THE WEEK Sept 6: Simply unlucky

Wrong time to tune out

Working on a television news program can be exhausting. All of the writing, planning, editing and rewriting can sometimes become overwhelming. And when your show is on the morning, you’re at risk of something pretty embarrassing. It’s not only on live TV that things can go bad. When you’re in a long meeting, make sure nobody can see you playing a game on your phone – especially a journalist.

From lucky to loser

A more appropriate place to gamble this week would have been at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Thousands gathered at the seven-day event, but a video of one gambler’s loss brought joy to the masses. Oh, the pain.

Unlucky? Kiss your iPad

If you’re down on your luck and looking for some action, consider turning to a new Japanese iPad game. It allows you to pick the woman you want to kiss by selecting her picture on your device, and then you get to kiss her by kissing the screen! How brilliant. The game designers said it was created for guys who are having trouble getting a date. But if you’re already having trouble getting a date, I don’t think kissing your iPad in public is going to help your cause.

This wacky world!

An American woman became the first person ever to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage protecting her body. This was incredibly impressive accomplishment, especially because she was 64 years old.

A group of British students aged 11 to 15 were released on bail after being arrested for allegedly burning down their school just one day before the semester was scheduled to start. Stay in school, kids.

An Australian boater escaped an island after a crocodile held him captive for two weeks. Many people are praising the man’s heroics, but locals say the man is an idiot and should have never gone to that island in the first place.

Participants at a charity event in Japan were able to donate to the cause and in return got to squeeze a porn star’s boobs. Wow.

Buzz word:

To tune out: To be distracted or stop paying attention to something.

My physics professor is so boring. I tune out during all of her lectures.

Tune out the bugs, and try to appreciate the beauty of being in nature.

What did you say? Sorry, I tuned out for a minute.

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）