Researchers say current exercise guidelines are unrealistic and argue that doctors should sometimes advise small increases in activity instead. They warn the 150-minute weekly target is beyond the reach of some people - particularly older individuals. And striving to reach these goals could mean the benefits of lighter exercise are overlooked. But public health officials say current recommendations have proven benefits in lowering the risk of heart disease.

    There is increasing evidence that inactivity is linked to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes (糖尿病) and some types of cancer. UK guidelines for adults recommend at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate activity a week, in short periods of 10 minutes or more.

    But in two separate articles in the BMJ, experts argue the message needs to change, with greater emphasis on making inactive people move more. Prof Philipe de Souto Barreto at the University Hospital of Toulouse, advises people who sit too much to make small increases in their activity levels - rather than pushing to achieve current goals. He points to previous studies which show even short periods of walking or just 20 minutes of vigorous activity a few times a month can reduce the risk of death, compared to people who do no exercise.

In the second article, Prof Phillip Sparking of the Georgia Institute of Technology, says doctors should tailor their advice — particularly for older patients. He suggests using GP visits for people over 60 to discuss “realistic options” to increase activity — such as getting people to stand up and move during TV commercial breaks.

    Prof Kevin Fenton at Public Health England, says: “Everyone needs to be active every day — short periods of 10 or more minutes of physical activity have proven health benefits, but getting 150 minutes or more of moderate activity every week is the amount we need to positively impact on a wide range of health conditions.” This includes reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”

    “The world feels anxious and divided, and Facebook has a lot of work to do whether it's protecting our community from abuse and hate, defending against interference by nation states, or making sure that time spent on Facebook is well spent,” Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook in January.

    If the tech firm succeeded, Facebook would end 2018 on a much better path. But the cracks in Zuckerberg's social media empire only grew as scandals(丑闻)about data misuse, security and even Facebook's leadership piled up.

    The social network has faced criticism many times since launching 14 years ago, but the public uproar reached new heights in 2018. Facebook's missteps, even as it tried to fix its problems, were yet another reminder of what happens when a company grows rapidly with little oversight(监管). They also set the stage for another showdown between the tech powerhouse and lawmakers who have their own ideas on how to manage a platform used by 2.3 billion people every month.

    “I think there's just a general growing consensus from both parties in Congress that self-policing is not going to work,” Democratic senator Mark Warner of Virginia said in an interview. Facebook pointed to a series of notes Zuckerberg published this year outlining what the tech firm has done to combat(战斗，争论)election meddling(好干预的), as well as hate speech, misinformation and other offensive content. The social network pulled down more than 1.5 billion fake accounts, launched a database of political ads and announced the creation of a Supreme Court like independent body to oversee content appals.

    But in many ways, Zuckerberg fell short of his New Year's resolution(决议). UN investigators said Facebook played a role in spreading hate speech that fueled ethnic cleansing(清洗)in Myanmar. Media outlets found loopholes(漏洞)and errors in Facebook's political ads database. Users questioned whether they should delete Facebook after learning that Cambridge Analytical, a UK political consulting firm with ties to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, gathered data on as many as 87 million Facebook users without their permission.

    In short, Facebook's problems ballooned out of the company's control.

“They created a platform where sharing was mindlessly easy and interacting with each other required almost no forethought at all,” said Woodrow Hertzog, a law and computer science professor at Northeastern University. “As a result, there was massive sharing, including leaking of personal information that put lots of people at risk.”

    I went up to Peet's Coffee the other morning and there was a young man, Mike, probably my age. With him he had all his physical belongings on a small roll cart. I first thought, how nice to have so few possessions. That was followed with the thought of how ironic (讽刺的) it is that we live in one of the financially wealthiest areas of the U.S., if not the world, yet we can't, or don't, take care of the basic needs of human beings. Yes, we are financially wealthy, but we lack in wealth of compassion (同情), kindness, and understanding. I tear up as I ponder the inequality and injustice that exists.

    Anyway, I invited Mike in for a bite to eat and he eagerly accepted. He talked about looking up a friend for a place to stay that night. On Christmas Eve as many eagerly and greedily stuff their bellies with food in nice, warm homes and then open presents, Mike just wanted a place to spend the evening.

    Then I was really blown away. As he waited for his sandwich, Mike began cleaning up the condiment (佐料) area. He took some paper and wiped up the spills of others and rearranged the milks and other condiments, making everything neat and orderly. Here is a person with very little and he's serving others in a way that's just natural to him.

    I spoke with Mike about this afterward, thanking him. He said he always did that sort of thing—straightening up. To him, it was just common politeness. I just asked him for a hug and we parted to go our separate ways. There is a lot for us...me... to learn in the most unlikely place.

    Getting around in Canada is fairly easy. Most cities have urban transportation systems, including buses, streetcars, and trains, and some of the larger cities also have subways.

    You can board the transportation at regular stops along the routes. Some let you pay in cash, others require tickets. If you don't have a ticket for the bus, you must pay the right amount of money. This is because the driver does not carry any change. Once you get settled, you may want to buy a monthly pass or a package of tickets to save money. You can buy subway tickets at the subway station.

    If you have to take several buses or change subways on a single trip, you do not need to pay money each time. Simply ask the driver for a transfer, or pick one up from the machine on the subway platform.

    If you are not sure where to board the bus or the streetcar, just ask someone, or follow the crowd. It's usually at the front of the bus, where you show your pass to the driver. When using public transportation, Canadians line up. First come, first served, is a common approach to many activities in Canada.

    Maps of routes and schedules are usually available from the public transit company in your area, and there may also be a telephone information line. You may want to ask someone for the name of the transit company in the area where you live, and then look it up in your telephone book.

    Thanks to this new hands- free suitcase, carrying around heavy luggage may soon become a thing of the past. Designed by Israeli company NUA Robotics, this "smart" suitcase can follow you everywhere you go.

    The carry­on suitcase, now a prototype(雏形), connects to a smartphone app via bluetooth. It has a built­in camera sensor that can "see" you and follow you around on flat floors. It comes with an anti­theft alarm to prevent someone carrying it away when you're not looking. "It can follow and carry things for people around while communicating with their smartphone, and avoiding bumping into other objects," explained Alex Libman, founder of NUA Robotics. "We're combining sensor network, computer vision, and robotics. So if you download our app(应用), press the 'follow me' button, the luggage recognizes its user and knows to follow and communicate."

    NUA is still testing the products and trying to improve features like speed and customization(客户订制), but they hope to make the suitcase available to customers in a year's time. If it proves successful, they want to use the bluetooth pairing technology to automate(自动化操作)lots of other products, like shopping carts at the supermarket. These products are especially meant to be useful to the physically disabled and elderly. "Any object can be smart and robotic," Libman told Mashable. "We want to bring robots into everyday life."

    The Israeli tech company made it clear that the finished product will look just like a common suitcase. They're planning to partner with a carry­on luggage maker, since the product that makes it "smart" weighs just 2.5 pounds and can be fitted on old­fashion luggage.

    With NUA's smart suitcase, carrying around heavy luggage isn't a burden. But how their invention will handle tough blocks like stairs? It will be interesting to wait.

Life Begins on Board Your Next Cruise(邮轮)

On a cruise, it's all about choices. And never about effort or annoyance. Simply step aboard and float away, as your grand accommodation takes you from port to port, country to country. Maybe you haven't been on a cruise yet. Let's see what it might look like.

Rise and shine

Everyone is a morning person on a cruise. Wake up to find yourself floating joyfully somewhere out on the horizon, between vast blue skies and rolling oceans. You've travelled far through the night, and each morning begins with a completely new and foreign destination calling from outside your window. What a way to start your day!

Breakfast of champions

Before the morning truly begins, spend some time relaxing on the top floor with a steaming cup of coffee and warm French pastries, taking in the unbelievable views and the fresh sea air. Or head to one of the many restaurants on the ground floor to find a rich meal fit for a king, then walk to the front of the ship and have some fresh fruit and American pancakes in the open-air market.

Ease into your day

Energize your morning with a yoga class, strengthening your body on the open-air board, palms stretched to the sea. Hit the gym for a refreshing workout or take a swim that will set you up for the day. If you are not so sporty, simply spend your morning sitting by the pool reading a book, perhaps losing yourself in the history, culture and legends of your next port of call.