My elder cousin Ted liked complaining almost about everything. When he faced a problem, he always chose to complain about it instead of finding a way to solve it. That was not right. Ted was healthy and had received a good education. He should and could find a good job and work hard to feed himself, but he just complained all day, drifting from one job to another. One day, I read about a farmer called Chris and told Ted about the farmer.

    Chris works hard, performs many jobs around the farm. But Chris is not exactly like other farmers. What makes him different is that he was born without arms or legs. But this has not stopped him from working hard and getting things done.

    Now, you may ask, is this possible? Like many other amazing people who have no arms or legs, Chris does not focus on what he can't do, but rather on what he can do. And he can do a lot! He drives farm vehicles and looks after crops. Once you see Chris in action, you will think there is nothing he could not do.

    Chris is a great example of a person who is making the most of his gifts. His positive attitude and courage make him a true inspiration.

    After I told Ted about Chris, he became silent. Compared with Chris, Ted was much luckier. Then luckily, I saw Ted's change.

    Do you like complaining? If you do, think about Chris. Such a man chooses to stay positive. Why don't we?

    China is fully prepared to export a full supply chain of high-speed railway technology, according to industry experts.

    China Railway Corp, the national rail operator, said exports of railway equipment and railway construction projects are proceeding well, and breakthroughs are being made in a number of projects overseas.

    Among the projects, the first full-chain commission, the Jakarta to Bandung high-speed railway in Indonesia, which includes technology, design, construction, equipment manufacture, supply of resources, operations management and staff training, has been granted a construction permit and work is proceeding smoothly.

    “China's railways have established a comprehensive and advanced technology system, which is able to provide overseas customers with solutions from many different perspectives, including financing, construction, operations, and research and development,” said Yang Zhongmin, the CRC's deputy chief engineer, who added that China's railway system is competitive in terms of technology and economy of use.

    According to Yang, the nation's railway equipment and infrastructure (基础设施) service businesses have entered markets in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa.

    Last year, Joko Widodo, president of Indonesia, and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, rode Chinese-made bullet trains.

    Yang Hao, a professor of rail transportation management at Beijing Jiaotong University, said China has a major advantage in that it is able to export a full range of railway technology: “For example, it is inconvenient to import the technology for the signaling system from one country and civil engineering technology from another.”

    Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining global popularity. According to a government white paper, TCM has been introduced in 183 countries and regions around the world.

    Westerners' understanding of TCM, however, may be limited to acupuncture, cupping and massage(针灸，拔罐和按摩). For instance, the purple, injury-like marks left on U. S. swimmer Michael Phelps，back from cupping for the purpose of relaxing his muscles and reducing pain became the center of attention during the Rio Olympics in 2016.

    As a matter of fact, Chinese herbs play a more important role in getting rid of diseases and keeping the body in good condition in the TCM treatment system than physical treatment. It is therefore disheartening to know that while 103 World Health Organization member countries have given approval to the practice of acupuncture, not many recognize Chinese herbal medicine. TCM falls far behind Western medicine owing partly to the slow development of Chinese herbs.

    Herbs are made into pills, powder and soup, and the kind of herbs used, their quality and quantity, and the processing of the ingredients (原材料) jointly determine the effectiveness of the prescription. Compared with Western medicine, which has standardized drug production processes and treatment methods, TCM lacks standardization, with the chemical composition and functions of its medicines being unclear and their effects being unstable. Fortunately, standardization has improved in recent decades, with an increasing number of factories producing patented TCM drugs.

    Another factor that has prevented the development of TCM prescription drugs is the lack of creativity. While Western medicine-making companies come up with new products every year, TCM drug producers tend to make medicines according to prescriptions handed down from the past. Chinese chemist Tu Youyou's winning the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her research into malaria (疟疾) treatment may drive creativity to some extent in China's TCM industry. However, the current state of affairs cannot be changed within a short time.

Planning Your Family Trip

    Plan ahead to make your family trip run smoothly. Family vacations are cherished memories. Keeping children entertained on the road or during a flight, however, can be challenging. The best way to cut down on anxiety? Plan ahead.

    Avoid giving children snacks that contain sugar and caffeine. Sweet treats keep them happy and quiet for five minutes, as it fills them with unusable energy that will turn into crankiness (偏执) when the sugar wears off. Bring fun, small snacks like flavored baked chips, apple sauce, raisins, and granola bars—and top it off with a little protein like cheese sticks to keep the blood sugar levels nice and steady.

    Bring plenty of plastic or paper bags. This is the perfect time to put those spare bags around the house to use. Store them in your purse or pocket, as well as in the car. This is a quick solution for garbage, diaper wrapping or motion sickness.

    Avoid extra costs on bulk items you will need during the trip. When flying, purchase bulk items like diapers, formula, and wipes at your destination. In the past, it was convenient and free to check these items. Now, each checked luggage item costs $25 or more on average. When driving, do the opposite; take your bulk items to avoid extra trips to the store when you arrive, which can help you avoid impulse travel purchases.

    Bring a full change of clothing for each child. Keep these items within fairly easy reach. When a spill or mess happens, this will help parents avoid unexpected (and unbudgeted) clothing purchases.

    Travel planning can help make family vacations what they are supposed to be: Fun! What are some of your favorite strategies for saving time and stress while traveling with children?

    I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have porridge, eggs or toast. When others had Coke and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. But at least I wasn't alone when I was sad. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

    My mother preferred to know where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. We had to clean clothes and take a bath every day. The other kids got to wear the same clothes for days. We could not lie in bed "sick" in order to miss school.

    The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and get up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept, my mother was brave to break the Child Labour Laws. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, and learn to cook and all kinds of things at home. I believe she lay awake thinking up all things for us to do.

    My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Two of her children received higher education. None of us have ever been taken away by the police or divorced (离婚). She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults. I am now trying to raise my three children this way. I am filled with pride when my children call me "mean". Why? Because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the world.