One form of social prejudice against older people is the belief that they cannot understand or use modern technology. Activities like playing computer games, going on the Net and downloading MP3s are only for the youngsters. Isn't it unfair that older people enjoying a computer game should be frowned(皱眉) upon by their children and grandchildren?

    Nowadays older people have more control over their lives and they play a full part in society. Moreover, better health care has left more people in their sixties and seventies feeling fit and active after retirement. Mental activity, as well as physical exercise, can contribute to better health. Playing computer games is a very effective way of exercising the brain.

    When personal computers were first introduced, most older people didn't believe they would ever familiarize themselves with it. Now computers have been around for a few generations and retired people have gradually become more relaxed about using them for fun. Gamers over 65 prefer playing puzzle games and card games. Kate Stevens, aged 72, says: “I find it very relaxing. It's not very demanding, but you still need to concentrate.”

    Another development that has favored “grey games” is a change in the type of videogames available on the market. There's a greater variety of games to choose from, including more intellectual and complex strategy(策略) and simulation(模拟) games. Internet Chess and Train Simulator are among the most popular of these. Train Simulator is based on real-world rail activities. Players can choose from a variety of challenges, such as keeping to a strict-timetable and using helper engines during a winter storm.

    Some people argue that “grey gamers” simply don't have the skills required for computer games, and that teenagers are better. This couldn't be further from the truth. Most computer games require the kind of analytical thinking that improves with practice, which means that the “grey gamers” may well be far better than gamers half a century younger than them. In games where speed is the main consideration, older people would be at a disadvantage because they may have slower reaction times. On the other hand, “grey gamers” have a preference for slower paced, mind challenging games.

    Julian Beever is a well-known British artist. His drawings have appeared on the streets of London, Paris, Tokyo, New York and many other cities around the world. Beever creates what looks like a three-dimensional design (三维设计). From animals to heroes to buildings, the paintings are wonders for our eyes to see.

    In his book Pavement Chalk Artist, Beever shares some of his most attractive and humorous pieces. Here are the examples you will find in the book.

    Philadelphia Eagle, created in the USA, is a huge drawing with an eagle (鹰) landing on an American national flag. Meeting Mr. Frog was created in Spain and is about a realistic- looking (样子逼真的) frog sitting on a lily pad (睡莲叶子). Swimming Pool in the High Street is about a woman relaxing in a swimming pool sinking into the middle of the street.

    Along with an introduction about his background, Beever shares information about his time at home in the UK and abroad. With a fun story coming after each piece of art, this 112- page book is really worth another look.

    Application Workshop

    Join Citizens Committee for New York City and the NYC Department of Sanitation for a workshop on the Green Team Mini-Grant application on February 2, which lasts from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM!

    The workshop will cover

    Applying for the Green Team Mini-Grant

    How to use the Zero Waste schools website

    Creative Coding

    We are hosting a free design workshop just for girls on March 7 from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM, in support of International Women's Day! The focus of the workshop is on Creative Coding, with art and technology, but we'll also have a few female designers to share their unique work with the attendees.

    No experience necessary, this event is for girls between the ages of 9-12.

SAT & ACT Roadmap to Success

    In this free 1-hour workshop, parents will discover the road map to SAT & ACT success. Topics included: Review of "goal scores" for SAT/ACT college admissions, national trends in college admissions, how to determine whether the SAT or the ACT is the best test for your student, steps to prepare for the Sat or ACT, best time to take the Sat or ACT. Join us on March 23.

    Square School Family Information Night

    Join us for our Family Information Night on March 14! We'll gather at the future home for Square School for an introduction to the school model at 6:30pm.

    This event is intended for families with young people entering grades six or seven in 2019 that want to be a part of a school community that attaches importance to a lifestyle of learning. Join us for this Family Information Night to see if Square School is the right choice for your family.

    Walking routes that are quicker and cheaper than the Tube in London

    Love to shop? You can walk between Knightsbridge and fashionable Sloane Square in around 10 minutes—much simpler than swapping lines at South Kensington.

    Don't fall into the trap of taking the Piccadilly line between Covent Garden and Leicester Square. It takes just four minutes to walk and you'll avoid the queues for the lifts at Covent Garden.

    *Use a Santander Cycle for just £2

    It costs £2 to access Santander Cycles for 24 hours. The first half hour is free each time you hop on a new bike, which means you can make multiple trips in one day and still pay only £2.

    *Hop on a bus

    Buses don't just offer a scenic way of getting around London—they're easy on the wallet too! A single fare costs just £1.50, while unlimited bus travel on a contactless card costs £4.50.

    Make the most of the hopper fare, which allows you to make a second bus journey for free within an hour of travel.

    *Go contactless for the cheapest fare

    If you have to take the Tube, use the same contactless card all day long to make the most savings when making multiple journeys. Contactless card users benefit from a daily cap (上限).

As the world deals with the rising temperatures brought by climate change, the demand for cooling solutions in hot, dry regions becomes increasingly pressing. However, traditional air conditioning systems produce massive greenhouse gases and use lots of energy.

Facing these challenges, a research team from McGill University, UCLA, and Princeton have found an inexpensive, sustainable cooling method. Their approach not only offers a solution for cooling but also promises to address the problem of heat waves during electricity blackouts.

The researchers set out to achieve a new standard in passive cooling (无动力制冷) within naturally conditioned buildings in hot climates such as Southern California. They aimed to address an important question: how can passive cooling techniques outperform traditional air conditioning units and improve indoor comfort?

The key to this breakthrough lies in harnessing the potential of radiative (辐射的) cooling materials, specifically in the context of housing design. Traditionally, such materials have been employed to prevent roofs(屋顶) from overheating and improve heat rejection from cooling systems. However, the research team recognised that there is under-explored potential in integrating these materials into building design — they can not only remove waste indoor heat but also drive regular and healthy air changes.

Lead author Remy Fortin stated, "We found we could maintain air temperatures several degrees below the surrounding temperature."Remarkably, they achieved this success without giving up a healthy airing. This was never a piece of cake, considering air exchange can unintendedly introduce heat into the building when the goal is to keep the inside cooler than the outside.

The researchers are hopeful that their findings will be used to positively impact communities suffering from climatic heating and heat waves. Salmaan Craig, the principal researcher expressed their expectations: "We hope that materials scientists, designers, and engineers will be interested in these results and that our work will inspire more broader thinking for how to integrate breakthroughs in radiative cooling materials with simple but effective solutions."