Okinawa is the second-largest city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, following Naha, the capital city. It is located in the central part of the island of Okinawa, about 20 km north of Naha.
As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 128,421 and a density of 2,620 persons per km². The total area is 49.00 km².
The United States has six facilities located at least partially in the city of Okinawa. These are Kadena Air Base, Kadena Ammunition Storage Area, Camp Shields, Camp Zukeran, Awase Communication Station, and an Army POL depot. Also, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces operate an anti-aircraft training facility.
There was another incident that indirectly led people to riot. On September 18, 1970, a drunken GI driver killed a woman in Itoman-city in the south of the main island. The military court found him innocent on December 11 by reasons of lack of evidence. After 1970, violent crimes committed by American soldiers rose to 1,000 every year. They included homicides, rapes and burglaries. The number of U.S. soldier-caused traffic accidents was over 3000 a year. All the crimes were handled by the MPs who concealed evidence. The accused were tried by closed military courts and declared either innocent or given minor punishments.
martes, 31 de marzo de 2009
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited and largest recreational resort in the world, containing four theme parks; two water parks; twenty-three themed hotels; and numerous shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation venues. Owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment of The Walt Disney Company, it is located southwest of Orlando, Florida. The property is often abbreviated Walt Disney World, Disney World or WDW.
It opened on October 1, 1971, with the Magic Kingdom theme park, and has since added Epcot (on October 1, 1982), Disney's Hollywood Studios (on May 1, 1989), and Disney's Animal Kingdom (on April 22, 1998).
It opened on October 1, 1971, with the Magic Kingdom theme park, and has since added Epcot (on October 1, 1982), Disney's Hollywood Studios (on May 1, 1989), and Disney's Animal Kingdom (on April 22, 1998).
Muhammad Ali Clay
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.) is a retired American boxer and three-time World Heavyweight Champion. As an amateur, he won a gold medal at the Olympic in the light heavyweight division gold medal. As a professional, he became the only man to have won the linear heavyweight championship three times.
In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the BBC.[1]
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., who was named for the 19th century abolitionist and politician of the same name. Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964, subsequently converting to Sunni Islam in 1975 and later Sufism.[2]
Ali was known for his fighting style, which he described as "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".[3] Throughout his career Ali made a name for himself with great handspeed, as well as swift feet and taunting tactics. While Ali was renowned for his fast, sharp out-fighting style, he also had a great chin, and displayed great courage and an ability to take a punch throughout his career.
In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the BBC.[1]
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., who was named for the 19th century abolitionist and politician of the same name. Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964, subsequently converting to Sunni Islam in 1975 and later Sufism.[2]
Ali was known for his fighting style, which he described as "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".[3] Throughout his career Ali made a name for himself with great handspeed, as well as swift feet and taunting tactics. While Ali was renowned for his fast, sharp out-fighting style, he also had a great chin, and displayed great courage and an ability to take a punch throughout his career.
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini (born June 21, 1955 in Jœuf, France) is a French former football player, manager and current president of the Union of European Football Associations. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was voted the best player and top goalscorer. He participated in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in the latter two. Platini, Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana together made up the "carré magique" (French for "magic square"), the group of midfield players that formed the heart of the French national team throughout the 1980s. He is also widely regarded as one the best passers in football history as well as one of history's greatest free kick specialists and finishers. He holds the record for most goals (9) scored in European Championship final tournaments despite only appearing in one such tournament (1984). Despite being a midfielder, he held the national team top scorer record until striker Thierry Henry surpassed the 41 goals mark in 2008.
Platini was named Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour on April 29, 1985 and became Officier (Officer) in 1988. He was the French national team coach for four years, and was the co-organizer of the 1998 World Cup in France. He has also been the chairman of the FIFA Technical and Development Committee, and vice-president of the French Football Federation.
Platini performed poorly in the final of the 1969 young footballers' competition, but at 16 years of age he attracted attention in a Coupe Gambardella tournament match with an impressive display for Jœuf juniors against a Metz junior side. Platini was called up for a trial with Metz, but missed out on the opportunity due to injury, and was not immediately invited back after the Metz coach moved to another club. He returned to regional league football with Jœuf. Another trial at Metz went horribly wrong when a breathing test on a spirometer caused Platini to faint. The doctor's verdict on Platini's breathing difficulties and weak heart ended any hopes Platini had of playing for his boyhood favorites. He joined the Nancy reserve side in September 1972, and became friends with team goalkeeper Jean-Michel Moutier.
Platini was named Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour on April 29, 1985 and became Officier (Officer) in 1988. He was the French national team coach for four years, and was the co-organizer of the 1998 World Cup in France. He has also been the chairman of the FIFA Technical and Development Committee, and vice-president of the French Football Federation.
Platini performed poorly in the final of the 1969 young footballers' competition, but at 16 years of age he attracted attention in a Coupe Gambardella tournament match with an impressive display for Jœuf juniors against a Metz junior side. Platini was called up for a trial with Metz, but missed out on the opportunity due to injury, and was not immediately invited back after the Metz coach moved to another club. He returned to regional league football with Jœuf. Another trial at Metz went horribly wrong when a breathing test on a spirometer caused Platini to faint. The doctor's verdict on Platini's breathing difficulties and weak heart ended any hopes Platini had of playing for his boyhood favorites. He joined the Nancy reserve side in September 1972, and became friends with team goalkeeper Jean-Michel Moutier.
Quartz Jewellery
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust (after feldspar). It is made up of a lattice of silica (SiO2) tetrahedra.
Here you can see some samplesÑ
http://www.crystal-cure.com/jewelry-crys.html
Here you can see some samplesÑ
http://www.crystal-cure.com/jewelry-crys.html
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 through 1995, and later the 519 individual chapters were published into 42 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha. Inspired by the Chinese folk novel Journey to the West, it follows the adventures of Son Goku from his childhood through middle age as he trains in martial arts and explores the world in search of the seven mystical objects known as the Dragon Balls, which are known to grant any wish. Along his trip, Goku meets several friends and fights against several villains who plan to get the Dragon Balls to grant their wishes and some who aim to conquer the world.
The 42 tankōbon have been adapted into three anime series produced by Toei Animation: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. Additionally, Toei has developed seventeen animated feature films and three television specials. Several companies have developed various types of merchanising such as a collectible trading card game, and a large number of video games.
The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media, in the United Kingdom by Gollancz Manga, and in Australia and New Zealand by Chuang Yi. Several companies have dubbed and aired the three anime series in North America. In China, it was produced a live-action film adaptation in 1989. In 2002, 20th Century Fox began production on the first American-made live-action film which is slated for release on April 8, 2009.
Since its release, Dragon Ball has become one of the most popular manga series of its time in both Japan and North America. It enjoys a high readership, with over 150 million volumes of the series sold by 2007. Several manga artists have noted that the manga series was the inspiration for their own now popular works, including Naruto and One Piece. The anime is also highly popular, ranking number 12 among the best anime series of all time in 2006. Reviewers praise the art, characterization, and humor of the manga story. The anime series have had more mixed reviews, with the first also praised for its characterizations, but the second was criticized for its long, repetitive fights, and the third series considered repetitive with childish fights and "goofy" character designs.
The 42 tankōbon have been adapted into three anime series produced by Toei Animation: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. Additionally, Toei has developed seventeen animated feature films and three television specials. Several companies have developed various types of merchanising such as a collectible trading card game, and a large number of video games.
The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media, in the United Kingdom by Gollancz Manga, and in Australia and New Zealand by Chuang Yi. Several companies have dubbed and aired the three anime series in North America. In China, it was produced a live-action film adaptation in 1989. In 2002, 20th Century Fox began production on the first American-made live-action film which is slated for release on April 8, 2009.
Since its release, Dragon Ball has become one of the most popular manga series of its time in both Japan and North America. It enjoys a high readership, with over 150 million volumes of the series sold by 2007. Several manga artists have noted that the manga series was the inspiration for their own now popular works, including Naruto and One Piece. The anime is also highly popular, ranking number 12 among the best anime series of all time in 2006. Reviewers praise the art, characterization, and humor of the manga story. The anime series have had more mixed reviews, with the first also praised for its characterizations, but the second was criticized for its long, repetitive fights, and the third series considered repetitive with childish fights and "goofy" character designs.
jueves, 26 de marzo de 2009
Tips on how to speak more fluently
Hello every one and welcome to the club
Today I would like to mention some tips on how to speak more fluently according to my personal experience. I hope you will find it useful too.
1- Although you feel that your English is not perfect, keep speaking it. You are here to speak English and improve your conversation abilities .Therefore continue talking despite of a probable lack of vocabulary. It will increase your self-confidence and gradually you feel much more relaxed.
2- Try to open your mind to all possibilities when you are speaking about a subject. Do not limit yourself to the beaten path. Try to be innovative and explore other areas of the subject which is genuine and original.
3- In my opinion, speaking is a psychological process. It includes overcoming your fear of speaking in public (of course if you have any!) and initiating to talk despite of the possible errors. Feel free to speak in the club, no matter who is present.
4- Keep yourself up-to-date. Watch movies, read books, magazines and newspapers, listen to music, etc: All in English of course.
5-Try to improve your memory by memorizing new vocabularies and their synonyms. It provides you with more options, both in speaking and writing.
Well, I guess that is all I can say now on this issue. I wish you will find them useful and informative and Original! Because I have just written this text all by myself, NO COPY AND PASTE!
Today I would like to mention some tips on how to speak more fluently according to my personal experience. I hope you will find it useful too.
1- Although you feel that your English is not perfect, keep speaking it. You are here to speak English and improve your conversation abilities .Therefore continue talking despite of a probable lack of vocabulary. It will increase your self-confidence and gradually you feel much more relaxed.
2- Try to open your mind to all possibilities when you are speaking about a subject. Do not limit yourself to the beaten path. Try to be innovative and explore other areas of the subject which is genuine and original.
3- In my opinion, speaking is a psychological process. It includes overcoming your fear of speaking in public (of course if you have any!) and initiating to talk despite of the possible errors. Feel free to speak in the club, no matter who is present.
4- Keep yourself up-to-date. Watch movies, read books, magazines and newspapers, listen to music, etc: All in English of course.
5-Try to improve your memory by memorizing new vocabularies and their synonyms. It provides you with more options, both in speaking and writing.
Well, I guess that is all I can say now on this issue. I wish you will find them useful and informative and Original! Because I have just written this text all by myself, NO COPY AND PASTE!
miércoles, 25 de marzo de 2009
Belinda Peregrin
Belinda Peregrín Schüll is an award-winning, two-time Latin Grammy nominated Spanish-born Mexican singer, songwriter, and actress. She is best known for her dual role playing identical twins Mariana Cantú and Silvana Del Valle in popular Mexican children's telenovela, Cómplices Al Rescate.
Belinda was born in Madrid, Spain on August 15, 1989 to Ignacio Peregrin and Belinda Schull. She has a younger brother named Ignacio.She studied in a mexican school called Francés Hidalgo. She is of Spanish and French heritage, her mother is French and her father is Spanish. Peregrin and her family moved to Mexico City, Mexico when she was four years old and have lived there ever since. [1] [1]
Her international self-titled album Belinda as released in Mexico by BMG and RCA Records on August 5, 2003 and became as great a success in many different countries, as it was in Mexico. The album was produced by Graeme Pleeth and it included singles such as Lo Siento, Boba Niña Nice, Angel, and Vivir, which was also chosen as the main theme song for Corazones al límite, another soap opera she briefly appeared in. There were 4 different versions of the album released: the original version "Belinda", Belinda (Repackage) which featured 1 extra track: No Entiendo featuring Andy & Lucas, Belinda (Enchanced) which featured 2 Remixes and 2 Multimedia Tracks, and Belinda: Edicion Especial which included a CD with 18 tracks and a DVD that contained five videos. The albums titled "Belinda" and "Belinda (Enhanced)" are the only albums that are being sold today. The rest were limited edition. In 2005, she collaborated with the Mexican rock band Moderatto on their single Muriendo Lento which is a cover of one of Timbiriche's songs, a Mexican pop group from the 1980s.
[edit] Utopía
Belinda released her second album entitled "Utopía" on October 3, 2006. Greg Wells produced and mixed the first single from her new album, "Ni Freud Ni Tu Mamá". Peregrin co-wrote on every track on the album. Recorded in Los Angeles, Utopia contained 13 pop songs produced and composed by some of the producers and writers in the industry including Kara DioGuardi (Kelly Clarkson and Gwen Stefani), Jimmy Harry (Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears), Doc McKeeny (RES), Greg Kursten (Lily Allen and Pink), Lester Méndez (Santana and Shakira), and Greg Wells (Celine Dion and Elton John).
Belinda revealed in a program aired by Televisa, "Bailando por un Sueño" and "Bailando por la Boda de Tus Sueño", that EMI wanted her to spend one week in Los Angeles recording "Utopía 2" her newest album in English which will be released in Europe and North America by EMI International on September 25, 2007. She also appeared as a guest star in Buscando Timbiriche la nueva banda. This new CD included tracks in English and a DVD. Her second album "Utopía" reached #3 on the Mexican Charts and has sold over 180,000 copies.
Belinda was nominated in two categories in the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards which were held on November 8th. Her nominations include 'Song of the Year' for "Bella Tracion" and 'Best Female Pop Album' for her hit album, "Utopía." On October 18, 2007, Belinda won two awards, Video of the Year for "Bella Traicion" and Best Solo Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamerica. Belinda also provided vocals for the remix of "Te Quiero" by DJ Flex.
[edit] New Album
In May 2008, Peregrin confirmed that she is in the studio writing and recording for her new album, which is currently set to be released on May 5, 2009 [4]. According to EMI, the first single is set to be released to radio on April 7, 2009.
Belinda was born in Madrid, Spain on August 15, 1989 to Ignacio Peregrin and Belinda Schull. She has a younger brother named Ignacio.She studied in a mexican school called Francés Hidalgo. She is of Spanish and French heritage, her mother is French and her father is Spanish. Peregrin and her family moved to Mexico City, Mexico when she was four years old and have lived there ever since. [1] [1]
Her international self-titled album Belinda as released in Mexico by BMG and RCA Records on August 5, 2003 and became as great a success in many different countries, as it was in Mexico. The album was produced by Graeme Pleeth and it included singles such as Lo Siento, Boba Niña Nice, Angel, and Vivir, which was also chosen as the main theme song for Corazones al límite, another soap opera she briefly appeared in. There were 4 different versions of the album released: the original version "Belinda", Belinda (Repackage) which featured 1 extra track: No Entiendo featuring Andy & Lucas, Belinda (Enchanced) which featured 2 Remixes and 2 Multimedia Tracks, and Belinda: Edicion Especial which included a CD with 18 tracks and a DVD that contained five videos. The albums titled "Belinda" and "Belinda (Enhanced)" are the only albums that are being sold today. The rest were limited edition. In 2005, she collaborated with the Mexican rock band Moderatto on their single Muriendo Lento which is a cover of one of Timbiriche's songs, a Mexican pop group from the 1980s.
[edit] Utopía
Belinda released her second album entitled "Utopía" on October 3, 2006. Greg Wells produced and mixed the first single from her new album, "Ni Freud Ni Tu Mamá". Peregrin co-wrote on every track on the album. Recorded in Los Angeles, Utopia contained 13 pop songs produced and composed by some of the producers and writers in the industry including Kara DioGuardi (Kelly Clarkson and Gwen Stefani), Jimmy Harry (Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears), Doc McKeeny (RES), Greg Kursten (Lily Allen and Pink), Lester Méndez (Santana and Shakira), and Greg Wells (Celine Dion and Elton John).
Belinda revealed in a program aired by Televisa, "Bailando por un Sueño" and "Bailando por la Boda de Tus Sueño", that EMI wanted her to spend one week in Los Angeles recording "Utopía 2" her newest album in English which will be released in Europe and North America by EMI International on September 25, 2007. She also appeared as a guest star in Buscando Timbiriche la nueva banda. This new CD included tracks in English and a DVD. Her second album "Utopía" reached #3 on the Mexican Charts and has sold over 180,000 copies.
Belinda was nominated in two categories in the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards which were held on November 8th. Her nominations include 'Song of the Year' for "Bella Tracion" and 'Best Female Pop Album' for her hit album, "Utopía." On October 18, 2007, Belinda won two awards, Video of the Year for "Bella Traicion" and Best Solo Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamerica. Belinda also provided vocals for the remix of "Te Quiero" by DJ Flex.
[edit] New Album
In May 2008, Peregrin confirmed that she is in the studio writing and recording for her new album, which is currently set to be released on May 5, 2009 [4]. According to EMI, the first single is set to be released to radio on April 7, 2009.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player and active businessman. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time."[1] Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
After a stand-out career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as one of the stars of the league, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line at Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness." He also gained a reputation as one of the best defensive players in basketball.[2] In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat." Though Jordan abruptly retired from basketball at the beginning of the 1993-94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but he returned for two more NBA seasons in 2001 as a member of the Washington Wizards.
Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances and three All-Star MVP, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA record for highest career regular season scoring average with 30.12 points per game, as well as averaging a record 33.4 points per game in the playoffs. In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century. He is currently a finalist to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today.[3] Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam. He is currently a part-owner and Managing Member of Basketball Operations of the Charlotte Bobcats in North Carolina.
After a stand-out career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as one of the stars of the league, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line at Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness." He also gained a reputation as one of the best defensive players in basketball.[2] In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat." Though Jordan abruptly retired from basketball at the beginning of the 1993-94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but he returned for two more NBA seasons in 2001 as a member of the Washington Wizards.
Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances and three All-Star MVP, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA record for highest career regular season scoring average with 30.12 points per game, as well as averaging a record 33.4 points per game in the playoffs. In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century. He is currently a finalist to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today.[3] Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam. He is currently a part-owner and Managing Member of Basketball Operations of the Charlotte Bobcats in North Carolina.
patagonia
Patagonia is a geographic region containing the southernmost portion of South America. Located in Argentina and Chile, it comprises the Andes mountains to the west and south, and plateaux and low plains to the east. The name Patagonia comes from the word patagón[1] used by Magellan to describe the native people whom his expedition thought to be giants. It is now believed the Patagons were actually Tehuelches with an average height of 1.80 m (~5'11") compared to the 1.55 m (~5'1") average for Spaniards of the time.[2]
To the east of the Andes, it lies north of the Neuquén River and Colorado rivers, and, to the west of the Andes, south of (39°S), excluding the Chiloé Archipelago.[3] East of the Andes the Argentine portion of Patagonia includes the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego, as well as the southern tips of the provinces of Buenos Aires, Mendoza and La Pampa. The Chilean portion embraces the southern part of the region of Los Lagos, and the regions of Aisén and Magallanes. It excludes those portions of Antarctica claimed by both countries
To the east of the Andes, it lies north of the Neuquén River and Colorado rivers, and, to the west of the Andes, south of (39°S), excluding the Chiloé Archipelago.[3] East of the Andes the Argentine portion of Patagonia includes the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego, as well as the southern tips of the provinces of Buenos Aires, Mendoza and La Pampa. The Chilean portion embraces the southern part of the region of Los Lagos, and the regions of Aisén and Magallanes. It excludes those portions of Antarctica claimed by both countries
martes, 24 de marzo de 2009
Count Dracula
Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. Some aspects of his character may have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian Prince, Vlad III the Impaler. Since creation by Stoker, the character has fallen into the public domain and subsequently appears frequently in popular culture.
Powers, abilities and weaknesses
Count Dracula possesses numerous different supernatural abilities inherent in vampirism, along with additional skills derived from his abilities as a necromancer which allow him to commune with the dead. His age and potency make him far more powerful than the creatures of traditional Eastern European folklore. He has enormous physical strength which, according to Van Helsing, is equivalent to 20 men. Being undead, he is immune to conventional means of attack. The only definite way to kill him is by decapitating him followed by impalement through the heart, although it is also suggested that shooting him with a sacred bullet would suffice. The Count can defy gravity to a certain extent, being able to climb upside down vertical surfaces in a reptilian manner. He has powerful hypnotic and mind control abilities, and is also able to command the loyalty of nocturnal animals such as wolves and rats. Dracula can also manipulate the weather, usually creating mists to hide his presence, but also storms such as in his voyage in the Demeter. He can shapeshift at will, his featured forms in the novel being that of a wolf, bat, dust and fog. He requires no other sustenance but fresh blood, which has the effect of rejuvenating him. Without it, he physically ages at an accelerated rate.
Powers, abilities and weaknesses
Count Dracula possesses numerous different supernatural abilities inherent in vampirism, along with additional skills derived from his abilities as a necromancer which allow him to commune with the dead. His age and potency make him far more powerful than the creatures of traditional Eastern European folklore. He has enormous physical strength which, according to Van Helsing, is equivalent to 20 men. Being undead, he is immune to conventional means of attack. The only definite way to kill him is by decapitating him followed by impalement through the heart, although it is also suggested that shooting him with a sacred bullet would suffice. The Count can defy gravity to a certain extent, being able to climb upside down vertical surfaces in a reptilian manner. He has powerful hypnotic and mind control abilities, and is also able to command the loyalty of nocturnal animals such as wolves and rats. Dracula can also manipulate the weather, usually creating mists to hide his presence, but also storms such as in his voyage in the Demeter. He can shapeshift at will, his featured forms in the novel being that of a wolf, bat, dust and fog. He requires no other sustenance but fresh blood, which has the effect of rejuvenating him. Without it, he physically ages at an accelerated rate.
viernes, 20 de marzo de 2009
Why The Articles Are Shorter Now?
Hello Dear Friends
Welcome to the ConvClub!
Well, as we all know, the main goal of our club is to have extended conversations in English and to use all our knowledge and skills in practice.
Some of you came to me after the last session and asked me to reduce the time we spend reading in order to spend more time speaking.In other words , you wanted to speak more and read less!
Well,Here is the result: shorter passages which will lead to longer conversations.
I hope that you will like this new method of the Conversation Club and I hope that your speaking skills will flourish.
As always all your comments and suggestions are highly welcome and appreciated.
Good Luck
The Mindcontroller
Welcome to the ConvClub!
Well, as we all know, the main goal of our club is to have extended conversations in English and to use all our knowledge and skills in practice.
Some of you came to me after the last session and asked me to reduce the time we spend reading in order to spend more time speaking.In other words , you wanted to speak more and read less!
Well,Here is the result: shorter passages which will lead to longer conversations.
I hope that you will like this new method of the Conversation Club and I hope that your speaking skills will flourish.
As always all your comments and suggestions are highly welcome and appreciated.
Good Luck
The Mindcontroller
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (January 29 [O.S. January 17] 1860 – July 15 [O.S. July 2] 1904) was a Russian short-story writer, playwright and physician, considered to be one of the greatest short-story writers in world literature.[1] His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics.[2][3] Chekhov practised as a doctor throughout most of his literary career: "Medicine is my lawful wife," he once said, "and literature is my mistress."[4]
Chekhov renounced the theatre after the disastrous reception of The Seagull in 1896; but the play was revived to acclaim in 1898 by Constantin Stanislavski's Moscow Art Theatre, which subsequently also produced Uncle Vanya and premiered Chekhov’s last two plays, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard. These four works present a special challenge to the acting ensemble[5] as well as to audiences, because in place of conventional action Chekhov offers a "theatre of mood" and a "submerged life in the text."[6]
Chekhov had at first written stories only for the money, but as his artistic ambition grew, he made formal innovations which have influenced the evolution of the modern short story.[7] His originality consists in an early use of the stream-of-consciousness technique, later adopted by James Joyce and other modernists, combined with a disavowal of the moral finality of traditional story structure.[8] He made no apologies for the difficulties this posed to readers, insisting that the role of an artist was to ask questions, not to answer them.[9]
Chekhov renounced the theatre after the disastrous reception of The Seagull in 1896; but the play was revived to acclaim in 1898 by Constantin Stanislavski's Moscow Art Theatre, which subsequently also produced Uncle Vanya and premiered Chekhov’s last two plays, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard. These four works present a special challenge to the acting ensemble[5] as well as to audiences, because in place of conventional action Chekhov offers a "theatre of mood" and a "submerged life in the text."[6]
Chekhov had at first written stories only for the money, but as his artistic ambition grew, he made formal innovations which have influenced the evolution of the modern short story.[7] His originality consists in an early use of the stream-of-consciousness technique, later adopted by James Joyce and other modernists, combined with a disavowal of the moral finality of traditional story structure.[8] He made no apologies for the difficulties this posed to readers, insisting that the role of an artist was to ask questions, not to answer them.[9]
Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (Persian: عمر خیام), who lived from 1048 to 1123 of the Christian era, was a Persian[1] polymath[2][3]: mathematician, philosopher, astronomer and above all[4] poet.
Omar Khayyám
Portrait of Khayyam at his Mausoleum in Nishapur
Full name
Omar Khayyám
Birth
May 18, 1048
Death
December 4, 1122
School/tradition
He has also become established as one of the major mathematicians and astronomers of the medieval period. Recognised as the author of the most important treatise on algebra before modern times as reflected in his Treatise on Demonstration of Problems of Algebra giving a geometric method for solving cubic equations by intersecting a hyperbola with a circle.[5] He also contributed to calendar reform and may have proposed a heliocentric theory well before Copernicus.[citation needed]
His significance as a philosopher and teacher, and his few remaining philosophical works have not received the same attention as have his scientific or poetic writings. Zamakhshari referred to him as “the philosopher of the world”. Many sources have also testified that he taught for decades the philosophy of Ibn Sina in Nayshapur where Khayyam lived most of his life, breathed his last, and was buried and where his mausoleum remains today a masterpiece of Iranian architecture visited by many people every year.[6]
Outside Iran and Persian speaking countries, Khayyam has had impact on literature and societies through translation and works of scholars. The greatest such impact was in English-speaking countries - the English scholar Thomas Hyde (1636-1703) was the first non-Persian to study Omar Khayyam. However the most influential of all was Edward FitzGerald (1809-83)[7] who made Khayyam the most famous poet of the East in the West through his celebrated translation and adaptations of Khayyam's rather small number of quatrains (rubaiyaas) in Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
Omar Khayyám
Portrait of Khayyam at his Mausoleum in Nishapur
Full name
Omar Khayyám
Birth
May 18, 1048
Death
December 4, 1122
School/tradition
He has also become established as one of the major mathematicians and astronomers of the medieval period. Recognised as the author of the most important treatise on algebra before modern times as reflected in his Treatise on Demonstration of Problems of Algebra giving a geometric method for solving cubic equations by intersecting a hyperbola with a circle.[5] He also contributed to calendar reform and may have proposed a heliocentric theory well before Copernicus.[citation needed]
His significance as a philosopher and teacher, and his few remaining philosophical works have not received the same attention as have his scientific or poetic writings. Zamakhshari referred to him as “the philosopher of the world”. Many sources have also testified that he taught for decades the philosophy of Ibn Sina in Nayshapur where Khayyam lived most of his life, breathed his last, and was buried and where his mausoleum remains today a masterpiece of Iranian architecture visited by many people every year.[6]
Outside Iran and Persian speaking countries, Khayyam has had impact on literature and societies through translation and works of scholars. The greatest such impact was in English-speaking countries - the English scholar Thomas Hyde (1636-1703) was the first non-Persian to study Omar Khayyam. However the most influential of all was Edward FitzGerald (1809-83)[7] who made Khayyam the most famous poet of the East in the West through his celebrated translation and adaptations of Khayyam's rather small number of quatrains (rubaiyaas) in Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
Invasion Of Normandy
The Invasion of Normandy was the invasion and establishment of Allied forces in Normandy, France, during Operation Overlord in World War II. This article covers from the initial landings on June 6, 1944, until the time of the Allied breakout in late-July.
Allied land forces that saw combat in Normandy on June 6 came from Canada, Free French Forces, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In the weeks following the invasion, Polish forces also participated and there were also contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and the Netherlands.[8] Most of the above countries also provided air and naval support, as did the Royal Australian Air Force,[1] Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Royal Norwegian Navy.[2]
The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks, naval bombardments, an early morning amphibious landing and during the evening the remaining elements of the parachute divisions landed. The "D-Day" forces deployed from bases along the south coast of England, the most important of these being Portsmouth.[9]
Allied land forces that saw combat in Normandy on June 6 came from Canada, Free French Forces, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In the weeks following the invasion, Polish forces also participated and there were also contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and the Netherlands.[8] Most of the above countries also provided air and naval support, as did the Royal Australian Air Force,[1] Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Royal Norwegian Navy.[2]
The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks, naval bombardments, an early morning amphibious landing and during the evening the remaining elements of the parachute divisions landed. The "D-Day" forces deployed from bases along the south coast of England, the most important of these being Portsmouth.[9]
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone (January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), commonly nicknamed "Scarface", was an Italian-American gangster who led a crime syndicate dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging of liquor and other illegal activities during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s and 1930s.
He was not always a crime lord however. When he was younger he owned a shoe shining stand. When it was destroyed by a rival shoe shiner, he was broken. This was in many people's eyes the reason he became a ruthless crime lord.
Born in 1899 Brooklyn to Southwestern Italian immigrants Gabriele and Teresina Capone, Capone began his career in Brooklyn before moving to Chicago and becoming the boss of the criminal organization known as the Chicago Outfit (although his business card reportedly described him as a used furniture dealer).[1]
By the end of the 1920s, Capone had gained the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation following his being placed on the Chicago Crime Commission's "public enemies" list. Although never successfully convicted of racketeering charges, Capone's criminal career ended in 1931, when he was indicted and convicted by the federal government for income-tax evasion.
He was not always a crime lord however. When he was younger he owned a shoe shining stand. When it was destroyed by a rival shoe shiner, he was broken. This was in many people's eyes the reason he became a ruthless crime lord.
Born in 1899 Brooklyn to Southwestern Italian immigrants Gabriele and Teresina Capone, Capone began his career in Brooklyn before moving to Chicago and becoming the boss of the criminal organization known as the Chicago Outfit (although his business card reportedly described him as a used furniture dealer).[1]
By the end of the 1920s, Capone had gained the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation following his being placed on the Chicago Crime Commission's "public enemies" list. Although never successfully convicted of racketeering charges, Capone's criminal career ended in 1931, when he was indicted and convicted by the federal government for income-tax evasion.
Google Inc. is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking, and video sharing services as well as selling advertising-free versions of the same technologies. The Google headquarters, the Googleplex, is located in Mountain View, California. As of December 31, 2008, the company has 20,222 full-time employees.[3]
Google was co-founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were students at Stanford University and the company was first incorporated as a privately held company on September 4, 1998. The initial public offering took place on August 19, 2004, raising US$1.67 billion, implying a value for the entire corporation of US$23 billion. Google has continued its growth through a series of new product developments, acquisitions, and partnerships. Environmentalism, philanthropy and positive employee relations have been important tenets during the growth of Google, the latter resulting in being identified multiple times as Fortune Magazine's #1 Best Place to Work.[4] The unofficial company slogan is "Don't be evil", although criticism of Google includes concerns regarding the privacy of personal information, copyright, censorship and discontinuation of services. According to Millward Brown, it is the most powerful brand in the world.[5]
Google was co-founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were students at Stanford University and the company was first incorporated as a privately held company on September 4, 1998. The initial public offering took place on August 19, 2004, raising US$1.67 billion, implying a value for the entire corporation of US$23 billion. Google has continued its growth through a series of new product developments, acquisitions, and partnerships. Environmentalism, philanthropy and positive employee relations have been important tenets during the growth of Google, the latter resulting in being identified multiple times as Fortune Magazine's #1 Best Place to Work.[4] The unofficial company slogan is "Don't be evil", although criticism of Google includes concerns regarding the privacy of personal information, copyright, censorship and discontinuation of services. According to Millward Brown, it is the most powerful brand in the world.[5]
martes, 10 de marzo de 2009
Ballet
Ballet is a formalized type of performative dance, the origins of which date lay in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century French courts, and which was further developed in England, Italy, and Russia as a concert dance form. The early performances preceded the intervention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with the most of the audience seated on tiers or galleries on three sides of the dancing floor. The early ballet dancers were not as highly skilled as they are now [1] It has since become a highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary. It is primarily performed with the accompaniment of classical music. It has been influential as a form of dance globally and is taught in ballet schools around the world, which use their own cultures and societies to inform the art. Ballet dance works (ballets) are choreographed, and also include mime, acting, and are set to music (usually orchestral but occasionally vocal).
It is best known in the form of Late Romantic ballet blanc, which preoccupies itself with the female dancer to the exclusion of almost all else, focusing on pointe work, flowing, precise acrobatic movements, and often presenting the dancers in the conventional short white French tutu. Later developments include Expressionist ballet, Neoclassical ballet, and elements of Modern dance.
The etymology of the word "ballet" is related to the art form's history. The word ballet comes from the French and was borrowed into English around the 17th century. The French word in turn has its origins in Italian balletto, a diminutive of ballo (dance). Ballet ultimately traces back to Latin ballare, meaning to dance.[2]
It is best known in the form of Late Romantic ballet blanc, which preoccupies itself with the female dancer to the exclusion of almost all else, focusing on pointe work, flowing, precise acrobatic movements, and often presenting the dancers in the conventional short white French tutu. Later developments include Expressionist ballet, Neoclassical ballet, and elements of Modern dance.
The etymology of the word "ballet" is related to the art form's history. The word ballet comes from the French and was borrowed into English around the 17th century. The French word in turn has its origins in Italian balletto, a diminutive of ballo (dance). Ballet ultimately traces back to Latin ballare, meaning to dance.[2]
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616)[a] was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist.[1] He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays,[b] 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.[2]
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, who bore him three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.[3]
Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1590 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the sixteenth century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. In 1623, two of his former theatrical colleagues published the First Folio, a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeare's.
Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the nineteenth century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians hero-worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry".[4] In the twentieth century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, who bore him three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.[3]
Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1590 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the sixteenth century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. In 1623, two of his former theatrical colleagues published the First Folio, a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeare's.
Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the nineteenth century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians hero-worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry".[4] In the twentieth century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.
Fatih Akin
Fatih Akın (August 25, 1973 in Hamburg, Germany) is a European Film Award winning German film director of Turkish descent.[1][2][3]
Family
Fatih Akın has been married since 2004 to German-Mexican actress Monique Obermüller and currently lives in Hamburg, Germany. His brother Cem Akın is also an actor.
[edit] Education
In 1994 he attended Hamburg's College of Fine Arts to study visual communications and graduated in 2000.
[edit] Work
Akın made his debut as director of a full length film as early as 1998 with Kurz und schmerzlos (Short Sharp Shock), which brought him the "Bronze Leopard" award at Locarno, Switzerland and the "Pierrot", the Bavarian Film Award for the best young director in Munich the same year. Since then he has directed feature films such as Im Juli (In July) in 2000, Wir haben vergessen zurückzukehren (We forgot to go back) in 2001 and Solino in 2002. His fourth work, Gegen die Wand (Head-On) with Sibel Kekilli as the leading actress was a great success in 2004 and received several prizes, among them the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival and the "Best Film" and the "Audience Award" at the 2004 European Film Awards.
In 2005 he directed a documentary about the Istanbul music scene, named Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul, which includes musicians from Ceza to Sezen Aksu to Aynur and Brenna MacCrimmon. It is narrated by a member of a German experimental band Einstürzende Neubauten, Alexander Hacke, who also produced music for Head-On.
In 2006, he was investigated by German police after wearing a T-Shirt with a Nazi swastika, intending to equate the George W. Bush administration with the Third Reich.
In 2007, Akin's The Edge of Heaven, a German-Turkish cross-cultural tale of loss, mourning and forgiveness, won the prize for best screenplay at the 60th Annual 2007 Cannes Film Festival.[4] On October 24, 2007, the same film was awarded the first edition of the LUX prize for European cinema by the European Parliament.
[edit] Themes
In Fatih Akın's cinema, the lives of German Turks are a recurring theme. Their struggles and their confusion about two different cultures. In Head-On, two different cultures are presented, the conservative Muslim and Turkish view of Sibel's family, and Sibel's open ideas about sex. Cahit is presented to be somewhat a mixture of these two ideas and cultures, representing a struggling Turk. Akin, on the other hand, has never denied his Turkish roots and even accepted the Cannes award in the name of Turkish cinema.[5]
[edit] Political controversy
Akin has been criticized for actions that have been interpreted by some [6] as trivializing the holocaust and was investigated by German police for wearing a T-shirt with a Nazi swastika in place of the letter "S" in the word "BUSH". [7] Akin defended the T-Shirt as being "more than mere provocation" and emphasized: "Bush's policy is comparable with that of the Third Reich. I think that under Bush, Hollywood has been making certain films at the request of The Pentagon to normalise things like torture and Guantanamo. I'm convinced the Bush administration wants a third world war. I think they're fascists." [8]
Family
Fatih Akın has been married since 2004 to German-Mexican actress Monique Obermüller and currently lives in Hamburg, Germany. His brother Cem Akın is also an actor.
[edit] Education
In 1994 he attended Hamburg's College of Fine Arts to study visual communications and graduated in 2000.
[edit] Work
Akın made his debut as director of a full length film as early as 1998 with Kurz und schmerzlos (Short Sharp Shock), which brought him the "Bronze Leopard" award at Locarno, Switzerland and the "Pierrot", the Bavarian Film Award for the best young director in Munich the same year. Since then he has directed feature films such as Im Juli (In July) in 2000, Wir haben vergessen zurückzukehren (We forgot to go back) in 2001 and Solino in 2002. His fourth work, Gegen die Wand (Head-On) with Sibel Kekilli as the leading actress was a great success in 2004 and received several prizes, among them the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival and the "Best Film" and the "Audience Award" at the 2004 European Film Awards.
In 2005 he directed a documentary about the Istanbul music scene, named Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul, which includes musicians from Ceza to Sezen Aksu to Aynur and Brenna MacCrimmon. It is narrated by a member of a German experimental band Einstürzende Neubauten, Alexander Hacke, who also produced music for Head-On.
In 2006, he was investigated by German police after wearing a T-Shirt with a Nazi swastika, intending to equate the George W. Bush administration with the Third Reich.
In 2007, Akin's The Edge of Heaven, a German-Turkish cross-cultural tale of loss, mourning and forgiveness, won the prize for best screenplay at the 60th Annual 2007 Cannes Film Festival.[4] On October 24, 2007, the same film was awarded the first edition of the LUX prize for European cinema by the European Parliament.
[edit] Themes
In Fatih Akın's cinema, the lives of German Turks are a recurring theme. Their struggles and their confusion about two different cultures. In Head-On, two different cultures are presented, the conservative Muslim and Turkish view of Sibel's family, and Sibel's open ideas about sex. Cahit is presented to be somewhat a mixture of these two ideas and cultures, representing a struggling Turk. Akin, on the other hand, has never denied his Turkish roots and even accepted the Cannes award in the name of Turkish cinema.[5]
[edit] Political controversy
Akin has been criticized for actions that have been interpreted by some [6] as trivializing the holocaust and was investigated by German police for wearing a T-shirt with a Nazi swastika in place of the letter "S" in the word "BUSH". [7] Akin defended the T-Shirt as being "more than mere provocation" and emphasized: "Bush's policy is comparable with that of the Third Reich. I think that under Bush, Hollywood has been making certain films at the request of The Pentagon to normalise things like torture and Guantanamo. I'm convinced the Bush administration wants a third world war. I think they're fascists." [8]
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