Topic Reading-Vol.3186-12/31/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How to bring an airplane out of hibernation

If you look up at the sky, you’ll find no or fewer commercial aircraft flying, even around the airport. Indeed. Coronavirus pandemic has grounded more than two-thirds of the world’s commercial aircraft. Even the surviving ones aren’t flying as frequently as they used to. So, where are those grounded aircraft? They are parked at aircraft boneyards in Canada, Arizona, USA, and Australia where space and maintenance are provided. Since those grounded aircraft are sealed and kept unoperated for longer than regular-maintenance periods, it takes some time to bring their lives back to airworthy. As you know, since any tiny error could cause a catastrophic outcome, preserving and reactivating aircraft isn’t an easy task. Mechanically, systematically, and physically (appearance and smell), they need to be inspected, tested, and certified. And when things are getting back to normal, they will all need to go through the vigorous process before they fly passengers.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about commercial aircraft in waiting.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/airplanes-hibernation-wake-up/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3185-12/30/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

UK company launches $30 bottled air range for homesick expats

Bottled water is common all around the world. Some are just cleaned or purified while others contain spring water from someplace. Indeed, water tastes different itself and also adds tea or coffee extra flavor. What about the air? Do you miss the air of your place when you travel to stay in another place for a long time? There seem to be quite a few people who may have missed the air of their homeland because of the travel ban or restrictions to contain the outbreak of coronavirus especially during the holiday season. And a UK company is now selling bottled authentic air of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to those who missed or want to feel the air. This might add some touch to online family reunions. The company also bottles the air from a specific place upon request.

How much would you pay for a bottle of air? When you were in space or on another planet, you probably would be very desperate to smell the air of the mother planet.

Enjoy reading the article and think if you want bottled air from any particular place.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/uk-company-launches-30-bottled-air/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3184-12/29/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

An acquired taste? McDonald's China offers burger featuring Spam and crushed Oreos

How would you like to start a new week? Some may want to eat savory luncheon meat for lunch to power up and others prefer a sweet treat in a coffee break to ease stress. How about both together at once?

Every Monday, McDonald’s China offers the week’s special to its members at its 3,700 restaurants across the country. On December 21, they came up with something unusual and unimaginable food menu, Oreo luncheon meat burgers, a combination of savory and sweet ingredients. The savory luncheon is Spam, canned cooked pork, and Oreo, a sandwich cookie consisting of two chocolate wafers with a sweet crème filling. It’s quite difficult to imagine how it looks and tastes when they are sandwiched by burger buns. Since this special offer was limited to only 400,000 servings in total, some stores sold out their allocated supply by noon. How about the reviews?

Enjoy reading the article and learn about what an unusual combination could offer.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/mcdonalds-china-oreo-spam-burger-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3183-12/28/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Surviving a hotel quarantine ... with kids

What is it like to stay in a hotel room for two weeks? You may think it’ll be relaxing not having to go out or do house chores. True. But what if you weren’t allowed to go out of the room even by a step? No amusing hotel facilities like gym, swimming pool, restaurants, or shops. That is what a strict quarantine is like under a pandemic. You can watch as many movies as available, read as many books as you can, or sleep as long as you want. Then, what if you were with your young children whose interests are so different from yours? You’ll be quite busy enticing them with activities and encouraging them to do things that kill time. When you have to travel to a country where two-week quarantine is mandatory, this might be a situation where you will end up in. Would it be unbearable? Not quite. Some parents seem to have found it manageable or even valuable.

Enjoy reading the article about what quarantine is like with children.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/covid-hotel-quarantine-with-kids/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3182-12/27/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

'Heat gap': Why some city districts are hotter than others

In some urban cities like Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Washington DC in the USA and Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, and Doha in Qatar, where a distinct gap exists between the rich and the others, there seem to be considerable temperature gaps between the districts. It is called the heat gap, or intraurban variability of temperature, which is caused by a variety of factors including building structures, air-conditioning installations, relative green spaces and trees, and pavement. Such structural gaps have been created over a long period of time by wealth and racial segregation. Indeed, the rich can afford to buy and live in well-constructed houses with air conditioning in nice neighborhoods where there are more greens and trees while those who earn less have no choice but to live in old houses or apartments in less invested and maintained areas. Also, such disparity and inequality are inherited from generation to generation due to education and segregation. The heat gap isn’t just the temperature gap but also the social gap.

So, will global warming also segregate people more?

Read the article and learn about the heat gap.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201214-heat-gap-why-some-city-districts-are-hotter-than-others

Topic Reading-Vol.3181-12/26/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

North Korea: Potato propaganda is back... but what does it mean?

In eastern Asia like Japan, Korea, and the Sothern part of China, rice has been the primary food. But unlike southeastern Asia where water is plentiful and temperatures are always warm to grow and harvest rice multiple times a year, rice harvest of these eastern Asia regions can be affected severely by weather and natural disasters like drought or flood. When rice harvest plunges, people in the area have to depend on rice substitutes, such as millet, buckwheat, and potatoes. No offense to potatoes, but they aren’t rice.

In North Korea between 1994 and 1998, there were economic mismanagement and a series of floods and droughts, which caused severe food shortages. They had no choice but to grow more potatoes since they are quick to harvest and provide much-needed calories and nutrition to starving people. So, the government encouraged people to grow and eat potatoes via propaganda then.

Recently, quite considerable potato-honoring media activities have detected in North Korea. Does it mean they are starving again?

Watch the video to learn about what potato propaganda could mean in the secretive state.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-55348575

Topic Reading-Vol.3180-12/25/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Cavalry team given important role in space operation

Inner Mongolia is a landlocked autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. You may be surprised to know that Inner Mongolia is a hot spot for China’s space programs. There is China’s first satellite launch center that was founded in 1958, which still is the most frequently used launch site in the country. Also, many space vehicles have made their touchdowns in the region. For example, the reentry capsule of Change 5, China’s first moon mission to bring soil and rock samples back to earth, successfully landed and retrieved there earlier this month. Although satellites and ground radars tracked the reentry, it was humans and horses that finally tracked the returned capsule. Indeed, China organized a calvary team to search for the capsule in the vast landing area where there are no habitations or roads. It was a tough mission for the cavalrymen and horses as the night temperatures could reach -25C this time of the year.

Will the future astronauts be welcomed by a cavalryman and his horse when they return from Mars? They sure will feel like having come home.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about this modern cavalry team for China’s space program.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202012/18/WS5fdbf9d1a31024ad0ba9c864_1.html