El Nifio, a Spanish term for “the Christ child”, was named by South American fisherman who noticed that the global weather pattern, which happens every two to seven years, reduced the amount of fishes caught around Christmas. El Nifio sees warm water, collected over several years in the western Pacific, flow back eastwards when winds that normally blow westwards weaken, or sometimes the other way round.

The weather effects both good and bad, are felt in many places. Rich countries gain more from powerful Nifio, on balance, than they lose. A study found that a strong Nifio in 1997-98 helped American’s economy grow by 15 billion, partly because of better agricultural harvest, farmers in the Midwest gained from extra rain. The total rise in agricultural incomes in rich countries is greater than the fall in poor ones.

But in Indonesia extremely dry forests are in flames. A multi-year drought in south-east Brazil is becoming worse. Though heavy rains brought about by El Nino may relieve the drought in California, they are likely to cause surface flooding and other disasters.

The most recent powerful Nino, in 1997-98, killed around 21,000 people and caused damage worth $36 billion around the globe. But such Ninos come with months of warning, and so much is known about how they happen that governments can prepare. According to the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), however, just 12% of disaster-relief funding in the past two decades has gone on reducing risks in advance, rather than recovery and rebuilding afterwards. This is despite evidence that a dollar spent on risk-reduction saves at least two on reconstruction.

Simple improvements to infrastructure(基础设施）can reduce the spread of disease. Better sewers(下水道）make it less likely that heavy rain is followed by an outbreak of the disease of bad stomach. Stronger bridges mean villages are less likely to be left without food and medicine after floods. According to a paper in 2011 by Mr Hsiang and co-authors, civil conflict is related to El Nino’s harmful effects—and the poorer the country, the stronger the link. Though the relationship may not be causal, helping divided communities to prepare for disasters would at least reduce the risk that those disasters are followed by killing and wounding people. Since the poorest are least likely to make up for their losses from disasters linked to El Nino, reducing their losses needs to be the priority.

Many of us mistakenly believe that it’s wrong to think we have many good qualities. We may spend a lot of time blaming ourselves for our negative qualities, thinking that self-criticism is the key to improving our performance. However, a constant focus on our supposed shortcomings can stop our efforts to make friends with other people. How can we believe that others could like us if we believe our inner being is flawed(有缺点的)?

If someone seems to dislike you, the reason for that dislike might have little or nothing to do with you. The person who doesn’t like you might be fearful, shallow, busy or shy. Perhaps you and that person are simply a mismatch for each other at this particular time.

Don’t take yourself out of the game by deciding that your flaws are bigger than your good qualities. In fact, some of the very qualities you consider to be flaws may be irresistible to someone else. For all the factors that might cause one person to reject you, there are at least as many factors that will work in your favor with someone else.

You might be thirty pounds over your ideal weight, but you may have a wonderful laugh and a real enthusiasm for life. There are many people who don’t mind your extra pounds. You may drive a shabby car, but you might be a great dancer and a loyal friend. There are people looking for loyalty, fun, sweetness, or wisdom, and the package it comes in is not important. If you are worried that you are not beautiful enough to attract friends, keep in mind that not everyone is looking for physical beauty in their friends. You can decide to feel inferior because you don’t have much money or you don’t drive a nice car. You can believe that this is the reason that you don’t have many friends in your life. On the other hand, if you are very wealthy you may be suspicious that everyone is after your money and that nobody really likes you as a person.

The point is that you can focus on anything and believe it’s the reason you do not have friends and cannot make any.

Did you know that something as simple as the wallpaper on your computer can tell people a lot about you? According to researcher Donna Dawson, our computers say something about what weˈre like because they are part of our “personal space.”

       A picture of a child or family on the screen often means the person cares deeply about their loved ones. A photo of the person surrounded by friends shows they value their popularity and probably work well with other people. On the other hand, pictures showing examples of past successes, like winning a prize may mean a person is only interested in themselves.

       Pictures of nature and natural scenery tell people that you are driven to succeed and use the pictures to relax and remove the pressure in your life. Cityscapes, pictures of cities or towns, show that you enjoy travel and adventure. Most people with cityscapes as their wallpaper are optimistic, happy people who feel even better thinking about the places theyˈve visited or want to visit.

       Pictures of animals show that you are optimistic and kind-hearted. You are often happy and you enjoy life and act young. Cartoons or drawings show that you are a multitasker, someone who does many things at once. You have many responsibilities, but you deal with them well. Thatˈs one reason you like having something to smile about when you look at your computer wallpaper.

       Then, what does plain blue wallpaper tell us about a person? According to Dawson, a person with plain blue wallpaper probably values their privacy and keeps work from becoming too personal.

Cell Phone Are the New Cigarette

When you get in your car, you reach for it. When you are at work, you take a break to have a moment alone with it. When you get in to a lift, you play with it.

Cigarette? Cup of coffee? No, it’s the third most addictive thing in modern life, the cell phone. Experts say that it is becoming more difficult for many people to curb their longing to hug it more tightly than most of their personal relationships.

With its shiny surface and its smooth and satisfying touch, the cell phone connects us to the world even as it disconnects us from people three feet away. In just the past couple of years, the cell phone has challenged people in ways its inventors in the late 1940s never imagined.

The costs are becoming even more obvious, and I don’t mean just the monthly bill. Dr. Chris Knippers, working at the Betty Ford Center in Southern California, reports that the overuse of cell phones has become a social problem not much different from other harmful addictions: a problem that limits one-on-one personal contact, and an escape from reality.

Sounds extreme, but weˈve all witnessed the evidence: the person at restaurant who talks on the phone through an entire meal, ignoring his kids around the table; the women who talks on the phone in the car, ignoring her husband; the teen who texts messages all the way home from school, avoiding contact with kids all around him.

Is it just rude, or is it a kind of unhealthiness? And pardon me, but how is this improving the quality of life?

Jim Williams, an industrial sociologist based in Massachusetts, notes that cell-phone addiction is part of a set of symptoms in a widening gulf of personal separation. He points to a study by Duke University researchers that found one-quarter of Americans say they have no one to discuss their most important personal business with, Williams says studies show that we donˈt have as many friends as our parents. “Just as more information has led to less wisdom, more acquaintances via the Internet and cell phones have produced fewer friends.” he says.

It is interesting to see that the force of only 6 or 7 people pushing in the same direction can cause up to 1,000 pounds of force-enough to break brick walls. During a deadly stampede(逃奔), people can even die standing up. People die when pressure is put to their bodies in a front to back direction, causing them not to be able to breathe.

If you are in a crowd, the first and most important thing is to make yourself familiar with your surroundings and find different exits. No matter where you are, make sure you always know how to get out. Make yourself aware of the type of the ground you are standing on, and know that in a crowd of moving people wet ground can cause you to fall.

When in danger, a few seconds can make a difference, giving you the possibility of making use of your escaping route. Always stay closer to the escape route. If you find yourself in the middle of a moving crowd, do not fight against the pressure, do not stand still or sit down, because you can easily get trampled（踩踏）. Instead, move in the same direction of the crowd; make use of any space that may open up to move sideways to the crowd movement where the flow is weaker.Keep your hands up by your chest, like a boxer-it gives you movement and protects your chest. If you fall, get up quickly. If you can’t get up because you are injured, get someone to pull you up. If you have kids, lift them up.

If you fall and cannot get up, keep moving in the same direction of the crowd, or if that is not possible, then cover your head with your arms; do not lie on your stomach or back.

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day and the Friday before Cyber Monday in the United States. It is not a federal holiday, but is a public holiday in some states. Many people take a day of their annual leave on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Some people use this to make trips to see family members or friends who live in other areas or to go on vacation. Others use it to start shopping for the Christmas season. Many organizations also close for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Shopping for Christmas presents is also popular on Black Friday. Many stores have special offers and lower their prices on some goods, such as toys. Public transit systems may run on their normal schedule or may have changes. Some stores extend their opening hours on Black Friday. There can also be congestion on roads to popular shopping destinations.

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA. There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday. One theory is that the wheels of vehicles in heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving Day left many black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday. The other theory is that the term Black Friday comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits prior to Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.

Easy to make and cheap to buy, instant noodles have long been China's ultimate convenience food.

Since it was a snack for students, a meal on the train, or just the go-to choice for hungry workers, more than 46.2 billion packets were sold in China in 2013. But it seems this industry has gone off the boil. By 2016 those sales had declined to 38.5 billion, according to the World Instant Noodle Association, a drop of almost 17%.

“This phenomenon shows an unnoticeable while continuous change in China's consumption（消费）patterns,” said Zhao Ping of the Academy of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. He told the China Daily, “Consumers are more interested in life quality than just filling their bellies these days.”

About 730 million people in China now have access to the Internet according to government figures. And about 95% of those are using smart phones to connect. And apps that offer food delivery to your home, office or wherever you happen to be are a real fast-developing industry. 

Their menus are undoubtedly more expensive than a pot of instant noodles. But these meals can still be inexpensive, and arguably more tasty, depending on your favor.

But put in the global background, China is still easily the biggest market for instant noodles. In fact, China's consumption was roughly equal to Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, India, the US, South Korea and the Philippines combined.

And that means global noodle manufacturers are unlikely to turn away from the Chinese market. Japan's instant noodle business Nissin Foods, for example, is planning to land on the stock market in Hong Kong, by which operation it hopes to raise about 145 million dollars. It is rare for a Japanese firm to list in Hong Kong, but Nissin is talking up its prospects in China, where it is already the fifth biggest brand.

“Some consumers stopped consuming instant noodles, but most consumers want to increase the quality (of food they consume),” chief executive Kiyotaka Ando told CNBC last week.

“We can supply high-quality products so we have more possibility to develop our business.”

 I have always considered myself a positive thinker, an upbeat person and an optimist. I try to find the best in every situation. I’ve recently become aware of how two little words in my vocabulary have had a tremendous impact on people. I didn’t even realize it. 

  I’ve been listening to myself lately, and I don’t like the way I sound. As a veteran (资深的)teacher, I know that praise can be a huge motivational tool. I realize the importance of developing a child’s self-esteem. I generously sprinkle(洒) uplifting comments around my classroom like I am fertilizing flowers. Each new school year brings a garden variety of students, and they all blossom (开花)with praise and encouragement. I know how to thank my grown kids, my grandkids and my husband for a job well done. I toss praise to the unsuspecting if it appears someone needs a lift. I also yo-yo my positive comments right back when I use the word that makes my preschoolers giggle-BUT.    

When one of my students attempted to print her name, I oohed and ahhed. “Wow! That is a great A, and your letter, D is nice and tall, but your letter, E should be short; can you erase it and try to make it shorter?” I asked. She wasn’t crushed by my comment. She tried to live up to my expectation. I thought I was helping, preparing her for kindergarten, showing her the difference in size between upper case and lower case letters. I don’t believe that my comment would have any long term affect on her self-worth. I imagine though, if I’d substituted the word BUT with the word AND, she’d have been proud of her accomplishment instead of questioning the “right way” to print her name. I wish I had said, “I like your nice tall letters, AND I like how hard you are trying to make your letter E.”

My recently divorced daughter called to tell me about a house she was interested in. I listened to her. I applauded her for moving forward with her life, and I said, “Honey, I am glad that you’ve found something you like, but…” There, I did it again!” Don’t you think, with the gas prices, you might want to buy closer to your work?” As she told me all about the prospective house, I could hear the excitement and joy in her voice. The moment I spoke the word, BUT, it was as if I pricked (刺)a balloon with a needle. I could hear her slowly deflate. I sure wish I’d used the word AND. “Honey, I’m glad you found a house in your price range, AND I’m happy for you.” She knows I freely express my opinions, and I know she’s used to my mouth. I suspect that if I had leashed(管住) my tongue, her emotions wouldn’t have flip-flopped, and we’d have both hung up feeling better.

My dear husband helps around the house; he did the dishes, emptied the dishwasher, and folded the laundry. I was thrilled he had lightened my work load. I thanked him. I told him how wonderful he is, and I used that naughty word again. “BUT, why did you leave small pieces of bread all over the counter?” Why? Why? Why didn’t I say, “Thank you, AND I appreciate all you do around the house.”

I’ve been doing some self-reflecting. I’ve given up on losing those twenty pounds. I’ve decided a walk around the neighborhood is a good substitute for vigorous exercise. I’ve watched dust bunnies pile up under the sofa. I’ve prayed in the dark instead of at church more often than not. In other words, all those New Year’s resolutions (决心；决定)are now null and void. I lose a pound; I eat a chocolate; I gain a pound. The bar on my treadmill(跑步机) makes a nice rack for hanging laundry. I’ve attended church for grand children’s christenings, and I pass the sanctuary(圣殿) on my way to the church office. I vacuum on weekends. I figure if the dust bunnies don’t mind snuggling(躺着) for another day, I don’t care either.

My house isn’t spotless, my thighs are heavy, my soul, like my face could use some uplifting, but I have decided that I simply cannot keep all those resolutions I made on January 1st. I’m ready for some spring cleaning. I’m tossing those old resolutions out and I am making one, just one, which I intend to keep. I am going to refrain (忍住)from using the B word. I think I can do it, and I am going to give it my best. I know it will have a positive effect on others. BUT if I mess up, I will try again, and again, and again to remove that naughty little word from my vocabulary. I resolve to replace it with the word AND. This is a resolution I intend to keep!

 Chinese Language and Culture Summer Camp in China

Shanghai is the city which will present you how modernization meets tradition, and how western culture dances with eastern civilization. So it offers a best place for you to participate in Chinese language and culture summer camp.

Interactive Chinese Lessons

Our Chinese courses focus on developing speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in a well-balanced way, while each has its own focus. The teaching materials we use, offering 12 levels of classes, are written specially for our program. For beginners, speaking and listening abilities will be stressed while for advanced level students, the course will develop in depth their skills on Chinese characters recognition, long paragraph reading and writing, as well as fluent conversation.

Small Size Classes

Our students come from all over the world, mostly between 11 and 17 years old, having different Chinese levels. They will accept level assessment（评估） on the first day of camp, and be placed into different groups according to their language fluency. In a small-class setting each student can receive individual attention from teachers and achieve best studying result.

Traditional Culture Courses

We provide various culture courses to help students to develop interest in traditional Chinese culture, which will benefit their language learning. The culture courses include: Calligraphy, Traditional brush painting, Chinese Kong-fu, Tai-chi, Paper-cutting.

Day Camp

Day camp is designed for participants who have a host family in Shanghai. Day camp runs from Monday to Sunday, between 8:30 and 17:00.

Day camp package includes:  Chinese classes in the mornings;Lunch; Culture courses, field trip and sports activities in the afternoons;Others: Textbooks, studying materials, camp life souvenir

Day camp package NOT includes:Accommodation;Daily pick up and drop off;Breakfast, dinner

Field trip is optional.

Using tablet computers like Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Note just before bed can lead to a poor night’s sleep, according to research.

More and more people are taking their tablets to bed with them to surf the web, check Facebook or email before switching off the light. But researchers are warning that the blueish light their screens emit can stop users getting a good night’s sleep. That is because this type of light mimics daylight, convincing the brain that it is still daytime. Blue light suppresses production of a brain chemical called melatonin, which helps us fall sleep. This is because our brains have evolved to be wakeful during daylight hours. By contrast, light which is more orange or red in tone does not reduce melatonin production, perhaps because our brains recognize it as a cue that the day is ending.

Neurologists (神经病学家) have known for years that staring at screens late in the evening can disrupt sleep. Researchers at the Lighting Research Centre, at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, are warning that looking at tablet displays for more than two hours “leads to a suppression of our natural melatonin levels as the devices emit optical radiation (光辐射) at short wavelengths” - in other words, they emit bluer light.

They say: “Although turning off devices at night is the ultimate solution, it is recommended that if these devices are used at night displays are dimmed as much as possible and that the time spent on them before bed should be limited.”

They drew their conclusions after measuring melatonin levels in 13 volunteers, after they had spent time viewing iPads at full brightness at a distance of 10 inches, for two hours. Melatonin levels were significantly lower after they had done this, than they were after the volunteers had viewed their iPads for the same time, but while wearing orange glass goggles, which cut out the blue light.

They wrote in the journal Applied Ergonomics that tablet makers could “tune the spectral power distribution of self-luminous devices (自发光设备的频谱功率分布)” so that they disrupted the sleep patterns of users less.

It is not just a good night’s sleep that could be jeopardized (危害) by too much late night screen time. Researchers know that persistent disruption to sleep patterns can lead to an increased risk of obesity, and even breast cancer. However, these studies tend to be comparisons of those with chronic (慢性的) sleep disruption, such as long term shift workers, with those who have normal sleep patterns.