Topic Reading-Vol.1784-2/28/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The 15 worst cities for rush hour traffic

Economic prosperity and traffic congestion seem to coincide with each other. According to the data compiled by a GPS manufacturer, growing metropolitan cities like Bangkok and Mexico City have heavier evening traffic congestion than other 388 cities in the world. Of the top 15 most congested cities, seven are in China, and many more seem to be listed in the following rankings.

When people move in residential or suburban districts of such metro cities where there are limited public transportation options, they have no choice but to drive cars. Furthermore, people rush out of their workplaces almost at the same time on weekdays.

When modern science and technologies are advancing at a speed humans have ever experienced, this simple human-caused problem doesn’t seem to find any viable solutions soon.

Enjoy reading and thinking if you can bear with such traffic every evening only to go home.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/02/20/autos/traffic-rush-hour-cities/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1783-2/27/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

UAE seeks to build human settlement on Mars by 2117

A hundred-year project. Aiming to achieve in the generations to come, the United Arab Emirates, UAE, plans to build the first human colony on Mars within 100 years. Though it doesn’t sound as bold or ambitious as JFK’s commitment made back in 1961 to send a man on the Moon by the end of the decade, it seems to inspire the emirates’ students, engineers and scientists of the present and the future to work for the dream.

But one question still remains to be answered. Is Mars such an enjoyable and comfortable place to live on?

Ask *Mark Whitney if he’d like to go back to the red planet again.

  *Mark Whitney is a botanist in a science fiction novel, The Martian, who was left on Mars alone, but was later rescued by the crew.

Enjoy reading and thinking if humans will ever inhabit the neighboring planet.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/uae-seeks-build-human-settlement-mars-2117-170214180519942.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1782-2/26/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Life expectancy to break 90 barrier by 2030

People are expected to live longer in the future. With improved health care and medical services along with healthier nutrition, lifestyles and living conditions, humans, or any other being, can live longer.

According to a recent study conducted by the WHO and a British university, South Korean women are expected to live longer than women of any other country. It also shows the gap between men and women are closing because of safer and more health-conscious life styles among men. Heavy drinking and smoking don’t seem to look fashionable any longer.

Other factors on this increasing longevity are education and equality, both of which influence on early life nutrition, which is essential for healthy growth.

Enjoy reading and thinking how you’d live this increasing time in your later life.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39040146

Topic Reading-Vol.1781-2/25/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Can’t unplug?

Sense of belonging or feel of being connected? Whichever the motive might be, many people seem addicted to smartphones wherever they are and whenever they can. Most of them admit that they are spending too much time and attention on their beloved digital device that hadn’t existed until a decade ago.

Is it really a bad habit? Is staying online so different from watching TV for hours?

Reading the paper, writing letters and talking on the phone had been typical forms of information, communication and interaction before the digital age. All these things can be done by a piece of thin device now. So, spending a couple of hours day on a smartphone may not be that different from spending time on such activities all together. But those who are addicted admit that they are doing too much and too long.

Enjoy reading and thinking how long and easily you can disconnect yourself from the Internet.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170220-cant-unplug-heres-how-to-navigate-your-digital-anxiety

Topic Reading-Vol.1780-2/24/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Westerners' favorite Chinese dishes that you won't find anywhere in China

Are all the dishes served in a Chinese restaurant genuine Chinese food? China is indeed such a diverse country that each region has its distinct cooking style and dishes, like Sichuan, Fujian or Cantonese to name a few. But there are dishes that don’t seem to be served anywhere in China but are very popular in western countries, such as General Tso's chicken, fried spring rolls and fortune cookies. How such non-Chinese dishes became standard dishes at Chinese restaurants overseas is unknown. But they are surely popular and loved by many western diners. Even though those dishes are cooked by Chinese chefs and served in Chinese restaurants, they are often regarded as non-genuine because they aren’t served anywhere in China. Is it fair or reasonable to classify dishes like that? How about giving those dishes a new status, Western style, the ninth Chinese cuisine.

  F.Y.I. The eight Chinese cuisines, check this;

   http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/eight-cuisine.htm

Enjoy reading and thinking which of these nine Chinese cuisines you like to try next.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/food/2017-02/20/content_28272249.htm

Topic Reading-Vol.1779-2/23/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Tech Tent: inners and losers in the 'gig' economy

What’s gig economy? It’s the freelance economy in short. It is an environment where temporary positions are filled by people who have space and time to spare with those who are looking for such space and time, such as Uber and room renting. Their platform allows people to provide such services without official registrations or permits, and spreading rapidly around the world, which makes traditional service providers like taxi drivers worry about their businesses and jobs. But is it really eroding existing businesses?

Enjoy reading and thinking if you’re interested in using or providing gig services.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38772997

Topic Reading-Vol.1778-2/22/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Barcelona protest to support migrants draws thousands

Despite the rising resistance to accept more refugees across Europe, there is a call for more in Barcelona, Spain. The mayor of the Mediterranean city of Catalonia actively campaigned to push the national government to take the number of refugees committed in 2015.

People in Catalonia seem to be more sensitive than others in the nation to what’s happening in the sea that the region faces where thousands of refugees are estimated to have disappeared in 2016 alone.

Will the world have more of such calls and rallies for humanitarian efforts, or just mind one’s own business?

Enjoy reading and think what the border and nationality mean to those who are desperate to escape from life-threatening force.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39017265