【推荐1】Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father. “But, Dad, you can’t be healthy if you’re dead.”

Dad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt — a mistake 11.5% of the US population make every day, according to a survey in 2015.

The percentage doesn’t seem so bad, but the big question is why still so many people ignore it when every day there are reports about car accidents and casualties (a death toll of 37461 in 2016 ).

There have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago. The following are three of the most common.

Myth Number One: It’s best to be “thrown clear”of a serious accident.

Truth: Sorry, but any accident serious enough to “throw you clear”is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing. And chances are you’ll have traveled through a windshield (挡风玻璃) or door to do it. Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are “thrown clear.”

Myth Number Two: Safety belts “trap”people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.

Truth: Sorry again. but studies show that people knocked unconscious (昏迷) due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations, not to be trapped in them.

Myth Number Three: Safety belts aren’t needed at speeds of less than 30 miles an hour (mph).

Truth: When two cars traveling at 30 mpb hit each other, an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters.

【推荐2】A good book is indeed the best friend of a person. The same goes for high-profile CEOs of world recognized companies as well. Let’s have a look at the favorite books of some of the world-famous CEOs.

Apple CEO—Tim Cook, Competing against Time by George Stalk Jr. and Thomas M. Hout

This book is based on 10 years of valuable research done by the authors. It talks about how new concepts of managing time in new product development, production and sales provide companies with the advantages to succeed in this highly competitive world.

Microsoft CEO(Former)—Bill Gates, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

A few themes explored in the novel are rebellion（叛逆）, anxiety and confusion. It tells that young people are a little confused, but can be smart about things and see things that adults don’t really see. Gates said, “ I didn’t actually read The Catcher in the Rye until I was 13, and ever since then I’ve said that's my favorite book.”

Oracle CEO—Larry Ellison, Napoleon by Vincent Cronin

This book is considered by far the best biography ever written on Napoleon        Bonaparte. Ellison said, "It's interesting to read about him for a couple of reasons: to see what an ordinary man can do with his life and to see how history can distort（歪曲）the truth entirely."

OWE CEO— Oprah Winfrey, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This book talks about how a little girl observes the people around her. Winfrey said, “ I read it in eighth or ninth grade, and I was trying to recommend the book to other kids. So it makes sense to me that now I have a book club, because I have been doing that probably since I read this book.”

【推荐1】One feature of a successful business is its ability to employ creativity to push into new territory （领域）. Those with staying power, however, have mastered an often-ignored factor that allows them to focus on the future: empathy（共情）. While that may surprise many, I am certain that the ability to connect with and relate to others is the force that moves business forward.

Though the concept of empathy might go against the modern concept a traditional workplace—competitive, the reality is that for business leaders to experience success, they need to not just see or hear the activity around them, but also relate to the people around.

Some may think they can achieve their goals without much thought for other people. This attitude works for some, but at some point-often sooner rather than later—everyone needs to depend on their relationships and build personal and professional connections. Successful people do not operate alone; each of us needs the support of others to achieve positive results that push us forward our goals.

Effectively understanding empathy involves regarding it as each person’s connection to the people and marketplace. A biological principle（原理） known as co-evolution （共同进化）explains that the adaptation of an organism （有机体）is caused by the change of a related object. Similarly, business and their leaders participate in co-evolution-type relationships. Business success depends on empathetic leaders who are able to adapt, build on the strengths around them, and relate to their environment. When businesses fail, it is often because leaders have stopped focusing on understanding their environment and instead stay separated in their own operations.

To develop an effective workforce, we must be willing to give in and meet people where they are. This can be uncomfortable, particularly when you feel like your position makes more sense or offers a better solution. A significant part of developing empathy, however, is learning to understand, respect and adopt another person’s point of view rather forcing your own.

【推荐2】In a recent interview, Lisa Feldman Barrett, professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, offered some advice to older people to help them keep the cognitive(认知) skills improved.

Challenge yourself on a regular basis, she urged, but don’t just do so casually. Study any new topic hard, until you feel tired and frustrated. This level of effort, she added, is associated with increases in the ease of communication within the brain and, as a result, cognitive skills will be improved.

Her advice is based on a study of “superagers”, individuals of 65 years or older, whose cognitive skills are as acute as the average 25-years-olds. Lisa believes that what sets superagers apart is their ability to use the unpleasant feelings they experience when challenging themselves as a signal to keep going, rather than as a warning to stop and rest.

While she provides convincing data to prove how cognitively young these superagers are, I’m not sure her conclusion about why this is so gives the whole picture.

Are superagers simply those who ignore, or even welcome, the pain and frustration that comes with intense mental effort? Or is there some other reason why they spend so much time and effort challenging themselves?

This is important, because if the only way to maintain youthful cognitive skills is to expose ourselves regularly to pain and frustration, it doesn’t make old age look particularly inviting.

Contrary to her opinion, I think “enjoyable” is the key. If what you’re doing is enjoyable, you are more likely to keep working hard at it.—probably without even noticing any discomfort.

Making yourself work until you are exhausted and frustrated holds little appeal. On the other hand, finding an activity you love so much that you don’t even notice when you are pushing yourself hard seems a far more attractive way to keep your brain active as you grow older.

Goodbye! You have been a long year. I have felt your effect in many ways. I can say that I’ve learned quite a few things somewhere within the eternity of your 12 months.

One of the things I’ve learned is to cherish the time I spend with others. I often think of our lives before quarantine (隔离), the simple pleasures, such as going to grab a coffee with a friend or settling in for a movie night. I realize now that I took this time for granted. Looking back, these simple pleasures are the times I cherish the most.

I’ve also learned to appreciate the people around me. I now cherish my parents and appreciate their love and support more than ever before. I cherish my friends and their ability to make me laugh no matter the circumstances. And I’ve learned how to cherish myself. Spending months and months stuck in my home, I’ve had ample time to work on the person I am and gain a little more appreciation for my body and my mind.

Within the long months of quarantine, I have also found things to be grateful for. Personally, I’m thankful for the shows, movies and music that I’ve discovered, the creativity I’ve found in the world now that our doors are closed and our minds are open. Overall, most importantly, 2020, you have taught me how to look for the good hidden among the bad.

However, I won’t miss the goodbyes you have forced us to say or the losses that others have gone through. I won’t miss the darkness of you, 2020, and the great pain you have caused.

We have felt the lows and the highs and everything in between. We will feel the impact of you long after you end, but we will learn to live beyond it and grow into something better.

Goodbye, 2020. It is your time to end.

Sincerely,

A writer from the Clog

【推荐2】A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa awarded to persons wishing to travel to one or many of the countries that make of the 26 European country Schengen Area. It grants (授予) each holder entry to all the countries in the area on a single visa. Several new Schengen visa application rules came into force in all countries on February 2, 2020. Check out some of the major changes:

Increased visa fees

The Schengen visa fee has increased from 60 euros to 80 for adults, while children aged between 6 and 12 now need to pay 40 euros instead of 35.

The rise in fees is to increase staff numbers, ensure stronger security screenings, and upgrade IT equipment and software, according to the European Commission.

Electronic application form

The application process has been greatly simplified. Schengen member   states now accept electronic applications, and the application form can be signed and submitted electronically.

Longer application submission periods

Schengen visa applicants used to apply as early as three months ahead of their trip. Today applications can be submitted up to six months in advance.

Benefits for frequent travelers

Those who have previously visited the Schengen Area and have a positive visa history will be granted the opportunity to get a multiple-entry visa valid for up to five years. That is, people who have lawfully used their previous visas, have a good economic standing in their home countries, and intend to leave the area before their Schengen visa expires (过期) will now have the chance to get a visa for up to five years with multiple entries.