Number of words: 178 If isoflavone supplements are questionable, what about eating soy, and how much soy should we eat? We continue to hear that Asian have less disease because they eat a lot of soy. But how much soy do Asian really eat? In ancient times, farmers cultivated soybeans to instill nitrogen into the … Read more

Number of words: 203 Normal elimination is once or twice a day. Primitive humans likely didn’t have problems with constipation because their rough, fibrous foods, stimulated peristalsis, which is the organized, rhythm – like movement that moves foodstuff from the mouth through the digestive system to elimination. But since refined food products immediately turn into … Read more

Number of words: 44 Heroin, cocaine, caffeine, refined, white flour, and sugar are all white, powdery, highly addictive substance. Sugar happens to be a socially acceptable addiction, and it’s one ingredient that keeps us eating factory-food products. Excerpted from page 12 of ‘Death by Supermarket’ by Nancy Deville

Number of words: 1,994 eBay’s biggest mistake was in getting the culture wrong. A “leave it to the experts” attitude demoralized the original EachNet team in Shanghai, as eBay executives were parachuted in from headquarters in San Jose or other parts of the eBay empire. No matter how skilled the new arrivals, most spoke no … Read more

Number of words: 161 Although it sickened thousands and killed almost eight hundred people, the outbreak had a curiously beneficial impact on the Chinese Internet sector, including Alibaba. SARS validated digital mobile telephony and the Internet, and so came to represent the turning point when the Internet emerged as a truly mass medium in China. … Read more

Number of words: 383 Yet Jack’s first effort to tap into Zhejiang’s entrepreneurial fizz was not a success. In 1994, his Hope Translation venture had gotten off to a troubled start. While his monthly office rent was almost $300, his first month’s income was just over $20. Hope may spring eternal, but cash is king. … Read more

Number of words: 113 In the earliest days of China’s economic reforms, entrepreneurship was viewed as a highly risky,even illegal undertaking. Memories then were fresh of those imprisoned or even executed during the Cultural Revolution for carrying out commercial activities. From 1978, the establishment of a “household contract responsibility system” allowed farmers to sell surplus … Read more

Number of words: 106 Jack’s mother, Cui Wencai, worked on a factory production line. His father, Ma Laifa, worked as a photographer at the Hangzhou Photography Agency. But both share a passion for pingtan, a form of Chinese folk art performance that involves the singing of ballads and comedic routines punctuated by the sound of … Read more

Number of words: 102 Most companies bear the imprint of their founders, but few more than Alibaba. Jack Ma’s outsize influence stems from his passion for teaching. Although he left the profession two decades ago, Jack has never really stopped being an educator. He used to joke that in his case CEO stood for “Chief … Read more

Number of words: 91 As a form of escrow, Alipay diffuses trust throughout Alibaba’s e-commerce empire. Consumers know that when they pay with Alipay their accounts will be debited only when they have received and are satisfied with the products they have ordered. Only then, after freezing the amount on the account, will Alipay release … Read more