test-ro-en

We now have four-month-old diabetic rats that no longer have diabetes," he added.
Dr. Ehud Ur, a professor of medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and president of the Canadian Diabetes Association's clinical and scientific division, noted that the research is still in the early stages.
Like other experts, he is sceptical about the idea that diabetes can be cured, noting that the findings are not relevant to people who already have type 1 diabetes.
On Monday, Sara Danius, permanent secretary of the Nobel Prize Committee for Literature at the Swedish Academy, announced publicly during a Swedish Radio broadcast that after failing to contact Bob Dylan directly regarding the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, the committee had decided to give up trying to contact him.
Danius said: "Right now we are not doing anything. I have called and sent e-mails to his closest colleague and got very friendly replies. For now, that's enough."
Earlier, Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff said the company was founded when his doorbell didn't work in his garage.
He built a Wi-Fi doorbell, he said.
Siminoff said sales have grown since its 2013 appearance on the show, when the group of investors on the show passed on funding the startup.
In late 2017, Siminoff appeared on the shopping channel QVC.
Ring also settled a lawsuit with rival security company ADT Corp.
Even though an experimental Ebola vaccine has been shown to reduce deaths from the disease, there are still no proven treatments for those already infected.
A cocktail of antibodies, ZMapp, showed early promise but formal studies suggested it was less effective at preventing death than had been hoped.
In the PALM study, ZMapp was the comparator, meaning that scientists used it as a benchmark and compared the other three treatments to it.
USA Gymnastics is supportive of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee's call for a safe environment for all athletes and reiterates the absolute necessity for the gymnastics community to provide a safe environment for athletes.
We agree with the USOC's statement that athletes' and clubs' interests, and the sport they participate in, would be best served by pursuing significant changes to the organization rather than withdrawing recognition.
USA Gymnastics will support an independent investigation that can shed light on how the abuse described so courageously by the survivors of Larry Nassar was able to go undetected for so long, and will support any and all changes that are necessary and appropriate.
USA Gymnastics and the USOC have the same goal - making gymnastics, and all sports, as safe as possible so athletes can pursue their dreams in a positive, supportive environment.
Throughout the 1960s, Brzezinski worked as an advisor to John F. Kennedy and then Lyndon B. Johnson.
During the 1976 election, he advised Carter on foreign policy and was national security adviser from 1977 to 1981, succeeding Henry Kissinger.
As NSA, he assisted Carter in managing global issues such as the Camp David Accords in 1978, U.S. normalization of relations with China in the late 1970s, the Iranian Revolution and its aftermath in 1979, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
The film, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, was nominated for all the major categories.
Gosling and Stone received nominations for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively.
Other nominations include best picture, director, cinematography, costume design, film editing, original score, production design, sound mixing and original screenplay.
Two songs from the film, Audition (The Fools Who Dream) and City of Stars, were nominated for best original song. Lionsgate studio received a total of 26 nominations - more than any other studio.
On Sunday evening, US President Donald Trump announced, through a press release, that US troops would withdraw from Syria.
The announcement came after Trump spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey was also set to take over the guarding of ISIS fighters who had been captured, according to the statement, but European nations had refused to repatriate them.
This not only confirms that at least some dinosaurs were covered in feathers, an idea already widely accepted, but also provides details that cannot be gleaned from fossils, such as colour and three-dimensional pattern.
Scientists say the bird's plumage is brownish-grey above and yellowish-orange below.
The discovery also offers a new perspective on the evolution of bird feathers.
Because the dinosaur's feathers did not have a well-developed rachis, but did have other features of feathers, such as barbs and barbules, researchers have concluded that the rachis was probably an evolutionary development of the other features.
The structure of the feathers suggests that they were not used in flight, but instead for temperature regulation or display. Researchers suggested that even if this is the tail of a young dinosaur, the specimen is of an adult and not a juvenile.
Researchers suggested that while the specimen is the tail of a young dinosaur, the feathers are those of an adult and not the down of a nestling.
A car bomb that exploded yesterday morning at a police headquarters in Gaziantep, Turkey, killed two policemen and injured more than 20 people.
The governor's office said nineteen of the injured were police officers.
Police said they suspected a Daesh (ISIS) militant was responsible for the attack.
They discovered that the Sun has the same basic principles as other stars: all stars in a system are controlled by their brightness, rotation, and nothing else.
Luminosity and rotation are combined to determine the Rossby number of a star, which is associated with plasma flow.
The smaller the Rossby number, the less active the star will be in terms of magnetic reversals.
Iwasaki often found himself in trouble during his travels.
He has been robbed by pirates, attacked by a mad dog in Tibet, escaped a forced marriage in Nepal, and arrested in India.
The 802.11n standard can operate on either the 2.4 GHz or 5.1 GHz frequency.
This will give it backward compatibility with 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g with the proviso that the base station has dual radio transmission.
The speeds of 802.11n are considerably higher than those of its predecessors, with a theoretical maximum of 600 Mbit/s.
Duvall, who is married with two grown-up children, was unimpressed when he heard Miller's story.
When asked for a comment, Miller said, "Mike likes to talk a lot during hearings... I was preparing to go back, so I didn't catch everything he said."
We will try to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 2020 by a significant margin over the 2005 level," Hu said.
He did not put a figure on the reductions, saying they would be made in accordance with China's economic performance.
Hu called on developing countries to "avoid the old approach of polluting first and cleaning up later."
He added, however, that "they shouldn't be asked to take on responsibilities that exceed their level of development, maturity and ability."
The Iraq Study Group will release its report today at noon GMT.
It warns that no one can guarantee now that any intervention in Iraq will stop the sectarian war, rising violence and descent into chaos.
The report opens with a plea for an open debate and consensus-building in the United States on Middle East policy.
The report is extremely critical of nearly every aspect of current executive policy toward Iraq and calls for an immediate change of direction.
His first of 78 recommendations was a new diplomatic offensive by year's end to secure Iraq's borders against hostile intervention and to restore diplomatic relations with neighbors.
Current Argentine senator and former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announced her candidacy for the presidency last night in La Plata, a city 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Buenos Aires.
Ms. Kirchner announced her intention to run for the presidency of the Argentinean Theatre, the same place where she started her campaign for the Senate in 2005 as a member of the Buenos Aires provincial delegation.
The debate was touched off by controversy over funding for Hurricane Katrina relief and rebuilding, which some conservatives derided as "The New Deal for New Orleans."
Liberal critics of the reconstruction effort have focused on the awarding of reconstruction contracts to Washington insiders.
More than four million people came to Rome to attend the funeral.
The number of people present was so great that it was not possible for everyone to attend the funeral in St. Peter's Square.
Large television screens have been set up around Rome so that the public can watch the ceremony.
In many other Italian and foreign cities, especially in Poland, similar installations have been set up, which have been followed by a large number of people.
Historically, the FBI has been criticized by historians for concentrating resources on easily resolved cases, especially those involving stolen cars, in order to increase the agency's success rate.
Congress began funding the Obscenity Prohibition Act in fiscal year 2005, and specified that the FBI should hire 10 agents to enforce it.
Robin Uthappa led the charge with the highest score of the innings, 70 runs off 41 balls with 11 fours and 2 sixes.
Middle-order batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid played well and shared a century stand.
But, after losing the captaincy, India managed only 36 runs, losing 7 wickets by the end of the session.
U.S. President George W. Bush arrived in Singapore at dawn on November 16, beginning a weeklong Asian tour.
He was welcomed by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng and discussed trade and terrorism with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Following a week in which he lost ground in the mid-term elections, Bush spoke to the audience about expanding trade in Asia.
Following a 25-minute meeting with NDP Leader Jack Layton at the PMO on Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed to send the government's "Clean Air Act" to a committee of MPs from all parties for review before a second reading.
Mr Layton has called for a "full and thorough" rewrite of the Tories' environment proposals during a meeting with the Prime Minister.
Since the federal government took over the funding of the Mersey Hospital in Devonport, Tasmania, the state government and some federal MPs have been critical of the move, saying it was a cynical ploy ahead of the November federal election.
But Prime Minister John Howard said the decision was aimed at protecting the hospital's facilities from being downgraded by the Tasmanian government, which he said would provide a further A$45 million.
Marine-based tsunami gauges indicate a tsunami has been generated, according to the latest bulletin. Tsunami activity has been reported in the vicinity of Pago Pago and Niue.
In Tonga, no major damage or injuries were reported, but power was knocked out temporarily, hampering Tonga's ability to receive the tsunami warning from PTWC.
Fourteen schools in Hawaii, located on or near the shoreline, were closed Wednesday as a precautionary measure, though warnings had been in effect.
U.S. President George W. Bush praised the announcement.
Bush spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the North Korean pledge was a "major step toward a nuclear-free Korean peninsula."
Today, Tropical Storm Jerry, tenth named storm of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, has formed in the Atlantic Ocean.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says Jerry currently poses no threat to land.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated that 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rainfall could cause the already damaged levees to break.
The Ninth Ward, which was inundated by as much as 20 feet of water during Hurricane Katrina, is currently under several feet of water after a nearby levee broke.
Water overtops the dike along a 100-foot stretch.
Wikimedia Commons administrator Adam Cuerden expressed frustration with deletions in statements made for Wikinews last month.
He [Wales] has basically lied to us from the start. First he said it was legal, then he said he would comply until the images were deleted.
The community's irritation has led to the present-day efforts to develop a rule regarding sexual content on the website which hosts millions of licensed open-source media.
Much of the work was theoretical, but the program was designed to stimulate observing of the Whirlpool Galaxy.
The effect the team was looking for would have been caused by the dark matter in the galaxy interacting with the dark matter in the Milky Way.
As the Moon's gravity pulls on the Earth, causing tides, so the Milky Way's gravity pulls on our galaxy, the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy.
Scientists have concluded that dark matter affects other dark matter in much the same way as it affects normal matter.
This theory states that the dark matter in a galaxy is located around the galaxy in a halo of particles.
TV reports showed a white plume of smoke billowing from the plant.
Local authorities are urging residents living near the factory to stay indoors, turn off air conditioning units, and not to drink tap water.
According to Japan's nuclear agency, cesium and iodine were detected inside the plant.
Officials speculate that this may indicate that the uranium fuel rods in the reactor may have been damaged and are leaking.
Dr. Tony Moll discovered the presence of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.
In an interview, he said the new variant was "really, really troubling" because of its high mortality rate.
It is possible that some patients contracted the virus in the hospital, said Dr. Moll, and at least two were hospital staff.
During a year, an infected person can infect between 10 and 15 people with whom he/she is in close contact.
However, the percentage of XDR-TB in the entire group of people with tuberculosis still appears to be low; 6,000 out of 330,000 people infected at one time in South Africa.
Both satellites, each of which weighs more than 1,000 pounds and is traveling at about 17,500 miles per hour, passed within 491 miles of Earth.
Scientists say the explosion from the collision was massive.
They are still trying to determine the size of the impact and how it will affect the Earth.
U.S. Strategic Command, which is part of the U.S. Defense Department, is tracking the remainder.
The literary analysis of the moments of the subject will be published on a public website.
A pediatrician who worked at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania has been charged with murder after her mother was found dead in the trunk of her car on Wednesday, authorities in Ohio said.
Dr. Malar Balasubramanian, 29, was found dead on a roadside in Blue Ash, Ohio, a suburb north of Cincinnati, wearing a T-shirt and underwear and with an apparent drug overdose, police said.
He directed agents to his black Oldsmobile Intrigue, which was parked 500 feet away.
There they found the body of 53-year-old Saroja Balasubramanian, covered in blood-stained blankets.
Police said the body had been there for a day.
The first cases of the disease this season were reported at the end of July.
The disease is carried by pigs and transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.
The fire has prompted the Indian government to take steps such as deploying pigs to affected areas, distributing thousands of mosquito nets and spraying pesticides.
Millions of doses of the vaccine against encephalitis have also been promised by the government to help health agencies prepare for the next year.
Plans to deliver vaccines to the most historically-affected areas were delayed this year due to funding shortfalls and reduced priority compared to other diseases.
In 1956, Słania moved to Sweden, where three years later he began work for the Swedish Post Office, eventually becoming chief engraver.
He produced more than 1,000 stamps for Sweden and another 28 countries.
His work is of such quality and detail that he is one of the very few "important" names in stamp collecting. Some collectors specialise in a complete collection of his works.
His 1,000th stamp was a superb issue called "The Great Deeds of the Swedish Kings" by David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl in 2000, which is in the Guinness Book of Records.
He has also designed banknotes for several other countries, most recently the portraits of the Canadian prime ministers on the $5 and $100 bills.
Following the crash, Gibson was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
The lorry driver, aged 64, was unhurt in the accident.
The vehicle itself was removed from the scene of the accident by around 12:00 BST on the day of the crash.
A man who works in a nearby garage said: "There were kids waiting to cross the road and they were all screaming and crying."
Everyone ran away from the scene of the accident.
Other issues on the agenda for Bali include saving the world's remaining forests and sharing technology to help developing countries move away from fossil fuels.
The UN is also hoping to set up a fund to help developing countries cope with the effects of global warming.
Funds could be used to build flood-resilient housing, better water management and diversification of crops.
Fluke wrote that efforts to prevent women from speaking about women's health have been unsuccessful.
She came to this conclusion after receiving an overwhelming number of positive comments and encouragement from women, as well as men, noting that birth control medication should be considered a medical necessity.
About 40 other inmates remained in the yard, refusing to return to their cells when the fighting stopped, after the injured were taken to a hospital.
Negotiators tried to resolve the issue, but the inmates' demands were unclear.
Between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. MDT, inmates started a fire in the courtyard.
Minutes later, riot-equipped troops entered the courtyard and fired tear gas at the inmates.
Firefighters managed to put out the fire around 23:35.
After the dam was built in 1963, seasonal flooding that scoured the entire river ended.
These sediments were necessary to create sand dunes and beaches, which provided habitat for wildlife.
As a result, two fish species have become extinct and another two are under threat, including the cocoa damsel.
Although the water level will rise only by a few feet after the flood, officials are hopeful it will be enough to restore sand dunes downstream.
No tsunami warning has been issued and the geophysics agency in Jakarta says none will be issued since the quake's magnitude was below 6.5.
Although there was no tsunami threat, residents began to panic and evacuated their homes and businesses.
Although Winfrey was in tears as she took her leave, she assured her fans that she would be back.
This will not be a farewell. It means the closing of a chapter and the opening of another."
The final results of Namibia's presidential and parliamentary elections have been announced, and incumbent president Hifikepunye Pohamba has been re-elected with an overwhelming majority.
Ruling party South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) has maintained its majority in parliamentary elections.
Coalition and Afghan troops were reported to be moving into the area to secure the site, and more coalition aircraft were reported to be on the way.
The crash took place in mountainous terrain at a high altitude and is believed to have been caused by enemy fire.
The search is being hampered by bad weather and rugged terrain.
The nongovernmental health organization Mangola, Doctors Without Borders, and the World Health Organization say it is the worst Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country.
Richard Veerman, a spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders, said, "Angola is on the verge of the worst outbreak so far, and the situation remains extremely alarming in Angola."
The games started at 10:00 on a beautiful sunny day, apart from a brief shower in the middle of the morning, it was a perfect day for seven-a-side rugby.
The tournament favourites, South Africa, got off to a flying start, crushing Zambia 26-0, who were ranked fifth.
Playing a disjointed game against their southern neighbours, South Africa came back time and again as the tournament progressed.
Their disciplined defense, ability to handle the ball, and excellent teamwork made them stand out, and it became clear that they were the team to beat.
Officials from the city of Amsterdam and the Anne Frank Museum said the tree was infected with a fungus and posed a threat to public safety, saying that it was about to collapse.
He was due to be executed on Tuesday, but was saved by a last-minute court ruling.
All of the caves in the "Seven Sisters" group are between 100 and 250 metres (328 - 820 ft) in diameter.
The infrared images show that the temperature differences between day and night are likely to be caves.
They are cooler than the surrounding area during the day and warmer at night.
Their thermal behavior is not as stable as that of large caves on Earth, which generally maintain a constant temperature, but is consistent with the idea that they are deep holes in the ground," said Glen Cushind of the U.S. Geological Survey's Astrogeology Team and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Traditionally, voting in France has been a rather low-tech affair: Voters go into a booth, fill out a printed ballot, and drop it in a box.
After officials verify the voter's identity, the voter places the ballot in the ballot box and signs the poll book.
French electoral law codifies more strictly the procedures to be followed.
Since 1988, ballot boxes have been required to be transparent, so that voters and observers can confirm that there are no stuffed ballots at the beginning of the vote, and that no additional stuffed ballots are added except for those cast by authorized voters.
Candidates can send representatives to be present at all stages of the process. In the evening, the votes are counted by volunteers under strict supervision, in accordance with a clear procedure.
The ASUS Eee PC, which was launched worldwide earlier this year for its functionality and cost-saving features, has become a hot topic at the IT Month, Taipei 2007.
But the market for laptop computers will be different and radically changed after ASUS won the Taiwan Sustainable Award in 2007 sponsored by the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China.
The station's website describes the show as "retro radio theatre with a geeky new twist!"
In its early days, the show was only streamed by the old internet radio station Toginet Radio, a website specializing in talk shows.
At the end of 2015, AstroNet Radio was founded as a subsidiary of TogiNet.
The show originally featured a troupe of amateur performers from East Texas.
Large-scale looting reportedly continued through the night in Bishkek, with police nowhere to be seen.
An observer described Bishkek as descending into anarchy, with gangs roaming the streets and looting shops selling consumer goods.
Many residents of Bishkek have blamed the protesters from the south for the ensuing chaos.
South Africa has defeated New Zealand (All Blacks) in a match of the Three Nations Tournament, played on the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa.
The final score was 21-20, ending a 15-match winning streak for the All Blacks.
For the Springboks, it ended a five-match losing streak.
It was the last match for the All Blacks, who had already won the trophy two weeks earlier.
The final match of the series will be played at Ellis Park in Johannesburg next week, when the Springboks take on Australia.
A medium earthquake hit western Montana at 10:08 p.m. Monday.
The U.S. Geological Survey and its National Earthquake Center did not immediately report any damage.
The epicenter of the quake was located approximately 15 miles (20 km) north northeast of Dillon and 40 miles (65 km) south of Butte.
It has now been confirmed that the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has infected a wild duck found dead on Monday on a marshland east of Lyon, France.
France is the seventh European Union country to be hit by the virus, after Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy.
The suspected H5N1 cases in Croatia and Denmark remain unconfirmed.
Chambers was suing God for "allowing the spreading of death, destruction, and terror to millions and millions of people all over the world."
Chambers, an agnostic, says his process is "frivolous" and that "anybody can sue anybody."
The story, presented in the French opera by Camille Saint-Saens, is about an artist "whose life is dominated by his love for drugs and for Japan".
As a result, performers smoke cannabis cigarettes on stage, and the theatre itself encourages the audience to participate.
Former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann rounded out the top four, five and six, respectively.
After the results were announced, Gingrich praised Santorum but was harshly critical of Romney, whose negative advertising in Iowa targeted Gingrich.
Perry said he would "come back to Texas and take a hard look at the results from tonight's debate to see if there is a path forward for me in this race," but later said he would stay in the race and compete in the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary.
Bachmann, who won the unsanctioned Ames Straw Poll in August, decided to end her campaign.
The photographer was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center where he later died.
He was said to be 20-something at the time. In a statement, Bieber said, "While I was not present or directly involved in the tragic accident, my heart goes out to the family of the victim."
Entertainment news website TMZ reported that the photographer stopped his car on the opposite side of the Sepulveda Boulevard and tried to take pictures of the police before crossing the street and continuing, which prompted a California Highway Patrol officer directing traffic to tell him twice to come back.
Police said the driver of the car that hit the photographer is unlikely to be prosecuted.
With only eighteen medals awarded each day, several countries were unable to reach the podium.
The Netherlands, with Anna Jochemsen finishing ninth in the women's Super-G race yesterday, and Finland, with Katja Saarinen in tenth place in the same event, are among them.
Australia's Mitchell Gourley finished 11th in the men's Super-G. Czech Republic's Oldrich Jelinek finished 16th in the men's Super-G.
Arly Velasquez of Mexico was 15th in the men's Super-G standings. Adam Hall of New Zealand was ninth in the men's Super-G standings.
Polish visually impaired male skier Maciej Krezel finished thirteenth alongside his guide Anna Ogarzynska in the Super-G event. Jong Seork Park from South Korea came in twenty-fourth in the men's Super-G event.
UN peacekeepers, who have been in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake, are being blamed for the spread of the disease, which broke out near a peacekeeper camp.
According to the process, the UN camp's waste was not properly sanitized, contaminating the Artibonite River, one of Haiti's largest.
Before the arrival of the troops, Haiti had not had a case of yellow fever since the 1800s.
The Haitian Institute of Justice and Democracy cited independent studies that suggested the United Nations Nepalese peacekeeping battalion may have inadvertently introduced the disease to Haiti.
Danielle Lantagne, a UN expert on the disease, said the most likely source of the outbreak was peacekeepers.
Hamilton confirmed that Howard University Hospital had admitted the patient in stable condition.
The patient had traveled to Nigeria, where a few Ebola cases had been reported.
The hospital followed infection-control procedures, including isolating the patient from other patients to prevent the infection from spreading.
Before The Simpsons, Simon had worked on several shows in various capacities.
In the 1980s, he worked on shows including Taxi, Cheers, and The Tracey Ullman Show.
In 1989, he participated in the creation of The Simpsons with Brooks and Groening, and he hired the show's first staff of writers.
Although he had left the show in 1993, he still held the title of executive producer and received tens of millions of dollars per year in compensation.
Earlier, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported a plane had been hijacked.
Subsequent reports said a bomb threat had been made against the flight and it had been diverted to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Early reports suggested the plane had been diverted to Afghanistan after being denied permission to land in Ürümqi.
Air crashes are frequent in Iran, which has an ageing and poorly-maintained civil and military fleet.
International sanctions prevented the purchase of new aircraft.
Earlier this week, a police helicopter crashed, killing three people and injuring three others.
Last month, Iran suffered its worst air disaster in recent years when a plane bound for Armenia crashed, killing all 168 on board.
Earlier this month, another plane crashed in Mashhad, hitting a wall and killing 17 people.
Aerosmith has canceled the remaining concerts of the tour.
The rock band was supposed to go on tours in the United States and Canada until September 16.
They cancelled the tour because lead singer Steven Tyler injured his back when he fell off the stage while performing on August 5.
Murray lost the first set in a tie-break after both players held their service.
Del Potro got the first break in the second set, but he also needed a tie-break after 6-6.
Potro received treatment on his shoulder but was able to return to the match.
The show started at 8:30 p.m. local time (15:00 UTC).
Famous singers from all over the country presented bhajans or devotional songs at the feet of Shri Shyam.
Singer Sanju Sharma started the show, followed by Jai Shankar Choudhary. He also sang bhajan chhappan bhog, which was accompanied by singer Raju Khandelwal.
Lakkha Singh then took over and sang bhajans.
108 pots of Chhappan Bhog (56 different food items like sweets, fruits, nuts, delicacies etc. offered to the deity) were brought as offering to Baba Shyam.
Lakkha Singh also presented the Chhappan Bhog Bhajan. He was accompanied by singer Raju Khandelwal.
On Thursday, during his opening speech at the Tokyo Game Show, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata unveiled the design for the company's new console, the Nintendo Revolution.
Similar to a TV remote control, the controller uses two position sensors located near the user's TV to determine the user's location in 3D space.
This allows players to control actions and motions in the game by moving the device in the air.
Giancarlo Fisichella lost control of the car he was driving and crashed out of the race shortly after the start.
His team-mate Fernando Alonso led for most of the race but came into the pits almost immediately after the pit stop, probably due to a faulty right front wheel.
Michael Schumacher ended his race shortly after Alonso due to damage to his suspension from multiple crashes.
He's very nice and he sings well," he was quoted as saying at the press conference.
I got goosebumps every time I rehearsed it.
Within three minutes of launch, a camera aboard the rocket showed dozens of pieces of insulating foam separating from the fuel tank.
However, it is not believed to have caused any damage to the ship.
NASA's shuttle program manager, N. Wayne Hale Jr., said the foam came down "after the event that we're concerned about."
Five minutes into the presentation, the wind begins to pick up; about a minute later, the winds reach 70 km/h... then the rain comes down in sheets, hitting you like needles, and the boards come crashing down, and people are screaming and jumping up and down.
Armand Versace said: "I lost my sister and her friend, and on the way there were two disabled people in wheelchairs, people were just jumping over them and pushing them."
NHK also reported that the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata prefecture was operating normally.
Hokuriku Electric Power Co. said there were no abnormalities at its Shika nuclear power plant after the quake, and it shut down the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors.
Approximately 9,400 houses in the region are left without water, and about 100 are left without electricity.
Some roads have been destroyed, train service has been interrupted in the affected areas and Noto Airport in Ishikawa prefecture remains closed.
One of the bombs exploded near the governor's office.
Another three bombs exploded near government buildings about two hours later.
Some reports say the official death toll is eight, and official reports confirm at least 30 people have been injured, but the final death toll is still unknown.
Both cyanide and melamine were found in urine samples from dead pets who ate the tainted pet food.
The two compounds interact with each other to form crystals that can block nerve cells, say researchers at the university.
Researchers found crystals in the cat's urine when they added melamine and cyanuric acid.
The composition of these crystals is similar to those found in the urine of companion animals affected by the disease, when they are compared by infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy).
I don't know if you're doing that or not, but most of the goods from Central America have been brought into the United States without paying any tariffs.
However, eighty percent of our goods are taxed at Central American rates. We respect you.
It seemed senseless to me; it was certainly inequitable.
What I am saying is that you should apply the same rules that we apply.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a bill that bans the sale or rental of violent video games to minors.
The proposed legislation would require violent video games sold in California to be labeled with the "18" rating, and it would make it a misdemeanour punishable by a $1,000 fine to sell them to minors.
Director of Public Prosecutions, Kier Starmer QC, made the announcement this morning that both Huhne and Pryce would be prosecuted.
Huhne has resigned and Ed Davey is set to take his place in the Cabinet, with Norman Lamb tipped to become Business Secretary, replacing Davey.
Huhne and Pryce are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on February 16.
The deceased have been identified as 25-year-old Nicholas Alden and 21-year-old Zachary Cuddeback, the driver.
Edgar Veguilla suffered a broken arm and jaw, while Kristoffer Schneider will require facial reconstructive surgery.
Uka's weapon had misfired as he aimed it at the head of a fifth man, Schneider said, leaving him with continuing pain, no vision in one eye, a missing section of skull and a reconstructed titanium face.
Schneider's testimony was transmitted via video link from a U.S. Air Force base in his home country.
Following Wednesday's event, Carpanedo competed in two individual races at the Championships.
His first race was the slalom, where he failed to finish the first run. 36 of the 116 competitors failed to finish the first run in that race.
In the other race she participated in, the giant slalom, she finished tenth in the women's group with a total time of 4:41.30, 2:11.60 behind the first Australian Claudia Loesch, and 1:09.02 behind the ninth-placed Gyöngyi Dani from Hungary.
Four of the women's giant slalom runs did not finish their run, and 45 of the 117 men's giant slalom competitors did not finish their run.
Police in Madhya Pradesh have recovered the stolen laptop and mobile phone.
Deputy Inspector General of Police D.K. Arya said, "We have arrested five people who raped the Swiss woman and recovered her mobile phone and laptop."
The accused are named as Baba Kanjar, Bhutha Kanjar, Rampro Kanjar, Gaza Kanjar and Vishnu Kanjar.
Superintendent of Police Chandra Shekhar Solanki said the accused appeared in court with their faces covered.
Although three people were inside the house at the time of the crash, no injuries were reported.
However, the driver sustained serious head injuries.
The road where the accident took place was temporarily closed and the driver of the red Audi TT was rescued by the emergency services.
He was initially admitted to the James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth.
He was then transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
Adekoya has been charged with murdering her son at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
She has been held in custody awaiting indictment and trial, but any potential eyewitness testimony has been tainted by the widespread dissemination of her image.
It is standard practice in other parts of the UK, but Scotland's justice system is different and the courts decided that the publication of the photographs could be prejudicial.
Professor Pamela Ferguson of the University of Dundee observes that "journalists seem to be adding fuel to the fire by publishing photographs and other information about the suspects."
The Crown Prosecution Service, which is responsible for prosecuting offences, said it would not be commenting further at this time.
According to the leak, the document will be about the dispute over the borders, which the Palestinians want to be based on the pre-1967 Middle East war lines.
Other issues discussed include the future status of Jerusalem, which is holy to both nations, and the issue of the Jordan Valley.
Israel is claiming that it will have a continued military presence in the valley for a period of ten years after the agreement is signed, while the AP is willing to accept this only for a period of five years.
Hunters taking part in the supplementary roe deer cull were to be closely monitored by gamekeepers, with the test being monitored and its effectiveness assessed.
A partnership between the NPWS and the NSW Sporting Shooters Association has seen qualified volunteers recruited through the association's shooting program.
Mick O'Flynn, NPWS Executive Director for Conservation and Estates, said the four volunteers selected for the first cull had been given a thorough safety briefing and training.
Yesterday, Martelly took the oath in front of a new Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), composed of nine members.
It is Martelly's fifth CEP in four years.
Last month, a presidential commission recommended that the former CEP chief be dismissed as part of a package of measures to pave the way to new elections.
The commission was formed in response to widespread anti-government protests that began in October.
Sometimes violent protests have been sparked by failed attempts to hold elections, some of which were due to take place as far back as 2011.
There have been approximately 60 reports of overheating iPods that have malfunctioned, causing six fires and minor burn injuries to four people.
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said it was aware of 27 device-related accidents.
Last week, METI announced that Apple had reported another 34 cases of overheating, which the company said were "not serious."
The ministry replied, saying that Apple's delay was "truly regrettable."
The quake hit near the Mariana Islands at 7:19 a.m. local time Friday (2119 GMT Thursday).
The Northern Mariana Islands Office of Emergency Management said there were no reports of damage in the islands.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also reported no tsunami threat.
A former Filipino policeman held hostage tourists from Hong Kong, hijacking their bus in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
Rolando Mendoza fired his M16 rifle at the tourists.
Several hostages have been freed and at least six have been killed.
Six hostages, including children and elderly people, were released earlier, along with Filipino photographers.
Later, a woman in her 80s using a wheelchair was photographed at the scene. Mendoza was shot.
Liggins followed his father into medicine.
She studied obstetrics and in 1959 she began work at the National Women's Hospital in Auckland.
While working in the hospital, Liggins began researching premature births during his spare time.
His research showed that if a hormone was administered, it would hasten the fetal lung maturation.
Government investigators on Wednesday recovered two black box recorders from the wreckage of the crashed plane, Xinhua news agency reported.
The wrestlers also paid tribute to the Moon.
Tommy Dreamer said of her, "Luna was the first Queen of Extreme. My first manager. Luna died two months ago. A unique moment, just like her. A strong woman."
Dustin Runnels, also known as "Goldust", commented that "The Moon was as eccentric as I am... maybe even more so... I love him and I miss him... I hope he's in a better place."
Of the 1400 people surveyed ahead of the 2010 federal election, the number of those who were against Australia becoming a republic had risen by eight per cent since 2008.
Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard argued during the 2010 federal election campaign that Australia should become a republic when the reign of Queen Elizabeth II comes to an end.
34 per cent of those surveyed agreed with the sentiment, wishing for Queen Elizabeth II to be the last Australian monarch.
At the extremes of the survey, 29 per cent of respondents thought Australia should become a republic as soon as possible, while 31 per cent thought Australia should never become a republic.
The Olympic gold medallist was due to swim at the Commonwealth Games in the 100m and 200m freestyle as well as three relay events but his participation has been thrown into doubt by the complaints.
He was unable to take painkillers to control the pain as they were banned during the Games.
On January 25, Curtis Cooper, a mathematician and professor of computer science at the University of Central Missouri, discovered the largest known prime number.
A number of people had made the discovery earlier, using a variety of hardware and software combinations, and it was announced on Tuesday.
Comets may have been the source of water on Earth, along with organic material, which can form proteins and support life.
Scientists hope to understand how planets form, in particular how Earth formed, since comets have collided with Earth in the distant past.
Cuomo, 53, took office earlier this year and signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage last month.
He referred to the rumors as "political gossip and hearsay."
He is expected to run for president in 2016.
NextGen is a system that the FAA says will allow planes to take shorter routes, saving millions of gallons of fuel every year and reducing carbon emissions.
It replaces older ground-based radar with satellite-based technology to allow air-traffic controllers to see where planes are with more precision and to relay information to pilots more accurately.
There are no additional transport options available, and surface trains do not stop at Wembley, and car and public transport parking is not available in the vicinity.
The fears regarding the lack of means of transport have raised the possibility of organizing the party with closed doors, in the absence of the team's supporters.
A study published in the journal Science on Thursday reported the discovery of a new bird species on the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador.
Researchers at Princeton University and the University of Uppsala in Sweden reported that the new species had evolved in only two generations, although it was thought to take much longer because of breeding between the endemic Darwin's finches, Geospiza fortis, and an immigrant cactus finch, Geospiza conirostris.
Gold can be worked in a number of ways. It can be rolled into a tiny ball.
It can be drawn into thin wires that can be rolled and braided. It can be hammered into shape or rolled into sheets.
It can be made very thin and laid over other metals. It can be made so thin that it was sometimes used as a decoration for illuminated manuscripts.
This is called the pH of a chemical. A red cabbage indicator can be made using red cabbage.
The juice from the cabbage changes color depending on how acidic or alkaline (basic) the substance is.
The pH is a measure of the amount of hydrogen ions (H+) in a particular chemical.
Hydrogen ions are protons that have had their electrons removed (because hydrogen atoms consist of a proton and an electron).
He mixes the two powders together, then forms a ball with his clean, wet hands.
The moisture in your hands will react with the outer layers of the gloves, giving you a funny sensation and forming a kind of crust.
The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro had toilets in most houses, connected by a sophisticated sanitation system.
Sewage remains have been found in Minoan palaces on Crete and Santorini in Greece.
There were public toilets in ancient Egypt, Persia, and China. In ancient Rome, public toilets were sometimes part of public baths, which men and women would use together.
When you talk to someone far away, you use a satellite.
The satellite in space hears the call, then reflects it back to Earth almost instantly.
The satellite was sent into space by a rocket. Scientists use telescopes in space because the atmosphere of Earth blocks some of the light and makes it hard to see.
A giant rocket standing 100 feet tall is required to launch a satellite or a telescope.
The wheel has changed the world in so many ways. The most important thing the wheel has given us is a much easier and faster way to move from one place to another.
He brought the train, the car and many other means of transport.
At ground level we have several medium-sized cats, which hunt similar-sized prey, from rabbits to deer and antelopes.
In the end, there are many small cats (including free-ranging pet cats) that eat many more small prey, such as insects, rodents, lizards, and birds.
The key to their success is the niche concept; each cat has its own role to fill, so they are not competing with each other.
Lions are the most social of the cat species and live in large groups called prides.
Families are composed of one to three adult males who are related, and up to thirty females and young.
Women are usually related to each other, being part of a large family of sisters and cousins.
The families of leopards behave much like the packs of wolves or dogs, animals whose behavior is surprisingly similar to that of the leopards (but not to other large cats). They are also very deadly to their prey.
A fully grown tiger can swim (though not well), run, jump and pounce on prey with a force five times that of a strong man.
Tigers are members of the same genus (Panthera) as lions, leopards and jaguars, and are the only big cats that roar.
A tiger's roar does not sound like a lion's roar, but more like a sentence of words being shouted.
Cheetahs like to eat small animals. If they can catch monkeys, snakes, rodents, or birds, they will. Most of the animals that cheetahs hunt are much smaller than the cheetahs themselves.
Scientists believe that hyenas hunt and find food using their sense of smell, marking their territory by spraying it with urine.
Thanks to their night vision, they can see very well in the dark and can move around undetected. The hyenas hunt in groups, camouflaging themselves in the environment, and then pouncing on their prey.
When a small group of individuals (a small population) becomes isolated from the main group to which it belongs (perhaps because it has moved over a mountain range or across a river, or because it has moved to a new island, from which it cannot easily return), it will often find itself in a different environment from the one in which it was before.
This new environment has different resources and different competitors, so the new population will need different features or adaptations to be more successful than they were before.
The initial population has not changed at all, it needs the same adaptations as before.
Over time as the new population adapts to the environment, members of the group become less similar to the other population.
In the end, after thousands or even millions of years, the two populations will look so different from each other that we will no longer be able to say that they are the same species.
This process is called speciation, which means the formation of new species. Speciation is an unavoidable consequence of evolution and an important part of it.
Plants make oxygen, which people breathe, and take in carbon dioxide, which people breathe out (exhale).
Plants make their own food using the sun, through photosynthesis. They also provide shade.
We make our houses out of plants, and we make our clothes out of plants. Most of the food we eat is from plants. Without plants, animals would not be able to survive.
The mosasaurus was the top predator of its time, and had no natural predators other than other mosasaurs.
Its long, sharp teeth numbered more than 70, and it had an additional set in its mouth roof, so that nothing in its path was safe.
We don't know for sure, but it could have had a forked tongue. Its diet consisted of large fish, other plesiosaurs, and possibly even cannibalism.
It also attacks anything that enters the water; even a giant like the T-Rex would have been no match for it.
While much of Roman cuisine would be familiar to us today, the Romans also had some bizarre or unusual foods that they ate at special times of year, including boar, goats, melons and a rodent called a pear.
Another difference was that while the poor and women ate while seated on the ground, wealthy men preferred to hold banquets while reclining on one side.
Ancient Rome's cuisine could not have included food from Europe, America or Asia in later centuries.
For example, they did not have wheat, red berries, potatoes, or chocolate, and no ancient Roman ever tasted a turkey.
The Babylonians built a great temple for each of their gods, which was considered to be the house of the god.
People made sacrifices to the gods, and priests tried to respond to the needs of the gods through rituals and festivals.
Each temple had an open courtyard and an inner sanctuary where only the priests were allowed.
Sometimes pyramid-shaped towers were built as part of temples. They were called ziggurats.
The top of the tower was the sanctuary of the god.
In the hot climate of the Middle East, houses were of less importance.
Most of a Jewish family's life was spent outdoors.
Women cooked in the courtyard; shops were only paving stones in the street. Houses were built of stone.
In the land of Canaan there were no large forests, so wood was very expensive.
Greenland was only lightly colonized. According to Norse sagas, Erik the Red was exiled from Iceland for murder and while sailing west he discovered Greenland and named it.
However, regardless of what was discovered, Native American tribes had already been living in the area at the time.
Although they were all Scandinavian countries, there were many differences between the population, kings, customs, and history of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland.
If you watched the movie National Treasure, you might think that a map to the treasure was written on the back of the Declaration of Independence.
However, this is not true. Although on the back of the document there is something written, it is not a map of a treasure.
On the back of the Declaration of Independence is written: "The original of the Declaration of Independence, dated July 4, 1776." The text is reversed, at the bottom of the document.
Although it is not known for certain who wrote it, it is known that early in its history the large parchment document (29¾ by 24½ inches) was rolled up.
Thus, the labeling was probably just for marketing purposes.
The landings on D-Day and the fighting that followed liberated northern France but southern France was still under German occupation.
It was run by the Vichy French, the French who made peace with the Germans in 1940 and worked with the invaders instead of fighting them.
On August 15, 1940, the Allies invaded southern France, and the operation was named "Operation Dragoon".
In just two weeks, American and Free French forces had liberated southern France and were advancing into Germany.
A civilization is a unique culture shared by a large group of people living and working cooperatively, a society.
The word civilization is derived from the Latin word civilis, meaning civil, and civitas, meaning city or city-state. It also refers to the degree of sophistication of a society.
Cities are the precursors of nations. A civilized culture involves the transmission of knowledge across multiple generations, a persistent cultural imprint, and widespread dissemination.
Smaller cultures often leave no historical record and are not recognized as civilizations in their own right.
During the Revolutionary War, the Thirteen Colonies formed a weak central government - the Congress being the sole component - on the basis of the Articles of Confederation.
Congress had no power to enforce taxes, and as there was neither an executive nor a judiciary at the national level, it relied on state authorities, often defiant, to enforce its decisions.
He also did not have the authority to veto state laws and taxes.
Articles required the unanimous consent of all the states before they could be altered, and the states treated the central government with such indifference that their representatives were often absent.
The Italian national football team, together with the German national football team, is ranked second among the most successful football teams in the world, and they were the champions of the FIFA World Cup in 2006.
Popular sports include football, basketball, volleyball, water polo, fencing, rugby, cycling, ice hockey, roller hockey, and Formula 1 racing.
Winter sports are most popular in the northern regions, Italians participating in international competitions and Olympic events.
Japan has almost 7,000 islands (Honshu is the largest), making it the world's seventh-largest island.
Because of the Japanese archipelago, Japan is often said to be geographically an "archipelago".
The beginning of Taiwan dates back to the 15th century, when European mariners passed by the island and named it Ilha Formosa or Beautiful Island.
In 1624, the Dutch East India Company established a base in the southwest of Taiwan, beginning a transformation of indigenous agricultural practices and bringing in Chinese laborers to work on sugar and rice plantations.
In 1683, the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) took control of the western and northern coastal regions of Taiwan and established Taiwan as a province of the Qing Empire in 1885.
In 1895, after the Qing Dynasty's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), the Qing government signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, ceding sovereignty over Taiwan to Japan, which governed the island until 1945.
Machu Picchu has three main structures, namely Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Three Windows.
Most of the buildings on the periphery of the complex have been reconstructed in order to give tourists a better idea of their original appearance.
By 1976, thirty percent of Machu Picchu had been restored, and restoration work continues to this day.
For example, 35 mm film was standard for still photography for most of the era of analogue film.
It is still made today, but more importantly, its aspect ratios became standard image sensor resolutions for digital cameras.
The 35 mm format, a bit confusing, is actually 36 by 24 mm.
The aspect ratio of this format (divided by twelve for the most common aspect ratio) is therefore stated to be 3:2.
Many common formats (e.g. APS family) are the same or very close to this aspect ratio.
The rule of thirds, frequently abused and often ridiculed, is simply a suggestion to create dynamism while maintaining some semblance of order in a picture.
The best place for the main subject is at the intersection of the lines that divide the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically (see example).
During this period in European history, the Roman Catholic Church, which had become rich and powerful, drew attention to itself.
For more than a thousand years, Christianity has linked European states together, despite their differences in language and customs.
His omnipotence affected everyone, from the king to the common people.
One of the main Christian principles is that wealth should be used to relieve suffering and poverty, and church treasuries exist primarily for that purpose.
The central authority of the church had been in Rome for more than a thousand years, and the concentration of power and wealth in Rome raised the question of whether the principle was being upheld.
Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, Britain began a naval blockade of Germany.
The strategy proved effective in cutting off vital military and civilian supplies, although the blockade violated widely accepted international legal norms enshrined in several international agreements signed in the past two centuries.
Britain has been at the forefront of international efforts to prevent ships from entering entire ocean zones, even those of neutral countries.
Germany's response to this strategy was muted, as it expected a similar reaction to its unrestricted submarine warfare.
In the 1920s, most citizens and nations were pacifist and isolationist.
After seeing the atrocities of World War I, many nations wanted to avoid a similar situation in the future.
In 1884, Tesla moved to the United States to work for the Edison Electric Light Company in New York City.
He arrived in the U.S. with just 4 cents in his pocket, a poetry book, and a letter of recommendation from his former employer, Charles Batchelor, to Thomas Edison.
Ancient China had a unique way of marking different periods of time; each era of Chinese history or each ruling dynasty was given a distinct name.
In addition, the periods between consecutive dynasties were often marked by divided provinces. The most well-known such period was the Three Kingdoms period, lasting from the fall of the Han dynasty to the establishment of the Jin dynasty, some 60 years later.
During these periods there were vicious wars between many noble families fighting for the throne.
The Three Kingdoms period is one of the bloodiest periods in Chinese history, with thousands of people dying in the battle for the throne in the magnificent Xi'an palace.
It had many social and political effects, such as the adoption of the metric system, the switch from an absolutist to a republican, nationalist and the belief that the country belongs to the people, not to a single leader.
Also, after the Revolution, men had access to all occupations, allowing the most ambitious and talented to achieve success.
This was also true of the military, because instead of a hierarchical army based on class, they now relied on calibre.
The French Revolution in turn inspired many other oppressed workers in other countries to start their own revolutions.
Muhammad was deeply interested in things beyond the worldly. He used to go to a cave called "Hira" on top of the hill "Noor" (light) for meditation.
The cave itself, which has survived to the present day, allows us to form a vivid image of Mohammed's spiritual inclinations.
Perched atop one of the mountains north of Mecca, the cave is completely isolated from the rest of the world.
In fact, even when you know they exist, they are hard to find. Once inside the cave, you are completely isolated.
The only things to be seen are the beautiful, clear sky above and the surrounding mountains. Very little of the outside world can be seen or heard from inside the cave.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World to survive to the present day.
Built in the 3rd century BCE by the Egyptians, the Great Pyramid of Giza is one of several large pyramids built in honor of a dead pharaoh.
The Giza Plateau, also known as the "Necropolis of Giza", in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, is home to several pyramids (the Great Pyramid being the tallest), many smaller tombs, a number of temples, and the Great Sphinx.
The Great Pyramid was built for Pharaoh Khufu, and many of the smaller pyramids, tombs, and temples were built for his wives and other family members.
The mark "upward-pointing triangle" looks like a V, while the mark "downward-pointing triangle" looks like a capsule or square with a bottom missing.
Up means you have to start from the top and push the bow down; down means you have to start from the bottom and pull the bow up.
A backward bow produces a softer sound, while a forward bow produces a louder, more definite tone.
Do not hesitate to mark your own indications, but remember that the printed bowing marks are there for musical reasons and are normally to be observed.
On October 6, 1789, King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, their children (11-year-old Marie Thérèse and 4-year-old Louis-Charles) and King Louis's sister, Madame Élisabeth, were forced to return from Versailles to Paris by an angry mob of women.
They were driven back to Paris in an armoured car, surrounded by a jeering mob shouting threats at the king and queen.
The crowd forced the King and Queen to open the windows of the carriage.
At one point, a member of the Royal Guard was beheaded in front of the terrified queen at Versailles.
The United States imperialist war expenses in occupying the Philippines were paid by the Filipino people themselves.
They were made to pay taxes to the American colonial regime to shoulder most of the expenses and interest payments on bonds issued in the name of the Philippine government by Wall Street banks.
Of course, the huge profits from the long-term exploitation of the Filipino people formed the basis of American imperialism.
To understand the Templars, we need to understand the context in which the order was created.
The period in which these events took place is usually called the High Middle Ages, and includes the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries (1000–1300 CE).
The High Middle Ages followed the Early Middle Ages and were succeeded by the Late Middle Ages, which ended around 1500.
Technological determinism is a broad concept that encompasses a range of ideas from the technological pressures or imperatives to a strict sense that the course of human history is determined by an inexorable logic of science and its technological manifestations.
The most common interpretations of technological determinism assume two general ideas: that technological development is largely independent of cultural and political influences, and that technology itself has inert "effects" on society rather than conditional ones.
For example, it could be said that the car is necessary for the development of roads.
However, a national road network is not economically viable for only a few cars, so new production methods are developed to reduce the cost of owning a car.
A large number of car owners lead to an increase in road accidents, which leads to the invention of new medical techniques for the healing of bodily injuries.
A major component of Romanticism was cultural determinism, which was espoused by writers such as Goethe, Fichte, and Schlegel.
In the context of Romanticism, geography shaped individuals, and over time customs and cultures emerged from that geography, and those customs and cultures, being in harmony with the place they occupied, were better than the laws imposed arbitrarily.
As Paris is considered the capital of fashion in the contemporary world, Constantinople was the capital of fashion in the feudal Europe.
Its reputation as a centre of luxury living began about 400 BCE and lasted to about 1100 CE.
Its status had declined by the twelfth century, in part because of the Crusaders' return from the East with silks and spices more precious than anything the Byzantine markets could provide.
This was the moment when the title of Capital of Mode was transferred from Constantinople to Paris.
The Gothic style reached its peak between the 10th and 11th centuries and in the 14th century.
At first, the clothing was greatly influenced by Eastern Byzantine culture.
However, due to the slow communication channels, the styles from the West may be 25 to 30 years behind.
By the end of the Middle Ages, Western Europe had begun to develop its own style. One of the most important innovations of this period was the use of buttons for closing clothing, introduced after the Crusades.
Subsistence farming is farming for the purpose of providing enough food for the farmer and his family.
Subsistence farming is a simple system, often an ecological one, using seeds from the same ecological region, sometimes with crop rotation or other simple techniques to maximise yield.
Historically, most farmers were subsistence farmers, and this is still the case in many developing countries.
Subcultures bring together individuals with similar mindsets who feel detached from society standards, allowing them to develop a sense of identity.
Subcultures can be distinguished by age, ethnicity, class, location, or sex.
The characteristics that distinguish a subculture can be linguistic, aesthetic, religious, political, sexual, geographic, or some combination of factors.
Members of a subculture often signal their membership with a distinctive style of dress, mannerisms, and argot.
One of the most common methods used to illustrate the importance of socialization is to look at some unfortunate cases of children who, due to neglect, ignorance, or deliberate abuse, were not socialized by adults when they were growing up.
Such children are called "feral" or "wild." Some feral children have been abducted by humans (often by their own parents); in some cases, abandonment of a child was due to parents' rejection of them because of severe intellectual or physical disabilities.
Wild children may have experienced severe abuse or trauma before they were abandoned or ran away.
Some are said to have been raised by animals, while others are said to have lived in the wilderness alone.
A feral child, one who has been raised entirely by non-human animals, will exhibit behaviors (within the bounds of their physical abilities) similar to those of the animal who raised them, such as fear or indifference to humans.
Although project-based learning should relieve and make learning more interesting, the schedule goes a bit further.
The scaffolding or ramp method is not a learning method, but rather a tool that provides support to people who are going through a new learning experience, such as using a new computer program or starting a new project.
Schemas can be either virtual or real, in other words, a professor is a type of schema, but so is the little man in Microsoft Office.
Virtual dummies are included in the software, and are used to ask questions, give hints, and explain procedures that would otherwise be too complicated for the student to work out alone.
Children are placed in foster care for many reasons, ranging from neglect to abuse, even extortion.
There should not be children growing up in an environment where they are deprived of food, love and education, but there are.
We see the family care system as a safe haven for these children.
Our family care system must provide safe housing, attentive caregivers, quality education, and trustworthy medical care.
Family care is presumed to provide for the needs of the children, which were not met in the home they were removed from.
The Internet combines elements of mass communication and interpersonal communication.
The distinctive characteristics of the other Internet introduce additional dimensions to the approach to types of use and satisfaction.
For example, "learning" and "socializing" are suggested as important reasons for using the Internet (James et al., 1995).
Eighmey and McCord (1998) also identified "personal involvement" and "continuous relations" as new aspects of motivation when they studied reactions to web sites.
The use of video recordings has led to important discoveries in the understanding of micro expressions, which are facial movements lasting a fraction of a second.
In particular, it is claimed that whether or not someone is telling the truth can be detected by reading their micro-expressions correctly.
Oliver Sacks, in his book "The President's Speech", showed how people who can not understand speech because of brain damage can still accurately judge the sincerity.
He suggests that such an ability to read human behaviour may even be shared by animals such as pet dogs.
Research in the twentieth century showed that there are two groups of genetic variation: hidden and expressed.
Mutations add new genetic variants, and selection removes variants from the set of expressed variants.
The separation and recombination of chromosomes causes each generation to be dominated by one or the other of the two parental genomes.
In the savanna, a primate with a digestive system similar to that of a human would have a hard time meeting its requirements for essential amino acids from available plant resources.
In addition, failure to wean has serious consequences: stunting, malnutrition and eventually death.
The most easily accessible plant resources were proteins in leaves and legumes, but these are hard to digest for primates like ourselves if they are not cooked.
Unlike these, animal food (ants, termites, eggs) is not only easily digested, but also provides large amounts of protein containing all essential amino acids.
Considering all of this, perhaps we should not be surprised that our ancient ancestors solved the "protein problem" in a way that is reminiscent of today's savanna chimpanzees.
A nap is a short sleep that is intentional, during waking hours. Naps can be refreshing, and they can improve performance.
This can easily be done using a fairly quiet alarm clock to bring you to a wakeful state gently without fully rousing you.
If you find yourself hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock in your sleep, put it on the other side of the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off.
Other options based on circadian rhythms involve drinking a liquid (water or tea, which is diuretic) right before bed, forcing you to wake up to urinate.
The inner peace that a person feels is inversely proportional to the tension in the body and spirit of that person.
The lower the tension, the more positive the vital force. Everyone can find absolute peace and happiness.
Anyone can attain enlightenment. The only thing that stands in the way of this goal is one's own tension and negativity.
Tibetan Buddhism is based on the teachings of Buddha, but with the addition of the Mahayana love path and many yoga techniques from India.
In essence, Tibetan Buddhism is very simple. It consists of Yoga Kundalini, meditation and the path of universal love.
In Kundalini yoga, Kundalini energy (energy of enlightenment) is awakened through yoga postures, breathing exercises, mantras, and visualization.
The central aspect of Tibetan meditation is Deity Yoga. Through visualization of various deities, energy channels are purified, chakras are activated and enlightenment consciousness is created.
Germany was a common enemy in World War II, leading to a collaboration between the USSR and the U.S. Once the war was over, ideological, political, and cultural clashes led to a rift between the two countries.
Two years after the end of the war, former allies had become enemies, and the Cold War had begun.
It was to last forty years, and was to be fought by "delegated" armies on battlefields ranging from Africa to Asia, from Afghanistan to Cuba, and many other places.
Until September 17, 1939, the Polish defense had already collapsed, and the only hope was a retreat and reorganization along the Romanian bridgehead.
Plans became obsolete almost overnight when over 800,000 Soviet Red Army troops poured across the Belarusian and Ukrainian fronts after invading eastern Poland, violating the Riga Peace Treaty, the Soviet–Polish Non-Aggression Pact, and other international treaties, both bilateral and multilateral.
Using ships to transport goods is by far the most efficient way of moving both goods and people across seas.
Traditionally the Navy's role has been to provide a country with the ability to move troops and supplies, while denying the same to the enemy.
One of the most notable recent examples of this was the North Atlantic Campaign of the Second World War, in which the United States sought to transport men and materiel across the Atlantic Ocean to aid Britain.
At the same time, the German Navy, mainly using submarines, tried to stop this traffic.
If the Allies had failed, Germany would probably have occupied Britain just as they did the rest of Europe.
Goats were tamed for the first time about 10,000 years ago, in the Zagros Mountains of Iran.
Ancient cultures and tribes began keeping them around the house as a convenient source of milk, wool, meat, and leather.
Domestic goats were usually kept in herds that grazed on hills or other rough terrain, under the care of a herdsman, often a child or adolescent, similar to the more well known shepherds. These methods of herding are still used today.
Wagonways were built in England as early as the 16th century.
Although these wagonways consisted only of wooden planks laid side by side, they allowed the horses to travel at a faster pace, and to haul heavier loads than was possible on the rougher roads of the time.
The stays were introduced early on to keep the rails in place, but over time it became apparent that the rails would be more efficient with a metal plate on top.
This became common practice, but the iron wheels wore the wooden wheels on the wagons faster.
Eventually wooden wheels were replaced by iron wheels. In 1767 the first cast iron rails were made.
The first known means of transportation was walking upright; people began walking upright about 2 million years ago when Homo Erectus (the upright man) appeared.
Their predecessor, Australopithecus, did not usually walk upright.
The specialisation of the bipedalism of the 4.2-3.9 million year old Australopithecus is unique, though Sahelanthropus may have been bipedal as early as seven million years ago.
We can start living in a more friendly way with the environment, we can join the ecological movement and even become activists to reduce the future suffering.
This is more or less symptomatic treatment in many cases. However, if we don't want just a temporary solution, then we should find the root of the problem and inactivate it.
It can't be denied that the world has changed dramatically as a result of scientific and technological progress, and problems have increased now because of overpopulation and the extravagant lifestyle of the human race.
After its adoption by Congress on July 4, a handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence, signed by President of Congress John Hancock and Secretary Charles Thomson, was sent to John Dunlap, a printer a few blocks away.
During the night, between 150 and 200 "Dunlap posters" were made.
On July 8, the first public reading of the document was given by John Nixon on the grounds of Independence Hall.
One was sent to George Washington on July 6, and he read it to his troops in New York on July 9. A copy was sent to London on August 10.
Dunlap's 25 surviving broadsides are the earliest known copies of the document. The original manuscript is lost.
Many paleontologists today believe that a group of dinosaurs survived and is still alive today. We call them birds.
Many people don't think of them as dinosaurs because they have feathers and can fly.
But many of the bird's features are similar to those of the dinosaurs.
They have claws and toenails, lay eggs, and walk on two legs like a Tyrannosaurus rex.
In essence, all of today's computers work by manipulating encoded information in the form of binary numbers.
A binary number can contain only one of the two values, 0 or 1, and they are called binary numbers or bits in computer jargon.
Internal poisoning may not be immediately apparent. Symptoms, such as vomiting, are nonspecific enough that a quick diagnosis cannot be made.
The most common sign for an internal poisoning is the presence of an open container of medications or household chemicals.
Consult product labels for instructions on how to treat a specific poisoning.
Entomologists use the word "gnat" for this group of insects.
The word is derived from the old resemblance to fleas, which are very adaptable parasites of man.
Both the weaver and the assassin bugs are nest builders, adapted to living in the nests or homes of their hosts.
In the United States, nearly 400,000 people are living with multiple sclerosis (MS), making it the most common neurological disease in young adults and middle-aged individuals.
MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system, which is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.
Research has shown that women are twice as likely as men to develop SM.
A couple may come to the conclusion that raising a child is neither in their interest nor in the child's interest.
These couples can choose to create an adoption plan for their child.
In an adoption, biological parents give up their parental rights so that another couple may become the legal parents of the child.
The main purpose of science is to understand how the world works, using the scientific method. This method is used in most science research.
It is not the only one, however, experimentation and a test are used to eliminate one or more of the possible hypotheses, addressing questions and observations guide scientific research as well.
Naturalists and philosophers often used classical texts, especially the Bible in Latin.
Aristotle's ideas on all aspects of science, including psychology, were accepted.
As the knowledge of the Greek language decreased, the West was separated from its Greek philosophical and scientific roots.
Many rhythms observed in physiology and behavior are critically dependent on the presence of endogenous cycles and their production by biological clocks.
Circadian rhythms, which are not simply responses to periodic environmental stimuli, have been observed in most living things, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals.
Biological clocks are self-sustaining oscillators that will continue to operate for a while even in the absence of external stimuli.
Hershey and Chase's experiment was one of the most important pieces of evidence supporting the hypothesis that DNA is genetic material.
Hershey and Chase used bacteriophages, a type of virus, to inject their own DNA into a bacterium.
They actually performed two experiments, marking either the bacteriophage's DNA with radioactive phosphorus, or its proteins with radioactive sulfur.
Mutations can have a number of different effects depending on the type of mutation, the significance of the affected piece of genetic material, and whether the affected cells are germ or somatic.
Only mutations in the germline can be passed on to offspring, while mutations in any other part of the cell can cause cell death or cancer.
Nature tourism involves organized travel to natural areas, for the purpose of enjoying natural beauty, including wildlife and vegetation.
Examples of field activities include hunting, fishing, wildlife photography, bird watching and visiting parks to learn about the ecosystem.
An example is visiting, photographing, and learning about orangutans in Borneo.
Every morning, people drive out of small towns to go to work, passing others on their way to work at the place they just came from.
In this dynamic car-transporting bus, everyone is somehow connected and supports a private-car-based transportation system.
Science now indicates that this carbon-based economy has disrupted a stable state of the biosphere that has supported human evolution for the past two million years.
Everyone participates in society and uses the transportation system. Almost everyone complains about the transportation system.
In developed countries, it is rare to find similar levels of dissatisfaction with water quality or bridge collapses.
Why do transportation systems give rise to so much dissatisfaction, why do they fail so often? Is it because transportation engineers are simply incompetent? Or is there something more fundamental going on?
Traffic flow is the study of how individual drivers and vehicles move from one point to another, and how they interact with each other.
Traffic flow is unfortunately hard to study because of the inherent unpredictability of driver behavior.
Fortunately, the behavior of leaders tends to be reasonably constant; therefore, the traffic flows tend to be reasonably constant and can be approximated mathematically.
To better represent the traffic flow, we need to relate the three main characteristics: (1) the flow, (2) the density and (3) the speed.
These reports are useful for planning, designing, and operating roadway installations.
Insects were the first animals to take to the skies, and their ability to fly has helped them avoid predators, find food and partners for mating.
Most insects can fold their wings back over their bodies.
This gives them a wider range of small places to hide from predators.
Today, the only insects that cannot fold their wings are dragonflies and damselflies.
About 3,000 years ago, a man named Aristarchus said that the Solar System goes around the Sun.
Some people thought he was right, but many others believed the opposite, namely that the Solar System as a whole rotates around the Earth, including the Sun (and the other stars).
It seems reasonable because we don't feel the Earth moving, right?
The Amazon is the second longest and largest river on Earth. It carries more water than the second largest river.
The Amazon is also the widest river on Earth, in places being as much as six miles across.
No less than 20 percent of the water that flows into the oceans comes from the Amazon.
The Amazon River is 6,387 km (3,980 miles) long. It gathers the water from thousands of smaller rivers.
Although pyramid building continued until the end of the Old Kingdom, the Giza pyramids were never exceeded in size or technical achievement.
The ancient Egyptians who lived during the New Kingdom were in awe of the monuments built by their predecessors, who were already over a thousand years old by that time.
The population of Vatican City is around 800 people. It is the smallest independent country in the world and the country with the smallest population.
The Vatican uses Italian in its legislation and official communications.
Italian is also the everyday language of most people who work in the country, while Latin is often used in religious ceremonies.
All Vatican citizens are Roman Catholic.
Humans have known some basic chemical elements since ancient times, such as gold, silver, and copper, because they can be found uncombined in nature and are easily extracted using simple tools.
Aristotle, a philosopher, theorized that everything was composed of one or more of the four elements: air, fire, earth, and water.
He was more likely to recall the four states of matter (in the same order): solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma, although he theorized that it would become something else to take the form we see.
Alloys are actually combinations of two or more metals. Don't forget that there are many elements in the periodic table.
Elements like calcium and potassium are considered metals. Of course there are metals like silver and gold.
You will see that some alloys can include small amounts of non-metallic elements such as carbon.
Everything in the universe is made of matter. All matter is made of tiny particles called atoms.
Atoms are so small that trillions of them could fit into the period at the end of this sentence.
As a result, the pencil became a friend to many after it was created.
Unfortunately, as newer writing tools came along, the pencil lost some of its status and usage.
People nowadays write messages on the computer screen without ever having to touch a keyboard.
You can only wonder what the fate of the keyboard will be when something new comes along.
The nuclear fission bomb works on the principle that in order to assemble a nucleus with many protons and neutrons, energy is required.
Similar to pushing a heavy carriage uphill. The re-splitting of the nucleus releases some of that energy.
Some atoms have unstable nuclei, which means that they tend to break down with a small amount of energy or without energy.
The moon's surface is made of rocks and powder. The outer layer of the moon is called the crust.
The shoreline is about 70 km (43 mi) long nearby, and 100 km (62 mi) long at its most distant.
It is thinner under the sea and thicker on land.
There might be more magma closer to the surface, because the crust is thinner. It was easier for the lava to come up.
Content theories focus on identifying what captures people's attention or gives them pleasure.
These theories suggest that people have certain needs and desires that are internalized as they mature.
These theories study what makes some people want to do things and what in their environment may determine whether or not they do those things.
Two popular theories of motivation are Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory and Herzberg's two factor theory.
In general, two types of behaviors can appear when managers start to manage their former peers. One extreme is to try to remain "one of the boys" (or girls).
This type of manager has difficulties in taking unpopular decisions, disciplinary actions, performance evaluations, attribution of responsibilities and holding people accountable.
On the other side of the spectrum, people become individuals who are unrecognizable, who believe they have to change everything the team has done and go their own way.
Ultimately, the leader is responsible for the success or failure of the team.
This behavior often leads to rifts between leaders and the rest of the team.
Virtual teams are subject to the same standards of excellence as traditional teams, but there are some slight differences.
Virtual team members often serve as a point of contact for the physical group they are part of.
They often have more autonomy than conventional teams, because their meetings can be scheduled at a time of day which would be inconvenient for local leaders.
The presence of a real "invisible team" (Larson and LaFasto, 1989, p. 109) is also a unique feature of a virtual team.
The "invisible team" is the management team to which each member reports, and the "invisible team" sets standards for each member.
Why would an organization want to go through the long process of establishing a learning organization? A goal of implementing organizational learning concepts is innovation.
When all available resources in a functional department of an organization are used effectively, creativity and ingenuity can flourish.
Accordingly, the process by which a company works together to overcome a challenge can be an innovative way to meet customer needs.
Before an organization can be innovative, its leadership must create a culture of innovation, knowledge sharing, and organizational learning.
Angel (2006) presents the Continuum as a methodology for helping organizations achieve higher performance.
Neurobiology provides physical evidence to support a theoretical approach to the study of cognition. It thus narrows the scope of investigation and increases the precision of definition.
The link between brain pathology and behaviour supports scientists in their research.
It has long been known that different types of brain damage, trauma, lesions, and tumors affect behavior and produce changes in certain brain functions.
The appearance of new technologies allows us to see and investigate the structures and processes of the brain in a way that has never been possible before.
It provides an abundance of information and material for the construction of simulation models, which help us understand the processes that take place in our minds.
While AI has strong science fiction connotations, AI is a very important part of computer science, which is concerned with behavior, learning, and the adaptation of intelligence to machines.
AI research is concerned with the creation of intelligent machines that can automatically perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence.
Examples include controlling, planning and scheduling, answering questions and diagnosing patients, and recognizing handwriting, speech, and facial features.
These actions have become separate disciplines, which focus on finding solutions to real-life problems.
AI is now often used in the fields of economics, medicine, engineering, and military, but it has also been used in some personal computer software and video games.
Field trips are an important part of any class. Sometimes a teacher would rather take his or her students someplace where a bus tour is not possible.
Technology offers a solution in the form of virtual tours. Pupils can explore museum artefacts, dive into an aquarium or admire beautiful art from the classroom.
A virtual tour of a field trip is also an excellent way to reflect on the journey and share the experience with future classes.
For example, students at North Carolina's Bennet School design a website about their annual trip to the state capital every year, and previous years' sites are kept online as scrapbooks.
Blogs can also help students become more articulate writers. While students often begin blogging with grammar and spelling mistakes, the knowledge that they are being read by others generally motivates them to improve their writing.
Since students are often the most critical readers, the blogger begins to make efforts to improve his writing and avoid criticism.
Also, blogging "makes students more conscious of the world around them." The need to respond to the interests of their audience makes students knowledgeable and interesting (Toto, 2004)."
Blogging is a tool that encourages collaboration and engages students to extend their learning beyond the regular school day.
The appropriate use of blogs "can help students learn to think more analytically and critically; by responding to materials found on the Web, students can define their position in the context of what others have written, and gain insight into their own perspective on certain issues" (Oravec, 2002).
Ottawa is Canada's bilingual capital, and offers a number of art galleries and museums that showcase the country's past and present.
To the north lies the unspoiled natural beauty of the Muskoka District and to the south the mighty Niagara Falls.
These, and many others, showcase Ontario as what foreigners consider to be the quintessential Canadian experience.
Large areas to the north are very sparsely populated, some of them almost uninhabited.
To put that in perspective, the number of African-Americans in the U.S. is more than the entire population of Canada.
East Africa is a region in the African continent, east of the African Great Lakes.
Madagascar is by far the largest, and a true continent in its own right, when it comes to wildlife.
Most of the smaller islands are independent nations or French overseas territories, and are well known for their luxury beach resorts.
Arabs also introduced Islam to those lands, which was successful in Comoros and Mayotte.
European influence and colonialism began in the 15th century with the discovery of the sea route to India by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.
To the north, the region borders the Sahel, and to the south and west lies the Atlantic Ocean.
Women: Any woman traveling alone should consider saying she is married, regardless of her actual marital status.
It's good to wear a wedding ring, but it shouldn't look expensive.
Women should be aware that cultural differences can lead to what may appear to be harassment, and it is not uncommon to be grabbed, pinched, etc.
Be decisive when rejecting a man, and don't feel bad about it (cultural differences or not, that doesn't mean it's OK).
The modern city of Casablanca was founded by Berber fishermen in the 10th century AD, and was used as a strategic port by the Phoenicians, Romans, and Moroccans.
It was destroyed by the Portuguese, who rebuilt it as the White House, but abandoned it in 1755 after an earthquake.
The Moroccan sultan rebuilt the city under the name Daru l-Badya, while the name Casablanca was given to the city by the Spanish traders who established their commercial bases there.
Casablanca is one of the least interesting places in Morocco to go shopping.
Around the Old Medina there are plenty of shops selling traditional Moroccan items such as tagines, pottery, leatherware, pipes and an abundance of tourist trinkets.
Goma is a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, near Rwanda.
In 2002, the city of Goma was destroyed by lava from the eruption of nearby Nyiragongo volcano, which buried most of the city's streets, especially in the centre.
While Goma is relatively safe, visitors planning to venture outside the city should take pains to inform themselves about the ongoing fighting in North Kivu province.
The city is also a base for climbing Nyiragongo, one of Africa's most active volcanoes, and home to some of the continent's cheapest gorilla trekking.
For travel in Goma, motorcycle taxis (boda-boda) are available. A typical price for a short trip is around 500 Congolese francs.
Along with its relative inaccessibility, "Timbuktu" came to be used metaphorically to mean exotic, remote places.
Today, Timbuktu is a poor city, although its fame makes it a tourist attraction, and it has an airport.
In 1990, it was placed on the World Heritage in Danger List due to the threat of desertification.
It was one of the stops on Henry Louis Gates's PBS special, Wonders of the African World.
The city is in sharp contrast to the rest of the country, having more of an Arab than African feel to it.
The Kruger National Park (KNP) is located in the northeast of South Africa, bordering Mozambique to the east, Zimbabwe to the north, and the Crocodile River to the south.
The park covers 19,500 km2 (7,500 sq mi) and is divided into 14 distinct ecological zones, each supporting a different type of wildlife.
It is one of the most important attractions in Southern Africa, and is considered the flagship of the South African National Parks (SANParks).
Similar to all South African national parks, there are entrance and conservation fees for the park.
It can also be useful to purchase a Wild Card, which will either give you access to a number of parks in Southern Africa, or to all of the national parks in Southern Africa.
Its name, Hong Kong, is derived from the island of Hong Kong, which is the central attraction for many visitors.
The exhibition of buildings that contribute to the Hong Kong skyline has been likened to a glittering bar chart, enhanced by the waters of Victoria Harbour.
To get the best views of Hong Kong, head across the harbour to Kowloon.
The most developed urban area of Hong Kong Island is compactly built on land reclaimed from the north coast.
This is the space the British colonisers claimed and therefore, for those interested in evidence of the colonial past of the area, it is a good place to start.
The Sundarbans is the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world, covering 80 km (50 miles) of coastline in Bangladesh and India.
The Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Indian part is called the Sundarbans National Park.
But the forests are not just mangrove swamps - they are also home to some of the last vestiges of the vast jungle that once covered the Ganges Plain.
The Sundarbans covers an area of 3,850 km2, of which approximately one third is water or marsh.
Since 1966, the Sundarbans has been a wildlife sanctuary, and it is estimated to be home to 400 Bengal tigers and 30,000 spotted deer.
Buses depart from the inter-district bus station (across the river) throughout the day, though most, especially those to the east and to Jakar/Bumthang, leave between 06:30 and 07:30.
Because buses between districts are often full, it is best to book tickets several days in advance.
Most districts are served by small Japanese coastal buses, which are comfortable and rugged.
Taxis are a quick and comfortable way to get to nearby attractions such as Paro (150 Nu) or Punakha (200 Nu).
The Oyapock Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Oyapock River, connecting the Brazilian town of Oiapoque with French Guiana's Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock.
With its two pylons rising 83 metres above ground, it is 378 metres long and has two 3.5-metre-wide lanes.
The free-standing height of the bridge is 15 metres. The bridge was completed in August 2011 and opened to traffic in March 2017.
The bridge is scheduled to be fully functional by September 2017, when the Brazilian customs checkpoints are expected to be completed.
The Guaraní were the largest indigenous group in what is now eastern Paraguay.
The Chaco region was also home to other indigenous groups, such as the Guaycurú and Payaguá, who survived by hunting, gathering, and fishing.
Paraguay, formerly known as the "Giant Province of the Indians", was established in the 16th century after the Spanish conquerors met the indigenous groups.
The Spanish began a three-century period of colonization.
Since its founding in 1537, Asunción has preserved much of its indigenous character and identity.
Argentina is famous for having one of the best polo teams and some of the best polo players in the world.
The most important event of the year takes place in December on the polo fields of Las Cañitas.
Other smaller tournaments and matches are also played at the venue at other times of the year.
For news about tournaments and where to buy tickets for polo games, visit the Argentine Polo Association.
The official currency of the Falkland Islands is the Falkland pound (FKP), which is equal to one pound sterling (GBP).
You can change money at the bank on Stanley Island across from the FIC West store.
British pounds are usually accepted everywhere, and in Stanley, major credit cards and US dollars are also widely accepted.
In the outer islands, credit cards are unlikely to be accepted, even if you do get charged in a foreign currency (probably US or GBP), so have enough local currency on hand.
It is almost impossible to exchange pounds sterling for Falkland currency outside the country, so you would need to exchange it before leaving the islands.
Since Montevideo is south of the equator, it is summer there when it is winter in the northern hemisphere and vice versa.
Montevideo has a subtropical climate; in the summer, temperatures often reach over 30°C.
Winter can be bitterly cold, with temperatures seldom rising above freezing, but wind and moisture combine to make the cold seem even more intense than the numbers on the thermometer would suggest.
There is no such thing as a particularly "wet" or "dry" season - the amount of rainfall remains more or less the same throughout the year.
While many of the animals in the park are accustomed to seeing people, the wild animals are still wild and should not be approached or fed.
According to park officials, you should be at least 100 yards/meters away from bears and wolves, and 25 yards/meters away from all other wildlife!
Regardless of how docile they may appear, bison, elk, bears, and most other large animals can attack humans.
Every year, dozens of visitors are injured because they got too close. These animals are large, wild, and potentially dangerous, so give them their space.
Bears and other wildlife are also attracted to food with strong smells, so you would be wise to avoid foods with strong smells and keep your campsite clean.
Apia is the capital of Samoa. The city is located on the island of Upolu and has a population of nearly 40,000 people.
Apia was founded in the 1850s, and has been the official capital of Samoa since 1959.
The harbour was the site of a naval confrontation in 1889, when seven ships from Germany, the United States, and Britain refused to leave.
All the ships except a British cruiser were sunk, and nearly 200 Americans and Germans were killed.
During the Mau Mau Uprising, a peaceful meeting in the town led to the death of paramount chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III.
Because Auckland is between two harbours, there are many beaches. The most famous ones are located in three areas.
The beaches of the North Shore (part of the North Harbour district) on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean stretch from Long Bay in the north to Devonport in the south.
These are mostly sandy beaches, safe for swimming, and most are shaded by pohutukawa trees.
Tamaki Drive is the waterfront road on the western side of the Waitemata Harbour, passing through the suburbs of Mission Bay and St Heliers in central Auckland.
These are sometimes family-friendly beaches with a wide range of shops right on the beach. You can swim safely here.
The local beer is called "Number One"; it is not a complex beer, but a pleasant and refreshing one. The other local beer is called "Manta".
There are lots of French wines around, but a New Zealand or Australian would be better.
Tap water is safe to drink, but if you are worried, bottled water is widely available.
For Australians, the idea of a "flat white" coffee is unusual. A short black coffee is an "espresso", a cappuccino is full-cream, and tea is served without milk.
Hot chocolate is at the top of the Belgian quality standards. Fruit juices are expensive but good.
Many people visit the reef year-round, and injuries from any of these causes are rare.
However, still follow the advice of the authorities, heed all signs and take extra care of safety warnings.
The box jellyfish can be found near beaches and river mouths from October to April in northern 1770. They can sometimes be found outside of this time.
Sharks do exist, but they rarely attack humans. Most sharks are scared of humans and will swim away when they see one.
Saltwater crocodiles don't actually live in the ocean, but in estuaries north of Rockhampton.
Advance booking provides a traveller with the peace of mind that he will have a place to stay when he arrives at his destination.
Travel agents often have agreements with certain hotels, but through a travel agent, you can book other types of accommodations, such as campgrounds.
Travel agencies often offer packages which include breakfast, transport to and from the airport, and even packages which combine flights and hotel stays.
Also, they can hold the booking for you to have time to think about the offer or to gather other documents for the destination (e.g. visa).
Any changes or requests must be made through the travel agency, not directly to the hotel.
In the case of music festivals, the overwhelming majority of attendees at music festivals choose to camp on site, and most consider this to be an essential part of the experience.
If you want to be close to the action, you'll need to get there early to secure a spot.
Also remember that while the main stages may be finished for the day, some of the festival's areas may still be playing music until late at night.
Some festivals have special family camping areas for those with small children.
If you cross the North Sea in winter, remember where your cabin is, as the sound of the ship crushing through the ice can be deafening to the sensitive.
A St. Petersburg cruise also includes time to spend in the city. Cruise passengers are exempt from the need to obtain a visa (subject to conditions).
As a general rule, casinos go to great lengths to keep patrons in the facility as long as possible and to get them to spend as much money as possible. Windows and clocks are often absent, and finding exits is easy.
They often have specialty food, beverage, and entertainment options to keep guests in the hotel.
Some venues offer drinks from the house. However, intoxication affects judgment and even the best players know how important it is to stay sober.
Anyone traveling in high latitudes or through mountain passes should be aware of the possibility of snow, ice, or frost.
On icy or snow-covered roads, braking is impaired and you can't drive as well as you would on a dry road.
During a snowstorm, in a short period of time, enough snow can fall to immobilize you.
Visibility may also be reduced by falling or blowing snow, or by fog or frost.
On the other hand, ice and snow are normal in many countries, and most roads are open year-round.
Perhaps safaris are the main tourist attraction in Africa and the highlight for many visitors.
The word safari (pronounced /səˈfɑːri/ or /sɑːˈfɑːri/) is commonly used to refer to land-based expeditions to see wildlife in Africa, especially in savannahs.
Some animals, such as elephants and giraffes, will approach the car, and standard equipment will allow you to see them well.
Lions, hyenas and leopards are sometimes shy and can best be seen with binoculars.
A ground safari (also known as a walking safari, safari trekking or bushwalking) involves either a half-day or full-day hike, or a multi-day trek.
The Paralympic Games will be held from 24 August to 5 September 2021. Some events will be held at other locations in Japan.
Tokyo, which hosted the Olympics in 1964, will be the only Asian city to have hosted two summer Olympics.
If you've already booked your flights and accommodation for 2020 before the postponement was announced, you may find yourself in a tricky situation.
Travel cancellation policies vary, but as of March 31, insurance policies that covered cancellations for coronavirus were in effect through July 2020, when the Olympics had been scheduled.
It is expected that most tickets for the event will be priced between 2,500 yen and 130,000 yen, with regular tickets costing around 7,000 yen.
Walking around in wet clothes can help them dry out. Many hotels have an iron and board which can be borrowed, even if there is not one in the room.
If you don't have a shoehorn or if you don't like using shoehorns, then you can try using a hair dryer if you have one available.
Be careful not to overheat the material (which can cause contraction or, in extreme cases, fire).
There are several ways to purify water, some more effective against specific threats.
In some areas, boiling the water for one minute is sufficient, while in others, several minutes are required.
Filters differ in terms of efficiency, so if you are concerned, consider buying bottled water from a reputable company.
Travelers can expect to meet people they don't know at home.
Pests can contaminate food, cause irritation or, in severe cases, allergic reactions, disperse poison or transmit infections.
Infectious diseases or poisonous animals that can injure or kill a person by physical force alone are not generally considered mischief.
Shopping at duty-free stores in some places can offer you the opportunity to buy goods tax- and duty-free.
Travellers heading to countries with high taxes on things like alcohol and tobacco can sometimes save a lot of money, especially if they buy in bulk.
The stretch from Point Marion to Fairmont is the most difficult portion of the entire Buffalo-Pittsburgh corridor, often passing through remote and undeveloped areas.
If you're accustomed to driving on the open road, don't let your guard down: steep inclines, narrow lanes, and winding roads are the norm.
The speed limits are significantly lower than in the previous sections - generally 35-40 mph (56-64 km/h) - and are more strictly enforced.
However, somewhat bizarrely, cell phone service is much better here than it is along many other portions of the trail, such as the Pennsylvania Wilds.
German pastries are quite good, and in Bavaria they are plentiful and varied, similar to those of neighboring Austria.
Fruit pies are common, with apples used year-round, and cherries and plums in the summer.
Many German baked goods contain walnuts, hazelnuts, and other nuts. Often, popular cakes go well with a strong cup of coffee.
If you want some small but rich pastries, try what are locally called Berliner, Pfannkuchen or Krapfen.
A curry is a dish whose main ingredients are spices and herbs, with or without meat or vegetables.
A curry can be "dry" or "wet" depending on the amount of liquid.
In the interior regions of northern India and Pakistan, it is often used in curry sauces; in southern India and other coastal regions of the subcontinent, coconut milk is more common.
With 17,000 islands to choose from, Indonesian cuisine is a broad term that encompasses the many regional cuisines across the country.
Without further qualification, the word tends to refer to food from central and eastern Java.
Now ubiquitous throughout the archipelago, Indonesian cuisine is characterised by a number of flavourful, simple dishes that are popular with the Javanese, such as peanuts, ginger, coconut and various spices.
The stairs support the rider's legs on either side of the saddle.
They give the rider more stability, but can create safety issues, as the rider's feet may be trapped in them.
If a rider falls off a horse but one leg is still in the stirrup, the horse can drag the rider along when it runs. To minimize this risk, some precautions can be taken.
First and foremost, most people who ride do so in boots with a heeled toe and a narrow, tapered heel.
Some saddles, especially English saddles, have safety bars which prevent the stirrups from coming out of the saddle if a rider falls backwards off the horse.
Valle de Cochamó - Chile's premier rock climbing destination, often referred to as the Yosemite of South America, with a variety of granite cliffs and walls.
The crags offer spectacular views from their summits. Climbers from all over the world continue to push the limits of what is possible on the endless walls.
Skiing and snowboarding are popular winter sports that involve going down a snow-covered hill on skis or a snowboard.
Skiing is a major activity for many enthusiasts, sometimes pejoratively called "ski bums" in English, who travel to a particular ski area several times a year.
The idea of skiing is very old - there are rock paintings of skiers dating from before 5000 BCE!
Alpine skiing as a sport dates from at least the 17th century, and in 1861 the Norwegians opened the first recreational ski club in Australia.
Backpacking on skis: Also known as backcountry skiing, ski touring or ski trekking.
It is a related activity but one that is usually not associated with alpine or rock climbing, which is done on much more rugged terrain and requires much more specialized equipment.
Think of the ski trail as a hiking trail.
Under ideal conditions, you can go farther on skis than you can on foot, but seldom as fast as on a groomed trail with a heavy pack.
Europe is a small continent geographically, but consists of many independent countries. Normally, visiting several countries means that you will go through several visa procedures and passport controls.
In this sense, the Schengen area is organized as a single country.
So long as you remain in this zone, you can generally cross the border without passing through immigration checkpoints.
Similarly, a Schengen visa holder does not need to obtain a visa for each of the Schengen member countries separately, thus saving time, money and paperwork.
There is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes an antique. Some tax authorities consider anything over 100 years old to be an antique.
The definition varies by geographic location, where the age limit may be lower in places like North America than in Europe.
Handicrafts can be considered antiques, although they are newer than similar mass-produced objects.
Cattle rearing is an important source of wealth among the Sami, and the culture of trade is also important for many who pursue other occupations.
Traditionally, not all Sami people have been involved in large-scale reindeer herding, but have relied on fishing, hunting, and other livelihoods, using the reindeer more as pack animals.
In modern times, many Sami people have jobs unrelated to reindeer herding. Tourism is an important source of income for the Sami people of Lapland.
Although widely used, especially by non-Roma, the word "gypsy" is often considered pejorative because of its associations with negative stereotypes and a misperception of the Roma population.
If the country you are visiting is the subject of a travel advisory, your health insurance or trip cancellation insurance may be affected.
You may also want to seek the advice of other governments, but their advice is for their citizens.
A case in point might be how Americans from the Middle East might face different situations than Europeans or Arabs.
Recommendations are just a short overview of the political situation in a country.
Reviews are often superficial, general, and oversimplified compares to more detailed information available elsewhere.
Extreme weather is a generic term for any dangerous meteorological event which has the potential to cause damage, disruption or loss of life.
Extreme weather can happen anywhere in the world, in any season, and take many forms, depending on geography, topography, and atmospheric conditions.
High winds, lightning, heavy rainfall, and out-of-control fires are all forms and effects of severe weather, as are hurricanes, tornadoes, waterspouts, and cyclones.
Regional and seasonal severe weather phenomena include hail, snowstorms, ice storms, and dust storms.
Travellers are advised to watch for severe weather in the area as it could disrupt travel plans.
Anyone planning to travel in a country with an ongoing conflict should seek professional advice.
A web search for "hostile environment course" will probably lead to the website of a local company.
A course normally covers these topics in much more detail, and often through practical experience.
A course normally lasts anywhere between 2-5 days, and will include role-playing, first aid, and sometimes weapons training.
There are many books and magazines about survival in the wild, but few about survival in a war zone.
Travellers planning to undergo gender reassignment surgery in a foreign country would need valid travel documents for the return journey.
Governments may or may not be open to issuing passports in which the sex (X) field is left blank, or updated documents to reflect the desired name and sex.
The ability of foreign governments to accept these documents varies widely.
Airport security checkpoints became much more intrusive after 9/11/2001.
Transgender people who have not had surgery should not be expected to undergo scans that will compromise their privacy and dignity.
Return currents are the flow of water returning to the ocean from waves breaking on the shore, often at a reef or some other feature.
Because of the underwater topography, return flow is concentrated in a few deep sections, and there can be a rapid current away from the shoreline.
Most deaths occur due to exhaustion from trying to swim back upstream, which can be impossible.
Once out of the current, swimming is no more difficult than normal.
Try to get into a position where you won't be trapped again, and depending on your skills and whether or not you were seen by anyone, you may want to wait to be rescued.
The shock of returning home comes sooner than the cultural shock (the honeymoon effect lasts longer), is longer lasting, and can be more severe.
Those who have easily adapted to the new culture sometimes find it hard to adjust to their native culture.
If you've moved back to your home country after living abroad, you would have already adapted to the new culture and lost some of your native culture habits.
When you travelled abroad, people were probably patient and understanding, knowing that visiting a foreign country is a process of adjustment.
The world does not always expect patience and understanding of those who return home.
The sound and light show at the pyramid is one of the most interesting things to do for kids in the area.
You can see the pyramids at night, and you can see them in silence before the show starts.
There is usually a constant din of tourists and shoppers, and the sound and light show is reminiscent of a story book.
The Sphinx is used as the backdrop and narrator of a long story.
Scenes are shown on the pyramids and different pyramids are lit.
The South Shetland Islands, discovered in 1819, are claimed by several countries and have the most bases, seventeen of which were active in 2020.
The archipelago is located 120 km north of the peninsula. The largest island is King George Island with the settlement Villa Las Estrellas.
Others include Livingstone Island and Deception Island, where an active volcano's caldera offers a spectacular natural harbour.
The region at the southern end of the peninsula, bounded by the Bellingshausen Sea, is called Ellsworth Land.
The mountains of the Peninsula join up to form this plateau, and then split apart again to form the 360 km long Ellsworth Range, separated by the Minnesota Glacier.
The highest mountains in Antarctica are in the Sentinel Range in the north, which includes Vinson Massif, 4,892 m high.
In remote areas without cellphone coverage, a satellite phone may be your only option.
A satellite phone can seldom replace a cell phone, because you have to be out of range of everything else, with a clear view of the sky, to make a call.
The service is widely used for maritime transport, including passenger ships and expeditions that require data and voice connectivity.
Your local telephone company can probably tell you about obtaining access to this service.
An increasingly popular alternative for those taking a gap year is to combine travel with study.
It is particularly popular among school leavers, who can take a gap year before going to university, without jeopardising their education.
In many cases, a year of study abroad can even increase your chances of being accepted into a top university in your home country.
There is usually a fee for enrolling in these educational programs.
Finland is a great place for canoeing. "The land of a thousand lakes" also has thousands of islands, both inland and along the coast.
In the archipelago and lakes you do not need a boat.
Although the offshore islands and the largest lakes are big enough for any size boat, smaller craft or even a canoe will give you a different experience.
Boating is the national recreational activity of Finland, with a boat for every seven or eight inhabitants.
This is the case in Norway, Sweden and New Zealand, but otherwise quite unique (for example, in the Netherlands the number is between one and forty).
Most Baltic Sea cruises spend a day in St. Petersburg, Russia.
This means that you could spend several days exploring the historic town, returning to the ship each night for sleep.
If travelling by cruise ship, you will not need a separate visa (effective from 2009)
Some cruise ships visit Berlin, Germany. As the map above shows, Berlin is not near the sea and a visit to the city is not included in the cruise price.
Flying can be an exhilarating experience for people of all ages and backgrounds, especially if they are flying for the first time, or have had a traumatic experience.
There's nothing to be ashamed of: it's no different from the fears and prejudices people have about other things which are common to very many people.
For some, understanding how an airplane works, and what happens during a flight, can help overcome a fear that is based on the unknown or a lack of control.
Courier companies are well paid for quick deliveries. Often, time is of the essence when it comes to documents, goods or spare parts for urgent repairs.
On some routes, the larger companies had their own jets, but other routes and smaller companies had problems.
If they send something by air, on some routes it can take several days to unload and clear.
The only way to make it go faster was to send it as luggage. Airline regulations do not allow you to send luggage without a passenger, so here I am.
The obvious way to fly first class or business class is to pay a lot of money for that privilege (or, even better, to get your company to pay for it for you).
However, it is not cheap: expect to pay up to four times more for a business class seat than an economy one, and up to eleven times more for a first class seat.
In general, there is no point in searching for discounts for business class or first class tickets for direct flights from A to B.
Airlines know full well that there is a certain group of passengers who are willing to pay a premium to get where they want to go quickly and comfortably, and so they structure their pricing accordingly.
The capital of Moldova is Chisinau. The local language is Romanian, but Russian is widely spoken.
Moldova is a multi-ethnic republic that suffered from an interethnic conflict.
In 1994, this conflict led to the creation of the self-proclaimed Transnistrian Republic in eastern Moldova, which has its own government and currency but is not recognized by any UN member state.
Economic relations have been restored between the two parts of Moldova, despite the failure of political negotiations.
The dominant religion in Moldova is Orthodox Christianity.
İzmir is Turkey's third-largest city with an estimated population of 3.7 million, the country's second-largest port after Istanbul, and a major transportation hub.
Once the ancient city of Smirna, it is now a bustling commercial centre, developed and modern, surrounded by a huge golf course and mountains.
The broad avenues, glass-fronted buildings, and modern shopping malls are topped with traditional red-tile roofs dating from the 18th century, and old mosques and churches are scattered throughout the city, but the atmosphere is more reminiscent of the Mediterranean Europe than of traditional Turkey.
The village of Haldarsvík overlooks the island of Eysturoy at close range and has an unusual octagonal church.
In the courtyard of the church there are interesting marble sculptures of doves above tombs.
Take half an hour or so to stroll around this bizarre little town.
North of Lisbon is the romantic and fascinating town of Sintra, which became known outside its borders thanks to a fervent review of its splendours made by Lord Byron.
Scotturb 403 buses run regularly to Sintra, with a stop at Cabo da Roca.
In the north, you can also visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, a place known throughout the world for the apparitions of the Holy Mary.
Please note that you are essentially visiting a site of a common grave, and a place which is of almost incalculable significance to a large part of the world's population.
Still alive are many men and women, both Jewish and non-Jewish, who survived internment there, and many more who had family members who were killed or forced to work to death there.
Please treat the site with all the dignity, solemnity and respect it deserves. There is no room for jokes about the Holocaust or the Nazis.
Do not vandalize the place by drawing and scratching on the existing structures.
The official languages of Barcelona are Catalan and Spanish. About half of the population is Catalan-speaking, a large majority understand Catalan, and almost all are Spanish-speaking.
However, most panoramas are only available in Catalan, as Catalan is established by law as the official language.
However, the Spanish language is widely used in public transportation and other services.
Regular announcements on the metro are made only in Catalan, but unexpected delays are announced by an automated system in several languages including Spanish, English, French, Arabic and Japanese.
Parisians are known for being egocentric, apolitical, and arrogant.
Although often a stereotype untrue to reality, if you want a pleasant stay in Paris, it would be best to behave as well as possible, like a "bien élevé" (well-bred) person. This will help you get along much better.
Parisians may seem a bit reserved at first, but they are very friendly once you show a bit of politeness.
The Plitvice Lakes National Park is heavily forested, mainly with beech, fir and spruce, and has a mixture of alpine and Mediterranean vegetation.
It supports a great diversity of plant communities, due to its varied microclimates, diverse soils, and range in altitude.
The region is also home to an extremely high number of animal and bird species.
Rare fauna, such as the brown bear, the wolf, the eagle, the boar, the lynx, the wild cat and the mountain goat can be found here, as well as many other more common species.
When visiting the monasteries, women should wear long skirts that cover their knees, and also wrap a scarf around their waists and shoulders.
Most monasteries will provide clothing for women who come unprepared, but if you bring your own, especially if it's brightly colored, you'll get smiles from the monks and nuns on duty.
Similarly, men should wear pants that cover their knees.
And these can be borrowed from those available at the entrance, but those robes are not washed after every use, so you might feel a bit uncomfortable wearing those robes. Unique size for men!
Mallorquin cuisine, like similar ones in the Mediterranean, is based on bread, vegetables, and meat (especially pork), and olive oil is used abundantly.
A simple and popular meal, especially in the summer, is Pa amb Oli: bread with garlic and tomato, topped with anything else available, such as cheese, ham, etc.
All nouns, and the pronoun Sie (meaning "you"), begin with a capital letter even when inside a sentence.
This is an important way of distinguishing between some verbs and objects.
On the other hand, without a doubt, it makes reading easier, though writing is a bit complicated due to the need to find out if a verb or an adjective can be used in a substantivized form.
The pronunciation of Italian words is relatively easy, most words are pronounced exactly as they are written.
The letters C and G need to be carefully distinguished as their pronunciation depends on the vowel following them.
Also, remember to pronounce r and rr differently: caro means dear, while carro means car.
Persian is a relatively regular and easy language to learn grammatically.
Therefore, reading this Persian grammar book will help you learn a lot about Persian grammar and understand sentences better.
Of course, whoever knows a Romance language will find it easier to learn Portuguese.
However, those who know a little Spanish might prematurely conclude that Portuguese is similar enough that it does not need to be studied.
Pre-modern observatories are mostly obsolete by today's standards and are either museums or educational sites.
Because in their heyday light pollution wasn't as big an issue as it is today, they are often in or near cities or campuses, and are easier to get to than the observatories of today.
Most modern telescopes for research are huge instruments located in isolated areas with favourable weather conditions.
The viewing of cherry blossoms, known as hanami, is an integral part of Japanese culture, dating back to the 8th century.
The concept came from China, where the plum blossoms were the flowers of choice.
In Japan, the first cherry blossom viewing parties were hosted by the emperor for himself and other members of the imperial court.
Plants do not look better anywhere else than in their natural habitat, so resist the temptation to pick even "just one" of them.
If you visit a formal garden, collecting "samples" will also land you in hot water.
Singapore is generally a very safe place to visit, and you will have no problem finding your way around, and buying almost anything as soon as you arrive.
However, being so close to the equator means that you will experience both heat and sunshine (when it is not overcast) all year round.
There are a few buses that go north to Hebron, where according to tradition the biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are buried, along with their wives.
Make sure the bus you want to take does not go to Kiryat Arba, an Israeli settlement near Hebron.
Inland waterways can be a great theme for a vacation.
For example, you can visit castles in the Loire Valley, along the Rhine or on the Danube, or take a cruise along the Erie Canal.
They also mark routes for popular hiking and cycling trails.
Christmas is one of the most important holidays in Christianity and is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus.
Many of the traditions associated with this holiday have been adopted by both Christian and non-Christian countries around the world.
It is a tradition to spend the Easter night outdoors to watch the sunrise.
For this tradition there are of course Christian theological explanations, but it could very well be a pre-Christian rite of the spring and fertility.
Traditionalist churches often hold an Easter Vigil on the Saturday evening of Holy Week, with the congregation gathering at midnight to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
All the animals that originally came to the islands either swam, flew or paddled their way over.
Because of the distance from the mainland, mammals were unable to make it to the Galapagos, so the Galapagos Giant Tortoise is the main animal that roams the Galapagos.
Since the arrival of man in the Galapagos, many mammals have been introduced, including goats, horses, pigs, rabbits, cats and dogs.
If you visit the Arctic or Antarctic during the winter, you will experience a polar night, which means the sun never rises above the horizon.
This is a great time to see the Northern Lights, as the sky will be at least partially dark.
Because the areas are lightly populated, light pollution is not usually a problem, and you can still see the stars.
Japanese work culture is more hierarchical and formal than what Westerners are accustomed to.
Business attire is standard business wear, and colleagues address each other by their family name or title.
Harmony at work is an essential element, emphasizing the group effort rather than individual achievements.
Workers often need approval from supervisors for all decisions they make, and expect supervisors to enforce instructions without discussion.