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karen ponce

The Pilgrims-Overview - 0 views

www.mayflowerfamilies.com/...pilgrims.htm

shared by karen ponce on 05 Dec 08 - Cached
  • The Pilgrims were English Separatists. In the first years of the 17th century, small numbers of English Puritans broke away from the Church of England because they felt that it had not completed the work of the Reformation. They committed themselves to a life based on the Bible. Most of these Separatists were farmers, poorly educated and without social or political standing. One of the Separatist congregations was led by William Brewster and the Rev. Richard Clifton in the village of Scrooby in Nottinghamshire. The Scrooby group emigrated to Amsterdam in 1608 to escape harassment and religious persecution. The next year they moved to Leiden, in Holland where, enjoying full religious freedom, they remained for almost 12 years. In 1617, discouraged by economic difficulties, the pervasive Dutch influence on their children, and their inability to secure civil autonomy, the congregation voted to emigrate to America. Through the Brewster family's friendship with Sir Edwin Sandys, treasurer of the London Company, the congregation secured two patents authorizing them to settle in the northern part of the company's jurisdiction. Unable to finance the costs of the emigration with their own meager resources, they negotiated a financial agreement with Thomas Weston, a prominent London iron merchant. Fewer than half of the group's members elected to leave Leiden. A small ship, the Speedwell, carried them to Southampton, England, where they were to join another group of Separatists and pick up a second ship. After some delays and disputes, the voyagers regrouped at Plymouth aboard the 180-ton Mayflower. It began its historic voyage on Sept. 16, 1620, with about 102 passengers--fewer than half of them from Leiden.
  • Founding of New England, The by Adams, J. T., (1921; repr. 1963) Bradford, William, Of Plymouth Plantation: 1620-1647, ed. by Samuel E. Morison (1952) Mayflower, The (1974) by Caffrey, Kate Mayflower Pilgrims, The by Colloms, Brenda (1977) Land Ho!--1620 by Nickerson, W. S. (1931). A Little Commonwealth: Family Life in Plymouth Colony by Demos, John (1988) Pilgrims, The by Dillon, Francis (1975) Mayflower Remembered: A History of the Plymouth Pilgrims by Gill, Crispin (1970) Saga of the Pilgrims by Harris, J.(1990) Pilgrim's Own Story, The by Notson, A.W., and R.C., eds., Stepping Stones: (1987) Pilgrim Fathers from a Dutch Point of View by Plooij, D.(1932; repr. 1970) Bradford of Plymouth by Smith, Bradford (1951) Pilgrims and Their History by Usher, R. G. (1918) Pilgrim Reader (1953) and Saints and Strangers: Pilgrim Fathers, The by Willison, G. F. rev. ed. (1965). Pilgrim Colony: A History of New Plymouth, 1620-1691 by Langdon, G. D., Jr. (1966) Story of the Old Colony of New Plymouth, The by Morison, S. E. (1956); Plymouth Colony: Its History and People by Stratton, E.A. (1987)
cory delacruz

Blue Sky - Why is the Sky Blue? - 0 views

www.sciencemadesimple.com/sky_blue.html

shared by cory delacruz on 04 Dec 08 - Cached
  • end of the spectrum are the reds and oranges. These gradually shade into yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The colors have different wavelengths, frequencies, and energies. Violet has the shortest wavelength in the visible spectrum. That means it has the highest frequency and energy. Red has the longest wavelength, and lowest frequency and energy. LIGHT IN THE AIR Light travels through space in a straight line as long as nothing disturbs it. As light moves through the atmosphere, it continues to go straight until it bumps into a bit of dust or a gas molecule. Then what happens to the light depends on its wave length and the size of the thing it hits. Dust particles and water droplets are much larger than the wavelength of visible light. When light hits these large particles, it gets reflected, or bounced off, in different directions. The different colors of light are all reflected by the particle in the same way. The reflected light appears white because it still contains all of the same colors. Gas molecules are smaller than the wavelength of visible light. If light bumps into them, it acts differently. When light hits a gas molecule, some of it may get absorbed. After awhile, the molecule radiates (releases, or gives off) the light in a different direction. The color that is radiated is the same color that was absorbed. The different colors of light are affected differently. All of the co
  • d after Lord John Rayleigh, an English physicist, who first described it in the 1870's.) WHY IS THE SKY BLUE? The blue color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering. As light moves through the atmosphere, most of the longer wavelengths pass straight through. Little of the red, orange and yellow light is affected by t
  • As you look closer to the horizon, the sky appears much paler in color. To reach you, the scattered blue light must pass through more air. Some of it gets scattered away again in other directions. Less blue light reaches your eyes. The color of the sky near the horizon appears paler or white.
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  • THE BLACK SKY AND WHITE SUN On Earth, the sun appears yellow. If you were out in space, or on the moon, the sun would look white. In space, there is no atmosphere to scatter the sun's light. On Earth, some of the shorter wavelength light (the blues and violets) are removed from the direct rays of the sun by scattering. The remaining colors together appear yellow. Also, out in space, the sky looks dark and black, instead of blue. This is because there is no atmosphere. There is no scattered light to reach your eyes. WHY IS THE SUNSET RED? As the sun begins to set, the light must travel farther through the atmosphere before it gets to you. More of the light is reflected and scattered. As less reaches you directly, the sun appears less
  • The sky around the setting sun may take on many colors. The most spectacular shows occur when the air contains many small particles of dust or water. These particles reflect light in all directions. Then, as some of the light heads towards you, different amounts of the shorter wavelength colors are scattered out. You see the longer wavelengths, and the sky appears red, pink or orange.
  • RE ABOUT:THE ATMOSPHERE WHAT IS THE ATMOSPHERE? The atmosphere is the mixture of gases and other materials that surround the Earth in a thin, mostly transparent shell. It is held in place by the Earth's gravity. The main components are nitrogen (78.09%), oxygen (20.95%), argon (0.93%), and carbon dioxide (0.03%). The atmosphere also contains small amounts, or traces, of water (in local concentrations ranging from 0% to 4%), solid particles, neon, helium, methane, krypton, hydrogen, xenon and ozone. The study of the atmosphere is called meteorology. Life on Earth would not be possible without the atmosphere.
  • d increases with increasing altitude. The increase is caused by the absorption of UV radiation by the oxygen and ozone. · The temperature increase with altitude results in a layering effect. It creates a global "inversion layer", and reduces vertical convection. Mesosphere - Extends out to about 100 km (65 miles) · Temperature decreases rapidly with increasing altitude. Thermosphere - Extends out to about 400 km ( 250 miles)
  • hes the Earth, 30% is reflected back into space by clouds and the Earth's surface. The atmosphere absorbs 19%. Only 51% is absorbed by the Earth's surface. We are not normally aware of it but air does have weight. The column of air above us exerts pressure on us. This pressure at sea level is defined as one atmosphere. Other equivalent measurements you may hear used are 1,013 millibars, 760 mm Hg (mercury), 29.92 inches of Hg, or 14.7 pounds/square inch (psi). Atmospheric pressure decreases rapidly with height. Pressure drops by a factor of 10 for every 16 km (10 miles) increase in altitude. This means that the pressure is 1 atmosphere at sea level, but 0.1 atmosphere at 16 km and only 0.01 atmosphere at 32 km. The density of the lower atmosphere is about 1 kg/cubic meter (1 oz./cubic foot). There are approximately 300 billion billion (3 x 10**20, or a 3 followed by 20 zeros) molecules per cubic inch (16.4 cubic ce
  • ers). At ground level, each molecule is moving at about 1600 km/hr (1000 miles/hr), and collides with other molecules 5 billion times per second. The density of air also decreases rapidly with altitude. At 3 km (2 miles) air density has decreased by 30%. People who normally live closer to sea level experience temporary breathing difficulties when traveling to these altitudes. The highest permanent human settlements are at about 4 km (3 miles). LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE The atmosphere is divided into layers based on temperature, composition and electrical properties. These layers are approximate and the boundaries vary, depending on the seasons and latitude. (The boundaries also depend on which "authority" is defining them.) LAYERS BASED ON COMPOSITION Homosphere
  • LAYERS BASED ON TEMPERATURE Troposphere - Height depends on the seasons and latitude. It extends from ground level up to about 16 km (10 miles) at the equator, and to 9 km (5 miles) at the North and South Poles. · The prefix "tropo" means change. Changing conditions in the Troposphere result in our weather. · Temperature decreases with increasing altitude. Warm air rises, then cools and falls back to Earth. This process is called convection, and results in huge movements of air. Winds in this layer are mostly vertical. · Contains more air molecules than
  • · The air is very thin. · The prefix "strato" is related to layers, or stratification. · The bottom of this layer is calm. Jet planes often fly in the lower Stratosphere to avoid bad weather in the Troposphere. · The upper part of the Stratosphere holds the high winds known as the jet streams. These blow horizontally at speeds up to 480 km/hour (300 miles/hour) · Contains the "ozone layer" located
  • gen we need to breath. But it also serves other important functions. It moderates the planet's temperature, reducing the extremes that occur on airless worlds. For example, temperatures on the moon range from 120 °C (about 250 °F) in the day to -170 °C (about -275 °F) at night. The atmosphere
    • cory delacruz
      cory delacruz on 04 Dec 08
       
      sounds good, by the way am i annoying you with my sticky note??? well, TOO BAD!!!!!!
Sara Espinosa

List of - Biggest Cities in the World, Highest Mountains, Deepest Spot in the Ocean, Lo... - 0 views

www.worldatlas.com/...thelist.htm

country populations

shared by Sara Espinosa on 03 Dec 08 - Cached
  • COUNTRY POPULATION (smallest) (February, 2006 numbers) Vatican City 920
  • COUNTRY POPULATION (largest) (February, 2006 numbers) China 1,306,313,800
  • OCEANS OF THE WORLD (by size) Pacific (155,557,000 sq km)
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  • LARGEST COUNTRIES (by land mass)
  • Russia 17,075,400 sq km, (6,592,846 sq miles)
  • OCEANS' GREATEST DEPTHS Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean 35,827 ft
  • 10) LARGEST USA CITIES! (By Population) Numbers shown are the population within the recognized city limits, and do not include people living in the immediate surrounding area outside of the established border of the city (often called the metro). For those numbers, visit this page New York City, NY 8.09 million
  • DEEPEST OCEANS & SEAS
  • SMALLEST COUNTRIES (by land mass)
  • Pacific Ocean (35,827 ft) (10,924 meters)
  • Vatican City 0.44 sq km, (0.17 sq miles)
  • OLDEST COUNTRIES
  • San Marino (301 AD)
  • LARGEST CITIES ON THE PLANET! Numbers shown are the population within the recognized city limits, and do not include people living in the immediate surrounding area outside of the established border of the city. For the largest metropolitan areas refer to the list below this one. Revised (10/01/04) Shanghai, China 13.3 million
  • MAJOR SEAS (by size) locator map here South China (2,974,600 sq km)
  • YOUNGEST COUNTRIES Montenegro (July, 2006)
  • RICHEST COUNTRIES (GNP in USA Dollars) Luxembourg ($45,360)
  • MAJOR ISLANDS (by size) locator map here Australia, (7,617.930 sq km) is widely considered part of a continental landmass, not officially an island. But without doubt it is the largest island on the planet, and when combined with Oceania, the smallest continent on Earth.
  • POOREST COUNTRIES (GNP in USA Dollars) Mozambique ($80)
  • LARGEST METRO AREAS IN THE WORLD Numbers shown are the population within the immediate surrounding area of the established border of the city, and also include the city limit population figures. Revised (09/05) Toyko, Japan 31.2 million
  • COUNTRIES WITH MOST LAND BORDERS
  • China (14)
  • MAJOR RIVERS (By Length) Nile, Africa (6,825 km)
  • MAJOR LAKES (By Size) Caspian Sea, Asia-Europe (371,000 sq km)
  • TOP 10 TALLEST MOUNTAINS Mount Everest 8850m (29035ft) Nepal/China
  • DEEPEST LAKES (By Greatest Depth) Baikal, Russian Fed. (5,315 ft)
  • Sara Espinosa on 03 Dec 08
     
    world info page
Janina Jose

Kids Search - powered by EBSCOhost: France and It's Celebrations - 0 views

web.ebscohost.com/...detail

shared by Janina Jose on 05 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Section: Festival The start of the New Year has been celebrated in China for more than 3,000 years. New Year was a time when the farmers gave thanks for the harvest and prayed to the gods for a good harvest in the coming year. This was the one period in the busy farming year when there was time to have a celebration and when the family could get together, relax, and be merry. Chinese New Year begins with a New Moon. The Lunar Year is calculated from the time it takes for the Moon to travel around the Earth, while the Western (Gregorian) calendar is based on the time it takes for the Earth to circle the Sun. The orbits of the Moon bear no relation to the time it takes for the Earth to go around the Sun, which is why the Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated on a different date each year. In China the New Year was renamed the Spring Festival, in 1911, when the Western calendar was officially accepted in China. However, it is still commonly known around the world as the Chinese New Year. Chinese years are named after one of twelve animals. These have been used in the same order to name the years since the sixth century A.D. Each animal is said to have its own personality and emotions, which are present in people born within its year. ~~~~~~~~By Sarah Moyse This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year (0-7613-0374-X)
  • Holidays are very important to the French. The French begin the year with a celebration of the Jour de l'An, which is New Year's Day. They greet each other by saying "Bonne Annee!" (Happy New Year). On January 6th there is la Fete des Rois (the Festival of the Three Kings), where people have a King's Cake. Whoever finds the special toy that has been baked into the cake gets to be king or queen for the day. In February, the French celebrate la Saint-Valentin or Valentine's Day by giving, valentines and chocolates. Also the French mark the start of Lent (a religious time when people fast) with Mardi Gras celebrations. On the 1st of April people play tricks on each other and say "Poisson d'avril!" which means "April fish!" People have little paper fishes that they cut out and try to stick on the backs of their friends that day. Easter is an important holiday in France. On the morning of Easter Sunday, most French people go to church. Afterwards, they carry home candles that have been blessed by priests. For Easter, which is called Le Pacques, omelettes, (an egg dish) are usually eaten for breakfast. People also give each other chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies.
  • Holidays are very important to the French. The French begin the year with a celebration of the Jour de l'An, which is New Year's Day. They greet each other by saying "Bonne Annee!" (Happy New Year). On January 6th there is la Fete des Rois (the Festival of the Three Kings), where people have a King's Cake. Whoever finds the special toy that has been baked into the cake gets to be king or queen for the day. In February, the French celebrate la Saint-Valentin or Valentine's Day by giving, valentines and chocolates. Also the French mark the start of Lent (a religious time when people fast) with Mardi Gras celebrations. On the 1st of April people play tricks on each other and say "Poisson d'avril!" which means "April fish!" People have little paper fishes that they cut out and try to stick on the backs of their friends that day.
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  • Easter is an important holiday in France. On the morning of Easter Sunday, most French people go to church. Afterwards, they carry home candles that have been blessed by priests. For Easter, which is called Le Pacques, omelettes, (an egg dish) are usually eaten for breakfast. People also give each other chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies. May 1st is May Day and French people wear corsages made of flowers like the lily-of-valley, which they also give to friends for good luck. During the summer months, there is the Tour de France, which is a bicycle race. The 14th of July is France's Independence Day, called Bastille Day. There are parades and fireworks, and people decorate their houses and celebrate all day. Christmas is a favorite holiday in France for the young and old. On Christmas Eve, families often attend midnight mass. After church, they return home for a big dinner called le reveillon. Dinner often consists of such foods like soup, turkey, goose, and oysters. A popular dessert at Christmas time is buche de Noel, a cake filled with chocolate and rolled into the shape of a log. The cake represents the Yule log that burns in the fireplaces of the French people during Christmas.
Ann Thomas

Alley Cat Rescue � The National Cat Protection Association - 0 views

www.saveacat.org/communitybenefits.html

shared by Ann Thomas on 10 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Feral cats can minimize rodent problems. While cats cannot hunt rats and mice into extinction, they can keep their populations in check and discourage new rodents from moving into the area. Often feral cats fill in a gap in the current ecosystem. For example bob cats or lynx used to live up and down the East Coast but were hunted ruthlessly and driven away by development. Feral cats are similar in size and behavior to these native feline predators and help to control the same species of small prey animals. Many people enjoy watching feral cats and observing animals has been shown to lower blood pressure in medical studies. People who help to care for feral cats by feeding them and taking them to the vet enjoy many benefits. Often cat caretakers are elderly and live alone, a population at risk for depression, loneliness, and isolation. Cats relieve these conditions and often bring a sense of happiness and purpose to people who help them. Just as companion animals have been shown extend life expectancies, lower blood pressure, and relieve stress, caring for feral cats improves the health of their caretakers. Individuals who cannot take on the full time commitment of adopting a companion animal can participate in programs to help feral cats. This provides a viable alternative to irresponsibly purchasing an animal one is not prepared to care for. An established, stable, vaccinated, and sterilized colony of feral cats will deter other stray and feral cats from moving into the area. This actually decreases the risk that residents will encounter an unvaccinated cat, and will virtually eliminate problem behaviors like fighting and spraying.
  • Ann Thomas on 10 Dec 08
     
    1. Feral cats can minimize rodent problems. While cats cannot hunt rats and mice into extinction, they can keep their populations in check and discourage new rodents from moving into the area. Often feral cats fill in a gap in the current ecosystem. For example bob cats or lynx used to live up and down the East Coast but were hunted ruthlessly and driven away by development. Feral cats are similar in size and behavior to these native feline predators and help to control the same species of small prey animals. 2. Many people enjoy watching feral cats and observing animals has been shown to lower blood pressure in medical studies. 3. People who help to care for feral cats by feeding them and taking them to the vet enjoy many benefits. Often cat caretakers are elderly and live alone, a population at risk for depression, loneliness, and isolation. Cats relieve these conditions and often bring a sense of happiness and purpose to people who help them. Just as companion animals have been shown extend life expectancies, lower blood pressure, and relieve stress, caring for feral cats improves the health of their caretakers. 4. Individuals who cannot take on the full time commitment of adopting a companion animal can participate in programs to help feral cats. This provides a viable alternative to irresponsibly purchasing an animal one is not prepared to care for. 5. An established, stable, vaccinated, and sterilized colony of feral cats will deter other stray and feral cats from moving into the area. This actually decreases the risk that residents will encounter an unvaccinated cat, and will virtually eliminate problem behaviors like fighting and spraying.
Stephania D

Document Page: BETTER DATA AND EVALUATION OF URBAN RUNOFF PROGRAMS NEEDED TO ASSEDD EFF... - 0 views

elibrary.bigchalk.com/...document

shared by Stephania D on 10 Dec 08 - Cached
  • The Chesapeake Bay, forexample, has been polluted with the nutrients nitrogen andphosphorus and with excess sediment caused, in part, by urbanrunoff. The excess nutrients cause algae blooms that blocksunlight from reaching bay grasses-which are a source of food,shelter, and nursery grounds for many aquatic species.
  • In aneffort to control nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, theExecutive Council of the Chesapeake Bay Program" established agoal to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus entering theChesapeake Bay by 40 percent, including through control of runofffrom urban areas.
    • Stephania D
      Stephania D on 10 Dec 08
       
      The Baltimore Harbor and the Patapsco River in Maryland; the Anacostia, River in Washington, D.C.; and the Elizabeth River in Virginia were designated as "regions of concern."
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  • "hot spots" of contaminated sediment.
    • Stephania D
      Stephania D on 10 Dec 08
       
      The Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project conducted a study to identify adverse health effects of untreated urban runoff by surveying over 13,000 swimmers at three bay beaches. The study established a positive association between an increased risk of explains health outcome measures at various distances from storm drains. For example, the study found a 1-in-14 chance of fever for swimmers in front of the drain versus a 1-in-22 chance at 400 or more yards away.
  • Pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, which are often presentin urban runoff, can pose public health problems.
  • Drains Versus 400 or More Yards Away Found On Hard Copy-Storm Drain Runoff," Epidemiology, July 1999, Vol. 10, No. 4.Metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in urban runoffcan present a threat to aquatic life.
  • proved to betoxic to sea urchin fertilization in the Santa Monica Bay, anddissolved zinc and copper were determined to be contributors tothis toxicity. -Brown bullheads (a bottom-dwelling catfish) inthe Anacostia River developed tumors that were believed to becaused by PAHs associated in part with urban runoff. High PAHand heavy metal concentrations were found in crayfish tissuesamples from several urban streams in Milwaukee. The studyassociated these contaminants with storm water runoff.
  • The three primaryactivities used in these programs include efforts to characterizestorm water runoff; BMPs aimed at reducing pollutants in stormwater runoff to the maximum extent practicable; and reportingprogram activities, monitoring results, and costs of implementingthe program. Some BMPs are structural-meaning that they aredesigned to trap and detain runoff until constituents settle orare filtered out.
  • -good housekeeping" practices by the local government, such asoil collection and recycling, spill response, household andhazardous waste collection, pesticide controls, flood controlmanagement, and street sweeping; -public education programs, suchas storm-drain stenciling, to remind the public that trash, motoroil, and other pollutants thrown into storm drains end up innearby receiving waters;' -new ordinances to control pollutionsources, such as prohibiting the disposal of lawn clippings instorm drains and requiring pet owners to clean up after theirpets;" requirements that developers comply with storm waterregulations and incorporate erosion and sediment controls at allnew development sites; -requirements that runoff from propertiesowned or activities sponsored by the municipality be properlycontrolled; and -efforts to identify and eliminate illicitconnections and illegal discharges to the storm sewer systems,such as those from pipes carrying sewage.
  • Several officials in the cities we visited said that their annualcosts are likely to increase. A number of factors could affectthe costs. For example, a Baltimore City official explained thatthe anticipated, future program costs depend on several factors,including (1) requirements in watershed- management planscurrently being developed, (2) pollution-reduction goals the citywill be required to achieve, (3) requirements of the stateregulatory agency in future permits, and (4) requirements thecity may have to meet if TMDLs or numeric effluent limits areincorporated into NPDES storm water permits. Other city officialsalso expressed concern about the extent to which TMDLs couldaffect their future costs. These city officials are concernedthat when and if TMDLs are established, their future storm waterpermits may require that storm water runoff meet specific waterquality standards. For example, Los Angeles County's trash TMDLcould potentially drive the county's storm water management costsupward, and the county expects additional TMDLs to be imposed. Onthe other hand, Worcester officials estimated that their futurestorm water costs would be about the same as they were at thetime of our review-about $4.5 million per year.
Ann Thomas

How will talking to my cats benefit them? - Yahoo! Answers - 0 views

answers.yahoo.com/...index

shared by Ann Thomas on 08 Dec 08 - Cached
  • I have always talked to my cats. I say their name when I see them, when I pet them and when I feed them. They know their names and come when called. The human voice is calming to a cat. Some cats will respond when talked to, others just look at me, but at least I have their attention. I've had other cats that would answer every question with different sounds. Since I don't speak "cat" it was impossible to understand, though. Cats can remember us by our voices as well. One of our cats named "Graceful Mowser" was sold to some friends of ours and a year and a half later had kittens. They called her "Mouse". We were invited to see the kittens, but the momma kept standing over them so we couldn't see them. I talked to her, "Hi Gracie, what beautiful babies" and she stood back as if she was proud and looked at me intently. I always called her "Gracie". When other people came to see the kittens she still tried to cover them. Later, whenever we stopped by, Gracie would come to greet us as soon as she heard my voice. Otherwise she was naturally shy and would hide whenever anyone came in the house.
  • Ann Thomas on 08 Dec 08
     
    I have always talked to my cats. I say their name when I see them, when I pet them and when I feed them. They know their names and come when called. The human voice is calming to a cat. Some cats will respond when talked to, others just look at me, but at least I have their attention. I've had other cats that would answer every question with different sounds. Since I don't speak "cat" it was impossible to understand, though. Cats can remember us by our voices as well. One of our cats named "Graceful Mowser" was sold to some friends of ours and a year and a half later had kittens. They called her "Mouse". We were invited to see the kittens, but the momma kept standing over them so we couldn't see them. I talked to her, "Hi Gracie, what beautiful babies" and she stood back as if she was proud and looked at me intently. I always called her "Gracie". When other people came to see the kittens she still tried to cover them. Later, whenever we stopped by, Gracie would come to greet us as soon as she heard my voice. Otherwise she was naturally shy and would hide whenever anyone came in the house.
Graham Williams

Curse of the Bambino - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

en.wikipedia.org/...Curse_of_the_Bambino

bambino

shared by Graham Williams on 04 Dec 08 - Cached
  • reason for the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 until 2004.
  • begun after the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth, sometimes called The Bambino, to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919-1920.
  • The curse
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  • winning the first World Series in 1903 and amassing five World Series titles prior to selling Ruth
  • he once-lackluster Yankees became one of the most successful franchises in North American professional sports.
  • ended in 2004, when the Red Sox came back from a 0-3 best-of-seven deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series and then went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals to win the 2004 World Series.
  • the curse
  • In 1949, the Red Sox needed to win just one of the last two games of the season to win the pennant, but lost both games to the Yankees, who would go on to win a record five consecutive World Series from 1949 to 1953.
  • In 1967, the Red Sox surprisingly reversed the awful results of the 1966 season by winning the American League pennant on the last weekend of the season. In the World Series, they once again faced the Cardinals, and just as in 1946, the Series went to a seventh game. St. Louis won the deciding contest 7-2
  • In 2003, the Red Sox were playing the Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. Boston held a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning, and manager Grady Little opted to stay with starting pitcher Pedro Martínez rather than go to the bullpen. New York rallied off the tired Martínez, scoring three runs off a single and three doubles to tie the game. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Aaron Boone launched a solo home run off knuckleballing Boston starter Tim Wakefield (pitching in relief) to win the game and the pennant for the Yankees.
  • In 2004, the Red Sox once again met the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. After losing the first three games, including a 19–8 drubbing at Fenway in Game 3, the Red Sox trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 4. But the team tied the game with a walk by Kevin Millar and a stolen base by pinch-runner Dave Roberts, followed by an RBI single off Yankee closer Mariano Rivera by third baseman Bill Mueller, and won on a 2-run home run in the 12th inning by David Ortiz. The Red Sox would go on to win the next three games to become the first Major League Baseball team to win a seven-game postseason series after being down 3 games to none.
  • The Red Sox then faced the St. Louis Cardinals, the team to whom they lost the 1946 and 1967 World Series, and won in a four-game sweep. Cardinals shortstop Edgar Rentería—who wore number 3, Babe Ruth's uniform number with the Yankees—hit into the final out of the game. The final game took place on October 27 during a total lunar eclipse—the only post-season or World Series game to do so. It also took place exactly 18 years to the day the Red Sox last lost a World Series game. Three years later, the Red Sox would sweep the Colorado Rockies to win another World Series.
Ann Thomas

PIR: Cats - 0 views

www.pirweb.org/pir04b_cat.htm

shared by Ann Thomas on 03 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Cats are very important subjects in cancer research. Leukemia is perhaps the most infamous of the diseases shared by cats and people. In cats, it is caused by an AIDS-like retrovirus. A recently discovered vaccine against feline leukemia may act as a model for an AIDS vaccine. Mammary cancer is also common in the cat, and many features of feline mammary cancer resemble the human breast cancer which, among the human cancers, is the greatest killer of women.
  • Ann Thomas on 03 Dec 08
     
    Cats, too, have been useful models for research on aging. Their relatively long life span compared with mice and rats makes it possible to observe the slower and more subtle effects of aging. Cats are very important subjects in cancer research. Leukemia is perhaps the most infamous of the diseases shared by cats and people. In cats, it is caused by an AIDS-like retrovirus. A recently discovered vaccine against feline leukemia may act as a model for an AIDS vaccine. Mammary cancer is also common in the cat, and many features of feline mammary cancer resemble the human breast cancer which, among the human cancers, is the greatest killer of women.
Christina T

Japan --  Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition - 0 views

school.eb.com/...article

japanese culture

shared by Christina T on 09 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Japan is a country marked by contrast between old and new. The country values its complex and ancient cultural tradition.
  • The islands of Japan form an arc that stretches about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from northeast to southwest.
  • Much of Japan's original vegetation has been replaced by farming or by plant species brought in from other countries.
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  • The burakumin (people of the village) are ethnically the same as the majority of Japanese. However, their ancestors were members of the former outcast class. The burakumin are often treated unfairly.
  • Shinto is based on the worship of local spirits in nature.
  • Japan has a rich and complex culture. Native Japanese traditions have been mixed with cultural styles adapted from China and, later, from the West. Japanese culture and art emphasize understated simplicity, elegance, and grace. For example, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, flower arranging, and garden design are highly stylized and refined. On the other hand, contemporary Japanese society fully embraces Western-style popular culture—influenced by television, motion pictures, and advertising.
  • modern Japanese writers include Soseki Natsume, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Osamu Dazai, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, and Yukio Mishima.
  • Poetry plays a central role in Japanese culture.
  • The carefully composed paintings used few brush strokes to suggest a scene in nature.
  • Japanese No plays are generally short, stylized, and heroic.
  • Today the martial arts are more important as competitive sports and as aids to physical and mental fitness.
  • The Japanese economy grew remarkably throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.
  • Historical records, however, show that Japan was not united as one state until the late 4th or early 5th century AD. It was ruled by the Yamato dynasty.
  • Meanwhile, Japan was developing trade contacts with the outside world.
  • By the mid-19th century the Tokugawa shogunate was unable to keep European and United States traders away.
  • A new government was established under the young emperor Mutsuhito, who took the name of Meiji, meaning “enlightened government.”
  • Japan soon sought to build an empire. It successfully fought a war with China (1894–95) and with Russia (1904–05).
  • The Japanese government believed that expansion through military conquest would help the economy.
  • Under the terms of surrender, Japan had to give up all the territory it had acquired since 1895.
  • Japan rebuilt its ruined economy, using new technology in every major industry.
anonymous

The Wrong Way to Win - 0 views

express.howstuffworks.com/express-doping1.htm

shared by anonymous on 03 Dec 08 - Cached
  • The Wrong Way to Win › Introduction to The Wrong Way to Win › Why Do Athletes Use Performance-enhancing Drugs? › Masking Pain and Managing Weight and Stress › Detecting Drugs Why Do Athletes Use Performance-enhancing Drugs?
  • An athlete may want to: Build mass and strength of muscles and/or bones Increase delivery of oxygen to exercising tissues Mask pain Stimulate the body Hide use of other drugs
  • Many drugs are banned outright in Olympic competitions. However, some drugs, such as cortisone and local anesthetics, are merely restricted because they have legitimate clinical uses. Athletes may also misuse drugs to reduce weight, relax, cope with stress or boost their own confidence. Whatever the reason, doping has many unsafe if not deadly side effects.
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  • Athletes looking to build mass may also abuse Human Growth Hormone (hGH). Excessive hGH levels increase muscle mass by stimulating protein synthesis, strengthen bones by stimulating bone growth and reduce body fat by stimulating the breakdown of fat cells. Use of hGH has become increasingly popular because it is difficult to detect. Side effects include overgrowth of hands, feet, and face (known as acromegaly), enlarged internal organs, especially heart, kidneys, tongue and liver and heart problems.
  • In addition to taking drugs that build mass and strength, some athletes take drugs and engage in practices that increase the amount of oxygen in tissues. Endurance athletes, like cyclists or cross-country skiers, may use Erythropoietin (EPO). EPO can increase an athlete's oxygen supply by as much as seven to 10 percent. As mentioned earlier, EPO is extremely dangerous, if not deadly in some cases. The increased red cell density caused by EPO can thicken the blood. The thickened blood -- which is more like honey than water -- cannot flow through the blood vessels well. To pump the thickened blood, the heart must work harder. This increases the chances of heart attack and stroke.
  • Another method for improving oxygen concentration is blood doping -- infusing whole blood into an athlete. An athlete who infuses his own blood may cause infection or cardiovascular problems because of the increased blood volume (high blood pressure, blood clots, heart failure and stroke). An athlete who uses someone else's blood runs the risk of acquiring viral infections such as HIV/AIDS. These are huge risks for a result that can also be achieved by training at high altitudes.
  • Athletes use anabolic steroids to increase muscle strength. Anabolic steroids, which can be injected or taken as pills, allow the athlete to train harder and longer at any given period. The possible and well-known side effects of anabolic steroid use include jaundice and liver damage, mood swings, depression and aggression. Men may also suffer from baldness, infertility and breast development. Females may grow excessive hair on the face and body and suffer from infertility. The substances Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) may also produce the same side effects.
  • anonymous on 03 Dec 08
     
    use it
  • anonymous on 03 Dec 08
     
    Use this site for information
Christina T

Japan: History, Geography, Government, & Culture - Infoplease.com - 0 views

www.infoplease.com/...A0107666.html

japan

shared by Christina T on 09 Dec 08 - Cached
  • The Ryukyu chain to the southwest was U.S.-occupied from 1945 to 1972, when it reverted to Japanese control, and the Kurils to the northeast are Russian-occupied.
  • Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government.
  • Through the 700s Japan was much influenced by China, and the Yamato clan set up an imperial court similar to that of China.
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  • For the following 700 years, shoguns from a succession of clans ruled in Japan, while the imperial court existed in relative obscurity.
  • Suspicious of Christianity and of Portuguese support of a local Japanese revolt, the shoguns of the Tokugawa period (1603–1867) prohibited all trade with foreign countries; only a Dutch trading post at Nagasaki was permitted.
  • The Japanese began to take steps to extend their empire.
  • In World War I, Japan seized Germany's Pacific islands and leased areas in China.
  • At the Washington Conference of 1921–1922, Japan agreed to respect Chinese national integrity, but, in 1931, it invaded Manchuria.
  • The dropping of atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 by the United States finally brought the government to admit defeat. Japan surrendered formally on Sept. 2, 1945, aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
  • The U.S. and Japan signed a security treaty in 1951, allowing for U.S. troops to be stationed in Japan. In 1952, Japan regained full sovereignty, and, in 1972, the U.S. returned to Japan the Ryuku Islands, including Okinawa.
  • A shrewd trade policy gave Japan larger shares in many Western markets, an imbalance that caused some tensions with the U.S.
  • During the 1990s, Japan suffered an economic downturn prompted by scandals involving government officials, bankers, and leaders of industry. Japan succumbed to the Asian economic crisis in 1998, experiencing its worst recession since World War II.
  • The embattled Mori resigned in April 2001 and was replaced by Liberal Democrat Junichiro Koizumi—the country's 11th prime minister in 13 years.
  • Koizumi was overwhelmingly reelected in Sept. 2003 and promised to push ahead with tough economic reforms.
  • In April 2005, China protested the publication of Japanese textbooks that whitewashed the atrocities committed by Japan during World War II.
  • Princesss Kiko gave birth to a boy in September.
  • The child's birth spares Japan a controversial debate over whether women should be allowed to ascend to the throne.
  • He suffered a stunning blow in July 2007 parliamentary elections, however, when his Liberal Democratic Party lost control of the upper house to the opposition Democratic Party.
  • A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck in northwest Japan in July 2007, killing 10 people and injuring more than 900. The tremor caused skyscrapers in Tokyo to sway for almost a minute, buckled roads and bridges, and damaged a nuclear power plant. About 315 gallons of radioactive water leaked into the Sea of Japan.
  • he move followed a string of scandals and the stunning defeat of his Liberal Democratic Party in July's parliamentary elections
  • In June 2008, the upper house of Parliament, which is controlled by the opposition, censured Fukuda, citing his management of domestic issues.
  • The opposition Democratic Party of Japan, which won control of the upper house of Parliament in 2007, poses a viable threat to the Liberal Democrats who have been in control for more than 50 years.
karen ponce

Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Thanksgiving in North America: From Local Harvests to Nationa... - 0 views

www.si.edu/...thanks.htm

shared by karen ponce on 05 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Thanksgiving Feast of 1621, but few realize that it was not the first festival of its kind in North America. Long before Europeans set foot in the Americas, native peoples sought to insure a good harvest with dances and rituals such as the Green Corn Dance of the Cherokees.
  • The first Thanksgiving service known to be held by Europeans in North America occurred on May 27, 1578 in Newfoundland, although earlier Church-type services were probably held by Spaniards in La Florida. However, for British New England, some historians believe that the Popham Colony in Maine conducted a Thanksgiving service in 1607 (see Sources: Greif, 208-209; Gould, and Hatch). In the same year, Jamestown colonists gave thanks for their safe arrival, and another service was held in 1610 when a supply ship arrived after a harsh winter. Berkley Hundred settlers held a Thanksgiving service in accordance with their charter which stated that the day of their arrival in Virginia should be observed yearly as a day of Thanksgiving, but within a few years an Indian uprising ended further services (Dabney). Thus British colonists held several Thanksgiving services in America before the Pilgrim's celebration in 1621.
  • In 1623, the Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation, Massachusetts, held another day of Thanksgiving. As a drought was destroying their crops, colonists prayed and fasted for relief; the rains came a few days later. And not long after, Captain Miles Standish arrived with staples and news that a Dutch supply ship was on its way. Because of all this good fortune, colonists held a day of Thanksgiving and prayer on June 30. This 1623 festival appears to have been the origin of our Thanksgiving Day because it combined a religious and social celebration.
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  • estivals of Thanksgiving were observed sporadically on a local level for more than 150 years. They tended to be autumn harvest celebrations. But in 1789, Elias Boudinot, Massachusetts, member of the House of Representatives, moved that a day of Thanksgiving be held to thank God for giving the American people the opportunity to create a Constitution to preserve their hard won freedoms. A Congressional Joint Committee approved the motion, and informed President George Washington. On October 3, 1789, the President proclaimed that the people of the United States observe "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer" on Thursday, the 26th of November. The next three Presidents proclaimed, at most, two days of thanksgiving sometime during their terms of office, either on their own initiative or at the request of a joint Resolution of Congress. One exception was Thomas Jefferson, who believed it was a conflict of church and state to require the American people hold a day of prayer and thanksgiving. President James Madison proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to be held on April 13, 1815, the last such proclamation issued by a President until Abraham Lincoln did so in 1862.
  • Thanksgiving holiday may be given to Sarah Josepha Hale. Editor of Ladies Magazine and Godey's Lady's Book, she began to agitate for such a day in 1827 by printing articles in the magazines. She also published stories and recipes, and wrote scores of letters to governors, senators, and presidents. After 36 years of crusading, she won her battle. On October 3, 1863, buoyed by the Union victory at Gettysburg, President Lincoln proclaimed that November 26, would be a national Thanksgiving Day, to be observed every year on the fourth Thursday of November. Only twice has a president changed the day of observation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in order to give depression-era merchants more selling days before Christmas, assigned the third Thursday to be Thanksgiving Day in 1939 and 1940. But he was met with popular resistance, largely because the change required rescheduling Thanksgiving Day events such as football games and parades. In 1941, a Congressional Joint Resolution officially set the fourth Thursday of November as a national holiday for Thanksgiving.
Bibin John

History Who Really Invented the Airplane Part 3 - Trivia-Library.com - 0 views

www.trivia-library.com/...vented-the-airplane-part-3.htm

shared by Bibin John on 08 Dec 08 - Cached
  • ALBERTO SANTOS-DUMONT
  • In 1897 he flew in a balloon for the first time and thereafter became one of the foremost balloonists in France.
  • In 1905 he built an airplane consisting of three box kites connected to each other by bamboo poles, powered by a steam engine.
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  • THE WRIGHT BROTHERS
  • Orville and Wilbur Wright, the sons of a midwestern minister, displayed a high mechanical aptitude even in their youth. This, coupled with investigative natures, made Orville (1871-1948) and Wilbur (1867-1912) ideal inventors. By their early twenties they had built a printing press and designed a new bicycle, which they also manufactured. They became interested in flight by reading about the glider experiments of German aerialist Otto Lilienthal.
  • By December of 1903, the brothers were back at Kitty Hawk with their first powered airplane, a double-winged, box kite-shaped contraption with an undercarriage attached to a stationary monorail track. On Dec. 17 Orville stretched out in the middle of the lower wing and took off on a 12-sec., 120-ft. flight. That same day, Wilbur flew for 59 sec., covering 852 ft.
  • five witnesses
Deepankar Sinha

Answers by expert Dai Williams on the weapons used by US forces - 0 views

www.irak.be/...weaponsUS.htm

weapons used by us armed forces

shared by Deepankar Sinha on 04 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Deepankar Sinha on 04 Dec 08
     
    weapons used by us armed forces
Christina T

Japan - THE ARTS - 0 views

countrystudies.us/81.htm

japanese art

shared by Christina T on 09 Dec 08 - Cached
  • The introduction of Western cultural values, which had flooded Japan by the late nineteenth century, led to a dichotomy between traditional values and attempts to duplicate and assimilate a variety of clashing new ideas
  • Japanese aesthetics provide a key to understanding artistic works perceivably different from those coming from Western traditions.
  • Within the East Asian artistic tradition, China has been the acknowledged teacher and Japan the devoted student.
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  • Japanese painters used the devices of the cutoff, close-up, and fade-out by the twelfth century in yamato-e, or Japanese-style, scroll painting, perhaps one reason why modern filmmaking has been such a natural and successful art form in Japan.
  • The calligrapher--a member of the Confucian literati class, or samurai--had a higher status, while artists of great genius were often recognized in the medieval period by receiving a name from a feudal lord and thus rising socially.
  • Artists divided into two main camps, those continuing in traditional Japanese style and those who wholeheartedly studied the new Western culture.
  • After World War II, many artists began working in art forms derivied from the international scene, moving away from local artistic developments into the mainstream of world art.
  • Two terms originating from Zen Buddhist meditative practices describe degrees of tranquillity: one, the repose found in humble melancholy (wabi), the other, the serenity accompanying the enjoyment of subdued beauty (sabi).
  • The Cultural Affairs Division is concerned with such areas as art and culture promotion, arts copyrights, and improvements in the national language.
  • A new generation of the avant-garde has broken with this tradition, often receiving its training in the West. In the traditional arts, however, the master-pupil system preserves the secrets and skills of the past.
  • Another seminal center is Tama Arts University in Tokyo, which produced many of Japan's late twentieth- century innovative young artists
  • In 1989 the fifth woman ever to be so distinguished was cited for Japanese-style painting, while for the first time two women--a writer and a costume designer--were nominated for the Order of Cultural Merit, another official honor carrying the same stipend.
  • The Cultural Properties Protection Division originally was established to oversee restorations after World War II.
  • During the 1980s, many important prehistoric and historic sites were investigated by the archaeological institutes that the agency funded, resulting in about 2,000 excavations in 1989.
  • A 1975 amendment to the Cultural Properties Protection Act of 1897 enabled the Agency for Cultural Affairs to designate traditional areas and buildings in urban centers for preservation.
  • Individual artists and groups, such as a dance troupe or a pottery village, are designated as mukei bunkazai (intangible cultural assets) in recognition of their skill.
  • A growing number of large corporations join major newspapers in sponsoring exhibitions and performances and in giving yearly prizes.
  • A number of foundations promoting the arts arose in the 1980s, including the Cultural Properties Foundation set up to preserve historic sites overseas, especially along the Silk Route in Inner Asia and at Dunhuang in China.
  • After World War II, artists typically gathered in arts associations, some of which were long-established professional societies while others reflected the latest arts movement.
  • By the 1980s, however, avant-garde painters and sculptors had eschewed all groups and were "unattached" artists.
Bibin John

Aircraft - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

en.wikipedia.org/Aircraft

aircraft wikipedia

shared by Bibin John on 03 Dec 08 - Cached
  • An aircraft is a vehicle which is able to fly through the Earth's atmosphere or through any other atmosphere. Rocket vehicles are not aircraft if they are not supported by the surrounding air. All the human activity which surrounds aircraft is called aviation.
  • Heavier-than-air aircraft must find some way to push air or gas downwards, so that a reaction occurs (by Newton's laws of motion) to push the aircraft upwards. This dynamic movement through the air is the origin of the term aerodyne. There are two ways to produce dynamic upthrust: aerodynamic lift, and powered lift in the form of engine thrust. Aerodynamic lift is the most common, with aeroplanes being kept in the air by the forward movement of wings, and rotorcraft by spinning wing-shaped rotors sometimes called rotary wings. A wing is a flat, horizontal surface, usually shaped in cross-section as an aerofoil. To fly, the wing must move forwards through the air; this movement of air over the aerofoil shape deflects air downward to create an equal and opposite upward force, called lift, according to Newton's third law of motion. A flexible wing is a wing made of fabric or thin sheet material, often stretched over a rigid frame. A kite is tethered to the ground and relies on the speed of the wind over its wings, which may be flexible or rigid, fixed or rotary. With powered lift, the aircraft directs its engine thrust vertically downwards. The initialism VTOL (vertical take off and landing) is applied to aircraft that can take off and land vertically. Most are rotorcraft. Others, such as the Hawker Siddeley Harrier, take off and land vertically using powered lift and transfer to aerodynamic lift in steady flight. Similarly, STOL stands for short take off and landing. Some VTOL aircraft often operate in a short take off/vertical landing regime known as STOVL. A pure rocket is not usually regarded as an aerodyne, because it does not depend on the air for its lift (and can even fly into space), however many aerodynamic lift vehicles have been powered or assisted by rocket motors. Rocket-powered missiles which obtain aerodynamic lift at very high speed due to airflow over their bodies, are a marginal case.
  • The forerunner of the aeroplane is the kite
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  • Number of planes - Monoplane, biplane, etc. Wing support - Braced or cantilever, rigid or flexible. Wing planform - including aspect ratio, angle of sweep and any variations along the span. Includes the important class of delta wings. Location of the horizontal stabiliser, if any. Dihedral angle - positive, zero or negative (anhedral). A variable geometry aircraft can change its wing configuration during flight. A flying wing has no fuselage, though it may have small blisters or pods. The opposite of this is a lifting body which has no wings, though it may have small stabilising and control surfaces.
  • Bibin John on 03 Dec 08
     
    Tells all about different kinds of aircrafts.
Ann Thomas

Dog and Cat Owners Gain Health Benefits - BestFriendsPetCare.com - 0 views

www.bestfriendspetcare.com/bf_feature_14.cfm

shared by Ann Thomas on 08 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Ann Thomas on 08 Dec 08
     
    Good for body Some of the studies show that owning a pet can have very real physical benefits for their owners. These include: * Pet owners have lower blood pressure. It has long been known that the act of stroking a pet can reduce blood pressure. But a study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that the beneficial effects continue even when the pet is not present. The study, which looked at a group of stockbrokers with hypertension, concluded that just owning a pet can help lower blood pressure -and keep it lower, even in stressful settings. * Pet owners have lower blood cholesterol levels. A study of more than 5,400 people conducted by Australia's Baker Medical Research Institute found that pet owners had not only lower blood pressure, but also lower levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides in comparison to the non-pet owners, reducing the risk of heart disease. * Pet owners have a higher survival rate after serious illness. Two studies have found that heart attack patients who owned the pets were significantly more likely to be alive a year after they were discharged from the hospital than those who didn't. What's more, a study conducted at City Hospital in New York found that the presence of a pet affected survival rate even more than having a spouse or friends. Patients in hospitals or nursing homes who have regular visits from their pets have shown to be more receptive to treatment. The need to care for their pet gives them reason to recover and the will to live. * Pet owners have fewer doctors' visits. Studies conducted by Cambridge University in England and at the University of California at Los Angeles have found that pet ownership corresponds to overall improved health and fewer medical care visits. A study of Medicare patients also found that seniors who own dogs go to the doctor less than those who do not. Even the most highly-stressed older dog owners in the study had 21 % fewer physician's visits than non-dog ow
Paloma Gomez

Is This Art? Or Animal Abuse? Animal And Dog Lovers Be Warned… | The GinBlog ... - 0 views

www.theginblog.com/...es-is-this-art-or-animal-abuse

shared by Paloma Gomez on 11 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Guillermo Habacuc Vargas had 2 children catch this dog. He paid the kids for this. He then chained the dog and used the dog as “art”. He told everyone not to feed this dog. The dog died in the gallery. He calls himself an artist. I call him an animal abuser. In that event, (in which the dog died) he was chosen to represent his country in the “Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008″
  • Paloma Gomez on 11 Dec 08
     
    says how the dog was tied up by 2 children sent by guillermo
Janina Jose

Kids Search - powered by EBSCOhost:New years Eve and New years Day - 0 views

web.ebscohost.com/...detail

shared by Janina Jose on 09 Dec 08 - Cached
  • ORIGIN OF THE CELEBRATION Section: Festival The start of the New Year has been celebrated in China for more than 3,000 years. New Year was a time when the farmers gave thanks for the harvest and prayed to the gods for a good harvest in the coming year. This was the one period in the busy farming year when there was time to have a celebration and when the family could get together, relax, and be merry. Chinese New Year begins with a New Moon. The Lunar Year is calculated from the time it takes for the Moon to travel around the Earth, while the Western (Gregorian) calendar is based on the time it takes for the Earth to circle the Sun. The orbits of the Moon bear no relation to the time it takes for the Earth to go around the Sun, which is why the Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated on a different date each year. In China the New Year was renamed the Spring Festival, in 1911, when the Western calendar was officially accepted in China. However, it is still commonly known around the world as the Chinese New Year. Chinese years are named after one of twelve animals. These have been used in the same order to name the years since the sixth century A.D. Each animal is said to have its own personality and emotions, which are present in people born within its year. ~~~~~~~~By Sarah Moyse This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year (0-7613-0374-X)
  • RELIGIONS AND RITUALS Section: Festival Although the New Year celebration is not mainly a religious one, many Chinese will visit a temple at this time of the year to make an offering to the Buddha or to the gods in the hope of making the New Year a good one. Ancestors and gods are honored with ceremonies in the home around a family altar decorated with flowers. Incense and candles are burned at the altar. At important family banquets the ancestors may be recognized as "spiritual guests" and first offered food that is afterward eaten with the meal. The Chinese have three main systems of ideas that are important to them: Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Although these systems are very different, many Chinese follow some or all of the rituals associated with them just to be safe. Confucius lived in the fifth century B.C. and spoke about the value of good behavior in private life and in government. He said that politeness, honesty, courage, and loyalty were what made good people. He believed in self-development through education and thought that people gain in wisdom as they grow older. It is part of the Confucian tradition to honor parents and ancestors.
  • Daoism comes from the teachings of Laozi, who lived at the same time as Confucius. His book, the Dao De Jing (The Way and Its Power), describes the way (dao means "way") to live at peace with nature so as not to upset natural balances. The Way involves balance between opposite forces. They are called yin and yang. While yin is dark and female, yang is the opposite, being light and male. When yin and yang are balanced, there is perfect harmony with nature. Unlike Confucianism and Daoism, which started in China, Buddhism came from India and is based on the teachings of the Buddha -- a holy man. Buddha taught that people need to let go of earthly desires and become fully aware of what they are doing in the present. Buddhists believe that after death each soul moves on to another body, which may be animal or human. What one is chosen for in the next life depends on how good or bad the person has been in this life. The Chinese also pray to other gods, holding the view that the more gods who can look after them the better. The important ones are the Kitchen God, who watches the family in the home, the Jade Emperor, who is the most important god in heaven, the God of Wealth, who determines how wealthy people are, and the Door Gods. ~~~~~~~~By Sarah Moyse This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year (0-7613-0374-X)
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  • HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS On New Year's Eve, Chinese families have a special feast of seafood and dumplings. Dessert is always Nian Gao- a special New Year's Cake. Everyone stays up late to watch the midnight fireworks. On New Year's Day families go door to door to visit. They exchange gifts with their relatives and neighbors. It is thought to be bad luck to fight or argue at the start of a New Year. Everyone is warm and friendly toward each other. Fireworks light the night sky during a New Year celebration in Hong Kong. ~~~~~~~~By Kieran Walsh Kieran Walsh is a winter of children's nonfiction books, primarily on historical and social studies topics. A graduate of Manhattan College, in Riverdale, NY, his degree is in Communications. Walsh has been involved in the children's book filed as editor, proofreader, and illustrator as well as author. This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year
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