Topic Reading-Vol.2943-5/2/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Hong Kong airport brings in cleaning robots and disinfection booth

It was nearly two decades ago when the airport security checks around the world were enhanced after the 9.11 attack. In addition to metal detectors for passengers and X-rays for carry-on baggage, passengers are prohibited to bring in bottled drinks and required to take their shoes and belts off at the security check. Now, new safety requirements, checks, and procedures are being planned and tested at world’s major airport to prepare for post-pandemic air traveling.

Hong Kong International Airport, one of the busiest airports in international passenger traffic, recently revealed cleaning robots that disinfect public areas and passenger facilities. Also, they introduced a disinfection booth that disinfects a person’s clothes and skin externally. At Dubai International Airport, some Emirate passengers are required to take Covid-19 blood tests prior to flights (Vol.2932, Apr.21). Airlines, too, are coming up with new protocols for passengers of any class. Some airlines decided to ask all passengers to wear a face mask during the flight. What will they do when they drink or eat?

We may soon hear an announcement like, “All disinfected passengers, please proceed to the departure gate …” at some airports or “Fasten your seatbelt and put on your face mask during the flight” in the cabin.

Enjoy reading the article and watching the video and think how early you should get to the airport to clear all new security and safety procedures before boarding.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hong-kong-airport-cleaning-robots-wellness-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2942-5/1/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Recovery expert: 'Some businesses will never reopen'

When the lockdown is lifted, would you like to jump in a line for a buffet brunch at a gourmet restaurant where a chef slices roast beef just in front of you, or share a hot pot with your friends or guests at a popular Chinese restaurant? Will you be looking for discounted airfares and hotel rooms, or back-to-business sale at a shopping mall? One thing is for sure. Just wearing a face mask won’t make you feel protected any longer. Also, any enclosed environment, such as an elevator, subway, bus or office may make you worried if the fellow passengers or workers are virus carriers. Of course, time will ease such worries. But some of the pre-coronavirus norms and business practices may never come back. People will expect tighter cleanliness and hygiene standards in shops, restaurants, offices, schools, hotels, and public transports. How much and how long will it take to rebuild new norms if old practices are no longer valid in business? Not all businesses are likely to adapt to new norms.

Enjoy reading the article and think about what you will expect after the pandemic.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52393207

Topic Reading-Vol.2941-4/30/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

With humans vulnerable: How about a digital helper?

To avoid human contacts, more people start using mobile payment tools instead of cash or plastic cards, just like most Chinese people have been doing. Likewise, more jobs are being replaced by robots and AI assistants instead of humans. Delivery robots in quarantine hotels and reception robots in hospitals, where more virus contacts are imminent. Now, thanks to recent AI technology and machine learning, those robots perform even more productively than human counterparts. Also, they can be programmed to understand and speak multiple languages, which cannot be performed by ordinary humans. Furthermore, they work 24/7 without break, save time for battery recharge, and totally immune to the coronavirus, so no need to put protective clothes or masks on. But today’s robots are not a superman. They are limited to perform the tasks they learned. It’s more productive to use them for specific jobs and environments where they can learn and perform better.

Enjoy reading the article and think which now you prefer to be instructed or supported, a human with a mask or a robot.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52290562

Topic Reading-Vol.2940-4/29/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Stressed pets: How to stop it now and when you go back to work

Recently, many pet owners are staying home all day because of the pandemic. These people may feel grateful to be with their beloved pet(s) longer than usual especially when they are frustrated by having been confined too long and worried about the future. They tend to give more attention and affection to their pets than usual. But do those pets really enjoy being with their owners so long every day?

According to experts, pet dogs or cats become more frustrated when they stay unusually longer time especially with children, who tend to bother their peace. Interestingly, pet animals have their own routine and way of enjoying their lives when their human companions are out. But they could be stressed when they are attended or annoyed in the supposedly solitary time.

Also, pet owners should know that when they are depressed or frustrated, their pets feel that, too, which could make those animals feel stressed.

The key to peace is routine for pet animals, just like humans. After all, most of the pet owners will go back to the old routine sooner or later, if they are fortunate.

Enjoy reading the article and learn how pets feel when their owners are around all day.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/25/health/stressed-pets-coronavirus-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2939-4/28/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Planned from scratch: Brasilia at 60 in pictures

Rio de Janeiro had been the capital of Brazil for nearly two centuries until 1960 when Brasilia was inaugurated. It sits the top of the Brazilian highlands in the country's center-western region where there had been nearly no inhabitants, towns, roads, or rails. In 1956, the nation decided to build a new capital city in the middle of nowhere. Its modern architecture, even a half a century later, was designed by renowned Brazilian architects, Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer. The construction of the main components completed in 1960, including the transportation and living infrastructure, buildings of three branches of the federal government, executive, legislative and judiciary, and housing buildings for the newly moved-in residents.

In 1987, Brasília was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its modernist architecture and uniquely artistic urban planning. After a half-century, the city is lived by over four million people in the federation district. On April 21, Brasilia celebrated its 50^th birthday.

Enjoy seeing the photos of the history of this still-modern purpose-built city

https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-52369133

Topic Reading-Vol.2938-4/27/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

'Fake' meat on the menu as China reopens restaurants

China is slowly reopening business and consumer activities after the outbreak of the COVID-19. As airlines are trying to lure fliers with heavy price discounts (Vol.2936 on Apr.25), restaurants are introducing new menus to attract customers. One relatively new item to Chinese is meat substitutes. Unlike Westerners, Chinese people traditionally eat more vegetable-rich meals to live a healthy life. However, as more people become overweight and/or health-conscious, the demand for non-meat food seems to be on the rise especially after the novel virus outbreak. Now, Starbucks and KFC are adding plant-based food menus to revive their businesses. As more people become worried about the safety of wet markets, where fresh meat, fish, and other produce are sold, marketers are hoping to make such manufactured food items as popular as in the USA.

Well, if there are over 3,000 Starbucks and nearly 6,000 KFC restaurants across the country, many Chinese people will find meat-free sandwiches and nuggets quite soon.

Enjoy reading the article and think which dumplings you want to have, traditional ones, or artificial ones.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52391517

Topic Reading-Vol.2937-4/26/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The reason Zoom calls drain your energy

Work from home, online class, web meeting, video interview, and web party and happy-hour, video conferences are on the rise. To support such video meetings, there are casual apps like House Party, Google Hangouts and Zoom, as well as business tools like Cisco’s Webex, Microsoft’s Teams or San Jose-based BlueJeans easily available and widely being used.

But if you ever have taken part in a video event, you might have found it more tiring than face-to-face events even in a short time. There are several factors that seem to make the participants more intense and stressful than in-person interactions. For example, you are watched just like you watch others entirely during the meeting that’s because unlike physical meetings, no one sits beside or behind you but in front of you. Also, silence becomes more pressing in a video meeting than a face-to-face conference. You naturally try to be more performative than usual and end up finding exhausted. Also, work from home means everything happens in the same enclosed space with the same members almost all the time, who usually spend their time in different places.

It seems to be the time to reset workplace wellbeing under this very different work and living environment.

Enjoy reading the article and think about how you are going to manage online interactions.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200421-why-zoom-video-chats-are-so-exhausting