Accessories
When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to Grandma's generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be Sunday-best.
But in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware ( 粗陶) -and-stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it
spells economic hard times. Air jordan men shoes
Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000jobs -- one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4,000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) region. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.
Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs in Stoke have their roots in earthshaking social shifts. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company "has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend" toward casual dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or they eat in front of television;
Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone casual. In a time of long work hours and demanding family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it's better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a "real" dinner party. Too often, the perfect moment never comes. Iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? Forget it. Polish the silver? Who has time?
Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette ( 礼节 ) that children might once have learned at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents ("Chew with your mouth closed." "Keep your elbows off the table.") must be picked up elsewhere. Some companies now offer etiquette seminars for employees who may be competent professionally but clueless socially.
2011年7月13日星期三
houses are designed to be smart
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Some houses are designed to be smart. Others have smart designs. An example of the second type of house won an Award of Excellence from the American Institute of Architects.
Located on the shore of Sullivan's Island off the coast of South Carolina, the award-winning cube-shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by Hurricane ( 飓风 ) Hugo 10 years ago. In September 1989, Hugo struck South Carolina, killing 18 people and damaging or destroying 36,000 homes in the state.
Before Hugo, many new houses built along South Carolina's shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement of building codes wasn't strict, according to architect Ray Huff, who created the cleverly-designed beach house. In Hugo's wake, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced codes. The new beach house on Sullivan's Island should be able to withstand a Category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per hour. Accessories
At first sight, the house on Sullivan's Island looks anything but hurricane-proof. Its redwood shell makes it resemble "a large party lantern ( 灯笼 )" at night, according to one observer. But looks can be deceiving. The house's wooden frame is reinforced with long steel rods to give it extra strength.
To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings -- long, slender columns of wood anchored deep in the sand. Pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also elevate the house above storm surges. The pilings allow the surges to run under the house instead of running into it. "These swells of water come ashore at tremendous speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings," said Huff.
Huff designed the timber pilings to be partially concealed by the house's ground-to-roof shell. "The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn't look like it's standing with its pant legs pulled up," said Huff. In the event of a storm surge, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect explained.
Wavy Midnight NavyPhoto Basketball Shoes
Some houses are designed to be smart. Others have smart designs. An example of the second type of house won an Award of Excellence from the American Institute of Architects.
Located on the shore of Sullivan's Island off the coast of South Carolina, the award-winning cube-shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by Hurricane ( 飓风 ) Hugo 10 years ago. In September 1989, Hugo struck South Carolina, killing 18 people and damaging or destroying 36,000 homes in the state.
Before Hugo, many new houses built along South Carolina's shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement of building codes wasn't strict, according to architect Ray Huff, who created the cleverly-designed beach house. In Hugo's wake, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced codes. The new beach house on Sullivan's Island should be able to withstand a Category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per hour. Accessories
At first sight, the house on Sullivan's Island looks anything but hurricane-proof. Its redwood shell makes it resemble "a large party lantern ( 灯笼 )" at night, according to one observer. But looks can be deceiving. The house's wooden frame is reinforced with long steel rods to give it extra strength.
To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings -- long, slender columns of wood anchored deep in the sand. Pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also elevate the house above storm surges. The pilings allow the surges to run under the house instead of running into it. "These swells of water come ashore at tremendous speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings," said Huff.
Huff designed the timber pilings to be partially concealed by the house's ground-to-roof shell. "The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn't look like it's standing with its pant legs pulled up," said Huff. In the event of a storm surge, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect explained.
2011年7月12日星期二
blue whale
It is hard to track the blue whale the ocean’s largest creature which has almost been killed off by commercial whaling and is now listed as an endangered species. Attaching radio devices to it is difficultPatek Philippe
and visual sightings are too unreliable to give real insight into its behavior.
So biologists were delighted early this year when with the help of the Navy they were able to track a particular blue whale for 43 days monitoring its sounds. This was possible because of the Navy’s formerly top-secret system of underwater listening devices spanning the oceans. Puma women shoes
Tracking whales is but one example of an exciting new world just opening to civilian scientists after the cold war as the Navy starts to share and partly uncover its global network of underwater listening system built over the decades to track the ships of potential enemies.
Earth scientists announced at a news conference recently that they had used the system for closely monitoring a deep-sea volcanic eruption (爆发) for the first time and that they plan similar studies. Other scientists have proposed to use the network for tracking ocean currents and measuring changes in ocean and global temperatures. The speed of sound in water is roughly one mile a second-slower than through land but faster than through air. What is most important different layers of ocean water can act as channels for sounds focusing them in the same way a stethoscope (听诊器) does when it carries faint noises from a patient’s chest to a doctor’s ear. This focusing is the main reason that even relatively weak sounds in the ocean especially low-frequency ones can often travel thousands of miles.
and visual sightings are too unreliable to give real insight into its behavior.
So biologists were delighted early this year when with the help of the Navy they were able to track a particular blue whale for 43 days monitoring its sounds. This was possible because of the Navy’s formerly top-secret system of underwater listening devices spanning the oceans. Puma women shoes
Tracking whales is but one example of an exciting new world just opening to civilian scientists after the cold war as the Navy starts to share and partly uncover its global network of underwater listening system built over the decades to track the ships of potential enemies.
Earth scientists announced at a news conference recently that they had used the system for closely monitoring a deep-sea volcanic eruption (爆发) for the first time and that they plan similar studies. Other scientists have proposed to use the network for tracking ocean currents and measuring changes in ocean and global temperatures. The speed of sound in water is roughly one mile a second-slower than through land but faster than through air. What is most important different layers of ocean water can act as channels for sounds focusing them in the same way a stethoscope (听诊器) does when it carries faint noises from a patient’s chest to a doctor’s ear. This focusing is the main reason that even relatively weak sounds in the ocean especially low-frequency ones can often travel thousands of miles.
aerobic exercise
Patek Philippe
The fitness movement that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s centered around aerobic exercise (有氧操). Millions of individuals became engaged in a variety of aerobic activities and literally thousands of health spas developed around the country to capitalize (获利) on this emerging interest in fitness particularly aerobic dancing for females. A number of fitness spas existed prior to this aerobic fitness movement even a national chain with spas in most major cities. However their focus was not on aerobics but rather on weight-training programs designed to develop muscular massAir jordan men shoes
strength and endurance in their primarily male enthusiasts. These fitness spas did not seem to benefit financially from the aerobic fitness movement to better health since medical opinion suggested that weight-training programs offered few if any health benefits. In recent years however weight training has again become increasingly popular for males and for females. Many current programs focus not only on developing muscular strength and endurance but on aerobic fitness as well.
Historically most physical-fitness tests have usually included measures of muscular strength and endurance not for health-related reasons but primarily because such fitness components have been related to performance in athletics. However in recent years evidence has shown that training programs designed primarily to improve muscular strength and endurance might also offer some health benefits as well. The American College of Sports Medicine now recommends that weight training be part of a total fitness program for healthy Americans. Increased participation in such training is one of the specific physical activity and fitness objectives of Healthy People 2000 National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives.
The fitness movement that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s centered around aerobic exercise (有氧操). Millions of individuals became engaged in a variety of aerobic activities and literally thousands of health spas developed around the country to capitalize (获利) on this emerging interest in fitness particularly aerobic dancing for females. A number of fitness spas existed prior to this aerobic fitness movement even a national chain with spas in most major cities. However their focus was not on aerobics but rather on weight-training programs designed to develop muscular massAir jordan men shoes
strength and endurance in their primarily male enthusiasts. These fitness spas did not seem to benefit financially from the aerobic fitness movement to better health since medical opinion suggested that weight-training programs offered few if any health benefits. In recent years however weight training has again become increasingly popular for males and for females. Many current programs focus not only on developing muscular strength and endurance but on aerobic fitness as well.
Historically most physical-fitness tests have usually included measures of muscular strength and endurance not for health-related reasons but primarily because such fitness components have been related to performance in athletics. However in recent years evidence has shown that training programs designed primarily to improve muscular strength and endurance might also offer some health benefits as well. The American College of Sports Medicine now recommends that weight training be part of a total fitness program for healthy Americans. Increased participation in such training is one of the specific physical activity and fitness objectives of Healthy People 2000 National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives.
2011年7月11日星期一
tailor bird
Did you know that there’s a kind of bird that can sew﹖ This called the tailor bird uses
its mouth as a needle. It sews leaves together in the shape of a cup then it adds a layer
of straw to the inside of the cup and lays its eggs there. Each bird species builds its own
special kind of nest. The most common materials used for nests are grasses branches and
feathers. A bird must weave these materials into a nest. Just imagine building a house
without cement or nails to hold togetherDust Women Coat
Another bird is called the weaver bird. The weaver bird builds a nest that looks like a
basket the nest shaped like a pear with a hole in the middle. The hole is the door of the
nest. A third bird is called the oven bird. The oven bird makes a nest that is very solid.
The nest is made of mud. The oven bird forms the mud into the shape of an oven and then let
it dry in the sun. The sun bakes the mud making it very hard. Not all birds make their homes
in branches. Some birds build their nests on the ground while others bury their eggs under
the ground. And some birds do not build nests at all. So when you look for nests and eggs in
branches of the trees and bushes remember that some nests may be right your feet. Audemars Piguet
its mouth as a needle. It sews leaves together in the shape of a cup then it adds a layer
of straw to the inside of the cup and lays its eggs there. Each bird species builds its own
special kind of nest. The most common materials used for nests are grasses branches and
feathers. A bird must weave these materials into a nest. Just imagine building a house
without cement or nails to hold togetherDust Women Coat
Another bird is called the weaver bird. The weaver bird builds a nest that looks like a
basket the nest shaped like a pear with a hole in the middle. The hole is the door of the
nest. A third bird is called the oven bird. The oven bird makes a nest that is very solid.
The nest is made of mud. The oven bird forms the mud into the shape of an oven and then let
it dry in the sun. The sun bakes the mud making it very hard. Not all birds make their homes
in branches. Some birds build their nests on the ground while others bury their eggs under
the ground. And some birds do not build nests at all. So when you look for nests and eggs in
branches of the trees and bushes remember that some nests may be right your feet. Audemars Piguet
tree rings
You can tell the age of a tree by counting its ringsA. Lange & Sohne
but these records of trees’ life
really say a lot more. Scientists are using tree rings to learn what’s being happening on
the sun’s surface for the last ten thousand years. Each ring represents a year of growth.
As the tree grows it adds a layer to its trunk taking up chemical elements from the air.
By looking up the elements in the rings for a given year scientists can tell what elements
were in the air that year. Doctors Stevenson is analysing one element——carbon-14 in ring
from both living and dead trees. Some of the rings go back almost ten thousand years to the
end of the Ice Age. When Stevenson followed the carbon-14 trail back in time he found
carbon-4 levels change with the intensity of solar burning. You see the sun has cycles.
Sometimes it burns fiercely and other times it’s relatively calm. During the sun’s violent
periods it throws off charged particles in fast moving strings called solar winds. The
particles interfere with the formation of carbon-14 on earth. When there’s more solar wind
activity less carbon-14 is produced. Ten thousand years of tree rings show that the
carbon-14 level rises and falls about every 420 years. The scientists concluded that the
solar wind activity must follow the same cycleDust Women Coat
.
but these records of trees’ life
really say a lot more. Scientists are using tree rings to learn what’s being happening on
the sun’s surface for the last ten thousand years. Each ring represents a year of growth.
As the tree grows it adds a layer to its trunk taking up chemical elements from the air.
By looking up the elements in the rings for a given year scientists can tell what elements
were in the air that year. Doctors Stevenson is analysing one element——carbon-14 in ring
from both living and dead trees. Some of the rings go back almost ten thousand years to the
end of the Ice Age. When Stevenson followed the carbon-14 trail back in time he found
carbon-4 levels change with the intensity of solar burning. You see the sun has cycles.
Sometimes it burns fiercely and other times it’s relatively calm. During the sun’s violent
periods it throws off charged particles in fast moving strings called solar winds. The
particles interfere with the formation of carbon-14 on earth. When there’s more solar wind
activity less carbon-14 is produced. Ten thousand years of tree rings show that the
carbon-14 level rises and falls about every 420 years. The scientists concluded that the
solar wind activity must follow the same cycleDust Women Coat
.
2011年7月10日星期日
show business
Henry Ford, the famous U.S. inventor and car manufacturer, once said, "The business of America is business." By this he meant that the U.S. way of life is based on the values of the business world.
Few would argue with Ford's statement. A brief glimpse at a daily newspaper vividly shows how much people in the United States think about business. For example, nearly every newspaper has a business section, in which the deals and projects, finances and management, stock prices and labor problems of corporations are reported daily. In addition, business news can appear in every other section. Most national news has an important financial aspect to it. Welfare, foreign aid, the federal budget, and the policies of the Federal Reserve Bank are all heavily affected by business. Moreover, business news appears in some of the unlikeliest places. ThTag Heuer
e world of arts and entertainment is often referred to as "the entertainment industry" or "show business."
The positive side of Henry Ford's statement can be seen in the prosperity that business has brought to U.S. life. One of the most important reasons so many people from all over the world come to live in the United States is the dream of a better job. Jobs are produced in abundance (大量地) because the U.S. economic system is driven by competition. People believe that this system crates more wealth, more jobs, and a materially better way of life.
The negative side of Henry Ford's statement, however, can be seen when the word business is taken to mean big business. And the term big business -- referring to the biggest companies, is seen in opposition to labor. Throughout U.S. history working people have had to fight hard for higher wages, better working conditions, and the fight to form unions. Today, many of the old labor disputes are over, but there is still some employee anxiety. Downsizing ---- the laying off of thousands of workers to keep expenses low and profits high -- creates feelings of insecurity for many.
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Few would argue with Ford's statement. A brief glimpse at a daily newspaper vividly shows how much people in the United States think about business. For example, nearly every newspaper has a business section, in which the deals and projects, finances and management, stock prices and labor problems of corporations are reported daily. In addition, business news can appear in every other section. Most national news has an important financial aspect to it. Welfare, foreign aid, the federal budget, and the policies of the Federal Reserve Bank are all heavily affected by business. Moreover, business news appears in some of the unlikeliest places. ThTag Heuer
e world of arts and entertainment is often referred to as "the entertainment industry" or "show business."
The positive side of Henry Ford's statement can be seen in the prosperity that business has brought to U.S. life. One of the most important reasons so many people from all over the world come to live in the United States is the dream of a better job. Jobs are produced in abundance (大量地) because the U.S. economic system is driven by competition. People believe that this system crates more wealth, more jobs, and a materially better way of life.
The negative side of Henry Ford's statement, however, can be seen when the word business is taken to mean big business. And the term big business -- referring to the biggest companies, is seen in opposition to labor. Throughout U.S. history working people have had to fight hard for higher wages, better working conditions, and the fight to form unions. Today, many of the old labor disputes are over, but there is still some employee anxiety. Downsizing ---- the laying off of thousands of workers to keep expenses low and profits high -- creates feelings of insecurity for many.
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