Topic Reading-Vol.3699-5/28/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

2-year-old orders 31 cheeseburgers after mom leaves phone unlocked

DoorDash is the largest food delivery company in the United States which operates an online food ordering and food delivery platform. To use the DoorDash app, just use the food icons on your smartphone, or the search tab to find your favorite restaurant. A Texas mother sometimes uses this app to have MacDonald’s lunch delivered to her two children at school. But she didn’t order the app for lunch on the day when her 2-year-old son played with her smartphone a little harder than usual. Later, a DoorDash delivery of 31 MacDonald’s cheeseburgers arrived at her house. She had no idea how the order was placed but found that it was her 2-year-old son who pressed the screen and sent to order accidentally. It is indeed surprising that a food delivery order can be placed by accident like this. But it is also surprising that a food delivery service is used for children’s school lunches.

Enjoy reading the article and finding out what she did with the cheeseburgers.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/21/us/texas-toddler-mcdonalds-cheeseburger-doordash-trnd/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3698-5/27/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The realities of the four-day workweek

Until about 100 years ago when Ford Motor Company introduced the five-day workweek, most workers went to work six days a week. Gradually, more companies, factories, and individuals adopted the practice and by the end of the century, the five-day workweek became a common work practice in many parts of the world. But why five days, not four days? Though the debates and trials for a shorter workweek have been on and off for some time, a 2020 survey shows only 5% of US full-time employees worked shorter than five days. It is generally thought that the potential benefits of the four-day workweek are better work-life balance and improved well-being. However, in some cases, workers feel pressured to do the same tasks in fewer days and end up adding more hours to workdays. While these problems might have been experienced when the six-day workweek shifted to five-day, cutting the time by 20% to do the same job seems like a bigger challenge. Indeed, without improving productivity and work efficiency, one might end up working 10 hours each day, which seems too long for most workers. Still, working fewer days surely brings some irresistible benefits and well-being.

Enjoy reading the article and think if you prefer working harder in fewer days.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220322-the-realities-of-the-four-day-workweek

Topic Reading-Vol.3697-5/26/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Mine e-waste, not the Earth, say scientists

A lot of rare metals are used to produce electronic gadgets and batteries, like smartphones, PCs, and e-vehicles. Gallium for LEDs, indium for microchips, and lithium for batteries, only to name a few. Those metals are found only in certain areas and their supplies aren’t infinite, and therefore they are the bottleneck of their supply chains. In the meanwhile, a substantial amount of e-waste that contains these precious elements is generated each year, only less than 20% of which is collected and recycled. Is there any way to increase the recycling of such e-waste? A survey of 10,000 people in 10 countries found that consumers are becoming more conscious of the environment and sustainability when it comes to choosing a product to buy. So, why don’t we try encouraging and stimulating e-product buyers and owners more? Also, why not include a recycling scheme as part of the original sales?

Enjoy reading the article and think about how to use more e-waste to save the planet.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-61350996

Topic Reading-Vol.3696-5/25/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

US Navy's first woman aircraft carrier commander: Leadership is hard

Commissioned in November 1989, USS Abraham Lincoln is one of the US Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers on active duty. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier serves as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3 which belongs to the US Pacific Fleet. The 100k-ton nuclear-powered carrier is sailed by 3,200 sailors and its 90 aircraft and helicopters are run by a complement of 2,500. She is powered by two nuclear reactors and protected by four missile systems and two automatic guns.

Captain Amy Bauernschmidt is the commanding officer of this massive aircraft carrier. She served as an Executive Officer (XO), in charge of the day-to-day operation, of the ship for three years before she became in charge of the carrier in the summer of 2021. Indeed, she was the first and only woman in the select group of US Navy officers who command aircraft carriers. She served as a helicopter pilot, instructor, and squadron leader, studied and graduated from nuclear power school, and commanded an amphibious ship before commanding the aircraft carrier as XO. A brilliant career she has developed!

Enjoy reading the article and learn about this powerful navy officer on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/16/asia/us-navy-woman-aircraft-carrier-commander-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3695-5/24/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Photos: Waiting for water train in India’s scorching desert state

In India and Pakistan, 'more intense heatwaves of longer durations and occurring at a higher frequency are projected'

Pali district is in the state of Rajasthan, India’s northwestern state that shares a border with Pakistan. Precipitation in this region has been so low especially for the last two years that water had to be brought in by trains in hot seasons. This year, the residents of the district have already been suffering an early heatwave, and temperatures often reach 45 degrees Celsius or even higher. As the district had already depleted water resources, water has been brought in by the 40-wagon train from a town 65km away for thousands of people. Many people, most of whom are women and school children, are waiting for the water train a few times a day. For some children, carrying water to their homes takes a higher priority over going to school.

Promise: In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an ambitious Water Life Mission to provide a functional tap connection to all households in rural India by 2024.

Reality: Less than 50 percent of the population has access to safe drinking water.

As global warming continues, heat waves might become the norm rather than seasonal. Will the world have enough safe water for the increasing population?

Read the article and see the photos of what might be seen in more places in the world.

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2022/5/17/photos-waiting-for-water-train-in-indias-scorching-desert-state-rajasthan

Topic Reading-Vol.3694-5/23/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Not lovin' it: How Russians reacted to McDonald's closing

McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in Moscow in 1990 and became the symbol of glasnost in action by breaking through the Iron Curtain. The fast-food restaurant chain had enjoyed its Russian business for the last 32 years until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It operated 847 restaurants in Russia and employed 60,000 employees. Together with 108 restaurants in Ukraine, the sales accounted for about 9% of the company’s revenue in 2021. However, they decided to close their operation in Russia to keep their values. The company’s announcement says, “The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and precipitating unpredictable operating environment have led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values.” Though the decision was well accepted by investors, selling their 847 locations without the iconic brand name and vital food supply is really a hard sell. Indeed, the company is going to take a huge write-off. And the employees have to wait to find out whether they will have to look for a new job.

Enjoy watching the video to hear what young Russians say about McDonald’s exit.

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/05/17/mcdonalds-russia-exit-lon-orig-mrg.cnn/video/playlists/business-news/

Topic Reading-Vol.3693-5/22/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Thousands of Britain's 'fish and chip' shops could close within a year. Here's why

Fish and chips is a UK’s popular hot dish consisting of fried fish, usually cod or haddock, in crispy batter, served with chips (fried potatoes). It appeared in the UK in the 1860s to feed industrial workers and soon became popular. Even during World War II, unlike other essentials like tea, butter, and meat, fish and chips was exempt from the ration because it was important to feed workers and soldiers. It is considered Britain’s national dish and around 10,000 dedicated fish and chips, mostly small papa-and-mom shops, are currently in business across the country. Unfortunately, their businesses are in crisis because of the soaring costs of gas, oil, fish, and potatoes. On top of the accelerating inflation since last year, the supply chain of these key ingredients was broken when Russia invaded Ukraine. Nearly 40% of cod and haddock came from Russian waters and half of its sunflower oil was imported from Ukraine. As a major part of the supply is cut or reduced, the prices of their alternatives hike, such as fish from Iceland and Norway. Also, the price of palm oil, a popular alternative to sunflower oil, recently doubled as Indonesia, the world’s largest exporter, restricted exports to keep their domestic supplies. And of course, energy bills are rising higher and higher as the crisis continues. Since fish and chips is a popular dish for commoners, those shops aren’t raising their selling prices as much as their costs have increased. Now, the industry’s organization is worried that as many as a third of the nation’s fish and chips restaurants might close their doors.

Read the article and learn about UK’s national dish crisis.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/16/business-food/fish-and-chips-britain-inflation/index.html