June 30th, 2010 by John
A 27-year-old mother who learned to dive at the pool in rural Victoria2 has become Australia's first diving gold medallist in 80 years. And in a double celebration Chantelle Newbery was joined on the medal da¬is3 by her team-mate Loudy Tourky4 who won bronze in the 10 metre platform event. Newbery, who had already won a bronze medal in Athens, broke down in tears after winning gold and spoke of how desperately she was missing her two-and-a-half-year-old son , Jet. 5 She had quit the sport for almost a year after becoming pregnant6 but took it up7 again two years ago. Newbery's husband, Robert, has already won two bronze medals in Athens and the couple could conceivably return home to their son with six medals with the latter contesting both the men's 3 metre springboard and 1 0 metre platform events. 8 The gold medallist said she hoped her husband, the reigning world champion9 who remained in the village for her Sunday night final, had not watched her historic victory. "I still haven't spoken to him," said Newbery, who became Australia's 12th gold medallist at the 2004 Olympics. " "I hope he didn't watch it because he won't get any sleep and he needs to prepare for his event. " " I was thinking of trying to get out on a charter flight'°and get home to my son but I think it's more important to support my husband. After all, my son won't remember but my husband will. " The Chinese influence on Australia's victory was tangible" at the Olympic diving pool in Athens. Newbery wore a Chinese Olympic pin as a good luck charm which had been given to her at the start of the games by one of that country's world champions. And sitting poolside was the Chinese-born coach Tong Xiang Wangman12, who coaches Newbery at the Australian Institute of Sport in Brisbane13and who has revolutionised14the sport in Australia. "The women have now got a gold medal and we've got two tonight. They were both so consistent all the way. It's a major moment for Australian diving. " "I think it's absolutely fantastic15 we've come away with so many medals at these Olympics ... I would just encourage young Australians to come along to the pool and see how they enjoy it. " When asked whether her medal-the eighth achieved by Australian women here in Athens-was another victory for' girlpower', Newbery replied; "Absolutely" . "The first thing I thought after I realised I'd won the gold medal was that this is the last time I'm doing this. " Australia had not won a medal of any colour since 1924 until the Sydney Olympics-and Robert Newbery was a bronze winner there also-and Chantelle's victory in the 1998 world championships had provided something of a "snowball effect". Newbery said after her victory that her apparently cool demeanour16 was a facade. "I was very scared17," she said, "I can tell you that. My last dive is my best dive-that's why it's my last dive-and I just tried not to think about gold, silver or bronze." When asked what she had done to relax herself, Newbery replied; "Nothing that worked-that's for sure. "Posted in Articles
June 29th, 2010 by John
It was a historic moment for Hu Jia when the 21 -year-old Chinese diver eventually pushed aside* long-time rival and teammate Tian Liang for the Olympic platform glory. "I am so calm right now. I am a little surprised why I can be so calm. I had thought that I would be extremely excited when this day comes," said Hu, runner-up5 to Tian in the Sydney Olympics. " Maybe it is because I have made so many effortsin the past four years and the victory had not really sunk in6 ," said Hu. Comparatively a low-profile figure ahead of the Athens Games, Hu trailed de-fending champion Tian for the first four rounds and performed to perfection in the last two7. He earned five full 10.0s from seven judges after finishing his last dive of back 2 1 12 somersaults with 1 1 /2 twists and was greeted with long-time thunder-ous8 applause and cheers. Tian had to settle for9 the bronze in 729. 66 after Hu excelled10 in all six dives with 748.08. Australian Mathew Helm" , Barcelona world championship silver medallist, took silver in 730.56. "Compared to four years ago, I am more mature12 and composed13 now. Even during the competition, I didn't feel nervous at all," he said. Since the Sydney Olympics, Hu has been overshadowed14 by Tian, always fin-ishing second best to his older teammate , who turned 25 on Friday. He was sixth in the 2001 Fukuoka world championships where Tian clinched the platform title after taking silver in Sydney behind Tian". He came fourth at last year's Barcelona Worlds with Alexander Despatie bagging gold and Tian, third, before he once again became runner-up to. Tian in the Athens World Cup in February. "The victory helped me get rid of the shadow and raise my confidence," Hu admitted. But Hu would rather put his rivalry with Tian behind and start to set his sights on the next Olympics in Beijing16. "Tian is a very good diver. Although I beat him this time, we have to start from zero and get prepared for the next Olympics," he said.Posted in Articles
June 28th, 2010 by John
Only those who live in the northeast where it is very cold are short, and dwarfish. They have big noses and deep eyes. But their eyes are not of the same color, with brown, green, and black being most frequent. They have heavy beards that go up to their temples, or are wound around their jaws. Some of their beards are straight like those of the Chinese. Some are crooked and twisted like curly hairs. Some shave them all off. Some leave them all on. Some cut their beards but leave their mustaches. Some cut off their mustaches and leave their beards . They do what they wish . Whether old or young, all have beards. They let their hair grow to two or three inches. But if it gets longer they cut it. The women leave on all of their hair. The women dress their hair somewhat like Chinese women, but gather it together in a net. The color of their whiskers and hair is different. They have yellow, red mottled, or black, all kinds. The men wear flat-topped, tubelike, narrow- brimmed hats of different heights ranging from four inches to over one foot. They are made of felt or silk. When they meet people, they lift their hats as a sign of respect. Their clothes are narrow and their sleeves are tight. The length only goes down to their bellies. Their trousers are bound tightly around their waists. But their outer garments are loose and long,- and reach as far down as their knees. They wear collars in front and back. Their inner garments are of cotton, but their outer garments are of wool. They often wear boots which are made of leather. Women's clothes are also tight and their sleeves stick to their bodies. They wear skirts which are long and brush the ground. This is how they generally dress. For their ceremonial hats, ceremonial clothes, their military helmets and garments, they have different practices. For their eating and drinking utensils they use gold, silver, and ceramics. When they eat they use knife and fork, and they do not use chopsticks. They eat mainly bread. They mostly roast or broil fowl and game. They usually season it with preserves or olive oil. They drink spirits and soda water, as well as coffee in which they mix sugar. Its fragrance enlivens teeth and jaws, and makes the spirit fresh and clear.Posted in Articles
June 25th, 2010 by John
In recent years scientific investigation of comets has increased because scientists believe that the study of comets will help to explain the origin of the solar system. The word "comet" comes from Greek and means "hurry object. "In history, people believed that comets brought news of death, destruction or military victory. The tails of comets provide views of magnificent sights at night. There were written records of comets as early as 1770 B.C. The Chinese kept careful records, and so did the Babylonians. Aristode was interested in comets. He thought that they began as burning gases in the earth' s atmosphere. The most famous comet in history is called Halley's Comet. It was named after Edmund Halley, an English scientist. He predicted the appearance of the comet in 1758, 16 years after his death. Halley' s Comet is extremely bright and has two tails. It returned in 1986.Posted in Articles
June 24th, 2010 by John
According to most calculations, through most of the 1945 ~ 1970 period the Uni States had a standard of living well above Europe' s and many times above the world avera Yet protests about grinding poverty, hunger, and dreadful need proceed more from the Uni States than from countries with one-fortieth of their living standard. ( An annual per capita come of eight dollars is typical of much of Africa and Asia and not a little of South America. It would seem strange to these people (were they only aware of the fact) that American radio demand a retreat from an American commitment to the far corners of the globe so that the mor thus saved can be spent raising the standard of living of underprivileged Americans. What this last point suggests is not so much that human wants are never to be satisfi though this is doubtless true, and the American suburbanite deprived of his second car a; his color TV suffers just as acutely as an African farmer in need of a second cow and a sere: door. Rather, it suggests the extent of contemporary breach of social norms-the emancipatii of the individual serf. People have learned that their wants are sacred and of right ought to 1 satisfied. They have learned to consider any obstacle to personal fulfillment an intolerable ii suit. They have greatly expanded the circle of self awareness. They no longer accept shai limitations on individual desires in the name of the group. The amount of potential human dii content has always been infinite-misery, failure, misfitting, bitterness, hatred, envy beyon telling. It has usually failed of utterance, and in the past it was accepted passively as bein beyond help.Posted in Articles
June 23rd, 2010 by John
In the eighteenth year of King Josiah , the king sent MM Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam , the secretary, to the house of the LORD, saying. 4 "Go up to the high priest Hilkiah , and have him count the entire sum of the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people ; 5 let it be given into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the house of the LORD; let them give it to the workers who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house,6 that is, to the carpenters, to the builders, to the masons;and let them use it to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house. 7 But no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand,for they deal honestly. " 8 The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary,"! have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD . " When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. 9Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house,and have delivered it into the hand of the workers who have oversight of the house of the LORD . " lOShaphan the secretary informed the king,"The priest Hilkiah has given me a book. "Shaphan then read it aloud to the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12 Then the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and the king's servant Asaiah, saying, 13"Go,inquire of the LORD for me,for the people,and for all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book,to do according to all that is written concerning us. "Posted in Articles
June 22nd, 2010 by John
A vegetarian diet is often praised for its health benefits. Vegetarians usually have lower levels of heart disease,1 and studies have also shown that they have a lower risk of diabetes than people who eat meat. What most people are less aware of, however, are the effects that a vegetarian 5 diet, compared to a non-vegetarian diet, can have on the environment. Researchers from the Union of Concerned Scientists in the U.S. recently studied how consumer2 behavior affects the environment. The study lowed that meat consumption is one of the main ways that humans can image the environment, second only to the use of motor vehicles. ), how can eating meat have a negative effect on the environment? For a art, all livestock animals such as cows, pigs, and sheep release methane is by expelling3 wind from their bodies. One cow can produce up to xty liters of methane each day. Methane gas is the second most common •eenhouse4 gas after carbon dioxide.5 Many environmental experts now ;lieve that methane is more responsible for global warming than carbon ioxide. It is estimated that twenty-five percent of all methane released ito the atmosphere comes from farm animals. nother way in which meat production affects the environment is through ic use of water and land. Two thousand five hundred gallons6 of water •e needed to produce one pound7 of beef, whereas twenty gallons of ater are needed to produce one pound of wheat. One acre8 of farmland sed for raising livestock can produce 250 pounds of beef. One acre of irmland used for crop production can produce 40,000 pounds of atatoes, 30,000 pounds of carrots, or 50,000 pounds of tomatoes. [any people now see the benefits of switching to a vegetarian diet, not ist for health reasons, but also because it plays a vital role in protecting ic environment. However, some nutritionists advise against switching to totally strict vegetarian, or vegan, diet. They believe a vegan diet, which ccludes all products from animal sources, such as cheese, eggs, and milk, in be deficient in many of the necessary vitamins9 and minerals our adies need. sday, many people know that it is important to take better care of their adies, and to use the earth's resources more efficiently. As this tiderstanding spreads, more people may realize that to help the ivironment and for the human race to survive, more of us will need to scome vegetarian.Posted in Articles
The human brain contains 10 thousand million cells and each of these may have a thousand connections
June 21st, 2010 by John
Such enormous numbers used to discourage us and cause us to dismiss the possibility of making a machine with human-like ability, but now that we have grown used to moving forward at such a pace we can be less sure. Quite soon, in only 10 or 20 years perhaps, we will be able to assemble a machine as complex as the human brain, and if we can we will. It may then take us a long time to render it intelligent by loading in the right software or by altering the architecture but that too will happen. I think it certain that in decades , not centuries , machines of silicon will arise first to rival and then exceed their human ancestors. Once they exceed us they will be capable of their own design. In a real sense they will be able to reproduce themselves. Silicon will have ended carbon's long control. And we will no longer be able to claim ourselves to be the finest intelligence in the known universe. As the intelligence of robots increases to match that of humans and as their cost declines through economies of scale we may use them to expand our frontiers , first on earth through their ability to withstand environments, harmful to ourselves. Thus, deserts may bloom and the ocean beds be mined. Further ahead, by a combination of the great wealth this new age will bring and the technology it will provide , the construction of a vast , man-created world in space , home to thousands or millions of people , will be within our power.Posted in Articles
June 19th, 2010 by John
They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal dog activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect its normal behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting. One of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself is to obedience train it. Obedience training doesn't solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training pens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want it to do. Training is also an easy way to establish the social rank order. When your dog obeys a simple request of "come here, sit," it is showing obedience and respect for you. It is not necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the pack ( |]f ) by using extreme measure. You can teach your dog its subordinate ( ,(A M W ) role by teaching it to show submission to you. Most dogs love performing tricks for you to pleasantly accept that you are in charge. Training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained animal.Posted in Articles
June 18th, 2010 by John
By many accounts a kind man with a genuine love for his country, Nicholas was nevertheless beginning to be pictured as a ruthless dictator by those who wished to see the empire democratized, and the complaints of his people were very much in the Tsar's thoughts that summer. One event, however, took Nicholas' mind away from his political difficulties. On August 12, his wife gave birth to a son. The child has been called Alexis. But within a few months it became clear that the apparently healthy child was not healthy at all—he had hemophilia. Hemophilia is a blood disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. A small, external scratch or cut presents no real problem as the bleeding can be stopped relatively quickly, but bumps and bruises create internal bleeding. This blood, in turn, gathers in knee and elbow joints, causing great pain and, sometimes, permanent injury. Once Alexis' diagnosis was confirmed, however, it was decided that, for the good of the dynasty and the country, the boy's illness would remain a family secret. That decision may have changed history. In her pain over her son's illness, the Trarina turned to a newcomer, Grigory Rasputin, to the Russian court for help. He was able-^-although to this day no one knows how— to calm the young Alexis when he had hurt himself and, apparently, to ease his pain considerably. For nearly a decade after Alexis' birth, the political situation in Russia grew worse. Even the great patriotic fervor which greeted the empire's entry into the First World War took a downturn when the nation's early victories gave way to progressively greater defeats and the loss of hundreds of thousands of Russian lives. In an effort to stem the tide , Nicholas decided it was his duty to lead the army himself, and in 1915 left St. Petersburg and took up residence at Army Headquarters, in effect leaving Alexandra to rule the country with Rasputin at her side. The increasingly terrible situation at the front resulted in a repudiation of the war by many in Russia, which led to even more demonstrations at home by dissidents. The Tsar and Tsarina came increasingly under personal attack, as did Rasputin. The Russian people, not knowing of the prince's hemophilia, could not understand why Rasputin seemed to have so much power, over the imperial family, and both he and Tsarina were much criticized in the press. Rusputin had also made important enemies at court. On December 16, 1916, he was assassinated by three courtiers. Three months later, on March 15, 1917, the Tsar gave up his throne, and on November 7th the Bolshevik Revolution brought the communists to power. Less than a year later, on July 29, 1918, Nicholas and his family including Alexis, who would have been the next Tsar, were executed, ending the three-hundred- year-old Romanov dynasty.Posted in Uncategorized
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