Taiwan and China explained (captions)

 

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Apple employees will return to the office in September

Apple has informed staff that they will be expected to return to the office three days per week starting September 5th.

All employees in the Bay Area will have to come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in addition to a third day every week that will be decided based on individual teams. 

CEO Tim Cook and SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi sent memos to staff.

MEMO FROM TIM COOK

Team,

I’m writing to you today with two updates, one about changes we’re making to our hybrid pilot, the other about its timing.

Teams participating in the pilot will come to the office three days each week with Tuesday and Thursday as set days across the company, but your teams will decide the third day you come in. Each team will work through the decision about which day is right for them, and you’ll hear from your leaders soon. Depending on your role, you will also have the option to work remotely for up to four weeks a year.

We believe that this revised framework will enhance our ability to work flexibly, while preserving the in-person collaboration that is so essential to our culture. We also know that we still have a lot to learn. And we are committed to listening, adapting, and growing together in the weeks and months ahead.

In terms of timing, many locations around the world will hear more details shortly. For Santa Clara Valley, we plan to begin our new adjusted pilot with all employees in the office three days beginning the week of September 5th.

As we continue on this journey, I want to say how grateful I am for everything you do. I look forward to working with you to create a flexible environment at Apple where, together, we can make an even greater difference in the lives of our users around the world.

Tim

MEMO FROM CRAIG FEDERIGHI

Team,

This afternoon Tim sent a note to team members across Apple on our hybrid pilot and return to office plans and I wanted to follow up with how this news will impact our team.

First, a huge thank you. The last few years have presented some real challenges to what we all do, and I appreciate your passion and commitment to creating delightful, amazing, high quality software for our customers and developers across the globe.

After years in limbo (and a couple of false starts) it’s really happening: the week of September 5th marks the true start of our hybrid work pilot in the Santa Clary Valley — and I personally can’t wait to experience the special energy of having all of us back in the office together again! Note: for all other locations, resumption dates may vary based on current conditions of COVID-19 around the world.

As you read in Tim’s note, we are modifying the pilot such that our three days in the office include two days with all of us working together in the office on Tuesday and Thursday (our company-wide days), and one additional in-office day chosen by your team, prioritizing collaboration with your immediate co-workers. Over the coming week please share your input on your team’s third in-office day with your manager. This will help them determine what day works best for the overall team.

I’m excited for this next chapter and all that lies ahead.

See you soon!

Craig

 

Adapted from The Verge

A very young golfer (audio)

 

• True or false?

Miroku is Korean.

She is 10 years old.

She has no sponsors yet.

She is famous all over the world.

She traveled to California about 2 years ago.

She was not the winner.

International golf organizations permit non-professional players to make money from their name or image.

She will earn over $10,000 this year.

That money will help with her education.

When she was 16 American Lucy Li appeared in an advertisement for Samsung.

• Fill in the blanks with the verbs in parentheses

Michelle Wie and Tiger Woods _______  (become) famous as young children.

Michelle Wie _______  (win) the U.S. Women’s Open in 2014.

Suto _______ (get) over 10 sponsors.

She _______  (become) well known in Japan because she  _______ (take) part in international golf events for very young children.

Suto recently _______ (go) to a golf course near San Diego, California to play in the Junior World Golf Championships.

She _______ (compete) against other 9- and 10-year-olds and _______ (finish) in 17^th place. She _______(be)  18 shots behind the winner.

The difference between Suto and other famous child golfers is that she is already making money. In recent years, international golf organizations _______ (decide) to permit non-professional players to make money from their name or image.

She _______ (earn) over $100,000 this year. The money _______ (help) her with travel and training.

In 2014, American Lucy Li _______(become) the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open.

 Li recently _______(win) her second professional tournament.

She _______(be)  now 19 years old and _______(play)  next year on the top women’s tour – the LPGA.

When she ______________(be)  16, Li _______ _______(appear)  in an advertisement for the computer and mobile phone company Apple. At that time, non-professional players _______(be)   not permitted to be in ads.  The U.S. Golf Association _______ (give) Li a warning because she _______(take)  money from Apple.

But with the new rules in place, Suto will not have those concerns.

 

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US tech companies job offers (audio)

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The Line - Saudi Arabia future city

His Royal Highness announces designs for #THE_LINE, the city of the future in #NEOM.#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/LDyQrMd0lF

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) July 25, 2022

A tall and narrow stripe of a city more than 1097 km long, with 9 million residents and running entirely on renewable energy — that's the vision Saudi Arabia's leaders have for The Line, part of a "giga-project" that will reshape the kingdom's northwest.

The Line will stretch from the Red Sea eastward across the desert and into a mountain range.

New stats and designs revealed on Monday include:

  It will be a walled city
  It will be only 200 meters wide
  It will be enclosed on both sides by a mirrored façade
 It will rise 500 meters above sea level — higher than the Empire State Building
 Residents will be able to run errands with a five-minute walk
 There will be no cars or roads

  High-speed rail will carry people from end to end in 20 minutes

It will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to build

When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman showed the new designs .he said "The designs revealed today for The Line will challenge the traditional flat, horizontal cities and create a model for nature preservation and human livability,"

The structure will maintain an ideal climate year-round, thanks to its mix of shade, sunlight and ventilation.

But not everyone liked the concept of living between gigantic walls in the Saudi desert.

 “I've been working on a dystopian game for a while and these videos are such a great source of inspiration”. one commenter wrote in reply to a video of The Line posted by the Saudi Press Agency.

“Seems like a city from an episode of Black Mirror. Isn't this how horror stories start?”

“Can't wait to see what the abandoned version is going to look like. Must be nice to have so much money, you can spend endlessly on future failures such as this.” 

 

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Article from NPR (edited)  

Screenshots NPR and NEOM THE LINE

Samsung latest high-end foldable smartphone (captions)

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Which countries drink the most beer?

Humans have been drinking beer for thousands of years—and since it’s still one of the most popular beverages worldwide, it seems we haven’t gotten sick of it yet. The latest available data shows that beer consumption exceeded 177 million kiloliters around the world in 2020.

Beer consumption occurs all over the world, but the amount varies greatly depending on the location. So, which countries drink the most beer?

This graphic uses data from Kirin Holdings to compare global beer consumption by country. Kirin is a Japanese company that has been tracking beer consumption around the world since 1975.

Which Countries Drink the Most Beer?

When it comes to total beer consumption, China ranks number one.

In 2020, the country’s consumption reached 36 million kiloliters—that’s enough beer to fill more than 14,000 Olympic-sized pools. The country accounts for a whopping one-fifth of total beer consumption worldwide. Archaeological evidence also suggests that China has a beer producing history that goes back thousands of years.

China is the most populous country in the world, accounting for about 18% of the global population. Of course, a large population doesn’t necessarily translate to high beer consumption at the individual level. For instance, India, which has the second highest population in the world, ranks 23rd on the list for beer consumption, and only accounts for 1% of what foamy liquid gets guzzled down each year.

The U.S. comes second on the list, with more than 24 million kiloliters of beer consumed throughout the country in 2020. Americans don’t just drink a lot of beer—they brew a lot of beer, too. The U.S. is the second-largest beer producer worldwide (after China).

Beer Consumption Per Capita

Things look a bit different when you look at beer consumption per capita, rather than total beer consumption. The Czech Republic comes in first when it comes to beer consumption per capita.

In 2020, the average Czech drank more than 181 liters of beer.

The Czech Republic is well-known for inexpensive beer. Some travel sites even claim that, in certain parts of the country, beer can be cheaper than bottled water.

International Beer Day

While consumption levels vary across the world, beer is an integral part of many countries’ cultures. In fact, the beverage is so popular, that it’s been given its own day. International Beer Day is celebrated on the first Friday of every August in over 200 cities across the globe.

Cheers!

From Visual Capitalist