Vertical cities could be the future of architecture

Land is becoming scarce as the world's population grows and environmental changes shrink the
amount of livable space on Earth. Some creative thinkers say the solution is to build up.
A nonprofit organization called Vertical City aims to garner support for so-called vertical cities Commented [a1]: collect

Tetris-like arrangements of interconnected towers designed to support thousands of residents. Commented [a2]: they are joined together

These proposed structures, which can be up to 400 floors, contain all the components of a city, from
housing and hospitals to universities and municipal departments. Advocates claim vertical cities will Commented [a3]: related to city

save energy, support a growing population, and preserve land for food production, nature, and
recreation if we can figure out a way to build them.
Over half the world's population lives in urban areas today, according to the United Nations, and that
figure is expected to rise to 66% by 2050. Vertical cities offer a space-saving way to house all those Commented [a4]: C2 to give a person or animal a place to live,
or to provide space for something:
people.
Imagine commuting to work, running errands, catching a movie, and returning home at the end of
the day without ever setting foot on a sidewalk. This kind of convenience makes cars and public
transportation less necessary, reducing the automotive industry's footprint on the environment.
Kenneth King, coauthor of "Vertical City: A Solution for Sustainable Living" and the brains behind
the organization, predicts future vertical cities will be entirely self-sufficient. Vertical cities can, for Commented [a5]: be the brains behind/of sth
to be the person who thought of and developed a particular
example, theoretically provide countless unobstructed surfaces for solar panels. plan, system, or organization, especially a successful one
Commented [a6]: not blocked by anything
But as Treehugger's Lloyd Alter points out, "The concept of the vertical city is fascinating and
attractive to some people, and totally repulsive to others." Commented [a7]: extremely unpleasant

Living in a vertical city might feel claustrophobic, especially if there are few excuses to leave the Commented [a8]: describes a place which is small and
enclosed, and makes you feel uncomfortable when you are in
towers. And by improving accessibility to nearby amenities, it limits the probability that people will it:

seek out services and businesses outside of their immediate area. Commented [a9]: reason
Commented [a10]: something that makes a place
Alter writes that the "resilience of supertalls" also causes concern. Developers in a rush to build comfortable or easy to live in
The hotel is in the city centre, close to shops and local
might skirt safety precautions (in 2015, over 1,000 high-rises in Delhi, India, flunked fire safety amenities.
houses that lack basic amenities (=basic things that
regulations). Plus, if a fire were to break out, there's a chance water hoses wouldn't reach the flames. people need, such as heat and running water)
Commented [a11]: next to, or very near to, a particular
In the event of an earthquake, a collapse could wipe out tens of thousands of lives. place
It is a thriving shopping centre for the people who live in
the immediate area .
King and coauthor Kellogg Wong aren't the first to pitch these mega-structures. Commented [a12]: to avoid discussing a subject or problem
Commented [a13]: to fail a test
Italian firm Luca Curci Architects designed a 180-floor skyscraper that could house up to 25,000 Commented [a14]: B2 If something dangerous or unpleasant
people in the United Arab Emirates. Vincent Callebaut Architectures dreamed up a similar concept, breaks out, it suddenly starts:

though it stands a meager 36 stories, that combines small-scale farming and environmental friendly Commented [a15]: Vi rng

neighborhoods. Commented [a16]: Danh t nh

Commented [a17]: to try to persuade someone to do
No true vertical city has ever been commissioned or constructed, though Gensler's newly something:

opened Shanghai Tower comes close. It's the second tallest building in the world, and it
separates into nine vertical zones arranged around miniature parks, called "sky lobbies."
According to King, an architect by trade, vertical cities have failed to come to fruition because of Commented [a18]: My grandfather was a plumber by
trade (=that was his job)
lagging innovation. Today's elevators reach a maximum height of 120 stories, he says, which is Commented [a19]: if a plan, project etc comes to fruition, it
inadequate for vertical cities of roughly 400 stories. King looks to the ropeless elevator currently in is successfully put into action and completed, often after a
long process
development as a sign of hope that vertical cities are in our near future. come to/bring to/reach fruition
"We just cannot think of any 'cons,'" King says. "We like to hear from people if they have any 'cons"
[around] living in a vertical city, we like to work with them and resolve these problems together."

Is the Vertical City a viable solution for sustainable living?

The concept of the Vertical City is fascinating and attractive to some people, and totally repulsive to others. In principle, living and working in a
building hundreds of stories high makes a great deal of sense; it prevents the loss of farmland and natural greenbelts, it reduces air pollution (since
all commuting is vertical where the distances are much shorter and the transport mechanism much more efficient) and reduces the need for all the
roads that service horizontal cities, so people can just walk out into parkland. This is why I have been so fascinated with the work of Zhang Yue
and Broad Sustainable Building and his vision of a 220 storey Sky City.

Others are deeply committed to the concept too; Authors Kenneth King and Kelogg Wong are putting together a coffee table book Commented [a20]: willing to work very hard at something
promoting the idea of the vertical city. They have developed an impressive Manifesto: Commented [a21]: a written statement of the beliefs, aims
A new urban form is in need urgently and experts in relevant areas have discussed and experimented with different ways to solve and policies of an organization, especially a political party:

humanities most pressing problems. Although some methods have remitted some issues more or less, still we have not been able to Commented [a22]: urgent problems
eliminate the urban crisis. Thats why we hope Vertical City will be the new urban form that can solve our problems. If it is properly Commented [a23]: almost
designed, a Vertical City provides its residents with a sense of belonging to a community and most importantly, it is easier and less
costly to maintain and operate. A well designed Vertical City will address concerns in three areas Environmental, Formal, and
Socioeconomic/Political and will achieve eight key objectives in each area.

In Environmental, points include the Big One, curb global warming; preservation of arable land; local food made without Commented [a24]: describes farming and farm land that is
used for, or is suitable for, growing crops:
preservatives or refrigerants. arable farming/farmers/farms/land
In Formal, "Maximize density and compactness for optimum efficiency in clustered ultra-tall towers." Limit the project footprint to a
Commented [a25]: cht bo qun
15 minute walk from one end to the other.
Commented [a26]: cht lm lnh
In Socioeconomic / Political, the Big One:
Mix uses to meet essential needs for housing, employment, education, recreation, health care, and other services, optimizing the Commented [a27]: a group of things of the same kind that
are very close together
efficiency gains of centralized labor and consumption markets by doing away with long wasteful and polluting commutes between
home and work.

Read the full manifesto here; it makes 32 very good points.

By building Vertical Cities we can save energy, support our growing population and preserve our horizontal spaces for food
production, nature and recreation.

It's not a surprise that the current interest in the Vertical City is coming from architects living or working in China; the explosive
horizontal growth has caused huge issues of pollution, congestion and degradation. The blurb for the book promises a solution: Commented [a28]: the process by which something
changes to a worse condition

In the book VERTICAL CITY : A Solution for Sustainable Living, authors KENNETH KING and KELLOGG WONG partnered with Commented [a29]: a short description of a book
architects, urban designers, engineers, microbiologists, transportation and sustainability experts to answer this question. The
conclusions drawn by this diverse panel of experts are as surprising as they are exciting. This book inspires our imagination and shows
us how we can create a harmonious world that promote health, sustainability, and a dignified life for all, through the emerging
technologies of Vertical Cities.

To be fair, this isn't everybody's idea of a good time; some worry about the resilience of supertalls, others about the social
consequences. As Lennon Richardson notes at the start of the video, the American Dream is still a big house with a two car garage.
"But as our population continues to grow and our resources become scarce, this becomes less and less sustainable." The Vertical City
is certainly an option that should be considered.

The authors have put up a little Kickstarter, noting that they are donating a copy of the book to a library or school for every one that
they sell. The real point of the exercise is to "start a world wide conversation about vertical cities." With their comprehensive
website, I think they are already doing that. It is likely that they will blow through their modest target pretty quickly; they are over
halfway there just 3 days in with 28 to go. Beat the crowds at the Kickstarter for Vertical City : A Solution for Sustainable Living

Bio

Lennart Green was born born December 25, 1941 Vstervik, Sweden.

He was the second of six children; he has two sisters and three brothers.

Green's interest in Magic began with small tricks and puzzles that his mother showed him. At the age of 18 and began studying
books on the subject.
Green was especially fond of card tricks, however, books on card technique and handling lacked dimension and detail. So he
took a pack of cards and started mastering card methods which felt comfortable for him.

Lennart worked during summer vacation at a mental hospital. The night shift allowed him to the time to practice his sleight of
hand. Similar work at a prison gave him the opportunity to try out his routines on the inmates.

These workplaces gave him the opportunity to practice and perfect his card handling technique.

His first audience were the other nurses at the hospital where he performed various close-up effects.

In 1961, Green moved to Gothenburg where he worked as caretaker on cruise ships to the United States.

When he was twenty-eight, he met card magician Arne "Max Milton" Strombom. Max became Green's first teacher Lennart and
life-long friend.

In 1978, one of Green's biggest influences, Dai Vernon , was invited to Sweden. Green had the honor of accompanying and
showing the Professor around Sweden for eleven days.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/going-to-work-is-more-stressful-than-
ever-poll-reveals-9833602.html
 Commented [a30]: the conditions or situation in which
The findings come against a backdrop of increasing workplace illness and injury rates. Figures released last something happens
against a backdrop of sth
month by the Health and Safety Executive show almost half a million people suffered workplace-related stress,
depression or anxiety in the last financial year. Around half were new cases.

Only a third of us report looking forward to going to work, the rest are either ambivalent or dread it. And
despite the coalition's attempts to make the workplace more family-friendly through childcare and parental
leave measures, a quarter of people still feel there is not enough flexibility in their jobs to balance work and the
rest of their life.

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: "What job we do is a big part of our identity. Yet this poll
reveals that many of us work in unfair workplaces that don't get the best out of their staff. Employers and
politicians talk up the flexible labour market, but for too many it means being treated as only slightly more
important than what is in the stationery cupboard."

The study also reveals the scale of unreliable or zero-hours contracts. One in five people say that either they or
someone else at their workplace has experienced insecure or irregular work that meant they did not know how
much work or pay they would get from week to week.

Since the recession, the instability of zero-hours contracts has been a growing problem. Employers in Britain
Commented [a31]: a piece of information that quickly
are now using around 1.4 million employee contracts, according to a snapshot survey conducted by the Office gives you an idea of what the situation is like at a particular
time
for National Statistics earlier this year.
The Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, said: "Under the Tory-led government we've seen a rising
Commented [a32]: a job, investment etc that is insecure
tide of insecurity, as ministers have attacked and removed workplace rights and protections, and life at work does not give you a feeling of safety, because it might to be
taken away or lost at any time
has become increasingly insecure for so many people ....
Commented [a33]: to provide something or allow
"Alongside the need for more high-skilled, better-paid jobs, the workplace must be a place which affords something to happen

dignity, respect and fairness for all. That's why Labour would abolish zero-hours contracts where they exploit Commented [a34]: the British Labour Party

people, and where the Government has introduced tribunal fees for employees suffering discrimination or poor
Commented [a35]: a type of court that is given official
treatment, we will reform the ... tribunal system to ensure affordability is never a barrier to justice." authority to deal with a particular situation or problem

The latest polling shows a workforce riddled with uncertainty. Just under a quarter more than six million
workers worry that they might lose their job in the next year, and a third are worried that their job may offer
worse conditions, such as fewer hours or less pay, in that time.

Progressing in a job is also a distant hope for many. Two out of five people in work do not agree that they have
a good chance to progress. And more than 8.5 million workers say they do not have regular opportunities to
improve their skills at work. Almost half of those in employment believe their job does not make full use of
their skills and abilities.

The research also shows the public's disaffection with executive pay, which is significantly higher in Britain
when compared with workers' wages than in many other Western countries. More than half 57 per cent said
the gap between those at the top of their organisation and the rest is too great. Just one in five say their pay has
kept up with the cost of living over the past few years.
A Department for Business, Innovation & Skills spokeswoman said: "There are now more people in work than
ever before, meaning more people are able to support their families with the security of a regular wage. Last
month alone we implemented the first above-inflation rise in the National Minimum Wage since 2007."

Trump suggests he may drop Russia sanctions if Moscow 'is helpful' Commented [a36]: US sanctions against VN

Donald Trump has suggested he might drop sanctions against Russia and that the communist party rulers in Beijing needed to show
good faith on currency and trade practices before he committed to a One China policy on Taiwan. Commented [a37]: honest and sincere intentions

In fresh signs that the US president-elect is prepared to reshape longstanding Washington foreign policy, he told the Wall Street Commented [a38]: having continued or existed for a long
Journal that he would keep sanctions against Russia in place at least for a period of time. time

But he added: If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebodys doing some really
great things?

Trumps policy towards Russia is the subject of intense interest in Washington amid a Senate inquiry into allegations that the
Kremlin ordered a hacking operation against the Democratic party to help the billionaire politician win the November election.

Trump who has praised Vladimir Putin for being very smart said he was willing to meet the Russian president in the months
after he moves into the White House following his January 20 inauguration.

I understand that they would like to meet, and thats absolutely fine with me, he said.

Controversy also surrounds the Trump administrationss attitude towards China, with soon-to-be secretary of state Rex Tillerson Commented [a39]: ti sao c du phy y
warning Beijing this week that China would not be allowed access to its artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Asked if he supported the One China policy on Taiwan that has underpinned US relations with Beijing for decades, Trump said:
Everything is under negotiation including One China, the Journal reported.
Trump caused offence in Beijing when he took a congratulatory telephone call from Taiwans president in the wake of his election Commented [a40]: happens afterwards
victory a breach of the One China protocol under which Washington agreed to withdraw diplomatic recognition of the island Commented [a41]: 4,the act of officially accepting that an
nation as part of a deal to open up relations with the mainland. organization, government, person etc has legal or official
authority

On Taiwan, he told the Journal: We sold them $2bn of military equipment last year. We can sell them $2bn of the latest and greatest
military equipment but were not allowed to accept a phone call. First of all it would have been very rude not to accept the phone call.

During the election campaign Trump said he would label China a currency manipulator on the first day of taking office. The yuan has
fallen steadily against the dollar in recent years, bringing accusations from the US that Beijing has deliberately forced its currency
lower to gain a market advantage for its exports.

Trump told the Journal he would stop short of officially branding China a manipulator but was critical of Beijings financial policies Commented [a42]: to not do something, although you
and said: Certainly they are manipulators. almost do it
I stopped short of telling him what I really thought.

Instead of saying: Were devaluating our currency, they say, oh, our currency is dropping. Its not dropping. Theyre doing it on
purpose.

Our companies cant compete with them now because our currency is strong and its killing us, Trump said.

t tng thut
Qu kh th phi li th vd said,told
Hin ti n, HTHT,tng lai th ko cn li th
Tng thut ngay lp tc th ko cn li th k c trong trng hp t l said, told
Mnh lnh th l She told me to watch TV . WATCH TV
Nu noun clause l s tht th cng ko cn li th.
Can Nike's two-hour marathon quest learn from Roger Bannister?
The first four-minute mile man was a runner-scientist, who made changes to the track and his shoes to
achieve the feat. But the various two-hour marathon projects are doing their research in the lab and applying
it to runners

When Ed Caesar, author of Two Hours, The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon, wrote in Wired
magazine that Nikes new project to crack the time will be the most significant moment for running
since Roger Bannisters first sub-four-minute mile in 1954, my initial reaction was that it could not match
the romance of Bannisters record. Imagine if the biggest sportswear firm in the 1940s had created a Commented [a43]: 1940-1949

downhill mile race won in 3:59. That celebrated image of Bannister falling exhausted and Christ-like into the Commented [a44]: famous
Commented [a45]: resembling or showing the spirit of Christ
arms of onlookers would surely not have the fame it does today.
Commented [a46]: observer
Commented [a47]: ti sao l cu k loaij2 trong khi trn l if
clause ca cu k loi 3
The Wall Street Journal describes the quest for the two-hour marathon as the ultimate arms race between
sportswear makers and as the last frontier of running. But what is so significant about the two-hour
marathon? Why does the two-minute kilometre not have the same draw?

The mile is four-and-a-bit laps, a messy 1,609 metres. The marathon is a completely arbitrary 26.2 miles, a
distance arrived upon by chance to accommodate the British royal familys viewing preferences in 1908. The Commented [a48]: if a time or event is upon you, it is
about to happen
attraction, then, seems to be to running uneven distances in nice even times, and the similarities between the Winter is almost upon us.
four-minute mile and the two-hour marathon do not end there.

In fact, in spite of the romantic image we have of Bannisters mile, which Chris Chataway (one of his
pacemakers) referred to as the last hurrah of amateurism, there are many parallels between it and Nikes Commented [a49]: Pace-setter= ngi to ra nhp, tc chy
cho vn ng vin bng cch chy trc
more hi-tech approach. Commented [a50]: D d zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

A closer look at the historical context of Bannisters run reveals that concerns about legitimacy were just as
prevalent. In fact, Bannister recalls in his book, The First Four Minutes, that the British
Amateur Athletics Board (BAAB) failed to ratify a British record 4:02 mile he ran in 1953 at Motspur Park on
the grounds that it was run under artificial conditions. On that occasion, Chris Brasher practically walked Commented [a51]: Vi l do rng C2

the first half of the race, allowing Bannister to lap him after two-and-a-half laps and subsequently pacing Commented [a52]: an important social event
Commented [a53]: almost
him to the finish line. The record was not ratified on the grounds that the run was uncompetitive. A year
Commented [a54]: vt hn 1 vng
later, however, when Bannister wrote himself into the history books at Iffley Road, Oxford, under similarly
artificial circumstances, his time was allowed to stand.

Why was this? According to Richard Holts Sport and the British: A Modern History, the run provided
reassurance for the nation and gave England hope for the future. The nations press were hardly going to
allow bureaucrats from the BAAB to take that away from them. During the 1950s. the quest for the four-
minute mile was seen very much in nationalistic terms; Bannisters 1953 run was, in fact, hastily arranged to
take place five hours before his American rival Wes Santee made his own attempt.
Much speculation has surrounded Nikes announcement that its attempt on the two-hour marathon will not
take place on a record-eligible course. While it has not yet released the details, this presumably means it will Commented [a55]: FIELD

be run on a sprung track, on a point-to-point course or downhill. Again, this would seem at odds with Commented [a56]: NG CHY SN VN NG

Bannisters run on the cinders of Iffley Road. Yet, in fact, Bannister had such a supportive infrastructure at Commented [a57]: TRNG UA NGA

Oxford that he was instrumental in redesigning the track to accommodate four laps to the mile rather than Commented [a58]: be instrumental in (doing) sth
formal to be important in making something happen
the awkward four laps and nine-and-a-bit metres.

So while it is tempting to see Bannisters run as a low-tech triumph of sheer physical prowess and willpower, Commented [a59]: an important victory or success after a
difficult struggle
it certainly would not have been seen like that at the time. As sports geographer John Bale points out:
Commented [a60]: great skill at doing something
Several of Bannisters rivals in the 1950s were trained by scientists. But Bannister was a scientist one who
Commented [a61]: the ability to control your mind and
was prepared to apply scientific principles to his own body. In fact, he was not the only runner-scientist: body in order to achieve something that you want to do
Rudolf Harbig broke the 800m world record while doing the first research to measure the effects of exercise
on the heart in the 1930s. Sections of Bannisters book read like they could have been lifted from a science
textbook. He was one of the first runners to use a treadmill, and worked alongside the maker of his running
shoes to reduce their weight by 30%.

And yet even Bannister found that this scientific approach meant that sooner or later, the moment came
when [he] almost hated athletics because, it left [him] no freedom or joy to run as [he] pleased. Many of
the most compelling sections of his book come when he describes running amid nature, freed from the
stopwatch, struggling against the elements. I felt I was running back to all the primitive joy that my season Commented [a62]: THI TIT N

had destroyed, he writes of running on the coast at Kintyre, the gulls were crying overhead and a herd of
wild goats were silhouetted against the headland. Commented [a63]: TO BNG NN MT T
Commented [a64]: VNG T NH RA BIN
In his book, Bannister is very conscious of the tensions between an overbearing scientific scrutiny and Commented [a65]: always trying to control other people
without considering their wishes or feelings
running on feel. It seems to me that a crucial difference between his sub-four attempt and the sub-two
Commented [a66]: careful and thorough examination of
hour marathon is that Bannister was at least both scientist and subject, whereas the east Africans who will someone or something

run as part of the various two-hour projects are presented rather as objects of innovation rather than
innovators themselves.
In spite of the rhetoric of Nikes project, of unpacking performance at the molecular level, the tension Commented [a67]: TI SAO LI C DU , Y

between running as scientific experiment and running as experiencing nature still very much exists over 60
Commented [a68]: a report
years later. Ed Ceasar notes in his latest dispatch from Nike headquarters that the star of the Sub2 project,
Eluid Kipchoge, still prefers to train without a watch. The assumption shared by all the rival attempts is that
the two-hour marathon will be run as a result of innovative science and medicine, and yet it seems clear that
all of the athletes involved are still spending the vast majority of their time doing notably low-tech training in
Kenya, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

In Bannisters day, innovations in training even if they were sometimes made by athlete-scientists were
very much athlete led. We may assume that by the 21st century this trend would have been reversed; that the
science is done in the lab and applied to the athletes. This at least is how the various two-hour projects
present their work.

Given Kipchoges natural approach to training, however, and my experience of living alongside Ethiopian
runners for 15 months, perhaps we are looking in the wrong places for our innovations. Every runner is, in a
sense, an athlete-scientist, carefully monitoring their body and altering their training accordingly, tinkering Commented [a69]: to make small changes to something in
order to repair it or make it work better
away with training plans and searching for their own frontiers.

Everything you wanted to know about cancer diets

The internet is awash with people claiming that miracle diets can prevent or cure cancer. But beware
taking the wrong advice can be disastrous, say experts

While there is no magic diet that will cure or prevent cancer, intervention in a patients diet will help them
maintain an acceptable quality of life as long as that intervention comes from a medically qualified Commented [a70]: a strong reason for wanting something
professional with no vested interests. Which brings us to the case of Australian blogger Belle Gibson, who is to happen because you will gain from it
Since he owns the strip of land, Cook has a vested
facing legal action for unconscionable conduct after promoting a book in which she talked of curing herself interest in the project being approved.
of multiple cancers by eating the right things. The publisher, Penguin, paid more than A$264,000 Commented [a71]: IMMORAL BEHAVIOUR
(160,000) for the book and Gibson also made more than A$420,000 from app sales before it emerged
that she had never had cancer. Her claims to have donated over A$300,000 to charities also turned out to be
false.

In contrast, a recipe book for cancer patients experiencing weight loss from University College, Cork, and
one for patients with swallowing difficulties from Breakthrough Cancer Research have been developed by
dieticians and are available free of charge. Commented [a72]: someone who is trained to give people
advice about what it is healthy for them to eat and drink

What is an oncology dietician? Commented [a73]: the part of medical science that deals
with cancer and tumours

Oncology dieticians provide expert, evidence-based advice to cancer patients to help maintain their strength,
wellbeing and quality of life. They can, for example, develop plans using fluids or tube feeding to help Commented [a74]: the state of feeling healthy and happy:

maintain weight and muscle mass. They also address side effects of treatment that affect a patients ability to
eat. Qualifying as an oncology dietician involves a four-year undergraduate degree in human nutrition and
dietetics, with a hospital placement. Alternatively, people with a related science degree can obtain a Commented [a75]: the scientific study of DIET and healthy
eating
postgraduate qualification in dietetics, followed by at least three years of post-qualification hospital work.
Commented [a76]: a job, TI SAO LI L PHY WITH
TRC
Ruth Kilcawley and Fiona Roulston are oncology dieticians. Frustratingly, says Kilcawley, much of the
misinformation about diet and cancer her patients receive comes from well-intentioned loved ones, while Commented [a77]: trying to be helpful to people, but
actually making things worse for them
Roulstons patients often get information online. If you enter nutrition and cancer into Google, you get
over 123m results. With so much conflicting information, it makes it so confusing and overwhelming for
cancer patients at an already stressful time.

What about a vegan diet?

There isnt currently any strong evidence that eating too much red meat causes cancer. Some studies have
shown a weak possibility that red meat may be associated with colorectal cancer in men. But an association
is not a cause. There is some evidence that vegan diets may aid weight loss in certain people (though this
may partly relate to vegans simply being more aware of what, and therefore how much, they eat). However, a
healthy diet hinges on avoiding overindulgence and ensuring that we get enough nutrients to meet our Commented [a78]: depends completely on

essential needs. The few scientific studies on veganism and vegetarianism refer to a lack of data on vegan
diets, but some vegan diets have been shown to result in calcium levels that are below minimum dietary Commented [a79]: related to the food someone eats

regulations. In a small study of men with early-stage prostate cancer, a vegan diet resulted in vitamin D
deficiency.

Unnecessary diet restrictions of food groups are not recommended during cancer treatment, says
Roulston. Kilcawley adds: The negative consequences include accelerating muscle loss. This leads to
reduced ability to tolerate treatment, inadequate micronutrient intake (particularly calcium, which may
compound bone mineral density issues with some types of chemotherapy), lack of energy, low mood and Commented [a80]: to make a difficult situation worse by
adding more problems
fatigue.
Commented [a81]: ha tr

But surely we all know that sugar is carcinogenic Commented [a82]: likely to cause cancer

Eating too much fatty and sugary food is not good for anyone. But the idea that cancer has a sweet tooth and
that a patient can starve their cancer by cutting all sugars and carbohydrates is a gross oversimplification
for a complex disease that behaves differently from patient to patient. It simply isnt the case that cake feeds
cancer while eggs feed healthy cells, and cutting carbs completely puts patients at increased risk of
malnutrition. A study of more than 1,000 patients across three Irish hospitals found alarming levels of
malnutrition amongst cancer patients.

The case study of a 65-year-old woman who recovered from a brain tumour has been used to promote the
idea that a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet is a cure for cancer. However, this patient had also received
standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Disturbingly, a proponent of this diet, Dr Thomas Seyfried of Commented [a83]: x tr

Boston College, has said it can replace chemotherapy and radiation for almost all cancers. Commented [a84]: = advocate

Nutrition is complex. Patients should seek advice on their individual needs from a qualified professional. No
competent professional will ever tell a patient to forgo evidence-based medicine in favour of a diet. Commented [a85]: to not do or have something pleasant or
enjoyable
What about supplements and superfoods?

Anything that alters how your body works is a drug, even if its natural. Supplements not recommended by
a dietician can interact with other drugs, including anti-cancer therapies, and make them less effective.
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre urges patients to stop taking any herbal supplements before
starting treatment and lists some of the dangerous effects such natural remedies can have. The
term superfoods is simply part of a marketing strategy, not based on science.

There is huge manipulation of peoples emotions going on when someone tries a fad diet, hoping against
hope it will cure them, and then subsequently fails because it is restrictive, unpalatable, or the patient is
simply too ill, says Kilcawley. They risk blaming their own failure in keeping to the diet on any progression
of disease, which is excessively cruel of those promoting diets without sufficient evidence that the diet if kept
to would be effective. I see this a lot.
Sexless in Silicon Valley: why nobody's getting laid in
America's tech hub
Its no secret that Silicon Valley opposed the election of Donald Trump. For many, the general distaste for
the reality TV star could be chalked up to the candidates virulent xenophobia, Islamophobia, and misogyny Commented [a86]: is caused by st

all ideas that are at odds with the Bay Areas prevailing social liberalism. Commented [a87]: full of hatred for something
Commented [a88]: strong fear or dislike of people from
other countries
But for Trumps most high-profile tech supporter, PayPal founder and Facebook investor Peter Thiel, Silicon
Commented [a89]: hatred or fear of Muslims or of their
Valleys discomfort with Donald grab-them-by-the-pussy Trump stems from its denizens difficulty getting politics or culture
laid.
Commented [a90]: the hatred of women

On the one hand, the tape was clearly offensive and inappropriate. At the same time, I worry theres a part Commented [a91]: C2 to disagree:

of Silicon Valley that is hyper-politically correct about sex, Thiel told the New York Times in Commented [a92]: C2 attracting a lot of attention and interest
from the public
an interview published last week, referencing the leaked Access Hollywood video of Trump boasting about
Commented [a93]: an animal, plant, or person that lives or
sexual assault. is found in a particular place
Commented [a94]: brag
One of my friends has a theory that the rest of the country tolerates Silicon Valley because people there just
dont have that much sex. Theyre not having that much fun.

Is Thiel right? Is Silicon Valley sexless? Has the city that hosted the summer of love entered a winter of
celibacy?

The Bay Area certainly has a reputation as being a bad place to date. With more men than women, the odds
would seem to be in a straight, single gals favor but the goods, as they say, are odd.

There are men everywhere, but theyre all awful, said Amanda*, a twentysomething professional whose
recent dates have included a web developer who didnt know the alphabet and a software developer who
starting talking about marriage on the second date.
The awkward, undateable tech guy was typified by a viral 2015 Medium post by a male startup worker who
used an economic model to examine whether the citys gender imbalance was producing 49ers girls that
are 4s but think theyre 9s in terms of attractiveness. The authors conclusion (that 49ers are more like
44.837ers at best) was a prime example of the libido-killing tech mindset that is more interested in
standard deviations than some good, fun sexual deviance.

Then theres the housing crisis, which can make finding a place to do it even harder than finding someone to
do it with.

Daniel*, a twentysomething who moved to San Francisco to attend a coding bootcamp, ended up living in a
hacker hostel with 13 people: two bedrooms, six bunk beds, and one guy who slept in the closet.

No one got laid there as far as I could tell, he said.

Sasha*, a 26-year-old chef who moved to the Bay Area from New York, went on a blind date last year with a
man who, it turned out, was planning to move into a wooden box in his friends living room to save money
on rent.

Living in a box was not a deal-breaker to Sasha, but the mans attitude toward his box was less appealing.

What was pretty weird about his description of his box is that he wanted it to be a protoype for a startup,
she said. He was pretty proud of it. I was like, Oh, my old roommate living in a similar situation, but he
wasnt very into getting advice.

The pair did not go on a second date.

Elizabeth McGrath, a somatic sex therapist in San Francisco who says that the vast majority of her clients
work in tech, told the Guardian that she generally agrees with Thiel that people in Silicon Valley are not
having much sex.
There is not a lot of sexuality in the tech industry, in terms of it being fun, free, open, sensual, McGrath
said. It all feels very stilted and neutered.

Many of McGraths clients are men who want to check the boxes of life which include romance and
family but are much more interested in their careers than exploring their sexuality. She described a
common refrain from her clients as: Im in my late 20s, I feel like I should have a girlfriend, but I dont
necessarily know whats in sex for me, whats in relationships for me.

The emphasis on work and career is also apparent to Amanda Bradford, the founder of The League,
a members-only dating app that launched in San Francisco in 2014.

People in the Bay Area are definitely having sex, Bradford said, but probably less than their counterparts in
New York or Los Angeles. According to the sites data, League members in New York and LA are more likely
to meet up with their matches in person.

In San Francisco, its a much more intellectual city where people are focused on their career and what
theyre aspiring for, Bradford said.

But Siouxsie Q James, a sex worker and columnist for SF Weekly, argued that the home of the Folsom Street
Fair and Good Vibrations is just as sexy as ever.

San Francisco has been a gold rush town for a very long time. At one point, at the turn of the century, 90%
of the women were sex workers I think something not so different is happening today.

People are definitely having sex. Im not sure why [Thiel] said that, but Im not sure why he said women
shouldnt be allowed to vote, she added, referencing a notorious 2009 essay by Thiel. Thats a much more
terrifying soundbite.
Britons 'should learn Polish, Punjabi and Urdu to boost social
cohesion'
Learning community languages would aid integration, boost peoples wellbeing and be good for economy,
says Cambridge academic

The government is being urged to create more opportunities for British people to learn languages such as
Polish, Urdu and Punjabi as a means of improving social cohesion in local communities.

Recent inquiries looking into obstacles to social integration in the UK have highlighted the importance of
immigrants learning English to enable them to integrate and engage fully in society.

Now Cambridge professor Wendy Ayres-Bennett is calling for British people to be encouraged to learn Commented [a95]: call for sb to do st

community languages, particularly in areas where there are high numbers of residents who speak these
languages, to build on social cohesion.

Ayres-Bennett, who is a professor of French philology and linguistics and is a lead investigator in a major
project looking at multilingualism, said rather than putting the onus solely on newcomers, social integration
should be seen as a two-way street.

Considering the issue from the point of view of language learning, we rightly expect immigrants to learn
English but, as a nation, we often dont see the need ourselves to learn another language, and consider it to
be something difficult and only for the intellectual elite.

I would like to see more opportunities for British people to learn some of the community languages of the
UK, such as Polish, Punjabi and Urdu, particularly in areas where there are high numbers of those speakers,
so that there is some mutual effort in understanding the others language and culture.
Her comments follow the publication last December of a report looking into community cohesion in Britain
in which Dame Louise Casey said some local communities were becoming increasingly divided as a result of
government failure to ensure that social integration in the UK kept up with the unprecedented pace and
scale of immigration.

Caseys report recommended a major new strategy, including an integration oath to encourage immigrants
to embrace British values and greater focus on promoting the English language. A second report earlier this
month from the new all-party parliamentary group on social integration also called for new immigrants to
Britain to learn English in compulsory classes on arrival. Commented [a96]: again

Ayres-Bennett said there was a general lack of awareness of the value of languages in the UK. While there
has been a marked improvement in the take-up of so-called Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering Commented [a97]: noticeable

and mathematics), languages are still undervalued both in government and by the general public. Commented [a98]: the rate at which people accept
something that is offered to them

She said even a basic knowledge of some community languages could be beneficial to social cohesion and
could be taught either formally or through joint community initiatives. Commented [a99]: plan

One of the areas we are looking at in my project is the question of which languages we should be teaching
and learning in the UK, and that is why we are looking not just at the major languages traditionally taught in
our schools and universities such as French and Spanish, but also the indigenous languages (Welsh, Irish,
Scottish Gaelic) and the community languages.

The study of modern foreign languages in schools and universities has fallen dramatically in recent years.
One of the reasons British monolinguals find foreign language learning difficult is because we dont tend to
have the same exposure to other languages outside the classroom, so that we generally hear the language we
are learning relatively little compared with what happens elsewhere in Europe, where notably English is
present on the TV, in pop songs and so on.

As a society, we undervalue multilingualism and the positive impact it has on individuals, their health and
their wellbeing as well as on our economy.
US intelligence investigating Russian links of leading Trump
associates report
Commented [a100]: someone who you work or do business
with

President-elects team denies any knowledge of inquiries, which according to the New York Times involve ex- Commented [a101]: collocation

campaign chief Paul Manafort

Donald Trumps transition team has been forced to distance itself from reports that American intelligence
agencies have intercepted communications and financial transactions as part of a broad investigation into Commented [a102]: to stop sb/sth that is going from one
place to another from arriving
possible links between Russia and associates of the president-elect.

On the eve of Trumps inauguration as the 45th president of the United States, the business dealings of his Commented [a103]: the night or day before an important
day
former campaign chairman Paul Manafort were among the matters under investigation, the New York Times
Commented [a104]: a situation that you are in
reported, citing current and former senior American officials.

Manafort, who stood down as Trumps campaign chief in August 2016, has made millions from consulting
work while working for pro-Russia oligarchs including Rinat Akhmetov, Dmitry Firtash and Oleg Deripaska. Commented [a105]: a member of a small group of people
who run a country or organization

The National Security Agency has conducted surveillance of Manaforts business contacts, the Times said, for
suspected links to Russias security service, the FSB.

Other Trump associates whose contacts are said to be under the microscope include Carter Page, an
investment banker who worked in Russia and who was a foreign policy adviser to the campaign, and Roger
Stone, whose involvement in Republican politics goes back to Richard Nixon.

However, the Trump team denied any knowledge of the investigations which have reportedly been led by
the FBI and supported by the NSA, CIA and the treasury departments financial crimes unit or why they
might be under way.
We have absolutely no knowledge of any investigation or even a basis for such an investigation, said Hope
Hicks, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition.

Manafort called the allegations that he had interactions with the Russian government a Democrat party
dirty trick and completely false.

I have never had any relationship with the Russian government or any Russian officials. I was never in
contact with anyone, or directed anyone to be in contact with anyone, he said in an emailed statement.

On the Russian hacking of the D.N.C., he said, my only knowledge of it is what I have read in the papers.

The reports follow weeks of intrigue over the possible involvement of Russia in trying to help Trump win last
Novembers election.

A secret CIA analysis reportedly concluded that people with connections to the Russian government
provided emails, hacked from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clintons campaign, to Commented [a106]: adj clause cho emails trc

WikiLeaks in the runup to the 8 November election. Commented [a107]: provide emails to WikiLeaks
Commented [a108]: the run-up to sth
the period of time just before an important event
In December, outgoing president Barack Obama ordered US intelligence to review evidence of Russian in the run-up to the election
interference in the election, although the Times reported that it was not clear whether the latest revelations
were part of that review.

UN urges global move to meat and dairy-free diet

Lesser consumption of animal products is necessary to save the world from the worst impacts of climate
change, UN report says
A global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts
of climate change, a UN report said today.

As the global population surges towards a predicted 9.1 billion people by 2050, western tastes for diets/rich
in meat and dairy products are unsustainable, says the report from United Nations Environment
Programmes (UNEP) international panel of sustainable resource management.

It says: Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing
consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat.
A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, /away
from animal products.

Professor Edgar Hertwich, the lead author of the report, said: Animal products cause more damage than
[producing] construction minerals such as sand or cement, plastics or metals. Biomass and crops for animals
are as damaging as [burning] fossil fuels.

The recommendation follows advice last year that a vegetarian diet was better for the planet from Lord
Nicholas Stern, former adviser to the Labour government on the economics of climate change. Dr Rajendra Commented [a109]: sao ko c a, an, the

Pachauri, chair of the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has also urged people to Commented [a110]: between or involving governments of
different countries
observe one meat-free day a week to curb carbon emissions.
Commented [a111]: to do what you are supposed to do
according to a law or agreement
The panel of experts ranked products, resources, economic activities and transport according to their = obey

environmental impacts. Agriculture was on a par with fossil fuel consumption because both rise rapidly with
increased economic growth, they said.

Ernst von Weizsaecker, an environmental scientist who co-chaired the panel, said: Rising affluence is
triggering a shift in diets towards meat and dairy products - livestock now consumes much of the worlds Commented [a112]: UNCOUNTABLE

crops and by inference a great deal of freshwater, fertilisers and pesticides. Commented [a113]: CH NY KO HIU NGHA L G

Both energy and agriculture need to be decoupled from economic growth because environmental impacts Commented [a114]: SEPERATE

rise roughly 80% with a doubling of income, the report found.

Achim Steiner, the UN under-secretary general and executive director of the UNEP, said: Decoupling
growth from environmental degradation is the number one challenge facing governments in a world of rising Commented [a115]: the process by which something
changes to a worse condition
numbers of people, rising incomes, rising consumption demands and the persistent challenge of poverty
alleviation.

The panel, which drew on numerous studies including the Millennium ecosystem assessment, cites the
following pressures on the environment as priorities for governments around the world: climate change,
habitat change, wasteful use of nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilisers, over-exploitation of fisheries, forests
and other resources, invasive species, unsafe drinking water and sanitation, lead exposure, urban air Commented [a116]: PHI NHIM CH

pollution and occupational exposure to particulate matter. Commented [a117]: Particle pollution= a mixture of solid
particles and liquid droplets found in the air.

Agriculture, particularly meat and dairy products, accounts for 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38%
of the total land use and 19% of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions, says the report, which has been
launched to coincide with UN World Environment day on Saturday.

Last year the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation said that food production would have to increase
globally by 70% by 2050 to feed the worlds surging population. The panel says that efficiency gains in
agriculture will be overwhelmed by the expected population growth.

Prof Hertwich, who is also the director of the industrial ecology programme at the Norwegian University of
Science and Technology, said that developing countries /where much of this population growth will take
place must not follow the western worlds pattern of increasing consumption: Developing countries
should not follow our model. But its up to us to develop the technologies in, say, renewable energy or
irrigation methods.

Vegetarian diet is better for the planet, says Lord Stern

Meat wastes water, creates greenhouse gases and could become as socially unacceptable as drink-driving
Eating meat could become as socially unacceptable as drink-driving because of the impact it has on global
warming, according to a senior authority on climate change.

Lord Stern of Brentford, former adviser to the government on the economics of climate change, said people Commented [a118]: Y CNG KO C A

will have to consider turning vegetarian to help reduce global carbon emissions.

"Meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases. It puts enormous pressure on the
world's resources. A vegetarian diet is better," Stern said.

Farmed ruminant animals, including cattle and sheep, are thought to be responsible for up to a quarter of Commented [a119]: an animal such as a cow that has
several stomachs and eats grass
"man-made" methane emissions worldwide.

Stern, whose 2006 Stern Review warned that countries needed to spend 1% of their GDP to stop greenhouse
gases rising to dangerous levels, said a successful deal[ at the climate change conference in Copenhagen in
December] would massively increase the cost of producing meaT.

People's concerns about climate change would lead to meat eating becoming unacceptable, he predicted.

"I think it's important that people think about what they are doing and that includes what they are eating,"
he told the Times. "I am 61 now and attitudes towards drinking and driving have changed radically since I
was a student. People change their notion of what is responsible. They will increasingly ask about the carbon
content of their food."

Stern, a former chief economist at the World Bank and now IG Patel Professor of Economics at the London
School of Economics, also warned that helping developing countries to cope with the adverse effects of global
warming would cost British taxpayers about 3bn a year by 2015.

Meanwhile, an international effort to ensure that biofuel used by Britain and other western countries to
tackle global warming does not damage the environment is on the brink of collapse. Commented [a120]: on the brink of st=a situation when
you are almost in a new situation, usually a bad one
The Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an initiative of companies and campaigners, is divided
over the need to control carbon emissions and could break up within days, insiders say.

Ministers last year introduced a demand on fuel suppliers to replace 2.5% of petrol and diesel sold with
biofuel, at least 8% of which is currently palm oil.

The RSPO was established to set and enforce environmental standards for palm oil production, but has run
into trouble after palm plantation companies in Indonesia and Malaysia blocked efforts to curb their
greenhouse gas emissions.

"If this issue is not resolved and greenhouse gas emissions are not included in the standard, then I don't see
how the RSPO can continue to act as a certifying body," said Marcus Silvius of environment group Wetlands Commented [a121]: a group of people who work together
to do a particular job or who are together for a particular
International, who sits on the RSPO's working group on greenhouse gases. purpose

Eat less meat to prevent climate disaster, study warns

Fertilisers used in growing feed crops for cattle produce the most potent of the greenhouse gases causing
climate change

Meat eaters in developed countries will have to eat a lot less meat, cutting consumption by 50%, to avoid the
worst consequences of future climate change, new research warns.

The fertilisers used in farming are responsible for a significant share of the warming that causes climate Commented [a122]: part

change.

A study published in Environmental Research Letters warns that drastic changes in food production and at
the dinner table are needed by 2050 in order to prevent catastrophic global warming.
It's arguably the most difficult challenge in dealing with climate change: how to reduce emissions from food
production while still producing enough to feed a global population/ projected to reach 9 billion by the Commented [a123]: be projected to do sth= to calculate
what something will be in the future, using the information
middle of this century. you have now

The findings, by Eric Davidson, director of the Woods Hole Research Centre in Massachusetts, say the
developed world will have to cut fertiliser use by 50% and persuade consumers in the developed world to
stop eating so much meat.

Davidson concedes it's a hard sell. Meat is a regular part of the diet in the developed world. In developing Commented [a124]: admit that something is true

economies, such as China and India, meat consumption has risen along with prosperity Commented [a125]: cch dng such as

"I think there are huge challenges in convincing people in the west to reduce portion sizes or the frequency of
eating meat. That is part of our culture right now," he said.

Researchers have been paying closer attention in the past few years to the impact of agriculture on climate
change, and the parallel problem of growing enough food for an expanding population. Some scientists are at
work growing artificial meat which would avoid the fertilisers and manure /responsible for climate change. Commented [a126]: phn bn

Nitrous oxide, released by fertilisers and animal manure, is the most potent of the greenhouse gases that
cause climate change. The UN's climate body has called for deep cuts to those emissions.

Growing feed crops, for cattle and pigs, produces more of those emissions than crops that go directly into the
human food chain. Eating less meat would reduce demand for fertiliser as well as reduce the amount of
manure produced.

Davidson also suggests changes in current farming practice such as growing winter ground cover crops Commented [a127]: ngha l g

would help absorb nitrogen and prevent its release into the atmosphere.

In reaching his conclusion, Davidson draws on figures from the Food and Agricultural Organisation/
suggesting the world population will reach 8.9 billion by 2050, and that daily per capita calorie intake will
also rise to 3130 calories.
Meat consumption is also projected to increase sharply to 89kg per person a year in rich countries and 37kg
per person a year in the developing world.

Such a trajectory would put the world on course to more severe consequences of climate change. Commented [a128]: the events that happen during a
period of time, which often lead to a particular aim or result
Commented [a129]: likely to achieve something because
Davidson is not suggesting people give up meat entirely. "The solution isn't that everyone needs to become a you have already had some success
vegetarian or a vegan. Simply reducing portion sizes and frequency would go a long way," he said. So
would switching from beef and pork, which have a high carbon foot print, to chicken or fish. Commented [a130]: ci ny ging So would I. So do I
Commented [a131]: the full climate change impact of
something