Topic Reading-Vol.528-9/21/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Europe plans to end mobile phone roaming charges.

Even though citizens of the member states aren’t required to go through immigration control and the goods are mostly traded without duties within the member states, there still are regulations that are not friendly to mobile phone users when they cross the border.

Currently, the telecommunication services are still provided on the basis of 28 national markets, rather than one unified market, so that mobile phone users are charged the prices and mobile phone operators are regulated by the rules of the state. Furthermore, there is another frustrating practice called “roaming charge”, a connectivity service fee charged in a location that is different from the location where the service was registered, which makes phone calls or internet connections in a different country much more expensive than the home location.

If or how soon the new proposals by the EU commission are approved?

Enjoy reading and learning about this new initiative to unify the E.U. telecom market.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24056369

Topic Reading-Vol.527-9/20/2013

Topic Reading-Vol.530-9/20/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Vegas mom gives birth to quintuplets in Arizona.

First, this headline is a bit confusing unless you’re familiar with the names of the cities in the U.S. and also the terms used for multiple birth. “Vegas” is Las Vegas, Nevada, and “quintuplets” means five offspring, so it reads like, “A mother who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada gives a birth to five babies in the state of Arizona.”

Second, how rare is it to have quintuplets? The frequency of multiple births from natural pregnancies in the U.S. has been about 1:80N-1 (1:80 means 1 time in 80), or 0.00092% traditionally. So, having quintuplets sounds quite rare, doesn’t it?

Lastly, what are the terms for multiple birth? They are:

Two offspring – twins

Three offspring – triplets

Four offspring – quadruplets

Five offspring – quintuplets

Six offspring – sextuplets

Seven offspring – septuplets

Eight offspring – octuplets

Nine offspring – nonuplets

Ten offspring – decaplets

Eleven offspring – undecaplets

Twelve offspring – duodecaplets

Enjoy reading and learning the challenges of the already-big-family and the terms for multi-birth.

http://news.yahoo.com/vegas-mom-gives-birth-quintuplets-arizona-152957252.html

Topic Reading-Vol.526-9/19/2013

Topic Reading-Vol.529-9/19/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

New Vincent Van Gogh painting identified.

The director of Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam was so excited and delighted to introduce a new artwork that has recently been authenticated as the famous painter’s work, which the museum once had declined to do so. And the previous owner of the artwork put it in his attic and never showed it anyone for over a half century once he had been said it wasn’t Gogh’s work.

An authenticated work, drawing, painting, music, or book, by a popular artist is valued and appreciated so highly. Authentication seems to make such a day-and-night difference to the same artwork. It raises a question; what are people appreciating, the value and quality of the artwork or the name and fame of the artist?

Enjoy reading and learning about once-in-a-lifetime excitement of authentication by the renowned museum.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24014186

Topic Reading-Vol.525-9/18/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Yahoo rolls out its new logo!

How many of the teenagers know of the significance, dominance or influence of this once-renowned portal had provided in the early era of Internet? How many viewers of the portal have recognized the change of its once regarded as a cool logo? And how many of you even care so much about the design change on the Internet? If you think of Google logo design, which changes time to time to reflect the season’s atmosphere or calendar’s event, changing a logo design doesn’t seem to be as big a deal as most of the industry watchers or critics think.

Enjoy reading and learning about a recent change of the struggling Internet giant has made. 

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/05/tech/web/new-yahoo-logo/index.html?hpt=ibu_c2

 

Topic Reading-Vol.524-9/17/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Snowden leaks: US and UK 'crack online encryption'

It seems to be a very controversial issue as to how much or deeply the national security is allowed to reveal and analyze personal information or communication.

If there were no specific regulations or guidelines how much the government can hack the Internet traffic, they may have to depend on their own discipline and individual conscience.

Then does conscience always make good judgments or conscience is even justified to allow such hacking?

Enjoy reading and learning the extent of online decryption by the government agencies. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23981291

 

Topic Reading-Vol.523-9/16/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

On top of the podium: Meet Marin Alsop, the First Lady of the Proms.

There still seem to be numbers of “the first woman to …” things, events and records waiting to be broken in today’s world while now-progressive moves like gay marriages have been recognized or legalized in some states.

This is one of those examples whose over-a-century-old tradition of men-dominating role in England has just been broken by a dedicated female musical talent from America.

There are only a handful of females who are conducting or directing prominent orchestras in the world. Is that because most renowned classical music composers have been men?

Enjoy reading and learning about a tradition in the U.K. and an interview with an American conductor.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/06/showbiz/marin-alsop-the-leading-lady-of-the-proms/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

Topic Reading-Vol.522-9/15/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Diabetes in China may reach alert level.

It seems that the more cars being sold, the higher the chance to get diabetes in a country where bicycles used to be the most common vehicle of transport. Another reason for such increase in the modern disease could be the recent communication technologies and gadgets such as mobile phones, smartphones, blogs and social networking services that seem to relieve people from going to interact with others face to face, which could lessen the chance to exercise while reducing the carbon footprint created by the transport. And of course, eating more, richer and fattier food increases not only the weight but also the chance for diabetes and obesity, which eventually will cost medical costs to the country in the near future.

Enjoy reading and learning about the trend and scale of the modern disease in the most populous country. 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-09/04/content_16941863.htm