'#Selfie' beats 'twerking' and 'binge-watch' to become Word of the Year｜2013 年度風雲字：Selfie，你今天「自拍」了嗎？

Selfie has been named the word of 2013, beating tough competition from twerk, binge-watch and showrooming. 

Editors from Oxford Dictionaries, which made it their Word of 2013, said the word has evolved from a niche social media tag into a mainstream term for a self-portrait photograph.

隨著智慧型手機的興起，手機自拍風潮席捲全球，不論是美國第一家庭、大明星還是一般的大眾都流行上傳自拍照到社群網站。英國牛津字典選出，2013年度風雲字：Selfie（自拍），擊敗 twerk（電臀舞）、binge-watch（大量觀看電視）和 showrooming（在實體店家內看到某個商品後不購買，反而到網路上用更低的價錢買到同樣的商品。）

牛津字典（Oxford Dictionaries）的編輯表示，「Selfie今年大受歡迎，由社群媒體的時髦標籤用語，躍居為表達自拍的主流簡略用語」，因而獲選年度風雲字。

My stolen sheepdog turned up 520 miles from home｜奇蹟！飼主尋回失蹤七個月愛犬

It's like the plot from a heart-warming family movie. Seven months after Leanda Loosemore’s dog Annah was stolen, she was found bedraggled but unharmed, 500 miles from where she’d disappeared.

After the show dog was kidnapped from outside her home in Newburgh, Scotland, Miss Loosemore spent months appealing on the internet to try to trace her  Shetland sheepdog.

就像電影情節那般感人肺腑！飼主Leanda的愛犬失蹤後，開始在網路上四處發文試圖尋回，但無所斬獲。經過七個月之後奇蹟發生，愛狗Annah被發現時，已和蘇格蘭的家遙遙相隔500公里，雖全身髒兮兮但毫髮無傷。

The 10 characters at every staff Christmas party revealed｜公司聖誕派對上的10項人格特質，你是哪一種？

There are ten characters at every staff Christmas party - and the 'Kisser' is the least popular of them all, according to new research.

'The faces may change as quickly as the music at these staff parties but one thing is constant - the 10 staff party characters who are present.

根據英國最新研究，每年的員工聖誕派對上，都有10種特質的人，看看你能不能在此文中發現你的同事，或是你自己。

Beyonce's back on top!｜碧昂絲閃電出輯 震撼回歸樂壇

Her self-titled album debuted at number 1 and ranks 24 on the year's list of best-sellers three days after release. So Beyonce had every reason to shake it up as she took her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour to Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

美國流行歌手碧昂絲，她的同名新專輯《BEYONCE》於上週五(13號)無預警於iTunes上架，才短短三天，全球締造82萬次驚人銷量，成為iTunes史上銷量最快專輯！憑藉僅僅三天的銷量，就成為本年度第24賣的專輯，登記全球108國iTunes專輯榜冠軍。

取得如此傲人的成績，碧昂絲有十足的理由在舞台上又唱又跳，她的《卡特夫人秀 世界巡迴演唱會》於週三來到華盛頓。

'Foodscaper': The landscapes that look good enough to EAT｜奇妙的食物造景 任何你看到的都可以吃

At a glance they look like images created by Hollywood CGI wizards – but they’re actually landscapes created entirely from food.

The incredible creations are the work of ‘foodscape’ artist Carl Warner, who makes them using sweets, fruits and vegetables – plus some pins and superglue.

猛一看，你可能還以為是出自哪個好萊塢電腦繪圖大師的作品，但它們真的全都是用「食物」建構出來的景象！

英國藝術家 Carl Warner，擅長用糖果、巧克力、蔬果等食物，做成色彩繽紛、奇幻逗趣的風景畫。Carl Warner 以別針和強力膠，搭造如同建築模型的立體食物造景，再用相機拍下。

Beware texters, 10 new signs that would make British roads safer｜低頭族注意！倫敦10種新式交通號誌

Taxi drivers have proposed ten new road signs for Britain’s cities - including warnings about potholes, rickshaws and school run congestion zones. They have also identified ten senseless signs they say should be scrapped such as warnings about horse-drawn vehicles and migratory toads on roads.

And Highway Code updates that cabbies suggest include bans on texting, wearing killer heels and relying on Google Maps while driving.

等紅燈時想用一下臉書；過馬路時想回個Whats app，這些隨時隨地都在低頭玩手機的人被稱為『低頭族』。隨著智慧型手機的普及，低頭族也越來越多，因此由於低頭而頻繁引發的車禍，也漸漸引起人們的關注。

初到英國旅遊的遊客，可能會被當地複雜、繁多的路標搞得暈頭轉向。為了與時俱進，以及讓人們意識到低頭的危險性，近日，倫敦的計程車司機提出增加「前方有路坑、人力車出沒道路、學校擁擠區等」10項新路標。

此外，倫敦最近出現9起自行車騎士在公路被撞的意外事故，英國計程車司機聯盟因而向交通法規部提議，新增自行車轉彎警示路標、司機開車時若光腳或穿高於三英寸的鞋子則為非法、開車時依賴 Google Map 或發短信，則會被開單罰款。針對行人，則新增警示標識如過馬路別發訊息、戴耳機聽音樂使注意力不集中等，且亂闖紅燈是違法的。

Is this the world's thinnest building?｜史上最薄建築？上海「紙片樓」

This house in Shanghai, China could possibly be the world’s thinnest building.

Located on Ningbo Road in the densely populated Chinese city, the home appears to be nothing more than a brick wall, extending down the road.

The house is part of a triangular shaped block, and at its point becomes so thin that residents cannot fit a chair in front of their windows.

在中國的這棟「紙片樓」，大概稱的上是「世界最薄建築」吧！

位於上海寧坡路，這一帶人口密集極高，這棟樓看起來幾乎只有磚牆，向下延伸到道路，其他好像什麼都沒有似的。

World's most toxic places｜世上受污染最嚴重的10個地方

Some governments are working to make life better but in others, the damage has already been done.

A list of ten filthy sites, from Russia to Indonesia to Ghana, has been amassed by the global environmental group The Blacksmith Institute - which says 200 million people are endangered daily in the top ten places alone.

當環境災害已經造成，有些國家正致力於如何使生活環境變得更好，但有些則不！
環保組織－布萊克史密斯研究所 (The Blacksmith Institute) 列出世上受污染最嚴重的10個地方，並表示每天都有約2億左右的人口在這些地方遭受威脅。

Meet the people who love Disney so much they moved there｜住在迪士尼，美夢成真！

For many, a trip to Disney is the holiday of a lifetime, but what if you decided to spend your lifetime at Disney?

There is a select group of people for whom this idea is no fantasyland, but a reality. The Walt Disney Company has created a gated community known as Golden Oak - named after the company's California ranch. It’s the only place in the world where homeowners actually live on Disney park property.

Some 980 acres have been set aside for the company to build up to 450 homes at Lake Buena Vista – some within eyesight of the famous Cinderella Castle fireworks.

住在童話般的城堡、過著幸福快樂的日子，是許多小朋友的夢想。而對大部分的人而言，去一趟美國迪士尼是個難得的機會，更不用說要在那邊度過一輩子…

美國佛羅里達州的奧蘭多迪士尼樂園正開發房地產，在其附近的美景湖(Lake Buena Vista) 興建一個名為“金橡樹(Golden Oak)”的住宅社區，450棟豪宅，總占地980英畝，是世界上唯一一個地處迪士尼樂園內的房產。

Madonna tops the 2013 Forbes list of highest-paid musicians｜富比士評選「年度最賺音樂人」娜姊撂下冠軍寶座

The queen of pop is still on top, as Madonna earns the title of world's highest-paid musician of 2013.

According to Forbes Magazine, the 55-year-old diva earned $125 million from June 2012 to May 2013 thanks to her highly-successful MDNA Tour. The tour, which grossed $305 million, was able to carry the singer all the way to the bank, despite lackluster album sales and the inability of her single Give Me All Your Luvin to chart in any significant way.

富比士雜誌公布今年「全球最吸金音樂人」排行榜，結果薑還是老的辣，55歲的流行女皇瑪丹娜榮登最賺歌手寶座，從去年6月截至今年5月，一年估計賺進1.25億美元（約台幣36.8億）。儘管專輯銷量不盡理想、單曲成績表現也並不出色，光憑著MDNA全球巡迴演出，就開出3億美元票房佳績，足以她一輩子不愁吃穿。

Get ready to sob... it's the John Lewis Christmas advert｜英國百貨 John Lewis 超溫馨聖誕廣告《熊與兔》

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without mince pies, roast turkey, crackers … and a tear-jerking advert from John Lewis.

The department store has long made it its mission to convert even the most avowed Scrooges, and this year is no exception. The £7million Disney-inspired advert, which makes its TV debut tomorrow, tells the story of a selfless hare who is determined to make sure his best friend, a bear, doesn’t miss Christmas for once.

However, it has a lot to live up to, for its predecessors have become a social media phenomenon with millions of YouTube hits and huge soundtrack sales. The commercial features the tale of two good friends, a bear and a hare, who are sad at the thought of being separated for Christmas.

聖誕節如果少了餡餅、烤火雞、餅乾以及John Lewis賺人淚水的廣告，就不是聖誕節了！Christmas對於歐美零售業來說，絕對是銷售年度一大盛事。John Lewis 是英國倫敦最大的百貨商店，從1864年在倫敦牛津街開辦第一家店鋪算起，已有139年的歷史，主做時裝、化妝品、童裝和家具等生意。近幾年也針對聖誕節，推出主打的電視廣告，並配合行銷活動，來帶動聖誕買氣，而今年也不例外。

Fancy an office romance? More than 80 per cent of British people would say yes...｜【研究調查】超過80%的英國人幻想「辦公室戀情」

A staggering 80 per cent of us would prefer to unearth their perfect partner at work, a new study has revealed.

According to the 2,000 men and women polled, hunting for a new partner is easier at work because there's no awkward getting-to-know-you stage involved. But not just any colleague will do. 73 per cent of the women asked said that they would rather date a man in senior role, with 61 per cent revealing that they find a powerful male more attractive than any other sort.

一項新的研究指出，80%的人會想在職場中尋找另一半，而這樣的數據確實很驚人。

根據2000位男男女女的調查顯示，在工作中較容易產生新戀情，因為跳過了初步認識階段的尷尬感。而73%的女人較願意和職位在中高層的男性約會，其中有61%更透露以找到一位強而具吸引力的人選為優先考量。

Being bilingual could slow down dementia｜語言真重要，雙語能力可延緩老年痴呆！

Speaking a second language may delay dementia by up to five years – more than powerful drugs, researchers say.

一項研究表明，會說兩種語言以上的人，比起服用強效藥用，更可以延緩老年癡呆症長達五年！

A study suggests being bilingual exercises the mind, so it has greater reserves when disease takes hold. But there are no additional advantages to speaking any more than two languages, according to the study in the journal Neurology. It was carried out by researchers from the University of Edinburgh and Nizam’s Institute of Medical  Sciences in Hyderabad, India.

Thomas Bak, of Edinburgh University, said: ‘These findings suggest that bilingualism might have a stronger influence on dementia than any currently available drugs.’

雙語者用腦相對單一語言者更多，因此大腦供血量也更多，且腦神經之間的聯繫更容易維持在矯健的狀態，正是這種「腦力鍛煉」推遲了罹患老年癡呆症的時間。

這項研究是由愛丁堡大學(the University of Edinburgh)的Thomas Bak和位於印度的醫學科學研究所聯合進行的，Thomas說：「這些發現顯示，雙語可能比任何目前可用的治療老年痴呆症的藥劑更有效。」

She has survived on a diet of JUNK FOOD｜不可置信！ 英國女吃垃圾食物長大

She weighs less than 10st and wears a dress size ten. So it might be assumed a diet of fruit and vegetables play a part in Faye Campbell’s lifestyle. But she claims she hasn’t touched either for 16 years.

Indeed, the 21-year-old says she has been diagnosed with a fear of fruit and vegetables.

英國一名21歲女子 Faye Campbell，體重約60kg，穿英國尺碼10號的衣服，這樣中等的身材，你或許認為她的飲食生活應該跟一般人沒兩樣，不過事實上，她已有16年沒有碰蔬果類食物，是名「蔬果恐懼症」患者。

Best diet news ever? Eating plenty of chocolate can keep you SLIM｜最新研究指出「吃巧克力減肥更有效」！

It seems like news that really is too good to be true. Rather than being a major factor in piling on the pounds, eating large amounts of chocolate is one of the best ways to lose weight, a study has found.

Spanish researchers examined the diets and healthy activities of 1,500 teenagers aged between 12 and 17 in nine European countries, including Spain and the UK. They found that people who admitted eating large amounts of chocolate had, on average, far lower levels of fat over their bodies. In particular, they were trimmer around the stomach area - regardless of whether they had an active lifestyle or were on a diet.

Chocolate was also found to have a positive effect on circulation, blood pressure and heart health. The study, from the University of Granada, backs up earlier findings from the University of California that suggested regular chocolate eaters have less body fat. This may be because while chocolate contains more calories than many other foods, it appears to make the metabolism work harder, offsetting the fat that otherwise might hang around.

There's also the issue of denial. A recent poll found that 86 per cent of slimmers who carried on enjoying their favourite treats successfully lost weight.

如果這項消息是真實的話，那麼對嗜甜如螞蟻的我們真的是一大福音啊～ 西班牙研究人員調查歐洲9個國家共1500名12-17歲的青少年，其飲食與健康活動。他們發現承認吃大量巧克力的人，其體脂肪遠低於平均值，尤其是胃部周圍的區域。

A portrait of a modern Royal Family｜歷史性的一刻！英國皇室全家福曝光

It is a fascinating blend of well-trodden history and social mobility. Clustered around a Chippendale sofa in the sunbathed Morning Room of Clarence House, this new group photograph of the Windsor and Middleton dynasties is arguably the most intriguing of the christening portraits released yesterday.

Despite the Queen’s presence and the rather Victorian familial grouping, there is a decidedly relaxed air to the picture, a portrait of a Royal Family for the modern age. Indeed, aside from the Queen, the most magisterial figure is the Duchess of Cambridge’s younger brother James, whose beard makes him look uncannily like his nephew’s great, great, great-grandfather, King George V, or even a younger looking Prince Michael of Kent.

Kate’s family - her former air hostesses turned multi-millionaire entrepreneur mother, Carole, genial father Michael, and scene-stealing sister, Pippa - are positioned around Prince William.

In contrast Kate, whose ancestors were Durham coal miners and men of the soil, is grouped with the rest of the Royal Family - a dapper-looking Duke of Edinburgh, belying his 92 years and recent ill-health, grandparents Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and a cheeky-looking doting uncle Prince Harry.

One can only assume that celebrity photographer Jason Bell, whose previous subjects have included David Beckham and actress Scarlett Johansson, diplomatically chose to place them that way rather than give an impression of ‘them and us’.

當耳熟能詳的歷史與社會的流動彼此交融是一件多麼迷人的事，英國王位第三順位繼承人、出生三個月的喬治小王子（Prince George）於10月23日在爸媽的陪伴下在聖詹姆士宮（St James's Palace）正式受洗，洗禮儀式低調進行，僅21人獲邀出席。這是小王子自出生後第二次公開亮相，也是百年來首見英國四代君王同堂，而英國未來國王的教父母也不再僅限於皇親貴族。

The HenPower project：the OAPs being given CHICKENS to keep them company｜「母雞力量」計劃 英老人養雞享晚年

They say that a dog is man's best friend. But for certain elderly people in the North East of England, fur has been swapped for feathers.

The lives of dozens of pensioners have been transformed thanks to a charity scheme that uses hens to counter loneliness.

俗話說，狗是人類最好的朋友，不過對於英格蘭東北部的老年人來說，雞才是他們的最佳夥伴！多虧了一家慈善機構推行的計劃－母雞飼養運動，使得許多老年人的生活獲得改善，免於晚年孤寂。

Monster truck ice cream van set to tour Britain│巨輪卡車變身為雪糕車？

Wait till you see the size of the flakes! Monster truck ice cream van set to tour Britain's most popular resorts giving away free treats

What better way to cool off on a hot summer's day than a large ice cream - and they do not come much bigger than this.

A 21 feet tall monster truck has been converted into an ice cream van and is touring Britain's most popular resorts to hand out free treats. The souped-up van weighs 5.5 tonnes and took a team of engineers over three weeks to make.

What's your country famous for?｜你的國家在哪方面獨領風騷？另類地圖告訴你！

From making babies to being struck by lightning, a new map has revealed the surprising things that countries are best at. The map is based on statistics gathered from across the internet - ranging from sources as diverse as the World Bank to the Guinness World Records.

Created by online comic and website DogHouse Diaries, the map shows what each country leads the rest of the world in and the words picked - which are written across the country's geographical territory - are in many cases surprising.

從「最會生小孩」到「最常被雷擊」，你的國家在哪方面獨領風騷？另類地圖告訴你！

線上漫畫網站「狗屋日誌」根據世界銀行、金氏世界紀錄等搜集而來的數據，做出這份地圖，不少結果令人為之驚訝！

Europe's steepest funicular railway has a gradient of 106 per cent｜歐洲最陡登山纜車 － 蓋爾默纜車，你敢搭嗎？

These are the stomach-churning pictures of Europe's steepest funicular which has a gradient of 106 per cent - but not a seatbelt in sight. The breathtaking images show two children clutching onto a single rail as the ground drops away beneath them in Bern, Switzerland.

這些令人覺得噁心的圖片來自於歐洲最陡峭的登山纜車－蓋爾默纜車(Gelmerbahn)，位於瑞士首都伯恩(Bern, Switzerland)，其坡度有106度，且沒有提供安全帶！你可能認為只不過是纜車，沒有什麼大不了的，但是蓋爾默纜車是「倒退」行駛上山的，所以當地面離你越來越遠，而你又只能抓著一個扶手且沒有其他安全措施時，你就知道這趟旅程是多麼驚險了！

British traveller 24, spends £125,000 and five years visiting every country on earth｜打工度假算什麼，24歲英國青年「打工環遊世界」！

A British traveller has become the youngest person to visit every country in the world.

James Asquith spent a whopping £125,000 to achieve his dream. Over the course of five years the 24-year-old, who now works as banker in London, managed to visit all 196 countries from Australia to Iraq and San Marino to Serbia.

He started travelling in 2008 after his best friends caught the travel bug and decided to pack his bags and see what the fuss was about. Mr Asquith, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, said: 'Vietnam was the first independent country I went to and I spent nearly three months there. 'I also spent about five months in the US and Canada, getting to 27 states from Hawaii to Alaska.'

「環遊世界」可說是每個人的夢想！英國現年24歲的青年 James Asquith，年紀輕輕就完成許多人畢身的夢想，成為達成這一壯舉最年輕的紀錄者。他以5年的時間，花費12萬5000英鎊（約台幣585萬元）遊歷全球196個國家，實現他的夢想。

現於倫敦擔任銀行員的James，受到旅遊迷好友的影響，自2008年開始決定收拾行囊，去看看世界到底有多大。他第一個造訪的國家是越南(Vietnam)，並在當地度過了將近3個月；也花了5個月的時間待在美國和加拿大，踏訪了27個州，從夏威夷到阿拉斯加都有他的足跡。

A new book entitled “Sleep” ：Voyeuristic time-lapse photographs｜「睡眠」之書 一窺人類各種睡姿

It is a time for growth and rejuvenation, a state of semi-consciousness where we dream, imagine and put demons to rest. We spend a third of our lives asleep yet remember very little about it. 

One photographer, fascinated by our nocturnal behaviour, made it his life's work to capture the way we slumber through a time-lapse photo series. Ted Spagna from New York passed away in 1989 at the age of 45. He took photographs of children, couples, singletons and groups moving, stretching and cuddling in bed.

睡眠有助於生長發育、養顏美容，在半意識的狀態中，我們盡情作夢、想像和休養。人的一生中，睡眠的時間就佔了三分之一之多，然而我們卻不太了解在睡眠期間究竟發生了什麼事。

一名已故攝影師－Ted Spagna，非常著迷於人類夜間睡眠時的行為，於是他用了定時圖像拍攝的手法，捕捉了一系列人們睡覺時的姿態。拍攝對象從小孩到情侶、單人到群體，任何伸展、親密摟抱動作等等一舉一動都被記錄了下來。

You can make a lot of pies with that! Farmer grows monster pumpkin｜英國農夫種出巨無霸南瓜！

談到萬聖節，你會想到什麼殭屍？鬼魂？還是女巫？無論你想到什麼，別忘記每到萬聖節最重要的「傑克南瓜燈」，為了迎接月底的Halloween，今年來個Supersized的南瓜吧！

This monster pumpkin could smash the UK record after growing to the weight of a small car.
Farmer Mark Baggs has spent countless hours nurturing the giant squash after planting it in a 500ft polytunnel six months ago. He estimates it currently weighs 1,500lbs, the same as a Smart Car, but he hopes it will break the UK record of 1,504lbs - or 107 stone.
The pumpkin boasts a 15ft circumference and its roots span the entire length of the polytunnel. It is so heavy it has to be lifted onto a trailer using a forklift truck. But there is some way to go until Mr Baggs, from Wareham, Dorset, smashes the world record - a pumpkin grown in the US last year weighed in at 2,009lbs.

The father-of-two will find out if his pumpkin has broken the UK record at a ‘weigh off’ at a pumpkin festival in Southampton tomorrow. If it is declared the UK’s heaviest he will scoop a £1,000 reward from sponsors Thompson and Morgan. But he is up against rival growers Ian and Stuart Paton from Lymington, Hampshire, who set the current British record in 2010.

這顆巨無霸南瓜的重量相當於一輛小型汽車，英國多塞特（Dorset）的農夫 Mark Baggs 半年前在一座500英呎的溫室開始種植，並投入大量的心力來培育它。他估計，目前，這顆南瓜重達1500磅（約680公斤），重量跟一台 Smart Car 一樣，但他希望它能打破英國記錄的1504磅。它的周長有15英呎，其根更跨越整座溫室；必須使用叉架起貨機將它搬至拖車上。

Sexiness should be effortless│性感！應該由內而外不做作！

Christina Aguilera to Maxim: 'Sexiness should be effortless'

She's worked hard to get her body in shape and it seems Christina Aguilera is eager to show off the results.

The 32-year-old pop star, whose weight has fluctuated over the years, gave a glimpse of her toned tummy after unbuttoning her white shirt to reveal her bra for the new cover of US Maxim.

The singer also slips into a very sexy red corset dress which displays plenty of her ample cleavage.

Brazilian animal lover moves SEVEN beasts into his home｜愛虎成癡？七老虎入住家園

Borges rescued two tigers from a circus eight years ago and built a sanctuary in his garden before launching a breeding programme. He was forced to call an end to it when the authorities realised he was breeding the big cats without a permit.

Borges, 43, said: 'I was never worried about my daughters co-existing with these animals. 'You have to show the animals respect and love - that's how you get it back from them.'

He and his daughters Nayara, 20, Uyara, 23, and Deusanira, 24, walk the tigers on leads and feed meat directly into their mouths. They even allow them into their kitchen during mealtime and let them lounge around the house.

Incredibly, Uraya, who also works as a dog trainer, is happy for daughter Rayara to interact with the massive predators with minimal safety precautions. She said: 'Rayara loves playing with the tigers - she sees my dad interacting with them and she goes crazy.

'Every day since they were born we have taken care of them and fed them so their instincts become dormant. 'They are part of the family. I can't imagine life without them.'

Borges 八年前從馬戲團手上拯救了兩隻老虎，後來牠們繁衍後代，使得家中老虎成員越來越多，他們一家本來與老虎們過著幸福快樂的生活，但政府部門指控他非法繁殖老虎。

Borges 表示他從沒擔心過三個女兒從小跟老虎共同生活，他說：「對牠們示出尊重與愛，牠們也會同等回報。」平時吃飯時間，老虎會進廚房與家人一同用餐，就像餵寵物一樣徒手來餵食老虎，甚至讓牠們在屋內閒晃散步，相當輕鬆自由。連小孫女也熱愛這些老虎成員們，在幾乎沒有安全措施的防護下，零距離接觸也毫不構成問題。小虎從出生那天就是一家人用心照顧養大的，牠們兇猛的天性早已經不在了，老虎對於他們一家來說，就如同家人般親密。

Painter immortalizes 5,500 shelter dogs│我們能為安樂死的小狗做些什麼？

Faces of the doomed: Artist immortalizes 5,500 shelter dogs by painting each of their portraits before they are put down

A Kentucky artist is on a mission to paint 5,500 portraits of shelter dogs doomed to be put to sleep. That’s the number of dogs killed per day in U.S. shelters, a number that shocked Mark Barone enough to start doing something about it. By putting a face to the statistic, Barone hopes to spread awareness of the plight of homeless animals in the U.S.

Meet the world's 40 Mrs Averages｜全球各國女性大眾臉！你是台灣平均臉小姐嗎？

If you were described as average-looking, you probably wouldn't see it as a compliment. But perhaps you would be happy if you looked like any of these computer-generated depictions of the 'average woman'.

With flawless skin, youthful faces and bright eyes - these average faces of women from around the world are nothing short of beautiful.

They were created from hundreds of pictures of women from all over the world. Using a face-averaging tool hosted online by experimental psychologists at University of Glasgow, women from 41 different nationalities and ethnicities were used for the experiment. 

如果你被稱為「大眾臉」，我想你可能不認為這是一種讚美，但也許你會因為看起來像由電腦描繪而成的「平均長相」而高興。完美無瑕的肌膚、青春的樣貌，以及明亮的眼睛，這些照片是全球各地女性的平均樣貌。英國格拉斯哥大學實驗心理學家利用數百張來自世界各地女性的照片，並透過電腦程式『合成肖像』，將41個不同國籍和種族女性的照片重疊得出各國女性的平均長相。

Love got us through│愛，帶領他們邁向70周年結婚紀念日！

World War II hero airman who survived FOUR plane crashes celebrates 70 years of marriage

An airman who survived four plane crashes during World War II is celebrating 70 years of marriage today. RAF bomber navigator Jim Stafford, 96, said it was the thought of returning home to his wife Betty, 95, that kept him going during the dangerous missions.

Mrs Stafford said: 'Love got us through.'

Mr Stafford, of Felixstowe, Suffolk, said: 'Not many people can say they've done that in their lives.'

現年96歲的Jim Stafford曾是英國皇家空軍的轟炸機領航員，在二戰期間歷經四次的飛機失事，卻都沒有大礙似的奇蹟生還。今年8月28日是Jim和他95歲的妻子Betty慶祝其結婚70周年的紀念日。Jim說：「當年執行任務的時候，我都堅信著想回家陪伴在我妻子身旁的信念。」也許因為這個信念，讓Jim在經歷困苦的時候，皆能化險為夷。

Betty說：「愛，帶領我們越過重重的挑戰，讓我們堅持下來。」
Jim則表示：「應該沒有多少人能夠像我們一樣歷經過這些事情。」

• Bomber (n.) 轟炸機
• Navigator (n.) 領航員

He is a navigator of planes. 他是飛機的領航員。

McDonald's to offer vegetables or fruit to substitute french fries｜麥當勞推出健康新選擇，沙拉水果代替薯條！

全球最大的速食龍頭 McDonald’s 明年初將為美國的消費者提供健康新選擇，其套餐中的薯條可以選擇沙拉作為替代，而且不加價！麥當勞說，其實這樣的作法在部分國家已經行之有年，如法國，但現在打算在20個最大的全球市場推出這項新搭配。麥當勞在世界各地擁有超過34,000間的分店，未來三年，這個政策會落實到30%-50%的分店，而在2020年之前會100%普及。

McDonald’s will start giving customers the choice of a salad, fruit or vegetable as a substitute for french fries in its value meals in a bid to target consumers wanting healthier options.
McDonald’s Corp. will roll out the change early next year in the U.S., where people will be able to pick a salad instead of fries at no extra cost. McDonald’s says it already lets customers make such swaps in some countries, such as France.

But now it says it now work to make the options available in 20 of its biggest markets around the world, which represent 85 percent of sales. McDonald’s, which has more than 34,000 locations around the world, said the change will be in place in 30 to 50 percent of the areas within the next three years and 100 percent the regions by 2020.

Amputee and his wife inspire the world│無懼的愛，感動了全世界！

When love carries you through: Picture of wife giving piggyback to soldier who lost legs to Taliban IED inspires thousands worldwide

The living statue who refuses to give up｜「珊瑚人」Ashley Kurpiel 永不放棄的樂觀人生

With a Caribbean cruise with friends booked for November and a job she loves, Ashley Kurpiel, 31, considers herself lucky. But she has struggled all her life with a condition that is slowly turning her muscles into solid bone - and has already cost her her right arm.

Now, the 31-year-old is hoping to experience as much of life as she can before her muscles seize up for good. 

Ashley is one of an estimated 700 people worldwide with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), an incurable disease sometimes known as 'stone man syndrome' because its devastating effects can leave sufferers completely immobilized, like living statues.

31歲的女子 Ashley Kurpiel 對於她11月即將與朋友共乘加勒比遊輪而感到幸運。不過她從小罹患一種罕見疾病，面臨全身肌肉逐漸鈣化。Ashley Kurpiel 因此失去右臂，但她仍樂觀對抗病魔，認為自己很幸運能保有活動力，還希望盡情享受人生。

她是全球約700名「進化性肌肉骨化症」患者之一，是不治的極罕見疾病，對身體有破壞性的影響力，患者的肌肉會逐漸固化，所以又稱「珊瑚人」，患者有如活雕像。

Rihanna's Instagram selfie with slow loris leads to the arrest of two poachers in Thailand｜蕾哈娜泰國抱懶猴自拍 小販遭緝捕

Pop star Rihanna spent a weekend at the beach in Thailand, leaving behind a trail of racy tweets and incriminating Instagram photographs that led police to arrest two people for allegedly peddling protected primates.

On a break from her Diamonds World Tour, Rihanna stopped in Thailand to visit the island of Phuket, where she befriended some local wildlife.

She posted a link on Twitter to an Instagram photo that showed her in sunglasses snuggling up to a furry primate called the slow loris, and tweeted Friday: 'Look who was talkin dirty to me!

美國流行歌手蕾哈娜上週末期間在泰國普吉島度假時，透過推特分享一張與當地保育類動物「懶猴」合影的自拍照，導致兩名當地男子被捕，可能面臨最高4年有期徒刑。

她日前為鑽石世界全球巡迴演唱會停留泰國普吉島，卻發生了意外的插曲。一向喜歡把生活照分享至推特和手機app「instagram」的蕾哈娜，因在普吉島著名的觀光景點邦谷拉街與一隻保育類動物懶猴合照，引起泰國當局的關切。她在推特上張貼懶猴坐在她肩上的照片，寫道：「瞧是誰在我耳邊開黃腔！」

Sun City Poms：The OAP cheerleaders｜太陽城啦啦隊奶奶，人老心不老！

If you think cheerleading is synonymous with overly-peppy wholesome American teenagers, think again. A cheerleading group in Arizona is smashing through age stereotypes as they delight audiences with their acrobatics and high-energy routines, despite all being over 55-years-old.

如果你認為啦啦隊是精力旺盛、朝氣蓬勃青少年的代名詞，那麼你就大錯特錯啦！在亞歷桑納州，1979年成立的啦啦啦隊” Sun City Poms”，隊員平均年齡超過55歲，打破這個年齡刻板印象。

National flags recreated with food each country is associated with｜各國相關食物做成的「食物國旗」

When you think of French food, smelly cheese and grapes are probably the first things that come to mind. As is pasta at the mention of Italian cuisine, or curry when asked about Indian gastronomy. So it's not hard to see why these commonly associated foods have been plated up alongside others to recreate some of the world's national flags in a collection of photographs. Australian company created 17 flags using international delicacies.

說到法國的食物，很多人可能會想到味道很怪的起司和葡萄，而提起義大利美食，就會想到義大利麵，至於印度菜，大多數人的第一反應是咖哩。不過，可能很多人沒有想到的是用各國的食物來製作國旗。澳洲一家公司做到了，製作出17面不同國家的食物國旗。

Holocaust survivor beauty pageant│大屠殺中生存下來的非凡女性

Miss Holocaust Survivor Beauty Pageant celebrates the remarkable women who survived the genocide of the Jews

Commemorating the atrocities committed by the Nazis is usually a sombre duty, not a cause for joy. But at the Miss Holocaust Survivor Beauty Pageant, the emphasis is firmly on celebrating the remarkable women who survived the genocide of the Jews.

說到納粹大屠殺，腦袋中不乏都是暴行的場景、受害者的臉孔，而慶祝納粹所犯下的暴行更是一種殘酷的行為，且並非是一件讓人感到歡樂的事情。但在"大屠殺倖存小姐選美比賽"中其代表著不同的意義，這個比賽強調的是堅決地慶祝這些從大屠殺中生存下來的非凡女性。

• Holocaust (n.) 納粹大屠殺
• Beauty Pageant 選美比賽
• Genocide (n.) 種族滅絕；集體屠殺
• Commemorate (v.) 慶祝；紀念
• Atrocity (n.) 暴行
• Somber (adj.) 嚴峻的；昏暗的；陰沉的；憂鬱的；悶悶不樂的

A man survived for four months in the Andes on rats｜高山失蹤百餘日 男吃老鼠生還

A Uruguayan father who went missing in the Andes four months ago has been found alive after spending a brutal winter eating rats and raisins to survive.

Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui, 58, was rescued on Sunday after a group of Argentinians who were recording snow levels stumbled across him.

一名烏拉圭男子今年5月在爬阿根廷境內的安地斯山時失蹤，4個月後才被發現，這些日子他都住在登山小屋，靠著屋內存糧如葡萄乾、糖與抓老鼠吃維生，度過南半球嚴冬。

男子 Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui 現年58歲，他因機車故障，想嘗試徒步橫越從智利到阿根廷的安地斯山脈，不料從此失去音訊。阿根廷聖胡安省的雪量探測人員前天在4500公尺高的登山小屋發現滿臉鬍子的 Circunegui。

Can you believe this picture was taken with an iPhone│令人難以忘懷的照片皆來自iPhone？

Dial P for photo: The award-winning images that capture the haunting beauty of the world... all taken on an iPhone

When the iPhone was first introduced, it revolutionized how we record and document our lives. Suddenly, everyone could carry a small, very high-quality point-and-shoot camera in their pockets, with the ability to instantly upload and share their work.

自從iPhone問世以來，它便徹底改變了我們的生活習慣和記錄生活的方式。突然間，人們不再需要一台笨重的三腳架相機，大家都能隨身攜帶一個小型、高品質的傻瓜相機在口袋裡，可以及時上傳、隨時隨地分享他們的工作與生活。

• Haunting (adj.) 難以忘懷的
• Revolutionize (v.) 徹底改革；在‥.方面有突破性大變革

Automation has revolutionized industry. 自動化使工業發生了徹底變革。

It’s not always black and white│顛覆你印象中的黑白色貓熊！

The rare BROWN panda found only in remote mountains of western China

That would have been awkward│當珍妮佛·安妮斯頓遇上安吉麗娜·朱莉將擦出怎樣的火花？

Jennifer Aniston reschedules flight to avoid Angelina Jolie... who was booked in the same first class section

It would have been a rather uncomfortable run-in to say the least. 

But fortunately Jennifer Aniston narrowly avoided an awkward encounter with her ex-husband Brad Pitt's fiancée Angelina Jolie on Sunday. 

Disney Princesses living unhappily ever after│迪士尼系列公主從此過著不快樂的生活？

Fallen Princesses: Cynical photo series shows Disney Princesses living unhappily ever after

Fairy tales would have you believe that every princess has a happy ending, but one photographer's striking series challenges that notion.

Fallen Princesses, a project by Vancouver, Canada-based photographer Dina Goldstein, shows Snow White, Jasmine, Pocahontas and other iconic characters succumbing to tragic fates including cancer, alcoholism and unhappy marriages.

童話故事總讓你相信故事裡的公主們在經過重重困難後，永遠都過著幸福快樂的日子，但有一位加拿大攝影師Dina Goldstein以公主們為主角，拍攝出一系列令人驚艷的作品集《Fallen Princesses》，故事中的代表性人物屈服於悲慘的命運，例如：癌症、酗酒和不幸福的婚姻…等，挑戰我們記憶裡童話故事永遠是美好結局的概念。