortable silence. She leans back into the leather seat.

“I think I’ll miss them.”

“Your colleagues or your job?”

“Both,” she says without missing a beat.

“Well, you could always go visit,” the therapist suggests.

Her lip twitches, and she shakes her head almost sadly. “But then I wouldn’t be able to leave.”

Confused, he raises an eyebrow. “Would it be such a bad thing to stay?”

She coughs out a short laugh. “It’s better for everyone.”

The therapist watches her closely. “Are you happy with your new job?”

There is a contemplative look in her eyes, and she shrugs once. “It’s a bit…normal, so that’s a bit of a challenge.”

There is a pause.

“It’s fun, though.”

He waits for her to speak again, but when she does, he is disappointed.

“Time’s up, doc! I’ll see you next week!”

Just like that, she’s out his door, and like every other week, he’s left staring after her, the slight indentation on the couch and the subtle scent of her perfume lingering in the air the only signs she was ever here…

Frightful Dreams

Katch C, 14

Frightful Dreams

I wake, shivering. The dreams are getting worse, and though I am exhausted and want to rest, I resist going back to sleep, knowing that another dream awaits me. It’s been happening for weeks. Not once have I slept in peace yet a small part of me feels like my dreams are telling me something.

I turn on my bedside lamp and check the time. 6 o’clock. I could still sleep for an hour before I would have to get up for school. I lie down for a few more minutes then get up and walk to the bathroom. I’m brushing my teeth when it happens. I’m no longer in my bathroom, but at a cliff, looking straight at a glaring golden sun. In front of me is a girl, staring at me, standing right at the edge of the cliff. I’m unable to make out her face, because of the bright sun in my eyes. She takes a step back and falls. I try to do something but my feet won’t move. I start to scream and I know that there is nothing I can do. When I open them again, I am back in my bathroom, as if nothing had happened…

The Value of Shock

Megan W. Age 14, Canadian International School

July 15, 2013

        Shock is often used as a strategy for acquiring attention or raising awareness all over the world nowadays, and whether it be in the form of Lady Gaga’s kooky fashion sense or other artists’ controversial works, it always pays to shock.

        Being shocking allows attention to be drawn to a certain cause. In many cases, surprising someone is much more effective than other forms of raising awareness or advertisement. Due to the unique method that some artists use, such as posing in the nude to address political issues, people are more likely to stop and take notice. Shock may often alarm and scare, but this is a small price to pay if it means that people will become more aware of whatever issue is being promoted or advocated.

        Another example of the idea of shock being an advantage is that of a famous Chinese artist. This artists travels to places of importance all over China and Hong Kong and performs a naked ‘press-up’ or push up. “When everybody is wearing clothes, a naked body implies unconventional, critique, questions, fight and defense,” he states. This suggests that something as simple as taking a photograph of himself performing a naked press-up, while shocking and unconventional, is how people stop and take notice for a long enough time to learn about stories or backgrounds behind each of the locations [in which the photographs were taken].

        On the other hand, displaying nudity, abuse or other strong ideas on an advertisement or a piece of artwork has its flaws. For some this creates a sense of fear, as strong messages may be offensive or disturbing. People who are offended by shocking content may become very against the cause that the ad or art is advocating.

        However, because shock brings out such strong feelings among people, the shocking idea can help increase attention, be advantageous to people’s memories, and have a positive impact on memory. People are more likely to remember shocking messages than messages that are not.

Hong Kong's Jealousy

Rowel L., 14, Island School

Jealousy is a powerful emotion, one that fuels political, social and economic battles. It is, however, an unavoidable part of being a human being. Life shall forever be about the survival of the fittest, and it is blatantly obvious the ‘fittest’ are the richest and, by extension, the most powerful.

            It is natural to crave and long for what we don’t have, and for many of us, what we don’t have is an abundance of wealth. And so we covet. We covet the riches of others. Most recently, we have begun to covet the riches of the affluent mainland Chinese.

            However, it is impossible to say jealousy is the only cause of our hatred for the rich mainlanders. Another factor may be the increasing limitation of our resources and goods. These mainlanders sweep into Hong Kong with their bulging bank accounts and take away millions of dollars worth of jewelry and luxurious fashion garments in a single purchase, all without making a dent in their leather wallets. As many overseas luxury brands choose to open stores in Hong Kong, the high number of mainland Chinese buying the products seems to limit the exclusivity.

            Secondly, there is the assumption the rich mainland Chinese are ill-mannered and rude. It should be noted that different cultures have different customs and behaviors. The first generation of rich mainland Chinese have suffered from extreme poverty during childhood and may have lacked early education. The second generation is overindulged by their parents and grandparents, and many believe their family’s wealth is enough to gain respect.

            Another notion is that the rich mainland Chinese are over-flamboyant and ostentatious. High-end luxury items are seen as a status symbol by the Chinese but many Hong Kong natives agree that mainlanders are too extravagant with their show of wealth.

            Of course, nothing is black and white. Whilst jealousy plays a certain part of the Hong Kong people’s loathing of the rich mainland Chinese, I do not believe it is the sole reason of their hatred.

Guns in the United States

Ho Fai Tung, 14, St. Marks School, Mass., USA

“A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.”

-George Washington

When George Washington fought for the independence of the United States of America, he did so on the foundation of freedom and liberty for its people. He managed to break free of one of the largest empires in human history. This would not have been possible had the citizens of American not been armed and able to fight. Whilst guns have been responsible for many acts of violence, it has been shown throughout history that guns have been responsible for a lot of good as well.

Weapon ownership has been a controversial topic for a long time, escalating in recent history with the invention of automatic firearms and high explosives. I believe that the many positives of weapon ownership outweigh the negatives of it. The historical reason for owning a weapon is self defense; it was the reason that our ancestors created the most basic of fighting tools. On a larger scale, this includes the defense of people or an ideal, such as those of George Washington. His revolution would not have been possible if not for the firearms that he and his forces possessed.

In the modern day, this must be emphasized further as the advancement of technology means that governments have an unprecedented amount of control over their citizens. It is a common pattern that the worst dictatorships in history are also the ones with the most control over the weapons in their empires. Many countries have guns to thank for their freedom, such as in Mozambique, where the national flag shows two AK-47s as a symbol of their rebellion.

There are those that would argue against gun ownership by stating the acts of violence that have recently been committed through those means. However, could this not have been prevented if there was an armed person with good intentions and training to stop them? If guns were to be outlawed, this would effectively give the government complete ownership and control over its people. Not only that, but it would also give more control to the criminals who know how to illegally acquire guns, allowing them to commit whatever atrocities they wanted until the police arrived after the average 15 minute response time. If guns were to be eliminated, the average citizen would be forced to live in fear of oppression from both the government and the hardened criminals.

The quote above has been proven correct many times throughout the course of human history, with examples of successful armed revolutions and unsuccessful unarmed protests. Many countries that are now free are in this state due to weapons. In the event of gun illegalisation, the government would have even more control over the people than it already does and armed criminals would roam freely as long as they could get away within 15 minutes. This is not the kind of country that was envisioned when George Washington founded the United States and it is only the people who are ignorant to these dangers that believe that gun ownership is negative for society.

A Typhoon

Daphne C., 8, St. Paul’s Co-Ed

Help! A typhoon is coming, and as a little bird I feel scared. I live alone on the tree beside the library. I have many friends such as my friend eagle, parrot, pigeon and squirrel.

        One day, I was gobbling up a delicious lunch of hamburgers when a gush of wind blew towards my tree. I felt scared and my jaw dropped. I saw my lunch fly into the sky. I felt so sad and hungry. Then the pouring rain and the lightning made me jump. I tried to fly away and looked for someplace dry. As I flew, I could see branches falling onto the ground. My friends were scurrying across the street, trying to sneak into KYP because it was nice and dry inside. I followed them inside and I learned English in KYP and soon the typhoon was over and I felt very relieved. I said by by to all the teachers and I flew back to my tree feeling jubilant.

The Importance of Libraries

       Isabella M., 10, HKIS

       All over the world we have a great resource that we can use in our everyday life called the library. The library is used by many people for free because some people can’t afford the money to buy a computer, books and more. Hong Kong public libraries should not be closed because you don’t have to spend any money, it is a good source of information and has free computer use.

        Hong Kong Public Libraries should not be closed because you don’t have to pay any money. Many people around the world don’t have the money to buy certain things such as clean water, food and shelter. We should have libraries because if we want to help those people who want to learn then they can learn by using the computers and books to help them with their lives and get the education they need. The library is an important place because we can help those people in our society by letting them learn with the resources in the library.

        Hong Kong Public Libraries should not close because the library has good sources of information. If we need to learn anything we can just go to the library and rent a book to do something for our work. We can use the library to read and research anything for book reports, projects, book clubs and more. If people want to have a good smart learning environment then we can all do this by letting those people who need the opportunity to learn.

        Hong Kong Public Libraries should not be closed because they have free computer use. In Hong Kong there are many helpers who don’t get to contact their families and friends. So, a solution for them is to use a computer in one of the public libraries and then they could contact anyone they know. In the public library there are many things we can do, such as entertaining kids on the computer, doing their school work and reading books. People think that if we keep this up we can be a super smart world and make sure everyone gets an opportunity for learning in any possible way.

       For my conclusion, this makes me realize that no matter where you are in the world you can always go to the library for your education, entertainment, research and more.

Appearance-Based Discrimination is Wrong

        

Avantika M., 11, Island School

         Recently in South Korea, a survey showed that 42.4% of job-seekers have not been hired because of their looks, making them discriminated based on appearance. This is a problem; for example, if two people apply for a job, and one is smart but not so good looking and the other one is beautiful but not very smart, the job would go to the superficial airhead princess instead of the smart hardworking deserving person. Looks-based discrimination should be illegal all around the world. Nobody should have to suffer this and face poverty because someone prettier got the job.

        This is completely wrong because say a person gives a resume to a bank and he is a straight A+ student, has lots of credits, and overall is a good human being but then a prettier person comes and this person is an average D student, has no credits but is gorgeous. Is it fair to give the prettier one the job? No, it is totally stupid and rubbish. There are a few things that make up a good businessperson: intelligence, the ability to use teamwork, diligence, and a hardworking attitude. A person’s looks should not be depriving them from getting a good job.

        On the other hand, lots of people do business face to face; in fact, job interviews are face to face, so if the person were ugly it would be disturbing to work with him. Imagine constantly having to work with someone ugly compared to someone pretty. The person will try to avoid working if his or her partner is ugly and will actually want to work with a prettier person.

        However, if companies only hired people according to their looks, then the work would not be getting done and it would just pile up. “Studies indicate that, in general, beautiful people are paid more than their plainer-looking counterparts.” This means that pretty people are getting paid more than the actual people doing all the work. And looks should not affect anything if they have good ideas and are a benefit to a company.

        Going back many years when there was discrimination against black people, it has taken people a very long time to get over that. Now people have moved on and accepted everyone for who they are, not depending on their looks. But why has the world taken a step back when people should be walking forward? Again, we are discriminating against people according to their looks. This has gone too far if it is being compared to racial discrimination. This is very antediluvian, it has been stopped n the past, and it can be stopped again.

        42.4% of people have not been hired due to their looks in South Korea. The problem is that the prettier person gets the job and not the smarter person with the correct values on how to work. This needs to stop immediately or at least as soon as possible because smart people should not have to suffer from poverty due to their looks.

The Freezing Twister in Old England

Valerie P., 12, HKUGA College


     Lynn Benicia was a 14-year-old who lived in England in 1677. She often went to hunt with her father during Sundays and, occasionally, Wednesdays. She was the best swimmer and fisher in her village and a skilled archer as well. When there was trouble, Lynn was a person the whole village could rely on. When her father passed away, he left her a laurel wreath he made in the woods, causing Lynn to burst into tears. One day in winter, Lynn was hunting with her usual kit when an unusual sound came creeping towards her. She recognized the sound. It was the same sound that destroyed her village 10 years ago. It was a tornado, larger than she had ever seen.
     Lynn ran for her life, scooping up random little animals on the way, shouting for the villagers to go down to the cellar. The sound was terrifying, haunting Lynn about what happened 10 years ago. Trees whistled sharply in the air as if the god of wind was orchestrating a death march upon the village, striking terror and recalling the frightful memory that is believed to be buried underground. Lynn took the animals to her mother, and then scooted the weeping children into a cellar nearby as the tornado confronted her.
     The tornado broke trees, sucked houses in and, of course, created gales of wind towards Lynn making her lose balance. The tornado was at least a meter wide, and as high as the visible sky. The tornado was gunmetal grey with a hint of snow within. Wisps of water vapor swirled around it as if a river was sucked in (Lynn wondered if the river near the village was really sucked in).
     She shuddered, as she realized that a few animals in the forest were escaping from the tornado’s wrath. She then took a deep breath, and charged towards the tornado after blinking back a silvery tear.
     The animals were pushed towards the village in her friend’s arms while he was staring at her, unable to do anything at all. She touched three fingers to her lips then stretched them towards these survivors as She was hurled in thin air.
     She closed my eyes as she felt the cold air swirling around her. Those sharp blows of wind felt like shrieks of laughter… No, they didn’t sound like laughter, they sounded like prayers. And the loudest one of all was her father’s voice. She heard him pray about her mother, about Laura, about the village elder, Woodring, about the healer, about the fishermen, about the farmers… about her.
Lynn closed her eyes. Her father saved her precious life.

No More Shark's Fin Soup

Jessica L., 10, F.I.S.

Shark’s fin soup is a dish that goes back many years in China. Lots of people eat it because it is an old tradition, but it harms the shark species and affects the species which are linked to sharks. People cut off shark fins and throw the animals back into the sea to die. This practice is killing millions of sharks because the dish is very popular in China. The Hong Kong government should ban shark’s fin soup because all animals should be treated equally, sharks are already endangered, and tradition should not be a priority.

Humans are actually animals, evolved from apes. We are animals, except that we have developed more than sharks. Why do we have to push the other species around us to the brink of extinction? People might say, “But we are the best species and we have the right to stomp sharks out.” Just because we are the best does not mean that we have the right to stomp others out. As executive Chinese chef Ip Kwok-fai says, “It is not hard to create alternatives to shark’s fin soup.” Alternatives might just be made out of something simple and good.

If sharks are endangered, why do we still harm them? We are being selfish and cruel to this species by killing them for food when there are thousands of equally good-tasting alternatives. Some people might wonder, “Well, lots of species are endangered. Why should I be caring particularly for sharks?” The truth is that we need to care for all of these endangered species. We cannot just care for one. “Shark’s fin-free supporters are a minority in Hong Kong,” says Toby Kwan, marketing manager of the LH group. However, we can change that if we stop eating shark’s fin soup.

Tradition is important, and that is true. But is it as important as having a species disappear before one’s eyes? Young couples these days only order shark’s fin soup to not be embarrassed in front of their parents. “I need to impress my parents,” people might say. But wouldn’t their parents be more proud if they supported part of a movement to save a species? “Actually, they ended up being very supportive,” says corporate banker Arthur Chan Yat-long, who asked his parents about not having shark’s fin soup at his wedding.

Lots of species are endangered, partly because of us humans. We have killed other species that are endangered for fun. If we lose these species, the world will not be the same. There will be no sharks patrolling the sea, no giant pandas at safaris. It should be our job, as the greatest species, to tend to these smaller species. We have our own part to play.

"Impossible" Children

After a discussion about recent research regarding psychopathy in children, we asked our students to tell us if there is such a thing as an “impossible” child.

Jeewon S., 13, HKIS

There is a wide boundary when it comes to labeling a child as “impossible.” Children all throw tantrums and make impulsive decisions at least once. There are, however, exceptions. To the most extreme point, an “impossible” child would be one who showcases no emotion to another’s pain or one who can’t control his or her temper.

        The classic problematic child horror movies are turning into reality. New research hasshow that children, especially those who have callous-emotional disorder, are more susceptible to becoming “psychopaths” if they already aren’t. Callous-emotional disorder results in people whose amygdalae (a part of the brain) don’t respond to other people’s emotions like misery, fear or happiness. Thus, the children commit violent actions and don’t care about the consequences or outcome.

        In the world, very few children can be categorized as “impossible”. A lot of parents don’t realize that they were once, too, headstrong children. They expect children to comprehend their high expectations and get mad if they fail to do so. More parents need to realize that there is no such thing as an angelic, perfect, cherub-like child, and lower their standards to have a better bond with their children.

        To understand a child, to truly form a genuine connection, parents need to observe and understand. And in the rarest cases of child psychopathy, parents should have as much patience and guidance and help them learn the consequences of their impulsive actions. But who knows: there is still hope and possibility for troublesome children to mature into well-behaved adults.

Secret Messages and Sorceresses

You are a military general living in the year 1850, back before the days of computers, email, instant messaging, TV, iPods, iPads, etc.

It is wartime, and you need to deliver an important message concerning a battle! How do you deliver the message?

Tiffany L., 7, CIS

        I use a special wooden pair of shoes, go on a horse and gallop to the sea. Then I use a clicking sound to get a trained dolphin from the sea and then I ride it to the other side. My horse gallops back to its stable. I get up on the other side, mount another horse and gallop on, carrying the letter all the way. I soon get to a forest and I take out my compass. I need to head east to get to the place I was supposed to deliver the letter to. I go as fast as I can, since the water is starting soon. We can’t afford to lose a heartbeat. I soon get out of the forest and then find a river. I back up my horse a pace or two and I make it leap across the river. This is what the letter said:

“Dear Eastern Army,

Please help us defeat the army of bandits. They outnumber us. If you help us, we will give you a reward.”

I return home safely with a lot of warriors and defeat the bandits.

Jasmine Y., 9, CDNIS

I live in a peaceful little cottage in the woods, far away from where the war is going to start. But while the war is going on I need to send a message to my pen pal. One day in the middle of the war I quickly think of a way to send a message to my pen pal. I write down the message I need to send:

Dear Liu Kai Lin,

I have something important to tell you. There is war and it is coming close to Beijing. Use the special lucky charm I gave you to keep you and your family safe. Bring everything you need and you may come to Hong Kong.

From, Yu Jia Min

After I write the message I quickly get the guest room ready. Then I fly back to Beijing on an airplane and take a secret passage to my pen pal’s home. Then I give her the message and after she reads it she and her family show me a shortcut through the war to Hong Kong without anyone getting hurt.

___

You are a good witch who must travel to the ends of the earth to rescue a friend who has been kidnapped by an evil sorceress!

Lauren M., 9, GSIS

The sorceress’s name is Wooloomooloo. She has pimples all over her face, black eyes, black fingernails, a black cloak and snakes in her hair. One time, she made people listen to her by casting a spell on everyone except me because she knew I would do this so I turned myself invisible.

        I went to the sorceress’s castle and saw my friend trapped there. Then, I saw the sorceress coming ready to do something bad to her. Just before she did something I got my invisibility cloak and told it to hold Wooloomooloo on the floor while I got my friend. After that I shared the cloak with my friend and flew off. She went with me to my home and ate the food that was from the magic gem to celebrate.

Hillary Y., 7, IMS

This all happened on a stormy summer night. The sky was dark and the birds stopped singing because a good witch was kidnapped. So, I was sent out to find her.

The prophecy says that the good witch is kept far to the east guarded by lots of monsters and fire. I searched for days to find the cave so I looked and looked for a long time until I heard a voice in the distance.

“Help. Help. Come to rescue me before I get fed to birds!”

The sorceress’s name was Erin. Her hair was blue. Her skin was red and she was awarded with “the most evil witch of the century.”

I ran to save my friend but first I cast a spell to make myself invisible and crept inside to save my friend. However, the sorceress was there so I crept behind her and I crept away with my friend.

Talking Germs

We asked our students to pretend they were germs and report back to us about what kinds of things happen in the germ world. Here are the conversations they told us they had:

Wing Lam N., 9, HKGUA Primary School

 

Me: Where do you think we should hide?

Chewy: Let’s go into people’s bodies and make them sick.

Spiky: But how?

Flying Bullet: Fly into their mouths.

Me: No, let’s hide in that food. Then, people will eat the food and we will be inside their bodies.

All Germs: Good idea!

Jasmine Y., 9, CDNIS 

I said, “Hi, why don’t we go down to the germ playground in Germ Land?” My friend said, “Sure! I’m happy to go there.” So we headed down to germ playground and we went on the swings. I said, “Isn’t this a sunny day? I think it will be a good time swinging.” My friend agrees. Germs talk basically about good and bright things.

Jiawen W., 8, Chek Kiang

Me: Should we play games?

Germ: Yes!

Me: What shall we play?

Germ: Let’s play hide-and-seek!

Me: Ooh la la!

Nok Yan C., 9, DGS

Me: What is your name?

Germs: I am Sports Germ, and he is Talent Germ, and she is Sleepy Germ. We’re good for human beings.

Me: I want to be a good germ too!

Germs: We can’t help you.