Topic Reading-Vol.879-9/7/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

'Smart' chopsticks unveiled in China

How many smart-something do you want? Smart phone, smart watch, smart vacuum cleaner, or smart cooker? Now there is a smart idea from China for a day-to-day or even meal-to-meal item. Chopsticks!

The smart chopsticks unveiled by the search giant Baidu detect unsanitary cooking oil, which is a major concern in the now food safety conscious country. They also measure the heat and the amount of salt in the food.

If such food safety gears become available, you may soon find smart knives, smart forks and smart spoons, so that you’ll learn or be warned how much salt, fat and even calorie you’re getting per bite.

Will that make you feel safe or frustrated?

Enjoy reading and learning about this new application of high technology.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29062509

Topic Reading-Vol.878-9/6/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Monkey leaders and followers have 'specialised brains'

The proportion of monkey brains was found to vary considerably depending on their social status within the hierarchy, according to the study by researchers in University of Oxford. This could suggest that monkeys need some specialty to be good at being in respective status of the hierarchy. That sounds quite reasonable when it comes to organizations and society of the human being. Also, it indicates it is not just physical strength or aggression that brings some monkey earns and plays the leader’s role, like humans.

The next question is whether such brain proportion is inherited or developed. At the moment, it hasn’t been clarified yet but the lead researcher of this project thinks it is combination of both.

Enjoy reading and learning about how brains of primates vary according to the role the society.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29013592

Topic Reading-Vol.877-9/5/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Action films most likely to make you fat, says study

Are TV or movie watchers more obese than those who aren’t? It seems so, according to US researchers. They had people watch movies and provided snacks to find which genres of movies they eat more than others. They found that those who watched action movies consumed more than other genres.

The link between TV/movie watching and obesity had been suggested. That may be because those who spend time on sitting and watching a screen are less likely to exercise. But this new research suggested that action movie watchers eat more. It probably because those watchers are so occupied by the actions and sound of the fast moving movie that they tend to forget how much they have been eating.

Enjoy reading and learning about the link between what to watch and how much to eat.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28980156

Topic Reading-Vol.876-9/4/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Syria's foreign jihadis: Where do they come from?

Following the previous volume, there is another interesting article about the extremists in Arabia.

The original meaning of “jihad” in Arabic is "struggle." And jihadist movement is guerilla warfare and Islamic terrorism by those who engage in jihad. In Syria, there seem to be a considerable number of foreign jihadis fighting and killing anyone who don’t belong to or obey them. To make the matter worse, there seem to be numbers of such ruthless fighters who come from other countries. Where are they from? How many are there?

Enjoy reading and learning the numbers of Muslims in the world and how much of them are taking part in the jihad and Islamic State, or IS.

http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2014/09/syria-foreign-jihadis/?hpt=hp_c1

Topic Reading-Vol.875-9/3/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Saudi king warns West will be jihadists' next target

Now the king of the oil-rich US ally in Arab is urging the west to act promptly and decisively against the extreme Islamic group, known as IS, Islamic State. Their aggressions now seem to go way beyond state borders and even religious boundaries. But isn’t that something the Security Council of the UN should be dealing with? Are there just too many conflicts that the UN can handle?

No one seems to be interested in Syria’s domestic uprising any more. The responsibility of the downed passenger plane over Crimea seems no longer a news topic. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority don’t seem to have assured peace in the region yet. And now Russian troops are in Crimea, supporting the pro-Russian militants. As the Security Council isn’t functioning as it is supposedly, NATO and EU are taking the lead to deal with these crises.

Enjoy reading and learning how serious and threatening the IS problem is.

http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-king-warns-west-jihadists-next-target-093701543.html

Topic Reading-Vol.874-9/2/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Cat-astrophic revelation purr-turbs Hello Kitty fans

In Vol. 864 of Topic Reading dated August 23^rd, Kitty’s 40^th birthday was introduced. Now, there is a shocking revelation about this popular character (or cat-acter). Sanrio, the producer of Hello Kitty, officially confirmed that Kitty is a character, not a cat, and actually has a pet cat of her own.

That might remind you of the way she walks. Have you ever seen her walking with her four legs? Well, she never does. Officially, she lives in London with her parents and her twin sister, Mimmy.

Then, which is more surprising to you, this revelation of the popular character or the downgrade of Pluto from planet to dwarf-planet?

Enjoy reading and learning about this beloved 40-year-old global character.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/world/asia/hello-kitty-revelation/index.html?hpt=hp_c5

Topic Reading-Vol.873-9/1/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Many Indians turning to meat as their wallets grow fatter

Is adding chicken to vegetarian menu healthier diet than pure vegetarianism? As you know, fat-removed chicken is white meat that provides more protein than what the same amount of any vegetable does. And more Indians eat chicken as they become wealthier these days. But is it easy for vegetarians to add chicken to their menu? For young people who have more chance to encounter and interact with others with different customs, it seems natural to try tasting new food, and chicken is just one of them.

If you think of the population of India, which is estimated to be the top of the world list within a few years, chicken may be wise food menu because its less expensive to produce and less harmful to the environment.

Enjoy reading and learning how vegetarians are turning into vegetarians with chicken.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/world/asia/india-meat-eating/index.html?hpt=hp_c4