Age has its privileges in America, and one of the more prominent of them is the senior citizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age — in some cases as low as 55 — is automatically entitled to dazzling array of price reductions at nearly every level of commercial life. Eligibility is determined not by one's need but by the date on one's birth certificate. Practically unheard of a generation ago, the discounts have become a routine part of many businesses — as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.

    People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them; yet, millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent(有支付能力的). Businesses that would never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to older Americans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly” and “needy” are synonymous (同义的). Perhaps that once was true, but today elderly Americans as a group have a lower poverty rate than the rest of the population. To be sure, there is economic diversity within the elderly, and many older Americans are poor. But most of them aren't.

    It is impossible to determine the impact of the discounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to revenue. But in other cases the discounts are given at the expense, directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they are a direct irritant in what some politicians and scholars see as a coming conflict between the generations.

    Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits, which mostly involve a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is another sore point. Buoyed (支持) by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans are declining the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job — thereby lessening employment and promotion opportunities for younger workers.

    Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a formidable economic privilege to a group with millions of members who don't need them.

    It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deserve priority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enhance the myth that older people can't take care of themselves and need special treatment; and they threaten the creation of a new myth, that the elderly are ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and other age groups. Senior citizen discounts are the essence of the very thing older Americans are fighting against — discrimination by age.

    Our warming planet is expected to face serious water crisis（危机）in the coming decades — which means each nation's natural resource will be more important than ever.

    No matter where you travel in Asia, you'll find yourself faced with a new culture. You can start your Asian exploration (探索) by visiting some of these attractive cities first.

    Beijing, China

    Beijing is the second largest city in China and serves as the capital. The city is so old, in fact, that almost every building has some sort of cultural or historic features — no matter how small. Getting around the city you'll find yourself faced with amazing temples (寺庙), the largest palaces in the world, and many works of art that leave you breathless.

    Siem Reap, Cambodia(柬埔寨)

    Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap has a lot of French and Chinese­style architecture. In the city, there are traditional dance performances, silk farms, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary (保护区) near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today, being a popular tourist attraction, has a large number of hotels and restaurants.

    Kathmandu, Nepal(尼泊尔)

    Situated in the heart of the Himalayans, Kathmandu, the largest city and capital of Nepal, is considered to be one of the most outstanding cities in the world today. The shopping districts are world famous and the hotels in Kathmandu are among the most comfortable in the world.

    Kyoto, Japan

    The city of Kyoto served as the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868. No longer the capital, it is known for being the seventh largest city in Japan. Kyoto was destroyed throughout history by fires and war. But now the city is home to more than 1.4 million people, and it presents a modern face to the rest of the world.

    Every city throughout Asia has a story of its own. It's up to you to explore them all and find out exactly what each one has to offer. Enjoy!

    We arrived at the hospital to find Dad was very weak, but his smile was as sure as ever. It was another attack of pneumonia (肺炎). My husband and I stayed with him for the weekend but had to return to our jobs on Monday. Local relatives would help Dad get home from the hospital and look after him. But I longed to be able to let him know that we cared too, even when we weren't with him.

    Then I remembered a family tradition when our children were small. When leaving their grandparents' home after a visit, each child would write a love note to their grandparents. They hid notes in the cereal (麦片) box, under a hairbrush, next to the phone or even in the microwave oven (微波炉). For days, their grandparents would smile as they discovered these signs of our love.

    So as I tidied Dad's kitchen and made up a bed for him downstairs in the living room, I wrote some notes. Some were practical, “Dad, I put the food in the fridge so it wouldn't spoil.” Some expressed my love, “Dad, I hope you will sleep well in your new bed.” Most notes were downstairs where he would stay for several weeks until he recovered strength, but one note I hid upstairs under his pillow, “Dad, if you have found this note, you must be feeling better. We are so glad!”

    Just like his medicines strengthened him physically, these “emotional vitamins” would improve his spiritual health. Several weeks later, in one of our regular phone calls, I asked Dad how he was doing. He said, “Pretty good. I just found your note under my pillow upstairs!”

    Smart Kids is a collection of one hundred events scheduled in October. This year, it is experimenting with Pay What You Decide (PWYD). That is, you can decide to pay what you want to or can afford, after you have attended an event. You can pre-book events without paying for a ticket in advance. Here are some of the director's picks.

    Walk on the Wild Side

    Not ticketed, Free

Join storyteller Sarah Law to hear science stories about animals. Along the way you'll meet all sorts of beautiful creatures and discover life cycles and food chains. Best suited to children aged 5-9. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

    Introduction to Waves

    Pre-book, PWYD

    Subjects range from sound waves to gravity waves, and from waves of light to crashing waves on the ocean. Mike Goldsmith explores the fundamental features shared by all waves in the natural world.

Science in the Field

    Not ticketed, Free

This storytelling night features a scientist sharing his favourite memories of gathering first-hand data on various field trips. Come along for inspiring and informative stories straight from the scientist's mouth. Join Mark Samuels to find out more in this fun-filled workshop.

    Festival Dinner

Pre-book, £25 per person

Whether you want to explore more about food, or just fancy a talk over a meal, join us to mark the first science festival in London. Which foods should you eat to trick your brain into thinking that you are full? Find out more from Tom Crawford.

    The Gold Coast family holidays are always great fun whether you are from Australia or from abroad. There are beautiful beaches, adventure (冒险) parks, nature parks and so much more.

    There are so many sights to see here. It is a pity to drive in a car and you'll miss a great part of it. Australia is home to many animals and birds that can only be seen when moving slowly and going into the areas where they live.

    When you are on a bicycle, you have the advantage of being able to stop whenever you want to see an interesting animal or bird that you have never seen before. It is a quieter way of transportation as well, so you might even be able to take a picture. When you are on the beach, you can breathe that clean air and view the beauty of the water and sand. It is a totally different experience from passing it in a car.

    There are many choices of hiring (租用) a bicycle to experience the Gold Coast. There are stores that will fit a bike perfectly to your size. These bikes for both adults and children are in many kinds and colors to please any taste. If you have ever wanted to try a tandem bike (双人单车), now is your chance, because they have those too.

    A bicycle hire on Gold Coast is something that everyone should try at least once. This is a wonderful chance for anyone who likes to cycle and it is also a cheap way to travel with your family.