Travel to China is a lifetime experience and a better way to understand China .

Only when you are there , you may start to appreciate and understand what a difference to live in a nation with a population of 1.3 billion .

China offers variety choices for visitors .

If you are interested in Chinese history , Chinese culture and Chinese scenery , your trip will be very fulfilled and very interesting .

If you want to enjoy a peaceful sunshine beach holiday , there are plenty of tourist areas along the coastal line , which have unspoiled beaches and luxury hotels for visitors .

In Hainan Island , the beautiful Sanya beaches are opened the whole year around and there is no winter in this island .

If you want excitements and nightlife , stay in big cities .

There are many places every night for international gathering .

If you are adventurers , go to remote areas to watch wild life or visit minorities to see how they live in the hillsides or desert .

If you are sporty , take a cycle trip along the countryside , enjoy the rural life and meet with Chinese people long the route .

You may have heard or read a lot about China from books , newspapers , magazines and TV programs .

Some of them are true but most of them are out of date , incorrect or even false .

China is different from many of your previous experiences and may shock you in many ways .

This country is changing and progressing every day .

After the economic reform , most of the developments concentrate in major cities and remote areas are still very backward .

China is a very populated nation and people have to cope with the crowded environment .

Foreign visitors may not get used to the mentality of the people and sometimes become frustrated with the situation , which they never experienced before .

Basically Chinese are reserve , peaceful and nice .

They are very polite too but in their own way .

When a foreigner is willing to take a more positive attitude to recognize the difference , the trip will become worthwhile or you may ruin your trip completely by unreasonable expectation and misjudgment of the people in general .


An American research company shows that $ 248.7 billion online sales are expected by 2014 .

It seems as if we ca n't get enough of spending money through countless online clicks today .

Following are some of the incredible things that you can buy online !

51-year-old Michael Amatrudo from Connecticut put a posting on Craig list in 2009 to sell his elderly parents , asking for $ 155 in return .

Bidding for Britney Spears ' chewing gum reached $ 14,000 in 2004 .

The pop star 's half-eaten sandwich also went for over $ 500 .

Star Trek actor William Shatner sold his kidney stone for $ 20,000 when he put it up for sale online to see how much a piece of him was worth .

He ended up giving the money to charity .

This imaginary guy went ( or might still be going ) by the name of Jon Malipieman and was sold on eBay for $ 3,000 by a man who claimed :

`` My imaginary friend Jon Malipieman is getting too old for me now .

I am now 27 and I feel I am growing out of him .

Along with him , I will send you what he likes and dislikes , his favorite things to do and his personal self portrait . ''

The website demonical.com is probably the creepiest site I have ever visited .

You can sell your own soul or buy the souls of people such as Fidel Castro and Woody Allen ( both selling for $ 950 ) .

Bill Gate , whoever that is , has his soul for sale at $ 1,300 while Michael Jacobsen 's soul is being sold for $ 3000 .

The screen shot from eBay tells us that people are bidding over $ 1 million for this `` naturally formed bbq pork rock '' .


Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours in life than by the narrow road toward goals .

But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words .

For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents ' home in Boise in nine hours .

We traveled the way most people do : the fastest , shortest , easiest road , especially when I was alone with four noisy , restless kids who hate confinement and have strong opinions about everything .

Road trips felt risky , so I would drive fast , stopping only when I had to .

We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired .

He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise .

I had two choices : leave Banner with my husband , or take him with me .

That is how I found myself on the road with four kids , a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through .

We took the country roads out of necessity .

We had to stop every hour , let Banner shake out his legs and feed him .

They 'd get back in the car breathless and energized , smelling fresh from the cold air .

We explored side roads , catching grasshoppers in waisthigh grass .

Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother , or fish leaping out of the water , it was better than the best ride down the freeway .

We eventually arrived at my parents ' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories .

I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique .

On an empty section of road , everyone started quarreling .

I stopped the car , ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead .

I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence .

Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight .

But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey-and the best part of yourself .


Body language is a very powerful tool of a communication , not only between people but in the animal world as well .

In many instances , we produce idioms which are all understandable by borrowing examples from animal communication .

For example , we know that a frightened cat will arch .

From this starting-point we might hear the expression .

In the same manner , we know that many animals , if challenged by attackers , will not turn and run away because this will encourage the attackers to attack them more forcefully .

Instead , they will move backwards slowly to get out of harm 's way , always facing their attacker .

We call this action `` backing off '' and it can be used as well with humans as with animals .

In the case of humans , however , the back-off may not be physical but oral , as in using a kinder tone of voice and gentle words instead of fighting against the attackers .


Three Central Texas men were honored with the Texas Department of Public Safety 's Director 's Award in a Tuesday morning ceremony for their heroism in saving the victims of a fiery two car accident .

The accident occurred on March 25 when a vehicle lost control while traveling on a rain-soaked State Highway 6 near Baylor Camp Road .

It ran into an oncoming vehicle , leaving the occupants trapped inside as both vehicles burst into flames .

Bonge was the first on the scene and heard children screaming .

He broke through a back window and pulled Mallory Smith , 10 , and her sister , Megan Smith,9 , from the wreckage .

The girls ' mother , Beckie Smith , was not with them at the time of the wreck , as they were traveling with their baby sitter , Lisa Bow bin .

Beckie Smith still remembers the sickening feeling she had up on receiving the call informing her of the wreck and the despair as she drove to the scene .

Bozeman and Clemmons arrived shortly after Bonge and helped rescue the other victims and attempted to put out the fires .

I was just doing what anyone should do in that situation .

I hope someone would do the same for me . ''

Everyone at the accident made it out alive , with the victims suffering from nonlife-threatening injuries .

Mallory Smith broke both femurs , and Megan had neck and back injuries .

Bowbin is still recovering from a broken pelvis , ankle and foot .

The rescuers also were taken to the hospital and treated for cuts and smoke breathing , Bonge said .

In addition , Bozeman not to meet accident victim Anthony Rus so in the hospital after the accident , where Russo presented him with a glass frame inscribed with `` Thank you , '' Bozeman said .

Those involved in that fateful encounter on Highway 6 credited God blessing for bringing them together .

`` Whatever the circumstances , Tuesday 's ceremony provided a time to be grateful for those who put their lives on the line for the lives of complete strangers , '' Beckie Smith said , `` We 're calling it The Miracle on Highway 6 . ''


We 've all heard the phrase `` love is patient '' , but one couple in prefix = st1 /Michigan , took this phrase to a whole new level .

On Monday , February 13 , Willard Mason sat down to talk about his relationship with the love he lost more than 60 years ago .

Good fortune and fate recently helped the couple reunite .

In 1941 , Willard Mason and Llah Ost , both senior 2 students , became engaged to be married and began planning their lives together .

But Willard moved away to work at Willow Run Bomber Plant , where he met and fell in love with a woman named Helvi .

He broke off his long distance engagement to Llah and married Helvi in 1942 .

Llah later found love with someone else .

Both had happy marriages and raised families .

A year later , Willard found himself back in his hometown , where by chance , he ran into Llah 's brother .

He informed Willard of the death of Llah 's husband , and encouraged him to call her .

After that first phone call , the couple began dating .

Willard made the drive from his home near Houghton Lake to Llah 's home in Adrian .

On one such trip , he blacked out , and his car hit a tree .

He was rushed to a hospital , where tests showed that he needed a new pacemaker .

Willard moved closer to Adrianand asked Llah to move in with him .

`` We get along perfectly , '' Willard told AZ Central on Monday .

`` We 've never had an argument , she 's a great cook , and she takes care of me . ''

Although both Willard and Llah are saddened by the 62 years they spent without each other , neither seem to have any regrets .

Willard told AZ Central , `` You do n't know how our lives might have turned out if we 'd gotten married in 1941 , but now she has a wonderful family , and so do I . ''


If you had a strange sound in your ear , what would you do ?

One man in Wales who thought he had a fly in his ear called 999 , the emergency services number in Britain .

And so did a woman who was worried about her green potatoes .

She did n't hesitate about calling the local ambulance service to ask .

According to a recent report , more than 31,000 non-urgent calls were made to the Welsh Ambulance Service in the last year .

Inappropriate calls are a headache for health professionals everywhere .

In the US , prank calls to 911 happen on a daily basis .

Many callers use apps which hide their identity .

But those who try to be funny should n't be surprised if the police have the last laugh .

One man from Colorado was arrested for making more than 1,200 prank calls , according to a report on the US television station KOAA -- TV .

People who take these calls are trained to stay calm and keep a straight face , no matter how strange the call sounds .

`` There 's no way for us to know whether the call is real , accidental or a prank call , '' said a public safety worker interviewed by the American TV channel .

The Head of Clinical Services at the Welsh Ambulance Service , Richard Lee , has a warning for prank callers .

He says : `` When people misuse the service it means our precious time is being taken away from someone who really does need our help . ''

Indeed , these hotlines are supposed to help the seriously ill or those with a life-threatening injury .

You never know , one day , the person who needs assistance could be you or someone in your family .


Earth Day events are arranged all over the world , but for New Yorkers in the Catskill region , there are plenty of options.s6t -- --

Place : Frost Valley ; Time : Friday , April 8 - Saturday , April 9 ( Check-in at 5:00 pm on Friday ) .

Activities include recycled arts and crafts projects , classes on composting and recycling , nature hikes , and a greenhouse planting project .

Call ( 845 ) 985-2291 for more details and to register.s6t -- --

Place : Milford Central School ; Time : Saturday , April 9 ( 11:00 am - 3:00 pm ) .

Enjoy exhibits , activities and entertainment .

Bring along your recyclables to be collected .

Fashion Show will be held at the end of the day .

Admission to the Festival is free , and tickets for the fashion show are $ 10 per person ( or $ 60 for a table of 8 ) .

Call ( 607 ) 286-7721 for tickets to the fashion show or ( 607 ) 547-4488 for details about the Festival.s6t -- --

Place : Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site ; Time : Sunday , April 17 ( 9:00 am - 12:00 pm ) .

Help clean up the park with bush cutting and trash pick-up .

You 'll be joining volunteers from the Montgomery County Water Quality Committee .

Please bring your own equipment ( lunch will be provided ) .

It is in Grafton Lakes State Park on Saturday , April 16 ( 9:00 am - 12:00 pm ) .

Enjoy the outdoors and take a hike while helping park volunteers to clear and inspect the trails .

Sign up on Markwehnau @ aol.com or call ( 518 ) 279-1155 .

This event may be rescheduled if weather is not permitting .


When I was in my fourth year of teaching , I was also ( and am still ) a high school track and field coach .

One year , I had a student , John , who entered my class when he was a junior .

John changed to our school from Greece , and seemed to be interested in athletics , so I encouraged him to join our track team .

I explained to him that even though he had never taken part in it before , I did believe that he could do well in any event , and I would be willing to coach him at whichever ones interested him .

He accepted the offer , and began to work hard at every practice .

About a month later , I had found out from other sources that John was a first-class tennis player , winning various junior awards in his home country .

I went to him asking , `` John , I really appreciate that you came out for the track team , but why did n't you play tennis instead ?

It seems that would interest you a lot more , since you 're so good at it . ''

John answered , `` Well , I like tennis , but you told me that you believed in me , and that you thought I could do well in track , so I wanted to try it for that reason . ''

From then on , I often remember my student 's reply .

I told it to a friend and she suggested I write it down to share somewhere with more teachers .

No matter how critical students can be of themselves , I 've found that a simple `` I trust that you can do it ! ''


A new study warns that about thirty percent of the world 's people may not have enough water by the year 2025 .

An American organization called Population Action International did the new study .

It was more than three hundred and thirty-five million people lack enough water now .

The people live in twenty-eight countries .

Most of the countries are in Africa or in the Middle East .

Population Action International researcher Robert Engelman says by the year 2025 , about three thousand million people lack water .

At least 18 more countries are expected to have serious water problems .

Yet the amount of water on the earth the same .

Mr Engelman says the population in countries that lack water is growing in these countries will continue to increase .

The report says lack of water in the future may result several problems .

Lack of water often means drinking water is not safe .

Mr Engelman says there are problems all over the world because of diseases such as cholera that are carried in water .

Lack of water also may result in more international conflict .

Countries may have to fight for water in the future .

Some countries , such as Syria , Sudan , Cambodia , and so on , now get sixty percent of their fresh water from other countries .

And the report says lack of water would affect the ability to improve their economies .

This is because industries often need a large amount of water .

The Population Action International study gives several ways to solve the water problem .

One way is to find ways to use water for more than one purpose .

Another way is to teach people to be careful not to waste water .

A third is to use less water for agriculture .

The report also says long-term solutions to the water problem must include controls on population growth .


If you still need to relax and want to head overseas , do n't miss out some great deals on accommodation or air fares at some of the world 's top off-peak travel hotspots .

Whether you want to go to Europe or run away on a tropical escape , stretch that travel budget to take advantage of off-peak rates at some of the world 's most-visited locales .

Several destinations host spring festivals and other special events .

Here are four off-peak travel destinations to visit in 2013 :

With rich culture and history , Portugal continues to be one of the most affordable European destinations .

Head to this beautiful capital city of Lisbon to attend the festivals and fairs , visit some 12th-century buildings , and stay at one of the newer hotels in the main city district .

The Hotel Teatro is a four-star restaurant , and average nightly rates are under $ 150 a night .

Set your sights on Aruba for an unforgettable Caribbean holiday .

You can get special offers from one of the larger beach resorts here .

Some of the chain hotels , including Marriott and Radisson , offer discounts on spa relaxations .

The Radisson Aruba Resort , Casino , & Spa is offering a Super Saver Spring Rate at just $ 309 per night .

Escape to southern Mexico to explore the historic colonial city and learn about the region 's traditions , culture , and colorful history .

Oaxaca holds several cultural festivals and is a great place to relax .

You will be receiving a 50 % discount with just $ 170 per night for a deluxe single or double room if you stay in the Camino Real Oaxaca for more than 7 nights ( 7 included ) .

Another place to have some local culture and participate in some late spring festivals is Istanbul , Turkey .

Stay at a destination that will put you within easy reach of famous sites like the Topkapi Palace .

The Modern Sultan Hotel is a deluxe hotel located in the heart of the historic district .

Average nightly rates for the bed and breakfast package are just under $ 120 per night .


Culture helps human societies survive in changing natural environment .

For example , the end of the last Ice Age , beginning about 15,000 years ago , brought a big challenge to which humans had to adapt .

Before this time , large parts of the northern hemisphere were covered in great sheets of ice that contained much of the earth ' s water .

In North America , large animals that wandered the vast tundra provided people with food and materials for clothing and simple shelters .

When the earth became warm , large Ice Age animals disappeared , and many land areas were covered by rising sea levels from melting ice .

But people survived , they developed new technologies and learned how to survive on new plant and animal species .

Finally some people settled into permanent villages , durable houses and farms .

Cultural adaptation has made humans one of the most successful species on the planet .

Through history , major developments in technology , medicine , and nutrition have allowed people to reproduce and survive in ever-increasing numbers .

The global population has risen from 8 million during the Ice Age to about 6 billion today .

However , the successes of culture adaptation can also create problems in the long run .

Over the last 200 years , people have begun to use large quantities of natural resources and energy and to produce a great amount of material and chemical wastes .

The global population now consumes some important natural resources -- such as petroleum , wood , and minerals -- faster than nature can produce them .

Many scientists believe that in the process of burning fuels and producing wastes , people may be changing the global climate in unpredictable and possibly harmful ways .

Thus , the adaptive success of the present-day global culture of production and trade may be temporary .


My first day of high school was like any other first day : registering ?

finding new classmates , meeting new teachers , and seeking new friends .

During lunch , I ran into my first snag of the day .

At the dining hall , as the checkout lady asked for my money , I realized that I had forgotten my lunch money .

When I told her about it , I heard a voice behind me .

I turned around and there stood a teacher telling her he would pay for my lunch .

He told me his name , Mr. Pete Walker , and said , `` If you get a chance , you should take my history class . ''

I recognized his name , and told him I was in his class later that day .

Mr. Walker befriended me on the.very first clay of school at a very crucial time of the day -- lunch !

He always told us we should do more than we ever thought.he pushes us to clod all things better .

He coached many sports , and sponsored many after-class activities .

If we were interested in something , he would find a way to expose us to it by inviting speakers , taking us on field trips , or obtaining information for us .

Two years later , my junior year in school was clicking along nicely when one day I was riding my motorcycle and I was hit by a car .

I spent six days in hospital and was at home in bed for two weeks before returning to school .

Mr. Walker stopped by the hospital each day with my work from my teachers .

Once I was at home , he would bring my work too .

After high school , I attended the United States Army Airborne School in Fort I3enning , Georgia .

I knew my parents woolly be there the day I graduates , but they brought an unexpected guest .

They came across Mr. Walker at lunch several days before and told him I was about to graduate .

His visit , however , was not a surprise to me .


The first time my father and I ever went fishing became a family legend .

We were hot , sticky , and mad that the fish refused to suck up our night crawlers .

Being only seven years old , I observed that perhaps the worms were the problem .

Maybe the night crawlers only moved at night , and now they were just lying there motionless on the hook .

Dad ignored my assessment of the situation .

As we headed back to our truck , we heard tires spinning in the distance .

Having sat in the boiling sun for six hours , the seats were blistering .

I shifted from side to side in the seat so as not to cook my bottom .

While driving out we saw a truck with a boat trailer and boat that was stuck in the mud .

That explained the sound of spinning tires we 'd heard .

Being a nice guy , my dad helped pull the man from the mud .

In return , this fellow gave Dad some fish for being a Good Samaritan .

As Dad climbed back into our truck with a brown bag full of fish , we waved goodbye to our newfound friend .

On the drive home , we agreed to take in the fish as if we had caught them .

We were sure there was no way for Mom to know the difference .

We arrived home hot , sweaty , and smelly , and went to clean up while Mom prepared the fish .

We made a big deal out of the fact that we had already cleaned them and put them in the bag so as not to make a mess .

After showering , Dad and I met in the hall and exchanged conspiratorial grins .

Sitting down to freshly fried fish , we started eating happily and went on about how good something tasted that we had actually caught ourselves .

As we got up to do the dishes , Mom cleared her throat .

`` I just have one question of you two great fishermen , '' she said .

We looked at her expectantly , thinking we had another opportunity to delight her with our great fishing ability .

With a tiny smile , Mom asked , `` How was it again that you two managed to not only clean your fish , but also freeze them before you got home . ''


Mr Smith goes to the town to see his son , Tom .

Tom is studying music in a school there .

He tells his father he does well and his father is very happy .

That evening Mr Smith buys two tickets for a concert .

They 're sitting in the hall and listening to them playing .

The music is beautiful and Mr Smith enioys it very much .

But he finds his son does n't like it at all .

Mr Smith wants to know something about Tom .

So he asks , `` Do you know the music ? ''

`` And what 's the musician playing now ? ''

He thinks hard and then says , `` ... the piano . ''


I 'm sure your parents love you and would love you even if you did n't live up to their expectations , They are probably setting the bar as high as possible , so that you will aim high , That 's right , but you need some confidence that they 'll be there to catch you -- and love you just the same -- if you try and fail to achieve all their goals , Because what they 're doing now could lead to some unexpected results .and not good ones .

Giving you a lecture for achieving an A is a big mistake , Your parents might think they 're giving you the motivation for succeeding , but all this pressure is making you feel like you can never be good enough , The risk is that you 'll stop trying anything unless you are sure you 'll be the best at it .

And that can actually cause your grades to fall downwards , creating the opposite effect than you parents indeed .

Show your parents this letter that you wrote to me , Tell them that you love them so much , and you worry they wo n't love you if you do n't achieve what they want , and how you suspect you may not be up to the challenge , Explain that you have other qualities that you wish they would value you for -- such as your kindness , your sense of humor , your willingness to try and try again , and so on .

Have an honest talk with your parents about how all this pressure to be perfect is affecting you , If he talk does n't go the way you hope , you might want to schedule a meeting between you , your parents and a counselor at school , The counselor can certainly help your parents understand how this kind of unhealthy pressure can lead to negative results , and give them advice about how to better encourage you to be all that you can be , at school and outside of it .


Americans are jobless and countless mole worry they will be , lovers of yoga are eager to keep peace by twisting their bodies .

`` People want to do something relaxing and physically active .

My experience is that attendance In classes gone significantly up in the past few months , '' said yoga instructor David , who turned to teaching yoga when his advertising jobs dried up in the recession of 2001 .

He admitted his private custoIlll~I'8 have fallen off a bit , but `` generally , my long -- term private clients are financially well-off and eager to recommend me to their friends . ''

`` We 've added yoga classes , '' said Nicole Moke , spokeswoman for the fitness centers .

And if the attack of hard times should fall upon their weft-heeled member ship ?

`` We 've added a lot of meditation classes .

Our members.seem to be very excited about that '' , she added .

Callfornia-hased Yoga Works agrees that business is successful .

`` In our experience attendance is up year over year , '' Marketing Director Terri Seiden said .

`` We expect to see this trend continue .

In difficult times yoga goers are more unwilling than ever to give up their practice , '' she said from her office in Santa Monica , California .

Seiden said Yoga Works opened a new studio in January and has plans for more .

`` We are hiring more teachers and studio staff , '' she said .

So is yoga a recession-proof shelter from the storms of economy ?

`` We do n't say yoga is recession-proof but it does work , '' Seiden said .

`` Yoga is one way that people Can take care of multiple needs -- it is a complete workout for your mind and body , a form of stress relief , entertainment and there is a sense of community as well . ''


Everyone , please think of your biggest personal goal .

Take a few seconds and think of your personal biggest goal , okay ?

Imagine deciding right now that you 're going to do it .

Imagine telling someone that you meet today what you 're going to do .

Imagine their congratulations and their high image of you .

Does n't it feel good to say it out loud ?

Do n't you feel one step closer already , like it 's already becoming part of your identity ?

Well , bad news : you should have kept your mouth shut , because that good feeling now will make you less likely to do it .

Repeated psychology tests have proved that telling someone your goal makes it less likely to happen .

Any time you have a goal , there are some steps that need to be done , some work that needs to be done in order to achieve it .

Ideally , you would not be satisfied until you had actually done the work .

But when you tell someone your goal and they acknowledge it , psychologists have found that it 's called a `` social reality '' .

The mind is kind of tricked into feeling that it 's already done .

And then , because you felt that satisfaction , you 're less motivated to do the actual hard work necessary .

So , this goes against the conventional wisdom that we should tell our friends our goals .

Peter Gollwitzer wrote a whole book about this and in 2009 , he did some new tests that were published .

It goes like this : 163 people across four separate tests - everyone wrote down their personal goals .

Then , half of them announced their commitment to this goal to the room , and half did n't .

Then everyone was given 45 minutes of work that would directly lead them toward their goals , but they were told that they could stop at any time .

Now , those who kept their mouths shut worked the entire 45 minutes , on average , and when asked afterward , said that they felt that they had a long way to go to still achieve their goals .

But those who had announced it quit after only 33 minutes , on average , and when asked afterward , said that they felt much closer to achieving their goals .

So audience , next time you want to tell someone your goal , what will you say ?


When my friend went to Europe last summer , instead of snapping photographs of the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower or Stonehenge , she brought back 32 rolls of ... cathedral ceilings .

For the 10 years I 've known her I had never suspected that she was this passionate about stained glass .

Still one of the best things about such pictures -- despite their obvious narrow appeal -- is that they ca n't help but tell us a great deal about the people who took them .

So I should n't have been surprised when I got the roll of film back from my 5-year-old son 's first camping trip .

I opened the envelope , naively expecting to see pictures of the nightly campfire , the sun setting over the forest , and possibly even a deer or two .

Instead , I saw an off-center picture of tennis shoes .

Not even his tennis shoes , mind you , but a pair someone had lost and left in the cabin .

As I went through the stack , I found that my son had also taken a picture of his sleeping bag , a penny he found in the gravel next to the car , a leaf , an orange sock , a close-up of his father 's ear , a burned hot dog , his thumb , a piece of gum , and many other similar things .

There was barely one sign of nature in the whole stack .

I could n't help thinking that if he 'd wanted pictures of assorted junk , it would 've been cheaper had he spent the weekend in our back-yard .

AT LEAST that is what I thought until I showed the photographs to my ceiling-snapping friend , the mother of three teenagers , who said simply , `` There 's nothing wrong with these . ''

But of course , this is just the type of answer you 'd expect from someone who photographs ceiling .

Then she told me about the time her daughter went to Yosemite Valley and returned with rolls of photographs of the hotel , restaurant , and gift shop .

She also told me about the time her son took his camera to a Major League Baseball game and returned with 24 pictures of cloud formations .

I had a feeling she was just trying to make me feel better .

Then again , to a 5-year-old boy , finding a penny is more exciting than seeing a squirrel .

And why would he waste good film on something like , say , some endangered water buffaloes , when he could take a picture of cool tennis shoes ?

Face it : Things like beautiful sunsets and campfires ca n't compare to a bag of extra-large marshmallow .

So I did what any good mother would do : I marked the date on the back of the pictures and slid them into our family vacation photo album -- right after the five pages of ice sculptures I took last year on our cruise to the Bahamas .


Mr. Grey was the manager of a small office in London .

He lived in the country , and came to work by train .

He liked walking from the station to his office if it was not raining , because it gave him some exercises .

One morning he was walking along the street when a stranger stopped him and said to him , `` You may not remember me , sir , but seven years ago I came to London without any money in my pocket .

I stopped you in this street and asked you to lend me some money , and you lent me five pounds , because you said that you were happy to take a chance so as to give a man a start on the road to success . ''

Mr. Grey thought for a few moments and then said , `` Yes , I remember you .

`` Well , '' answered the stranger , `` are you still willing to take a chance ? ''


Fear and its companion pain are two of the most useful things that men and animals possess , if they are properly used .

If fire did not hurt when it burnt , children would play with it until their hands were burnt away .

Similarly , if pain existed but fear did n't , a child would burn himself or herself again and again , because fear would not warn himself or herself to keep away from the fire that had burnt himself or herself before .

A really fearless soldier -- and some do exist , is not a good soldier because he is soon killed ; and a dead soldier is of no use to his army .

Fear and pain are therefore two guards without which men and animals might soon die out .

In our first sentence we suggested that fear should be properly used .

If , for example , you never go out of your house because of the danger of being knocked down and killed in the street by a car , you are letting fear rule you too much .

Even in your house you are not absolutely safe : an aeroplane may crash on your house , or ants may eat away some of the beams in your roof so that the latter falls on you , or you may get cancer !

The important thing is not to let fear rule you , but instead to use fear as your servant and guide .

Fear will warn you of dangers ; then you have to decide what action to take .

In many cases , you can take quick and successful action to avoid the danger .

For example , you see a car coming straight towards you .

Fear warns you , you jump out of the way , and all is well .

In some cases , however , you decide that there is nothing that you can do to avoid the danger .

For example , you ca n't prevent an aeroplane crashing onto your house .

In this case , fear has given you its warning ; you have examined it and decided on your course of action , so fear of this particular danger is no longer of any use to you , and you have to try to overcome it .


What 's the coolest kind of transportation for middle school students back from winter holidays ?

No , it 's a special kind of shoes called Heelys .

Heelys look just like common sports shoes , but they have a wheel hidden in the heel .

So instead of walking , kids can `` fly '' around in them .

said Wu Peng , a boy who wore them on his first day back at No .

Wu Peng said he loves the shoes so much that he wears them to go here and there .

Sometimes he even follows his parents ' car to the supermarket in his Heelys !

Other students also think they are very cool , but some are n't so lucky with their Heelys .

It 's said that some children fell down and got hurt while wearing these shoes .

`` Heelys wheels are in the heels of the shoes , so it 's easy to fall , '' said Liu Rui , a doctor at the Hong Kong International Medical Clinic , Beijing .

Even worse , Liu said , `` Wearing Heelys for a long time could stop young people from developing their legs . ''


The college entrance exam is not only a big challenge for Chinese high school students , but also a very important exam in the lives of South Korean students .

Although the long , cold winter has already started in South Korea , the annual national exams have made the atmosphere very heated .

More than 675,000 South Korean high school graduates took the college entrance exam last Wednesday .

They usually take exams in Korean , maths , sociology , history and foreign languages .

Officially there is one college place for every 1.33 students .

But because all the students want to go to the top universities in the country , the competition can reach one place for 10 students .

The students want to attend these colleges for both their famous names and better job opportunities .

Because students face fierce competition , they have to study very hard to realize their dreams .

Park Seung said he and his classmates often go to school before 7:30 a.m. After school has finished at 6:30 p.m. , most of them go to the library to continue their study instead of returning home .

Since many libraries in South Korea are open 24 hours a day , they often stay long into the night .

Many of the Senior 3 students only sleep for three to four hours a day .

`` I feel a lot of pressure , but I have to study very hard in order to make my dream come true .

This is my lifetime goal and it will be a turning point in my life which could decide my future , '' Park said .

The exam day is a very serious day for the whole of South Korea .

Vehicles are not allowed within a 200-metre radius of all the test sites to make sure the students have quiet surroundings .

Tooting of horns is forbidden , even airplanes are ordered to avoid landing and take-off near the test sites during listening comprehension test hours .

Students are told their scores in December before they apply for college .

This is followed by face-to-face oral tests .

There are public and private universities in South Korea .

Many private universities are well-known , but their fees can be 18 , 000 yuan each term .

This has made a lot of students think again .


Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life .

Relationships with family , friends , neighbours , even pets , will all do the trick , but the biggest longevity boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship .

The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Fair , who wrote that widows and widowers were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers .

Studies since then suggest that marriage could and as much as seven years to a man 's life and two to a woman 's .

The effect holds for all rouses of death , whether illness , accident or self-harm .

Even if the odds are stacked against you , marriage can more than compensate .

Linda Waite from the University of Chicago has found that .

I married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart .

Likewise , a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who does n't smoke .

There 's a flip side , however , as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse 's death , and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems .

In a 30 - year study of more than 10,000 people , Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects .

The effects are complex , affected by socio - economic factors , health - service provision , emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms .

For example , social contact can boost development of die brain and immune system , leading to better health and less chance of depression ?

People in supportive relationships may handle stress better .

Then there are the psychological 9 benefits of a supportive partner .

A life partner , children and good friends arc all recommended if you aim to live to 100 .

The ultimate social network is still being mapped out , hut Christakis says : `` People are interconnected , so their health


It is Peter 's grandfather 's birthday .

Peter and his two sisters , Sally and Tina buy some things for their grandfather this afternoon .

And she writes `` Happy birthday '' on it .

Tina buys a blue shirt from a clothes store .

Peter buys some fruit and a set of books .


A new international study shows that some people 's biological clock plays a powerful role for their life expectancy , regardless of lifestyle choices .

Published in the latest issue ofAgingon Wednesday , the study has found the most definitive evidence to explain why some people keep healthy lifestyle but die younger than others .

Geneticist Steve Horvath from the University of California , Los Angeles ( UCLA ) , led a team of 65 scientists around the world to record age-related changes to human DNA , analyse blood samples collected from 13 , 000 people and estimate their lifespan .

A higher biological age , regardless of actual age , consistently predicts an earlier death , the study says .

`` You get people who are vegan , sleep 10 hours a day , have a low-stress job , and still end up dying young , '' Horvath said in a statement .

`` We have shown some people have a faster innate aging rate . ''

The findings discovered that 5 percent of the population ages at a faster biological rate , which translated to a roughly 50 percent higher than average risk of death at any age .

`` The great hope is that we find anti-aging interventions that would slow your innate aging rate , '' Horvath said , adding that `` this is an important milestone to realizing this dream . ''


From self-driving cars to carebots ( care+robots ) for elderly people , rapid development in technology has long represented a possible threat to many jobs normally performed by people .

But experts now believe that almost 50 percent of occupations existing today will be completely unnecessary by 2025 as artificial intelligence continues to change businesses .

`` The next fifteen years will see a revolution in how we work , and a revolution will necessarily take place in how we plan and think about workplaces , '' said Peter Andrew , Director of Workplace Strategy for CBRE Asia Pacific .

A growing number of jobs in the future will require creative intelligence , social skills and the ability to use artificial intelligence .

The report is based on interviews with 200 experts , business leaders and young people from Asia Pacific , Europe and North America .

It shows that in the US technology already destroys more jobs than it creates .

But the report states : `` Losing occupations does not necessarily mean losing jobs -- just changing what people do . ''

Growth in new jobs could occur as much , according to the research .

`` The growth of 20 to 40 person companies that have the speed and technological know-how will directly challenge big companies , '' it states .

A 2014 report by Pew Research found 52 percent of experts in artificial intelligence and robotics were optimistic about the future and believed there would still be enough jobs in the next few years .

The optimists pictured `` a future in which robots do not take the place of more jobs than they create , '' according to Aaron Smith , the report 's co-author .

`` Technology will continue to affect jobs , but more jobs seem likely to be created .

Although there have always been unemployed people , when we reached a few billion people there were billions of jobs .

There is no shortage of things that need to be done and that will not change , '' Microsoft 's Jonathan Grudin told researchers .


Do you want to be productive at work or at home ?

I used to tell myself that I needed a break .

So , when the kids slept I turned on the cable and watched whatever program that caught my fancy .

Often , I found myself not watching , just channel-surfing .

And I did n't end up watching a full program .

I decided one day to just give up on TV as it made me sleep late and woke up tired .

If you want to be productive , cut off TV .

Without TV , I have managed to finish many books which I have bought but never read .

The other big distraction that can make you sleep late is the Internet .

Probably because you will be checking your emails , updating your blog , watching YouTube , etc .

Try limiting the use of it at home , or switch it to the morning session .

Nowadays , I check all my personal emails early in the morning .

When I get into work , I find myself less tempted to check personal emails .

Really , it is all about the choices you make and the priorities you have .

If you know it is competitive out there in the world , how can you be a better worker than the person who is also aiming for the position above you ?

Rise early , read more books , have more energy , be more focused and set standards for others to catch up .


Optional evening workshops will be held at small restaurants or other meeting places near the conference hotel .

Meals and other costs are not included but are also optional .

Locations will be announced at the conference site .

Workshops are very loosely organized and most represent discussions that have been held at Society for Economic Botany ( SEB ) meetings over a series of years .

Chairs : Hugo de Boer and Arika Virapongse

Description : Student members of the SEB hold a networking mixer each year in order to meet each other and to become familiar with a variety of educational programs and faculty advisors .

Faculty members who are part of training programs are encouraged to join the mixer to meet and talk with students .

Description : Digital film making is a particularly useful tool of linking cultural information to recognizable plants .

This workshop is aimed towards increasing the quality of material recorded by giving participants greater control over the medium .

camera settings , audio ) , technical aspects ( framing , lighting , focus ) , and some ways of presenting the material .

Experienced filmmakers are encouraged to attend , and participants are welcome to bring their own camera equipment .

Workshop 3 : Collections for Botany -- Collections Development and Management

Description : SEB is a network of researchers who have been developing standards for the development of collections of artifacts , plant samples and related materials .

Participants discuss successes , problems , and funding sources for solving management issues .


Every year in the first week of English class , some students inform me that writing is too hard .

They never write , unless homework requires it .

They find the writing process painful and difficult .

How awful it is to be able to speak in a language but not to write in it , especially with its rich vocabulary .

Being able to speak but not write is like living in an enormous mansion and never leaving one small room .

When I meet students who think they ca n't write , I know , as a teacher my duty is to show them the rest of the rooms .

My task is to build fluency and accuracy while providing the opportunity in any writing activity to enhance the moral and emotional development of my students .

One great way to do this is by having students write in a journal in class every day .

Writing ability is like strength training .

Writing needs to be done just like exercise ; just as muscles grow stronger with exercise , writing skills improve quickly with writing practice daily .

I often see a rise in student confidence and performance after only a few weeks of journal writing .

Expressing oneself in writing is one of the most important skills I teach to strengthen the whole students .

When my students practice journal writing , they are practicing for their future academic , political , and emotional lives .

They build skills so that some say they might write a great novel , a piece of sorely needed legislation , or the perfect love letter .

That they write in their journals every day puts them a step closer to fluency , eloquence and command of the language .


As many as 10 of the 17 kinds of penguins may be in danger of disappearing .

The number of penguins have decreased by 30 % since 1987 .

Penguins are black and white birds that live in the southern part of the world .

They are common in South America , New Zealand , Australia and South Africa .

But some live near warm waters in Galapagos Islands .

Penguins can not fly , but they are fine swimmers .

The warming of the earth is the decrease in penguin populations .

The heating of the air has caused ocean waters to become warmer .

Higher water temperatures have reduced the supply of fish and krill .

Some years later these birds are completely unable to reproduce .

Besides , many adult penguins die of hunger .

Widespread fishing , exploration for oil and oil leaks also make penguins be in danger .

Poisonous organisms in ocean water are another danger .

Penguins also have their enemies , including wild dogs , sharks , seals and sea lions .

News about penguins is not all bad , however .

Several years ago , oil leaking from a ship hurt 40 % of the penguins in South Africa .

But thousands of people helped clean and treat the birds well .

Then they returned the penguins to the wild .

Now these South African penguins are reproducing in higher numbers than before the oil leaking .


A nameless British millionaire is currently putting people to the test by handing out PS1,000 to those he randomly meets in the street .

All he 'd ask is that they 'd do something positive with the cash .

The reactions are varied , from the surprised to the suspicious to the simply delighted .

He has given away close to PS100,000 to people he has met around the world .

He hands those that he chooses a card explaining his project and allows them 48 hours to get in touch .

`` Mr. Lucky '' is from London , in his late thirties and appears wearing rolled-up jeans and with a camera around his neck .

Working for an insurance company abroad , he earned his fortune and resigned last year after having realized he had more money than he knew what to do with .

`` I once booked myself a flight into space ; I thought I 'd fulfill my childhood dream .

Then I told my friends and when the conversation changed to what they would do if they had that amount of money , I felt embarrassed .

Their ideas were much more generous , interesting and responsible than mine , '' said Mr. Lucky .

After canceling his space flight and struggling to choose a worthy cause for his cash , he decided to set up the WeAreLucky project .

`` I did n't want to just pass on my luck ; I also wanted to share the responsibility .

I decided to give away PS1,000 every day .

I 'd asked the receivers to fill in a brief questionnaire to explain their intentions in using the money . ''

But is handing over the responsibility to others really a responsible thing to do ?

How does he know the money will be used properly ?

`` I 'm not going to judge or start checking up on them .

Sometimes what we need to do is just believing others , '' he said with nearly childlike enthusiasm .


Who is more stressed out -- the Asian teenager or the American teenager ?

According to a recent study , almost three quarters of American high school students said they felt stress at least once a week , some almost every day .

Fewer than half of Japanese and Taiwanese eleventh grade students reported feeling stress that often .

The phenomenon of stress is the constant interaction between mind and body .

And the influence of one upon the other can be either positive or negative .

Studies have proved that watching funny movies can reduce pain and promote healing .

On the contrary worry can give a person an ulcer , high blood pressure , or even a heart attack .

The mind and body work together to produce stress , which is a response to a stimulus , a response that disturbs the body 's normal physiological balance .

For example , a stress reaction can sometimes save a person 's life by producing hormones that make it possible for a person to react quickly and with greater energy in a dangerous situation .

In everyday situations , too , stress can provide that extra push needed to do something difficult .

But too much stress often injures both the mind and the body .

Learn to Lighten Up and Live Longer , the best-seller of the month , has several good suggestions .

So , get a copy and start learning how you can reduce stress in your life .


Usually , students are not encouraged to run or jump around in the corridor .

However , students in a British grammar school really enjoy running on the corridor tiles and their teachers even encourage them to do that .

It is because the corridor was built with special kinetic tiles .

When students jump on the tiles , electricity will be produced .

After one year , the electricity produced from the tiles can fully charge 853 mobile phones or power an electric car to drive seven miles .

The corridor tiles are really a brilliant invention .

Students can not only play on the corridor , but also help power the lights in their school corridors and other equipment in their classrooms .

Besides , this is a good way to teach students to be creative .

They will be inspired to be scientists , inventors and engineers in the future to find clean energy for all humans .

The inventor of the magic corridor tiles is Laurence Kemball-Cook .

The corridor tiles are not Laurence 's only invention .

He has also invented a special dance floor , which can be used at music festivals .

It allows dancers to charge their mobile phones while they are dancing on the dance floor .


Try imagining what the world will be like in the year 3000 .

Some serious thinkers are starting to imagine just that .

Bart : I do n't know that present-day electronic chips are , but some sort of chips -- I 'd guess maybe plastic .

Our three-pound brain is definitely a wonder , perhaps the greatest wonder of natural biology .

In this coming century , we 'll be re-engineering the brain a piece at a time , first with implants and finally engineering an complete replacement .

There 's no question that in the distant future we 'll play the music of the mind on instruments different from the current ones .

Edward : In 3000 perhaps the biggest difference from today is that there will be no more men .

Females can have female children , without any need for men .

In about ten years , we 'll find the cocktail that women can take to have female children .

Heaven 's a place where you can create worlds at will , and the ideal Heaven is where you run the whole thing yourself .

The current means of getting to Heaven involve various supernatural systems for which , at this point , there 's no scientific evidence .

So I think we can reduce Heaven to an engineering project which we 're doing .

The demand for Heaven is great -- witness the desire of every human heart , from the people who built the ancient pyramids to modern society , to live beyond one 's given time .

Our plan is to change human consciousness from the brain to bits of information in a computer chip , or some other kind of computational medium , so that just by thinking we 'll be able to create our own personal world .

And I think the first stage of Heaven will be the feeling world , and beyond that I think we 'd find a higher , more spiritual plane .


Kitesurfing as a water sport began in the 1980s , but did n't get popular until the end of last century .

It is also known as kiteboarding , and in some European countries as flysurfing .

Kitesurfing works through wind power by using a large kite to pull a rider on the water at high speed .

At first , kitesurfing was a difficult and dangerous sport .

Now it is becoming easier and safer because of the safer kite design .

For an able and strong person , kitesurfing can be a very fun , extremely exciting sport , just like skating on the water with a feeling of flying .

Compared with other water sports , kitesurfing is easier to learn .

A beginner can understand how to operate the kite with 5 -- 10 hours of training .

And anybody aged from 13 to 65 can learn .

It is not expensive to get the equipment for kitesurfing , which costs $ 1,000 to 82,500 .

Training lessons range from $ 200 to $ 500 for two or three hours .

With the development of its equipment progress , kitesurfing is becoming even safer .

After some training , you can enjoy its excitement and challenging feeling .

With the rising popularity of kitesurfing , most major seaside cities have kitesurfing clubs .

In China , Xiamen is the only place that has the kitesurfing club , which provides professional kitesurfing training and equipments .


Hundreds of students from around the world gathered in New York City last week for the Microsoft Imagine Cup finals .

They came to present their ideas for using technology to solve world problems .

Microsoft education director Suzi Levine says the nine-year-old program began mainly as a competition to create technology .

SUZI LEVINE : `` When we realized that students really actually want to have a purpose for what they 're creating , we introduced the idea of inspiring them with the UN Millennium Development Goals and suggesting that they use those for their muse .

`` This past year we also rolled out something called the Imagine Cup Solve This library , where IGOs , NGOs and nonprofits can submit some of the technical challenges that they would like students to consider for their solutions . ''

Microsoft says over 350,000 high school and college students registered for this year 's competition .

Judges chose more than four hundred of them to attend the finals .

SUZI LEVINE : `` One from Thailand was called NewKrean , where they created a Windows Phone 7 application that allows you to broadcast your location to your social network of friends so that you can be more easily rescued . ''

Suzi Levine says there were also ideas from Egypt inspired by the revolution that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in February .

SUZI LEVINE : `` One was to use Bluetooth as sort of a Twitter equivalent so that if the government shuts down the Internet , you actually can still have a massive social distribution . ''

For example , in software design the top prize of twenty-five thousand dollars went to Team Hermes from Ireland .

The students developed a device for cars to collect information on road conditions , driving behavior and traffic incidents .

A team from Taiwan 's National Tsing Hua University won first place in the embedded development category .

They developed a network of wireless devices to help plot the safest escape routes during a fire .

Next year 's awards ceremony will take place in Australia .

Registration for Imagine Cup twenty-twelve opened Friday .

Also , Microsoft announced plans for a three million dollar program to help Imagine Cup winners further develop their projects .


When 15-year-old Louisa Ball takes a nap , she sleeps for days on end , and no amount of shaking can fully wake her up .

The British girl has a rare condition called Sleeping Beauty Sickness .

Doctors do n't know what causes it or how to cure it -- only know that it strikes teenagers and goes away by itself after eight to 12 years .

Louisa 's mum , Lottie , told NBC News that the girl had flulike symptoms just over a year ago .

Shortly afterward , she had her first period of long sleeping .

She was eventually diagnosed with Kleine-Levin Syndrome , whose victims worldwide may number no more than 1,000 .

The victims live normally for weeks or months at a time , with normal sleep patterns and normal energy levels .

Then , with little warning , they 'll go to sleep for days or weeks at a time .

So far , Louisa 's longest period in bed has been 13 days .

Victims will wake briefly , but be disoriented and not fully awake .

Louisa 's parents force her awake so she can use the bathroom and eat .

Now , Louisa 's friends can tell when a period is coming on .

She stops talking and she may be annoyed easily .

That 's when she knows she has to get home to her bed .

Louisa has slept through family vacations , the dance recitals she loves to perform in , and school tests .

Now it becomes increasingly difficult to catch up on missed schoolwork .

But just as doctors do n't know the cause , they also do n't know why it ends as mysteriously as it began .

The illness is unrelated to narcolepsy , whose victims are constantly tired and drop off for brief periods of sleep at any time .

It 's so dramatic that some people have accused Louisa of making the false symptoms to get attention .

Her father , Richard , thinks that 's absurd .


Roosegaarde , an artist and designer from Dutch has thought of a device .

He hopes it will make Beijing 's sky clear again and help the people with masks breathe fresh air again in Beijing .

An electromagnetic field will pull the dirty particles in the air to the ground , and then they can be easily cleaned .

Roosegaarde says , `` It 's like when you have a balloon which has static electricity and your hair goes toward it .

Smog happens the same way as the hair . ''

His workplace has reached an agreement with the Beijing government to test the technology in one of the capital 's parks .

Beijing 's skies are regularly covered by grey smog .

Serious cases of air pollution are often reported in Beijing .

Roosegaarde says an indoor test has already shown it works well and he is confident of the results .

With the help of a team of scientists and engineers , he is sure that the device can be worked outside .

`` Beijing is a very good place to test the device because the smog in Beijing is quite low and there 's not so much wind . ''

`` We 'll be able to make the air pure but the most difficult thing is to remove the smog .

As a result , you can see the sun again . ''

Roosegaarde also reminds us that his aim is not only to give a plan to solve Beijing 's dirty air pollution but also to make people pay attention to the environment problem .

He adds , `` This is not the real answer for smog .

The real answer to do with it is clean cars , different industry and different lifestyles . ''

However , he hopes the project will make the citizens realize the differences between clean air and smog-filled air .


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A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam .

He called his parents from San Francisco .

`` Mom and Dad , I 'm coming home , but I have a friend I 'd like to bring with me . ''

`` Sure , '' they replied , `` we 'd love to meet him . ''

`` There is something you should know , '' the son continued , `` he was hurt badly in the fighting .

He has nowhere else to go , and I want him to live with us . ''

Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live . ''

`` No , Mom and Dad , I want him to live with us . ''

`` Son , '' said the father , `` you do n't know what you 're asking .

Someone like the young man would be a terrible burden for us .

We have our own lives to live , and we ca n't let something like this stay with our lives .

I think you should just come home and forget about this guy .

He 'll find a way to live on his own . ''

At that point , the son hung up the phone .

A few days later , however , they received a call from the San Francisco police .

Their son had died after falling down from a building .

To their surprise , they found their son had only one arm and one leg .

The parents in this story are like many of us .

We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun , but we do n't like people who make us feel uncomfortable .

We would rather stay away from people who are n't as healthy , beautiful , or smart as we are .


I used to be a doctor in the children 's department of a hospital .

Sometimes I treated children who had been poisoned by medicine for older family members .

The children did n't know the medicine was dangerous ; they just knew it tasted sweet .

Children easily open the bottle that we now use in China .

Some days ago I talked about medicines with an American .

The design was quite simple and I 'm sure our Chinese factories could produce these bottles .

The top of the bottle licks but can be opened by pressing down on it while turning .

This is difficult for most young children to do , though grown-ups can open these bottles very easily .

I 'm certain that the expense of making such tops would be very small .

As a doctor , I 'd love to see this done .


Long , long ago there were a lot of donkeys .

They had no time to play or to relax , but they never felt appreciated for the work they did .

They wanted to live a comfortable life .

So the donkeys went to see a wise old man .

The wise old man agreed that they worked too hard , and he wanted to help the donkeys .

`` I will paint you and no one will know you are donkeys , '' said the man .

The man went off to find some paint and he returned in just a matter of minutes .

One pot was filled with white paint , and the other black paint .

The old man first painted them white , and then painted black stripes over the white paint .

When he finished , the donkeys did not look at all like donkeys .

`` You no longer look like donkeys , '' the old man said .

I will call you something else , zebras . ''

The zebras went to a field to eat grass .

They asked the zebras where they came from .

When the ' zebras told the donkeys their secret , the donkeys all rushed to see the old man .

`` Make us into zebras , too , '' they pleaded .

So the wise old man painted more donkeys .

As he did , more and more donkeys came .

The old man could not paint fast enough .

They began to kick about , and they knocked over the paint pots .

The painted donkeys ran off to become zebras .

The unpainted don- keys , because of their impatience , had to return to work .

This is , why it is important to be patient .


In Egyptian myth , Apophis was the ancient spirit of evil and destruction , a demon that was determined to throw the world into darkness forever .

A fitting name , astronomers reasoned , for a threat now rushing towards Earth from outer space .

Scientists are monitoring the progress of a 390-metere wide asteroid discovered last year , which is potentially on a collision course with the planet .

NASA has estimated that Apophis has an outside chance of hitting the Earth in 2036 .

If it did hit us , thousands of square kilometers would be directly affected by the explosion but the whole of the Earth would see the effects of the dust sent into the atmosphere .

At a recent meeting of experts in Near-Earth objects ( NEOs ) in London , scientists said it could take decades to design , test and build the required technology to deflect the asteroid .

The Apophis asteroid is placed at four out of ten on the Torino scale -- a measure of the threat caused by an NEO where 10 is a certain collision which could cause a global disaster .

This is the most possible danger of any asteroid in recorded history and it has a 1 in 37 chance of hitting the Earth .

Alan Fitzsimmons , an astronomer from Queen 's University Belfast , said , `` When it does pass close to us on April 13 , 2029 , the Earth will deflect it and change its orbit .

There is a small possibility that if it passes through a particular point in space , the so-called keyhole , the Earth 's gravity will change things so that when it comes back around again in 2036 , it will collide with us . ''

The chance of Apophis passing through the keyhole , a 600-meter patch of space , is 1 in 5,500 , based on current information .

There is no shortage of ideas on how to deflect asteroids .

The Advanced Concepts Team at the European Space Agency has led the effort in designing a range of satellites and rockets to nudge asteroids that are on a collision course for Earth into a different orbit .


When people talk about air pollution , they usually think of smog , acid rain , and other forms of outdoor air pollution .

But did you know that air pollution also is inside homes , offices , hotels and other buildings ?

The air in your home can be 2 to 100 times more polluted than the air outdoors !

In fact , some American doctors say that 50 % of illnesses have something to do with polluted indoor air .

Indoor air pollution is bad for our health in many ways .

Young children and the old often suffer more from air pollution .

People with health problems may also suffer more when the air is polluted .

Indoor air pollution can be bad for people 's eyes , nose and throat .

Air pollution , both indoor and outdoor , can also lead to cancer , heart disease , and even bad for the brain !

In the great London fog in 1952 , 4,000 people died in a few days because of air pollution !

It is said that half a million young kids and women die each year in India because of indoor air pollution !

There 're many ways to reduce indoor air pollution .

Here are some of them and see if they can help you :

Increase outdoor air coming indoors and open your windows for 15 to 30 minutes each day .

Turn off all the lights and fans when you do n't need them .

Share your room with others when the air conditioner is running .

Do n't smoke and try to stop your family members from smoking .

People who smoke are going to have trouble breathing and even die someday .

Environment-friendly products , such as water-based paints pollute less and work well .


Outside the Bible , these six words are the most famous in all the literature of the world .

They were spoken by Hamlet when he was thinking aloud , and they are the most famous words in Shakespeare because Hamlet was speaking not only for himself but also for every thinking man and woman .

To be or not to be , to live or not to live , to live richly and abundantly , or to live dully and meanly .

A philosopher once wanted to know whether he was alive or not , which is a good question for everyone to put to himself occasionally .

He answered it by saying : `` I think , therefore I am . ''

But the best definition of existence I ever saw was one written by another philosopher who said : `` To be is to be in relations . ''

If this is true , then the more relations a living thing has , the more it is alive .

To live abundantly means simply to increase the range and intensity of our relations .

Unfortunately we are so constituted that we get to love our routine .

But other than our regular occupation , how much are we alive ?

If you are interested only in your regular occupation , you are alive only to that extent .

So far as other things are concerned -- - poetry and prose , music , pictures , sports , unselfish friendships , politics , international affairs -- -you are dead .

On the contrary , it is true that every time you acquire a new interest -- - even more , a new accomplishment -- - you increase your power of life .

No one who is deeply interested in different kinds of subjects can remain unhappy .

The real `` pessimist '' is the person who has lost interest .

Bacon said that a man dies as often as he loses a friend .

But we gain new life by contacts with new friends , and new ideas and thoughts , too .

Where your thoughts are , there will be your life too .

If your thoughts are limited only to your business , only to your physical welfare , only to your narrow circle of the town in which you live , then you live a narrow restricted life .

But if you are interested in what is going on in China , then you are living in China .

If you 're interested in the characters of a good novel , then you are living with those highly interesting people .

If you listen intently to fine music , you are away from your immediate surroundings and living in a world of passion and imagination .

To be or not to be -- - to live intensely and richly , or merely to exist , which depends on ourselves .

Let us widen and intensify our relations .


Visit any junior high or high school and you will experience the power of influence .

Clothing , hairstyles , attitudes and even the language are all gained by some amount of influence , whether it is from commercials , fashion , trends , celebrities or music .

Teens and preteen children are influenced by these various factors .

However , a child 's friends are the No .

Before you think your children 's friends could never lead one another astray , think again .

A child may experience an event that has caused overwhelming stress or may have problems at home or school , which causes negative behavior .

Negative influences of a child 's friends can come without warning .

`` Parents who ask their children where they are going , who they are going with and request a meeting with their children 's friends and the friends ' parents have already taken the first step , '' says Mara Berkley , family therapist and professor at Bristol University in Rhode Island .

Lynn Rexroat of Chillicothe , Illinois , uses this method to keep tabs on her children .

`` My oldest son knows that in order for him to go anywhere with a friend , especially one I have n't met before , I have to speak with that friend 's parent to make sure the arrangements are agreeable with us both , '' she says .

`` I do n't interrogate them by asking about their private life .

I just want to know that the parents of the other child know what the boys are planning to do .

I feel that by my wanting to know I am protecting my son . ''

When a parent suspects that their child is hanging out with `` the wrong crowd '' , the last thing on their mind should be discipline .

Instead , Berkley says a parent should be more interested in finding out the reasons behind the behaviors and the child 's choice to keep company with these types of friends .


An English saying goes : `` All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy . ''

That means we should relax after a day 's hard work or we 'll be unhealthy .

Many students know that if they want to get ideal jobs with good salaries , they must do well in high school so they can enter good universities .

Therefore , they spend all day studying without time to relax .

However , not all students can go to top universities even if they work very hard .

Students are pressurized by parents and teachers who are just concerned about their studies and exam scores while ignoring their hobbies and individual differences .

As a result , students are forces to work harder and harder .

Furthermore , there is pressure coming from students themselves .

They realize they have a slim chance of getting into a top university as competition is fierce .

So , they put a lot of stress on themselves and stay in a nervous state day after day .

If they keep it up , they 'll suffer illnesses ; both psychological and physical .

This does n't mean that they should give up their ambitions and stop studying hard .

It means `` work while you work , play while you play '' .

If you can do this , you will improve your health greatly .

You 'll feel yourself suddenly fresh , just like recovering from a terrible illness .

You 'll find that your studies are not a burden anymore .


Many people turn to doctors or self-help books , but they ignore a powerful thing that could help them fight illness : their friends .

Researchers are only now starting to pay attention to the importance of friendship in health .

A 10-year Australian study found that old People with a large circle of friends .

A large 2007 study showed an increase of nearly 60 percent in the risk for obesity among people whose friends gained weight .

And last year , Harvard researchers reported that strong social ties could improve brain health as we age .

`` In general , the role of friendship in our lives isn ’ t well realized , '' said Rebecca , a professor at the University of North Carolina .

`` Friendship has a bigger effect on our psychological health than family relationships . ''

While many friendship studies are about the close relationships of women , some research shows that it can do good to men too .

In a six-year study of 736 middle-aged men , having friendships reduces the risk of heart attack .

Only smoking was as important a risk factor as having little social support .

Exactly why friendship has such a big effect is n't entirely clear .

While friends can send a sick person to the hospital or pick up medicine , the advantages go well beyond physical help .

Friendship clearly has a big psychological effect .

`` People with stronger friendships feel like there is someone they can turn to , '' said Karen , a doctor .

`` The message of these studies is that friends make your life better . ''


As Danny put his lunch tray onto the cafeteria table , milk spilled all over his sandwich .

`` This is the worst thing I 've ever done ! ''

he said , `` It 's not that bad , '' said his friend Elena , who was sitting across from him .

It 's only two weeks away and I do n't know what I 'm doing !

`` Do n't be so negative , Danny , '' said Elena as she rolled her eyes .

You have the skills to do just about anything . ''

Danny moved his lunch tray to the side and rested his head on the table .

`` Sit up Danny , '' ordered Elena , `` I have an idea .

Let 's brainstorm a list of things you could do .

We 'll divide the list into categories or groups .

`` I stopped taking lessons in the third grade , '' said Danny .

`` Let 's move on to another category . ''

`` What about performing magic tricks ? ''

asked Elena , as she twisted thin strands of hair around her finger .

`` I do n't know how to play magic tricks ! ''

`` Stop being so ... '' Elena paused , `` That 's it , DRAMATIC ! ''

Mrs. Pace always calls on you to read aloud in class .

Maybe you could even get extra credit from Mrs. Pace .

She rewards students with points for doing extra reading work . ''

`` Elena , '' Danny said , `` You are a great friend ! ''

`` I just want to make sure you are a bright , shiny star when you step out on stage . ''


`` Family '' is of course an elastic word .

But when British people say that their society is based on family life , they are thinking of `` family '' in its narrow , peculiarly European sense of mother , father and children living together alone in their own house as an economic and social unit .

Thus , every British marriage indicates the beginning of a new and independent family -- hence the tremendous importance of marriage in British life .

For both the man and the woman , marriage means leaving one 's parents and starting one 's own life .

The man 's first duty will then be to his wife , and the wife 's to her husband .

He will be entirely responsible for her financial support , and she for the running of the new home .

Their children will be their common responsibility and theirs alone .

Neither the wife 's parents nor the husband 's , nor their brothers or sisters , aunts or uncles , have any right to interfere with them -- they are their own masters .

Readers of novels like Jane Austen 's Pride and Prejudice will know that in former times marriage among wealthy families were arranged by the girl 's parents , that is , it was the parents ' duty to find a suitable husband for their daughter , preferably a rich one , and by skillful encouragement to lead him eventually to ask their permission to marry her .

Until that time , the girl was protected and maintained in the parents ' home , and the financial relief of getting rid of her could be seen in their giving the newly married pair a sum of money called a dowry .

Most girls of today get a job when they leave school and become financially independent before their marriage .

A girl chooses her own husband , and she gets no dowry .


0ur village carpenter , John Hill , came one day and made a dining table for my wife .

He made it just the right size to fill the space between the two window .

When I got home that evening , John was drinking a cup of tea and writing out his bill for his job .

My wife said to me quietly , `` That 's his ninth cup of tea today . ''

But she said in a loud voice , `` It 's a beautiful table , dear , is n't it ? ''

`` I 'll decide about that when I see the bill , '' I said .

John laughed and gave me his bill for the work .

When I was looking at the bill , John said , `` It 's been a fine day , has n't it ?

`` I 'm glad it 's only the 10thof November. ''

`` Me , too , '' said John , `` you wait -- it will be a lot colder by the end of the month . ''

Dining table will be $ 20 more expensive on November 30th , wo n't they , John ? ''

John looked hard at me for half a minute .

Was there a little smile in his two blue eyes ?

`` If it 's not too much trouble , John , '' I said , `` Please add it up again , You can forget the date -- -- -- - ''


My friend Mike was shaking his head in disbelief .

`` That young woman who just waited on me , '' he said , pointing to an employee of the fast food restaurant where we were eating , `` had to call someone over to help her count change .

The cash register showed her I needed 99 cents , but she could n't figure out how to count out the coins . ''

What we have done is to create several generations of individuals most of whom have no idea how to reason ; how to do simple math ; how to do research ; or , finally , how to be creative .

The reason for this is our overuse of information technology : video games , television , digital watches , calculators , and computers .

Information technology feeds us information without requiring us to think about it and let us perform operations without understanding them .

It is time we took a hard look at an educational system that only teaches our children how to push buttons .

Our kids ca n't tell time if the clock has hands .

They can use calculators , but can not add , subtract , divide , or multiply .

Video games have taken the place of active , imaginative play .

Although most of them are technically educated , they choose not to read .

They are so used to television and movies that they can not use their imagination to stay interested in a book .

Therefore , we must do something to help our children .

If we do n't , they will never learn how to solve problems .

They will never learn even basic reasoning skills and will certainly not develop creativity .

Instead of filling classrooms with electronics , let 's concentrate on good old-fashioned literacy -- reading books .

Students must see how things work and how processes lead to results , and they must also stretch their imagination .


Hunters in Mississippi broke a state record for the heaviest alligator ever killed , kicking off the hunting season with two big catches .

Dustin Bockman of Wisconsin and two hunting friends caught the 727-pound 13-foot-long beast on Sunday , beating last year 's record-setter by 26 pounds , according to the state 's Department of Wildlife , Fisheries and Parks .

`` We 're going to cook it for sure . ''

`` There 's plenty for me and everybody else . ''

He and his team of hunters followed the huge creature for 12 hours until they could get close enough to shoot him with a crossbow .

`` He would go to the bottom and sit like a piece of wood .

You could do anything with him , '' Bockman said .

The hunters then had to figure out how to drag the beast 's dead body into their boat .

It look four hours of pulling at which point they rested on a sandbar and called friends for help .

First-time hunter Beth Trammell initially broke the record when she caught a 723-pound 13-foot gator with a team of six hunters , but Bockman stole her thunder hours later .

`` It took about four hours to get it in the boat , '' she said .

`` We had to ask another boat to help us out it was so big . ''

She said that she , too , was going to eat the beast and use it for decoration .

`` I think my brother-in-law is going to get the head mounted . ''

Alligators nearly died out in Mississippi in the 1960s , but a conservation helped the creature recover to the point that hunting is now legal .


France is one of the largest countries in Europe .

It is bordered by six countries -- Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the north-east , Switzerland and Italy across the Alps to the south-east and Spain across the Pyrenees to the south-west .

France has several large international airports , two of which are in the capital , Paris .

Visitors from the UK also can take the Channel Tunnel rail link down to France .

In France , the highway network and French rail service are known to be extremely efficient with the high-speed , and they become the envy of other nations .

France is the world 's most popular tourist destination .

The country has an extremely beautiful scene and an equally comfortable climate to match .

This makes it suitable for a huge range of exciting sporting and other outdoor activities .

For example , France has a huge range of golf courses .

However , France also centers on a large scale for those who prefer a serene life .

Numerous museums and art galleries in France bring you much peacefulness while they make you learn about the country 's rich cultural , educational and political heritage .

The French people -- and particularly the older generations -- tend to be extremely polite and formal , a national character that is often dismissed as arrogance by other nations .

The French are also famous for taking great pride in their personal appearance and in particular , their clothes .

Sociable family meals usually cost several hours in the middle of the day .

French meals usually have three or four courses including cheese before the dessert and are accompanied by wine and freshly baked breads .

However , French food varies greatly from area to area .


On December 8 , Xinhua News Agency published a list of news keywords that it believes sum up the year 2009 .

The phrase `` low-carbon life '' had been heard in China before 2009 , but in 2009 , it has become popular among young Chinese who are concerned about the environment .

It comes as world leaders are talking about fighting global warming in Copenhagen , Denmark .

Greenhouse gases , such as carbon dioxide , are the main cause of global warming , which leads to extreme weather and other conditions .

Living a low carbon life means trying to cut carbon dioxide emissions in one 's daily life .

For example , burning less coal and oil , which produce CO

It means walking , biking or taking buses , rather than using a private car .

`` A ( H1N1 ) flu '' is also on Xinhua 's list .

Since April , 2009 the virus has made over 100,000 people ill on the Chinese mainland and 325 people had died of it as of December 9 .

pointed out recently , the best evidence suggests it is no more dangerous than a bad seasonal flu .

The year 2009 saw the growing impact of the Internet on society , with the word `` duomaomao '' , meaning hide-and-seek , becoming a hit on the web .

On February 12 , Li Qiaoming died of brain injuries several days after being detained by police in Jinning county , Yunnan Province .

Police said it was an accident sustained while he was playing hide-and-seek with his fellow prisoners .

cast doubt on this explanation and called for an investigation .

It turned out that Li had been beaten to death by other prisoners .

Another phrase connected with the Internet on the list is `` Net Addiction Camps '' .

Many parents send children obsessed with the web to `` Net Addiction Camps '' for treatment .

But some camps use physical punishment or electrical shocks .

In 2009 , some young people died as a result of the extreme methods , which led to a nationwide discussion .

In November , the Ministry of Health banned the use of physical punishment to keep children off the net and dropped the term `` net addiction '' .

It did not say that excessive net use is a mental illness either .


At one time , people used to travel to foreign countries because they thought they would be different from home -- the building , the food , the national dress .

Nowadays , however , one large city is very like another .

They all have their Hilton or Sheraton Hotels which look Hilton or Sheraton Hotels everywhere .

They all have their McDonald 's , their KFCs , their Pizza Huts .

Office buildings look the same everywhere , and most city centers are full of office buildings .

And , of course , people are driving the same brands of Japanese or European cars , usually wearing the same kinds of clothing and the world 's airlines are all flying the same aircraft , Boeings or Airbuses .

What , therefore , is the purpose of foreign travel for people who are not on business ?

What do tourists hope to experience in a foreign country that they can not experience at home ?

Why travel to foreign countries at all ?

The answer could be that people are very interested in the past .

It is a nation 's history that is its main attraction .

Most of today 's tourists travel overseas to find out what foreign countries and cultures used to be like , not what they are like today .

The words `` cultural tourism '' are now part of the language of tourism , and it is the museums and works of art in many countries that are their main attractions .

If they are lucky -- and have had sensible , strong governments -- many countries also usually have at least a few beautiful places for tourists to visit .

Finally there is perhaps a nation 's greatest attraction : its people .

A nation is not just its historical buildings , its works of art or beautiful places , it is also the people who live in it .

This is why a country such as Thailand attracts millions of people every year .

They come mainly because of the friendliness of the Thai people .

It is why the Pacific Islands are also so popular .

There may not be much to see or do in Fiji , but there are lots of friendly , smiling people to make visitors feel welcome .


In 1974 , after filling out fifty applications , going through four interviews , and winning one offer , I took what I could get -- -- - a teaching job at what I considered a distant wild area : western New Jersey .

My characteristic optimism was alive only when I reminded myself that I would be doing what I had wanted to do since I was fourteen -- -- -- - teaching English .

School started , but I felt more and more as if I were in a foreign country .

My students took a week off when hunting season began .

I was told they were also frequently absent in late October to help their fathers make hay on the farms .

I was a young woman from New York City , who thought that `` Make hay while the sun shines '' just meant to have a good time .

I worked hard , taking time off only to eat and sleep .

And then there was my sixth-grade class -- -- seventeen boys and five girls who were only six years younger than me .

I was struggling in my work as a young idealistic teacher .

I wanted to make literature come alive and to promote a love of the written word .

The students wanted to throw spitballs and whisper dirty words in the back of the room .

In college I had been taught that a successful educator should ignore bad behavior .

So I did , confident that , as the textbook had said , the bad behavior would disappear as I gave my students positive attention .

It sounds reasonable , but the text evidently ignored the fact that humans , particularly teenagers , rarely seem reasonable .

By the time my boss , who was also my taskmaster , known to be the strictest , most demanding , most quick to fire inexperienced teachers , came into the classroom to observe me , the students exhibited very little good behavior to praise .

The boys in the class were making animal noises , hitting each other while the girls filed their nails or read magazines .

I just pretended it all was n't happening , and went on lecturing and tried to ask some inspiring questions .

My boss , sitting in the back of the classroom , seemed to be growing bigger and bigger .

After twenty minutes he left , silently .

Visions of unemployment marched before my eyes .

I felt mildly victorious that I got through the rest of class without crying , but at my next free period I had to face him .

I wondered if he would let me finish out the day .

I walked to his office , took a deep breath , and opened the door .

He was sitting in his chair , and he looked at me long and hard .

All I could think of was that I was not an English teacher ; I had been lying to myself , pretending that everything was fine .

When he spoke , he said simply , without accusation , `` You had nothing to say to them . ''

Why not get to the meat of literature and stop talking about symbolism .

And more important , why do you ignore their bad behavior '' ?

He named my problems and offered solutions .

He was the bad student , and I was the forceful , yet , warm teacher .

As the year progressed , we spent many hours discussing literature and ideas about human beings and their motivations .

He helped me identify my weaknesses and strengths .

In short , he made a teacher of me by teaching me the reality of Emerson 's words : `` The secret to education lies in respecting the pupil . ''

Fifteen years later I still drive that same winding road to the same school .

Thanks to the help I received that difficult first year , the school is my home now .


Time was running out , and Mark Dickinson was n't sure whether he 'd get to see his dying 2-year-old grandson one last time .

A long line at Los Angeles International Airport 's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time .

His grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver , Colorado , with or without his grandfather 's presence , according to CNN affiliate KABC .

`` I was kind of panicking because I was running late , and I really thought I was n't going to make the flight , '' Dickinson told KABC .

That 's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived .

The pilot was standing by the air bridge waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks , so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal .

I ca n't tell you how much I appreciated that . '

They ca n't leave without me anyway , ' '' Dickinson told KABC .

Authorities say Dickinson 's grandson , Caden Rodgers , suffered a head injury after his mother 's boyfriend threw him across the room .

The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana at the time .

The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder , according to the Aurora Sentinel .

Thanks to the pilot , Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson .

Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight , according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott , who broke the story of the sympathetic pilot on his blog .

However , a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot 's actions were praiseworthy .

`` You ca n't hold a plane for every late customer , but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision , '' Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said .

`` I do n't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers . ''


Ted Schredd and Deanna Kopel cycled around North America to show others a way to help the environment .

`` Nobody wants to breathe dirty air -- but for the air to change .

People have to stop driving cars , '' says Ted , `` If more people start riding bikes , the air will be cleaner . ''

He had $ 160 in his pocket and plans to cycle around North America .

He left his hometown of Vancouver , and when he arrived in San Diego he got the chance to make some extra money for the rest of his 13 , 000 km trip .

A cyclist he met asked him to speak at an environment meeting in Texas .

Within a few hours , Ted was on a plane to the meeting and a big surprise .

When he met Deanna at the meeting , they talked for six hours straight .

The next day , he called her to ask if she wanted to finish the trip with him .

She said yes , sold everything in her flat , gave her notice at work , and was on the road with Ted three weeks later .

Deanna found Ted 's timetable difficult because he got up early in the morning .

Deanna was a nurse and usually worked at night .

`` All of a sudden , I was up at six when I wanted to sleep until noon , '' said Deanna .

As the couple cycled to Florida and up to Montreal and then back to Vancouver , every day was an adventure .

They got free meals in restaurants , and slept in people 's yards .

When they ran out of money , people gave them extra cash .

Sometimes people gave away $ 50 or $ 100 .

And like all good stories this one has a happy ending .

On the way back to Vancouver , they stopped in Edmonton to visit Ted 's relatives .

People tied ten cans and a `` Just Married '' sign to the back of their bikes .

They now want to write a book about their trip .

`` We want people to know that you can protect our earth and still have fun , '' Schredd said .