Many people are saying that Pluto is no longer a planet. Are they right? Is Pluto no longer a planet? There's debate in the scientific world about this issue. National Geographic News says that, according to the International Astronomical Union, a full-fledged planet is an object that orbits the sun and is large enough to have become round due to the force of its own gravity. Because Pluto doesn't meet these standards, the IAU classifies Pluto as a dwarf planet. Not everyone agrees that this is a good way to decide, though. Andy Cheng, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University, says that the new rules aren't clear enough and asks the question "how round is round? ...I'll still continue to maintain that Pluto is a planet," he said.
Owen Gingerich is an astronomer and historian at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and head of the IAU committee proposing the definition. He favored a special
distinction for Pluto. Gingerich supported a proposal to call the big eight planets classical planets—as opposed to just plain "planets"—and Pluto and the others dwarf planets, so there would be two classes of planets. He believes that reclassifying Pluto as a dwarf planet is not "sensitive to the historical and cultural role that Pluto has played."
The argument continues. In the meantime, however, many people are correct—new textbooks ill list Pluto as being a dwarf planet. What do you think it is?
Selasa, 16 November 2010
When Ants Go marching, They Count Their Steps
Ants use an internal pedometer to find their way home without getting sidetracked, a new study reports. Desert ants on foraging expeditions use celestial cues to orient themselves in the homeward direction, but with few landmarks in the barren land, scientists have wondered how the insects always take the most direct route and know exactly how far to march. The new study reveals that counting their steps is a crucial part of the scheme.
Old ideas
Over the years, scientists have proposed several theories for how ants find their way home. One is that they do it like honeybees and remember visual cues, but experiments revealed ants can navigate in the dark and even blindfolded. Another disproved hypothesis was that because ants scurry at a steady pace, they could time how long it took them to get to and fro. Other studies have shown that once ants find a good source of food, they teach other ants how to find it. The ant "pedometer" technique was first proposed in 1904, but it remained untested until now. Scientists trained desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, to walk along a straight path from their nest entrance to a feeder 30 feet away. If the nest or feeder was moved, the ants would break from their straight path after reaching the anticipated spot and search for their goal.
Try that on stilts
Next, the researchers performed a little cosmetic surgery. They glued stilt-like extensions to the legs of some ants to lengthen stride. The researchers shortened other ants' stride length by cutting off the critters' feet and lower legs, reducing their legs to stumps. By manipulating the ants' stride lengths, the researchers could determine whether the insects were using an odometer-like mechanism to measure the distance, or counting off steps with an internal pedometer. The ants on stilts took the right number of steps, but because of their increased stride length, marched past their goal. Stump-legged ants, meanwhile, fell short of the goal. After getting used to their new legs, the ants were able to adjust their pedometer and zero in on home more precisely, suggesting that stride length serves as an ant pedometer.
Old ideas
Over the years, scientists have proposed several theories for how ants find their way home. One is that they do it like honeybees and remember visual cues, but experiments revealed ants can navigate in the dark and even blindfolded. Another disproved hypothesis was that because ants scurry at a steady pace, they could time how long it took them to get to and fro. Other studies have shown that once ants find a good source of food, they teach other ants how to find it. The ant "pedometer" technique was first proposed in 1904, but it remained untested until now. Scientists trained desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, to walk along a straight path from their nest entrance to a feeder 30 feet away. If the nest or feeder was moved, the ants would break from their straight path after reaching the anticipated spot and search for their goal.
Try that on stilts
Next, the researchers performed a little cosmetic surgery. They glued stilt-like extensions to the legs of some ants to lengthen stride. The researchers shortened other ants' stride length by cutting off the critters' feet and lower legs, reducing their legs to stumps. By manipulating the ants' stride lengths, the researchers could determine whether the insects were using an odometer-like mechanism to measure the distance, or counting off steps with an internal pedometer. The ants on stilts took the right number of steps, but because of their increased stride length, marched past their goal. Stump-legged ants, meanwhile, fell short of the goal. After getting used to their new legs, the ants were able to adjust their pedometer and zero in on home more precisely, suggesting that stride length serves as an ant pedometer.
A CHAT WITH A DOG TRAINER GAIL MIRABELLA
Gail Mirabella used to train her dogs to do tricks when she was a kid. Eventually,
her hobby turned into a career. Today, Mirabella works as a dog trainer for Ringling
Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. Backstage before a recent show, she talked to Time
Magazine Kid Reporter, Cameron Young, about why she chose this career path, how
the dogs are trained and her overall love for dogs.
Reporter: Did you always want to be a dog trainer in the circus?
Mirabella: When I was a little kid, I think I was about 9 or 10, I did my first dog show,
a kid's dog show, and I actually took first place with the best tricks. From then on, I kind
of realized I wanted to work with dogs, but who would have thought I'd be in the circus?
Reporter: Did you have any dogs growing up?
Mirabella: Absolutely. I had a white shepherd when I was a little baby. And then when
he passed away, we got a couple of family dogs. When I was 14, I got my first dog for
myself for my birthday. He was a big shepherd and reminded me of the shepherd I had
when I was a baby. That dog actually lived to be 14 years old, and he went to college
with me too.
Reporter: How long does it take to train a dog?
Mirabella: That depends on the dog. For some of the dogs that I rescued or adopted, it
may take up to a year. First and foremost, I develop a bond with the dog. I become like
their best friend. I have thirteen dogs and I let them all play together, but I do a lot of
individual work with each dog. They know that I am the one in charge because I do all
the feeding, and it keeps everyone pretty well balanced.
Reporter: If you weren't a dog trainer, what would you be?
Mirabella: A dog. Just kidding. I would probably still work with animals. I would
probably be a dolphin trainer.
her hobby turned into a career. Today, Mirabella works as a dog trainer for Ringling
Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. Backstage before a recent show, she talked to Time
Magazine Kid Reporter, Cameron Young, about why she chose this career path, how
the dogs are trained and her overall love for dogs.
Reporter: Did you always want to be a dog trainer in the circus?
Mirabella: When I was a little kid, I think I was about 9 or 10, I did my first dog show,
a kid's dog show, and I actually took first place with the best tricks. From then on, I kind
of realized I wanted to work with dogs, but who would have thought I'd be in the circus?
Reporter: Did you have any dogs growing up?
Mirabella: Absolutely. I had a white shepherd when I was a little baby. And then when
he passed away, we got a couple of family dogs. When I was 14, I got my first dog for
myself for my birthday. He was a big shepherd and reminded me of the shepherd I had
when I was a baby. That dog actually lived to be 14 years old, and he went to college
with me too.
Reporter: How long does it take to train a dog?
Mirabella: That depends on the dog. For some of the dogs that I rescued or adopted, it
may take up to a year. First and foremost, I develop a bond with the dog. I become like
their best friend. I have thirteen dogs and I let them all play together, but I do a lot of
individual work with each dog. They know that I am the one in charge because I do all
the feeding, and it keeps everyone pretty well balanced.
Reporter: If you weren't a dog trainer, what would you be?
Mirabella: A dog. Just kidding. I would probably still work with animals. I would
probably be a dolphin trainer.
STATUE Of LIBERTY
On July 4, 1884 France gave the United
States an amazing birthday gift: the Statue of
Liberty! Without the base at the bottom, it is as tall
as a 15-story building. She is a symbol of the United
States. But the world-famous Statue of Liberty
standing in New York Harbor was built in France.
The statue was shown to the U.S., taken apart,
shipped across the Atlantic Ocean in crates, and
rebuilt in the U.S. It was France’s gift to the American people.
It all started at dinner one night near Paris in 1865. A group of Frenchmen were talking
about their dictator and the democratic government of the U.S. They wanted to build a monument
to support American freedom. Maybe then, France would have a democracy in their own country.
At that dinner was the sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi (bar-TOLE-dee). He imagined a
statue of a woman holding a torch burning with the light of freedom. It took 21 years for this idea
to become a reality. French supporters raised money to build the statue, and Americans paid for
the base it would stand on. Finally, in 1886, the statue was dedicated.
Fun Facts
* Engineer Gustave Eiffel, who would later design the Eiffel Tower in Paris, designed
Liberty’s “spine.” Inside the statue four huge iron columns support a metal framework
that holds the thin copper skin.
* The statue - 151 feet, 1 inch tall - was the tallest structure in the U.S. at that time. Do
you know what the tallest structure in the U.S. is today?
* The arm holding the torch measures 46 feet; the index finger, 8 feet; the nose, nearly
5 feet. That is a big nose! (Be careful, if it gets cold she may sneeze!)
* Visitors climb 354 steps (22 stories) to look out from 25 windows in the crown.
* Seven rays in the crown represent the Earth’s seven seas.
States an amazing birthday gift: the Statue of
Liberty! Without the base at the bottom, it is as tall
as a 15-story building. She is a symbol of the United
States. But the world-famous Statue of Liberty
standing in New York Harbor was built in France.
The statue was shown to the U.S., taken apart,
shipped across the Atlantic Ocean in crates, and
rebuilt in the U.S. It was France’s gift to the American people.
It all started at dinner one night near Paris in 1865. A group of Frenchmen were talking
about their dictator and the democratic government of the U.S. They wanted to build a monument
to support American freedom. Maybe then, France would have a democracy in their own country.
At that dinner was the sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi (bar-TOLE-dee). He imagined a
statue of a woman holding a torch burning with the light of freedom. It took 21 years for this idea
to become a reality. French supporters raised money to build the statue, and Americans paid for
the base it would stand on. Finally, in 1886, the statue was dedicated.
Fun Facts
* Engineer Gustave Eiffel, who would later design the Eiffel Tower in Paris, designed
Liberty’s “spine.” Inside the statue four huge iron columns support a metal framework
that holds the thin copper skin.
* The statue - 151 feet, 1 inch tall - was the tallest structure in the U.S. at that time. Do
you know what the tallest structure in the U.S. is today?
* The arm holding the torch measures 46 feet; the index finger, 8 feet; the nose, nearly
5 feet. That is a big nose! (Be careful, if it gets cold she may sneeze!)
* Visitors climb 354 steps (22 stories) to look out from 25 windows in the crown.
* Seven rays in the crown represent the Earth’s seven seas.
Minggu, 14 November 2010
RAWA PENING LEGEND
A giant snake desired to be a human to follow a king word. He did penance by surrounding mount Ungaran waist so that his tail could achieve his mouth. Only when the mouth could bite its tail, he would turn into a human. He only ate anything passed in front of his mouth. After ten years, his body’s nerves had become insensible, he could not sense his body, but each year the body became longer about 10 centimeters and in a few years more his mouth could achieve his tail.
A group of hunter from nearby village had not gotten prey animals, and sitted on long “trunk” to have a rest. When the hunter cut the “trunk” surprisingly he saw blood flew from the “trunk”. They were joyful and sliced the “trunk” as big as buffalo and brought it to the village as the result of their hunting. They did not realize that the “trunk” was a giant snake.
When people from the village had a party with soup and steak of this “trunk” which tested very delicious, a hunger poor beggar child asked for a plate of food. The beggar child was chased away and then, he visited an old widow who did not come to the party. The child was served a simple food, and he was very happy. After that, the child came to the party and stabbed palm leaf rib at the soil. He challenge everybody to pull it out and the result was that there was not even one man was able to pull it out. The child then pulled that palm leaf rib and from that place, water spurted out without end. The water spurted out greater and greater and drowned the entire village with all citizens, and only kind-hearted old widow was saved. That valley is called Rawa Pening.
A group of hunter from nearby village had not gotten prey animals, and sitted on long “trunk” to have a rest. When the hunter cut the “trunk” surprisingly he saw blood flew from the “trunk”. They were joyful and sliced the “trunk” as big as buffalo and brought it to the village as the result of their hunting. They did not realize that the “trunk” was a giant snake.
When people from the village had a party with soup and steak of this “trunk” which tested very delicious, a hunger poor beggar child asked for a plate of food. The beggar child was chased away and then, he visited an old widow who did not come to the party. The child was served a simple food, and he was very happy. After that, the child came to the party and stabbed palm leaf rib at the soil. He challenge everybody to pull it out and the result was that there was not even one man was able to pull it out. The child then pulled that palm leaf rib and from that place, water spurted out without end. The water spurted out greater and greater and drowned the entire village with all citizens, and only kind-hearted old widow was saved. That valley is called Rawa Pening.
Sabtu, 13 November 2010
Quotes
In life, we may need word or sentences as our foundation for stepping. Something bringing us life. These may some of them:
1.Trust your genius and give yourself a chance to be.
2."The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers.
But above all, the world needs dreamers who do."(Sarah Ban Breathnach)
3.We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.(
Sir Winston Churchill) (1874 - 1965).
Talent is God given. Be humble.
Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful
4."Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.(Mark TWAIN)
5.The shortest distance between new friends is a smile.
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
6."Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can."
(Danny KAYE)
7.God is glad that you are You.
Sure, we all have things we want to change, to improve about ourselves.
But underneath the flesh and bone, you are an immortal and perfect soul.
Always remember that.
8.In life, The longer you wait for someone,The longer it takes for them to respond,
Its like once your Heart stops beating for them,
Their Heart starts beating for you.
9.Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes,
and dance.(Oprah Winfrey)
10.Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.
We have guided missiles and misguided men.(Martin Luther King Jr).
11.It is never too late to give up our prejudices.(Henry David Thoreau)
12.Laugh and the world laughs with you, Weep, and you weep alone;
For this brave old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.(Ella Wheeler Wilcox)
13.Meaningful Quote :We never pay attention to a part of body unless it pains,
Don't let it happen in relationships..
14."When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon,
my soul expands in the worship of the creator"(Gandhi)
15.“Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.(Johann Wolfgang)
16."There are no perfect men in this world, only perfect intentions,"
(a wise man said).
17.Something that is great and missery to be understandable,
the greatness love can be shattered and spared among tears that fall upon us.
And the biggest complain we have why are we not loved?
18.Love is the most sincere monologue... "Love truth, and pardon error."
(Voltaire)
19.People look for perfect person to love,
But they fail to realize that a person becomes perfect,
when we begin to love them sincerely.
20.You can keep going long after you think that you can.
21.“Dedication is not what others expect of you, it is what you can give to others.”
22.Life is like an echo,All comes back,
The good, The bad, The false and The true,
So, Give the world the best you have and the best will come back to you.
23.Fundamental for Success :If you do not like any rule,Don't refuse it,
Just follow it, Reach the Top,And then change that Rule.
24.Unbeatable Lines :
"You will never get a second chance to make the first impression,
But remember, only the first impression can give you the second chance.
25."what happens happen for a reason"
26."Wants are unlimited"
27.“First appearance deceives many.”(Ovid)
28.“I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that.”
(Lauren Bacal)
29."Life is mostly froth and bubble,Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,Courage in your own." (Adam Lindsey Gordon)
30."Loving what you do is the secret to everything."
(Julia ROBERTS)
1.Trust your genius and give yourself a chance to be.
2."The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers.
But above all, the world needs dreamers who do."(Sarah Ban Breathnach)
3.We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.(
Sir Winston Churchill) (1874 - 1965).
Talent is God given. Be humble.
Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful
4."Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.(Mark TWAIN)
5.The shortest distance between new friends is a smile.
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
6."Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can."
(Danny KAYE)
7.God is glad that you are You.
Sure, we all have things we want to change, to improve about ourselves.
But underneath the flesh and bone, you are an immortal and perfect soul.
Always remember that.
8.In life, The longer you wait for someone,The longer it takes for them to respond,
Its like once your Heart stops beating for them,
Their Heart starts beating for you.
9.Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes,
and dance.(Oprah Winfrey)
10.Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.
We have guided missiles and misguided men.(Martin Luther King Jr).
11.It is never too late to give up our prejudices.(Henry David Thoreau)
12.Laugh and the world laughs with you, Weep, and you weep alone;
For this brave old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.(Ella Wheeler Wilcox)
13.Meaningful Quote :We never pay attention to a part of body unless it pains,
Don't let it happen in relationships..
14."When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon,
my soul expands in the worship of the creator"(Gandhi)
15.“Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.(Johann Wolfgang)
16."There are no perfect men in this world, only perfect intentions,"
(a wise man said).
17.Something that is great and missery to be understandable,
the greatness love can be shattered and spared among tears that fall upon us.
And the biggest complain we have why are we not loved?
18.Love is the most sincere monologue... "Love truth, and pardon error."
(Voltaire)
19.People look for perfect person to love,
But they fail to realize that a person becomes perfect,
when we begin to love them sincerely.
20.You can keep going long after you think that you can.
21.“Dedication is not what others expect of you, it is what you can give to others.”
22.Life is like an echo,All comes back,
The good, The bad, The false and The true,
So, Give the world the best you have and the best will come back to you.
23.Fundamental for Success :If you do not like any rule,Don't refuse it,
Just follow it, Reach the Top,And then change that Rule.
24.Unbeatable Lines :
"You will never get a second chance to make the first impression,
But remember, only the first impression can give you the second chance.
25."what happens happen for a reason"
26."Wants are unlimited"
27.“First appearance deceives many.”(Ovid)
28.“I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that.”
(Lauren Bacal)
29."Life is mostly froth and bubble,Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,Courage in your own." (Adam Lindsey Gordon)
30."Loving what you do is the secret to everything."
(Julia ROBERTS)
Minggu, 15 Agustus 2010
The Use A, An, and The
A, An, and The
Here are the rules for when to use “A, An or The”:
•a = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with consonants
She has a dog.
I work in a factory.
•an = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with vowels (a,e,i,o,u)
Can I have an apple?
She is an English teacher.
•the = definite article (a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know)
The car over there is fast.
The teacher is very good, isn’t he?
•The first time you speak of something use “a or an”, the next time you repeat that object use “the”.
I live in a house. The house is quite old and has four bedrooms.
I ate in a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was very good.
•DO NOT use an article with countries, states, counties or provinces, lakes and mountains except when the country is a collection of states such as “The United States”.
He lives in Washington near Mount Rainier.
They live in northern British Columbia.
•Use an article with bodies of water, oceans and seas -
My country borders on the Pacific Ocean
•DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about things in general
I like Russian tea.
She likes reading books.
•DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about meals, places, and transport
He has breakfast at home.
I go to university.
He comes to work by taxi.
Example:
I am from Seattle, Washington. Seattle is a city in the United States. It is near the border of Canada in the northwest corner of the USA. I live in a town called Olympia which is on the Puget Sound. I live in a house in a street in the countryside. The street is called “Bear Street” and the house is old – more than 100 years old! I am an English teacher at a school in the center of the town. I like books and taking photographs. I usually have lunch at school. I usually go home by car. We have all kinds of food in Olympia. I like Italian food very much. Sometimes, I go to an Italian restaurant in Seattle. The restaurant is called “Luigi’s”. Italian food is great!
Here are the rules for when to use “A, An or The”:
•a = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with consonants
She has a dog.
I work in a factory.
•an = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with vowels (a,e,i,o,u)
Can I have an apple?
She is an English teacher.
•the = definite article (a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know)
The car over there is fast.
The teacher is very good, isn’t he?
•The first time you speak of something use “a or an”, the next time you repeat that object use “the”.
I live in a house. The house is quite old and has four bedrooms.
I ate in a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was very good.
•DO NOT use an article with countries, states, counties or provinces, lakes and mountains except when the country is a collection of states such as “The United States”.
He lives in Washington near Mount Rainier.
They live in northern British Columbia.
•Use an article with bodies of water, oceans and seas -
My country borders on the Pacific Ocean
•DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about things in general
I like Russian tea.
She likes reading books.
•DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about meals, places, and transport
He has breakfast at home.
I go to university.
He comes to work by taxi.
Example:
I am from Seattle, Washington. Seattle is a city in the United States. It is near the border of Canada in the northwest corner of the USA. I live in a town called Olympia which is on the Puget Sound. I live in a house in a street in the countryside. The street is called “Bear Street” and the house is old – more than 100 years old! I am an English teacher at a school in the center of the town. I like books and taking photographs. I usually have lunch at school. I usually go home by car. We have all kinds of food in Olympia. I like Italian food very much. Sometimes, I go to an Italian restaurant in Seattle. The restaurant is called “Luigi’s”. Italian food is great!
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