Silicon Valley Group Turns Ideas Into Businesses

  Almost anyone with a good idea and the ability to write directions for a computer software program can make products that were not possible before the internet. But it is not enough to just have an idea. A team of people with different skills is necessary to turn that idea into reality. Teams like this are often formed at an event called a hackathon. Sabeen Ali is the founder and leader of a California company called AngelHack. It organizes hackathons around the world. At a hackathon, she says, people with creative ideas can join with others to develop and write computer programs. “A hacker is anyone that can take limited resources or be in any type of constraint -- time constraint, resource constraint, knowledge constraint -- and create something from nothing or something from very little.” As a child, Sabeen Ali learned to live on very little money. Her parents were immigrants from Pakistan. Her father died when she was very young. “I lived in a house with a single parent, three kids. And we had to figure out how to do a lot of things on our own.” Ali said she used her childhood experiences to create her company. “Somebody who works in a larger organization 9-to-5, building the same app, day after day, can come and build that thing that’s been keeping them up at night. Or somebody like me, who’s an entrepreneur, who has this amazing idea -- I know how to make money from it, I know all the customers and the clients, but I don’t have the tech resources to be able to put it together -- I needed this type of outlet and support and forum.” Her business has organized hackathons in more than 90 cities throughout the world. Hackers form teams, and compete to win awards for the best idea and best product. AngelHack works with a winner from each event for 12 weeks, helping them form companies and persuade people to invest money in their idea. The top teams are brought to Silicon Valley, near San Francisco, where they present their idea to hundreds of possible investors. Some teams helped by AngelHack have had great success. Investors gave one team $10 million. Two others were bought by Google, the technology company. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   VOA Correspondent Elizabeth Lee reported this story from San Francisco. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   software – n. programs or processed involving or related to a computer system resource – n. supplies or support; something that generally improves one’s quality of life constraint – n. a controlling force; repression entrepreneur – n. someone who organizes and launches a business amazing – adj. surprising outlet – n. an opening; a way to release something forum – n. a public place; a center for open discussion collaborative – adj. of or related to jointly working with others  

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The Wayback Machine Shows History of the Internet

  One of the more infuriating things about the Internet is when a website closes down. You might follow a favorite writer’s blog, save links to helpful articles, and share interesting posts on social media. But then one day, you return to the website to discover that it is gone. The site does not exist anymore. All of the useful stories and information are now missing. It is like they never existed. The good news is that you may be able to find those sites again, even after they are offline. You can find help from a website called the Wayback Machine. What the Wayback Machine Is The Wayback Machine site shows a kind of history of the internet. It shows websites that are no longer online and older versions of current sites.     The Wayback Machine provides archived records of publicly available websites. Not all websites or versions of sites are available, but many are. How to Use the Wayback Machine To see the archived images, go to the Wayback Machine website and enter the web address of the site you want to see. You must enter the exact web address, not just the site’s name. For example, if you want to see an earlier version of the Learning English website, you would enter learningenglish.voanews.com, not the words “Voice of America Learning English.” Click the Browse History button. On the results page, you will see how many times the website has been archived and information showing when the site was saved.         You can click on a year to see the exact date the site was saved. A blue dot on a date shows the page was saved on that day. Click on a date with a blue dot to see what the website looked like on that date. Here is Voice of America Learning English in 2012:           Here is Facebook in 2006:         And Google in 2004:             You can only search for the home page of a website. But once you go to the archive, you may be able to find the story you are looking for on the site. Saving a Website to The Wayback Machine If you want to save an older version of a website, you can do that at the bottom of the Wayback Machine website’s home page. Enter the web address of the page you want saved and hit enter.         The Wayback Machine Beta Version The Wayback Machine recently launched a beta or test version that lets you search for older websites by keywords. Unlike the original version, the beta version lets you enter search terms to try to find websites you cannot remember. It can also help users when they do not know the exact web address. To use the beta version, go to Beta Wayback Machine. Enter the search term and hit enter. You will see a list of results that match your term. For example, in the Beta version, you can enter "GeoCities" and see a list of GeoCities websites in different countries.                   How the Wayback Machine Started The Internet has a history -- perhaps not a long history, but a rich one. The Wayback Machine was based on a computer software program developed in 1996 to document websites, saving the history of the internet. The Wayback Machine website was launched in 2001, using a version of that software. Since that time, the Wayback Machine has expanded quickly, as has much of the Internet.       The site was named after the WABAC Machine, a time machine used by a boy and his dog on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, a 1960s television series. Ideas for Using the Wayback Machine You can use the Wayback Machine to find closed websites, such as GeoCities, which is now only available in Japan. If you are thinking of buying a domain name, see how it was used before in its earlier life on the internet. If the site was used mainly for spam or unwanted advertising, you may not want to use that web address for your site. You can also see how a website looked in the past and follow its design over the years. I’m Marsha James.   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you ever wanted to see a history of past websites? Have you ever been upset to find a website had closed? What websites have you searched for on the Wayback Machine? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   infuriate - v. to make (someone) very angry article - n. a piece of writing about a particular subject that is included in a website, magazine, newspaper, etc. offline - adj. not connected to a computer or network archive - v. to collect and store materials (such as recordings, documents, or computer files) so that they can be found and used when they are needed address - n. the letters, numbers, and symbols that are used to show the location of a site on the Internet click - v. to press a button on a mouse or some other device in order to make something happen on a computer​ beta - adj. a version of a product (such as a computer program) that is almost finished and that is used for testing keyword - n. a word that is used to find information in a piece of writing, in a computer document, or on the Internet original - adj. made or produced first match - v. to provide, produce, or do something that is equal to (something else) domain name - n. the characters that form the main part of an Internet address

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New Transport Improves Life Quality for Disabled in Phnom Penh

  Reaksmey Mary was disabled with a serious illness when she was six months old. She is confined to a wheelchair and lives with her family on an island in the Mekong River in Cambodia. As a young child, Reaksmey traveled only to see the doctor near her house. And after age 10, Reaksmey no longer went anywhere. Her mother, Khem Vy, age 47, told VOA that, at a certain point, "we could no longer take Mary anywhere by motorbike." The family tried using a regular tuk-tuk – a small, three-wheeled vehicle common in Cambodia – but that was difficult, as well. The drivers struggled to get Reaksmey and her wheelchair onto the vehicle. "The wheelchair is very heavy. I am alone, and I can't do it,” Khem said. "We stopped taking her out, so she stayed at home on the bed all the time.” But recently, Reaksmey went with her family for the first time to a shopping mall in Phnom Penh. The trip was made possible by a new service for the physically disabled. The service is called Mobilituk. Mobilituks are tuk-tuks that have been modified to make transporting the disabled easier. They have a steel ramp that pulls down to allow a wheelchair to roll up. Agile Design Group, known as ADG, a Phnom Penh-based organization, created Mobilituk. The group specializes in projects that help disabled people have better access to everyday activities. ADG recognizes that disabled people everywhere face transportation problems. But in developing nations, such as Cambodia, those problems are usually even harder. Mobilituk has other fans, too. Disability activist and writer John Morris is confined to a wheelchair. Morris travels the world and then writes about his experiences as a traveler with a disability. He said affordable wheelchair transport in developing countries means the disabled are no longer trapped at home. Far-reaching effects Cambodia’s Ministry of Social Affairs estimates that at least 50,000 people in Cambodia are physically disabled. Another organization, the Asian Development Bank, estimates that as much as 15% of the Cambodian population lives with physical and mental disabilities. To reach them, ADG is working with the International Committee of the Red Cross. The two groups plan to increase the number of Mobilituks in the northern areas of Cambodia. Keogh Johnston, an ADG engineer, told VOA Khmer that the Mobilituk program has been a rewarding project in many ways. He said that seeing the happiness of someone who can now visit the city and do exciting things makes him want to help more. Mobilituks also expand opportunities for tuk-tuk drivers. A month after getting his tuk-tuk converted into a Mobilituk, driver Keo Sarout had two disabled riders, including Reaksmey. Keo said his disabled riders like the Mobilituk better than a car or other vehicle. And Keo is happy that he can help. "I think I can help society by helping disabled persons, as they find it quite difficult to travel anywhere," he said. He said that other tuk-tuk drivers are now interested in having the steel ramp in their vehicles. Happiness The Mobilituk brings increased risk along with increased freedom for riders. The first time she rode in one, Reaksmey got hurt. Her family believes Reaksmey was injured because, before the ride, she had not moved her body for almost 20 years. After she recovered, Reaksmey tried again. She has since traveled to the Royal Palace, Independence Monument, shopping malls, and the hospital. With her mother and an aunt along for the ride, these trips are no longer difficult. “She feels very happy now,” her mother, Khem Vy, said. Khem asked Reaksmey if she wanted to keep riding in Mobilituks, even after getting hurt. Reaksmey smiled, signaling her head to say “yes.” I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm Dan Friedell.   Hean Socheata reported this story for VOA Khmer Service. Alice Bryant adapted the report for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   confined - v. forced to stay in something wheelchair - n. a chair with wheels that is used by people who cannot walk because they are disabled, sick, or injured motorbike - n. a small motorcycle shopping mall - n. a large building or group of buildings containing many different stores disabled - adj. having a physical or mental disability; unable to perform one or more natural activities (such as walking or seeing) because of illness or injury ramp - n. a piece of equipment with a slope that is used to join two surfaces that are at different levels or heights convert - v. to change (something) into a different form or so that it can be used in a different way monument - n. a building or statue that honors a person or event

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February 8, 2017

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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What America’s ‘Separation of Powers’ Is All About

China does not have “separation of powers.” But that did not stop Chinese Supreme People’s Court Judge He Fan from calling President Donald Trump an “enemy of the rule of law.” He said Trump should not have criticized federal Judge James Robart for temporarily blocking his executive order on immigration. Under the U.S. system of separation of powers, a president should accept his loss silently and not attack the judge who ruled against him, He wrote. What is the separation of powers? The U.S. Constitution set up three separate but equal branches of government: the legislative branch, or Congress, makes the law; the executive, led by the president, executes the law; and the judicial, or courts, interprets the law. The idea is to divide power so each branch of government has its own powers and limits. But fights over how to apply these divisions of power have been frequent, up to and including Trump’s travel ban. On January 27, President Trump signed an executive order to temporarily stop travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim majority nations. After Judge Robart blocked his order, Trump went on Twitter to call Judge Robart a "so-called judge.” He said Robart’s decision was "ridiculous,” and opened the United States to possible terror attack. On Tuesday, the federal appeals court in San Francisco heard arguments on whether Judge Robart’s order against Trump’s travel ban should be overturned. The court is expected to rule this week on the appeal from the Trump administration. Josh Chafetz is a professor of law at Cornell University in New York. He said Trump’s criticism was unusual, coming so early in his presidency. By calling Robart a “so-called judge,” Trump seems to be questioning his standing as a judge, Chafetz said. Randy Barnett, a law professor of Georgetown University, sees Trump’s criticism of the judge as “mildly disrespectful.” But he said it does not compare to President Barack Obama’s criticism of the Supreme Court during a 2010 speech before Congress. Obama was criticizing a Supreme Court decision that permitted unlimited donations to political campaigns. Barnett said that the judges were in the audience as Obama criticized them. The Democrats in the audience stood and cheered. Battles over separation of powers There have been many battles among the three branches of government over separation of powers in U.S. history. The Supreme Court’s first decision about “separation of powers” came in 1803. The court ruled it had the power to reject a law passed by Congress if it found the law unconstitutional. In 1832, President Andrew Jackson did not like a decision by the Supreme Court, led by Justice John Marshall. The decision ended states’ law on land that belonged to Native American tribes. Jackson reportedly said, “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it.”     Nearly 100 years later, President Franklin Roosevelt proposed to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court from nine to 15. His critics accused him of trying to “pack the court.” They said he wanted to appoint justices supportive of his policies to get around opposition from the sitting justices. The proposal failed to pass in Congress. Among the court’s other important rulings was a 1964 decision ordering President Richard Nixon to release tape recordings in what was known as the Watergate scandal. The scandal led to Nixon’s resignation. Some legal experts have questioned whether Trump will comply with court orders. Barnett, the Georgetown professor, said it is a good sign that the Trump administration stopped the travel ban after Judge Robart’s ruling. But Trump has argued that he feels strongly his immigration ban is needed. This is what he tweeted Wednesday morning: “If the U.S. does not win this case as it so obviously should, we can never have the security and safety to which we are entitled. Politics!”   I'm Jill Robbins. And I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   executive - adj. matters of policy directed by the president branch - n. a division of government ridiculous - adj. silly, crazy mildly - adv. not very strong scandal - n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong comply - v. to along with a ruling or decision pack - v. to choose people who agree with you and put them on a court or in other positions

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Vice President Breaks Senate Tie to Approve New Secretary of Education

  The United States Senate has narrowly approved Betsy DeVos to lead the federal Department of Education. DeVos will join President Donald Trump’s new cabinet. Cabinet members are among the president’s closest advisers. The president nominates them, but they need congressional approval before taking office. As the secretary of education, DeVos will oversee the nation’s schools. She will also assist the president with education policy and legislation. Controversial selection If that job description sounds relatively simple, the path to DeVos’ congressional approval was not. She has been one of Trump’s most controversial cabinet choices – if not the most. One reason is that DeVos says she wants to reduce the federal government’s involvement in education. Historically, the federal government has played a major part in directing the nation’s public school system. Public schools are free for all students and have a fairly standard education curriculum. About 100,000 primary and secondary schools nationwide are public. About 35,000 are private -- meaning students have to pay to attend classes. DeVos says she would like to give more power over education to states and to parents. At her confirmation hearing, she said she wants to move away from “what the system thinks is best for kids to what moms and dads want, expect and deserve.” For example, instead of the local public school, some parents may want to send their child to a private same-sex school, one that provides training a certain foreign language, or one based on their religious beliefs. DeVos seeks to use public school money to support the choice. Some supporters of DeVos say she will bring needed competition to public education. They say her vision for school choice will also give students from poor families the same opportunities as those from richer families. Critics say DeVos’ plans will harm public schools and the students who depend on them – especially students in rural areas or those who have a disability. Critics also point to her lack of firsthand experience of the public school system. DeVos did not attend public schools or send her children to them. She has also never been a teacher or school administrator. Instead, she is a wealthy philanthropist, a major donor to members of Trump’s Republican Party, and a 30-year advocate for alternative choices to public education, especially Christian schools. Vice president breaks tie The controversy around DeVos’ confirmation was clear in Tuesday's vote. After arguing against DeVos on the Senate floor for 24 consecutive hours, all 48 Democrats opposed her, along with two Republicans from rural states. The other 50 Republicans supported her. The final vote was split, 50-50. Fortunately, the U.S. Constitution has a way to deal with this problem. It says that if senators are “equally divided,” the vice president makes the deciding vote. In this case, Vice President Mike Pence supported Trump’s choice and voted in favor of DeVos. The Associate Press notes that the Senate historian says this is the first time a vice president has had to break a tie in a Cabinet nomination.   I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story, with reports from VOA and the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   controversial – adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument curriculum – n. the courses that are taught by a school deserve – v. used to say that someone or something should have  certain – adj. used to refer to something or someone that is not named specifically opportunities – n.  a situation in which something can be done philanthropist – n. a wealthy person who gives money and time to help make life better for other people alternative – adj. offering or expressing a choice consecutive – adj. following each other without interruption

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Officials Consider the US-South Korea Free Trade Deal

  American business leaders are urging South Korean leaders to increase market access to U.S. companies seeking to sell goods in South Korea. The business leaders want to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump not to introduce policies that harm trade between the countries. During the U.S. presidential campaign, Trump threatened to make changes to the bilateral free trade deal. The deal is known as the Korean U.S. Free Trade Agreement or KORUS FTA. Last year, Trump criticized the deal as “job killing.” The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, or AMCHAM Korea, wants to keep the current KORUS FTA. The agreement took effect in 2012. The deal removed 95 percent of tariffs on consumer and industrial products over five years. James Kim is Chairman of AMCHAM Korea. He said South Korea should consider ending some regulations on imports that hurt trade. “We need to make the Korean economy more transparent and predictable, by making the regulatory process more deliberative,” Kim said recently in Seoul. The American car industry, for example, has said it spends a lot of time and money on unneeded environmental rules. It also says it faces regulations that often are introduced without notice or explanation. Fifteen percent of cars in South Korea are from foreign manufacturers. In other developed economies, such as the U.S. and European countries, foreign cars make up 40 percent of the market. The American Automotive Policy Council says nearly 80 percent of the trade deficit with Korea is in automobile trade. That deficit was almost $28 billion in 2015. Jeffrey Jones is a former AMCHAM Korea chairman. He says Trump’s statements on trade add urgency to efforts to take care of misunderstandings about trade practices. But, he says time is running out. Supporters say KORUS agreement is working AMCHAM Korea is sending a group to Washington, D.C., to defend the current trade agreement. The group wants to speak with lawmakers about how the trade deal is working. South Korean officials say most problems have been solved through negotiations. They say the trade agreement also has helped the U.S. economy. The Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association says U.S. car imports to South Korea have increased by 20 percent in two years. AMCHAM Chairman Kim says one way to build support for the U.S.-Korea trade agreement is to show how American exports to South Korea have increased. U.S. exports to South Korea of all products and services have risen by 8 percent in the last 10 years. Exports of some agricultural products have increased sharply since the free trade agreement has gone into effect. Kim notes that several Korean companies, including carmakers Hyundai and Kia, have opened factories or offices in the U.S. The Korean companies have created more than 45,000 American jobs. Recent news reports suggest that Samsung Electronics is considering opening a new manufacturing center in the U.S. Trump wrote on Twitter, “Thank you, Samsung! We would love to have you!” Samsung did not confirm that it would build a new factory. It did say, however, that it was making an investment of $17 billion in a semiconductor factory in Austin, Texas. The trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea is bilateral, meaning between two sides. It is unlike the huge 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership deal from which the U.S. withdrew, or the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which Trump has also criticized. Korean companies with operations in Mexico, however, are concerned they could face increased tariffs if NAFTA is renegotiated. NAFTA covers trade among Mexico, Canada and the U.S. I’m Mario Ritter.   Brian Padden reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Consumer –adj. relating to goods and services bought by people Regulations –n. rules or law about how something should be done Predictable –adj. not unusual, happening in a way that can be foreseen Deliberative –adj. doing something in a way that includes discussion of facts and thoughtful decision-making

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Amnesty International: Syria Killed Thousands in Hangings

  Amnesty International says the Syrian government has executed thousands of prisoners in what it considers war crimes and crimes against humanity. The rights group is accusing the government of carrying out systematic torture at a jail 30 kilometers from the Syrian capital, Damascus.​ In a report published on Tuesday, Amnesty International said that between 5,000 and 13,000 prisoners were executed from September 2011 to December 2015. Once or twice a week, groups of up to 50 people at a time were hanged at the Saydnaya Prison, Amnesty said. They would be beaten, then hanged in the middle of the night, it said. The numbers may well be higher, noted the writers of the report, called “Human Slaughterhouse: Mass Hangings and Extermination at Saydnaya Prison.” Amnesty said it has no reason to believe the Syrian government has halted the executions. It said most of the victims were civilians believed to oppose the government of President Bashar al-Assad. They included doctors, lawyers, activists, engineers and humanitarian workers, the rights group said. The report took a year to complete. It is based on statements from 84 witnesses, including former Saydnaya guards and prison officials, detainees, judges, lawyers and experts on detention in Syria. This is Amnesty’s second report on the prison. The killings are carried out with little or no respect for the law, according to Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty’s Deputy Director of Research. She spoke in Beirut, Lebanon on Monday. Maalouf said the executions take place after a “sham” trial that lasts only “a minute or three minutes.” She said they are approved by the “highest levels of authority,” including the minister of defense. The government has execution panels that oversee the hangings, Maalouf added. In her words, “it is just impossible” that the hangings and the execution panels are taking place “without the knowledge of the highest levels of authority.” The report calls on the United Nations Security Council to demand that Syria permit an independent investigation of the executions at Saydnaya. It said the government should let independent investigators visit all places of detention. Amnesty said on Tuesday it asked the Syrian government to comment on claims made in the report, but received no response. In the past, the government has denied reports of massacres documented by international rights groups.       In addition to the hangings, the Amnesty report said, prison inmates are regularly tortured through severe beatings and sexual violence. “They are denied adequate food, water, medicine, medical care and sanitation, which has led to the rampant spread of infection and disease,” it said. They also say many detainees develop serious mental disorders. In other news, the United Nations confirmed that Syrian peace talks will restart later this month in Geneva, Switzerland. Talks between the warring sides were delayed until the 20th [of February] to give a ceasefire time to succeed. Syria’s six-year-long civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and wounded many more.   I’m Anne Ball.   Jamie Dettmer wrote this story for VOA News. Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English with material from Reuters and VOA. George Grow  was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   extermination - n.  the act of destroying and killing sham - adj. something that is not what it appears to be and that is meant to trick or deceive people massacre – n. the violent killing of many people response - n. answer adequate – adj. enough for some need or requirement sanitation – n. the process of keeping places free from dirt, infection, disease, etc., by removing waste, trash and garbage, by cleaning streets, etc. rampant – adj. growing quickly in a way that is difficult to control

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Teachers Find Calm in New Program

From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. Teaching can be one of the most satisfying jobs in the United States. Yet many American teachers say they feel overworked, undervalued, and underpaid. This has led to what education experts call ‘teacher burnout,’ a feeling of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. In all, nearly 50 percent of American teachers leave the profession before their fifth year. That information comes from a 2010 study by the advisory service McKinsey & Company. And, a 2016 study from Penn State University found that 46 percent of teachers report high daily stress. Teachers say the stress affects their sleep, health, teaching performance, and quality of life. The study identified mindfulness training as one promising solution for improving teacher well-being. A path toward calm The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California – Berkeley studies the science and practice of well-being. It defines mindfulness as keeping “a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.” A person can reach this emotional state by spending time in quiet thought, without judging these thoughts and feelings. A number of people also meditate – they take slow, deep breaths to become calm. Many organizations around the country have designed mindfulness training programs for schools. Some of them are designed for teachers. The programs seek to reduce teacher stress while helping them be more effective in the classroom. Two examples are the New York-based CARE for Teachers program and a program by Mindful Schools, a non-profit organization based in California. Both programs give trainings on-site at schools as well. CARE About 100 kilometers north of New York City, the Garrison Institute offers the CARE for Teachers program. CARE is short for the term Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education. In the CARE program, teachers are shown how to recognize and regulate emotions in themselves and others: how to be ’reflective instead of being ‘reactive.’ They also learn mindful techniques for resolving difficult situations at work. Maureen Naughton is a seventh grade science teacher at a public middle school in the Bronx section of New York City. As a highly active teacher, Naughton would sometimes forget to take time to herself. She told VOA that CARE taught her methods such as mindful walking and mindful eating – ways of enjoying those activities fully instead of being distracted by worries or responsibilities. “I know myself, as a teacher, even on my lunch, I’m eating standing up or I’m eating running down the hall to do something. They [CARE] taught us how to take 15 minutes to enjoy your lunch and enjoy every part of it.” Naughton also says the deep breathing methods she learned help her to maintain calm when faced with the stress of trying to “meet everyone’s needs.” And, even before she closes her classroom door and starts a lesson, she’ll practice breathing – often with her students. Mindful Schools Adrienne Lopez teaches eighth grade English at Valley View Middle School in Concord, California. Like Naughton, Lopez told VOA that being aware of and regulating one’s breathing is vital. “Just having a practice of noticing my breath is huge, so a lot of times if I’m being -- feeling overwhelmed -- or there’s a lot of demands being made at me at one time, just being able to train my nervous system, like ‘oh, you’re not fully breathing. You need to be taking deep breaths’.” A few years ago, Lopez took the Mindful Schools certification program. The concepts in the program are not new to her – she’s been practicing meditation for 16 years. However, the certificate enables her to practice these methods with her students. She says that middle school students are “highly active creatures, very social creatures,” which can be challenging at times. Jose Rodriguez, too, understands the challenges of teaching this age group. Rodriguez teaches middle school students in the Spanish-English dual-language program at the Ambassador School of Global Education in Los Angeles. Rodriguez’ students can get frustrated with using laptops for their lessons. Sometimes, they all ask him for help at once, and say things like, “I can’t do this!”  When this happens, he uses the strategy learned from his training with Mindful Schools. He stops what they are doing until they can remain calm. This, he explains, helps everyone, including himself. “And when we wait, we’re able to deal with whatever is happening in that moment. And, so that’s one of the strategies that I learned.” Like many teachers, Rodriguez also experiences time urgency -- an anxious feeling that there is never enough time to complete duties. To combat time urgency, he uses a three-minute guided breathing exercise that he plays from YouTube – another technique learned in from Mindful Schools. While all of the teachers are strong believers in the mindful practices, they recognize that it’s not a “fix-all.”  Rodriguez believes mindfulness can be a useful tool when combined with other tools, such as adapting academic learning to the real life needs and instructional needs of students. I’m Alice Bryant. And I’m Phil Dierking.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stress - n. a physical or emotional influence that causes bodily or mention tension; pressure burnout - n. the condition of someone who has become very physically and emotionally tired after doing a difficult job for a long time cultivate - v. to improve or develop (something) by careful attention, training, or study resilience - n. the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens vital – adj. extremely important certification - n. the act of making something official; the act of certifying something reflection - n. careful thought about something regulate - v. to set or adjust the amount, degree, or rate of something challenge - n. a difficult task or problem : something that is hard to do anxious - adj. afraid or nervous especially about what may happen : feeling anxiety adapt - v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

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America’s Most Expensive Home Is $250 Million

  America’s most expensive home is for sale in Los Angeles, California for $250 million. The new 12,000-square-meter home has 12 bedrooms and 21 bathrooms. The home also has three kitchens, a 25-meter swimming pool, a 40-seat movie theater, spa and bowling alley. It has an elevator to take people up and down four floors.   The home sits on a hill in the Bel Air neighborhood, a favorite living area for movie stars and other famous people. It has great views of the city, mountains and ocean. American developer Bruce Makowsky built the house. He said only about 3,000 people in the world have enough money to buy it.   But what makes this home different from the many other expensive ones in Los Angeles? It also comes furnished with many built-in luxuries.   The buyer gets $30 million worth of expensive cars and motorcycles, including a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari and a Bugatti. The home also includes many furnishings and art pieces created by well-known designers and artists.   Included in the price are seven full-time workers who live in a separate part of the home. Makowsky says people who visit the home quickly run out of words to describe it. “Every single thing in this house makes you feel like you’re in heaven,” he told the Associated Press.   He does not think the $250-million price is too high. He said the right person will be willing to pay for the luxury it provides, rather than just watching their billions of dollars sit in the bank. “It’s the kind of thing where I can’t sell it," he said. "Somebody has to fall in love with it, and die over it.”   One of the most unusual parts of the home is a helicopter sitting on the roof. But the helicopter – an old model used on an American television show in the 1980s – is just for show. Even for $250 million, you cannot buy takeoff and landing rights.   I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. What do you think about this home? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   kitchen – n. room in a house where food is prepared spa – n. a place where people go to improve their health and appearance by relaxing, getting massage, etc. bowling alley – n. place where the sport of bowling takes place elevator – n. machine that carries people up and down in buildings furnish – v. to supply things needed for a space luxury – n. something expensive that is not necessary heaven – n. according to some religions, a place where God lives and where good people go after they die

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Uber Asks NASA Engineer to Develop Flying Cars

  This is What’s Trending Today… Flying cars may soon become a reality. The rideshare service Uber has asked an expert from NASA, the American space agency, to help the company develop cars that can fly. NASA engineer Mark Moore will work on the Uber Elevate project, Bloomberg Technology reported. The Bloomberg show said the project aims to support other businesses that are developing flying vehicles as well. Last October, Uber announced plans to use flying vehicles in the future to avoid traffic in and around cities. The company wants to use small, fully electric aircraft that could take off and land like a helicopter. Uber said its flying vehicles would be much quieter, cost less to operate and produce less pollution than helicopters. Moore has worked at the space agency for 30 years. His research has dealt mainly with vertical takeoff and landing vehicles – the kind of vehicle Uber now hopes to develop. Talk of plans for a flying car made Uber and NASA trending topics on social media. One person in San Francisco wrote on Twitter, “I used to think flying cars was a ridiculous idea. This morning I sat in SF traffic. I changed my mind.”   ​ Another person tweeted from Mumbai, India: “Reading about Uber hiring a NASA engineer to build flying cars, while I’m stick in traffic at the legendary Sakinaka signal. There is hope.”   ​ Moore told Bloomberg Technology that he predicts there will be several early models of flying cars – with human pilots – within one to three years. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.  VOA News reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English, with additional materials. George Grow was the editor.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vertical - adj. positioned up and down rather than from side to side : going straight up ridiculous - adj. extremely silly or unreasonable hire - v.  to give work or a job to (someone) in exchange for wages or a salary legendary - adj.  very famous or well-known

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