Past-vs-Present

Presently, people tend to use modern calculator compared to old abacus. Maybe it's because most of people thought that calculator more faster, more reliable and more accurate. Absolutely not. In fact, beyond learning mental math skills you would not always have a calculator handy. Learning the abacus provides essential problem solving, focus and, of course math skills. Abacus is the best way for all children to learn how to calculate without the dependency of a calculator. In addition, because the abacus is both visual and mental in nature, it fosters both left and right brain activity.

Besides using calculator, abacus also can solve basic and advanced math problems with an understanding of the Abacus, including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, as well as square root, cube root and even bank interest. As example on November 12, 1946, a contest was held in Tokyo between the Japanese Soroban, used by Kiyoshi Matsuzaki, and an electric calculator, operated by US Army Private Thomas Nathan Wood. The bases for scoring in the contest were speed and accuracy of results in all four basic arithmetic operations and a problem which combines all four. The Soroban won 4 to 1, with the electric calculator prevailing in multiplication.

Previously, calculators were not allowed on standardized mathematics examinations even for blind students. In addition, talking calculaters were also not allowed on most classroom examinations as well. Therefore, blind students were at a distinct disadvantage if they did not have an equivalent to the sighted student's pencil and paper. In the end, only abacus can help them in any way.

In general, most of people thought that the abacus is not user-friendly. The abacus can be too difficult for some students however, the student needs and abilities must always be your primary consideration. However, before giving up, check to see if there is a better method of calculating on the abacus than the present one.


by Syahmie and Firdaus.

One of the problems that we face today is the dreadful conditions that are happening to our environment. A major one of which the use of plastic bags and paper bag. People use this two bags to make their life easier and smoothly as they have to be rush in their daily activities. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast between plastic bags and paper bags in term of uses, pollution and degradability.

First of all is about the uses of these two bags. Plastic bags can be used for varied purposes such as to wrap food, store extra stuff while traveling, and to hoard wet or dirty clothes. They are also ideal as trash bags during journeys. Strength, durability, and variety are some of the advantages of plastic bags. In the other hand, paper bag are harder to store because of mildew and rot. They tear easily and therefore do not carry as much weight. They easily transfer roaches and other vermin from nasty grocery stores to your clean home.

The second issue is about pollution caused by these two bags. Heating wood chips under pressure makes paper bags. These chips are heated at high temperatures in a chemical solution. This solution uses toxic chemicals that can result in acid rain and water pollution. This is because millions of gallons of these chemicals are thrown in our waterways. Plastic also caused pollution from the process of degradable which produce tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soil and waterways and enter the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them.

Finally, another important issue is degradability. Recent studies have shown that paper degrades faster than plastic. This is because plastic does not decompose easily and most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to degradable. This is the reason why throwing them away should be avoided. Paper bag take only few time to degradable rather than plastic bag.

In a nutshell, it will be good if we can think first before use paper bags and plastic bags in order to avoid pollution, ozone deterioration and other health and environmental hazards. By think rationally and wisely, a cleaner and healthy future for you and your family is on its way and also for the rest of the world and the coming generation.

Khuzairie and Solehuddin

Life before and after the invention of fast food

Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out or take-away.

Before fast foods were invented, people usually eat at home. All the foods were homemade and far healthier. Home cooked food uses fresh vegetables, unprocessed meat and no dangerous chemicals added. By this way, their children gain enough nutrients to grow up. Furthermore, healthy foods will lead to a healthy lifestyle and that make our body more resistance to disease.

Since the fast food was invented, obesity became more common especially among the children in U.S. Fast food also well known for its addictive. Nowadays, people getting busier and eating fast food save more time than eating self-cook food. Besides that, they can get their foods in an instant. The downside of fast food is especially high in fat content, and studies have found associations between fast food intake and increased body mass index (BMI) and weight gain. It was found that the people who consumed higher level of trans fat developed more abdominal fat than those who fed a diet rich in unsaturated fats.

In general, try to balance fast food with other nutritious foods throughout the day and make healthier choices whenever possible. There are many healthy food choices that are easily available, tasty, and don't cost very much that can be eaten on the go.

Summary for Research on Advantages Volcanic Eruption

More than 350 million people around worldwide choose to live on or near active volcanoes.In Mexico,30 million people within sight of Popocatepetl.In southern Italy,near Naples,1.5 million people live on the slopes around Mount Vesuvius,still a very active volcano.Why do people take such risks? It is mainly because volcanic activity does have some benefits.There are some advantages from volcanoes that is fertile farmland and attraction to the tourists.

First of all, volcano eruption can be an attraction to the tourists. Although volcanoes are usually linked to death, destruction, and tragedy, they do have some often-overlooked benefits. In New Zealand, people often visit the hot mud baths of Raupehu. Mud pools are also an icon of New Zealand scenery. Monuments such as Mount Vesuvius and Mount Fuji are awe-inspiring symbols for their respective nations.Moreover,volcanoes can produce very spectacular scenery like the beautiful sunsets caused by explosive eruption.

Secondly,the after effect of volcanoes can help to fertile farmland.Over thousands of years,the lava that is spewed out during violent eruptions breaks down slowly to form very fertile soil,which can be very successfully used for farming. Hawaii’s pineapple and sugar plantations are found on volcanic soils.Some of the best rice-growing areas of Indonesia lie in the shadow of volcanoes.So too do the rich farming lands around Mount Vesuvius in Italy,where olives,vines,nuts and fruit especially orange and lemon are grown.The land is too barren to grow crops successfully.

In a nutshell,although volcanoes are one of the most destructive natural disaster,which endanger human life and usually linked to death, destruction, and tragedy, they do have some often-overlooked benefits.The people willing to take the risk because in the long term,the effect became benefit that help them much.From the lava and ash that contain minerals will be converted to a very fertile soil and can be an attraction to tourists.This advantages of volcano eruption increase the economy of a country and benefits to all.

Helpful Advice..

I just had to print out blogger Kate Monahan’s Writer’s Digest online article on “10 Things My Creative Writing MFA Taught Me Not To Do.” I found them extremely helpful because I’ve come across some of these myself. For example, one of her “don’ts” is taking risks in writing. She writes: Don’t “Play it Safe. Never play it safe. Writing is about taking risks. About digging deep and uncovering the raw, sometimes painful pieces. When one takes risks in their writing, the words on the page are alive and full of truth.”

At a writing workshop I once attended, we were told to write “without fear.” It took me a while to figure that out. How many of us actually do that?