Huge fireworks display marks London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony

Huge fireworks display marks London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony
The opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games culminates with a huge fireworks display over the Olympic park.

大酒店謝師宴 金榜題名宴 恩師難忘宴 成 謝師厭

「謝師宴」莫成「謝師厭」
2012-07-26 
來源︰中安在線-安徽日報   


　　高考過後，到了學子感謝恩師的日子。記者近日了解到池州市各大酒店紛紛推出「謝師宴」，且行情一路看漲。


　　「兒子今年考得不錯，自然有老師的功勞，老師是必須要答謝的。現在不知道哪里辦酒宴好，大家幫我參考參考，最好要實惠點的。 」池州市的一位家長在網上發帖詢問，哪兒的謝師宴辦得好。


　　擺幾桌酒席，感謝老師培養，這是人之常情，本無可厚非。但經過這麼多年的高考之後，在很多家長心中，「謝師」已成為一種模式。目前，在池州市區的幾家大型酒店，前台都擺放著關于「謝師宴」的宣傳單頁，電子顯示屏上，「謝師宴」的宣傳成為主要內容。


不少酒店推出「金榜題名宴」、「恩師難忘宴」等多種名目的「謝師宴」，價格從幾百元，到數千元不等，有的酒店還用贈送啤酒等優惠措施招徠顧客。


http://diguk.com/store


　　被商家炒作變形走樣的「謝師宴」，既增加了學生家長的支出，也成為老師們的「心理負擔」。多次參加「謝師宴」的一位老師訴苦道︰「大擺宴席，還請我上座，弄得我都有些不好意思。學生能夠取得好成績，關鍵還是個人的努力，作為老師，也只是指導性的。若要真感謝的話，還不如在家中炒幾個菜，用不了這麼隆重。 」


　　感謝老師重在感情。其實，對不少家長來說，本是表達師恩的「謝師宴」，在酒店、商家的炒作和少數家長的攀比下，似乎也變得有點功利化。師生之情不必用鋪張的宴席來維系，一頓簡單的家宴也是足以表達情感的。不少考生家長也期盼更理性消費，用更有意義的形式感謝老師，回饋老師的教導。千萬別把「謝師宴」辦成「謝師厭」。（記者 徐建）
責任編輯︰ 倉勇作

四川古藺酒席泛濫 喬遷升學滿月賀壽 婚喪嫁娶

魯開盛︰酒席泛濫是不好 政府強禁更不妥
2012-07-11 
來源︰紅網   
大公報


　　四川古藺酒席成災，喬遷、升學、滿月、賀壽……日前，古藺龍山鎮紀委于是規定︰辦酒席須申報，除婚喪嫁娶，其他酒席一律叫停。當地政府成立宣傳隊，至今成功勸阻酒席50余台。部分不听招呼的，沒收了灶具。（7月10日《成都商報》）


　　大吃大喝不對，利用大吃大喝斂財也不對，但政府一紙規定強行禁止當地公民操辦酒席就更加不對了。而對于部分不听招呼的人，當場沒收其灶具之舉，就不僅是對與不對的問題了，一定程度上它已經涉及政府紅線，已經是在明目張膽地侵犯公民權利了。


http://diguk.com/gifts


　　酒席泛濫是不好，政府強禁更不妥。因為酒席申報是有依據的，而行政叫停卻沒道理。前者有道理，是出于公共秩序和食品安全的需要；後者沒依據，截至目前沒有哪一條法律法規明確中國公民除了婚喪嫁娶之外不得辦酒席。


　　一刀切禁止公民辦酒席不合時宜。不可否認，龍山鎮紀委出台禁止操辦酒席的初衷是善良的。但是，善良的願望往往並不能獲得理想的結果。我們暫不討論紀委文件對普通群眾有沒有約束力，就「依法行政」這四個字來說，龍山鎮的做法顯然與之背道而馳。


　　對于私權利來講，法無禁止皆可為。筆者雖然不贊同民間大操大辦，但辦與不辦、小辦還是大辦，這是人家的自由。我們只能倡導，不能強制。對于公權力來講，法無授權皆不可為。做好本職工作就是對當地最大的貢獻，職能部門不玩忽職守，不以權謀私，把公共秩序抓好，把食品安全抓好，等等，做好這些就足夠了。


　　筆者認為，酒席辦與不辦，還是社區自治為上。群眾路線是三大法寶之一，為什麼現在都忘了呢？要相信群眾，依靠群眾，不要總認為政府比群眾高明，更不要總把解決問題的辦法弄得那麼簡單粗暴，除了取締、沒收等手段就再也沒有其它。


　　其實，龍山鎮紀委大可不必親力親為地去這渾水。比如，讓當地基層群眾自治組織如村委會、居委會牽頭，成立街坊鄉鄰的紅白理事會，以輿論打頭，以左鄰右舍的切身利益言傳身教，防範酒席泛濫的事情，交給他們去做就是了。（魯開盛）


責任編輯︰ 汪曉青

炒家絕迹動漫電玩節 灣仔會展開幕人龍短一半

炒家絕迹動漫節 開幕人龍短一半
明報 
7/28/2012


排頭位的蔡先生與11名朋友3天前已輪流排隊，成功購得兩套天下畫冊，一套由偶像馬榮成簽名後會用作收藏，另一套則用作閱讀。


【明報專訊】動漫電玩節昨起一連5日假灣仔會展舉行，鑑於過去有大批炒家及排隊黨通宵輪候，主辦單位今年規定所有限量產品在網上預購，結果開幕前雖仍有數百人在場外排隊，但人龍明顯較往年短，亦未見排隊黨蹤影。不過，首日入場總人數仍較去年微升，全日有11.8萬人入場，多個參展商表示，銷情沒受新安排影響，更預測盈利會較往年上升。


鑑於動漫節去年遭大批炒家及排隊黨攻陷，場內淪為炒賣集散地，主辦單位今年採取強硬措施，規定所有限量品在網上預購。排頭位的蔡先生與11名朋友3天前已輪流駐守，預計花4000至5000元購買心頭好。14年來風雨不改到動漫展的他說，今年人龍明顯較去年短，「排隊人龍估計較去年少一半，這幾天亦未見排隊黨蹤影」。他對大會禁售限量版紀念品感可惜，認為「無限量版賣，氣氛始終差少少！」


http://digcan.com/toys


入場人數微升
去年動漫節開鑼遇上三號風球，首日亦錄得11.5萬人入場，大會表示今屆首日人數有11.8萬，高去年約3％。多個參展商稱，銷情沒受新安排影響，更預測盈利會較往年上升。售賣電影人物首辦公仔的Hot Toys，首日銷情較預期理想，發言人梁小姐估計較去年有兩至三成盈利增幅，更對新安排表示歡迎，「今年真正受惠的是玩家，因為我們網上預購每人只可買一套，相信真正有興趣的人會用作收藏」。


展商歡迎安排 料利潤勝去年
參展商木棉花亦預計有一成盈利增幅，最受歡迎的是5款藏有漫畫精品的福袋。而天下及樂高（LEGO）的攤位同樣出現人龍，負責人表示沒受新安排影響，首日銷情理想。


現場有市民花費過萬元購買限量版首辦公仔，葉先生及楊小姐熱中收藏電影人物首辦，合共花費2.5萬元預購3款Hot Toys的會場限量品及即場相關精品，「去年排隊5日才買到限量版，今年網上預購較公平」，他們更稱「絕對不會用作炒賣」。


除本地動漫迷，亦有內地捧場客，現時就讀內地大學一年級的楊先生，第3年到來香港動漫節，「自小就很喜歡香港漫畫，例如馬榮成的作品，但內地的動漫展多集中於內地及日本作品，而且質素不及香港」。


此外，今年動漫電玩節繼續保留「女僕書房」，又首辦「中、港、台、日Cosplay嘉年華」及再辦「Cosplay自由行」，讓Cosplay玩家免費入場，每日名額300個。

Japan Kobe Beef now available in Hong Kong

Kobe Beef now available in Hong Kong
By Radhika Seth  
July 26, 2012  
The Japan Daily Press


Kobe beef is famous for its evenly distributed fatty tissue and is sourced from cows that are bred with select feed, music and muscle massage sessions. The premium meat was exclusive to Japan but now can be savored in Hong Kong. It made its debut in Macau earlier this year and as the export market continues to improve after the earthquake and nuclear disaster, Japanese beef exporters want to cash in on the trend.


http://digcan.com/computer


Tetsuya Ishii, deputy consul general of Japan in Hong Kong, announced the launch of Kobe beef midst much fanfare. Hiroshi Onomura, director general of the Japan External Trade Organization, said Hong Kong’s stricter requirement for beef imports was the reason for the delay. Apparently the Hong Kong government accepts import of Kobe beef from one butcher, in Kyushu. Essentially the cows have to be shipped from Kobe to Kyushu for butchering before the meat can be shipped to Hong Kong.


Around 3,000 Kobe cows are marketed every year so the limited supply is mostly like to cause traction in its demand. Since its debut in January, Macau had imported meat from 51 Kobe cows, or about 2,500 kg of beef. Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association say that so far Hong Kong has imported meat from seven cows. The beef is being priced at a modest 350 Hong Kong dollars (about $45 or 3,515 yen) per 100 grams at a discount rate for the first week of promotion, which is much cheaper than what it sells in Japan. Singapore can expect their Kobe Beef shipment to arrive sometime in September.

A Dramatic Surprise On A Quiet Square

A Dramatic Surprise On A Quiet Square

中學學科論壇討論區

校園生活
http://www.discuss.com.hk/index2.php?gid=158


校園 
http://www.uwants.com/index2.php?gid=982



et-learning 討論區
http://elearning.hket.com/forum/forums/list.page
53


小卒資訊論壇
http://lsforum.net/board/index.php
61


溫習論壇
http://www.takwing.idv.hk/forum/index.php
64


Kenneth Lau's Forum
http://www.kennethlau.com/D5.5/index.php
79


Daniel Yu Economics 經濟科 Forum 
http://forum.danielyueconomics.com/index.php
82

蒙面槍手闖首映亂槍掃射 《蝙蝠俠》死神起義 12人遭射殺

蒙面槍手闖首映亂槍掃射 《蝙蝠俠》死神起義 12人遭射殺
星島日報 
7/21/2012


(綜合報道)(星島日報報道)美國丹佛一間商場戲院周五午夜播映電影《蝙蝠俠：夜神起義》的首映時，一名戴防毒面具的槍手突然闖入，向觀眾亂槍掃射，造成最少十二人喪生，五十人受傷。涉嫌行兇的二十四歲白人男子已經被捕。


http://easss.com/dvd



　　綜合報道
　　肇事地點為丹佛郊區奧羅拉的Century 16戲院，當時戲院播映新片《蝙蝠俠：夜神起義》的首映，電影播放三十分鐘後發生槍擊案，警方則約在當地時間星期五凌晨十二時三十九分收到報案。


　　據警方和目擊者透露，當播放電影時，一名身高六呎、戴上防毒面具、頭盔及護目鏡，並穿黑衣和防彈衣的男子從緊急出口闖入院廳，他手持一支步槍和兩把手槍，首先在漆黑的院廳發放煙霧彈，令院廳滿布煙霧，然後慢慢步上銀幕前的樓梯開槍，隨意挑選受害者槍殺。


　　50傷者有嬰兒小童
　　一名目擊者表示：「我們聽到十至二十下槍聲，以及輕微爆炸聲。不久我們聽到有人大喊，之後他們透過廣播系統，要求所有人必須離開。當我們離開戲院，看到有人奔走呼喊。」


　　另一名目擊者喬丹當時在另一間院廳看電影，她稱聽到一些像放爆竹的響聲，之後有觀眾逃到她的院廳，大喊有人開槍。喬丹表示有些受傷的兒童躲避到她的院廳，她看到一名女童臉頰中槍。之後，警方趕到下令所有觀眾離開，她看到警員抱着和拖 屍體。


　　警方收到報案後，調派區內所有警員及大批醫護和拯救人員到場，封鎖現場一帶，醫院均收到「重大傷亡警報」。醫院表示，十人當場死亡，另有兩人送院後不治。全部傷者受槍傷，最少兩名傷者情況嚴重，傷者中有一名嬰兒和一名六歲兒童。 警方展開大規模搜捕，在戲院後面停車場的一輛汽車附近，拘捕二十四歲的疑兇霍姆斯（James Holmes），並在汽車找到「防毒面具、步槍、手槍和另外一件武器」。


　　據稱，疑犯霍姆斯是科羅拉多大學神經科學博士生，上個月才休學。他是否因為這個原因才行兇，不得而知。由於疑兇作供時，聲稱居所可能藏有爆炸品，警方封鎖疑兇位於奧羅拉北部的住宅大廈搜查，並在戲院和停車場搜尋爆炸品。製作電影的華納兄弟電影公司發表聲明，稱對事件感到悲哀，並取消電影星期五在法國巴黎舉行的首映禮及電影宣傳訪問。總統奧巴馬發布聲明，對槍擊案表示震驚和悲痛，呼籲國人團結。

父女同郵﹕讀大學的目的是什麼？

父女同郵﹕讀大學的目的是什麼？
明報 – 2012年7月18日星期三

怡: 還有兩天，中學文憑試放榜了，想你已有足夠心理準備。「挫敗愈早來愈好」，你我都明白這道理，但都不希望發生。
我和媽咪去了你的畢業禮。校長做了34年教育工作，今年退休，最後一次以校長身分出席。站在台上，顯得傷感，幾度哽咽，差點說不出話來。


http://easss.com/edu/online


校長的臨別贈言，老爸深受感動。校長說，34年，學到了教育的真義。教育就是愛，不只愛精乖成績好的學生，還愛調皮成績差的同學。


教育純是職業訓練？


校長從不吹噓學生的成績，也不談升大學的比率，每次演講，都是人生的價值和追求，做人的原則和宗旨，讀書的指標和方向。在人們只談「價錢」而不重「價值」的今天，感覺分外清新。


怡，校長的說話，令老爸思索什麼是教育的本意？父母拚命為子女鋪設成功道路，根據被認為行之有效方程式：名playgroup名幼稚園，名小學名中學，然後攀上名學府名學系。


目的只有一個，為畢業後高薪厚職，過着優裕的生活。人生前階段二十多年所受的教育，變成了純粹的職業訓練，為的是人生後階段幾十年「搵大錢」做好準備。


坊間充斥着各種面試技巧、考試攻略、升學捷徑……都是這種方程式的產物，第一個受惠的，就是發明和推銷的江湖賣藝人。


怡，文憑試放榜，成績好的話，就要面對選科的抉擇。不少學生選科，不是根據自己的興趣和專長，而只考慮職業和出路。


讀大學的目的是什麼呢？念什麼科和將來的事業有多大關係？讀什麼科什麼系究竟有多重要？老爸中學純理科，大學讀生物生化，但與新聞工作打了大半生交道，你會說，這不算成功例子。


選科不應太功利
大學，學的是方法﹕看問題的方法、邏輯的方法、思辨的方法、解難的方法、組織的方法、待人處事的方法……大學的訓練，是成長的訓練，是人格的訓練。四年大學，學懂方法，訓練出完整的人格，就夠了，讀什麼科系，其實又有什麼關係呢？


怡，老爸有時也充滿矛盾，這是否過於理想。想起中大校長沈祖堯年前對畢業生的臨別贈言，我認為我的想法沒有過時。如何才能過着「不負此生」的生活，沈校長說﹕儉樸地生活﹕「快樂與金錢和物質的豐盛並無必然關係」；高尚的生活﹕「對一己的良知無悔，維護公義」；謙卑的生活﹕「不固執己見，虛懷若谷地聆聽」。


「我相信一所大學的價值，不能用畢業生的工資來判斷。更不能以他們開的汽車，住的房子來作準，而是應以它的學生在畢業後對社會、對人類的影響為依歸。」
怡，你同意嗎？
老爸
……………………………………………………………


Dad﹕
選科是一個充滿矛盾的過程。
你們和老師常說，要根據興趣和能力選科，不要盲目地跟隨別人，亦不要只為日後的出路而選擇自己不喜歡的科目。
但以興趣和能力作為準則，在這個時代out了。


今年高考放榜，17個6A、5A狀元之中，有15個選工商管理。或許這是我的偏見，我不相信成績好的人，恰好也熱愛商科。
有一次跟朋友聊天，他說，其實你成績也不錯，不用選社會科學的。


成績跟選什麼科沒有直接關係，成績好，也不代表一定要選商科或醫科，儘管有人說你這樣選「好唔抵」。
我覺得，選科不是買餸，不用考慮「抵唔抵」。


雖然以上所說對即將面對放榜的學生來說沒有影響，但我希望他們能停一停，想清楚。
7月20日是一個大日子，希望各位DSE人能平靜地面對成績單，因為大家也盡力了。


Yee
作者為資深傳媒人、關注時事，更關注兩個寶貝女兒
吳志森 samngx123@gmail.com

要求劃一派雙倍生果金 政客最得益 ?

亂派雙倍生果金 政客最得益
經濟日報 
7/19/2012


【經濟日報專訊】特首梁振英提出長者經資產審查後可獲發雙倍生果金，隨即有政客跳出來斥責分化長者，要求生果金人人劃一加一倍。政客口說動聽，但生果金每年開支會升至130億元，約30年後更要336億元，成為無底深潭，香港遲早變希臘！

筆者在此先聲明，談論不宜全面派雙倍生果金問題，不是要刻薄長者，而是冀分析亂派生果金的利弊 (disagree, 梁振英的長者資產審查，自住物業不計作資產，對沒有物業但係多銀行現金的長者不公平。)，政客請不要扣道德帽子！


根據現行生果金計劃，70歲或以上長者免入息審查，65至69歲則要通過資產審查，現時金額每月1,090元。


梁振英提出，明年初65歲或以上長者若通過資產審查，每月金額增至2,200元。不過，立法會選舉期近，有政黨（如工黨）即提出，要劃一所有65歲或以上長者，不論貧富也可享2,200元。


視乎需要派錢 免釀資源錯配


敬老是美德，人人皆派確可減少長者間的標籤效應，避免有長者因觀感問題而不去申領雙倍生果金。要長者靠拾紙皮過活、兩餐無依，是香港之恥，應該加倍援助。可是，敬老也應視乎長者的需要，難道首富李嘉誠也要雙倍生果金？


http://easss.com/ld


1. 沉重負擔 每年開支逾330億元
現時有52.3萬名長者領取生果金，去年社署的生果金總開支為68.9億元，減去財政預算案去年為受助人額外發放的雙糧後，生果金開支應約為每年63.64億元。不過，隨着人口老化，生果金開支將愈來愈龐大，按推算，2039年的65歲或以上長者人口將有249萬人，與2011年的94萬人相比，達到2.64倍。假設領取生果金的長者比例不變，就算維持現行生果金制度，至2039年生果金開支也達到168億元。


若然如政客所建議的全民雙倍生果金，2039年的生果金開支將跳升至336億元！再者，現時只有約6成的70歲或以上長者領取生果金，若生果金雙倍後，不取就笨，必然會有更多長者加入領取，屆時開支難以估計。


2. 日本經驗 長者富、青年貧
日本著名經濟學家大前研一就曾指出，日本的高消費族群，正是退休一族，他們儲蓄率高，消費力比年輕人更強。因此他認為與其多幫助長者，不如幫助更有需要的年輕人。


香港未來會否出現同一社會面貌？現時本港的70歲或以上長者，教育程度不高、儲蓄不多，確實需要經濟援助，可是10年後，將有一批50後的「新長者」湧現，當中不少人是現時的中產人士，部分有樓有投資有強積金，未必缺錢。若然不問因由，人人獲發雙倍生果金，會否造成資源錯配？


值得留意的是，在歐美、日本等地，他們的養老金制度毋須審查，長者人人有份，代價就是年輕人付重稅，(disagree) 以應付養老金開支，如日本僱員現時13.58%薪金付予養老金供款，2017年將增至18.3%。


福利易放難收 恐蹈歐豬覆轍
向長者派多些，最終也是年輕人付鈔，據統計處推算，每千人供養長者幼兒的撫養比率，會由09年的337人，升至2039年的625人。


3. 易放難收亂派福利 財政難撑


歐洲等國家福利一向優厚，如希臘以往退休養老金金額更可以是薪金的105%，工作滿30年便可自動退休。各項社會開支成為歐豬國的催命符，當國家負債纍纍，要大削養老金，結果就爆發民怨，希臘及意大利更有長者自殺抗議，震撼全國，迫得希臘新政府即喊停削養老金，可見福利易放難收！


4. 全民皆派 苦了窮長者
如果按政黨要求全民皆派雙倍生果金，那麼將來再調高金額幫助貧困長者也不易，因為牽一髮動全身，耗費甚大，要調整也不易。


港大社會工作及社會行政系副教授周基利分析，本港若要實施全民雙倍生果金，必須慎重思考政策在未來30年的可持續性。生果金開支大增，錢從何來？政府會否需要加重稅或減省其他政府開支，若然要加稅的話，市民又會否接受。


政客說話振振有詞，皆因派錢有選票，納稅人卻要付鈔，更會苦了年輕人。歐豬在前，前車可鑑，小心車毀人亡，香港不能成為希臘！

Voyage of discovery

Voyage of discovery


One Hong Kong couple find that local schools are unable to match the standard of home education they provided their children on a round-the-world yacht trip
Elaine Yau (elaine.yau@scmp.com) 
Jul 15, 2012     
SCMP


Freelance writer Cam Cheung Wai-nui and her husband, former police superintendent Robert Highfield, are unconventional parents. When the couple decided after Highfield's retirement in 2005 to realise his childhood dream of sailing around the world, they surprised friends and relatives by taking their two young daughters along.
During the voyage Molly and Nancy, now aged 13 and 11, kept up with their studies through a home-schooling programme. When they returned from the odyssey in 2009, the usual school classrooms awaited them. 


But while others might send their children to elite schools and enrol them in special interest classes to bolster résumés, their parents sent them to an integrated government school with a programme for special needs pupils.


http://www.facebook.com/homeschool1


The idea, Cheung says, was to give the girls some early exposure to people from different backgrounds by having them study alongside hearing-impaired, autistic and hyperactive children.


But after the freedom and flexibilty of home-schooling, Hong Kong's regimented education proved too much for their daughters. So, after Easter this year, just months before Nancy was due to complete her primary education, Cheung took them out of the school and went back to teaching the girls herself.


Cheung has since written a book about her experiences in devising a home-schooling curriculum and the insight she gained from delving into various education issues. 


Titled My Children Learn Differently (Feel Publishing), the Chinese-language title, released last week, is also a biting critique of the local education system.


Two years on the treadmill of Hong Kong classrooms turned her daughters from lively youngsters into a couple of lost, listless girls, Cheung says.


"They no longer had [their own] views on things," she says. "I asked them many questions [about their day] but they just shrugged and present an impassive face."


Cheung blames the school's exhausting study schedule for dampening her children's enthusiasm and curiosity about the world around them.


"When we home-schooled them during our four-year trip, it was very flexible. All homework was during class time, which we set at three hours a day.


They had free time after classes. After living like that for four or five years, they found local school life strange.


"Molly had to spend several hours every day completing her homework, and this caused her a severe lack of sleep. The homework, which required copying and model answers, was very monotonous. They were so tired after school that I had to cut down on visits to grandparents and other activities," Cheung recalls.


Although deeply disenchanted with the local education system, Cheung says she and her husband struggled with the decision to resume home-schooling.


"After four years of home-schooling them at sea, I was eager to hand back the responsibility of teaching them to the school. A sentence uttered by a teacher is more powerful than thousands of words from a mother.


Deadlines also work better in a school setting, as teachers are more authoritative and they get a different kind of respect from children," she says.


"Moreover, I was chairwoman of the parent-teacher association at Wo Che Lutheran School in Sha Tin which Nancy was attending. She was only several months away from graduating when she left. The school showed genuine care about students' learning needs and I felt I was deserting it."


But this was outweighed by the Highfields' concerns about the effect that the straitjacket-learning system in government schools was having on their children, especially Nancy.


Their elder daughter, Molly, had adapted better. She got on well with her classmates in primary school and did well enough to secure a place in Pui Ying College, a sought-after secondary school in Sha Tin.


But Nancy, who loves art and wants to become an artist, didn't enjoy her time back at school at all.


"All the kids would only talk about their favourite anime characters and other silly things," she says.


"I could not find a way to communicate with them without saying something that made them think I was weird. The classes were so boring that you almost fall asleep."


Cheung says their younger daughter enjoyed life on the boat when both parents were around all the time.


"She doesn't like it when I am not at home. The pressure of school made it worse," says Cheung. "She has very strong views on things and her forgetfulness sometimes got her into trouble at school. She found most of her classmates immature, couldn't make many friends and would take a novel to school and read alone in a corner most of the time."


Cheung criticises officials for creating an education system that emphasises homework and academic learning at the expense of students' overall development. It even encroaches on precious family time, which mostly revolves around discussions about revisions and exams.


Instead of helping children to be self-learners who can find out answers by themselves, she says teachers here expect conformity from students who are simply fed chunks of facts.


History textbooks in Hong Kong are mostly filled with dry facts compared with the well-written course material for the US-devised Calvert school curriculum, which she chose for homeschooling at sea. 


The components about Greek mythology and art history are written in such a lively way that I enjoy reading them too," Cheung says. "While local students have to copy their composition with all the teachers' corrections, Calvert gives students a free rein with writing exercises. Parents highlight the mistakes, so their work isn't filled with big crosses."


It took nerve, resolve and hard work for the Highfields to push ahead with home-schooling in Hong Kong, not least because parents are required by law to send their children to school.


"A proposal for home-schooling is scary in Hong Kong, where it's illegal to keep children away from school.


We wrote to the Education Bureau setting out our plan and spelling out our justifications for doing so," Cheung says.


As might be expected, the Highfields' scheme met with a cool reception. The Education Bureau replied saying that students were required by law to attend a recognised school, Cheung recalls, and officials made inquiries at their daughters' school and asked the principal to have a word with them.


But the couple persisted in their quest. They met Education Bureau officials in their Kowloon Tong headquarters and presented detailed plans.


Their thorough groundwork evidently won over the officials: "In the end, they acknowledged that some children benefited from alternative education although they stressed that the policy is for youngsters to be educated in schools. They eventually approved [our application] and they will conduct a home visit to see our progress later."


Cheung reckons her biggest challenge is working out how to instil self-discipline in her daughters and how to make learning interesting for them.


"Home-schooling is a big learning process for me. I have been reading books on how to teach critical thinking, classroom management and child psychology. We are still working on the best methods to teach them."


Highfield takes an active role in the girls' education: besides drawing up the lesson schedule, he is responsible for teaching history and geography.


"Most kids hate history. They have to memorise a lot of meaningless facts.


I am taking them this year through the history of the human race from its beginning up to the civilisations and peoples in the world today. When doing this, we also cover the geography of mankind's spread and where they ended up and why. They are learning about the principles of palaeoanthropology and DNA studies which will give them a good foundation for more detailed study later.


"Once they understand the general picture of the whole of human history, we will go into more detail in chosen areas that interest them."


Chinese language is his wife's sole purview, but he also supports her in maths, science and English lessons.


"[The girls] usually won't mess around. If they get bored, we do something different," Highfield says.


"Most of the time, Cam is the disciplinarian and I am the cajoler to get them to toe the line. I usually inject humour, which helps if things are not going well."


Cheung also goes out of her way to develop interesting educational material for her daughters. Sam Hui Koon-kit's Canto-pop classics, for instance, can offer insight into Hong Kong's social and cultural changes.


"I try to use current affairs and things relating to daily life when teaching Chinese. They love the political satire in Civic Party legislator Tanya Chan Suk-chong 's recent stand-up show," she says.


The girls may return to conventional classes when they advance to higher levels, but, for now, their parents haven't set a timeline for the home-schooling.


"It all depends on how they are doing," Cheung says.


To make up for the loss of their seafaring lifestyle when they returned to Hong Kong, she enrolled her daughters in dinghy sailing classes, and Molly has taken to the sport with gusto.


"Sailing practice continues under the sun or rain. By exposing them to the elements and getting them to use skills and speed to beat others, the sport can train their perseverance and all-round development," she says.


"My husband tried teaching them sailing while we were in Vanuatu, but they didn't pick it up until they came back to Hong Kong. Molly really loves boat racing and wants to be a professional sailor after she grows up."


With Highfield and Cheung closely involved in their children's education, learning is a collaborative activity that often involves everyone in the family.


"We devote six hours every day to learning. There's no homework. We do outings and physical education together. We play badminton and go swimming. I sometimes do crafts, cooking and knitting with them for home-economics lessons. Learning is far more efficient when the subject matter is interesting and they are not in a big class with pupils of varying ability," says Cheung.



"Molly has just finished writing her second novel and is working with her dad on a book on poems.
When they finish, Nancy will provide the illustrations and I will do the Chinese translation."

長者生活津貼2200元須審查 資產總值不超過 186000元 自住物業不計作資產

新長者津貼2200元須審查 逾40萬長者受惠 年增60億開支
明報
7/17/2012


【明報專訊】特首梁振英昨日宣布一系列長者福利措施，其中在競選政綱中提出的「特惠生果金」，會易名為「長者生活津貼」推出。合資格長者每月可獲發2200元津貼，金額是現有高齡津貼（俗稱生果金）約兩倍，當局預料計劃有40多萬名長者受惠，涉及每年額外60億元公帑開支。現時65至69歲長者只要通過現有的「生果金」入息及資產審查，便可取得2200元。現時70歲或以上長者仍可毋須審核領取1090元生果金，但如要獲「升級」改領長者生活津貼，便要通過審查。


醫療券每年增至1000元
另外，政府亦計劃明年1月1日起，把長者醫療券由每年500元增至1000元，預計70萬名長者受惠，政府每年額外開支為3.5億元。另政府建議獎券基金撥款5億元，成立「社會企業發展基金」，專門向社企貸款，協助社企發展。


勞工及福利局長張建宗昨解釋，新長者生活津貼計劃運作，預料在明年1月起可接受65歲或以上長者申請，只要通過現時生果金的入息及資產申報，如單身長者每月入息不超過6660元，資產總值不超過 186,000元，便可領到2200元的長者津貼。

張建宗表示，入息只計算工資、退休金及收租獲得的收入，但子女親友給予的生活費用則不會計算，而長者自住的物業亦不計作資產。


http://easss.com/pharmacy


倘10月開始撥款 1月申請仍可追溯
特首梁振英昨日在立法會指出，新津貼生效日期定於立法會財務委員會批准撥款當天，並爭取在10月上旬召開特別財務委員會審批。張建宗指出，如開始撥款日期為10月，即使長者在明年1月申請，仍可追溯10至12月的津貼，至在1月時一次過取到8800元津貼。


張又指出，當局已是「急民之所急」推出政策，但預計申領人數眾多，社署需要增聘人手及調校電腦系統，籌備需時，故明年初才接受申請。
根據統計處資料，去年中本港65歲以上的長者共94萬人，其中70歲或以上佔68萬人。社署資料顯示，截至今年6月，領取生果金的65歲或以上長者達52.3萬人，當中包括7萬名須通過入息及資產審查的65至69歲申請者，以及44.5萬名毋須資產入息審核而獲發生果金的70歲或以上長者。


議員：津貼「加閘」 違敬老原意
工黨李卓人及民主黨黃成智均批評政府，對70歲或以上長者「加閘」設審查，做法苛刻「算到盡」，「查家宅」有違敬老原意，應劃一向所有長者派發每月2200元津貼，不應設審查分級。長者權益協會總幹事李立航亦擔心，向70歲或以上長者增設審查，浪費行政時間，令長者無法即時受惠。


港大社會工作及社會行政學系講座教授周永新則認為，由於生果金改以「長者生活津貼」推出，為向有需要長者提供額外津貼，故設審查可理解，長遠應進一步把生果金、生活津貼及綜援整合為一個長者津貼系統。社協主任何喜華亦指出，新措拖只應作過渡措施，長遠來說長者生活津貼應要與全民退休保障一同討論。

雙學制效應下 憂新學制亂 尖子鋪路跳船報讀海外大學

憂新學制亂 尖子鋪路跳船
經濟日報 
7/17/2012


【經濟日報專訊】首屆中學文憑試（DSE）本周五放榜，僅兩成考生可升讀本地資助學位課程；雙學制效應下，名校尖子亦憂心新學制前景混亂，作多手準備報讀海外大學，有文武雙全男生已獲哈佛大學無條件取錄。


升學機構指，今年整體海外升學申請較去年增逾兩成，預計放榜後再升一成。準英、美名校大學生教路，報讀海外大學時，個人簡歷宜將成就與擬報讀學科連繫，切忌自我吹噓。


http://digcan.com


本年共7.3萬名學生應考DSE，爭奪1.5萬個資助學位，競爭激烈，在雙學制下，DSE考生與上月放榜的高考生一同競爭自資學位及副學位，不少學生憂心升學前景混亂，都會預先報讀海外課程作為第二出路。


兩年前報考多個國際試

有名校尖子早已鋪定多條出路，於就讀中四及中五時，報考GCE（英國高考）或SAT（美國大學）入學試，期望入讀海外著名學府，為自己增加出路選擇。


拔萃男書院（男拔）應屆文憑試考生吳穎駒，去年於SAT考得2,330分，獲美國康奈爾大學、芝加哥大學，及一間常春藤大學無條件取錄，最後選擇了芝加哥大學，無論周五放榜成績如何，均可赴美升學。


吳表示，幾乎全班逾30名同學皆於過去兩年報考其他國際公開試，據了解，已有數名同班同學分別獲英國倫敦大學學院、倫敦帝國理工學院，及美國加州大學洛杉磯分校取錄。


寫簡歷宜經歷連繫課程
他指出，報讀海外院校時，撰寫個人簡歷技巧是獲得無條件取錄的關鍵：「不能只講課外活動表現或成績優異，除表達自己對學科的熱誠，亦要以故事形式，凸顯傑出之處，與擬報讀課程連繫，切忌自我吹噓！」


獲倫敦國王學院有條件取錄、將攻讀英語的協恩中學中六生黃思琦表示，撰寫個人簡歷要突出自己長處，更重要是表達自己對學科的熱誠，帶出自己與人合作及溝通能力，亦能令人留下深刻印象。


另一名男拔應屆文憑試考生林兆暉，去年SAT考獲2,000分，加上網球表現卓越，中一起已代表香港出戰國際賽，毋須進行面試，已獲美國哈佛大學取錄，下月底赴美開學。他表示如學生有體育及音樂才華能貢獻學校，可增加錄取機會。


放榜後申請料升1成
環凱國際顧問公司項目總監張家禧表示，直至本年7月初，查詢升學數字較去年同期升逾兩成，實際報名人數亦增加了15%至20%，當中赴澳洲及加拿大升學各佔3成，赴英國及美國各佔一成半，餘下一成往新加坡等其他國家。整體申請中，6成為高考生，4成為DSE考生，他預計，考生本周五放榜後申請人數將再升一成。


主要提供英國升學服務的英聯教育顧問中心，申請留學人數較去年上升逾兩成，當中主要報讀商科、工程及法律；機構教育策劃經理梅詠儀預計，高考生大學聯招及文憑試放榜之後，申請人數將會再上升。



拔萃男書院應屆文憑試考生林兆暉、張曉風和吳穎駒，等待文憑試放榜的同時，正準備衝出香港到海外升學。


海外升學知多些
撰寫個人簡歷錦囊