The production of coffee beans is a huge, profitable business, but, unfortunately, full-sun production is taking over the industry and
bringing about a lot of damage. The change in how coffee is grown from shade-grown，production to full-sun production endangers the very existence of, certain animals and birds, and even disturbs the world's ecological balance.
On a local level, the damage of the forest required by full-sun fields affects the area's birds and animals. The shade of the forest trees provides a home for birds and other special(物种) that depend on the trees' flowers and fruits. Full-sun coffee growers destroy this forest home. As a result, many special are quickly dying out.
On a more global level, the destruction of the rainforest for full-sun coffee fields also threatens(威胁)human life. Medical research often makes use of the forests' plant and animal life, and the destruction of such species could prevent researchers from finding cures for certain diseases. In addition, new coffee-growing techniques are poisoning the water locally, and eventually the world's groundwater.
Both locally and globally, the continued spread of full-sun coffee plantations (种植园)could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology. The loss of shade trees is already causing a slight change in the world's climate,
and studies show that loss of oxygen-giving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming. Moreover, the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic(酸性的) soil conditions.
It is obvious that the way much coffee is grown affects many aspects many aspects of life, from the local environment to the global ecology.
But consumers do have a choice. They can purchase shade-grown coffee whenever possible, although at a higher cost. The future health of
the planet and mankind is surely worth more than an inexpensive cup of coffee.

    I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles”(风格) of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”

    Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑) in Japan because most streets there don't have names; In Japan, people use landmarks(地标) in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”

    In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”

    People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it's about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don't know.

    It's true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don't know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don't know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!

    As for old people, some of the applications are hard to use because they didn't grow up with them. They don't have simple models of how they should work, what to do when something doesn't work or where to go for help. We make it as easy as possible to be used for people who are not familiar with the technology.

    I think there is huge potential (潜力) and we are designing it. The ability to connect to friends, who remember the same movies and news and music, is really important, especially as people get old. They end up in retirement homes and they aren't always close to their friends. Allowing the network to help them connect with friends and family is a really powerful thing.

    My mother is an enthusiastic user of the Internet, although it took me years to get her to use e-mail. She was born with normal hearing, but lost it when she was 3. She was totally deaf for many years, until age 53, when she got ear aids. They work really well. That is a big change for her. But before then, her friends couldn't call her on the phone, so they insisted she use e-mail to communicate with them.

    Young people don't even think of the Internet as technology. It's just there, and they use it. There's been a very interesting change in communications styles between old people and young people. There are some kids who are now in their teens and aren't willing to make phone calls. And they think of e-mail as old-fashioned and slow.

    The reason why teens don't make phone calls seems to be that they don't know what to say. When they call they often stop for a while and there's this silence. On the other hand, texting is considered proper, and it's okay if you don't answer. You might have been distracted. It's not considered rude. But it is considered strange if you're in this kind of voice conversation and simply stop talking.

    Everyone knows about New York City's most popular attractions, but here are some activities you might not think about doing on your NYC( New York City) vacation. Surprise yourself with some great things to do in New York City.

    Looking for something thrilling to do while you visit New York City? For over ten years, Trapeze school New York has been teaching people how to fly on the trapeze. Their beginner classes last two hours and cost $50-70, plus one-time $22 registration fee. From April to October, their outdoor location on the Hudson River offers a spectacular setting for the experience, but they also have an indoor location that is open year-round.

    Learn to Surf

    Rockaway Beach is a popular destination for East Coast surfers, but even if you've never surfed, there are plenty of folks happy to teach you at Rockaway Beach. Locals Surf School offers two-hour group lessons starting at $80, including all the vehicles you need. Frank from Rockaway Beach also offers surfing lessons.

    Get Kissed by a Sea Lion

    Sign up for a Sea Lion Encounter at the New York Aquarium, and you'll have the chance to get to get up close and personal with the Sea Lions after the show. After a short orientation, participants will each get a chance to pose for a photo and get a kiss from a sea lion. Sea Lion Encounters cost $20 and are offered after Sea Lion Celebration shows. Participants must be at least 5 years old, and those who're 5-7 years old must be held by their parents/caregivers during any animal interaction (互动).

    Experience Fall Leaves

    Although New York City doesn't have as many colorful leaves as New England, there are still some great ways to enjoy the changing leaves during a fall visit to New York City, both in the city and beyond. Whether you want to walk around one of New York City's great parks or take a fall leaves sightseeing cruise up the Hudson River, you can get a taste of the beautiful fall colors when you visit New York City.

    Know where to go!

    Sign up for our daily tips to make your best vacation.

    Judy Wright and her husband decided to move closer to their son, Chris, who lived in Georgia. About a month after the move, Judy fell ill, suffering from her ongoing battle against Parkinson's disease.

    Her condition worsened rapidly and she required medical care at home. The family hired a nursing aid who canceled at the last minute. Instead, a woman named TunDe Hector showed up in her place.

    One day, TunDe shared a story with Judy and her family. She remembered a particularly difficult day in 2014, when a stranger had helped her with a kind gesture. She had run out of gas, and with only$5 in her pocket, was walking to a gas station, gas can in hand. A man saw her walking and turned his car around. He paid for her gas and gave her all the cash left in his wallet. Upon hearing the story, Judy's son, Chris, took off his hat and said, "That was me!” He was the stranger that had helped TunDe on that difficult day.

    During the care of Judy, the Wright family learned about TunDe's family and her own dream. The nursing aid, TunDe hoped that one day she could become an OB-GYN nurse.Her tuition was past due(逾期) and she had a family to care for, but she was determined to achieve that goal for herself and her family.

    Judy died on July 9,2017. Instead of flowers, her family asked mourners(悼念者) to donate to TunDe's education , to assist her in paying for her nursing school. In less than a week, they raised more than $8,000 and presented her with the surprise check.

    About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studio(影棚) to take part in a crowd-scene. Although our "act" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.

    We all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path. Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was wheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in "snow". Two more fans were turned on, and a "strong wind" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real (that it made us feel cold).

    The next scene was a complete contrast (对比). The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen(幕).An actor and actress stood in front of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water's edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!

    Since it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film "stars"!