Topic Reading-Vol.361-4/7/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Near-Death Experiences More Vivid Than Real Life.

Have you ever had a near-death experience in your life or as long as you remember? The experience could include getting out of your body or going through a dark tunnel, which sometimes are shown in a movie or TV. Can your spirit really go out of your body when you die?

Enjoy reading and learning about what the near-death experience is about. 

http://news.yahoo.com/near-death-experiences-more-vivid-real-life-181840001.html

Topic Reading-Vol.360-4/6/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,
Space station detector gives first clues to 'dark matter'.

Humans are investing enormous amount of financial fund and scientific talent on a 16-nation-collaborated mission trying to find something that has never been seen or detected, a thing called “dark matter.” (NOT the ‘dark side’ in Star Wars movie)

One surprising yet interesting issue to learn for most of the readers is that 95% of the universe consists of things we can’t see or detect, such as dark energy and dark matters. It’s like walking in a space where only 5% of the things around is visible, though the rest seems to be neither harmful nor dangerous for walking.

Enjoy reading and learning about the rest of the universe.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/04/world/europe/space-dark-matter/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

Topic Reading-Vol.359-4/5/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Apple's apology not too late.

After checking other news sources, their side of stories turned out to be read-worthier than western media, which talks only from Apple’s business view point, not the ones from its customers or services that are vital to be a respectable market player in the market.

However, it’s quite rare for the once-world-most-valued company to apologize for their attitude to their customers. You might remember that they did when their bold attempt to put their own map on their new iPhone last year which had too many fatal technical glitches compared with any other competitive products. This time, their apology is for their attitude because China is such a key market for Apple when their sales in other countries don’t seem to be in line with their expectation or projection. The bottom-line seems to be still a simple business judgment, not a sentimental move to care about their customers as much as its competitors.

Enjoy reading and learning how Chinese (state-run?) media state the issue. 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-04/02/content_16370593.htm

Topic Reading-Vol.358-4/4/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Caroline Kennedy to Be Named Ambassador to Japan.

How would Japanese people think of a nomination of a daughter of President Kennedy as US ambassador to their country? The country has been honored to welcome very high profile ambassadors from its key ally, including former vice president Walter Frederick Mondale and White House Chief of Staff Howard Baker.

Enjoy reading and learning about a nominee to the important and honorable diplomatic position, especially in a very difficult and sensitive time in the region because of the threats from North Korea, territorial disputes over islands against and expanding military presence by China.

http://news.yahoo.com/caroline-kennedy-named-ambassador-japan-162207706.html

Topic Reading-Vol.357-4/3/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Melt may explain Antarctica's sea ice expansion.

Global warming seems to have been increasing the amount of sea ice around Antarctica in winter time. It sounds paradoxical while glaciers in the mountains are decreasing or even disappearing.

There is an interesting explanation released in a science journal by a group of meteorological scientists in a Dutch institute. And a British scientist guesses that another factor explains even more about the increasing sea ice, wind.

Enjoy reading and learning what’s going on around the coldest continent on our mother earth. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21991487

Topic Reading-Vol.356-4/2/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Images from the Hindu festival of Holi.

In Japan, some of the financial institutes on the street, such as Japan Posts or local banks, have color balls in case someone tries to rob or has robbed them, to mark the robber by the paint in the ball, which will make the robber difficult to escape into crowds.

Here in India, people celebrate the beginning of spring by throwing colored dry powder to each other. Very different practice isn’t it?

Enjoy seeing those painted Indians celebrating their festival. 

http://news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-images-hindu-festival-holi-032820936.html

Topic Reading-Vol.354-4/1/2013

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Google Street View maps Fukushima nuclear ghost town.

Some of you might have seen Google’s street view of the places of your interest, or even your own house and neighborhood. They have not only maps but also images from all angles, and in some cases inside of a store or school.

 

(If you’re interested, you can see the inside of oru MEL School Mitaka.)

https://www.google.co.jp/maps?layer=c&z=17&sll=35.699511,139.56058099999998&cid=3107384633733548425&panoid=p1f_1WA9nTrlmTIuwqqZQg&cbp=13,73.03081031891382,,0,0&q=MEL+school+%E4%B8%89%E9%B7%B9&sa=X&ei=madXUYTlMcK4lQX_i4HgCg&ved=0COUCEKAfMB4

This time, their famous street view car went into the evacuation area in Namie, Fukushima where 22,000 of their residents have been forced to flee.

Read the article and see the photos of the still-empty once-peaceful rural town.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/28/world/asia/japan-google/index.html?hpt=hp_c4