Research shows that isolation(隔绝，孤立)is bad for us and associated with certain diseases including depression, high blood pressure and heart disease. Yet teenagers seek isolation by using the device of our times—a screen, screens of all kinds. However, in whatever form, screens are addictive, and addictive from an early age. Research has shown that given the chance, six-month-old babies prefer screens to real human faces.

    Hand in hand with this addiction to screens, we are seeing an explosion of teenage mental health problems. Social media claims to be inclusive, keeping you connected. But it's not. It isolates you from real people. Screens have even been described as being poisonous for teenagers.

    Psychologist Jean Twenge, a professor at San Diego State University, believes today's teenagers are “on the edge” of a major mental health crisis and requestes, “do anything that doesn't involve a screen”. The problem is, she claims, children born between 1995 and 2012 have grown up with a smart phone in their hands, and it has “changed every aspect” of their lives. The number of teenagers who actually see their friends frequently has dropped by more than 40% since 2000. In 2015, only 56% of 17-year-old went on a date, down from 85%. Modern teenagers are slower to learn to drive, or earn money and spend more time at home. They're “on their phone, in their room, alone and often depressed”, she says.

    Some critics, however, say we should encourage our children to spend more time online. Robert Hannigan, former director of GCHQ, said in August that Britain is badly short of engineers and computer scientists, and urged children to develop cyber skill to compete in the digital economy.

    I' m not the first to say that social media is inferior to real human contact, and harms mental health. Studies show teens who spend three hours a day online are 35% more likely to suicide(自杀).

    The suicide rate among girls aged 12 to 14 has more than doubled in a decade.

    Japan is very serious about robotics (机器人技术). If robots are going to fit in, they probably need to learn the Japanese custom of serving tea. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Tokyo are just exploring that. In a show this week, a humanoid(人形机器人)with camera eyes made by Kawada Industries Inc. poured tea from a bottle into a cup. Then another robot on wheels delivered the cup of tea in an experimental room that has sensors embedded in the floor and sofa as well as cameras on the ceiling, to simulate(模仿)life with robot technology.

    "A human being may be faster, but you'd have to say ‘Thank you'," said Professor Tomomasa Sato from the University of Tokyo. "That's the best part about a robot. You don't have to feel bad about asking it to do things."

    Sato believes Japan, a rapidly aging society where more than a fifth of the population is 65 or older, will lead the world in designing robots to care for the elderly, sick and bedridden(长期卧床的).

    Already, monitoring technologies, such as sensors that automatically turn on lights when people enter a room, are becoming widespread in Japan.

    The walking, child-size Asimo from Honda Motor Co. greets people at show-rooms. NEC Corp. has developed a smaller robot-on-wheels companion called Papero. A seal robot available since 2004 can entertain the elderly and others in need of fuzzy companionship.

    Sato says his experimental room is raising awareness about privacy questions that may arise when electronic devices(设备)monitor a person's movements down to the smallest detail.

    On the bright side, the tea-pouring humanoid has been programmed to do the dishes.

    About aspirin:

    Aspirin is a commonly used drug which can be taken to relieve discomfort caused by numerous medical problems including headaches, toothache, inflammation and infections. It is also suitable to treat colds and flu-like symptoms, and to reduce a high temperature.

    Who can take aspirin?

    Adults and children over 16 years of age.

    Who should not take aspirin?

    Women who are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. Aspirin may harm your unborn baby.

    Women who are breast-feeding. Aspirin can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby.

    People who have any problems with the way the liver works or with the way the kidneys work.

How to take aspirin:

    Take aspirin after meals, with a full glass of water or milk.

    The recommended dose (剂量) ranges from two to three tablets at a time. Never take more than 4g 12 tablets) in any 24 -hour period.

    You must not take these tablets with any other medicine which contains any aspirin or painkiller.

    How to store aspirin:

    Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.

    Store aspirin in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

    Do not put aspirin in the bathroom because the dampness there can cause it to lose its effectiveness.

    Throw away aspirin that smells strongly of vinegar.

    Possible side effects:

    Feeling sick, increased risk of bleeding, stomach pain, indigestion and heartburn are common. If these effects continue, contact your doctor.

    Ringing in the ears, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and mental confusion are rare. If these occur, stop taking the drug and contact your doctor for further advice.

    The summer I turned 16, my father gave me a car, which permitted Hannah and me to drive around Tucson whenever we wanted to.

    Hannah was my best friend. "Hannah's amazing," my mother always said. And sure enough, that summer she signed with a modeling agency. She was already doing runway work.

    One day, Hannah and I went to the movies. On the way home, we stopped at the McDonald's drive-through, putting the fries on the seat between us to share. "Let's ride around a while," I said. It was a clear night, moonlight shone over the desert. Taking a turn too fast, I hit a patch of dirt and fishtailed.

    French fries on the floor. An impossible amount of blood on Hannah's face. They took us in separate ambulances. In the ER, my parents spoke quietly Best plastic surgeon in the city. End of her modeling career.

    We'd been wearing lap belts, but the car didn't have shoulder harnesses. I'd cracked my cheekbone: Hannah's forehead had split wide open. What would I say to her?

    When her mother, Sharon, came into my hospital room, I started to cry, bracing myself for her anger. She sat beside me and took my hand. "I almost ended my best friend when I was your age," she said, "I totaled her car and mine."

    "I'm so sorry," I said.

    "You're both alive," she said, "The rest is window dressing." I started to protest, and Sharon stopped me. "I forgive you. Hannah will too."

    Sharon's forgiveness allowed Hannah and me to stay friends throughout life. I think of her gift of forgiveness every time I want to resent someone for a perceived wrong. And whenever I see Hannah, the scars are a symbol of grace for me.

    Facebook was running my life.

    But what killed Facebook for me was when I posted a photo, and five minutes later my son asked me how many "likes" it had got. His question was a wake-up call.

    "Likes" are signs of acceptance and approval(赞同). I had forgotten that acceptance and approval need to come from within and had unknowingly set him a bad example.

    Before absorbed in Facebook, I spent a lot more time reading books and magazines. I checked in with friends through texts, emails and phone calls.

    To set a healthier example to my son, I deactivated my Facebook account.

    I'd been in the habit of checking Facebook many times a day, so I had to come up with some new habits. I carried a novel and a crossword puzzle book around with me. I rediscovered knitting. I started taking yoga classes.

    I started to remember a few things. My body is fine just the way it is. I have friends who will help me out when I'm in trouble, and I will help them out. I do my best to be a good mother, and our son is happy and healthy. We are very lucky to be able to afford two vacations a year.

    I stopped looking at the world through my cellphone. I felt completely present in the moment. The break left me feeling better about myself, my family, my home and my life.

    After a few weeks, I returned to Facebook. Now I look at the photos of my friends' kids growing up and treasure how social media allows me to keep in touch with family. I no longer have the desire to post updates often.

    It is not an addiction(上瘾) any more.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the U. S. Department of Homeland Security recommends having at least a two - week supply of water and food.

Potatoes

Shelf life: 2 to 5 weeks if stored in a cool, dry, dark place

Yukon Gold, red, and fingerling potatoes will last from two to three weeks. Larger white potatoes can last for three to five weeks. Sweet potatoes have about the same shelf life. Don't store them next to onions, however. The two might go together well in cooking, but raw, each gives off gases and moisture that might cause the other to spoil faster.

Tea

※Shelf life: 6 to 12 months past "sell - by" date

Dried tea leaves, whether loose (in a sealed container) or in teabags (in an unopened box) can easily last a year or more if they're not subjected to damp or humidity. However, the tea does tend to lose flavor over time.

Peanuts

● Shelf life: 1 to 2 months

Peanuts in their shell, especially when kept cool and dry, are perfectly happy in the cupboard for as long as two months.

Canned fruits and vegetables

● Shelf life: 1 to 2 years past "sell – by" date

Canning is an extremely efficient means of preserving food. Generally speaking, if canned foods aren't subjected to extreme heat, their contents should stay good for two years or more. Be aware, however, of dented cans or those with swollen tops, which may indicate the presence of bacteria inside.