Topic Reading-Vol.1244-9/7/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Google’s look, evolved

By now you might have recognized the change of the look, Google’s logo, on your PC, tablet, smartphone, TV or wearable. That is exactly the reason the giant search engine, or rather an information service provider nowadays, has revamped its logo design.

As its official blog says, “once upon a time”, which refers to as long as 17 years ago when they started the service, they were dealing only with PCs. In those days, a click was the key to access something. But now, people have access to its services anywhere, anytime and by any device by tapping, touching and/or talking.

It doesn’t matter to its users which logo they are shown. But for them, it’s a forward-looking move especially after announcing its new organizational structure and leaders.

Enjoy reading and seeing their new style.

http://googleblog.blogspot.jp/2015/09/google-update.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1243-9/6/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Xi meets with former KMT chairman, stressing joint marking war anniversary

Fought each other, together against warlords, each other again, together against Japan and each other to be separated. That is what these two Chinese parties had done in the early 20^th century, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Kuomintang (KMT) or the Nationalists until they established the current states in mainland China and in Taiwan respectively in 1949.

70 years after their united front against Japan ended, they shook hands to commemorate the victory and end of the war against Japan, clearly not to remember the beginning of the Civil War which left no fewer casualties than they had endured during Japanese aggression, and devastated the entire country for four years.

Is this the beginning of a new path toward unification?

Enjoy reading and learning how CPC announced the handshake with KMT.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2015victoryanniv/2015-09/01/content_21768798.htm

Topic Reading-Vol.1242-9/5/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

China to cut troops by 300,000: President Xi

On September 3^rd 2015, China commemorated the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II. They showed off its muscles more clearly than ever at the V-Day military parade with 12,000 troops in 50 formations, not to mention their latest weapons and vehicles on the ground and in the air.

President Xi Jinping, also the top of the People’s Liberation Army (P.L.A.), not only demonstrated China’s military might to the world but also pleaded commitment to peace saying, “China will never seek hegemony or expansion.”

He also announced to reduce it troops by 300,000 from the 2.2-million-strong armed forces to modernize the military, shifting resources from land to sea, air and presumably cyber and outer space.

The question is why one needs to have such a military show-off to commit peace.

Enjoy reading what now-the-most-influential leader said to his people and the world.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2015victoryanniv/2015-09/03/content_21782967.htm

Topic Reading-Vol.1241-9/4/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

How does Usain Bolt run so fast?

Many of you want to know this secret. Why one can run faster than the others in a race, especially among the top athletes who have been given natural ability and persevered vigorous training? You may assume the faster the legs move, the faster the runner can go. But what makes difference between top athletes and casual runners isn’t the speed of their leg’s movement but the time the runner in the air, or strides.

According to a researcher in England. Ordinary runner takes 50-55 steps to run 100 meters while top athletes reach the finish line only by 45 or so steps . Also, longer time in the air means shorter time on the ground. Ordinary runners are touching the ground as long as 50% longer than top athletes.

OK, now. Why Bolt sprints faster than other top athletes?

Enjoy reading and learning what makes runners run faster.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34089451

Topic Reading-Vol.1240-9/3/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Dos and don’ts to preserve your brain power

As one gets older, his or her ability to remember new things tends to weaken. It becomes more difficult to remember even a thing you just were going to do. Are there any effective solutions or exercises to stop or delay such aging problem?

The answer is not No. Though there isn’t any silver bullet to shoot the cause of this problem, there are several things you should or shouldn’t do to delay or ease the problem, such as physical exercises, healthy eating and socializing with others. Also, learning to speak a new language or to play the piano seem to have positive effects.

Then what are the things you shouldn’t do? Exposing your ears to loud music or sound as well as putting junk foods to your stomach. That doesn’t sound anything new, does it?

Enjoy reading and learning how to deal with brain aging.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150828-dos-and-donts-to-preserve-your-brainpower

Topic Reading-Vol.1239-9/2/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Expert: We're 'locked-in' to 3 feet sea level rise

A rise in global sea levels of one to three feet. That was the prediction that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change made two years ago. But according to NASA’s latest projections, even the higher end of the estimate doesn’t seem to be enough. That’s bad news for those who live or do business in coastal areas or islands with low altitude, not to mention the polar bears that have already been struggling to live in fast-changing environment.

The cause? Expanding warmer ocean water, melting mountain glacier and ice sheets especially in Greenland and Antarctic. As a matter of fact, sea levels have already risen close to 3 inches for the last two decades. As the population and activities of humans are going to increase rapidly for the next few decades, higher sea levels seem inevitable.

Enjoy reading and learning another warning of global warning.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/27/us/nasa-rising-sea-levels/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1238-9/1/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

The Challenges of Setting up Shop in India

India is rising for sure. Unlike fast-aging China, nearly two-thirds of the 1.2 billion population are under the age of 35. But how to ride the giant elephant? There seem to be numbers of challenges that foreign business investors and operators have to face.

India is so diverse that most foreigners have difficulty understanding their customs, cultures, religions, caste, language and practices. It is the world largest democratic state with over 700 million eligible voters. However, it is far from transparent like other democratic countries, ranked 85 among 175 countries on transparency and corruption index.

The transportation is another hurdle. It has only 1,300 km of fast roads compared to 112,000 km in China. There are no fast-train railroads which China has over 20,000km across the country.

However, it is still one of the most prospective market in the world.

Enjoy reading and learning about the challenges to do business in India.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20150826-the-challenges-of-setting-up-shop-in-india