Built 4,000 years ago, the three great pyramids at Giza, in the Egyptian desert remain the most colossal1 buildings ever constructed.
The pyramids were built by Egyptians under the orders of the Egyptian leader, whose title was Pharaoh2. There was a sequence of Pharaohs culminating3 around 2615 B.C., with the Pharaoh Cheops who built the biggest thing ever built, the Great Pyramid, also known as Khufu. Cheops built a pyramid 770 feet on one side and 481 feet tall. How ancient builders managed to build these massive structures has never been fully answered but the effort clearly required brains and brawn4.
Was there engineering genius involved? Yes, there was. For example, when you're putting the block right at the top, how are you going to lug5 a block of stone that weighs several tons 480 feet up a structure? How are you going to do it, and how are you going to do it without leaving scratches6 on all the rest of the structure? And how many people does it take to drag a block weighing several tons 480 feet up into the sky? Approximately, 2.3 million blocks of stone were cut, transported and assembled to create the Great Pyramid. The Pharaohs may have set out to build magnificent tombs for themselves, but in the end they created monuments to human potential. There's a universal message in the pyramids. The pyramids belong to Egypt, but the pyramids also belong to the world. That's why we can all identify the pyramids as an early monument of human greatness.
Friday, 24 October 2008
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
The Emperor's New Clothes
Long ago and far away, there lived an Emperor. This Emperor was very vain and could think about nothing but his clothes. He had wardrobes and cupboards full of clothes. They filled his spare bedrooms and upstairs corridors of the palace.The courtiers were worried that the wardrobes would begin to appear downstairs and in their chambers.The Emperor spent hours every morning getting dressed. He had to choose his outfit, preferable a new one, and the shoes and wig to go with it. Mid-morning, he invariably changed into something more formal for his short meetings with his councillors and advisors. He would change again for lunch, and then again for a rest in the afternoon. He just had to change for dinner and them again for the evening!He kept all the weavers, tailors, cobblers and silk merchants of the city very busy and very happy! News of the Emperor spread to distant kingdoms and finally came to the ears of two very shady characters."Could we?" they asked themselves. "Could we fool the Emperor who loves new clothes?" "Let's try," they decided.They left their homes and traveled to the Emperor's city. there they saw the many shops selling clothes, shoes and fabrics. For, if the Emperor dressed finely, so too did his couriers. The two travelers went to the palace along with many other tradesmen hoping to sell their wares to the Emperor. They asked to meet the Emperor. "We have something very special to show him," they told the Chamberlain. "That's what everyone says," said the Chamberlain. "Ah, but his is magical," said one, "We have invented a new cloth by using a very special and secret method."The Chamberlain felt that it was his duty to bring new items to the Emperor's attention and he went to tell him. "Something magical?" said the Emperor, who was changing for lunch and admiring himself in the mirror. "Oh, I love new things, Show the two weavers in."The two weavers were shown in, and began to describe their cloth to the Emperor. "It is gold, silver and rainbow colored, all at the same time," said one. "It shimmers." "It feels like silk, but is as warm as wool," said the second. "It is as light as air," said the first. "A most wonderful fabric."The Emperor was enchanted. He must have an outfit from this new cloth. "There is a grand parade in the city in two weeks time," he said. "I need a new outfit for it. Can one be ready in time?" "Oh yes, your Majesty," said the weavers. "But there is a problem. The cloth is very expensive to make." "No matter," said the Emperor, waving his hand. "Money is no object. I must have an outfit. Just see the Chamberlain and he'll sort it out. Make it here in the palace."The Chamberlain showed the two weavers to a large airy room and they set to work. They asked for a loom, and a sack of gold to start buying materials. The Chamberlain followed the Emperor's orders and they were denied nothing. The weavers worked away behind closed doors. The loom could be heard clattering away. Every now and then a courtier would stand and listen at the door. News of the magic cloth had spread.Finally, the Emperor could stand it no more. "Chamberlain, go to the weavers and see how the cloth is processing. The parade is only a week way." The Chamberlain knocked at the door and waited. "Enter!" said the weavers. They had been expecting someone soon! "The Emperor has sent me to check on the progress of the cloth," said the Chamberlain, staring at the empty loom. "Is it not beautiful?" said one of the weavers, holding out nothing to the Chamberlain. "See the lustre, feel the softness!" "Um," said the Chamberlain, not quite sure what to say. "Oh wise Chamberlain," said the other weaver."Now you can see why it is magical. Only the truly clever and brilliant can see the cloth. Most people would see an empty loom, but a clever man like you will see our wonderful cloth." "Of course," said the Chamberlain, not wanting to look stupid. "It really is quite marvelous. Those colors, that shimmer of the gold and silver threads. Marvelous." "Oh, you are so wise," said the weavers.The Emperor was very impatient and couldn't wait for the Chamberlain to return. After ten minutes of pacing up and down, he went to the weavers' room, followed by half of his court. He threw the doors open, and saw the empty loom. "Why!" he cried in a surprised voice. "Your Majesty," said the Chamberlain quickly. " A wise man such as yourself can surely see the colors and sheen of this magical cloth." "Of course I can," said the Emperor, wondering why he could not. "It's beautiful. Simply enchanting. When can my outfit be made? Send for the royal tailors!" "Your Majesty," said the two weavers. "We would be delighted to make your outfit for you. There is no need to trouble your hard-working tailor. It is such a difficult fabric to cut and sew. We will make the suit." "Very well," said the Emperor. "First fitting tomorrow."The courtiers had followed the Emperor, and they now came into the room. Of course, they could see nothing on the loom for there was nothing to see. "Is it not beautiful?" said one of the weavers. "Of course, only the wise and very clever can see the beauty of the cloth. Look at the colors, feel the weight." The courtiers queued up to look at the colors and feel the weight, and each went away exclaiming over the marvelous cloth which was indeed as light as air. But each courtier secretly wondered if they were really stupid, as they had seen nothing at all. The two weavers then set to work as tailors. They muttered and discussed at the Emperor's fittings, stitching here, cutting there until at last the suit was made.The following day was the day of the parade. "Am I not the handsomest of men in my marvellous suit?" said the Emperor to the Chamberlain, as he showed off his new outfit. "Just look at the tiny stitches and the lacework. Truly marvelous." "Undoubtedly, sir," said the Chamberlain. "There is no outfit on earth to equal this one."The Emperor was dressed in his new suit and ready for the parade. News of his amazing outfit had reached the people of the town and all wanted to see him. There were people crowded along the sides of the streets.The parade began!People gasped. "What a suit!" they cried. "What suit?" asked a small boy, who had not heard of the magical cloth. "The Emperor has no clothes on at all!" "It's true! No clothes! The Emperor is naked!" the people cried. And the Emperor was very ashamed. He had been so vain, and now he had been made to look a fool. As for the two tailors -- they were in fact thieves, and had long since left the town with their bags of gold. Probably laughing all the way! But the Emperor is a wiser man now, and spends a lot more time with his advisors and far less with his tailors.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Using GPS to track car thieves
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Amsterdam police will use bicycles equipped with hidden GPS [= global positioning system] transmitters to bait thieves and track them down in the latest effort to stamp out rampant bike theft, a police spokesman said Tuesday.
Cycling is a way of life in the pancake-flat Netherlands, which boasts more bicycles than its 16 million inhabitants. In Amsterdam alone an estimated 80,000-150,000 bicycles -- over one tenth of the total -- are stolen every year. "It would be great to get hold of the organized bicycle thieves, to track the whereabouts of stolen bikes and see if any end up in official bicycle shops," Amsterdam police spokesman Rob van der Veen said. Starting this spring, police will leave locked bikes with secret GPS emitters in Amsterdam's bike theft hotspots such as the historic city center. Bike theft is so widespread in the capital that rental shops won't let customers leave without giving them a crash course on locking bikes: attaching both wheels to the frame, and chaining the bicycle to a fixed object, such as a bike stand.
According to a website campaigning against bike theft in Amsterdam (www.fietsendiefstal.nl), 40 percent of bike thieves are professionals, while 30 percent are drug addicts who sell stolen bikes as quickly as possible to pay for their next fix. The remainder are usually impulsive thieves, sometimes students or youths -- and very often drunk -- who steal a bike to get home after their own was pinched.
Cycling is a way of life in the pancake-flat Netherlands, which boasts more bicycles than its 16 million inhabitants. In Amsterdam alone an estimated 80,000-150,000 bicycles -- over one tenth of the total -- are stolen every year. "It would be great to get hold of the organized bicycle thieves, to track the whereabouts of stolen bikes and see if any end up in official bicycle shops," Amsterdam police spokesman Rob van der Veen said. Starting this spring, police will leave locked bikes with secret GPS emitters in Amsterdam's bike theft hotspots such as the historic city center. Bike theft is so widespread in the capital that rental shops won't let customers leave without giving them a crash course on locking bikes: attaching both wheels to the frame, and chaining the bicycle to a fixed object, such as a bike stand.
According to a website campaigning against bike theft in Amsterdam (www.fietsendiefstal.nl), 40 percent of bike thieves are professionals, while 30 percent are drug addicts who sell stolen bikes as quickly as possible to pay for their next fix. The remainder are usually impulsive thieves, sometimes students or youths -- and very often drunk -- who steal a bike to get home after their own was pinched.
Friday, 17 October 2008
Phi Ta Khon Festival
Everyone loves a good ghost story. The gruesome, the spiritual and the supernatural arouse an instinctive curiosity in all of us. In the west, ghostly fervor reaches a peak with Halloween on October 31. In Thailand, the spirit-world comes closest to us in June with the Phi Ta Khon festival, an event filled with fun, mischief and of course, a touch of the unknown.
The Phi Ta Khon Festival is quite unique to Thailand and unrivalled by any other ghost festival. Held in Dan Sai district of Loei province, about 450 km north of Bangkok, Phi Ta Khon is part of a Buddhist merit-making holiday known locally as 'Bun Pha Ves.' The precise origin of Phi Ta Khon is unclear. But it is believed that the roots of the festival revolve around an important tale of the Buddha's last life, before he reached nirvana.
According to Buddhist folklore, the Buddha-to-be was born as Prince Vessandorn, a generous man who gave freely to the people. One day, he gave away a white elephant, a royal creature, revered as a symbol of rain. The townspeople were so angry for fear of drought and famine, that they banished the prince into exile.
The prince left the village for a very long journey. Finally, the king and the people got over their anger and recalled him to the city. When he eventually returned, his people were overjoyed. They welcomed him back with a celebration so loud that even the dead were awakened from their slumbers to join in the festivities.
Phi Ta Khon is held with the arrival of the sixth or seventh lunar month. Young male villagers prepare their ghostly attire and masks, while children roam around town playing tricks. Sheets or blankets are sewn together to look like shrouds while traditional wooden bamboo containers used to store sticky rice (huad), are creatively fashioned into bizarre hats. The huge masks are carved from the bases of coconut trees. The spirit masks are the integral part of the celebrations, which last for three consecutive days.
The first day is marked by a masked procession, accompanied by rejoicing, music and dancing. On the second day, the villagers dance their way to the temple and fire off bamboo rockets to signal the end of the procession. Along the way, they tease onlookers as they accompany a sacred image of the Buddha through the village streets. Monks recite the story of the Buddha's last incarnation before attaining enlightenment.
The festival organizers also hold contests for the best masks, costumes and dancers, and plaques are awarded to the winners in each age group. The most popular event is the dancing contest among those dressed up as ghosts.
On the last day of the event, the villagers gather at the local temple, Wat Ponchai, to listen to the message of the thirteen sermons of the Lord Buddha, recited by the local monks. The ghost dancers then put away their ghostly masks and costumes for another year, return to the paddy fields and continue to earn their living with the onset of the new crop season.
The Phi Ta Khon Festival is quite unique to Thailand and unrivalled by any other ghost festival. Held in Dan Sai district of Loei province, about 450 km north of Bangkok, Phi Ta Khon is part of a Buddhist merit-making holiday known locally as 'Bun Pha Ves.' The precise origin of Phi Ta Khon is unclear. But it is believed that the roots of the festival revolve around an important tale of the Buddha's last life, before he reached nirvana.
According to Buddhist folklore, the Buddha-to-be was born as Prince Vessandorn, a generous man who gave freely to the people. One day, he gave away a white elephant, a royal creature, revered as a symbol of rain. The townspeople were so angry for fear of drought and famine, that they banished the prince into exile.
The prince left the village for a very long journey. Finally, the king and the people got over their anger and recalled him to the city. When he eventually returned, his people were overjoyed. They welcomed him back with a celebration so loud that even the dead were awakened from their slumbers to join in the festivities.
Phi Ta Khon is held with the arrival of the sixth or seventh lunar month. Young male villagers prepare their ghostly attire and masks, while children roam around town playing tricks. Sheets or blankets are sewn together to look like shrouds while traditional wooden bamboo containers used to store sticky rice (huad), are creatively fashioned into bizarre hats. The huge masks are carved from the bases of coconut trees. The spirit masks are the integral part of the celebrations, which last for three consecutive days.
The first day is marked by a masked procession, accompanied by rejoicing, music and dancing. On the second day, the villagers dance their way to the temple and fire off bamboo rockets to signal the end of the procession. Along the way, they tease onlookers as they accompany a sacred image of the Buddha through the village streets. Monks recite the story of the Buddha's last incarnation before attaining enlightenment.
The festival organizers also hold contests for the best masks, costumes and dancers, and plaques are awarded to the winners in each age group. The most popular event is the dancing contest among those dressed up as ghosts.
On the last day of the event, the villagers gather at the local temple, Wat Ponchai, to listen to the message of the thirteen sermons of the Lord Buddha, recited by the local monks. The ghost dancers then put away their ghostly masks and costumes for another year, return to the paddy fields and continue to earn their living with the onset of the new crop season.
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Dragon Boat Festival
5th day of the 5th lunar month
Qu Yuan
The Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has been marked by eating zong zi (glutinous rice wrapped to form a pyramid using bamboo or reed leaves) and racing dragon boats.
The festival is best known for its dragon-boat races, especially in the southern provinces where there are many rivers and lakes. This regatta commemorates the death of Qu Yuan , an honest minister who is said to have committed suicide by drowning himself in a river.
Qu was a minister of the State of Chu situated in present-day Hunan and Hubei provinces, during the Warring States Period (475-221BC). He was upright, loyal and highly esteemed for his wise counsel that brought peace and prosperity to the state. However, when a dishonest and corrupt prince vilified Qu, he was disgraced and dismissed from office. Realizing that the country was now in the hands of evil and corrupt officials, Qu grabbed a large stone and leapt into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month. Nearby fishermen rushed over to try and save him but were unable to even recover his body. Thereafter, the state declined and was eventually conquered by the State of Qin.
The people of Chu who mourned the death of Qu threw rice into the river to feed his ghost every year on the fifth day of the fifth month. But one year, the spirit of Qu appeared and told the mourners that a huge reptile in the river had stolen the rice. The spirit then advised them to wrap the rice in silk and bind it with five different-colored threads before tossing it into the river.
During the Duanwu Festival, a glutinous rice pudding called zong zi is eaten to symbolize the rice offerings to Qu. Ingredients such as beans, lotus seeds, chestnuts, pork fat and the golden yolk of a salted duck egg are often added to the glutinous rice. The pudding is then wrapped with bamboo leaves, bound with a kind of raffia and boiled in salt water for hours.
The dragon-boat races symbolize the many attempts to rescue and recover Qu's body. A typical dragon boat ranges from 50-100 feet in length, with a beam of about 5.5 feet, accommodating two paddlers seated side by side.
A wooden dragon head is attached at the bow, and a dragon tail at the stern. A banner hoisted on a pole is also fastened at the stern and the hull is decorated with red, green and blue scales edged in gold. In the center of the boat is a canopied shrine behind which the drummers, gong beaters and cymbal players are seated to set the pace for the paddlers. There are also men positioned at the bow to set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be looking for Qu. All of the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement for the participants and spectators alike. The races are held among different clans, villages and organizations, and the winners are awarded medals, banners, jugs of wine and festive meals.
Qu Yuan
The Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has been marked by eating zong zi (glutinous rice wrapped to form a pyramid using bamboo or reed leaves) and racing dragon boats.
The festival is best known for its dragon-boat races, especially in the southern provinces where there are many rivers and lakes. This regatta commemorates the death of Qu Yuan , an honest minister who is said to have committed suicide by drowning himself in a river.
Qu was a minister of the State of Chu situated in present-day Hunan and Hubei provinces, during the Warring States Period (475-221BC). He was upright, loyal and highly esteemed for his wise counsel that brought peace and prosperity to the state. However, when a dishonest and corrupt prince vilified Qu, he was disgraced and dismissed from office. Realizing that the country was now in the hands of evil and corrupt officials, Qu grabbed a large stone and leapt into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month. Nearby fishermen rushed over to try and save him but were unable to even recover his body. Thereafter, the state declined and was eventually conquered by the State of Qin.
The people of Chu who mourned the death of Qu threw rice into the river to feed his ghost every year on the fifth day of the fifth month. But one year, the spirit of Qu appeared and told the mourners that a huge reptile in the river had stolen the rice. The spirit then advised them to wrap the rice in silk and bind it with five different-colored threads before tossing it into the river.
During the Duanwu Festival, a glutinous rice pudding called zong zi is eaten to symbolize the rice offerings to Qu. Ingredients such as beans, lotus seeds, chestnuts, pork fat and the golden yolk of a salted duck egg are often added to the glutinous rice. The pudding is then wrapped with bamboo leaves, bound with a kind of raffia and boiled in salt water for hours.
The dragon-boat races symbolize the many attempts to rescue and recover Qu's body. A typical dragon boat ranges from 50-100 feet in length, with a beam of about 5.5 feet, accommodating two paddlers seated side by side.
A wooden dragon head is attached at the bow, and a dragon tail at the stern. A banner hoisted on a pole is also fastened at the stern and the hull is decorated with red, green and blue scales edged in gold. In the center of the boat is a canopied shrine behind which the drummers, gong beaters and cymbal players are seated to set the pace for the paddlers. There are also men positioned at the bow to set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be looking for Qu. All of the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement for the participants and spectators alike. The races are held among different clans, villages and organizations, and the winners are awarded medals, banners, jugs of wine and festive meals.
Deaf-Blind Awareness Week
Every year the last week of June
June 27, 2000, is the 120th anniversary of the birth of Helen Keller, and each year the week in which her birthday falls is recognized as Deaf-Blind Awareness Week. In honor of Helen Keller -- and other members of the deaf-blind community, this week is dedicated to the deaf-blind.
Every year the last week of June is devoted to one thing--recognition of the deaf-blind people in our midst. While the purpose of Deaf-Blind Awareness Week is to pay homage to Helen Keller, the deaf-blind woman who was born that week, the week focuses on increasing public awareness and understanding of deaf-blindness.
According to the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC), about 70,000 people have hearing and vision loss. More than a decade ago, Deaf-Blind Awareness Week became an event officially recognized by the Federal government.
The story of Helen Keller is well known. Born on June 27, 1880, the healthy infant was developing normally. But at the age of 19 months, an illness left her deaf and blind. When Helen was six, her equally famous teacher, Anne Sullivan, was able to teach her to communicate. Helen Keller went on to excel in all aspects of her life: graduating from college with honors and writing, lecturing, and inspiring people worldwide.
The next is the proclamation of Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week made by US president Ronald Reagan:
Proclamation 5214 -- Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness WeekJune 22, 1984By the President of the United States of America
Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan
Our eyes and ears provide vital ways of interacting with the world around us. The lilt of laughter, the beat of a brass band, the smile of a friend, and the poetry of a landscape are but a few of the life blessings that our senses of sight and hearing help us to enjoy. But for some 40,000 Americans who can neither see nor hear, the world can be a prison of darkness and silence.
Inadequate education, training, and rehabilitation for those who are deaf and blind may prevent these Americans from becoming independent and self-sufficient, thereby greatly limiting their life potential and imposing a high economic and social cost on the Nation.
We must prevent such problems among our deaf-blind citizens by fostering their independence, creating employment opportunities, and encouraging their contributions to our society. Crucial to fulfilling this urgent national need is research on the disorders that cause deafness and blindness. Toward this end, the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the National Eye Institute as well as a number of voluntary health agencies are supporting a wide range of investigative projects that one day may provide the clues to curing and preventing these devastating disorders.
On June 27 we commemorate the 104th anniversary of the birth of Helen Keller, America's most renowned and respected deaf-blind person. Her accomplishments serve as a beacon of courage and hope for our Nation, symbolizing what deaf-blind people can achieve.
In order to encourage public recognition of and compassion for the complex problems caused by deaf-blindness and to emphasize the potential contribution of deaf-blind persons to our Nation, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 261, has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating the last week in June 1984 as ``Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week.''
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning June 24, 1984, as Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week. I call upon all government agencies, health organizations, communications media, and people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth.
June 27, 2000, is the 120th anniversary of the birth of Helen Keller, and each year the week in which her birthday falls is recognized as Deaf-Blind Awareness Week. In honor of Helen Keller -- and other members of the deaf-blind community, this week is dedicated to the deaf-blind.
Every year the last week of June is devoted to one thing--recognition of the deaf-blind people in our midst. While the purpose of Deaf-Blind Awareness Week is to pay homage to Helen Keller, the deaf-blind woman who was born that week, the week focuses on increasing public awareness and understanding of deaf-blindness.
According to the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC), about 70,000 people have hearing and vision loss. More than a decade ago, Deaf-Blind Awareness Week became an event officially recognized by the Federal government.
The story of Helen Keller is well known. Born on June 27, 1880, the healthy infant was developing normally. But at the age of 19 months, an illness left her deaf and blind. When Helen was six, her equally famous teacher, Anne Sullivan, was able to teach her to communicate. Helen Keller went on to excel in all aspects of her life: graduating from college with honors and writing, lecturing, and inspiring people worldwide.
The next is the proclamation of Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week made by US president Ronald Reagan:
Proclamation 5214 -- Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness WeekJune 22, 1984By the President of the United States of America
Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan
Our eyes and ears provide vital ways of interacting with the world around us. The lilt of laughter, the beat of a brass band, the smile of a friend, and the poetry of a landscape are but a few of the life blessings that our senses of sight and hearing help us to enjoy. But for some 40,000 Americans who can neither see nor hear, the world can be a prison of darkness and silence.
Inadequate education, training, and rehabilitation for those who are deaf and blind may prevent these Americans from becoming independent and self-sufficient, thereby greatly limiting their life potential and imposing a high economic and social cost on the Nation.
We must prevent such problems among our deaf-blind citizens by fostering their independence, creating employment opportunities, and encouraging their contributions to our society. Crucial to fulfilling this urgent national need is research on the disorders that cause deafness and blindness. Toward this end, the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the National Eye Institute as well as a number of voluntary health agencies are supporting a wide range of investigative projects that one day may provide the clues to curing and preventing these devastating disorders.
On June 27 we commemorate the 104th anniversary of the birth of Helen Keller, America's most renowned and respected deaf-blind person. Her accomplishments serve as a beacon of courage and hope for our Nation, symbolizing what deaf-blind people can achieve.
In order to encourage public recognition of and compassion for the complex problems caused by deaf-blindness and to emphasize the potential contribution of deaf-blind persons to our Nation, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 261, has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating the last week in June 1984 as ``Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week.''
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning June 24, 1984, as Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week. I call upon all government agencies, health organizations, communications media, and people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth.
Father's Day
Third Sunday in June
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children. On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special.
The origin of Father's Day is not clear. Some say that it began with a church service in West Virginia in 1908. Others say the first Father's Day ceremony was held in Vancouver, Washington.The president of the Chicago branch of the Lions' Club, Harry Meek, is said to have celebrated the first Father's Day with his organization in 1915; and the day that they chose was the third Sunday in June, the closest date to Meek's own birthday!
Regardless of when the first true Father's Day occurred, the strongest promoter of the holiday was Mrs. Bruce John Dodd of Spokane, Washington. Mrs. Dodd felt that she had an outstanding father. He was a veteran of the Civil War. His wife had died young, and he had raised six children without their mother.
In 1909, Mrs. Dodd approached her own minister and others in Spokane about having a church service dedicated to fathers on June 5, her father's birthday. That date was too soon for her minister to prepare the service, so he spoke a few weeks later on June 19th. From then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Children made special desserts, or visited their fathers if they lived apart.
States and organizations began lobbying Congress to declare an annual Father's Day. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea, but it was not until 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event to "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations." Since then, fathers had been honored and recognized by their families throughout the country on the third Sunday in June.
When children can't visit their fathers or take them out to dinner, they send a greeting card. Traditionally, fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sentimental. Most greeting cards are whimsical so fathers laugh when they open them. Some give heartfelt thanks for being there whenever the child needed Dad.
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children. On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special.
The origin of Father's Day is not clear. Some say that it began with a church service in West Virginia in 1908. Others say the first Father's Day ceremony was held in Vancouver, Washington.The president of the Chicago branch of the Lions' Club, Harry Meek, is said to have celebrated the first Father's Day with his organization in 1915; and the day that they chose was the third Sunday in June, the closest date to Meek's own birthday!
Regardless of when the first true Father's Day occurred, the strongest promoter of the holiday was Mrs. Bruce John Dodd of Spokane, Washington. Mrs. Dodd felt that she had an outstanding father. He was a veteran of the Civil War. His wife had died young, and he had raised six children without their mother.
In 1909, Mrs. Dodd approached her own minister and others in Spokane about having a church service dedicated to fathers on June 5, her father's birthday. That date was too soon for her minister to prepare the service, so he spoke a few weeks later on June 19th. From then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Children made special desserts, or visited their fathers if they lived apart.
States and organizations began lobbying Congress to declare an annual Father's Day. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea, but it was not until 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event to "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations." Since then, fathers had been honored and recognized by their families throughout the country on the third Sunday in June.
When children can't visit their fathers or take them out to dinner, they send a greeting card. Traditionally, fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sentimental. Most greeting cards are whimsical so fathers laugh when they open them. Some give heartfelt thanks for being there whenever the child needed Dad.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Memorial Day (U.S.)
It was 1866 and the United States was recovering from the long and bloody Civil War between the North and the South. Surviving soldiers came home, some with missing limbs, and all with stories to tell. Henry Welles, a drugstore owner in Waterloo, New York, heard the stories and had an idea. He suggested that all the shops in town close for one day to honor the soldiers who were killed in the Civil War and were buried in the Waterloo cemetery. On the morning of May 5, the townspeople placed flowers, wreaths（花环）and crosses on the graves of the Northern soldiers in the cemetery. At about the same time, Retired Major General Jonathan A. Logan planned another ceremony, this time for the soldiers who survived the war. He led the veterans through town to the cemetery to decorate their comrades' graves with flags. It was not a happy celebration, but a memorial. The townspeople called it Decoration Day.
The two ceremonies were joined in 1868, and northern states commemorated the day on May 30. The southern states commemorated their war dead on different days. Children read poems and sang civil war songs and veterans came to school wearing their medals and uniforms to tell students about the Civil War. Then the veterans marched through their home towns followed by the townspeople to the cemetery. They decorated graves and took photographs of soldiers next to American flags. Rifles were shot in the air as a salute to the northern soldiers who had given their lives to keep the United States together.
In 1882, the name was changed to Memorial Day and soldiers who had died in previous wars were honored as well. In the northern United States, it was designated a public holiday. In 1971, along with other holidays, President Richard Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday on the last Monday in May.
Cities all around the United States hold their own ceremonies on the last Monday in May to pay respect to the men and women who have died in wars or in the service of their country.
Memorial Day is not limited to honor only those Americans from the armed forces. It is also a day for personal remembrance. Families and individuals honor the memories of their loved ones who have died. Church services, visits to the cemetery, flowers on graves or even silent tribute mark the day with dignity and solemnity. It is a day of reflection. However, to many Americans the day also signals the beginning of summer with a three-day weekend to spend at the beach, in the mountains or at home relaxing.
In Waterloo, New York, the origin has not been lost and in fact the meaning has become even more special. President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966, 100 years after the first commemoration. Every May 30, townspeople still walk to the cemeteries and hold memorial services. They decorate the graves with flags and flowers. Then they walk back to the park in the middle of town. In the middle of the park, near a monument dedicated to soldiers, sailors and marines, the Gettysburg address is read, followed by Retired Major General Logan's Order # 11 designating Decoration Day. The village choirs sing patriotic songs. In the evening, school children take part in a parade.
Arlington National Cemetery（美国阿林顿国家公墓）in Virginia is the nation's largest national cemetery. Not only are members of the armed forces buried here; astronauts, explorers and other distinguished Americans have all been honored with a special place here. President John F. Kennedy is buried in a spot overlooking Washington, D.C..
Here in the early hours of the Friday morning before Memorial Day, soldiers of the Third U.S. infantry walk along the rows of headstones. Each soldier stops at a headstone, reaches to a bundle of flags he is carrying, pulls one out and pushes it into the ground. These soldiers are part of a special regiment. the Old Guard. Most consider it a privilege to place flags on the more than two hundred thousand graves of soldiers who served in the wars or who died in them. "They have done their job," said one soldier, "and now it's my turn to do mine."
It is an equal honor to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier all year. There are actually four soldiers buried in this spot: the unknown soldiers of the two World Wars, the Korean conflict, and the Vietnam War. Each soldier represents all of those who gave their lives in the modern wars. Soldiers from the Army's Third Infantry guard the tomb twenty-four hours a day. Wreath-laying ceremonies take place all through the year and people from all over the world come to watch the changing of the guard. On another hill of Arlington Cemetery there is a mass grave of unidentified soldiers from the Civil War.
On Memorial Day, the President or Vice President of the United States gives a speech and lays a wreath on the tombs. Members of the armed forces shoot a rifle salute in the air. Veterans and families come to lay their own wreaths and say prayers. There is a chance that one of the soldiers buried here is a father, son, brother or friend.
Some southern states continue to celebrate Memorial Day on various days, i.e. June 3rd in Louisiona and Tennessee called "Confederate Memorial Day" and on May 10th in North and South Carolina.
The two ceremonies were joined in 1868, and northern states commemorated the day on May 30. The southern states commemorated their war dead on different days. Children read poems and sang civil war songs and veterans came to school wearing their medals and uniforms to tell students about the Civil War. Then the veterans marched through their home towns followed by the townspeople to the cemetery. They decorated graves and took photographs of soldiers next to American flags. Rifles were shot in the air as a salute to the northern soldiers who had given their lives to keep the United States together.
In 1882, the name was changed to Memorial Day and soldiers who had died in previous wars were honored as well. In the northern United States, it was designated a public holiday. In 1971, along with other holidays, President Richard Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday on the last Monday in May.
Cities all around the United States hold their own ceremonies on the last Monday in May to pay respect to the men and women who have died in wars or in the service of their country.
Memorial Day is not limited to honor only those Americans from the armed forces. It is also a day for personal remembrance. Families and individuals honor the memories of their loved ones who have died. Church services, visits to the cemetery, flowers on graves or even silent tribute mark the day with dignity and solemnity. It is a day of reflection. However, to many Americans the day also signals the beginning of summer with a three-day weekend to spend at the beach, in the mountains or at home relaxing.
In Waterloo, New York, the origin has not been lost and in fact the meaning has become even more special. President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966, 100 years after the first commemoration. Every May 30, townspeople still walk to the cemeteries and hold memorial services. They decorate the graves with flags and flowers. Then they walk back to the park in the middle of town. In the middle of the park, near a monument dedicated to soldiers, sailors and marines, the Gettysburg address is read, followed by Retired Major General Logan's Order # 11 designating Decoration Day. The village choirs sing patriotic songs. In the evening, school children take part in a parade.
Arlington National Cemetery（美国阿林顿国家公墓）in Virginia is the nation's largest national cemetery. Not only are members of the armed forces buried here; astronauts, explorers and other distinguished Americans have all been honored with a special place here. President John F. Kennedy is buried in a spot overlooking Washington, D.C..
Here in the early hours of the Friday morning before Memorial Day, soldiers of the Third U.S. infantry walk along the rows of headstones. Each soldier stops at a headstone, reaches to a bundle of flags he is carrying, pulls one out and pushes it into the ground. These soldiers are part of a special regiment. the Old Guard. Most consider it a privilege to place flags on the more than two hundred thousand graves of soldiers who served in the wars or who died in them. "They have done their job," said one soldier, "and now it's my turn to do mine."
It is an equal honor to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier all year. There are actually four soldiers buried in this spot: the unknown soldiers of the two World Wars, the Korean conflict, and the Vietnam War. Each soldier represents all of those who gave their lives in the modern wars. Soldiers from the Army's Third Infantry guard the tomb twenty-four hours a day. Wreath-laying ceremonies take place all through the year and people from all over the world come to watch the changing of the guard. On another hill of Arlington Cemetery there is a mass grave of unidentified soldiers from the Civil War.
On Memorial Day, the President or Vice President of the United States gives a speech and lays a wreath on the tombs. Members of the armed forces shoot a rifle salute in the air. Veterans and families come to lay their own wreaths and say prayers. There is a chance that one of the soldiers buried here is a father, son, brother or friend.
Some southern states continue to celebrate Memorial Day on various days, i.e. June 3rd in Louisiona and Tennessee called "Confederate Memorial Day" and on May 10th in North and South Carolina.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a time of commemoration and celebration for Mom. It is a time of breakfast in bed, family gatherings, and crayon scribbled "I Love You"s.
The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday". Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter), "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England.During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.
As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church" - the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration . People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.
In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass ever year.
In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.
Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.
While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.
The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday". Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter), "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England.During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.
As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church" - the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration . People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.
In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass ever year.
In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.
Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.
While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.
Earth Day
Earth Day was first observed in Spring of 1970. An estimated 20 million people nationwide attended festivities out of which came the largest grassroots environmental movement in U.S. history, and the impetus for national legislation like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. By the twentieth anniversary of that event, April 22, 1990, more than 200 million people in 141 countries participated in Earth Day celebrations.
Former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day's co-founder, modeled Earth Day on anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called "teach-ins," that were common on college campuses. "At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment," says Nelson. "The response was electric. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country." As many as 20 million Americans participated in environmental rallies, demonstrations and other activities in the 1970 Earth Day.
Since the first Earth Day, however, the environmental movement has increasingly transformed itself from a largely grassroots, citizen crusade to a professionally-organized, established special interest.
Former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day's co-founder, modeled Earth Day on anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called "teach-ins," that were common on college campuses. "At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment," says Nelson. "The response was electric. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country." As many as 20 million Americans participated in environmental rallies, demonstrations and other activities in the 1970 Earth Day.
Since the first Earth Day, however, the environmental movement has increasingly transformed itself from a largely grassroots, citizen crusade to a professionally-organized, established special interest.
Monday, 6 October 2008
Mutant Gene "Sparked Art and Culture"
A tiny mutation in a gene common to mammals may have changed the destiny of humanity. The gene, foxp2 ? identified by British researchers two years ago ? could have been the switch that lit up art, culture and social behaviour in Homo sapiens* 50,000 years ago. Richard Klein, an anthropologist at Stanford University in California, said that early modern humans 100,000 years ago were confined to Africa and seemed no different from their now-extinct cousins Homo neanderthalensis and Homo erectus in Europe and Asia. Then, 50,000 years ago, behaviour altered dramatically: "There was a biological change, a genetic mutation of some kind that promoted the fully modern ability to create and innovate." "When you look at the archaeological record before 50,000 years ago, it is remarkably homogeneous. There are no geographically delineated \groups\ of artefacts. Suddenly, modern-looking people began to behave in a modern way, producing art and jewellery... manufacturing styles and different cultures." Anthropologists have argued for years about this. Some researchers say population increase triggered creativity.
Tomb Curse Pronounced a Myth
Researchers at Australia's Monash University have studied the curse of Tutankhamun's tomb, which was opened in 1923. The myth of the Mummy's Curse arose when some of those involved in opening the tomb in Luxor died prematurely, including the sponsor of the expedition Lord Carnarvon. Another member of the team Alb Lythgoe died in 1934 after a stroke. However, the researchers discovered that the 26 present at the excavations in the Valley of the Kings, or later coffin-openings, lived to an average age of 70. The British Medical Journal states that the research, led by Mark Nelson, shows the myth has little basis in fact. A rumour suggested that anyone opening the royal tomb would have a curse placed on them. However, the expedition leader Howard Carter, who opened the tomb, survived \into\ old age although his canary was eaten by a cobra the same day. Dr Nelson believes that the rumours of a curse could have been generated by rival newspapers after The Times of London was given exclusive rights to the story.
Magazine Offers a Prize to Die For
A leading science magazine is offering readers a prize to die for ? cryonics treatment. The lucky winner of the prize promoting the revamp of New Scientist magazine won't be able to collect the award until death when he or she will be cooled to a temperature at which decay of the body stops and then suspended in liquid nitrogen in a state known as cryonic preservation. "We think that the cryonics promotion is a way of making science interesting to everyone, not just scientists, which is exactly the same message we are trying to communicate about the magazine itself," editor Alun Anderson said in a statement. If and when the medical technology allows, the winner, preserved at The Cryonics Institute of Michigan in the United States, will be revived to continue their life. If the winner is not eager to be preserved, the magazine is offering an alternative prize--a week in Hawaii and a visit to the Mauna Kea* observatory.
Can Airbags Save the World?
Giant airbags could one day save the world from the disaster of a cosmic collision with a giant comet, according to a scientist in the United States. Forget nuclear warheads to stop a crash with a comet that could have cataclysmic effects such as the one that is believed to have triggered the demise of the dinosaurs, Hermann Burchard of Oklahoma State University told New Scientist magazine. Far better to send up a space ship equipped with a massive airbag that could be inflated to several kilometres (miles) wide and used to gently buffet the invading solar body away from a collision course with earth. "It seems a safe, simple and realistic idea," Burchard told the magazine's latest edition. However, he admitted there were still numerous details to be worked out including the material for the airbag which had to be light enough to cart \into\ space yet strong enough to bounce the comet off its course to earth.
Sunday, 5 October 2008
New study shows happiness fights the common cold
Don't worry, be happy and, according to new research, you will also be healthy.
It is estimated that over the course of one year, Americans suffer 1 billion colds. But new research shows that all it may take to avoid this common affliction is a positive and upbeat attitude.
People who are energetic, happy and relaxed are less likely to catch a cold than those who are depressed, nervous or angry, finds a new study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
Healthy volunteers first underwent an emotional assessment in which they were asked to rate their tendency to experience positive and negative emotions - how often they felt pleased, relaxed, happy, or anxious, depressed and hostile. The subjects were next given a squirt up the nose of a rhinovirus, the nasty little germ that causes colds.
Researchers then watched the volunteers to see who came down with a cold and waited to see how the unlucky ill manifested their cold symptoms.
"We found that people who regularly experience positive emotions, when exposed to rhinovirus, are relatively protected from developing illness," said Dr. Sheldon Cohen, lead author of the study and a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University.
Although positive people showed a greater resistance to colds, negative people did not necessarily get sick more often.
"Increases in positive emotional styles were linked with decreases in the rate of clinical colds, but a negative emotional style had no effect on whether or not people got sick," Cohen said.
So how can your emotions influence your health? In simple terms, when the brain is "happy" it sends messages to our organs that help keep the body healthy and sound.
"It's like a drug that is released by your state of mind and simply changing the state of mind can produce effects on the rest of the body through the nervous system and hormones," said Dr. Neil Shulman, associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and author of Doc Hollywood. "Your chance of developing the common cold, pneumonia, or even cancer may very well be decreased by keeping your brain in a healthy state."
In addition, happy and relaxed people are prone to better health practices than their negative and stressed counterparts. They are more likely to get plenty of sleep and to engage in regular exercise, and have been shown to have lower levels of certain stress hormones.
Shulman says the study shows there are some simple things you can do to improve your chances of staying healthy.
"The take-home message is that we have very healthy ways that we can improve our overall well-being that don't cost money and that don't require a wait in the doctor's office," he said.
It is estimated that over the course of one year, Americans suffer 1 billion colds. But new research shows that all it may take to avoid this common affliction is a positive and upbeat attitude.
People who are energetic, happy and relaxed are less likely to catch a cold than those who are depressed, nervous or angry, finds a new study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
Healthy volunteers first underwent an emotional assessment in which they were asked to rate their tendency to experience positive and negative emotions - how often they felt pleased, relaxed, happy, or anxious, depressed and hostile. The subjects were next given a squirt up the nose of a rhinovirus, the nasty little germ that causes colds.
Researchers then watched the volunteers to see who came down with a cold and waited to see how the unlucky ill manifested their cold symptoms.
"We found that people who regularly experience positive emotions, when exposed to rhinovirus, are relatively protected from developing illness," said Dr. Sheldon Cohen, lead author of the study and a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University.
Although positive people showed a greater resistance to colds, negative people did not necessarily get sick more often.
"Increases in positive emotional styles were linked with decreases in the rate of clinical colds, but a negative emotional style had no effect on whether or not people got sick," Cohen said.
So how can your emotions influence your health? In simple terms, when the brain is "happy" it sends messages to our organs that help keep the body healthy and sound.
"It's like a drug that is released by your state of mind and simply changing the state of mind can produce effects on the rest of the body through the nervous system and hormones," said Dr. Neil Shulman, associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and author of Doc Hollywood. "Your chance of developing the common cold, pneumonia, or even cancer may very well be decreased by keeping your brain in a healthy state."
In addition, happy and relaxed people are prone to better health practices than their negative and stressed counterparts. They are more likely to get plenty of sleep and to engage in regular exercise, and have been shown to have lower levels of certain stress hormones.
Shulman says the study shows there are some simple things you can do to improve your chances of staying healthy.
"The take-home message is that we have very healthy ways that we can improve our overall well-being that don't cost money and that don't require a wait in the doctor's office," he said.
Skip the Milk Chocolate, Dark Is Better for You
If you favor those milk chocolate bon-bons over the dark variety, you might be better off switching. Eating dark chocolate -- but not milk chocolate -- raises levels of antioxidant in the blood, which could help protect against heart disease.
Researchers found that the rise in antioxidant levels is much lower when milk chocolate is eaten or when dark chocolate is eaten along with milk. Although the exact reason is unclear, it may be that milk interferes with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate.
The findings, reported in scientific journal Nature, come from a study of 12 healthy volunteers who, on different days, ate 100 grams of dark chocolate alone, 100 grams of dark chocolate with milk, or 200 grams of milk chocolate.
Blood analysis one-hour after dark chocolate was eaten showed a significant rise in antioxidant levels, including levels of epicatechin, a well-known dietary flavonoid, report Dr. Mauro Serafini, from the National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome, and associates.
In contrast, not much change in antioxidant levels was seen after eating of milk chocolate or dark chocolate with milk. Moreover, epicatechin absorption into the bloodstream was much lower than when dark chocolate was eaten alone.
The researchers say their findings highlight the possibility that other items in the diet could reduce the antioxidant activity of flavonoids in the body.
"There is therefore a need to take into account dietary habits when designing studies to assess the association between flavonoid-rich foods, antioxidant activity and degenerative disease," they add.
Researchers found that the rise in antioxidant levels is much lower when milk chocolate is eaten or when dark chocolate is eaten along with milk. Although the exact reason is unclear, it may be that milk interferes with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate.
The findings, reported in scientific journal Nature, come from a study of 12 healthy volunteers who, on different days, ate 100 grams of dark chocolate alone, 100 grams of dark chocolate with milk, or 200 grams of milk chocolate.
Blood analysis one-hour after dark chocolate was eaten showed a significant rise in antioxidant levels, including levels of epicatechin, a well-known dietary flavonoid, report Dr. Mauro Serafini, from the National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome, and associates.
In contrast, not much change in antioxidant levels was seen after eating of milk chocolate or dark chocolate with milk. Moreover, epicatechin absorption into the bloodstream was much lower than when dark chocolate was eaten alone.
The researchers say their findings highlight the possibility that other items in the diet could reduce the antioxidant activity of flavonoids in the body.
"There is therefore a need to take into account dietary habits when designing studies to assess the association between flavonoid-rich foods, antioxidant activity and degenerative disease," they add.
Toast Red Wine for a Ripe Old Age?
Corks are undoubtedly popping off merlot bottles a lot faster this week in the wake of a report from Harvard Medical School researchers that found a molecule in red wine extends life spans.
Lead researcher David Sinclair and his colleagues reported in the early online edition of Nature that a class of chemicals that includes resveratrol -- a molecule that's an active ingredient in red wine -- extended life by 70 percent in yeast, worms, and fruit flies.
So dramatic are the life-extension benefits, says Sinclair, that they mimic the life-extending effects of calorie restriction, which most would view as a lot less palatable than drinking red wine.
Molecules such as resveratrol regulate other proteins, which interfere with the natural process of cell death, the researchers say.
While the news is heralded as exciting and fascinating, other researchers caution that it's a little too soon to depend on vino to get you to your century birthday bash.
"It's too early to say whether this will relate to anything to do with human health," says Dr. Arthur Klatsky, senior consultant in cardiology at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, Calif., and a pioneer in studying the effects of alcoholic beverages on cardiac health in humans.
While red wine is the best source of the molecule, it's also found in peanuts and grape juice.
Sinclair's team is continuing the research and hopes to test the molecule's life-extending properties on rodents and, eventually, humans.
Sinclair, an assistant professor in Harvard's Department of Pathology, emphasizes that he is not a doctor. But his advice for boosting longevity -- besides waiting for further research results -- would be: "Don't smoke, walk or run at least once a week, keep your cholesterol down, and drink an occasional glass of red wine."
Before you shop, you might want to know that resveratrol is most plentiful in wines from grapes that had harsh growing conditions. That means pick Chilean or Australian red wines and pass up the California varieties, advises Sinclair.
Lead researcher David Sinclair and his colleagues reported in the early online edition of Nature that a class of chemicals that includes resveratrol -- a molecule that's an active ingredient in red wine -- extended life by 70 percent in yeast, worms, and fruit flies.
So dramatic are the life-extension benefits, says Sinclair, that they mimic the life-extending effects of calorie restriction, which most would view as a lot less palatable than drinking red wine.
Molecules such as resveratrol regulate other proteins, which interfere with the natural process of cell death, the researchers say.
While the news is heralded as exciting and fascinating, other researchers caution that it's a little too soon to depend on vino to get you to your century birthday bash.
"It's too early to say whether this will relate to anything to do with human health," says Dr. Arthur Klatsky, senior consultant in cardiology at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, Calif., and a pioneer in studying the effects of alcoholic beverages on cardiac health in humans.
While red wine is the best source of the molecule, it's also found in peanuts and grape juice.
Sinclair's team is continuing the research and hopes to test the molecule's life-extending properties on rodents and, eventually, humans.
Sinclair, an assistant professor in Harvard's Department of Pathology, emphasizes that he is not a doctor. But his advice for boosting longevity -- besides waiting for further research results -- would be: "Don't smoke, walk or run at least once a week, keep your cholesterol down, and drink an occasional glass of red wine."
Before you shop, you might want to know that resveratrol is most plentiful in wines from grapes that had harsh growing conditions. That means pick Chilean or Australian red wines and pass up the California varieties, advises Sinclair.
New video game recreates Kennedy assassination
A new video game allows players to simulate the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
The release of "JFK Reloaded" is timed to coincide with the 41st anniversary of Kennedy's murder in Dallas and was designed to demonstrate a lone gunman was able to kill the president.
"It is despicable," said David Smith, a spokesman for Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the late president's brother. He was informed of the game on Friday but declined further comment.
Kirk Ewing, managing director of the Scottish firm Traffic Games, which developed the game, said he understood some people would be horrified at the concept, but he insisted he and his team had nothing but respect for Kennedy and for history.
"We believe that the only thing we're exploiting is new technology," said Ewing, a former documentary filmmaker and senior executive with Scottish developer VIS, responsible for games like "State of Emergency." He said he sent Edward Kennedy a letter before the game's release.
Ewing said the game was designed to undermine the theory there was some shadowy plot behind the assassination. "We believe passionately there was no conspiracy," he said.
Traffic Games said the objective was for a player to fire three shots at Kennedy's motorcade from assassin Lee Harvey Oswald's digitally recreated sixth-floor perch in the Texas School Book Depository.
Points are awarded or subtracted based on how accurately the shots match the official version of events as documented in by the Warren Commission, which investigated Kennedy's assassination.
The release of "JFK Reloaded" is timed to coincide with the 41st anniversary of Kennedy's murder in Dallas and was designed to demonstrate a lone gunman was able to kill the president.
"It is despicable," said David Smith, a spokesman for Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the late president's brother. He was informed of the game on Friday but declined further comment.
Kirk Ewing, managing director of the Scottish firm Traffic Games, which developed the game, said he understood some people would be horrified at the concept, but he insisted he and his team had nothing but respect for Kennedy and for history.
"We believe that the only thing we're exploiting is new technology," said Ewing, a former documentary filmmaker and senior executive with Scottish developer VIS, responsible for games like "State of Emergency." He said he sent Edward Kennedy a letter before the game's release.
Ewing said the game was designed to undermine the theory there was some shadowy plot behind the assassination. "We believe passionately there was no conspiracy," he said.
Traffic Games said the objective was for a player to fire three shots at Kennedy's motorcade from assassin Lee Harvey Oswald's digitally recreated sixth-floor perch in the Texas School Book Depository.
Points are awarded or subtracted based on how accurately the shots match the official version of events as documented in by the Warren Commission, which investigated Kennedy's assassination.
Roberts set for 10th People award
Julia Roberts looks on course to win her 10th award for favourite female movie star at this year's People's Choice Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles.
Roberts is up against Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon and Charlize Theron for the award.
George Clooney is competing for the title of favourite male movie star with Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise. Roberts and Clooney will next be seen on screen together in Ocean's Twelve.
The awards, which honour achievements in film, TV and music, are voted for by the American public.
In a change from previous years, Entertainment Weekly recruited a group of 6,000 readers to nominate their favourites from pre-selected candidates in various categories. The top five in each category then became nominees.
The 31st People's Choice awards will also include new categories, including favourite movie, movie drama, smile and cartoon star.
The nominees in the film categories include Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet.
Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 is also nominated, as are animated feature The Incredibles and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
Other award categories include favourite TV comedy and favourite TV drama.
The awards will be hosted by Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Jason Alexander, who star in the CBS sitcom Listen Up.
Roberts is up against Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon and Charlize Theron for the award.
George Clooney is competing for the title of favourite male movie star with Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise. Roberts and Clooney will next be seen on screen together in Ocean's Twelve.
The awards, which honour achievements in film, TV and music, are voted for by the American public.
In a change from previous years, Entertainment Weekly recruited a group of 6,000 readers to nominate their favourites from pre-selected candidates in various categories. The top five in each category then became nominees.
The 31st People's Choice awards will also include new categories, including favourite movie, movie drama, smile and cartoon star.
The nominees in the film categories include Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet.
Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 is also nominated, as are animated feature The Incredibles and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
Other award categories include favourite TV comedy and favourite TV drama.
The awards will be hosted by Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Jason Alexander, who star in the CBS sitcom Listen Up.
Posh and Becks doubles to wed
A Victoria Beckham lookalike from north Wales is to wed her business partner - who doubles for England soccer star David Beckham.
Nerys Jones and Matthew Middleton first met two years ago on a photo shoot, posing as the celebrity couple for a Sunday newspaper.
They had planned to wed in Sri Lanka but had to swap locations after the tsunami disaster.
Instead, they will marry in Cuba next month, watched by family and friends.
The couple, who live in Ruabon, Wrexham, have made a successful living as lookalikes of the former Spice Girl and her heart-throb sportsman husband.
Nerys, 32, said: "We first met when we were booked by the News of the World paper in Manchester.
"We just clicked straight away. It was about one week after that we got together."
The couple have appeared together on countless television programmes and travelled the world imitating the Beckhams.
"When we are out locally people know us but when we are in, say Liverpool or Manchester, people do double-takes.
"It's just part of the job. Matthew's got the shaven head and I have the long hair extensions."
They have been planning their wedding since Christmas 2003, when Matthew, 28, originally from Bradford, proposed.
"We were going to Sri Lanka but because of what has happened we have to go somewhere else - so Cuba it is going to have to be," added Nerys.
Unlike the Beckhams wedding at Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin in July 1999 which had a star-studded guest list of over 200, Nerys and Matthew are taking just a small group of family and close friends to Cuba.
"We are having a reception when we come home with a George Michael tribute act, but on our wedding day in Cuba we just want to be ourselves."
Nerys Jones and Matthew Middleton first met two years ago on a photo shoot, posing as the celebrity couple for a Sunday newspaper.
They had planned to wed in Sri Lanka but had to swap locations after the tsunami disaster.
Instead, they will marry in Cuba next month, watched by family and friends.
The couple, who live in Ruabon, Wrexham, have made a successful living as lookalikes of the former Spice Girl and her heart-throb sportsman husband.
Nerys, 32, said: "We first met when we were booked by the News of the World paper in Manchester.
"We just clicked straight away. It was about one week after that we got together."
The couple have appeared together on countless television programmes and travelled the world imitating the Beckhams.
"When we are out locally people know us but when we are in, say Liverpool or Manchester, people do double-takes.
"It's just part of the job. Matthew's got the shaven head and I have the long hair extensions."
They have been planning their wedding since Christmas 2003, when Matthew, 28, originally from Bradford, proposed.
"We were going to Sri Lanka but because of what has happened we have to go somewhere else - so Cuba it is going to have to be," added Nerys.
Unlike the Beckhams wedding at Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin in July 1999 which had a star-studded guest list of over 200, Nerys and Matthew are taking just a small group of family and close friends to Cuba.
"We are having a reception when we come home with a George Michael tribute act, but on our wedding day in Cuba we just want to be ourselves."
Saturday, 4 October 2008
The Richest Town in America
Where’s the richest town in America? WORTH magazine 1)unveiled its 6th annual list out of the 250 richest towns and the most valuable homes, and the winner is Jupiter Island, Florida, 30 miles north of West Palm Beach on the Atlantic coast.
Jupiter Island Florida, an Atlantic coast 2)barrier island, roughly 10 miles long, a quarter to a half mile wide. But at a 3)median home price at $3.9 million and the lower end homes running in the 4 to 5 million range, down near the National Wildlife Refuge, the people who live on Jupiter come for privacy. Few if any homes are visible from the road. There’s nothing commercial here. And they come for quiet, real quiet. In some towns, you can’t make noise between certain hours here - you can’t make noise between October and April. The hand painted ceilings, the horizonless pool, the master suite, the 10,000 square feet, the 14-million-dollar price 4)tag on this home is no where near the top end. There are homes in Jupiter in the 30 and 40-million-dollar bracket.
The runners up to Jupiter are No.2 - Atherton, California; No.3 - Aspen, Colorado; 4th - Los Altos Hills, California; and 5th - Belvedere, California.
Jupiter Island Florida, an Atlantic coast 2)barrier island, roughly 10 miles long, a quarter to a half mile wide. But at a 3)median home price at $3.9 million and the lower end homes running in the 4 to 5 million range, down near the National Wildlife Refuge, the people who live on Jupiter come for privacy. Few if any homes are visible from the road. There’s nothing commercial here. And they come for quiet, real quiet. In some towns, you can’t make noise between certain hours here - you can’t make noise between October and April. The hand painted ceilings, the horizonless pool, the master suite, the 10,000 square feet, the 14-million-dollar price 4)tag on this home is no where near the top end. There are homes in Jupiter in the 30 and 40-million-dollar bracket.
The runners up to Jupiter are No.2 - Atherton, California; No.3 - Aspen, Colorado; 4th - Los Altos Hills, California; and 5th - Belvedere, California.
Kona Coast dive site
This Kona Coast dive site is possibly the most beautiful, diverse, easily accessible, interesting dive location we have on the Island of Hawaii. It is at Honaunau Bay, just north of the National This whole area is an ancient Hawaiian fishing/religious ceremonial area, so treat it as such. Show the proper respect for the location, please. Some of the locals are upset with the proliferation of divers and snorkelers frequenting this site today, so please, treat them with respect and don't leave any trash for them to use as evidence of your visit. Respectfully smile at everyone you see, you'll be surprised at how that will confuse those you meet.
Because of the abundance of colorful reef marine life, this is an excellent place to snorkel ... as well as scuba. The clarity of the water here is conducive to exciting sightings of various marine-life species.There are two fine routes for divers to take from the entry point. One is straight out toward open ocean, the second along the rocky shore in a northerly direction. If you are going straight out, watch and listen closely for the many fishing boats that use this bay as a launch site (a cautionary dive flag float is recommended). The straight out route will take you across many coral heads and sandy channels holding a multitude of invertebrates and reef fish. In the center of the bay, you'll reach a living coral reef that is punctuated with countless pukas (holes) that hold numerous eels, crabs and shells of many descriptions. Watch for the Giant Green Sea Turtles in this bay as they often frequent this fantastic dive spot. Remember, the Green Sea Turtle is a protected, endangered species. So don't touch, grab on to, or try to ride these valuable creatures -- the penalties for such action, if reported, is mega bucks and it ain't worth it. Just enjoy their presence.
Here's a hint on diving anywhere: When you see a coral reef that is covered with living coral, thoroughly inspect it, slowly, for it will be filled with delightful sea-life, in, around, under and above it -- but don't touch it. Dead coral heads and most rock rubble areas generally hold fewer species (but fascinating ones, nonetheless).
If you opt for the northerly shore route from the entry area you'll find many caves and indentations as you explore the underwater terrain.The lava wall is literally filled with hiding places for Kona's famous ula(Spiney Lobster)and(although they are being overharvested) you just may glimpse one or two peeking out at YOU!
Only a few yards away from the shoreline you'll notice a gradual slope of branch coral rubble. It slopes down more rapidly as you descend to over 80′ before leveling off in a sandy flat at over 100′. As you float over this ledge watch for the infamous Crown of Thorns Sea Star. This voracious critter is covered with sharp spines that can cause considerable pain when touched (so, don't touch 'em!). At the bottom of the bay, in the sandy area, occasionally, huge Manta Rays, and often, leopard rays are seen resting on the sandy flats. We've seen schools of opelu here that numbered in the thousands. Sometimes these schools are so dense they actually blot out the sun, appearing as black undulating masses of unrecognizable blobs of darkness. As they draw nearer,or if you are a brave soul and go toward them,you'll see that the ‘ blob' is actually thousands and thousands of tiny fish.Quite an experience.
In this area always keep your eye out, to the sides, ahead, and to your rear. Too many times, as we dive, we keep looking down -- and too often, several interesting sights are missed. Make it a habit to look around -- you'll be surprised at what you've been missing.
Because of the abundance of colorful reef marine life, this is an excellent place to snorkel ... as well as scuba. The clarity of the water here is conducive to exciting sightings of various marine-life species.There are two fine routes for divers to take from the entry point. One is straight out toward open ocean, the second along the rocky shore in a northerly direction. If you are going straight out, watch and listen closely for the many fishing boats that use this bay as a launch site (a cautionary dive flag float is recommended). The straight out route will take you across many coral heads and sandy channels holding a multitude of invertebrates and reef fish. In the center of the bay, you'll reach a living coral reef that is punctuated with countless pukas (holes) that hold numerous eels, crabs and shells of many descriptions. Watch for the Giant Green Sea Turtles in this bay as they often frequent this fantastic dive spot. Remember, the Green Sea Turtle is a protected, endangered species. So don't touch, grab on to, or try to ride these valuable creatures -- the penalties for such action, if reported, is mega bucks and it ain't worth it. Just enjoy their presence.
Here's a hint on diving anywhere: When you see a coral reef that is covered with living coral, thoroughly inspect it, slowly, for it will be filled with delightful sea-life, in, around, under and above it -- but don't touch it. Dead coral heads and most rock rubble areas generally hold fewer species (but fascinating ones, nonetheless).
If you opt for the northerly shore route from the entry area you'll find many caves and indentations as you explore the underwater terrain.The lava wall is literally filled with hiding places for Kona's famous ula(Spiney Lobster)and(although they are being overharvested) you just may glimpse one or two peeking out at YOU!
Only a few yards away from the shoreline you'll notice a gradual slope of branch coral rubble. It slopes down more rapidly as you descend to over 80′ before leveling off in a sandy flat at over 100′. As you float over this ledge watch for the infamous Crown of Thorns Sea Star. This voracious critter is covered with sharp spines that can cause considerable pain when touched (so, don't touch 'em!). At the bottom of the bay, in the sandy area, occasionally, huge Manta Rays, and often, leopard rays are seen resting on the sandy flats. We've seen schools of opelu here that numbered in the thousands. Sometimes these schools are so dense they actually blot out the sun, appearing as black undulating masses of unrecognizable blobs of darkness. As they draw nearer,or if you are a brave soul and go toward them,you'll see that the ‘ blob' is actually thousands and thousands of tiny fish.Quite an experience.
In this area always keep your eye out, to the sides, ahead, and to your rear. Too many times, as we dive, we keep looking down -- and too often, several interesting sights are missed. Make it a habit to look around -- you'll be surprised at what you've been missing.
Romantic Paris
Ah, beautiful Paris. For centuries this city has attracted the admiration of the world. The allure and charm of Paris captivate all who visit there.
Where can you discover the charm of Paris for yourself? Is it in the legacy of all the French rulers who worked to beautify their beloved city? Is it in the famous castles, palaces, statues and monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower? Can you find it in the world-class museums, such as the Louvre? Perhaps Paris' allure lies in the zest and style of the Parisians.
When you visit Paris, you don't have to spend all of your time visiting museums and monuments. They are certainly worthy of your time, but ignore them for a day. First take some time to look around and experience life in Paris. You'll find it charming.
Take a stroll along the Seine River. Browse through the art vendors, colorful paintings. Peek through delicate iron gates at the well-kept gardens. Watch closely for the French attention to detail that has made France synonymous with good taste. You will see it in the design of a doorway or arch and in the little fountains and quaint balconies. No matter where you look, you will find everyday objects transformed into works by art.
Spend some time in a quiet park relaxing on an old bench. Lie on your back on the green grass. When you need refreshment, try coffee and pastries at a sidewalk cafe. Strike up a conversation with a Parisian. This isn't always easy, though. With such a large international population living in Paris, true natives are hard to find these days.
As evening comes to Paris, enchantment rises with the mist over the riverfront. You may hear music from an outdoor concert nearby: classical, jazz, opera or chansons, those French folk songs. Parisians love their music. The starry sky is their auditorium. You can also hear concerts in the chateaux and cathedrals. In Paris the Music never ends.
Don't miss the highlight of Paris evening: eating out. Parisians are proud of their cuisine. And rightly so; it's world famous. Gourmet dining is one of the indispensable joys of living. You need a special guidebook to help you choose one of the hundreds of excellent restaurants. The capital of France boasts every regional specialty, cheese and wine the country has to offer. If you don't know what to order, ask for the suggested menu. The chef likes to showcase his best dishes there. Remember, you haven't tasted the true flavor of France until you've dined at a French restaurant in Paris.
After your gourmet dinner, take a walking tour of the floodlit monuments. Cross the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city, to the Ile de la Cite. The most famous landmark of Paris looms up in front of you the Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathedral of Our Lady). Stand in the square in front of the cathedral. Here, you are standing in the center of France. All distances are measured from the front of Notre Dame. Every road in France leads to her front door. All French kings and leaders have journeyed here to commemorate important occasions and give thanks. Notre Dame is the heart of Paris and the heart of France.
Your visit in Paris has only just begun. You've just started to discover the charm of this old city. May the rest of your journey be unforgettable. When it is time to leave, you will go reluctantly. You will say with the French, "A bientot, Paris, a bientot!" (See you again soon, Paris!)
Where can you discover the charm of Paris for yourself? Is it in the legacy of all the French rulers who worked to beautify their beloved city? Is it in the famous castles, palaces, statues and monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower? Can you find it in the world-class museums, such as the Louvre? Perhaps Paris' allure lies in the zest and style of the Parisians.
When you visit Paris, you don't have to spend all of your time visiting museums and monuments. They are certainly worthy of your time, but ignore them for a day. First take some time to look around and experience life in Paris. You'll find it charming.
Take a stroll along the Seine River. Browse through the art vendors, colorful paintings. Peek through delicate iron gates at the well-kept gardens. Watch closely for the French attention to detail that has made France synonymous with good taste. You will see it in the design of a doorway or arch and in the little fountains and quaint balconies. No matter where you look, you will find everyday objects transformed into works by art.
Spend some time in a quiet park relaxing on an old bench. Lie on your back on the green grass. When you need refreshment, try coffee and pastries at a sidewalk cafe. Strike up a conversation with a Parisian. This isn't always easy, though. With such a large international population living in Paris, true natives are hard to find these days.
As evening comes to Paris, enchantment rises with the mist over the riverfront. You may hear music from an outdoor concert nearby: classical, jazz, opera or chansons, those French folk songs. Parisians love their music. The starry sky is their auditorium. You can also hear concerts in the chateaux and cathedrals. In Paris the Music never ends.
Don't miss the highlight of Paris evening: eating out. Parisians are proud of their cuisine. And rightly so; it's world famous. Gourmet dining is one of the indispensable joys of living. You need a special guidebook to help you choose one of the hundreds of excellent restaurants. The capital of France boasts every regional specialty, cheese and wine the country has to offer. If you don't know what to order, ask for the suggested menu. The chef likes to showcase his best dishes there. Remember, you haven't tasted the true flavor of France until you've dined at a French restaurant in Paris.
After your gourmet dinner, take a walking tour of the floodlit monuments. Cross the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city, to the Ile de la Cite. The most famous landmark of Paris looms up in front of you the Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathedral of Our Lady). Stand in the square in front of the cathedral. Here, you are standing in the center of France. All distances are measured from the front of Notre Dame. Every road in France leads to her front door. All French kings and leaders have journeyed here to commemorate important occasions and give thanks. Notre Dame is the heart of Paris and the heart of France.
Your visit in Paris has only just begun. You've just started to discover the charm of this old city. May the rest of your journey be unforgettable. When it is time to leave, you will go reluctantly. You will say with the French, "A bientot, Paris, a bientot!" (See you again soon, Paris!)
Grand Canyon
A famous American John Muir said in 1898: “The Grand Canyon… as unearthly in the color and grandeur and quantity of its architecture as if you had found it after death on some other star.”
Like Muir, those of us who stand along the rim are prompted to wonder about the unearthliness and the forces that created and are still changing this place
After more than 100 years of studies, many things are still obscure. Today visitors come by the thousands - the great and simple of the earth - all in a spirit of marvel. Travelers come from every state of the Union, from every country in Europe and Asia, pilgrims to a shrine that is the same as the creed.
From the depths of the canyon comes welling silence. Seldom can you hear the roar of the river.You cannot catch the patter. Like applause, from the leaves of the cottonwoods on the shelf-like plateau below you. For all sounds are swallowed in this gulf of space. ‘It makes one want to murmur.' A woman once whispered to her companion. This silence is not the silence of death; rather, it is a presence. It is like a great piece of music. But music made of man works up to a climax and ceases; the Grand Canyon is all climax, a chord echoing into eternity.
Perhaps the most spectacular feature of the Grand Canyon, its Redwall limestone cliff, stands about half way up the chasm and is practically vertical. Its average height is 550 feet --- almost exactly that of the Washington Monument. Though it is actually gray-blue limestone, the surface of the cliff has been stained to a sunset hue by iron salts washing out of the rocks. Above the Redwall come alternating layers of red sandstone and shale 1,000 feet thick, then comes the next pale-blue layer. The topmost layers are a yellowish limestone.
Now, visitors to the South Rim alone may number 18,000 in a single day. Some of that number will travel by mule train down Bright Angel Trail to the canyon's floor, cross the raging river by a suspension bridge and amount to the North Rim.
Though the two rims face each other across only 12 miles, it is a journey of 214 miles by car from one to the other. Nor can you visit the North Rim except in summer; some 1,200 feet higher than the South Rim, it is snow covered much of the year except in July and August.
But there is no day that you may not visit the South Rim and find the sun warm on your face and the air perfumed with the incense of smoke from an Indian hearth. The Grand Canyon is an unearthly sight. No wonder an American writer and journalist said, “I came here an atheist, and departed a devout believer.”
Like Muir, those of us who stand along the rim are prompted to wonder about the unearthliness and the forces that created and are still changing this place
After more than 100 years of studies, many things are still obscure. Today visitors come by the thousands - the great and simple of the earth - all in a spirit of marvel. Travelers come from every state of the Union, from every country in Europe and Asia, pilgrims to a shrine that is the same as the creed.
From the depths of the canyon comes welling silence. Seldom can you hear the roar of the river.You cannot catch the patter. Like applause, from the leaves of the cottonwoods on the shelf-like plateau below you. For all sounds are swallowed in this gulf of space. ‘It makes one want to murmur.' A woman once whispered to her companion. This silence is not the silence of death; rather, it is a presence. It is like a great piece of music. But music made of man works up to a climax and ceases; the Grand Canyon is all climax, a chord echoing into eternity.
Perhaps the most spectacular feature of the Grand Canyon, its Redwall limestone cliff, stands about half way up the chasm and is practically vertical. Its average height is 550 feet --- almost exactly that of the Washington Monument. Though it is actually gray-blue limestone, the surface of the cliff has been stained to a sunset hue by iron salts washing out of the rocks. Above the Redwall come alternating layers of red sandstone and shale 1,000 feet thick, then comes the next pale-blue layer. The topmost layers are a yellowish limestone.
Now, visitors to the South Rim alone may number 18,000 in a single day. Some of that number will travel by mule train down Bright Angel Trail to the canyon's floor, cross the raging river by a suspension bridge and amount to the North Rim.
Though the two rims face each other across only 12 miles, it is a journey of 214 miles by car from one to the other. Nor can you visit the North Rim except in summer; some 1,200 feet higher than the South Rim, it is snow covered much of the year except in July and August.
But there is no day that you may not visit the South Rim and find the sun warm on your face and the air perfumed with the incense of smoke from an Indian hearth. The Grand Canyon is an unearthly sight. No wonder an American writer and journalist said, “I came here an atheist, and departed a devout believer.”
Sex and Sin Make a Comeback in Las Vegas
Las Vegas spent the 1990s trying to attract families by transforming itself into a kid-friendly entertainment paradise.
But children don't gamble, and they can distract their parents from gambling. So now the city is returning to its roots, with a new mantra: Leave the kids at home.
The family-oriented hotels that redefined Las Vegas over the last decade are switching to more adult fare, including topless revues. Newer hotels like the Palms are designed as adult-oriented party hotels, built around nightclubs and sexy shows rather than amusement parks and family restaurants.
City officials are abandoning the family-friendly line. "We want it to be an adult play land," said Mayor Oscar Goodman. "We want people to feel free. We want them to think that this is the place that they can come to and not have any inhibitions."
Family Central
At the beginning of the 1990s, Las Vegas was facing new competition from a boom in legal gambling on riverboats and Indian reservations. The city's gambling revenues plunged, declining by almost half a billion dollars in 1992 alone.
Las Vegas seemed tired, and needed to find a way to set itself apart from the rival gambling establishments that were popping up across the country. The city's leaders decided to make Vegas a spectacular "experience" that would attract whole families rather than single gamblers.
In less than 10 years, virtually every hotel on the Strip was demolished or rebuilt, at an estimated total cost of $12 billion. The new hotels were huge - 20 of the world's 23 largest hotels are in Las Vegas - and provided spectacular entertainment like the artificial volcano at the Mirage, which spewed out flames every 15 minutes after dark.
One of the biggest of the new hotels, the 5,000-room MGM Grand, spent $100 million to build an amusement park so children would have somewhere to go while their parents gambled. "We really made a very concerted effort to try and focus on all of the nongambling aspects of Las Vegas," said Alan Feldman, vice president for public affairs for MGM Grand.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority launched an intensive advertising campaign aimed at families. Anthony Curtis, a professional blackjack player who publishes the Las Vegas Advisor, a consumer newsletter, says the aim was to remove the stigma of gambling: "This whole advertising campaign for Vegas was to remove that barrier, so the husband would go, 'It's OK. They've got pools. They've got shopping. They've got food. They've got something to do with Junior.'"
Kids and Gambling Don't Mix
The campaign succeeded in generating a slew of media stories about Las Vegas as a family destination. "That worked very, very well - until the people started actually coming with their kids," said Curtis.
Families came, and total visitor numbers to the city more than doubled in a decade. But casino owners found that the parents were spending too much time with their kids when they were supposed to be at the gambling tables. And those parents who did gamble often left their children unattended until late at night, in an environment where they were still exposed to adult temptations like X-rated pamphlets and billboards. Some parents worried that gambling might look like a little too much fun in this sanitized, family friendly world. "It's sort of tantalizing to watch them all play. I mean, I want to play too," a young boy told ABCNEWS while visiting the MGM Grand in 1993.
"I don't think Vegas really wanted the kids," said Curtis. "I think they wanted the non-gambling spouse."
The MGM Grand shut down its children's amusement park after just nine months. "It was not a huge success," Feldman said.
Back to Its Roots
Now Sin City is returning to what it does best: adult entertainment. The number of sex clubs has tripled in the last five years. On a busy Saturday night, more than 1,000 strippers perform in clubs along the Strip, where they can earn as much as $200,000 a year.
"Everybody's pushing and wanting a sexier Las Vegas," said Tracy Ault, who has been singing and dancing on the Strip for 10 years. "It's about the sexy, edgy entertainment, and looking at beautiful women and having a great cocktail with your buddies and having a hot night of fun."
During a post-Sept. 11 lull in business, Mayor Goodman gave the strip clubs a boost in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, urging "all able-bodied constituents" to "go out and have a lap dance."
The big hotels are getting in on the act too, opening revues that feature near-naked dancers. The hotel show with the most nudity is at the MGM Grand. Called "La Femme," it features topless and nude dancers from the famous Crazy Horse revue in Paris. Mainstream entertainers are spicing their acts up too. Comedy magician Fielding West, a veteran on the Strip, added topless assistants to his act and renamed it Comedy, Tricks and Naked Chicks.
Whether or not sex and nightlife work as Las Vegas's latest attraction, Curtis is sure the city's leaders will keep looking for new ways to draw people into its casinos, the lifeblood of its tourist revenue. "I love the way Las Vegas morphs from one to the next. I love the way that they're always inventing new ways to bait the traps."
But children don't gamble, and they can distract their parents from gambling. So now the city is returning to its roots, with a new mantra: Leave the kids at home.
The family-oriented hotels that redefined Las Vegas over the last decade are switching to more adult fare, including topless revues. Newer hotels like the Palms are designed as adult-oriented party hotels, built around nightclubs and sexy shows rather than amusement parks and family restaurants.
City officials are abandoning the family-friendly line. "We want it to be an adult play land," said Mayor Oscar Goodman. "We want people to feel free. We want them to think that this is the place that they can come to and not have any inhibitions."
Family Central
At the beginning of the 1990s, Las Vegas was facing new competition from a boom in legal gambling on riverboats and Indian reservations. The city's gambling revenues plunged, declining by almost half a billion dollars in 1992 alone.
Las Vegas seemed tired, and needed to find a way to set itself apart from the rival gambling establishments that were popping up across the country. The city's leaders decided to make Vegas a spectacular "experience" that would attract whole families rather than single gamblers.
In less than 10 years, virtually every hotel on the Strip was demolished or rebuilt, at an estimated total cost of $12 billion. The new hotels were huge - 20 of the world's 23 largest hotels are in Las Vegas - and provided spectacular entertainment like the artificial volcano at the Mirage, which spewed out flames every 15 minutes after dark.
One of the biggest of the new hotels, the 5,000-room MGM Grand, spent $100 million to build an amusement park so children would have somewhere to go while their parents gambled. "We really made a very concerted effort to try and focus on all of the nongambling aspects of Las Vegas," said Alan Feldman, vice president for public affairs for MGM Grand.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority launched an intensive advertising campaign aimed at families. Anthony Curtis, a professional blackjack player who publishes the Las Vegas Advisor, a consumer newsletter, says the aim was to remove the stigma of gambling: "This whole advertising campaign for Vegas was to remove that barrier, so the husband would go, 'It's OK. They've got pools. They've got shopping. They've got food. They've got something to do with Junior.'"
Kids and Gambling Don't Mix
The campaign succeeded in generating a slew of media stories about Las Vegas as a family destination. "That worked very, very well - until the people started actually coming with their kids," said Curtis.
Families came, and total visitor numbers to the city more than doubled in a decade. But casino owners found that the parents were spending too much time with their kids when they were supposed to be at the gambling tables. And those parents who did gamble often left their children unattended until late at night, in an environment where they were still exposed to adult temptations like X-rated pamphlets and billboards. Some parents worried that gambling might look like a little too much fun in this sanitized, family friendly world. "It's sort of tantalizing to watch them all play. I mean, I want to play too," a young boy told ABCNEWS while visiting the MGM Grand in 1993.
"I don't think Vegas really wanted the kids," said Curtis. "I think they wanted the non-gambling spouse."
The MGM Grand shut down its children's amusement park after just nine months. "It was not a huge success," Feldman said.
Back to Its Roots
Now Sin City is returning to what it does best: adult entertainment. The number of sex clubs has tripled in the last five years. On a busy Saturday night, more than 1,000 strippers perform in clubs along the Strip, where they can earn as much as $200,000 a year.
"Everybody's pushing and wanting a sexier Las Vegas," said Tracy Ault, who has been singing and dancing on the Strip for 10 years. "It's about the sexy, edgy entertainment, and looking at beautiful women and having a great cocktail with your buddies and having a hot night of fun."
During a post-Sept. 11 lull in business, Mayor Goodman gave the strip clubs a boost in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, urging "all able-bodied constituents" to "go out and have a lap dance."
The big hotels are getting in on the act too, opening revues that feature near-naked dancers. The hotel show with the most nudity is at the MGM Grand. Called "La Femme," it features topless and nude dancers from the famous Crazy Horse revue in Paris. Mainstream entertainers are spicing their acts up too. Comedy magician Fielding West, a veteran on the Strip, added topless assistants to his act and renamed it Comedy, Tricks and Naked Chicks.
Whether or not sex and nightlife work as Las Vegas's latest attraction, Curtis is sure the city's leaders will keep looking for new ways to draw people into its casinos, the lifeblood of its tourist revenue. "I love the way Las Vegas morphs from one to the next. I love the way that they're always inventing new ways to bait the traps."
Boeing launches long-haul passenger jet
Boeing Co. unveiled a long-range version of its 777 commercial airliner on Tuesday, which the company said can fly from London to Sydney, making it the world's longest-range commercial aircraft.
With the launch of the new 777-200LR "Worldliner," Boeing is hoping to attract airlines that will ferry passengers directly between multiple points.
The new, 301-passenger, long-range 777 is expected to make its first flight in March and will be delivered first to Pakistan International airlines, its launch customer for the new version of the 777, in January of 2006.
The twin-engine airplane, when equipped with three optional fuel tanks, will be capable of flying 9,420 nautical miles, enough to "connect any two cities in the world today," said Lars Andersen, Boeing's vice president in charge of the 777 program at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
"This is the longest-range airplane in the world," Andersen told a crowd of customers, suppliers, employees and reporters at Boeing's Everett plant north of Seattle, where the jumbo 747 and 767 planes are also built.
Even with a full-passenger payload in a typical three-class configuration, the 777-200LR will be able to connect cities as far-flung as Los Angeles and Johannesburg, London and Sydney, as well as New York and Jakarta, Boeing said.
The 777-200LR will compete directly with Airbus's A340-600 and A340-500, but have seat-mile costs 15 percent to 18 percent lower than those models, Boeing said.
The planes are powered by two General Electric GE90-115B engines, which the company said is the world's most powerful commercial jet engine, with 115,000 pounds of thrust.
Boeing is betting that airlines will be buying more mid-size jetliners in the same class as the 777 and its newest model, the 787, to ferry passengers between multiple cities, rather than gathering them at big airport hubs and carrying them on larger planes.
Boeing's main rival Airbus, which overtook the Chicago-based aerospace company last year as the world's largest commercial jet manufacturer, is betting that people will continue to travel through its major airport hubs, with its superjumbo A380 aircraft that can carry as many as 840 people.
With the launch of the new 777-200LR "Worldliner," Boeing is hoping to attract airlines that will ferry passengers directly between multiple points.
The new, 301-passenger, long-range 777 is expected to make its first flight in March and will be delivered first to Pakistan International airlines, its launch customer for the new version of the 777, in January of 2006.
The twin-engine airplane, when equipped with three optional fuel tanks, will be capable of flying 9,420 nautical miles, enough to "connect any two cities in the world today," said Lars Andersen, Boeing's vice president in charge of the 777 program at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
"This is the longest-range airplane in the world," Andersen told a crowd of customers, suppliers, employees and reporters at Boeing's Everett plant north of Seattle, where the jumbo 747 and 767 planes are also built.
Even with a full-passenger payload in a typical three-class configuration, the 777-200LR will be able to connect cities as far-flung as Los Angeles and Johannesburg, London and Sydney, as well as New York and Jakarta, Boeing said.
The 777-200LR will compete directly with Airbus's A340-600 and A340-500, but have seat-mile costs 15 percent to 18 percent lower than those models, Boeing said.
The planes are powered by two General Electric GE90-115B engines, which the company said is the world's most powerful commercial jet engine, with 115,000 pounds of thrust.
Boeing is betting that airlines will be buying more mid-size jetliners in the same class as the 777 and its newest model, the 787, to ferry passengers between multiple cities, rather than gathering them at big airport hubs and carrying them on larger planes.
Boeing's main rival Airbus, which overtook the Chicago-based aerospace company last year as the world's largest commercial jet manufacturer, is betting that people will continue to travel through its major airport hubs, with its superjumbo A380 aircraft that can carry as many as 840 people.
Friday, 3 October 2008
Sports are a kind of education
For many young people in my part of the world (suburban America), the first brush with organized athletics comes on a Saturday morning in early spring. The weather is getting warmer and the school year's end is imminent, and moms, sensing the approach of summer vacation and Too Much Free Time, pile us into the backs of minivans and drive us to our town's local sports and recreation center. In my hometown, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, kids converge each year on the EHT Youth Organization Building, a cinderblock shack in the middle of a handful of baseball and football fields. There lines are waited in, forms filled out, birth certificates examined and photocopied, health insurance waivers furnished and signed. At the end of the morning, kids are signed up for little-league baseball and an instant summer schedule of activities has been created. Then it's time to go to Burger King.
For parents seeking productive ways to occupy their children's time, summer sports leagues offer a convenient and time-tested outlet for overabundant energy. In my case that meant baseball. America's pastime: nine weeks of pitched fastballs and sore elbows, grounders up the middle, digging it out to first base, shagging flies in the outfield and swatting mosquitoes in the infield. Then, after six innings, back to Burger King.
A couple of weeks after the signups at the cinderblock shack, we kids would be rounded up into teams and coached in the fundamentals of pitching, catching, hitting, and running bases. We'd be supplied with color-coded jerseys and mesh baseball caps, and then we would play a season's worth of games against one another. Playoffs would be held and champions crowned. At the end of the season an all-star team of the league's best players would be assembled to play against the best teams from neighboring towns.
Back and forth across the country this system repeats itself from town to town and sport to sport with little variation. Some leagues have storied pasts: baseball's Little League or football's Pop Warner League. Some are newer. In cities it is often the Policemen's Benevolent Association or the YMCA that assumes the sponsorship role. Always, though, there is the underlying idea that organized sport is a valuable and productive use of a young person's time. Sports, in short, are a kind of education, teaching important life skills that can't be learned in school.
Ideas about the educational value of sports vary widely. For some, sports foster the social development of young people, teaching kids how to interact with their peers outside the classroom. Sports teach kids what it means to compete - how to cope with losing, how to respond gracefully to success. Sports are about teamwork, how to work together toward a common goal. Sometimes they're about developing a sense of self-esteem. Sometimes they're simply about finding a healthy way to tire hyperactive kids out so they'll sit still in class or get to bed at a reasonable hour. Some bolder advocates claim that their games build character.
Given the prevailing educational undercurrent, it's no surprise that many kids' second brush with organized athletics takes place in a school. Junior highs and high schools sponsor their own sports programs and field teams of football, basketball, soccer and tennis players. There the educational theme is given a more direct and tangible form as squads of student-athletes travel around the state representing their schools on the field, court or diamond. Yet here, strangely enough, is where a bit of the educational component begins to alter. High school teams are necessarily more selective than their youth league predecessors. Tryouts are held, and less promising players are cut. Coaches receive salaries, and there is an expectation that the teams they shape will win. In sum, there is a slight change in emphasis away from education and toward outright competition.
Little-league sports, by contrast, are fundamentally egalitarian institutions, inclusive, unselective and welcoming (at least in theory) of different levels of ability. An important question in US life: how to balance this wish to be inclusive with the need to maintain authentic competition and play to win? This is indeed an important question in all walks of life and in any country.
I proved a mediocre baseball player in high school but an above-average (American) football player, and as time passed I devoted more and more energy to that endeavor. Why? So I could get a scholarship to college and continue my education, of course.
Living in China, I find that one of the things I miss most is watching my high school and college teams play other schools' teams each Saturday afternoon. That and Burger King.
For parents seeking productive ways to occupy their children's time, summer sports leagues offer a convenient and time-tested outlet for overabundant energy. In my case that meant baseball. America's pastime: nine weeks of pitched fastballs and sore elbows, grounders up the middle, digging it out to first base, shagging flies in the outfield and swatting mosquitoes in the infield. Then, after six innings, back to Burger King.
A couple of weeks after the signups at the cinderblock shack, we kids would be rounded up into teams and coached in the fundamentals of pitching, catching, hitting, and running bases. We'd be supplied with color-coded jerseys and mesh baseball caps, and then we would play a season's worth of games against one another. Playoffs would be held and champions crowned. At the end of the season an all-star team of the league's best players would be assembled to play against the best teams from neighboring towns.
Back and forth across the country this system repeats itself from town to town and sport to sport with little variation. Some leagues have storied pasts: baseball's Little League or football's Pop Warner League. Some are newer. In cities it is often the Policemen's Benevolent Association or the YMCA that assumes the sponsorship role. Always, though, there is the underlying idea that organized sport is a valuable and productive use of a young person's time. Sports, in short, are a kind of education, teaching important life skills that can't be learned in school.
Ideas about the educational value of sports vary widely. For some, sports foster the social development of young people, teaching kids how to interact with their peers outside the classroom. Sports teach kids what it means to compete - how to cope with losing, how to respond gracefully to success. Sports are about teamwork, how to work together toward a common goal. Sometimes they're about developing a sense of self-esteem. Sometimes they're simply about finding a healthy way to tire hyperactive kids out so they'll sit still in class or get to bed at a reasonable hour. Some bolder advocates claim that their games build character.
Given the prevailing educational undercurrent, it's no surprise that many kids' second brush with organized athletics takes place in a school. Junior highs and high schools sponsor their own sports programs and field teams of football, basketball, soccer and tennis players. There the educational theme is given a more direct and tangible form as squads of student-athletes travel around the state representing their schools on the field, court or diamond. Yet here, strangely enough, is where a bit of the educational component begins to alter. High school teams are necessarily more selective than their youth league predecessors. Tryouts are held, and less promising players are cut. Coaches receive salaries, and there is an expectation that the teams they shape will win. In sum, there is a slight change in emphasis away from education and toward outright competition.
Little-league sports, by contrast, are fundamentally egalitarian institutions, inclusive, unselective and welcoming (at least in theory) of different levels of ability. An important question in US life: how to balance this wish to be inclusive with the need to maintain authentic competition and play to win? This is indeed an important question in all walks of life and in any country.
I proved a mediocre baseball player in high school but an above-average (American) football player, and as time passed I devoted more and more energy to that endeavor. Why? So I could get a scholarship to college and continue my education, of course.
Living in China, I find that one of the things I miss most is watching my high school and college teams play other schools' teams each Saturday afternoon. That and Burger King.
TV on the growth of crimes against children
It's no secret that most busy American mothers use the TV set as a live-in babysitter. In some households the tube holds a child's attention for the odd half hour or two while mom works on dinner; in others it is the child's constant daytime companion. Is there any harm in this?
Debate rages over the question, and periodically research is published showing that TV reduces attention span, makes children jumpy or inclines them to violence. In today's cartoon David Horsey makes fun of the claims of "children's TV", the special programming that supposedly uses entertainment to help youngsters to learn to read and take their first steps in the big, diverse world outside their family. What do children really get from this programming?
Horsey's suspicion is that children's programming chiefly turns kids into TV addicts, not into readers or happy mixers. The toddler in the cartoon, still at the age of pacifiers and stuffed animals, is held spellbound by the figure on the screen. What is the stimulating message of this creature specifically designed to fascinate small children? "Can you say TV?" The sooner the kid learns the word, the more effectively he can remind -- or nag -- his mother to turn on the boob tube.
A child hooked on TV is a viewer open to commercial messages, and there are plenty of those targeting children of all ages. Thus, at the very least, mom's search for peace and quiet sets the stage for her child's transformation into an American consumer -- and, of course, soaks up time that could be used for other, perhaps more desirable, transformations.
Debate rages over the question, and periodically research is published showing that TV reduces attention span, makes children jumpy or inclines them to violence. In today's cartoon David Horsey makes fun of the claims of "children's TV", the special programming that supposedly uses entertainment to help youngsters to learn to read and take their first steps in the big, diverse world outside their family. What do children really get from this programming?
Horsey's suspicion is that children's programming chiefly turns kids into TV addicts, not into readers or happy mixers. The toddler in the cartoon, still at the age of pacifiers and stuffed animals, is held spellbound by the figure on the screen. What is the stimulating message of this creature specifically designed to fascinate small children? "Can you say TV?" The sooner the kid learns the word, the more effectively he can remind -- or nag -- his mother to turn on the boob tube.
A child hooked on TV is a viewer open to commercial messages, and there are plenty of those targeting children of all ages. Thus, at the very least, mom's search for peace and quiet sets the stage for her child's transformation into an American consumer -- and, of course, soaks up time that could be used for other, perhaps more desirable, transformations.
We‘re Raising Children,Not Flowers!
David, my next-door neighbor, has two young kids aged five and seven. One day he was teaching his seven-year-old son Kelly how to push the lawn mower around the yard. As he was teaching him how to turn the mower around at the end of the lawn, his wife, Jan, called to him to ask a question. As David turned to answer the question, Kelly pushed the lawn mower right through the flower bed at the edge of the lawn -- leaving a two-foot wide path leveled to the ground！
When David turned back around and saw what had happened, he began to lose control. David had put a lot of time and effort into making those flower beds the envy of the neighborhood. As he began to raise his voice to his son， Jan walked quickly over to him, put her hand on his shoulder and said,"David, please remember ... we're raising children, not flowers！"
Jan reminded me how important it is as a parent to remember our priorities. Kids and their self-esteem are more important than any physical object they might break or destroy. The window pane shattered by a baseball, a lamp knocked over by a careless child, or a plate dropped in the kitchen are already broken.The flowers are already dead. We must remember not to add to the destruction by breaking a child's spirit and deadening his sense of liveliness.
I was buying a sport coat a few weeks ago and Mark Michaels, the owner of the store, and I were discussing parenting. He told me that while he and his wife and seven-year-old daughter were out for dinner, his daughter knocked over her water glass. After the water was cleaned up without any recriminating remarks from her parents, she looked up and said, " You know, I really want to thank you guys for not being like other parents. Most of my friends' parents would have yelled at them and given them a lecture about paying more attention. Thanks for not doing that！"
Once, when I was having dinner with some friends, a similar incident happened. Their five-year-old son knocked over a glass of milk at the dinner table. When they immediately started in on him, I intentionally knocked my glass over, too. When I started to explain how I still knock things over even at the age of 48, the boy started to beam and the parents seemingly got the message and backed off. How easy it is to forget that we are all still learning.
I recently heard a story about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs. He was being interviewed by a newspaper reporter who asked him why he thought he was able to be so much more creative than the average person.
He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from an experience with his mother that occurred when he was about two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over the kitchen floor -- a veritable sea of milk!
When his mother came into the kitchen， instead of yelling at him, giving him a lecture or punishing him, she said, " Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage has already been done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?"
Indeed, he did. After a few minutes, his mother said, " You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that?We could use a sponge, a towel or a mop. Which do you prefer?" He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up the spilled milk.
His mother then said, " You know, what we have here is a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two tiny hands. Let's go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover a way to carry it without dropping it." The little boy learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it. What a wonderful lesson!
This renowned scientist then remarked that it was at that moment that he knew he didn't need to be afraid to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just opportunities for learning something new, which is, after all, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if the experiment " doesn't work," we usually learn something valuable from it.
Wouldn't it be great if all parents would respond the way Robert's mother responded to him?
One last story that illustrates the application of this attitude in an adult context was told on the radio several years back. A young woman was driving home from work when she snagged her fender on the bumper of another car. She was in tears as she explained that it was a new car, only a few days from the showroom. How was she ever going to explain the damaged car to her husband?
The driver of the other car was sympathetic, but explained that they must note each other's license numbers and registration numbers. As the young woman reached into a large brown envelope to retrieve the documents, a piece of paper fell out. In a heavy masculine scrawl were these words:" In case of accident ... remember, honey, it's you I love, not the car！"
Let's remember that our children's spirits are more important than any material things. When we do, self-esteem and love blossom will grow more beautifully than any bed of flowers ever could.
When David turned back around and saw what had happened, he began to lose control. David had put a lot of time and effort into making those flower beds the envy of the neighborhood. As he began to raise his voice to his son， Jan walked quickly over to him, put her hand on his shoulder and said,"David, please remember ... we're raising children, not flowers！"
Jan reminded me how important it is as a parent to remember our priorities. Kids and their self-esteem are more important than any physical object they might break or destroy. The window pane shattered by a baseball, a lamp knocked over by a careless child, or a plate dropped in the kitchen are already broken.The flowers are already dead. We must remember not to add to the destruction by breaking a child's spirit and deadening his sense of liveliness.
I was buying a sport coat a few weeks ago and Mark Michaels, the owner of the store, and I were discussing parenting. He told me that while he and his wife and seven-year-old daughter were out for dinner, his daughter knocked over her water glass. After the water was cleaned up without any recriminating remarks from her parents, she looked up and said, " You know, I really want to thank you guys for not being like other parents. Most of my friends' parents would have yelled at them and given them a lecture about paying more attention. Thanks for not doing that！"
Once, when I was having dinner with some friends, a similar incident happened. Their five-year-old son knocked over a glass of milk at the dinner table. When they immediately started in on him, I intentionally knocked my glass over, too. When I started to explain how I still knock things over even at the age of 48, the boy started to beam and the parents seemingly got the message and backed off. How easy it is to forget that we are all still learning.
I recently heard a story about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs. He was being interviewed by a newspaper reporter who asked him why he thought he was able to be so much more creative than the average person.
He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from an experience with his mother that occurred when he was about two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over the kitchen floor -- a veritable sea of milk!
When his mother came into the kitchen， instead of yelling at him, giving him a lecture or punishing him, she said, " Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage has already been done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?"
Indeed, he did. After a few minutes, his mother said, " You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that?We could use a sponge, a towel or a mop. Which do you prefer?" He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up the spilled milk.
His mother then said, " You know, what we have here is a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two tiny hands. Let's go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover a way to carry it without dropping it." The little boy learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it. What a wonderful lesson!
This renowned scientist then remarked that it was at that moment that he knew he didn't need to be afraid to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just opportunities for learning something new, which is, after all, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if the experiment " doesn't work," we usually learn something valuable from it.
Wouldn't it be great if all parents would respond the way Robert's mother responded to him?
One last story that illustrates the application of this attitude in an adult context was told on the radio several years back. A young woman was driving home from work when she snagged her fender on the bumper of another car. She was in tears as she explained that it was a new car, only a few days from the showroom. How was she ever going to explain the damaged car to her husband?
The driver of the other car was sympathetic, but explained that they must note each other's license numbers and registration numbers. As the young woman reached into a large brown envelope to retrieve the documents, a piece of paper fell out. In a heavy masculine scrawl were these words:" In case of accident ... remember, honey, it's you I love, not the car！"
Let's remember that our children's spirits are more important than any material things. When we do, self-esteem and love blossom will grow more beautifully than any bed of flowers ever could.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Frozen Land O' Lakes
By Mason InmanScienceNOW Daily News31 January 2006
A new survey of eastern Antarctica has revealed a surprising find: two lakes buried beneath a 4-kilometer-thick ice sheet that rival the famous Lake Vostok in size. The lakes may hold exotic life, and their position along ancient fault lines could shed light on how a nearby mountain range formed.
Earth scientists have so far spied about 145 subglacial lakes in Antarctica. Sandwiched between the ice above and bedrock below, the lakes stay liquid due to a combination of geothermal heat and the crushing pressure of the ice sheet. Lake Vostok, by far the largest of these lakes, is well-mapped, and a Russian team is now drilling through its ice cap in hopes of finding life inside. But scientists know little about most of the region's lakes, spotted only from sparse radar surveys.
A team led by geologist Robin Bell and glaciologist Michael Studinger, both at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York, revisited two hidden bodies of water glimpsed in earlier surveys. To conduct a more thorough analysis of the lakes, named 90°E and Sovetskaya, the team drew on a suite of data including new satellite images and decades-old gravity measurements, which use differences in the density of ice and water to gauge a lake's depth.
The study found that the lakes are second in size only to Lake Vostok and are nestled in deep depressions. At 2000 square kilometers, 90°E is roughly half the size of Rhode Island and reaches roughly a kilometer deep--about the same as Vostok. Sovetskaya is almost as large, at 1400 square kilometers, and likely as deep. The lakes' depths and the rugged terrain surrounding them suggest that they lie in crevasses along ancient faults, long dormant. Because the depressions that cradle the lakes are so large and deep, the researchers argue the lakes have likely stayed stable through climate changes and have been there since Antarctica was warm and rainy, more than 35 million years ago. If so, this may increase the chances that they harbor life, the team reports in the February issue of Geophysical Research Letters.
The idea that a lot of subglacial lakes form along faults is "very likely to be correct," says glaciologist Garry Clarke of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. If this bears out, he adds, "you could use the location of the lakes to map stripes across Antarctica and decide where the tectonic features are." That could help researchers understand mysteries such as the Gamburtsev Mountains, which do not appear to have been shaped by the tectonic activity that helped form other major mountain ranges.
A new survey of eastern Antarctica has revealed a surprising find: two lakes buried beneath a 4-kilometer-thick ice sheet that rival the famous Lake Vostok in size. The lakes may hold exotic life, and their position along ancient fault lines could shed light on how a nearby mountain range formed.
Earth scientists have so far spied about 145 subglacial lakes in Antarctica. Sandwiched between the ice above and bedrock below, the lakes stay liquid due to a combination of geothermal heat and the crushing pressure of the ice sheet. Lake Vostok, by far the largest of these lakes, is well-mapped, and a Russian team is now drilling through its ice cap in hopes of finding life inside. But scientists know little about most of the region's lakes, spotted only from sparse radar surveys.
A team led by geologist Robin Bell and glaciologist Michael Studinger, both at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York, revisited two hidden bodies of water glimpsed in earlier surveys. To conduct a more thorough analysis of the lakes, named 90°E and Sovetskaya, the team drew on a suite of data including new satellite images and decades-old gravity measurements, which use differences in the density of ice and water to gauge a lake's depth.
The study found that the lakes are second in size only to Lake Vostok and are nestled in deep depressions. At 2000 square kilometers, 90°E is roughly half the size of Rhode Island and reaches roughly a kilometer deep--about the same as Vostok. Sovetskaya is almost as large, at 1400 square kilometers, and likely as deep. The lakes' depths and the rugged terrain surrounding them suggest that they lie in crevasses along ancient faults, long dormant. Because the depressions that cradle the lakes are so large and deep, the researchers argue the lakes have likely stayed stable through climate changes and have been there since Antarctica was warm and rainy, more than 35 million years ago. If so, this may increase the chances that they harbor life, the team reports in the February issue of Geophysical Research Letters.
The idea that a lot of subglacial lakes form along faults is "very likely to be correct," says glaciologist Garry Clarke of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. If this bears out, he adds, "you could use the location of the lakes to map stripes across Antarctica and decide where the tectonic features are." That could help researchers understand mysteries such as the Gamburtsev Mountains, which do not appear to have been shaped by the tectonic activity that helped form other major mountain ranges.
Methane crisis
By Julie RehmeyerScienceNOW Daily News28 August 2006Oil seeping from the seafloor may have contributed to climate change long before the internal combustion engine did. The petroleum deposits are rich in the powerful greenhouse gas methane, which, according to a new study, may have played a major role in two previous episodes of global warming.Bedrock below the ocean bottom keeps a lid on oil reservoirs, but it's not an impermeable cap. Small cracks allow petroleum and methane to bubble to the surface. Once there, the petroleum oxidizes and turns to tar, which sinks. Meanwhile, the methane drifts into the atmosphere, where it makes up about 15% of the total amount of the gas sent skyward by natural sources such as wetlands and melting tundra. Humans contribute slightly more than all natural sources combined.
But does undersea methane make up a larger piece of the pie during periods of global warming? Paleo-oceanographers Tessa Hill of the University of California (UC), Davis, James Kennett of UC Santa Barbara, and collaborators attacked the question by looking at tar deposits from sediment cores taken off the Santa Barbara coast. They found 3 times more tar mixed into the sand from the last two major warming periods, 11,000 and 15,000 years ago, than was seen on average. This suggests that 3 times more oil was released from seeps during those periods, and 3 times more methane along with it, the team reports online this week in Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences. The team suggests that global warming may have first melted undersea methane ice, disturbing the sea floor and opening new cracks in the oil reservoirs.
"This is a source of methane that we might have assumed in the past was stable," says Hill. "As it turns out, it's very sensitive to climate change. I would anticipate that it would be sensitive to climate change in the future as well." If methane was released similarly from all the other marine reservoirs worldwide, it would account for nearly half the increase in atmospheric methane during those warming periods, says Hill, who believes this methane may have driven further warming. The researchers acknowledge, however, that global warming would probably affect different petroleum deposits differently, so such a simultaneous release is unlikely; further research will be needed at other oil seeps around the world, they say.
The evidence from Santa Barbara is "beautiful," says Jérôme Chappellaz, an atmospheric scientist at the Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Géophysique de l'Environnement in St Martin d'Hères Cedex, France. But he cautions against extrapolating to all marine oil reservoirs around the world. Evidence from carbon testing of ice core samples points away from marine methane sources and toward wetlands and melting tundra, he says.
Italy's Mount Etna
Sicily's greatest natural attraction is also its highest mountain. To the ancient Greeks, Mount Etna was the realm of Vulcan, god of fire, and the home of the one-eyed monster known as the Cyclops. At approximately 3350 meters, it is Europe's highest active volcano. The size of the summit changes with each eruption, and over the centuries a few lava flows have reached the coast. Over 1200 square meters of Etna's surface is covered with solidified lava. Etna offers skiing in the Winter months and breathtaking hikes in the woods during the Summer. There are also a number of smaller peaks on the slopes of Etna, and some interesting caverns. Since Etna is a strato volcano, with relatively cool lava temperatures and numerous openings (vents), nobody ever knows precisely where on its vast surface the next eruption will be. July 30,2001-For a two weeks, Europe's highest and most active volcano has been sending out huge clouds of smoke and black ash and rivers of lava, leading the government to declare a state of emergency in the area.
Two lava flows are working their way down the volcano's southern side, one of which emerged from a new fissure that cracked open on Wednesday at a height of 7,000 feet.
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
New Secret Weapon -- the Indestructible Sandwich
Picnics and packed school lunches may never be the same again, thanks to the latest breakthrough by military science -- the non-soggy sandwich.
Spurred on by rather unappetizing U.S. battlefield food known as Meals Ready to Eat, scientists at the Army Soldier Systems Center in Massachusetts have devised a vacuum-sealed sandwich that stays edible for up to three years.
"The water activity of the different sandwich components needs to complement each other," project officer Michelle Richardson told New Scientist magazine. "If the water activity of the meat is too high you might get soggy bread."
Using an array of chemicals to seal the meat and inhibit bacterial growth, the scientists already have produced pepperoni and barbecue chicken indestructible sandwiches, which have been given a cautious welcome by soldiers who agreed to try them.
Inspired by their apparent breakthrough, the scientists are now experimenting with pizzas, bagels, burritos and even the staple peanut butter sandwich.
Spurred on by rather unappetizing U.S. battlefield food known as Meals Ready to Eat, scientists at the Army Soldier Systems Center in Massachusetts have devised a vacuum-sealed sandwich that stays edible for up to three years.
"The water activity of the different sandwich components needs to complement each other," project officer Michelle Richardson told New Scientist magazine. "If the water activity of the meat is too high you might get soggy bread."
Using an array of chemicals to seal the meat and inhibit bacterial growth, the scientists already have produced pepperoni and barbecue chicken indestructible sandwiches, which have been given a cautious welcome by soldiers who agreed to try them.
Inspired by their apparent breakthrough, the scientists are now experimenting with pizzas, bagels, burritos and even the staple peanut butter sandwich.
Noise From Phone Can Chase Mosquitoes
South Korea's largest mobile phone operator said Thursday that it will offer cell phone users a new noise service that it says will repel mosquitoes.
SK Telecom Co. said subscribers can pay 3,000 won (US.50) to download a sound wave that is inaudible to human ears but annoys mosquitoes within a range of three feet. Customers can then play the sound by hitting a few buttons on their mobile phones.
The company claimed that the service worked during tests.
The service, which begins Monday, has one drawback: it consumes as much battery power as normal cell phone rings.
SK Telecom has 17 million subscribers and controls a little over 50 percent of the domestic market.
SK Telecom Co. said subscribers can pay 3,000 won (US.50) to download a sound wave that is inaudible to human ears but annoys mosquitoes within a range of three feet. Customers can then play the sound by hitting a few buttons on their mobile phones.
The company claimed that the service worked during tests.
The service, which begins Monday, has one drawback: it consumes as much battery power as normal cell phone rings.
SK Telecom has 17 million subscribers and controls a little over 50 percent of the domestic market.
Getting lost in the translation
Relying on online translation tools can be a risky business, especially if you expect too much of it. For the time being, might translation be something best left to the humans?Earlier this month the small German town of Homberg-an-der-Efze, north of Frankfurt, had to pulp an entire print run of its English-language tourism brochure - after officials used an internet translating tool to translate the German text.According to one report, the brochure was "rendered meaningless" by the online tool.
Martin Wagner, mayor of Homberg-an-der-Efze, admits that the town made a "blunder". As a result of officials trying to save money by getting the Internet to do a translator's job, a total of 7500 brochures had to be binned.
This story highlights some of the pitfalls of translating online. There are many instant translation tools on the web - but they are best used for individual words and short phrases, rather than for brochures, books or anything complex.
For example, one of the joys of the web is that it grants you access to an array of foreign news sources. Yet if you were to use a translation tool to try to make sense of such reports, you could end up with a rather skewed and surreal view of the world.
Why is foreign text "rendered meaningless" when passed through an online translation tool? According to Sabine Reul, who runs a Frankfurt-based translation company, translation tools have limited uses - and problems arise when web users expect too much from them.
"A translation tool works for some things," says Reul. "Say a British company wants to order a box of screws from a German supplier. A sentence like 'We need one box of a certain type of screw' is something that a machine could translate reasonably accurately - though primitively."
Yet when it comes to translating blocks of text - words and sentences that convey thoughts and sentiments - online tools are bound to fail, she adds. "Beyond simple sentences, the online process simply doesn't work because machines don't understand grammar and semantics, never mind idiom and style."
"Language is not a system of signs in the mechanical sense of the word", says Reul. "It is a living medium that is used to convey thought. And that is where machines fail. Human input is indispensable as long as computers cannot think."
Reul and other translators look forward to the day when clever computers might help to ease their workload - but that time has not arrived yet.
"It would be nice if computers could do the job. And certainly the quest for machine translation has prompted a lot of linguistic research that may prove valuable in unforeseen ways. But experience to date confirms that even the most subtle computer program doesn't think - and you need to be able to think in order to translate."
Until the dawn of thinking computers, online translation tools are best reserved for words, basic sentences and useful holiday phrases. For tourism brochures, newspaper reports and the rest, you will have to rely on some old-fashioned "human input".
Search for 'human computer'
A Northern Ireland team is leading the search for a thinking computer which can sense a user's mood.
Researchers at Queen's University in Belfast hope to complete the 10m euro project for an emotion-sensitive computer within four years.
The aim is to enable computers to think and behave more like humans.
The European-wide project is being coordinated from the university's School of Psychology and involves 160 researchers from 27 institutions.
The university's researchers developed the proposal and negotiated the contract with the European Commission.
The academics said the work would build upon attempts to create "multi-modal interfaces" which allow machines to sense and respond to the moods of the user.
Programme coordinator Professor Roddy Cowie said while it sounded like science fiction, computers which responded to human emotion would emerge.
"At the moment, our use of computers is limited by the fact that we need a keyboard and a screen to access them," he said.
"It would make an enormous difference if we could interact with them by speaking normally - perhaps through a microphone and a transmitter in a 'Star Trek' badge.
"But emotion is part of normal speech, and experience has shown that most users are deeply uncomfortable with speech interfaces that ignore it - too uncomfortable to use them very much.
"If we can make computers more intuitive and expressive, and also less challenging to use, there is enormous potential to let people make fuller use of information technology."
The emotion-sensitive computer would have its own "personality" and establish a social relationship with the user.
"It's a fair bet that in 30 years' time, emotion-sensitive interfaces will be as much part of life as windows and mouse interfaces are now," said Professor Cowie.
The project team believes such computers would play a major role in teaching and learning.
Researchers at Queen's University in Belfast hope to complete the 10m euro project for an emotion-sensitive computer within four years.
The aim is to enable computers to think and behave more like humans.
The European-wide project is being coordinated from the university's School of Psychology and involves 160 researchers from 27 institutions.
The university's researchers developed the proposal and negotiated the contract with the European Commission.
The academics said the work would build upon attempts to create "multi-modal interfaces" which allow machines to sense and respond to the moods of the user.
Programme coordinator Professor Roddy Cowie said while it sounded like science fiction, computers which responded to human emotion would emerge.
"At the moment, our use of computers is limited by the fact that we need a keyboard and a screen to access them," he said.
"It would make an enormous difference if we could interact with them by speaking normally - perhaps through a microphone and a transmitter in a 'Star Trek' badge.
"But emotion is part of normal speech, and experience has shown that most users are deeply uncomfortable with speech interfaces that ignore it - too uncomfortable to use them very much.
"If we can make computers more intuitive and expressive, and also less challenging to use, there is enormous potential to let people make fuller use of information technology."
The emotion-sensitive computer would have its own "personality" and establish a social relationship with the user.
"It's a fair bet that in 30 years' time, emotion-sensitive interfaces will be as much part of life as windows and mouse interfaces are now," said Professor Cowie.
The project team believes such computers would play a major role in teaching and learning.
Blog reading explodes in America
Americans are becoming avid blog readers, with 32 million getting hooked in 2004, according to new research.The survey, conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, showed that blog readership has shot up by 58% in the last year.
Some of this growth is attributable to political blogs written and read during the US presidential campaign.
Despite the explosive growth, more than 60% of online Americans have still never heard of blogs, the survey found.
Blogs, or web logs, are online spaces in which people can publish their thoughts, opinions or spread news events in their own words.
Companies such as Google and Microsoft provide users with the tools to publish their own blogs.
Reading blogs remains far more popular than writing them, the survey found.
Only 7% of the 120 million US adults who use the internet had created a blog or web-based diary.
Getting involved is becoming more popular though, with 12% saying they had posted material or comments on other people's blogs. Just under one in 10 of the US's internet users read political blogs such as the Daily Kos or Instapundit during the US presidential campaign.
Kerry voters were slightly more likely to read them than Bush voters.
Blog creators were likely to be young, well-educated, net-savvy males with good incomes and college educations, the survey found.
This was also true of the average blog reader, although the survey found there was a greater than average growth in blog readership among women and those in minorities.
'Robot soldiers' bound for Iraq
The US military is planning to deploy robots armed with machine-guns to wage war against insurgents in Iraq.
Eighteen of the 1m-high robots, equipped with cameras and operated by remote control, are going to Iraq this spring.
The machine is based on a robot already used by the military to disable bombs.
Officials say the robot warrior is fast, accurate and will track and attack the enemy with relatively little risk to the lives of US soldiers.
Unlike its human counterparts, the armed robot does not require food, clothing, training, motivation or a pension.
When not needed in war, it can be mothballed in a warehouse.
However, the robot will rely on its human operator, remotely studying footage from its cameras, for the order to open fire.
According to Bob Quinn, a manager with Foster-Miller, the US-based company which worked with the military to develop the robot, the only difference for a soldier is that "his weapon is not at his shoulder, it's up to half a mile away".
The robot fighter has been christened Swords, after the acronym for Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems.
It is based on the Talon robot, which is widely used by the military to disarm bombs.
A US officer who helped test the robot said it was a more accurate shot than the average soldier because it is mounted on a stable platform and takes aim electronically.
Eighteen of the 1m-high robots, equipped with cameras and operated by remote control, are going to Iraq this spring.
The machine is based on a robot already used by the military to disable bombs.
Officials say the robot warrior is fast, accurate and will track and attack the enemy with relatively little risk to the lives of US soldiers.
Unlike its human counterparts, the armed robot does not require food, clothing, training, motivation or a pension.
When not needed in war, it can be mothballed in a warehouse.
However, the robot will rely on its human operator, remotely studying footage from its cameras, for the order to open fire.
According to Bob Quinn, a manager with Foster-Miller, the US-based company which worked with the military to develop the robot, the only difference for a soldier is that "his weapon is not at his shoulder, it's up to half a mile away".
The robot fighter has been christened Swords, after the acronym for Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems.
It is based on the Talon robot, which is widely used by the military to disarm bombs.
A US officer who helped test the robot said it was a more accurate shot than the average soldier because it is mounted on a stable platform and takes aim electronically.
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