Topic Reading-Vol.1237-8/31/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Banksy Dismaland show revealed at Weston's Tropicana

Interested in seeing something unusual or un-expectable? Take a trip to Tropicana Pleasure Beach, near Bristol, England. There you’ll see another version of Disneyland, far different from family entertaining theme park. As a matter of fact, the artist who organized this six-week show in a nearly-closed amusement park described the event as a "family theme park unsuitable for children."

Interested or curious? Enjoy seeing the photos of this weird exhibition by a prominent contemporary artist.   

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-33999495

Topic Reading-Vol.1236-8/30/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Why is Canadian English unique?

Though it isn’t so much sense in just learning Canadian accent unless you’re going to live there, it is quite interesting to know a little bit of their version of English.

English in Canada is spoken by only about the three-fifths of the 35-million population as native language. The one-fifth speak their version of French, a derived version from the French in France, and the rest speak the languages of their origins. How did Canadians and their version of English derive from America, as well as their unique identity they have inherited from Europe?

In general, Canadians seem to have adopted American cultures, lifestyle and business practices quite a lot but still respected and inherited their individual roots, whether from Europe or Asia.

According to this article, "The British may be family, but Americans are friends. Or sometimes ‘frenemies’." It sounds like a bit British-favored viewpoint, doesn't it?

It would be interesting to find how Americans view Canadians and their version of English.

Enjoy reading and learning about this interesting view by a British writer.

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150820-why-is-canadian-english-unique

Topic Reading-Vol.1235-8/29/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

US court backs gay couple in wedding cake dispute

A baker mustn’t decline an order for a cake based on the race, sex, religious belief or sexual orientation of the customer. That sounds reasonable especially after the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the country. Then can a baker decline an order for special design or message on the cake?

A baker in Colorado refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple because of the special request they made for the cake that could deteriorate the artistic value of the cake. The baker believes his cakes are like art works for him, so that adding something that doesn’t meet his design sense or conscience is not acceptable. The gay couple asked to put a rainbow picture, which is a symbol used by the gay movement.

It’s still unclear whether the baker refused the wedding cake order because of the sexual orientation of the wedding couple or the design they asked for.

Enjoy reading and learning this controversial dispute.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/08/colorado-gay-wedding-cake-150813173714778.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1234-8/28/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

China becomes world's largest robots market for second consecutive year　(Xinhua)

Another world number one by China. Robot industry is showing robust growth in both consumer and industrial sectors. Although specific types aren’t clarified, the number of robots for consumer market in China surged over 50% in 2014 and accounted for as much as a quarter of the world market in unit.

But what’s remarkable is that China is trying to boost the use of robot in manufacturing industry, trying to become a world manufacturing power under its “Made in China 2025” Initiative. Because of the rising labor costs, China is eager to develop and bring in more unhuman production methods to stay competitive against developing countries in Asia.

More made in China products?

Enjoy reading and learning about another China’s initiative to be number one in the world.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-08/13/content_21589935.htm

Topic Reading-Vol.1233-8/27/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Banned! 9 things you won't find in Russia

There seem to be some conservative, protective and emotional concepts behind these unique bans in the largest state in the world, Russia. It’s a democratically governed state under an elected president. 80% of the 150million population are Russians and approximately two-thirds are Christians, including Russian Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant.

That sounds like having an enough diversion to view things from balanced perspectives, doesn’t it? However, when it comes to same-sex marriage, media, criticism or trade partners, the country seems highly restrictive or assertive.

Enjoy reading and learning what views Russia have on social issues.

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/news/2015/08/19/banned-in-russia/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1232-8/26/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

India-born CEOs are taking the U.S. by storm

Another India-born corporate leader in a high-tech corporation in America. Sundar Pichai, Google's new CEO. He’s one of the growing Indian leaders in global-scale companies such as Microsoft, Master Card, Pepsi and Adobe. But this isn’t limited only to American businesses. Harvard Business School’s dean is also Indian origin. Even a Japanese global company, Softbank, appointed an Indian ex-Google executive as the successor to the founder CEO. What makes such a surge of India-born leaders?

There seems to be some common paths those leaders have taken. They studied in the top universities in India in English, earned scholarship, continued their study in America and got higher degrees.

Also, they seem to be capable of adapting other cultures and practices to rise the corporate ladder.

And don’t forget the spelling bee champions. 15 of the 19 winners of the recent championships have been Indian-Americans,

Enjoy reading and learning about the surge of Indian leaders in business and academic world.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/08/17/investing/india-ceos-google-pichai/index.html?iid=obnetwork

Topic Reading-Vol.1231-8/25/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Earth was a frozen snowball when animals first evolved.

Guessing what happened in pre-history days is a difficult task, especially the one that happened millions of years ago when there were no modern animals or creatures on the ground or in the water.

But some geologists have figured out what the earth was like hundred millions of years ago. A snowball. Our planet was nearly entirely covered with ice around 715 million years ago and the average temperature even around the equator was estimated to be around -20 degrees Celsius, like Antarctica today. And this brutally freezing condition remained for the next 120 million years.

More surprisingly, some scientists believe that this icy period triggered the evolution of modern multi-cell creatures.

Enjoy reading and learning what the earth was like in those ice periods.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150112-did-snowball-earth-make-animals