Culture

Americans in the eyes of morality

2008-12-14T05:31:00.000-08:00

Do Americans have any morals?That's a good question.Many people insist that ideas about right and wrong are merely personal opinions.Some voices,though,are calling Americans back to traditional moral values.William J.Bennett,former U.S.Secretary of Education,edited The Book of Virtues in 1993to do just that.Bennett suggests that great moral stories can build character.The success of Bennett's book shows that many Americans still believe in moral values.But what are they?
To begin with,moral values in America are like those in any culture.In fact,many aspects of morality are universal.But the stories and traditions that teach them are unique to each culture.Not only that,but culture influences how people show these virtues.
One of the most basic moral values for Americans is honesty.The well-known legend about George Washington and the cherry tree teaches this value clearly.Little George cut down his father's favorite cherry tree while trying out his new hatchet.When his father asked him about it,George said,"I cannot tell a lie.I did it with my hatchet."Instead of punishment,George received praise for telling the truth.Sometimes American honesty-being open and direct-can offend people.But Americans still believe that "honesty is the best policy."
Another virtue Americans respect is perseverance.Remember Aesop's fable about the turtle and the rabbit that had a race?The rabbit thought he could win easily,so he took a nap.But the turtle finally won because he did not give up.Another story tells of a little train that had to climb a steep hill.The hill was so steep that the little train had a hard time trying to get over it.But the train just kept pulling,all the while saying,"I think I can,I think I can."At last,the train was over the top of the hill."I thought I could,I thought I could,"chugged the happy little train.
Compassion may be the queen of American virtues.The story of "The Good Samaritan"from the Bible describes a man who showed compassion.On his way to a certain city,a Samaritan man found a poor traveler lying on the road.The traveler had been beaten and robbed.The kind Samaritan,instead of just passing by,stopped to help this person in need.Compassion can even turn into a positive cycle.In fall 1992,people in Iowa sent truckloads of water to help Floridians hit by a hurricane.The next summer,during the Midwest flooding,Florida returned the favor.In less dramatic ways,millions of Americans are quietly passing along the kindnesses shown to them.
In no way can this brief description cover all the moral values honored by Americans.Courage,responsibility,loyalty,gratitude and many others could be discussed.In fact,Bennett's bestseller-over 800pages-highlights just 10virtues.Even Bennett admits that he has only scratched the surface.But no matter how long or short the list,moral values are invaluable.They are the foundation of American culture-and any culture.

I'm a Chinese-American

2008-12-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

On February 22, during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, the Seattle Times sports pages carried an article with the secondary headline "American outshines Kwan, Slutskaya in skating surprise".As one reader commented in an angry note to the editors, "The sub-headline, of course, implied that Kwan is not American. That hit the nerves of many Chinese-Americans such as I, who, on more than one occasion, are perceived and treated as foreigners, as if people with yellow skins can't be American." The Seattle Times apologized for the mistake, describing it as the result of sloppy editing. But I was reminded of the story about Bruce Lee, the famous kung-fu actor: when he first met his mother-in-law (a Caucasian) and introduced himself as an American born in the USA, she allegedly replied, "You're an American citizen, not an American."
Having lived in the US for decades, I am not unfamiliar with racial discrimination. Interestingly, discrimination can be positive (in other words, I have sometimes been treated better than members of other groups) as well as negative, and such treatment can come from people of all races: Anglos, Africans, Hispanics, even other Asians. How should we people of Chinese origin interpret all this? Is the Michelle Kwan flap an indicator of enduring racial discrimination in the US?
Webster's New World Dictionary defines "to discriminate" as "(1) to distinguish, (2) to make distinction in treatment; show partiality or prejudice." Thus, racial discrimination is about distinguishing among people, showing antipathy towards some on the basis of race and ethnicity. Almost 40 years after the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act, racism is alive and well in America, just as much as in any other part of the world. From my experience, the American style of racial discrimination can be classified in three ways: hereditary, tactical and inferential.
There is a professional person I know who, though brilliant in many ways, likes to make openly derogatory remarks about African-Americans. For him, being mean to blacks is part of his heritage.When people are brought up to believe that whites are whites, blacks are blacks, and naturally, Chinese are Chinese, you have a sort of "hereditary" discrimination. This is passed from generation to generation unless something is done about these people's attitude towards racial differences.
Years ago, the Chinese community filed a lawsuit against the State of California accusing it of discriminatory treatment of the Chinese.The plaintiffs pointed out that a certain number of Chinese students had been rejected by California's public universities despite shavings better marks and test scores than some successful applicants. The probable reason? The universities wanted to admit additional non-Chinese ethnic-minority students so as to seem more culturally diverse. Such discriminatory behavior was "tactical" because the Chinese students just happened to be standing in the way of university administrators. When it becomes institutionally beneficial to change the attitude towards Chinese students, the tactics will change accordingly.
Finally, people like to stereotype. This is an inferential process based on limited data. Many Chinese think that Westerners are wealthy and well-educated and live happier lives. This is because the few Westerners they have encountered seem that way. Similarly, many Americans, bombarded by media images of young Asians winning awards and scholarships, believe all Chinese students are smart, hard-working over-achievers. What Chinese and Americans alike do not seem to realize is that they are using a poor sample to make inferences about the underlying population. Just as there are many impoverished, uneducated, unhappy Westerners, there are likewise many lazy, under-performing Chinese. Some Americans err in making inferences about the Chinese, who in turn take offense at their mistaken notions.
What recourse do we have? Against hereditary discrimination there is only the slow process of enlightening people to the historical evil and vile everyday pettiness of discriminating on the basis of race. Over time less of this mentality will be transmitted to the next generation. Tactical discrimination needs to be exposed in the media and the courts. When that happens, there ceases to be any advantage in it. Inferential discrimination can be gradually overcome through education. A better-informed population will make fewer shallow judgements.
Maybe the next time somebody tells me that I am not an American I should say, "I'm glad you noticed that. I'm a Chinese-American and proud to be one!"

Jazz And The Essence of America

2008-12-07T18:48:00.000-08:00

Considering how jazz is transcribed in Chinese (jueshi), you may be misledsintosassuming that it is an aristocratic cultural form. Nothing could be further from the truth. It originated among black Americans at the end of the 19th century, at a time when they occupied the very bottom of the American social heap.
So how has something that was created by a once downtrodden and despised minority acquired a central place in today's American culture? Mr Darrell A Jenks, director of the American Center for Educational Exchange, and also a drummer in the jazz band Window, analyses the phenomenon for us here. Jazz: the soul of America
Perhaps the essence of America is that you could never get two Americans to agree on just what that might be. After thinking about it for a while, we might chuckle and say, "Hmm, seems like being American is a bit more complicated than we thought." Certainly things like individualism, success (the "American Dream"), innovation and tolerance stand out. But these things come together because of our ability to work with one another and find common purpose no matter how diverse we might be.
Some, like African-American writer Ralph Ellison, be-lieve that jazz captures the essence of America. For good reason,for in jazz all of the characteristics I mentioned above come together. The solos are a celebration of individual brilliance that can't take place without thesgroupsefforts of the rhythm section. Beyond that, though, jazz has a connection to the essence of America in a much more fundamental way. It is an expression of the African roots of American culture, a musical medium that exemplifies the culture of the Africans whose culture came to dominate much of what is American.
That's right, in many respects America's roots are in Africa. Read Ralph Ellison's perceptive description of the transformation of separate African and European cultures at the hands of the slaves:
"...the dancing of those slaves who, looking through the windows of a plantation manor house from the yard, im-itated the steps so gravely performed by the masters within and then added to them their own special flair,burlesquing the white folks and then going on to force the stepssintosa choreography uniquely their own. The whites, looking out at the activity in the yard, thought that they were being flat-tered by imitation and were amused by the incongruity of tattered blacks dancing courtly steps, while missing com-pletely the fact that before their eyes a European cultural form was becoming Americanized, undergoing a metamor-phosis through the mocking activity of a people partially sprung from Africa." (Ralph Ellison, Living with Music, pp 83-4).
　 Jazz brought together elements from Africa and Europe, fusing themsintosa new culture, an expression unique to the Americas.
Out of this fusion came an idea that we Americans be-lieve central to our identity: tolerance. Both cultures repre-sented in Ellison's passage eventually came to realize each other's value. Americans acknowledge that in diversity is our strength. We learn every day that other cultures and peoples may make valuable contributions to our way of life. Jazz music is the embodiment of this ideal, combining elements from African and European culturesintosa distinctly American music.
Jazz reflects two contradictory facets of American life. On the one hand it is a team effort,swheresevery musician is completely immersed in what thesgroupsdoes together, lis-tening to each of the other players and building on their contributions to create a musical whole. On the other hand, the band features a soloist who is an individual at the extreme, a genius like Charlie Parker who explores musical territoryswheresno one has ever gone before. In the same sense, American life is also a combination of teamwork and individualism, a combination of individual brilliance with the ability to work with others.
We hope that many Chinese friends can bring their own unique contributions to our music, adding their own culture to our American heritage. As Ralph Ellison said of the US, "We have the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and we have jazz."

American Food

2008-12-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

"You are what you eat."Nutrition experts often use this saying to promote better eating habits.What we put in our mouths does become a part of us.But we can look at this statement another way.What we eat reflects who we are--as people and as a culture.Do you want to understand another culture?Then you ought to find out about its food.Learning about American food can give us a real taste of American culture.
What is "American food"?At first you might think the answer is easy as pie.To many people,American food means hamburgers,hot dogs,fried chicken and pizza.If you have a "sweet tooth,"you might even think of apple pie or chocolate chip cookies.It's true that Americans do eat those things.But are those the only kind of vittles you can find in America?
Except for Thanksgiving turkey,it's hard to find a typically "American"food.The United States is a land of immigrants.So Americans eat food from many different countries.When people move to America,they bring their cooking styles with them.That's why you can find almost every kind of ethnic food in America.In some cases,Americans have adopted foods from other countries as favorites.Americans love Italian pizza,Mexican tacos and Chinese egg rolls.But the American version doesn't taste quite like the original!
As with any large country,the U.S.A has several distinct regions.Each region boasts its own special style of food.Visit the South and enjoy country-style cooking.Journey through Louisiana for some spicy Cajun cuisine.Take a trip to New England and sample savory seafood dishes.Travel through the Midwest,"the breadbasket of the nation,"for delicious baked goods.Cruise over to the Southwest and try some tasty Tex-Mex treats.Finish your food tour in the Pacific Northwest with some gourmet coffee.
Americans living at a fast pace often just "grab a quick bite."Fast food restaurants offer people on the run everything from fried chicken to fried rice.Microwave dinners and instant foods make cooking at home a snap.Of course,one of the most common quick American meals is a sandwich.If it can fit between two slices of bread,Americans probably make a sandwich out of it.Peanut butter and jelly is an all-time American favorite.
Americans on the go also tend to eat a lot of "junk food."Potato chips,candy bars,soft drinks and other goodies are popular treats.Many people eat too many of these unhealthy snacks.But others opt for more healthy eating habits.Some even go "all natural."They refuse to eat any food prepared with chemicals or additives.
American culture is a good illustration of the saying "you are what you eat."Americans represent a wide range of backgrounds and ways of thinking.The variety of foods enjoyed in the U.S.reflects the diversity of personal tastes.The food may be international or regional.Sometimes it's fast,and sometimes it's not so fast.It might be junk food,or maybe it's natural food.In any case,the style is all-American.

The History of Coffee

2008-11-28T02:12:00.001-08:00

The history and development of the beverage that we know as coffee is varied and interesting, involving chance occurrences, political intrigue, and the pursuit of wealth and power. According to one story, a sheepherder named Kaldi as he tended his sheep noticed the effect of coffee beans on behavior. He noticed that the sheep became hyperactive after eating the red "cherries" from a certain plant when they changed pastures. He tried a few themselves, and was soon as overactive as his herd. The story relates that a monk happened by and scolded him for "partaking of the devil's fruit." However the monks soon discovered that this fruit from the shiny green plant could help them stay awake for their prayers. Another legend gives us the name for coffee or "mocha." An Arabian was banished to the desert with his followers to die of starvation. In desperation, Omar had his friends boil and eat the fruit from an unknown plant. Not only did the broth save the exiles, but the residents of the nearest town, Mocha, took their survival as a religious sign. The plant and its beverage were named Mocha to honor this event. One early use for coffee would have little appeal today. The Galla tribe from Ethiopia used coffee, but not as a drink. They would wrap the beans in animal fat as their only source of nutrition while on raiding parties. The Turks were the first countries to adopt it as a drink, often adding spices such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise to the brew. Coffee was introduced much later to countries beyond Arabia whose inhabitants believed it to be a delicacy and guarded its secret as if they were top secret military plans. The government forbade transportation of the plant out of the Moslem nations. The actual spread of coffee was started illegally. One Arab named Baba Budan smuggled beans to some mountains near Mysore, India, and started a farm there. Early in this century, the descendants of those original plants were found still growing fruitfully in the region. Coffee was believed by some Christians to be the devil's drink. Pope Vincent III heard this and decided to taste it before he banished it. He enjoyed it so much and baptized it, saying, "coffee is so delicious it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it."Coffee today is grown and enjoyed worldwide, and is one of the few crops that small farmers in third-world countries can profitably export.

What you need to know kissing

2008-11-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

Not all the kisses are connected with sexual love. Kissing also　　　　
signifies courtesy in every country of Europe and America.　　
Kissing on the back of the palm signifies respect.　　
Kissing on the forehead signifies friendship.　　
Kissing on the cheek signifies deep feeling.　　
Kissing on the lips signifies love.　　
Kissing on the eyelid signifies adoration.　　
Kissing on the palm signifies desire.　　
Kissing on the wrist or on the neck signifies desirous feeling.　　
Kissing on other part of the body signifies intense emotion

“ABC” and "banana"

2008-11-21T05:42:00.000-08:00

A professor of mine once told a story about when she went to the United States to study.A native Eritrean, she had received a scholarship to pursue a bachelor's degree at an American university. The university organized a trip to Disneyland for her and the other international students. Before the group of international students went to Los Angeles, the coordinators of the trip informed the students from Africa that they should wear their "traditional" costumes, not Western-style clothing.Why?The coordinators were afraid that the African students would be "mistaken" for African-Americans simply because their skin color was also dark.At that time, the 1960s, there was still much overt racial discrimination against African-Americans.Insgroupsto avoid trouble, the coordinators wanted to make sure that their African students did not look African-American.
She ended her story by asking us to think about what we thought she was before we had met her. Her last name is Italian; did we think she was Italian? When we first saw her, did we assume that she was a black American?How much can we really know about a person based upon hair color, skin color, facial structure or body shape?
Identity is a difficult subject to discuss because it is so personal, and it is even more difficult to describe someone's identity clearly in a country like the USswheresjust about everyone's family came from somewhere else. My professor, until she left Eritrea, always considered herself Eritrean.When she got to America, however, people looked at her and saw a black woman, not an Eritrean woman. Similarly, Japanese, Koreans and Chinese people come to the US and are often just called "Asians".Appearance is used as the main condition for identity, although appearances can be quite deceiving.
　　Is there a difference between a Chinese person born in China and a person born in the US to parents from China?Most people would agree that there is.There are certain phrases that people frequently use insgroupsto define the Chinese-American identity. The two most commonly heard terms are "ABC", meaning an American-born Chinese, and "banana".The former is often considered an acceptable label for people of Chinese descent born in the US; in Canada there is the corresponding term "CBC" for Canadian-born Chinese.The second term, banana, is usually regarded as derogatory or offensive, and it refers to someone who is "yellow" on the outside but "white" on the inside.
The phrase ABC is used so commonly that many people think it is an appropriate description of Chinese-Americans.However, the phrase hides what I think is a very dangerous belief about identity. Identity is developed and learned, not given at birth.To say that someone is an American-born Chinese is to suggest that if that person were born anywhere else in the world, he/she would still be fundamentally Chinese because Chineseness, the quality of being Chinese, is inherent in this person.It implies that an ABC is Chinese first and just happened to be born in the United States.Yet being Chinese is not an inherent quality that one person has simply because he or she looks Chinese.Just about every Chinese-American recognizes that there are huge differences in personality, behavior and physical appearance between themselves and their native Chinese counterparts.
　These differences are what the term "banana" addresses.Bananas are yellow-skinned but with white insides - for people, this is meant to describe individuals who look Chinese but whose "insides", that is, their behavior and personality, are "white".But this also carries a demeaning and offensive undertone: that these people are only half-real, they are neither completely Chinese nor actually white. Even worse, the term is sometimes used to suggest that Chinese-Americans really wish that they were white.Being white, of course, is assumed to mean being American, which is a third misconception.Not all Americans are white, and in not too many years the majority of the population in America won't be white (i.e. of purely European descent) at all.
Identity for everyone is a matter of experience and circumstance, not skin color or general appearance.What terms like ABC and banana ignore is that being Chinese-American constitutes a very real identity in its own right.Chinese-Americans are not necessarily caught between the East and the West.The Chinese-American identity is one that has developed over many generations in the US (since the 1840s), but one that can also be shared by recent immigrants and their families.It is important because it is different, because it is the product of blending social and cultural influences, and these differences should be recognized and not brushed aside.

England in the 1500s

2008-11-17T22:07:00.000-08:00

Here are some facts about the England in the 1500s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and, still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then, all the other sons and men, then, the women and, finally, the children -- last of all the babies. By then, the water was so dirty you could, actually, lose someone in it -- hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water
Houses had thatched roofs -- thick straw, piled high, with no wood, underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so, all the dogs, cats, and other small animals (mice， rats, and bugs), lived in the roof. When it rained, it became slippery and, sometimes, the animals would slip and fall off the roof -- hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom, where bugs and other droppings could, really, mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top, afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor."
The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter, when wet, so, they spread thresh on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entry way -- hence, a "thresh hold."
They cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day, they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and, then, start over the next day. Sometimes, the stew had food in it, that had been there for quite a while -- hence the rhyme, "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."
Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man " could bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so, for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Most people did not have pewter plates, but, had trenchers, a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often, trenchers were made from stale paysan bread, which was so old and hard that they could use them for quite some time. Trenchers were never washed, and, a lot of times, worms and mold got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy moldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth."
Bread was divided, according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or, "upper crust".
Lead cups were used to drink ale or Whisky . The combination would, sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up -- hence the custom of holding a "wake."
England is old and small, and, they started out running out of places to bury people. So, they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside, and, they realized they had been burying people alive. So, they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the " graveyard shift" ) to listen for the bell.

Queen a Bargain for Canadians

2008-11-14T22:17:00.000-08:00

Canada gets its constitutional monarchy cheap, paying just C$1.10 (45 pence) per citizen per year, or half the cost of running one of Ottawa's main museums, according to a study by a royalist group. The Monarchist League of Canada said the $1.10 pays for the expenses of the Governor General, the Queen's representative in Canada, and for the expenses of lieutenant governors in Canadian provinces. It also pays for royal visits, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee tour of Canada. That works out at under half the annual cost of the Museum of Civilisation, across the river from the capital Ottawa, or half the cost of running the Senate. "It's a pretty bare bones operation," said Monarchist League of Canada Chairman John Aimers. "It's a very modest and appropriate expenditure." Aimers said that even without the monarchy, Canada would still spend money on visiting foreign ambassadors and heads of state, and someone would be required to do the largely ceremonial governor general's job. "The costs would still be the same," he said. The governor general and lieutenant governors represent the Queen, who is Canada's head of state. Canadians foot the bill for security and other issues when members of the royal family visit Canada. But they don't pay for royal vacations, like the ski trip to Whistler, British Columbia, taken by Prince Charles and his sons in 1998.

"Loyal" Donkeys Better Than Wives, Says Textbook

2008-11-06T05:06:00.000-08:00

A textbook used at schools in the Indian state of Rajasthan compares housewives to donkeys, and suggests the animals make better companions as they complain less and are more loyal to their "masters," The Times of India reported Tuesday
"A donkey is like a housewife ... In fact, the donkey is a shade better, for while the housewife may sometimes complain and walk off to her parents' home, you'll never catch the donkey being disloyal to his master," the newspaper reported, quoting a Hindi-language primer meant for 14-year-olds.
The book was approved by the state's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party government but has sparked protests from the party's women's wing.
State education officials in Rajasthan, a western state known for its conservative attitude toward women, said people should not be upset by the comparison, the paper said.
"The comparison was made in good humor," state education official A.R. Khan was quoted as saying. "However, protests have been taken note of and the board is in the process of removing it (the reference)."

Paris Invents New Love Messages

2008-11-04T01:36:00.000-08:00

Declarations of undying devotion will flash across Paris's municipal bulletin boards every 20 seconds next month as the French capital invents a new way to say "I love you" on Valentine's Day. Bertrand Delanoe, the left-wing mayor known for his innovative city festivals, said the electronic boards would carry the best short love letters on February 14 - Valentine's Day - and throughout that weekend, adding that they would "help Parisians tell each other 'I love you'". He urged Parisians to send in their messages with a note indicating which neighbourhood they wanted them to be posted in. A special committee would pick out the best ones to display. The illuminated boards, which normally announce everything from city festivals to traffic warnings, stand at key squares and intersections all around the French capital.

The Pyramids，Egypt

2008-10-24T07:30:00.001-07:00

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 Khufu. 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.

The Emperor's New Clothes

2008-10-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

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.

Using GPS to track car thieves

2008-10-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

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.

Phi Ta Khon Festival

2008-10-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

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.

Dragon Boat Festival

2008-10-09T23:02:00.000-07:00

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.

Deaf-Blind Awareness Week

2008-10-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Father's Day

2008-10-09T23:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Memorial Day (U.S.)

2008-10-07T23:08:00.002-07:00

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.

Mother's Day

2008-10-07T23:08:00.001-07:00

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.

Earth Day

2008-10-07T23:07:00.000-07:00

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.

Mutant Gene "Sparked Art and Culture"

2008-10-06T20:46:00.001-07:00

　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

2008-10-06T20:45:00.002-07:00

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

2008-10-06T20:45:00.001-07:00

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?

2008-10-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

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.

New study shows happiness fights the common cold

2008-10-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

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.

Skip the Milk Chocolate, Dark Is Better for You

2008-10-05T19:50:00.001-07:00

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.

Toast Red Wine for a Ripe Old Age?

2008-10-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

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.

New video game recreates Kennedy assassination

2008-10-05T01:16:00.001-07:00

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.

Roberts set for 10th People award

2008-10-05T01:15:00.002-07:00

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.

Posh and Becks doubles to wed

2008-10-05T01:15:00.001-07:00

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."

The Richest Town in America

2008-10-04T00:48:00.001-07:00

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.

Kona Coast dive site

2008-10-04T00:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Romantic Paris

2008-10-04T00:42:00.000-07:00

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!)

Grand Canyon

2008-10-04T00:40:00.000-07:00

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.”

Sex and Sin Make a Comeback in Las Vegas

2008-10-04T00:38:00.002-07:00

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."

Boeing launches long-haul passenger jet

2008-10-04T00:38:00.001-07:00

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.

Sports are a kind of education

2008-10-03T01:41:00.000-07:00

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.

TV on the growth of crimes against children

2008-10-03T01:35:00.000-07:00

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.

We‘re Raising Children,Not Flowers!

2008-10-03T01:32:00.000-07:00

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.

Frozen Land O' Lakes

2008-10-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

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.

Methane crisis

2008-10-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

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.

New Secret Weapon -- the Indestructible Sandwich

2008-10-01T00:56:00.001-07:00

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.

Noise From Phone Can Chase Mosquitoes

2008-10-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

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.

Getting lost in the translation

2008-10-01T00:54:00.000-07:00

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'

2008-10-01T00:53:00.002-07:00

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.

Blog reading explodes in America

2008-10-01T00:53:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-01T00:51:00.000-07:00

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.

St. Valentine's Day

2008-09-30T06:12:00.001-07:00

St. Valentine's Day has roots in several different legends that have found their way to us through the ages. One of the earliest popular symbols of the day is Cupid, the Roman god of love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow.
Three hundred years after the death of Jesus Christ, the Roman emperors still demanded that everyone believe in the Roman gods. Valentine, a Christian priest, had been thrown in prison for his teachings. On February 14, Valentine was beheaded, not only because he was a Christian, but also because he had performed a miracle. He supposedly cured the jailer's daughter of her blindness. The night before he was executed, he wrote the jailer's daughter a farewell letter, signing it "From Your Valentine." Another legend tells us that this same Valentine, well-loved by all, received notes to his jail cell from children and friends who missed him.
Another Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at about the same time, AD 200. He was imprisoned because he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman emperor. Some legends say he was burned at the stake.
February 14 was also a Roman holiday, held in honor of a goddess. Young men randomly chose the name of a young girl to escort to the festivities. The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this date spread through Europe in the Middle Ages, and then to the early American colonies. Throughout the ages, people also believed that birds picked their mates on February 14!
In AD 496 Sain Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as "Valentine's Day". Although it's not an official holiday, most Americans observe this day.
Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St. Valentine's Day is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send roses, the flower of love. Most people send "valentines," a greeting card named after the notes that St. Valentine received in jail. Valentines can be sentimental, romantic and heartfelt. They can be funny and friendly. If the sender is shy, valentines can be anonymous.
Americans of all ages love to send and receive valentines. Handmade valentines created by cutting hearts out of colored paper, show that a lot of thought was put into making them personal. Valentines can be heart-shaped, or have hearts, the symbol of love, on them. In elementary schools children make valentines for their classmates and put them in a large decorated box, similar to a mailbox. On February 14, the teacher opens the box and distributes the valentines to each student. After the students read their valentines they have a small party with refreshments.
For teenagers and adults, major newspapers throughout the country have a Valentine's Day offer. Anyone can send in a message, for a small fee of course, destined for a would-be sweetheart, a good friend, an acquaintance or even a spouse of fifty years. The message is printed in a special section of the newspaper on February 14.

Lantern Festival

2008-09-30T06:10:00.001-07:00

The 15th day of the 1st lunar month
The 15th day of the 1st lunar month is the Chinese Lantern Festival because the first lunar month is called yuan-month and in the ancient times people called night Xiao. The 15th day is the first night to see a full moon. So the day is also called Yuan Xiao Festival in China.According to the Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. At this time, people will try to solve the puzzles on the lanterns and eat yuanxiao (glutinous rice ball) and get all their families united in the joyful atmosphere.
History
Until the Sui Dynasty in the sixth century, Emperor Yangdi invited envoys from other countries to China to see the colorful lighted lanterns and enjoy the gala,performances.
By the beginning of the Tang Dynasty in the seventh century, the lantern displays would last three days. The emperor also lifted the curfew,allowing the people to enjoy the festive lanterns day and night. It is not difficult to find Chinese poems which describe this happy scene.
In the Song Dynasty, the festival was celebrated for five days and the activities began to spread to many of the big cities in China. Colorful glass and even jade were used to make lanterns, with figures from folk tales painted on the lanterns.
However, the largest Lantern Festival celebration took place in the early part of the 15th century. The festivities continued for ten days. Emperor Chengzu had the downtown area set aside as a center for displaying the lanterns. Even today, there is a place in Beijing called Dengshikou. In Chinese, Deng means lantern and Shi is market. The area became a market where lanterns were sold during the day. In the evening, the local people would go there to see the beautiful lighted lanterns on display.
Today, the displaying of lanterns is still a big event on the 15th day of the first lunar month throughout China. People enjoy the brightly lit night. Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, for example, holds a lantern fair each year in the Cultural Park. During the Lantern Festival, the park is literally an ocean of lanterns! Many new designs attract countless visitors. The most eye-catching lantern is the Dragon Pole. This is a lantern in the shape of a golden dragon, spiraling up a 27-meter -high pole, spewing fireworks from its mouth. It is quite an impressive sight!
Origin
There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. But one thing for sure is that it had something to do with religious worship.
One legend tells us that it was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven in ancient times. The belief was that the God of Heaven controlled the destiny of the human world. He had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought, storms, famine or pestilence,upon human beings. Beginning with Qinshihuang, the first emperor to unite the country, all subsequent emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year. The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring favorable weather and good health to him and his people. Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty directed special attention to this event. In 104 BC, he proclaimed it one of the most important celebrations and the ceremony would last throughout the night.
Another legend associates the Lantern Festival with Taoism. Tianguan is the Taoist god responsible for good fortune. His birthday falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is said that Tianguan likes all types of entertainment. So followers prepare various kinds of activities during which they pray for good fortune.
The third story about the origin of the festival is like this. Buddhism first entered China during the reign of Emperor Mingdi of the Eastern Han Dynasty. That was in the first century. However, it did not exert any great influence among the Chinese people. one day, Emperor Mingdi had a dream about a gold man in his palace. At the very moment when he was about to ask the mysterious figure who he was, the gold man suddenly rose to the sky and disappeared in the west. The next day, Emperor Mingdi sent a scholar to India on a pilgrimage（朝圣）to locate Buddhist scriptures. After journeying thousands of miles, the scholar finally returned with the scriptures. Emperor Mingdi ordered that a temple be built to house a statue of Buddha and serve as a repository for the scriptures. Followers believe that the power of Buddha can dispel darkness. So Emperor Mingdi ordered his subjects to display lighted lanterns during what was to become the Lantern Festival.
Yuanxiao
Besides entertainment and beautiful lanterns, another important part of the Lantern Festival,or Yuanxiao Festival is eating small dumpling balls made of glutinous rice flour. We call these balls Yuanxiao or Tangyuan. Obviously, they get the name from the festival itself. It is said that the custom of eating Yuanxiao originated during the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the fourth centuty, then became popular during the Tang and Song periods.
The fillings inside the dumplings or Yuansiao are either sweet or salty. Sweet fillings are made of sugar, Walnuts, sesame, osmanthus flowers, rose petals, sweetened tangerine peel, bean paste, or jujube paste. A single ingredient or any combination can be used as the filling . The salty variety is filled with minced meat, vegetables or a mixture.
The way to make Yuanxiao also varies between northern and southern China. The usual method followed in southern provinces is to shape the dough of rice flour into balls, make a hole, insert the filling, then close the hole and smooth out the dumpling by rolling it between your hands. In North China, sweet or nonmeat stuffing is the usual ingredient. The fillings are pressed into hardened cores, dipped lightly in water and rolled in a flat basket containing dry glutinous rice flour. A layer of the flour sticks to the filling, which is then again dipped in water and rolled a second time in the rice flour. And so it goes, like rolling a snowball, until the dumpling is the desired size.
The custom of eating Yuanxiao dumplings remains. This tradition encourages both old and new stores to promote their Yuanxiao products. They all try their best to improve the taste and quality of the dumplings to attract more customers.

Coming-of-Age Day (Japan)

2008-09-30T06:08:00.000-07:00

The second Monday of January

The second Monday of January is Coming-of-Age Day, a national holiday to encourage those who have newly entered adulthood to become self-reliant members of society. The holiday used to be on January 15, but in 2000 it was moved to the second Monday of the month.
Municipal governments host special coming-of-age ceremonies for 20-year-olds, since an "adult" in Japan is legally defined as one who is 20 or over. They gain the right to vote on their twentieth birthday, and they're also allowed to smoke and drink. But along with these rights come new responsibilities as well, and so age 20 is a big turning point for the Japanese.
Coming-of-age ceremonies have been held since time immemorial in Japan. In the past boys marked their transition to adulthood when they were around 15, and girls celebrated their coming of age when they turned 13 or so. During the Edo period,(1603-1868), boys had their forelocks cropped off, and girls had their teeth dyed black. It wasn't until 1876 that 20 became the legal age of adulthood.
These days, males generally wear suits to their coming-of-age ceremony, but a lot of females choose to wear traditional furisode,a special type of kimono.for unmarried women with extra-long sleeves and elaborate designs. For unmarried women, furisode is about the most formal thing they can wear, and so many of them don it to the event marking the start of their adult life.
The number of children in Japan is shrinking. For instance, about 1.74 million (890,000 males and 850,000 females) joined the ranks of grown-ups in 1999; this is 80,000 fewer than the year before and represents 1.4% of the total population.

Grooming and personal hygiene

2008-09-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

Grooming and personal hygiene have been around for ages. It's hard to imagine a time when people weren't concerned with taking care of their appearance and their bodies. Perhaps these practices started when Adam first took a bath and combed his hair before going on a date with Eve. Or maybe they began when Eve put on some herbal makeup to make herself more beautiful. No matter where they started, grooming and personal hygiene have become an important part of everyone's daily routine.
　　You might think that all modern societies would have the same grooming and personal hygiene practices. After all, doesn't everybody take baths? Most people do recognize the need for hygiene, which is the basis for cleanliness and health-and a good way to keep one's friends. Grooming practices include all the little things people do to make themselves look their best, such as combing their hair and putting on makeup. However, while most modern people agree that these things are important, people in different cultures take care of themselves in different ways.
　　There used to be an old joke in America that people should take a bath once a week, whether they need one or not. In fact, though, Americans generally take a bath-or more commonly, a shower-every day. But in contrast to some cultures, most Americans get their shower in the morning, so they can start the day fresh. And instead of going to a beauty parlor for a shampoo, many Americans prefer to wash and style their own hair. So if Americans have a "bad hair day," they have no one to blame but themselves. But most people in America do head for the beauty parlor or barber shop occasionally for a haircut, a perm or just some friendly conversation.
　　Americans are known for having very sensitive noses. In America, "B.O." (body odor) is socially unacceptable. For that reason, Americans consider the use of deodorant or anti-perspirant a must. Ladies often add a touch of perfume for an extra fresh scent. Men may splash on after-shave lotion or manly-smelling cologne. Another cultural no-no in America is bad breath. Americans don't like to smell what other people ate for lunch-especially onions or garlic. Their solution? Mouthwash, breath mints and even brushing their teeth after meals.
　　Some of the cultural variations in grooming practices result from physical differences between races. Whereas many Asian men have little facial hair, Westerners have a lot. As a result, most American men spend some time each day shaving or grooming their facial hair. Beards and mustaches are common sights in America, although their popularity changes from generation to generation. Most American men who wear facial hair try to keep it nicely trimmed. American women, on the other hand, generally prefer not to be hairy at all. Many of them regularly shave their legs and armpits.
　　Americans put great value on both grooming and personal hygiene. For some people, taking care of themselves has become almost a religion. As the old saying goes, "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Whether or not being clean and well-groomed brings one closer to God, it certainly brings one closer to others. Americans look down on people who don't take care of themselves, or who "let themselves go." To Americans, even if we don't have much to work with, we have to make the best of what we've got.

Table Manners: a Cultural Difference

2008-09-30T06:04:00.002-07:00

For many Westerners, the Chinese dinner table is terra incognita. There are no forks or knives for the Westerners to use. The Chinese host makes great, sweepingarm movements that go over large sections of the table passing over both food and friends alike. The scene is fantastic, but it leaves many foreigners at a lossfor what to do. In most Western restaurants and homes there are rules about how to talk, eat and sit that are highly restrictiveand they create an atmospherethat is completely different from what we find here in China. In my childhood home, dinner was enjoyed with hushed voices, and the topics open for discussion were very much restricted. We were not allowed to bring up anything that was potentially unappetizing, body functions, bugs, murder and mayhemin general were all strictly forbidden topics. If I had to leave the table to use the toilet, I had to verbally excuse myself without mentioning what it was that I was going to do. "May I be excused, please? I need to wash my hands." I would say.
　　My mother would say, "Sure." My father would often play a joke on us by saying, "Your hands don't look dirty to me!"
　　As for eating, we did it quietly. No eating noises were allowed.
　　Everything must be done as quietly as possible. Therefore, we had to eat with our mouths closed. To make a "smacking" noise was, perhaps, the worst offence possible. While drinking soup or coffee or wine "slurping"was also forbidden. If any sound whatever was created by our intake of food or beverage.it constitutedbad manners! With that in mind, it was, of course, unthinkable to speak with one's mouth full of food, so speaking only occurredbefore or after one had taken in food and swallowedit.
　　How one sits at the table is also prescribed. One is to sit up straight with the recessive.hand (usually the left) in one's lap holding a napkin.while the dominant hand (usually the right) holds the fork or spoon. The only time one is allowed to have both hands on the table is when one is using a knife to cut something, but as soon as the cutting is done, the recessive hand goes back to the lap. Also, elbows,are not allowed on the table. Therefore, one props,the arm against the edge of the table just below the elbow. One should never reach for.any food on the table; one should ask someone sitting near it to give it to you. "Would you please pass the potatoes?" "May I trouble you for the salt?" These are phrases that you are likely to hear on any given night of the week at a family dinner.
　　When a guest comes from the West to enjoy a meal with you, it would be a good idea for you to explain to your guest what will happen at dinner and to find out if a fork would be easier to use than chopsticks. In my time in China, I have come to enjoy Chinese table manners far more than those prescribed by my own culture, but for many it is impossible to adjust. The best policy is to ask your guest questions to find out what he or she is comfortable with.

British Pub Culture

2008-09-30T06:04:00.001-07:00

Visitors to Britain may find the best place to sample local culture is in a traditional pub. But these friendly hostelries can be minefields of potential gaffes for the uninitiated.
　　An anthropologist and a team of researchers have unveiled some of the arcane rituals of British pubs--starting with the difficulty of getting a drink. Most pubs have no waiters--you have to go to the bar to buy drinks. A group of Italian youths waiting 45 minutes before they realized they would have to fetch their own. This may sound inconvenient, but there is a hidden purpose.
　　Pub culture is designed to promote sociability in a society known for its reserve. Standing at the bar for service allows you to chat with others waiting to be served. The bar counter is possibly the only site in the British Isles in which friendly conversation with strangers is considered entirely appropriate and rea1ly quite normal behaviour. "If you haven't been to a pub, you haven't been to Britain." This tip can be found in a booklet, Passport to the Pub: The Tourists' Guide to Pub Etiquette, a customers' code of conduct for those wanting to sample "a central part of British life and culture". The trouble is that if you do not follow the local rules, the experience may fall flat. For example, if you are in a big group, it is best if only one or two people go to buy the drinks. Nothing irritates the regular customers and bar staff more than a gang of strangers blocking all access to the bar while they chat and dither about what to order.

The significance of the national flag of the United States

2008-09-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

One of our great symbols is the American flag,13 red and white stripes corresponding to the number of original stats on a rectangular piece of color, one corner blue with 50 white stars for 50 states.
　　You see the flag everywhere now, "what so proudly we hail.” It means the World Trade Center happened to all of us. "We're proud to be Americans, "say flags on front porches in small towns across the country. Some homes seem to have been built to fly the flag. This wouldn't be complete without it; just perfect. "We're American too" say the flags inelegant glued to the city apartment windows. The declaration of patriotic intent is everywhere, the simplest as persuasive as the displays where one was considered not enough. Rockefeller Center with 150 beauties is in show business, a stirring sight although it's unlikely that management there loves our country more than the owner of the smallest small business, displaying just one.
　　The Annin flag company makes most American flags. They have more business than they can do now. You don't have to go to Annin to buy a flag though. Flag sales are a street corner cottage industry. Furtive operatives set up shops, to them the buck means more than the banner.
　　The color of our flag and the numbers of stars and stripes are ordained, but there is no rule regarding dimension. There are tiny flags on sticks made in China. This grand flag is so big on a building in New York that it had to be continued around the corner. This beauty hangs from the side wall of a fire house. And you wouldn't want a dirty flag so they wash them.
　　Everyone wants to be associated with the flag. America and Yale, America and Episcopalians, America and J.P.Morgan, America and Maxell, America and the Ritz Tower.
　　　　There are inevitably people who are more anxious to appear patriotic than to be patriotic. They treat a fine line between patriotism and commerce. The flag is everywhere in close proximity to a business interest. It sells shoes and shoe repair, women's dresses. The American flag invites diners to foreign restaurants, Japanese, Italian, even Afghan.
　　　　There is an official flag code but it is routinely ignored. It is not to be used as a awning or a canopy or plastered to the hood of a car. The code says the American flag is not to be used as decorative clothing. Some find it irresistibly fashionable though and we are more amused than they.
　　　　This is how the star spangled banner was meant to be flown on the end of a pole of its own, free to wave majestically in our own free air.

Racial Issues

2008-09-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

Once a man had a dream.He dreamed of a land of peace and harmony.He dreamed of a place where people were not judged by their skin color.He dreamed of a country where children of different races could play together.He dreamed of a nation where all people were equal.Some people didn't like his dream.They said it would never happen.Some people applauded his dream.They wanted to make it happen.This noble vision has come true for some.For others,it's still just a fantasy.
In 1963,this man,Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.,expressed his vision in the famous speech,"I Have a Dream."But the dream-rooted in the American Dream-wasn't really new.From the beginning,this nation of immigrants welcomed people desiring freedom and a new start.However,the coming together of different races and ethnic groups created some tensions.The early Americans (except for the native "Indians")were almost all white Europeans.As more immigrants arrived,European groups fit into society easily.Others found it more difficult.
Black people were the only "immigrants"who didn't choose to come to America.For hundreds of years,Africans were taken from their homes to be slaves in the New World.Even George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had slaves.The phrase "all men are created equal"didn't apply to blacks in their day.The end of the Civil War finally brought freedom to the slaves in 1865,but blacks still had a lower position in society.Many Southern states practiced segregation to "keep blacks in their place."Blacks and whites went to different schools,ate at different restaurants,even drank from different water fountains.

Americans in the eyes of morality

2008-09-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

Denmark Weddings

2008-09-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

People in many places of the world usually give their lovers a finger ring or a bundle of flowers as a gift of engagement.But in some areas of Denmark,it is still considered lucky for a young man to present his financeewith the wooden clappers graved with love-poems,because the clappers ensured fortune and happiness.
To our surprise,preparations for the wedding lasted for many days but were made secretly,because to show happiness openly would arouse the anger and jealousy of evil spirits.
At the conclusion of the ceremony a large jar of the beer was taken to the courtyard.The hands of the betrothed were joined over the jar and it was smashed into fragments.These pieces were picked up by girls of marriageable age who were present,the girl with the largest fragment being destined to marry first,the girl with the smallest being fated to remain a spinster.

American Food

2008-09-29T06:11:00.000-07:00

The history of fireworks

2008-09-29T06:10:00.001-07:00

Fireworks weren't just invented all of a sudden; they weregradually produced, with the inventions of other substances,such as gunpowder. Although many nations claim theinvention of gunpowder, it was actually invented by theChinese in the 9th Century.
A Chinese cook happened to mix together three ingredientscommonly found in the kitchen - potassium nitrate (saltsubstitute), sulfur (flammable solid), and charcoal. The cooknoticed that, when ignited, the three ingredients burned viciously with a considerable force. The cook apparently also discovered that if these same ingredients were enclosed and then ignited, the combination exploded rather than burned, producing a loud bang. The chemical gunpowder spread throughout the world. There are many uses of gunpowder, in Europe were mainly used for canons during war. While the Europeans were using gunpowder for war, the Chinese used it for firecrackers and fireworks.

Lion Dance

2008-09-29T06:09:00.000-07:00

Lions play an important role in Chinese mythology, andrepresent joy and happiness. Lion dances are performedto bring luck and to get rid of the devil. This tradition can betraced back to a story that took place long ago.
During the rule of the legendary "Yellow Emperor", amonster called "Nien" appeared in China, attacking themen and the animals. It was so fast and fierce that neither the fox nor the tiger could beat it. In despair, the people asked the lion for help. The lion bravely rushed towards the monster and wounded it. The "Nien" fled, but declared to come back to take revenge.
A year later, the "Nien" returned. Without the lion's protection this time, the people produced a "lion" out of bamboo and cloth. Two men crawled inside and approached the "Nien". The "lion" pranced and roared, driving the monster away again.
From then on, lion dances have become a yearly tradition to frighten evil away during the Chinese New Year.

Do's and Don'ts of Chinese New Year

2008-09-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

Do's:
Wish everyone you meet a happy New Year by saying"gong xi fa cai", which translates to: "Have a happy andprosperous New Year!"Wear articles of red clothing because red symbolizes luck.Eat vegetarian food because it's not good to see blood.Buy new trousers because the Chinese word for trousersis "fu", (Chinese homonym for wealth)Children should stay up as late as possible on New Year's Eve for it is believed that the later they stay up, the longer their parents will live.Visit family (especially those older than yourself) and friends to pass on your wishes on good fortune for the New Year. (plus kids and single people will receive lai-see lucky red packets full of money.Give two lai see to each child. Because happiness comes in two's, do not just give one. This is your way of passing good luck to the next generation. Business owners also give lai see to employees and associates.
Don'ts:
Don't wear white or black clothing, since they are the traditional colours of mourning.Don't buy new shoes for the first months of the New Year, because the sound of shoe in Chinese is "hai". "Hai" is similar to the sound of sighing, which Chinese believe is not a good way to start the year.Don't wash your hair for the first three days of the New Year, because the Chinese word for hair is a homonym for the Chinese word for wealth. Therefore, Chinese believe it isn't a good thing to 'wash away your wealth' right at the start of the New Year.Floors may not be swept and garbage may not be disposed of on the first day of the New Year for fear of casting riches out the door.Don't swear or quarrel.Don't break any dishes, otherwise you may incur more misfortune for the New Year. In the event of breaking a dish, quickly say "Peace for all time", and the bad luck will be warded away.Don't greet people who are in mourning.Don't drop your chopsticks.Don't say the number 'four' (Chinese homonym for death) or mention death.Don't borrow or lend money.

Traditions of Chinese New Year

2008-09-27T22:09:00.000-07:00

Even though the climax of the Chinese New Year, Nian, lasts only two or three days including the New Year's Eve, the New Year season extends from the mid-twelfth month of the previous year to the middle of the first month of the new year. A month from the New Year, it is a good time for business. People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration material, food and clothing. Transportation department, railroad in particular, is nervously waiting for the onslaught of swarms of travellers who take their days off around the New Year to rush back home for a family renunion from all parts of the country.
Days before the New Year, every family is busy giving its house a thorough cleaning, hoping to sweep away all the ill-fortune there may have been in the family to make way for the wishful in-coming good luck. People also give their doors and window-panes a new paint, usually in red color. They decorate the doors and windows with paper-cuts and couplets with the very popular theme of "happiness", "wealth", "logevity" and "satisfactory marriage with more children". Paintings of the same theme are put up in the house on top of the newly mounted wall paper. In the old days, various kinds of food are tributed at the alta of ancestors.
The Eve of the New Year is very carefully observed. Supper is a feast, with all members coming together. One of the most popular course is jiaozi, dumplings boiled in water. "Jiaozi" in Chinese literally mean "sleep together and have sons", a long-lost good wish for a family. After dinner, it is time for the whole family to sit up for the night while having fun playing cards or board games or watching TV programs dedicated to the ocassion. Every light is supposed to be kept on the whole night. At midnight, the whole sky will be lit up by fireworks and firecrackers make everywhere seem like a war zone. People's excitement reach its zenith.
Very early the next morning, children greet their parents and receive their presents in terms of cash wrapped up in red paper packages from them. Then, the family start out to say greetings from door to door, first their relatives and then their neighbors. It is a great time for reconciliation. Old grudges are very easily cast away during the greetings. The air is permeated with warmth and friendliness. During and several days following the New Year's day, people are visiting each other, with a great deal of exchange of gifs. The New Year atmosphere is brought to an anti-climax fifteen days away where the Festival of Lanterns sets in. It is an occasion of lantern shows and folk dances everywhere. One typical food is the Tang Yuan, another kind of dumplings made of sweet rice rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings.
The Lantern Festival marks the end of the New Year season and afterwards life becomes daily routines once again. This description is based upon the recollection of my own experience. Customs of observing the New Year vary from place to place, considering that China is a big country not only geographically, but also demographically and ethnically. Yet, the spirit underlying the diverse celebrations of the Chinese New Year is the same: a sincere wish of peace and happiness for the family members and friends.

India - the world's favorite national study

2008-09-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

Indians are the world's biggest bookworms, reading on average 10.7 hours a week, twice as long as Americans, according to a new survey.
　　The NOP World Culture Score index surveyed 30,000 people in 30 countries from December 2004 to February 2005.
　　Analysts said self-help and aspirational reading could explain India's high figures.
　　Time spent on reading meant fewer hours watching TV and listening to the radio - India came fourth last in both.
　　The NOP survey of 30,000 consumers aged over 13 saw China and the Philippines take second and third place respectively in average hours a week spent reading books, newspapers and magazines.
　　Britons and Americans scored about half the Indians' hours and Japanese and Koreans were even lower - at 4.1 and 3.1 hours respectively.
　　R Sriram, chief executive officer of Crosswords Bookstores, a chain of 26 book shops around India, says Indians are extremely entrepreneurial and reading "is a fundamental part of their being".
　　"They place a great deal of emphasis on reading. That's the reason why they do well in education and universities abroad," he said.
　　"People educate themselves and deal with change throughout their lives. And the way to do that is to update themselves with books."
　　Mr Sriram says social changes have also made a difference: "Earlier people could turn to their parents and grandparents for advice. Now they turn to books."

China's Rise Spurs Americans to Learn Chinese

2008-09-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

China is casting such a huge shadow on the United States that many Americans are scrambling to learn the Chinese language in a bid to retain their competitive edge.
"Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown dramatically in the past five years," said Vivien Stewart, vice president at the Asia Society, a US group trying to bridge the gap between Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific.
China's dramatic rise to near superpower status and its telling effects politically, economically and culturally are driving the interest to learn the language, experts say.
From kindergartens to high schools, studies by the Asia Society show, there is a "rapid rise" in interest among pupils to study the Chinese language.
"The Chinese rich cultural traditions and blossoming economy mean that is now essential for all of our students to be better prepared to engage them and seize opportunities together," said Michael Levine, Asia Society's executive director of education.
A 2004 College Board survey found that 2,400 high schools -- an incredibly high number -- would be interested in offering the Advanced Placement (AP) courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available in 2006.
China, the world's most populous nation, is critical to the United States because it is a leading trader, consumer and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the globe.
It has replaced the United States as the world's largest consumer and could become the second largest economy in the world, after the United States, in the next two to three decades.
America's huge budget deficit, economists say, is being bankrolled by China to the tune of one billion dollars per day through its purchase of US Treasury bills -- 200 billion dollars last year and possibly as much as 300 billion dollars already this year.
Even though the US State Department has designated the Chinese language "critical" to national prosperity and security, the "current infrastructure to support recruitment of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is woefully inadequate," an Asia Society study says.
The Society has set a target of having at least five percent of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015.
"Millions of Chinese are learning English, but only 24,000 Americans are learning Chinese," said Andrew Corcoran of the San Francisco-based Chinese American International School, the oldest Mandarin "immersion" program in the country.
The most popular languages after English in US schools at present are Spanish and French. Japanese is the most-sought-after Asian language.

American way of marriage

2008-09-26T23:38:00.000-07:00

The American Way: Marriage
[1] "I do." To Americans those two words carry great meaning. They can even change your life. Especially if you say them at your own wedding. Making wedding vows is like signing a contract. Now Americans don't really think marriage is a business deal. But marriage is serious business.
　　[2] It all begins with engagement. Traditionally, a young man asks the father of his sweetheart for permission to marry her. If the father agrees, the man later proposes to her. Often he tries to surprise her by "popping the question" in a romantic way. Sometimes the couple just decides together that the time is right to get married. The man usually gives his fiancée a diamond ring as a symbol of their engagement. They may be engaged for weeks, months or even years. As the big day approaches, bridal showers and bachelor's parties provide many useful gifts. Today many couples also receive counseling during engagement. This prepares them for the challenges of married life.
　　[3] At last it's time for the wedding. Although most weddings follow long-held traditions, there's still room for American individualism. For example, the usual place for a wedding is in a church. But some people get married outdoors in a scenic spot. A few even have the ceremony while sky-diving or riding on horseback! The couple may invite hundreds of people or just a few close friends. They choose their own style of colors, decorations and music during the ceremony. But some things rarely change. The bride usually wears a beautiful, long white wedding dress. She traditionally wears "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue". The groom wears a formal suit or tuxedo. Several close friends participate in the ceremony as attendants, including the best man and the maid of honor
　　[4] As the ceremony begins, the groom and his attendants stand with the minister, facing the audience. Music signals the entrance of the bride's attendants, followed by the beautiful bride. Nervously, the young couple repeats their vows. Traditionally, they promise to love each other "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health". But sometimes the couple has composed their own vows. They give each other a gold ring to symbolize their marriage commitment. Finally the minister announces the big moment: "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride!"
　　[5] At the wedding reception, the bride and groom greet their guests. Then they cut the wedding cake and feed each other a bite. Guests mingle while enjoying cake, punch and other treats. Later the bride throws her bouquet of flowers to a group of single girls. Tradition says that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next to marry. During the reception, playful friends "decorate" the couple's car with tissue paper, tin cans and a "Just Married" sign. When the reception is over, the newlyweds run to their "decorated" car and speed off. Many couples take a honeymoon, a one- to two-week vacation trip, to celebrate their new marriage.　　[6] Almost every culture has rituals to signal a change in one's life. Marriage is one of the most basic life changes for people of all cultures. So it's no surprise to find many traditions about getting married... even in America. Yet each couple follows the traditions in a way that is uniquely their own.

What you need to know kissing

2008-09-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

Not all the kisses are connected with sexual love. Kissing also
　　signifies courtesy in every country of Europe and America.
　　Kissing on the back of the palm signifies respect.
　　Kissing on the forehead signifies friendship.
　　Kissing on the cheek signifies deep feeling.
　　Kissing on the lips signifies love.
　　Kissing on the eyelid signifies adoration.
　　Kissing on the palm signifies desire.
　　Kissing on the wrist or on the neck signifies desirous feeling.
　　Kissing on other part of the body signifies intense emotion.

A Legend about Beacon Tower

2008-09-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

The beacon towers on hilltops often played a key role in military communication in ancient war times. Once the enemy pressed towards the border, the signal from the beacon tower would be sent by beacon (fires or lanterns) during the night or by smoke signals in the daytime.
A famous story is told about Baosi, Queen of the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 711 BC). She was highly honored, yet she never cracked a smile. King You tried many ways to put a smile on her face, but he failed over and over again. He "called his court band to toll bells and beat gongs", and she looked unhappy. Then the band was asked to "play the bamboo flute and strings", and she remained displeased. Afterwards, "maids of honor served wine, festively singing and dancing", and she still did not smile.
"You don't like music! What on earth are you fond of?" the King asked.
"I don't have much of a liking for anything. But I can still well remember when I was a child. I liked to listen to the sound of colored silk being torn. It was clear and melodious," she replied. King You said in excitement, "That is very simple. Why didn't you let me know that earlier?"
Then the King ordered the official property manager to produce colored silk. He assembled fresh and energetic maids of honor and had them tear the silk into pieces, but Queen Baosi remained unmoved.
"Why won't you smile now?" he asked.
"I have not smiled so far," the Queen replied.
The King tried over and over again, but failed. In the end he gave an order: "Anyone, either in or out of court, who can amuse Queen Baosi will be awarded one thousand pieces of gold."
Afterwards, Guo Shifu, a treacherous court official, came and offered advice: "Set the beacon tower on fire and fool your sovereign rulers." That night the King and Queen reached Lishan Mountain by carriage, and gave the order. In a split second, the flames of the fire lit up the sky and the sovereign rulers moved their troops immediately to Lishan Mountain. There they found the King and Queen enjoyed drinking festively. The King then dispatched his bodyguard to inform them, "Everything is all right. I have just been joking with you." When they heard this, they looked at each other in blank dismay, leaving disappointed. Sure enough, Queen Baosi burst into laughter, stroking her hands when she noticed all the troops who had come in vain and now returned noisily. Accordingly, Guo Shifu got a prize of one thousand pieces of gold. Later, King You repeated his joke more often than not. In 771 B.C., Quan Rong (a then ethnic group) staged an armed rebellion against the Western Zhou dynasty. King You urgently ordered the beacon tower set on fire, but all the sovereign rulers did not come. Consequently King You was killed, and Baosi was taken away. The Western Zhou dynasty vanished. Hence come the Chinese idioms: "A single smile costs one thousand pieces of gold" and "The sovereign rulers are fooled by the beacon fire."

Meng Jiangnu's Bitter Weeping

2008-09-26T23:31:00.000-07:00

This story happened during the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC). There was once an old man named Meng who lived in the southern part of the country with his wife. One spring, Meng sowed a seed of bottle gourd in his yard. The bottle gourd grew up bit by bit and its vines climbed over the wall and entered his neighbor Jiang's yard. Like Meng, Jiang had no children and so he became very fond of the plant. He watered and took care of the plant. With tender care of both men, the plant grew bigger and bigger and gave a beautiful bottle gourd in autumn. Jiang plucked it off the vine, and the two old men decided to cut the gourd and divide it by half. To their surprise when they cut the gourd a pretty and lovely girl was lying inside! They felt happy to have a child and both loved her very much, so they decided to bring the child up together. They named the girl Meng Jiangnu, which means Meng and Jiang's daughter.
As time went by, Meng Jiangnu grew up and became a beautiful young woman. She was very smart and industrious. She took care of old Meng and Jiang's families, washing the clothes and doing the house work. People knew that Meng Jiangnu was a good girl and liked her very much. One day while playing in the yard, Meng Jiangnu saw a young man hiding in the garden. She called out to her parents, and the young man came out.
At that time, Emperor Qin Shihuang (the first emperor of Qin) announced to build the Great Wall. So lots of men were caught by the federal officials. Fan Qiliang was an intellectual man and very afraid of being caught, so he went to Meng's house to hide from the officials. Meng and Jiang liked this good-looking, honest, and good-mannered young man. They decided to wed their daughter to him. Both Fan Qiliang and Meng Jiangnu accepted happily, and the couple was married several days later. However, three days after their marriage, officials suddenly broke in and took Fan Qiliang away to build the Great Wall in the north of China.
It was a hard time for Meng Jiangnu after her husband was taken away - she missed her husband and cried nearly every day. She sewed warm clothes for her husband and decided to set off to look for him. Saying farewell to her parents, she packed her luggage and started her long journey. She climbed over mountains and went through the rivers. She walked day and night, slipping and falling many times, but finally she reached the foot of the Great Wall at the present Shanhaiguan Pass.
Upon her arrival, she was eager to ask about her husband. Bad news came to her, however, that Fan Qiliang had already died of exhaustion and was buried into the Great Wall! Meng Jiangnu could not help crying. She sat on the ground and cried and cried. Suddenly with a tremendous noise, a 400 kilometer-long (248-mile-long) section of the Great Wall collapsed over her bitter wail. The workmen and supervisors were astonished. Emperor Qin Shihuang happened to be touring the wall at that exact time, and he was enraged and ready to punish the woman.
However, at the first sight of Meng Jiangnu Emperor Qin Shihuang was attracted by her beauty. Instead of killing her, the Emperor asked Meng Jiangnu to marry him. Suppressing her feeling of anger, Meng Jiangnu agreed on the basis of three terms. The first was to find the body of Fan Qiliang, the second was to hold a state funeral for him, and the last one was to have Emperor Qin Shihuang wear black mourning for Fan Qiliang and attend the funeral in person. Emperor Qin Shihuang thought for a while and reluctantly agreed. After all the terms were met, Emperor Qin Shihuang was ready to take her to his palace. When the guarders were not watching, she suddenly turned around and jumped into the nearby Bohai Sea.
This story tells of the hard work of Chinese commoners, as well as exposes the cruel system of hard labor during the reign of Emperor Qing Shihuang. The Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wall embodied the power and wisdom of the Chinese nation. In memory of Meng Jiangnu, later generations built a temple, called the Jiangnu Temple, at the foot of the Great Wall in which a statue of Meng Jiangnu is located. Meng Jiangnu's story has been passed down from generation to generation.

I'm a Chinese-American

2008-09-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

On February 22, during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, the Seattle Times sports pages carried an article with the secondary headline "American outshines Kwan, Slutskaya in skating surprise".As one reader commented in an angry note to the editors, "The sub-headline, of course, implied that Kwan is not American. That hit the nerves of many Chinese-Americans such as I, who, on more than one occasion, are perceived and treated as foreigners, as if people with yellow skins can't be American." The Seattle Times apologized for the mistake, describing it as the result of sloppy editing. But I was reminded of the story about Bruce Lee, the famous kung-fu actor: when he first met his mother-in-law (a Caucasian) and introduced himself as an American born in the USA, she allegedly replied, "You're an American citizen, not an American."
　 Having lived in the US for decades, I am not unfamiliar with racial discrimination. Interestingly, discrimination can be positive (in other words, I have sometimes been treated better than members of other groups) as well as negative, and such treatment can come from people of all races: Anglos, Africans, Hispanics, even other Asians. How should we people of Chinese origin interpret all this? Is the Michelle Kwan flap an indicator of enduring racial discrimination in the US?
　 Webster's New World Dictionary defines "to discriminate" as "(1) to distinguish, (2) to make distinction in treatment; show partiality or prejudice." Thus, racial discrimination is about distinguishing among people, showing antipathy towards some on the basis of race and ethnicity. Almost 40 years after the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act, racism is alive and well in America, just as much as in any other part of the world. From my experience, the American style of racial discrimination can be classified in three ways: hereditary, tactical and inferential.
　There is a professional person I know who, though brilliant in many ways, likes to make openly derogatory remarks about African-Americans. For him, being mean to blacks is part of his heritage.When people are brought up to believe that whites are whites, blacks are blacks, and naturally, Chinese are Chinese, you have a sort of "hereditary" discrimination. This is passed from generation to generation unless something is done about these people's attitude towards racial differences.
Years ago, the Chinese community filed a lawsuit against the State of California accusing it of discriminatory treatment of the Chinese.The plaintiffs pointed out that a certain number of Chinese students had been rejected by California's public universities despite shavings better marks and test scores than some successful applicants. The probable reason? The universities wanted to admit additional non-Chinese ethnic-minority students so as to seem more culturally diverse. Such discriminatory behavior was "tactical" because the Chinese students just happened to be standing in the way of university administrators. When it becomes institutionally beneficial to change the attitude towards Chinese students, the tactics will change accordingly.
Finally, people like to stereotype. This is an inferential process based on limited data. Many Chinese think that Westerners are wealthy and well-educated and live happier lives. This is because the few Westerners they have encountered seem that way. Similarly, many Americans, bombarded by media images of young Asians winning awards and scholarships, believe all Chinese students are smart, hard-working over-achievers. What Chinese and Americans alike do not seem to realize is that they are using a poor sample to make inferences about the underlying population. Just as there are many impoverished, uneducated, unhappy Westerners, there are likewise many lazy, under-performing Chinese. Some Americans err in making inferences about the Chinese, who in turn take offense at their mistaken notions.
　What recourse do we have? Against hereditary discrimination there is only the slow process of enlightening people to the historical evil and vile everyday pettiness of discriminating on the basis of race. Over time less of this mentality will be transmitted to the next generation. Tactical discrimination needs to be exposed in the media and the courts. When that happens, there ceases to be any advantage in it. Inferential discrimination can be gradually overcome through education. A better-informed population will make fewer shallow judgements.
Maybe the next time somebody tells me that I am not an American I should say, "I'm glad you noticed that. I'm a Chinese-American and proud to be one!"

ABC” and "banana"

2008-09-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

Arabs in “Amreeka”

2008-09-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

For many in the United States, Arab-Americans are an invisible segment of the population. Though Arab-Americans as a community have made significant contributions to American society in fields ranging from literature to politics to medicine, many Americans know very little about Americans of Arab descent.
Arab history in the United States goes back to the late 1800's when large numbers of Arab immigrants first began making their journey to a land known simply as "Amreeka."
Historians generally describe Arab immigration to America in two waves. The first wave took place between 1860 and 1924. The first wave consisted of Lebanese and Syrian, and some Egyptian immigrants. These new immigrants, who were predominantly Christian, came to America in pursuit of better opportunities. Even the doomed Titanic, which set sail for America in 1912, had close to a hundred Arab passengers aboard. The majority of Arab Americans today are descendents of the first wave of immigrants; they are third or more generation Americans.
The second wave of immigrants followed after WWII, sparked by political unrest in the Middle East. This second wave of immigrants consists of mainly Arab Muslims and continues to this day.
Arab-Americans make up 3 million of the population in the United States, according to demographers. And contrary to popular belief, 64 percent of them are American-born. Eighty-two percent of Arab-Americans are US citizens.
Arab-Americans surpass the national average in both education and income. Education is important among Arab-Americans; 82 percent have high school diplomas, 36 percent have bachelor's degrees or higher, and 15 percent have graduate degrees. The median average income among Arab-Americans is 39,580, which is higher than the US average.

Weddings in The United States

2008-09-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

Weddings in the United States vary as much as the people do. There are church weddings with a great deal of fanfare; there are weddings on mountain-tops with guests barefooted; and there have been weddings on the ocean floor with oxygen tanks for the guests. But many weddings, no matter where or how they are performed, include certain traditional customs.
Before a couple is married, they become engaged. And then invitations are sent to those who live nearby, their close friends and their relatives who live far away. When everything is ready, then comes the most exciting moment.
The wedding itself usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes. The wedding party enters the church while the wedding march is played. The bride carrying a bouquet enters last with her father who will "give her away". The groom enters the church from a side door. When the wedding party is gathered by the altar, the bride and groom exchange vows. It is traditional to use the words "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part[3]". Following the vows, the couple exchange rings. Wearing the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is an old custom.
　 After the ceremony there is often a party, called a "reception" which gives the wedding guests an opportunity to congratulate the newlyweds.
The car in which the couple leaves the church is decorated with balloons, streamers and shaving cream. The words "Just Married" are painted on the trunk or back window. The bride and groom run to the car under a shower of rice[4] thrown by the wedding guests. When the couple drives away from the church, friends often chase them in cars, honking and drawing attention to them. And then the couple go on their honeymoon.

Grooming and Personal Hygiene of Americans

2008-09-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

Grooming and personal hygiene have been around for ages. It's hard to imagine a time when people weren't concerned with taking care of their appearance and their bodies. Perhaps these practices started when Adam first took a bath and combed his hair before going on a date with Eve. Or maybe they began when Eve put on some herbal makeup to make herself more beautiful. No matter where they started, grooming and personal hygiene have become an important part of everyone's daily routine.
You might think that all modern societies would have the same grooming and personal hygiene practices. After all, doesn't everybody take baths? Most people do recognize the need for hygiene, which is the basis for cleanliness and health-and a good way to keep one's friends. Grooming practices include all the little things people do to make themselves look their best, such as combing their hair and putting on makeup. However, while most modern people agree that these things are important, people in different cultures take care of themselves in different ways.
There used to be an old joke in America that people should take a bath once a week, whether they need one or not. In fact, though, Americans generally take a bath-or more commonly, a shower-every day. But in contrast to some cultures, most Americans get their shower in the morning, so they can start the day fresh. And instead of going to a beauty parlor for a shampoo, many Americans prefer to wash and style their own hair. So if Americans have a "bad hair day," they have no one to blame but themselves. But most people in America do head for the beauty parlor or barber shop occasionally for a haircut, a perm or just some friendly conversation.
　 Americans are known for having very sensitive noses. In America, "B.O." (body odor) is socially unacceptable. For that reason, Americans consider the use of deodorant or anti-perspirant a must. Ladies often add a touch of perfume for an extra fresh scent. Men may splash on after-shave lotion or manly-smelling cologne. Another cultural no-no in America is bad breath. Americans don't like to smell what other people ate for lunch-especially onions or garlic. Their solution? Mouthwash, breath mints and even brushing their teeth after meals.
Some of the cultural variations in grooming practices result from physical differences between races. Whereas many Asian men have little facial hair, Westerners have a lot. As a result, most American men spend some time each day shaving or grooming their facial hair. Beards and mustaches are common sights in America, although their popularity changes from generation to generation. Most American men who wear facial hair try to keep it nicely trimmed. American women, on the other hand, generally prefer not to be hairy at all. Many of them regularly shave their legs and armpits.
　 Americans put great value on both grooming and personal hygiene. For some people, taking care of themselves has become almost a religion. As the old saying goes, "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Whether or not being clean and well-groomed brings one closer to God, it certainly brings one closer to others. Americans look down on people who don't take care of themselves, or who "let themselves go." To Americans, even if we don't have much to work with, we have to make the best of what we've got.

Moral Issues

2008-09-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

Another virtue Americans respect is perseverance. Remember Aesop's fable about the turtle and the rabbit that had a race? The rabbit thought he could win easily, so he took a nap. But the turtle finally won because he did not give up. Another story tells of a little train that had to climb a steep hill. The hill was so steep that the little train had a hard time trying to get over it. But the train just kept pulling, all the while saying, "I think I can, I think I can." At last, the train was over the top of the hill. "I thought I could, I thought I could," chugged the happy little train.
Compassion may be the queen of American virtues. The story of "The Good Samaritan" from the Bible describes a man who showed compassion. On his way to a certain city, a Samaritan man found a poor traveler lying on the road. The traveler had been beaten and robbed. The kind Samaritan, instead of just passing by, stopped to help this person in need. Compassion can even turn into a positive cycle. In fall 1992, people in Iowa sent truckloads of water to help Floridians hit by a hurricane. The next summer, during the Midwest flooding, Florida returned the favor. In less dramatic ways, millions of Americans are quietly passing along the kindnesses shown to them.
In no way can this brief description cover all the moral values honored by Americans. Courage, responsibility, loyalty, gratitude and many others could be discussed. In fact, Bennett's bestseller-over 800 pages-highlights just 10 virtues. Even Bennett admits that he has only scratched the surface. But no matter how long or short the list, moral values are invaluable. They are the foundation of American culture-and any culture.

The origin of dollar

2008-09-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

The origin of the almighty dollar is in what is now the Czech Republic. In 1519, a silver mine near the town of Joachimstal (literally "Joachim's valley," from the German Tal, meaning valley) began minting a silver coin called, unimaginatively, the Joachimstaler. The coin, which was circulated widely, became better known by its clipped form, the taler. In Dutch and Low German, the initial consonant softened to become daler. English adopted this form, eventually changing its spelling to the modern dollar.
In the American colonies, there was no standard currency. The coin that was in widest use was the Spanish Peso, known also as "Pieces of Eight" because it could be divided into eight pie-like pieces. The English colonists informally assigned the name dollar to this coin. In 1785, when the Continental Congress established U.S. currency, they adopted dollar as name for the standard unit of currency, at the suggestion of Governeur Morris and Thomas Jefferson, because the term was widely known and was not associated with any form of official English currency. (Jefferson also coined the term disme, from the French dixieme, for a tenth of a dollar. Pronounced deem, it eventually became dime.)
The origin of the $ sign has several folkloric stories attached. One says that Thomas Jefferson invented it, perhaps as a sort of monogram for TS. Jefferson was the first to use the symbol in relation to the U.S. dollar, but this story is fanciful. Another says that originally it was U superimposed over an S, for U.S. of course. Eventually the base of the U eroded due to poor printing technology, leaving an S with two lines through it. Another says that it is a variant of a figure eight that appeared on the Spanish Peso, standing for the pieces of eight. This last is close to the truth, but not quite there.
The Spanish royal family used on its escutcheon, two pillars (representing the Pillars of Hercules in Gibraltar and Morocco) crossed by an unfurled banner reading "Plus Ultra." This symbol appeared on the Peso, and looked much like the modern $ sign. It was adopted as a symbol for the Peso in the American colonies, and was transferred to the dollar.
The U.S. was the first nation to adopt an official currency named the dollar. In 1797, the Bank of England began minting "dollar" coins as bank-issued currency. Other nations that have adopted the name dollar for their currency have done so in emulation of either the U.S. or this short-lived Bank of England practice.

Jazz And The Essence of America

2008-09-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

Considering how jazz is transcribed in Chinese (jueshi), you may be misledsintosassuming that it is an aristocratic cultural form. Nothing could be further from the truth. It originated among black Americans at the end of the 19th century, at a time when they occupied the very bottom of the American social heap.
So how has something that was created by a once downtrodden and despised minority acquired a central place in today's American culture? Mr Darrell A Jenks, director of the American Center for Educational Exchange, and also a drummer in the jazz band Window, analyses the phenomenon for us here. Jazz: the soul of America
Perhaps the essence of America is that you could never get two Americans to agree on just what that might be. After thinking about it for a while, we might chuckle and say, "Hmm, seems like being American is a bit more complicated than we thought." Certainly things like individualism, success (the "American Dream"), innovation and tolerance stand out. But these things come together because of our ability to work with one another and find common purpose no matter how diverse we might be.
Some, like African-American writer Ralph Ellison, be-lieve that jazz captures the essence of America. For good reason,for in jazz all of the characteristics I mentioned above come together. The solos are a celebration of individual brilliance that can't take place without thesgroupsefforts of the rhythm section. Beyond that, though, jazz has a connection to the essence of America in a much more fundamental way. It is an expression of the African roots of American culture, a musical medium that exemplifies the culture of the Africans whose culture came to dominate much of what is American.
That's right, in many respects America's roots are in Africa. Read Ralph Ellison's perceptive description of the transformation of separate African and European cultures at the hands of the slaves:
"...the dancing of those slaves who, looking through the windows of a plantation manor house from the yard, im-itated the steps so gravely performed by the masters within and then added to them their own special flair,burlesquing the white folks and then going on to force the stepssintosa choreography uniquely their own. The whites, looking out at the activity in the yard, thought that they were being flat-tered by imitation and were amused by the incongruity of tattered blacks dancing courtly steps, while missing com-pletely the fact that before their eyes a European cultural form was becoming Americanized, undergoing a metamor-phosis through the mocking activity of a people partially sprung from Africa." (Ralph Ellison, Living with Music, pp 83-4).
Jazz brought together elements from Africa and Europe, fusing themsintosa new culture, an expression unique to the Americas.
Out of this fusion came an idea that we Americans be-lieve central to our identity: tolerance. Both cultures repre-sented in Ellison's passage eventually came to realize each other's value. Americans acknowledge that in diversity is our strength. We learn every day that other cultures and peoples may make valuable contributions to our way of life. Jazz music is the embodiment of this ideal, combining elements from African and European culturesintosa distinctly American music.
Jazz reflects two contradictory facets of American life. On the one hand it is a team effort,swheresevery musician is completely immersed in what thesgroupsdoes together, lis-tening to each of the other players and building on their contributions to create a musical whole. On the other hand, the band features a soloist who is an individual at the extreme, a genius like Charlie Parker who explores musical territoryswheresno one has ever gone before. In the same sense, American life is also a combination of teamwork and individualism, a combination of individual brilliance with the ability to work with others.
We hope that many Chinese friends can bring their own unique contributions to our music, adding their own culture to our American heritage. As Ralph Ellison said of the US, "We have the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and we have jazz."

Chinese Americans

2008-09-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

For many years it was common in the United States to associate Chinese Americans with restaurants and laundries. People did not realize that the Chinese had been driven into these occupations by the prejudice and discrimination that faced them in this country.

The first Chinese to reach the United States came during the California Gold Rush of 1849. Like most of the other people there, they had come to search for gold. In that largely unoccupied land, the men staked a claim for themselves by placing makers in the ground. However, either because the Chinese were so different from the others or because they worked so patiently that they sometimes succeeded in turning a seemingly worthless mining claim into a profitable one, they became the scapegoats of their envious compatitors. They were harrassed in many ways. Often they were prevented from working their claims; some localities even passed regulations forbidding them to own claims. The Chinese therefore started to seek out other ways of earning a living. Some of them began to do the laundry for the white miners; others set up small restaurants. (There were almost no women in California in those days, and the Chinese filled a real need by doing this "woman's work".) Some went to work as farmhands or as fishermen.

In the early 1860's many more Chinese arrived in California. This time the men were imported as work crews to construct the first transcontinental railroad. They were sorely needed because the work was so strenuous and dangerous, and it was carried on in such a remote part of the country that the railroad company could not find other laborers for the job. As in the case of their predecessors, these Chinese were almost all males; and like them, too, they encountered a great deal of prejudice. The hostility grew especially strong after the railroad project was complete, and the imported laborers returned to California -- thousands of them, all out of work. Because there were so many more of them this time, these Chinese drew even more attention than the earlier group did. They were so very different in every respect: in their physical appearance, including a long "pigtail" at the back of their otherwise shaved heads; in the strange, non-Western clothes they wore; in their speech (few had learned English since they planned to go back to China); and in their religion. They were contemptuously called "heathen Chinese" because there were many sacred images in their houses of worship.

When times were hard, they were blamed for working for lower wages and taking jobs away from white men, who were in many cases recent immigrants themselves. Anti-Chinese riots broke out in several cities, culminating in arson and bloodshed. Chinese were barred from using the courts and also from becoming American citizens. Californias began to demand that no more Chinese be permitted to enter their state. Finally, in 1882, they persuaded Congress to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act, which stopped the immigration of Chinese laborers. Many Chinese returned to their homeland, and their numbers declined sharply in the early part of this century. However, during the War II, when China was an ally of the United States, the Exclusion laws were ended; a small number of Chinese were allowed to immigrate each year, and Chinese could become American citizens. In 1965, in a general revision of our immigration laws, may more Chinese were permitted to settle here, as discrimination against Asian immigration was abolished.

From the start, the Chinese had lived apart in their own separate neighborhoods, which came to be known as "Chinatowns". In each of them the residents organized an unofficial government to make rules for the community and to settle disputes. Unable to find jobs on the outside, many went into business for themselves -- primarily to serve their own neighborhood. As for laundries and restaurants, some of them soon spread to other parts of the city, since such services continued to be in demand among non-Chinese, too. To this day, certain Chinatowns, especially those of San Francisco and New York, are busy, thriving communities, which have become great attractions for tourists and for those who enjoy Chinese food.

Most of today's Chinese Americans are the descendants of some of the early miners and railroad workers. Those immigrants had come from the vicinity of Canton in Southeast China, where they had been uneducated farm laborers. The same kind of young men, from the same area and from similar humble origins, migrated to Hawaii in those days. There they fared far better, mainly because they did not encounter hostility. Some married native Hawaiians, and other brought their wives and children over. They were not restricted to chinatown and many of them soon became successful merchants and active participants in general community affairs.

Chinese Americans retain many aspects of their ancient culture, even after having lived here for several generations. For Example, their family ties continue to be remarkably strong (encompassing grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and others). Members of the family lend each other moral support and also practical help when necessary. From a very young age children are imbued with the old values and attitudes, including respect for their elders and a feeling of responsibility to the family. This helps to explain why there is so little juvenile delinquency among them.

The high regard for education which is deeply imbedded in Chinese culture, and the willingness to work very hard to gain advancement, are other noteworthy characteristics of theirs. This explains why so many descendants of uneducated laborers have succeeded in becoming doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. (Many of the most outstanding Chinese American scholars, scientists, and artists are more recent arrivals, who come from China's former upper class and who represent its high cultural traditions.)

Chinese Americans make up only a tiny fraction of our population; there are fewer than half a million, living chiefly in California, New York, and Hawaii. As American attitudes toward minorities and toward ethnic differences have changed in recent years, the long-reviled Chinese have gained wide acceptance. Today, they are generally admired for their many remarkable characteristics, and are often held up as an example worth following. And their numerous contributions to their adopted land are much appreciated.

England in the 1500s

2008-09-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some facts about the England in the 1500s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and, still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then, all the other sons and men, then, the women and, finally, the children -- last of all the babies. By then, the water was so dirty you could, actually, lose someone in it -- hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
Houses had thatched roofs -- thick straw, piled high, with no wood, underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so, all the dogs, cats, and other small animals (mice， rats, and bugs), lived in the roof. When it rained, it became slippery and, sometimes, the animals would slip and fall off the roof -- hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom, where bugs and other droppings could, really, mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top, afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor."
The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter, when wet, so, they spread thresh on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entry way -- hence, a "thresh hold."
They cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day, they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and, then, start over the next day. Sometimes, the stew had food in it, that had been there for quite a while -- hence the rhyme, "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man " could bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so, for
Most people did not have pewter plates, but, had trenchers, a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often, trenchers were made from stale paysan bread, which was so old and hard that they could use them for quite some time. Trenchers were never washed, and, a lot of times, worms and mold got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy moldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth."
Bread was divided, according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or, "upper crust".
Lead cups were used to drink ale or Whisky . The combination would, sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up -- hence the custom of holding a "wake."
England is old and small, and, they started out running out of places to bury people. So, they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside, and, they realized they had been burying people alive. So, they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the " graveyard shift" ) to listen for the bell.

The History of the Christmas Tree

2008-09-24T00:25:00.000-07:00

The tradition of having an evergreen tree become a symbol of Christmas goes back past recorded written history.
The Druids in ancient England & Gual and the Romans in Europe both used evergreen branches to decorate their homes and public buildings to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Over the years, these traditions were adopted by Christians, who incorporated them as part of their Christmas holiday celebration.
Trees used specifically to celebrate Christmas are mentioned in the early 1600's in Germany and surrounding countries. The families would set up these trees in a prominent location of their home and decorate them with colored paper, small toys, food, and sometimes candles. As these people moved or immigrated to other countries, they brought this tradition with them.
Through the years many different things were used to decorate Christmas trees. As the world moved into the 1900's, many trees were decorated with strings of popcorn, homemade cards and pictures, cotton to look like snow, candy in all shapes and sizes, and occasionally, fancy store made glass balls and hand blown glass figurines. Candles were sometimes used, but often caused devastating fires, and many different types of candleholders were devised to try to prevent tree fires. Electric tree lights were first used just 3 years after Thomas Edison has his first mass public demonstration of electric lights back in 1879. The early Christmas tree lights were handmade and quite expensive.
Today, Christmas tree ornaments can be found in nearly every size, color, and shape imaginable, and they are used to decorate the millions of Christmas trees used throughout the world.

Symbols of Halloween

2008-09-24T00:23:00.000-07:00

Halloween originated as a celebration connected with evil spirits. Witches flying on broomsticks with black cats, ghosts, goblins and skeletons have all evolved as symbols of Halloween. They are popular trick-or-treat costumes and decorations for greeting cards and windows. Black is one of the traditional Halloween colors, probably because Halloween festivals and traditions took place at night. In the weeks before October 31, Americans decorate windows of houses and schools with silhouettes of witches and black cats.

Pumpkins are also a symbol of Halloween. The pumpkin is an orange-colored squash, and orange has become the other traditional Halloween color. Carving pumpkins into jack-o'lanterns is a Halloween custom also dating back to Ireland. A legend grew up about a man named Jack who was so stingy that he was not allowed into heaven when he died, because he was a miser. He couldn't enter hell either because he had played jokes on the devil. As a result, Jack had to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgment Day. The Irish people carved scary faces out of turnips, beets or potatoes representing "Jack of the Lantern," or Jack-o'lantern. When the Irish brought their customs to the United States, they carved faces on pumpkins because in the autumn they were more plentiful than turnips. Today jack-o'-lanterns in the windows of a house on Halloween night let costumed children know that there are goodies waiting if they knock and say "Trick or Treat!"

The History of Coffee

2008-09-24T00:16:00.000-07:00

The history and development of the beverage that we know as coffee is varied and interesting, involving chance occurrences, political intrigue, and the pursuit of wealth and power.

According to one story, a sheepherder named Kaldi as he tended his sheep noticed the effect of coffee beans on behavior. He noticed that the sheep became hyperactive after eating the red "cherries" from a certain plant when they changed pastures. He tried a few themselves, and was soon as overactive as his herd. The story relates that a monk happened by and scolded him for "partaking of the devil's fruit." However the monks soon discovered that this fruit from the shiny green plant could help them stay awake for their prayers.

Another legend gives us the name for coffee or "mocha." An Arabian was banished to the desert with his followers to die of starvation. In desperation, Omar had his friends boil and eat the fruit from an unknown plant. Not only did the broth save the exiles, but the residents of the nearest town, Mocha, took their survival as a religious sign. The plant and its beverage were named Mocha to honor this event.

One early use for coffee would have little appeal today. The Galla tribe from Ethiopia used coffee, but not as a drink. They would wrap the beans in animal fat as their only source of nutrition while on raiding parties. The Turks were the first countries to adopt it as a drink, often adding spices such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise to the brew.

Coffee was introduced much later to countries beyond Arabia whose inhabitants believed it to be a delicacy and guarded its secret as if they were top secret military plans. The government forbade transportation of the plant out of the Moslem nations. The actual spread of coffee was started illegally. One Arab named Baba Budan smuggled beans to some mountains near Mysore, India, and started a farm there. Early in this century, the descendants of those original plants were found still growing fruitfully in the region.

Coffee was believed by some Christians to be the devil's drink. Pope Vincent III heard this and decided to taste it before he banished it. He enjoyed it so much and baptized it, saying, "coffee is so delicious it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it."

Coffee today is grown and enjoyed worldwide, and is one of the few crops that small farmers in third-world countries can profitably export.