Taobao is a major online shopping website in China. For those who just love to shop online, now is the best time of the year, because Nov 11, China's Singles' Day, will see some seemingly irrational discounts, in line with the tradition that was started in 2010.

    Last year, Taobao, a major online shopping website, set a record of 1 billion yuan in sales on that day alone, with a whopping 19.1 billion yuan exchanging hands on the website. The number of items sold paralyzed the delivery services due to overloading. On the verge of yet another annual spending spree, it's worth reading up on tricks and tips to make the most of the shopping carnival.

    Be prepared

    Select goods early and rationally

    Put everything you want in the “shopping cart” to make a list of potential purchases. Then go through it carefully, removing anything you selected on impulse.

    Seal a deal in advance

    Talk to service staff as early as possible. They may have already decided on a discount policy for Nov 11 and may even ship the product to you in advance, which is a good way to avoid the heavy online traffic on the special day.

    Manage your budget

    Popular items will be in strong demand, so make sure you're ready to pay with the least number of procedures. It's best to deposit a reasonable amount of money in your Alipay account so that you can pay without going through any lengthy verifications. If you're planning on using a credit card, you can call the bank to apply for more credit, but only spend as much as you can afford to repay.

    Look at the real items

    With many products, such as shoes and clothes, it's better to look at them first to check their quality, size and appearance and ensure you're buying the right one.

    Be smart

    It's all about timing

    According to Alipay, there are several peak hours when online traffic is heavy and there is a higher risk of failed transactions. Try to avoid the following time spans: 12 pm-1:30 am, 10-11 am, 3-5 pm, and 8-10 pm.

    Apps as a helping hand

    Smartphone apps like Huihui Shopping list the best offers on a particular website, while Yitao, a software developed by Alibaba, compares prices of selected items across different websites to bring you the best deal.

    Track and open your package

    Because of the huge demand, delivery mistakes are inevitable, so try to track the package. If the product is perishable, keep the tracking record in case of a dispute. When the package arrives, check the item carefully before signing for it. Now you can go ahead and enjoy all your new stuff!

    It's not often you get information about a destination from a heavy metal band, but in Debrecen, Hungary's second largest city, locals are used to having to make a noise to get heard.

    Just off the historic center, Roncs bar is a pub that also hosts live music.  It has the atmosphere of a student party in an old building that might soon be knocked down.

    Roncs is owned by Hungary's best-known heavy metal rock band, Tankcsapda. Sometimes referred to as the “Hungarian Metallica", the band has taken a type of music that is famous worldwide and-through lyrics, album covers, and an annual New Year's party and concert-made it all about their home city.

    It's perhaps fitting that Tankcsapda should be seen as ambassadors for Debrecen-the city sometimes needs loud heavy metal rock music to get noticed. “Foreigners think that Hungary is Budapest and there's nothing else,” is a familiar saying on Debrecen's:streets.

    Debrecen has, at times, been more important than the current seat of power, with locals claiming it takes over in times of trouble.

    That doesn't quite add up.

    Debrecen survived an attack from the Mongols in the 13th century, the Black Death, 150 years of struggle against the Ottomans and numerous conflicts, and yet it has still only briefly been the country's capital twice. This happened for the first time after a short-lived revolution in 1849, and for a second time at the end of World War II.

    Today, Debrecen may not be well known to tourists, but that only adds to the charm of this relaxed city. It's a small place; the historical center is sized for strolling (散步) and regular cafe stops. There's also a view of Debrecen's mix of architectural styles, a result of the frequent large fires that back in the 19th century led the city's students to form one of Europe's first-ever fire brigades (消防队).

    You can also see traditional weathercocks from the rooftops, featuring Islamic star and crescent moon symbols that once advertised to Ottoman invaders that the city preferred trading to fighting.

    Trade meant that Debrecen's skilled people became very successful and the city became famous for-among other things-fine foods, hats and clay pipes. In the early 19th century, 10 million clay pipes were reportedly made a year, with thousands bought for Britain's navy.

    Time flies, or so they say. No matter where you are, humans are constantly measuring and checking time. Some of us are good at it—planning and doing things ahead of time—while others are always trying to beat the clock and do things at last. What about if you are behind time?

    Delay can be serious. If you were one minute late for work, would you resign? It may sound extreme to many of us, but that is exactly what occurred in the UK upper chamber of parliament, the House of Lords, in January 2018. International development minister Lord Bates arrived one minute late, and, as a result, was unable to answer a scheduled question. Instead of trying to make up for lost time, he resigned on the spot. He apologised for his discourtesy and stated that he was ashamed. His resignation, though, was not accepted by the UK prime minister.

    So, how late is too late? Many cultures take punctuality very seriously, whereas others seem to accept lagging behind as just the normal way of things. BBC employees from Latin America, Rwanda and Sri Lanka said that there are more flexible attitudes to timekeeping in their cultures. In Latin America, things may happen five minutes, 20 minutes, an hour or even two after they were planned. Whereas, in Sri Lanka, lateness is a part of the daily routine. This is because of poor infrastructure and heavy traffic conditions. In Rwanda, those who attend to deadlines with strick timekeeping are said to be “like a typical European”.

    On the other hand, German and Japanese employees mentioned a stricter adherence to time. In Japan, it is common to make an effort to arrive with time to spare for an appointment. Those who arrived at the stroke of nine to a meeting starting at 9 am would be considered late. In Germany, however, if a dinner party were to begin at eight, a person who had arrived five minutes prior, may walk around the block to make sure that they arrive at eight on the dot.

    Here are some professions Americans consider to be the most honest. Maybe the rest of us can learn from what these people do to establish good relationships with others.

    MEDICAL DOCTORS

    Jack Jacob, Age: 44, Fountain Valley, California

    I try to introduce myself in a pleasant way. I sit down. I don't stand. I make good eye contact with the patient and his or her family. Communication skills are key, as well as showing understanding and availability. For a physician, the most rewarding thing is when someone who has seen your work chooses you.

    ENGINEERS

    Chrissy Keane, Age: 41, Crofton, Maryland

    I don't know that being an engineer means you are automatically trustworthy. However, I do think that most engineers like to follow rules and be organized. They tell you what they think, whether you want to hear it or not. Those are important elements in building trust.

    POLICE OFFICERS

    G. M. Cox, Age: 64, Fort Worth, Texas

    As a police officer, I have the best interests of the people I serve in my heart and in my actions and I'm going to treat everyone the same way. I always want to go up to people and speak to them with respect. Don't talk down to them. You have to establish and maintain that trust. Be equal!

    There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.

    People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend (hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing (批评) and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation (模仿). It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.

    Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact (接触) with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.

    When it comes to modern communication, security is a big concern. It seems like we're forever hearing about hackers leaking(泄露) emails, passwords and other important personal information.

    But thanks to a breakthrough by Chinese scientists, who won the 2018 Newcomb Cleveland Prize in February, we may soon never have to worry about our data again. This is thanks to the satellite called Micius that uses cutting-edge technology to send and receive information.

    Micius is the first satellite of its kind to use quantum key distribution(量子密匙分发), which uses particles (粒子) that transmit(传输) light to transfer information from one point to another. Currently, it can communicate with two base stations(基站), both of which are located high up in the mountains in two different areas of Tibet, around 1,200 kilometers apart. Data is sent between the satellite and one of the base stations in the form of a ray of light. This makes it almost impossible for data sent and received using quantum satellite technology to be stolen, as the connection will be broken if someone tries to hack it.

    "Any eavesdropper(偷听者) on the quantum channel attempting to gain information … can be found by the communicating users," the scientists wrote in the paper.

    However, the technology does have a few limitations. For example, the process only works at night, as the information isn't able to pass through sunlight.

    Despite these small issues, the scientific community across the world has reacted positively to China's achievements in this groundbreaking project.

    "This Chinese experiment is a quite remarkable technological achievement," Artur Ekert, a professor of quantum physics at the University of Oxford, told BBC News.

    And Karl Ziemelis, an editor for Nature, told Xinhua, "It's a testament(见证)to China's investments and significant efforts in the physical sciences that this group has been able to push research in practical quantum communication technologies to such an astronomical(天文学的)height."