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UNUSUAL FACTS AND INTERESTING FACTS sponsored interesting links

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Facts about Limousines

You might be surprised to find out that you may need a special license in order to operate a limousine or that manufacturers have to pay a "gas guzzler tax" --"intended to discourage the production and purchase of fuel-inefficient cars." The facts and figures below can help sort out gas mileage, safety and costs associated with owning or renting a limo.

Licensing
There isn't a standardized licensing requirement for chauffeurs from one state to another. Some states require chauffeurs pass a specific test to become licensed, while others simply require the applicant to fill out a form. Many states don't require anything more than a standard license, though some might require that the chauffeur apply for a commercial license if the limousine is going to carry large numbers of passengers at one time.

Safety
Limousines have to meet the same safety standards as other vehicles. In theory, every conversion shop has to put every vehicle variation through a battery of tests, including crash tests, to ensure the safety of the driver and passengers. The government periodically inspects vehicles and requests proof from limousine companies that their vehicles have been tested.

Gas Mileage
In general, limousines get lousy gas mileage, though it varies from vehicle to vehicle (and even a Lincoln stretch limo from one company might get vastly different mileage from a different company's stretch Lincoln). Limousine companies have to pay a "gas guzzler tax" on each vehicle [source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]. Essentially, this is compensation to the government for all the pollution the limousine will create over its life of service.

Cost
In a similar vein, the cost of limousines range from bargain buys to extravagant purchases. A custom-built Arnage limousine might be more than $300,000, while a used stretch Lincoln might go for less than $30,000. Conversions can range almost as much depending upon the base vehicle, the length you want to stretch it, and the amenities you choose to include.

Services and Dealers
There are hundreds of limousine services in the United States that rent limos and provide drivers to the general public. There are also hundreds of private operators who either hire themselves out to anyone or become a personal driver for a wealthy person. Before you rent a limo -- or purchase one for yourself -- it pays to do some research on the limousine company. Make sure the company tests its vehicles and, if possible, find out what the certification process is for its drivers. Reputation in the limousine industry is very important, so try to pick a company with a good one. That way, when you're riding in the back with several of your friends, all you'll have to worry about is what everyone wants to drink.

Lastly, if you live in Arizona, I might just have a very good news for you. Have you heard about miragelimo.com? Well if not, it's like this. Mirage Limo has been Arizona’s Premier limousine service for over 23 years, featuring the ultimate in luxurious chauffeured Arizona limousines, executive vans, minibuses and corporate sedans for the greater Phoenix area and all of Arizona. Mirage Limousine is fully equipped with late model stretch Hummer limousines, Chrysler 300 Hemi limousines, Escalade limousines, Navigator limousines, Excursion limousines, Cadillac limousines, Lincoln limousines, Excalibur limousines, and Mercedes Benz limousines. Their vehicle features include super sound systems, LCD TV’s, DVD players, crystal bars, fiber optics, neon lights, moon roofs and much more. Their luxurious limousines will serve all of your transportation needs. Whether you need a Phoenix Party Bus, an Executive Van in Scottsdale, a Mini-Bus in Tempe, or a corporate sedan for a business meeting, we will serve all of your transportation needs anywhere in Arizona. They provide Phoenix Limousine Service, Mesa, Scottsdale, and the greater Phoenix area with limousines and airport transportation. We serve the transportation needs of Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe, Glendale, Chandler, and the entire state of Arizona.

For more details you can visit them at www.miragelimo.com

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Probably the best central heating you can get



Having problems and concerns regarding central heating? I sit bothering you? Well if that's so, then you should start considering Northern gas from now on. The company offers excellent service and that too at amazing prices. For all your central heating needs the company offers installation and services at very affordable prices making it a multi-purpose package that is the very best in the industry.

The prompt service and energy efficient systems make sure that you have a great time without having to worry about the bills or breakdowns of any kind. The company has designed the highly efficient combi boilers or combination boiler for you that provide you a major saving on space (being a compact unit) and can be installed easily. A solution that starts to work for you almost immediately, a hassle free answer to all your heating needs is what the company has to offer. The company also offers the facility of boiler servicing so that your existing boiler would continue to serve you longer without adding to your worries or bills.

At Northern Gas, as well as installing and maintaining high quality heating systems, they also offer a range of complementary services for their customers to access their complete package of products and support.

Interesting unusual and fun facts about billiard

Here are a some facts about billiard that I have put together for you:

-Billiards or Pool evolved from a lawn game similar to croquet played sometime during the 15th century in Northern Europe (probably in France)

-There are 15 colored balls in billiards, 7 “solid”, 7 “striped” and the black 8-ball

-Billiards was the first sport to have a world championship (1873)

-In 1765 A.D., the first billiard room was built in England. Played there was One-Pocket, which was a table with one pocket and four balls

-Throughout most of the 1800’s, the chalk used on the new leather cue tips was carbonate of lime, better known as blackboard chalk

-In the course of play, one day a visiting military cadet remarked that first-year cadets at this particular academy were known as “snookers”. When the cadet missed a particularly east pot, a remark was made “Why, you’re a regular snooker”!

-The word “cue” is derived from the French queue, meaning tail. Before the cue stick was designed, billiards was played with a mace. The mace consisted of a curved wooden (or metal) head used to push the ball forward, attached to a narrow handle

-Pro player and trick shot specialist Paul Gerni is nicknamed the “Ambassador” and speaks six languages

-The term “scratch”, as applied to a pocketing of the cue ball, was derived from the penalty assessed for such a foul. In pool’s early days, the score was often kept on a chalkboard. When a player pocketed the cue ball, his opponent “scratched” a point off the shooter’s score

-At times, including during the Civil War, billiard results received wider coverage than war news. Players were so renowned that cigarette cards were issued featuring them

-What were cue balls originally made out of? Ivory · Is the proper way to "jump" the cue-ball to hit under it with your cue, causing it to pop into the air? NO! Popping the ball up in the air by hitting underneath it with your cue is actually considered a foul by most common rule sets. The proper way to "jump" the cue ball is to hit down on it with the butt-end of your cue "jacked up" (raised) in the air


Okay, had enough? Well if you love to play snooker and other forms of billiard games, I have some really interesting information to tell you. You can now enjoy playing billiards online! BilliardMagic.com billiard software is a multi language game that allows everyone from everywhere to enjoy a broad range of billiard games, including 8 ball, 9 ball and snooker while meeting new people from all over the world, Play online snooker and participate in billiard tournaments - Snooker Game Online features full 3-D environment and perfect online game play, have fun playing online billiard, online snooker & online pool.

Visit them yourself at billiardmagic.com and feel free to explore their great site!

Friday, January 25, 2008

USA online casino : no restrictions!

Alternatively, let’s take a look at the game of slots for a moment. Did you know that in certain states of America it is still illegal to use slot machines? That’s right; various states throughout the United States do not permit any form of gambling in the state. Therefore, the only way an individual can even possess a slot machine without getting in trouble for possessing it is that the machine meets certain criteria established by the law of the state. What are the criteria? The machine must be considered an antique: it must be at least 25 years old and used for display purposes only. Finally, anyone found in states that do not permit ownership of gaming devices runs the risk of getting fined and the equipment is immediately confiscated.

There are various online casinos available but few are the one which you will love to join.There is an online casino called usaplayerswelcome.com that accepts USA players from all American states with No Restrictions. USA casinos are largely concentrated in Nevada and New Jersey, but online casinos are equally available to all, and this is one of the many innovations that the Internet has provided for the consumers. If you are looking for USA online casinos, simply visit the good folks at USAPlayersWelcome.com

Their site is very comprehensive and easy to use casinos guide in which a lot of these casinos offer large bonuses, and free no deposit bonuses. For more details, feel free to check their site at http://www.usaplayerswelcome.com

The best central heating for worst cold seasons

It’s really a must to have Gas central heating in every home that experience the winter season. Comfort is really very important more than anything else.

What comes into your mind when talking about who is the best when it comes to Central heating installation? Well, if you ask me I would probably answer northerngasheating.com. They have this slim boiler which does not get in the way, in fact it was designed to add aesthetic appeal to your homes. I remember a show I watched on TV, and her heater was really an eyesore. It was the problem of the homeowner because even if how much she conceals it, the more it’s obvious. But with the slim boilers, it can even free up some free space.

Are you having problems with your existing boilers? Are you having it checked regularly? In case it's broke, are you able to fix it by yourself? If not then it’s best that you go for a Boiler service. Don’t take things for granted, and think that safety should always come first.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

No more FOOLish credit cards

Having difficulty with your credit cards? What credit card is best suited for your lifestyle or work? Why not try comparing a wide range of credit cards. Well if you do, I think you should also start considering sites like fool.co.uk.

Oh by the way, what is with the name? Don't worry, their name comes from Shakespeare's As You Like It. In Shakespeare's day, Fools were the happy fellows paid to entertain the king and queen with self-effacing humour that instructed as it amused. In fact, Fools were only members of their societies who could tell the truth to the king or queen without losing their heads. So nevermind that foolish name :) All the comparisons are real and based on standards.They have taken care of all the fields which a person can think when comparing various cards.

They do not only provide a comparison tool but also they have the ability to allow you to apply for a credit card directly from their website. You get to compare between low interest credit card here at the Fool. One can also find some information about the interest free credit cards which are available. Even if you have not yet tried out any of the credit cards because of the risk involved then you should go through the Credit Card guide to get some resources and start using credit cards.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Interesting, weird, and unusual physical theories

10 Interesting and Weird Physical Theories

There are a lot of interesting theories in physics. Matter exists as a state of energy, while waves of probability spread throughout the universe. Existence itself may exist as only the vibrations on microscopic, trans-dimensional strings. Here are some of the most interesting theories, to my mind, in modern physics (in no particular order, despite the enumeration).

1.Wave Particle Duality
Matter and light have properties of both waves and particles simultaneously. The results of quantum mechanics make it clear that waves exhibit particle-like properties and particles exhibit wave-like properties, depending on the specific experiment. Quantum physics is therefore able to make descriptions of matter and energy based on wave equations that relate to the probability of a particle existing in a certain spot at a certain time.

2.Einstein's Theory of Relativity
Einstein's theory of relativity is based upon the principle that the laws of physics are the same for all observers, regardless of where they are located or how fast they are moving or accelerating. This seemingly common sense principle predicts localized effects in the form of special relativity and defines gravitation as a geometric phenomenon in the form of general relativity.

3.Quantum Probability & the Measurement Problem
Quantum physics is defined mathematically by the Schroedinger equation, which depicts the probability of a particle being found at a certain point. This probability is fundamental to the system, not merely a result of ignorance. Once a measurement is made, however, you have a definite result. The measurement problem is that the theory doesn't completely explain how the act of measurement actually causes this change. Attempts to solve the problem have lead to some intriguing theories.

4.Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
The physicist Werner Heisenberg developed the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which says that when measuring the physical state of a quantum system there's a fundamental limit to the amount of precision that can be achieved. For example, the more precisely you measure the momentum of a particle the less precise your measurement of its position. Again, in Heisenberg's interpretation this wasn't just a measurement error or technological limitation, but an actual physical limit.

5.Quantum Entanglement & Nonlocality
In quantum theory, certain physical systems can become "entangled," meaning that their states are directly related to the state of another object somewhere else. When one object is measured, and the Schroedinger wavefunction collapses into a single state, the other object collapses into its corresponding state ... no matter how far away the objects are (i.e. nonlocality). Einstein, who called these influences "spooky action at a distance," illuminated this concept with his EPR Paradox.

6.Unified Field Theory
Unified field theory is a type of theory that goes about trying to reconcile quantum physics with Einstein's theory of general relativity. The following are examples of specific theories that fall under the heading of unified field theory: Quantum Gravity String Theory / Superstring Theory / M-Theory Grand Unified Theory Loop Quantum Gravity Theory of Everything Supersymmetry

7.The Big Bang
When Albert Einstein developed the Theory of General Relativity, it predicted a possible expansion of the universe. Georges Lemaitre thought that this indicated the universe began in a single point. The name "Big Bang" was given by Fred Hoyle while mocking the theory during a radio broadcast. In 1929, Edwin Hubble discovered a redshift in distant galaxies, indicating that they were receding from Earth. Cosmic background microwave radiation, discovered in 1965, supported Lemaitre's theory.

8.Dark Matter & Dark Energy
Across astronomical distances, the only significant fundamental force of physics is gravity. Astronomers find that their calculations & observations don't quite match up, though. An undetected form of matter, called dark matter, was theorized to fix this. Recent evidence supports dark matter. Other work indicates that there might exist a dark energy, as well. Current estimates are that the universe is 70% dark energy, 25% dark matter, and only 5% of the universe is visible matter or energy!

9.Quantum Consciousness
In attempts to solve the measurement problem in quantum physics (see above), physicists frequently run into the problem of consciousness. Though most physicists try to sidestep the issue, it seems that there is a link between the conscious choice of experiment and the outcome of the experiment. Some physicists, most notably Roger Penrose, believe that current physics cannot explain consciousness, and that consciousness itself has a link to the strange quantum realm.

10.Anthropic Principle
Recent evidence shows that were the universe just slightly different, it wouldn't exist long enough for any life to develop. The odds of a universe that we can exist in are very small, based on chance. The controversial Anthropic Principle states that the universe can only exist such that carbon-based life can arise. The Anthropic Principle, while intriguing, is more a philosophical theory than a physical one. Still, the Anthropic Principle poses an intriguing intellectual puzzle.


Popular Physics Myths By Andrew Zimmerman Jones, About.com

Many legends have arisen over the years in regards to physics and physicists, some of which are quite false. This list collects some of these myths and misconceptions, and provides further information to try to clarify the truths behind them.

Quantum Physics Means the World is Completely Random.There are several aspects of quantum physics which easily lends it to misinterpretation. The first is Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, which very specifically relates to the proportional relationship of quantities - such as position measurement and momentum measurement - within a quantum system. Another is the fact that quantum physics field equations yield a range of "probabilities" of what the outcome is. Together, the two have led some postmodern thinkers to believe that reality itself is completely random. In fact, though, the probabilities go away when you combine them and expand the mathematics into our own macroscopic world. While the tiny world may be random, the sum of all that randomness is an orderly universe.


The Theory of Relativity Proves "Everything is Relative"

In the postmodern world, many believe that Einstein's Theory of Relativity says that "everything is relative" and it has been taken (along with some elements of quantum theory) to mean that there is no objective truth. In some sense this couldn't be further from the truth. While it does talk about how space and time change depending upon the relative motion of two observers, Einstein viewed his own theory as talking in very absolute terms - time and space are completely real quantities, and his equations give you the necessary tools to determine the values of those quantities no matter how you are moving.

Einstein Failed Mathematics.Even while he was still alive, Albert Einstein was confronted by rumours, both informal and published in the newspaper, that he had failed in mathematics courses as a child. This was patently not true, as Einstein had done fairly well in mathematics throughout his education and had considered becoming a mathematician instead of a physicist, but chose physics because he felt it led to deeper truths about reality. The basis for this rumour seemed to be that there was one mathematics exam required for admission into his university physics program which he'd not scored high enough on and had to retest ... so he had, in a sense, "failed" that one mathematics test, which covered graduate level mathematics.

Newton's Apple.There is a classic story that Sir Isaac Newton came up with his law of gravity when an apple fell on his head. What is true is that he was on his mother's farm and watched an apple fall from a tree onto the ground when he began to wonder what forces were at work to cause the apple to fall in that way. He eventually realized that they were the same forces which kept the moon in orbit around the Earth, which was his brilliant insight. But, so far as we know, he was never hit in the head with an apple.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics Disproves Evolution.The concept of entropy had been used, especially in recent years, to help support the idea that evolution is impossible. The "proof" goes:

1. In natural processes, a system will always lose order or stay the same (second law of thermodynamics).

2. Evolution is a natural process where life gains order & complexity.

3. Evolution violates the second law of thermodynamics.

4. Therefore, evolution must be false.

The problem in this argument comes in step 3. Evolution does not violate the second law, because the Earth is not a closed system. We gain radiated heat energy from the sun. When drawing energy from outside the system, it is in fact possible to increase the order of a system.


The Ice Diet

The Ice Diet is a proposed diet in which people say that eating ice causes your body to spend energy to heat the ice. While this is true, the diet fails to take into account the amount of ice required. Generally, when this is considered feasible, it does so by mistakenly calculating gram calories in place of the kilogram Calories which are what is talked about in reference to nutritional Calories.

Noise Travels in Space

Perhaps not a myth in the proper sense, because no one who thinks about physics for even a minute believes this happens, but still it's something which shows up in popular culture all the time. In the book Don't Try This at Home!: The Physics of Hollywood Movies by physics teacher Adam Weiner, this is listed as the biggest, most common physics error in movies.

Sound waves require a medium through which to travel. This means they can travel through air, water, or even solid objects, such as a window (though it gets muffled), but in space it is essentially a complete vacuum. There are not enough particles to transmit sound. So, no matter how impressive the space-ship explosion, it will be completely silent ... despite Star Wars.

Interesting unusual and strange facts about CHINA

interesting facts about CHINA pix

Interesting unusual and strange facts about CHINA:

* Total Land Area of China is 9,596,960 Sq. Kms. It is the fourth largest Country in the World. Shanghai and Beijing are two of the largest and most populous cities in the world.

* At least 14 countries and 4 seas border China . Since the country is so large, climate is extremely varied – it is sub arctic in the North and Tropical in the South.

* The population of China according to a July 2006 estimate is 1,313,973,713. It is officially the most populated country in the world. The Chinese Government has adopted a “one child” policy in an effort to curb the high numbers. Unfortunately this also makes China one of the fastest aging countries.

* Paper , Compass , Explosive Powder and Printing qualify as the “ Four Great Inventions of China ”. They are also credited with having invented the wheel and the first calender.

* Ice cream was invented in China in 2000 BC, by packing a milk and rice mixture in the snow. Marco Polo took the recipe of Ice Cream and Noodles back with him to Europe.

* Century Eggs , also known as One Hundred Year or One Thousand Year old Eggs are a delicacy in China . Usually these eggs are processed with special ingredients and buried underground for some days or weeks.

* China has 3240 Television Broadcast Stations and 259 FM channels.

* In Hong Kong , cars are driven to the left side of the road, following the British way, but the rest of China drives on the right side.

* People have been drinking tea in China for over 1800 years. Chinese White Tea is basically boiled water.

* Chi Le Mei You – “Have you eaten?” is the most traditional Chinese greeting .

* The Martial Art Kung Fu was invented by the Shaolin Monks who used it to protect themselves from robbers in lonely mountain roads.

* China has an obligatory Military service of 2 years for all men between 18 and 22. Women of the same age group are also recruited for specific military jobs.

* The Han Chinese is the largest majority group in China. Mandarin Chinese is the o fficial language . However in total, 55 official minorities and 206 listed languages are mentioned.

* The Jen Min Jih Pao or People's Daily is the largest official publication .

* The Tienanmen Square is the world's largest public gathering place and the Three Gorges Dam is the biggest dam.

* China is the world's largest economy.

* The exact population of China is unknown. Many of its people are "undocumented" by their own government. Its official population ranges from 1.3 billion to 2 billion people.

* 24% of the world speaks Chinese (there are over 200 different Chinese languages and regional dialects). The official state language is Pu-tong-hwa (Mandarin).

* According to economists, China will become the world's wealthiest nation by the year 2012.

* The Great Wall of China is NOT visible from outer space. Its too thin. Its just a myth that it can be seen. The only man-made structures visible from space are: The Pyramids of Giza and the Hoover Dam.

* Tea, popularized by the Chinese was first bagged and shipped around the world in 1903.

* China manufactures 60% of the world's bicycles (the United States buys 86% of the world's bicycles).

* Gunpowder was first discovered in China where it was used to create fireworks, signal flares and small missiles used for military purposes.

* In September 2005 China surpassed Canada as the #1 exporter of goods to the United States.

* As of January 2006 30% of China's exports are now electronics.

* China is one of the few countries where fossils of homo gigantus have been found. Homo gigantus is more commonly called "Big Foot".

* During the period of 1990 to 2005 Chinese export to the United States increased 1600 per cent. Thats 16 times more exports in only 16 years.

* Tsingtao Beer, brewed since 1903, makes up more than 50% of China's beer exports.

* Chinese President Hu Jintao's first visit to the United States was part of a world tour. He also visited Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Nigeria.

* Chinese President Hu Jintao loves Starbucks coffee (and so does Bill Gates).

* Whenever George W. Bush mentions China, he likes to mention their appalling human rights record in an attempt to make his own government look better by comparison.

* Chinese believers in Falun Gong are routinely executed and have their organs sold on the black market. The Chinese government also uses Falun Gong prisoners to conduct medical experiments. Some countries now ban organ exports from China due to their illegal practices.

* The United States has a $202 billion annual trade deficit with China. That is basically $202,000,000,000 of American wealth that is shipped over to China every year (and each year the trade deficit grows).

* The United States has $7 trillion national debt, much of which has been loaned to the USA from wealthy Chinese banks.

* Paper was first invented in China in 105 AD. It was a closely guarded secret and didn't reach Eurupe until the 8th century.

* Paper was invented by the eunuch Ts'ai Lun. According to the official history of the Han dynasty (3rd century A.D.), Ts'ai Lun was given an aristocratic title after he presented Emperor Ho Ti with samples of paper. In 751 A.D., Chinese papermakers were captured by the Arabs at Samarkand, and by 794 A.D. several state-owned paper mills operated in Baghdad. The Arabs were manufacturing paper in Spain around 1150. It was not until 1590 that the first English paper mill was founded, at Dartford.

* China exported $9 million US worth of garlic and ginseng to South Korea in 1999.

* China exported $593.4 billion US in 2004. They exported only $474.7 billion in 2003.

* In 2001 China exported $365 million worth of machinery/electronics to Canada.

* In 2004 the Chinese government spent $700-million to build a new oil pipeline to Afghanistan. It is now waiting for the Unites States to attack Iran and finish building the rest of the pipeline which will bring oil from Iraq all the way across Iran and Afghanistan to the new oil pipeline.

* China exported #134 million US in textiles (hats, clothes, umbrella, ect) to Canada.

* In 550 AD, two Chinese monks smuggled silkworms out of China and started the western world's silk boom.

* Shi Huang-Ti was the first emperor of China and founder of the Qin dynasty. Had he been a European ruler, he would likely be considered great today. The Chinese, on the other hand, have given him a black reputation for his ruthlessness, his massive conscription of labour, his wars, his harsh laws, and his burning of books in 213 B.C. [ China | Royalty ]

* Chinese Emperor Shi Huang-Ti built a network of 270 palaces, linked by tunnels, and was ao afraid of assassination that he slept in a different palace each night.

* The Ch'in Dynasty (221-207 B.C.) buried alive many scholars in its programme to suppress learning and Confucianism.

*A terracotta army of six thousand men and horses was buried with Shi Huang-Ti, China's first emperor, at Xianyang.
* Fingerprinting was used in China as early as 700 A.D.

* Liu Ch'ing, who became the governor of China's Shansi province in 955 A.D., was born with two pupils in each eye.

* In 213 B.C., the Chinese emperor Shi Huang-ti ordered the burning of all of China's books, except for a select few on subjects such as agriculture and medicine. He ordered the burning because people used several of those writings to criticise the emperor, and also because Shi Huang-Ti styled himself as the "First Emperor". Vast numbers of valuable works were lost and it was only through the efforts of a few brave teachers and scholars that any of the earlier literature of China survived. It was nearly 150 years before it was safe to bring the surviving books from their hiding place. [ China | Royalty ]

* The purpose of the Great Wall of China, the monumental fortification separating China from Mongolia, was not especially to keep out the Huns from the north. The Huns could easily find places along the stretch that they could scale with ladders. But they couldn't get their horses across. Without their horses, they weren't very effective warriors.

* The Chinese physician Hua T'o, born sometime between 140 and 150 A.D., was the first doctor known to perform surgery under general anaesthetic. The potion used to render his patients unconscious was a mixture of hemp and strong wine called ma fei san. Prior to the communist revolution, a national holiday commemorated his birth. [ China | Medicine ]

* The brightest astronomical event in historic times was the supernova of 1054, which produced the Crab Nebula. The supernova was far brighter than Venus. It was bright enough to be visible in daylight and to cast a shadow at night. We know of it through the astronomical records of China, Japan, and the Middle East.

* The Sui, who ruled China briefly around 600 A.D., devoted much of their reign to constructing the Grand Canal, a waterway 100 feet wide, lined with roads and trees, and stretching for 1,000 miles. The canal was completed in less than 25 years, at a terrible cost in human life. Almost 5.5 million people were involved in the construction, and it has been estimated that 2.5 million died due to the harshness of the working conditions. The canal, extending from Peking to Hangchow, is as navigable today as when it was built almost 1,400 years ago.

* In Kublai Khan's China, anyone who had crops struck by lightning was excused taxes for three years. This was not selfless charity, as the Chinese believed that lightning was a sign of God's disapproval. So, if the Khan had accepted money from someone who had incurred God's wrath, he could have brought ill fortune upon himself.

* Cheng Ho, court eunuch and great admiral of the Ming Dynasty, led Chinese fleets on seven voyages of conquest and diplomacy, between 1405 and 1433. As a result of Cheng Ho's voyages, which ranged as far as West Africa, 36 countries sent tribute to China. However, in 1433, the eunuchs' opponents gained the upper hand in a power struggle in the Chinese court, and the fleets stopped, shipyards were dismantled, and outbound shipping was forbidden. Had these voyages continued, it is possible that the Chinese would have "discovered" America before Columbus.

* The first Ming Emperor, Hung Wu, was so afraid of the malign influence of a former ruler's vital force, a force he believed resided in Peiping, the former Yuan Dynasty capital, that he ordered the city leveled, in 1368. But first he had his officials catalogue the beauty and grandeur of the Yuan Great Interior, the imperial palace.

* The Ming Emperor Hung Wu (1368-98) has been called the harshest and most unreasonable tyrant in all of Chinese history. He had so many people executed that, midway through his reign, government officials got into the custom of saying their last goodbyes to their families if they were required at a morning audience and of exchanging congratulations with fellow officials if they survived until evening.

* In one ten-day period late in his reign (1368-98), the first Ming Emperor, Hung Wu, had to approve 1,660 documents dealing with 3,391 separate matters.

* Among the important devices in naval technology developed by the Chinese are: the stern-post rudder, which appears on a pottery model of a boat dating from the first century A.D.; watertight compartments; and the paddle wheel, descriptions of which date from the fifth century A.D.

* It is not true that the early Chinese used gunpowder only for fireworks. They had forms of guns (invented in 1288), bombs, grenades, rockets, land mines, and other arms.

* How to manufacture porcelain, or "china", was a mystery known only to the Chinese until around 1700. Although imitation porcelain was made earlier in Italy, it was Johann Friedrich Böttger, of Saxony, who made true porcelain (the Dresden china) for the first time in the Western world.

* When a Chinese bystander ashore was killed accidentally by a cannon salvo of greeting from an England ship, during the early days (1830's) of the China-Western trade, the England were forced to turn over to China the hapless gunner, who was promptly strangled. (Strangling was thought by the Chinese to be a less severe punishment than other forms of execution, because the body would not be permanently disfigured.)

* In 1985 the Chinese press announced the discovery of a strip of land 1,000 metres by 15 metres, running down from a hill to a river, in Huanre County, Liaoning province. In winter when the surrounding temperature dips to -30° Celsius, the strip remains at 17° Celsius. In summer the reverse occurs, and the strip freezes to a depth of 1 metre. The locals use the strip for growing vegetables in winter and as a refrigerator in summer.


ABOUT CHINA:

China, officially the People’s Republic of China (Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo), country in East Asia, the world’s largest country by population and one of the largest by area, measuring about the same size as the United States. The Chinese call their country Zhongguo, which means “Central Country” or “Middle Kingdom.” The name China was given to it by foreigners and is probably based on a corruption of Qin (pronounced “chin”), a Chinese dynasty that ruled during the 3rd century bc.

China proper centers on the agricultural regions drained by three major rivers—the Huang He (Yellow River) in the north, the Yangtze (Chang Jiang) in central China, and the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) in the south. The country’s varied terrain includes vast deserts, towering mountains, high plateaus, and broad plains. Beijing, located in the north, is China’s capital and its cultural, economic, and communications center. Shanghai, located near the Yangtze, is the most populous urban center, the largest industrial and commercial city, and mainland China’s leading port.

One-fifth of the world’s population—1.3 billion people—live in China. More than 90 percent of these are ethnic Han Chinese, but China also recognizes 55 national minorities, including Tibetans, Mongols, Uighurs, Zhuang, Miao, Yi, and many smaller groups. Even among the ethnic Han, there are regional linguistic differences. Although a common language called Putonghua is taught in schools and used by the mass media, local spoken languages are often mutually incomprehensible. However, the logographic writing system, which uses characters that represent syllables or words rather than pronunciation, makes it possible for all Chinese dialects to be written in the same way; this greatly aids communication across China.

In ancient times, China was East Asia’s dominant civilization. Other societies—notably the Japanese, Koreans, Tibetans, and Vietnamese—were strongly influenced by China, adopting features of Chinese art, food, material culture, philosophy, government, technology, and written language. For many centuries, especially from the 7th through the 14th century ad, China had the world’s most advanced civilization. Inventions such as paper, printing, gunpowder, porcelain, silk, and the compass originated in China and then spread to other parts of the world.

China’s political strength became threatened when European empires expanded into East Asia. Macao, a small territory on China’s southeastern coast, came under Portuguese control in the mid-16th century, and Hong Kong, nearby, became a British dependency in the 1840s. In the 19th century, internal revolts and foreign encroachment weakened China’s last dynasty, the Qing, which was finally overthrown by Chinese Nationalists in 1911. Over the course of several decades, the country was torn apart by warlords, Japanese invasion, and a civil war between the Communists and the Nationalist regime of the Kuomintang, which established the Republic of China in 1928.

In 1949 the Chinese Communist Party won the civil war and established the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland. The Kuomintang fled to the island province of Taiwan, where it reestablished the Nationalist government. The Nationalist government controlled only Taiwan and a few outlying islands but initially retained wide international recognition as the rightful government of all of China. Today, most countries recognize the PRC on the mainland as the official government of China. However, Taiwan and mainland China remain separated by different administrations and economies. Therefore, Taiwan is treated separately in Encarta Encyclopedia. In general, statistics in this article apply only to the area under the control of the PRC.

After coming to power in 1949, the Communist government began placing agriculture and industry under state control. Beginning in the late 1970s, however, the government implemented economic reforms that reversed some of the earlier policies and encouraged foreign investment. As a result of the reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, the Chinese economy grew almost 10 percent a year from 1980 to 2005, making it one of the largest economies in the world in the early 21st century.

In 1997 Hong Kong was transferred from Britain to China under an agreement that gave the region considerable autonomy. Portugal recognized Macao as Chinese territory in the late 1970s and negotiated the transfer of Macao’s administration from Portugal to China in 1999. Macao, too, was guaranteed a special degree of autonomy.

China, officially the People’s Republic of China (Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo), country in East Asia, the world’s largest country by population and one of the largest by area, measuring about the same size as the United States. The Chinese call their country Zhongguo, which means “Central Country” or “Middle Kingdom.” The name China was given to it by foreigners and is probably based on a corruption of Qin (pronounced “chin”), a Chinese dynasty that ruled during the 3rd century bc.

China proper centers on the agricultural regions drained by three major rivers—the Huang He (Yellow River) in the north, the Yangtze (Chang Jiang) in central China, and the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) in the south. The country’s varied terrain includes vast deserts, towering mountains, high plateaus, and broad plains. Beijing, located in the north, is China’s capital and its cultural, economic, and communications center. Shanghai, located near the Yangtze, is the most populous urban center, the largest industrial and commercial city, and mainland China’s leading port.

One-fifth of the world’s population—1.3 billion people—live in China. More than 90 percent of these are ethnic Han Chinese, but China also recognizes 55 national minorities, including Tibetans, Mongols, Uighurs, Zhuang, Miao, Yi, and many smaller groups. Even among the ethnic Han, there are regional linguistic differences. Although a common language called Putonghua is taught in schools and used by the mass media, local spoken languages are often mutually incomprehensible. However, the logographic writing system, which uses characters that represent syllables or words rather than pronunciation, makes it possible for all Chinese dialects to be written in the same way; this greatly aids communication across China.

In ancient times, China was East Asia’s dominant civilization. Other societies—notably the Japanese, Koreans, Tibetans, and Vietnamese—were strongly influenced by China, adopting features of Chinese art, food, material culture, philosophy, government, technology, and written language. For many centuries, especially from the 7th through the 14th century ad, China had the world’s most advanced civilization. Inventions such as paper, printing, gunpowder, porcelain, silk, and the compass originated in China and then spread to other parts of the world.

China’s political strength became threatened when European empires expanded into East Asia. Macao, a small territory on China’s southeastern coast, came under Portuguese control in the mid-16th century, and Hong Kong, nearby, became a British dependency in the 1840s. In the 19th century, internal revolts and foreign encroachment weakened China’s last dynasty, the Qing, which was finally overthrown by Chinese Nationalists in 1911. Over the course of several decades, the country was torn apart by warlords, Japanese invasion, and a civil war between the Communists and the Nationalist regime of the Kuomintang, which established the Republic of China in 1928.

In 1949 the Chinese Communist Party won the civil war and established the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland. The Kuomintang fled to the island province of Taiwan, where it reestablished the Nationalist government. The Nationalist government controlled only Taiwan and a few outlying islands but initially retained wide international recognition as the rightful government of all of China. Today, most countries recognize the PRC on the mainland as the official government of China. However, Taiwan and mainland China remain separated by different administrations and economies. Therefore, Taiwan is treated separately in Encarta Encyclopedia. In general, statistics in this article apply only to the area under the control of the PRC.

After coming to power in 1949, the Communist government began placing agriculture and industry under state control. Beginning in the late 1970s, however, the government implemented economic reforms that reversed some of the earlier policies and encouraged foreign investment. As a result of the reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, the Chinese economy grew almost 10 percent a year from 1980 to 2005, making it one of the largest economies in the world in the early 21st century.

In 1997 Hong Kong was transferred from Britain to China under an agreement that gave the region considerable autonomy. Portugal recognized Macao as Chinese territory in the late 1970s and negotiated the transfer of Macao’s administration from Portugal to China in 1999. Macao, too, was guaranteed a special degree of autonomy.


Land and Resources

The total area of China is 9,571,300 sq km (3,695,500 sq mi) including inland waters. The country stretches across East Asia in a broad arc that has a maximum east-west extent of about 5,000 km (about 3,000 mi). From the country’s northernmost point to the southern tip of Hainan Island, the north-south extent is about 4,000 km (about 2,500 mi). China borders the East China Sea and North Korea on the east; Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan on the north; Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan on the west; and India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, and the South China Sea on the south.

China’s vast territory encompasses a great diversity of landscapes. Generally speaking, the land forms three giant steps that descend from high mountains, plateaus, and great basins in the west to a central band of lower mountains, hills, and plateaus, then to lowlands, plains, and foothills near the eastern coast. Deserts and steppes lie across the northwest and north central parts of China.

Natural Regions

According to a Chinese geographic classification scheme, the country may be divided into seven large natural regions: Northeast China, North China, Subtropical East Central China, Tropical South China, Inner Mongolian Grassland, Northwest China, and the Tibetan Plateau (Qing Zang Gaoyuan).

China in the 21st Century

Jiang retired as general secretary of the CCP in November 2002, launching a generational shift in the leadership of China. All but one of the members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo, the CCP’s inner policymaking circle, retired along with Jiang. The remaining incumbent member, Hu Jintao, was chosen to succeed Jiang as the party’s general secretary. Hu also succeeded Jiang as president of China in March 2003. However, Jiang retained his post as head of the Central Military Commission, which controls the military, and was expected to exert considerable behind-the-scenes influence in the governance of China.

The new leadership immediately faced a public health crisis, working to contain the spread of a pneumonia-like illness that had emerged in the southern province of Guangdong in late 2002. By February 2003 new cases of the illness were reported in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and Canada, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue a global alert. Scientists identified the illness as a new contagious disease of unknown cause, naming it severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). By the time WHO declared the SARS outbreak contained in July 2003, more than 8,000 cases had been reported in 32 countries, and the disease had caused 800 deaths. China’s initial failure to report the outbreak of a contagious disease attracted much international criticism, and even the Chinese news media exposed official efforts to conceal the outbreak.

Meanwhile, China pursued an ambitious space program, which had been the focus of accelerated development since late 2001. Signaling to the world its technological advancement, China launched a piloted spacecraft into Earth orbit in October 2003, becoming only the third nation to accomplish this feat. Astronaut Yang Liwei orbited the Earth 14 times over a 21-hour period in the spacecraft Shenzhou 5 (Divine Vessel 5) before returning to Earth on October 16. The successful launch and orbit demonstrated China’s commitment to its space program, which also included plans for other space missions, including an unpiloted spaceflight to the Moon.

In March 2004 the legislature of China approved a constitutional amendment that provided the first legal protection of private property since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. In March 2005 the legislature passed a law authorizing the use of military force against Taiwan if its government moved toward a formal declaration of independence. The anti-secession law heightened cross-strait tensions. In late April 2005 the leader of the KMT (or Nationalist Party), Lien Chan, arrived from Taiwan to meet with CCP officials, marking the first visit by a KMT leader since the party withdrew to Taiwan at the end of China’s civil war in 1949.

In January 2006 China reported that its economy grew 9.9 percent in 2005, marking the third consecutive year of nearly 10 percent growth. This made China’s economy the world’s fourth largest, after the United States, Japan, and Germany.

Reference: Encarta


INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CHINA on INTERESTING and UNUSUAL FACTS ABOUT EVERYTHING

No more relocation problems

Having problem regarding relocation? Well I might just have a good news for you. Have you heard about National relocation dot com? Well they are just so great.

National relocation is a web site made solely for relocation services. It has a nice User Interface and is well optimized for major search engines. It provides people with great help in selecting decent houses for rent, in case you want to move out for short time. If you want to move permanently, they'll help you find homes for sale in cities where you planned to move. They have a wide range of real estate services including Virginia real estate, Washington real estate, and Seattle real estate. They also has a list of local agents, which are updated periodically.

Might as well visit them yourself at www.nationalrelocation.com and avail their great services.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Perfectcashadvance saved George

Meet George, a 23 year old farmer living in far far away town. George was planning to buy an engagement ring for his fiance Brenda. One day, when George was on his way to buy the ring, while driving his truck, feeling so excited and anxious, (bssshhhhhhggkk!) George hit a parked car! Good thing the damage was not that severe. Poor little George, the money that was supposed to buy the ring was used to pay for the damage.

What will George do now? Does this mean no more surprise for Brenda?

whooow whooow.. No worries! Great thing George knew about perfectcashadvance.com! There you can have Payday loans that are short-term, small, unsecured consumer loans. NO credit checks are required. Now George can apply for payday cash advance and payday loans through the Internet and/or in thousands of Cash Advance stores nationwide, with loans ranging from $300-$1500. The good thing in an Internet loan is that the process can be done securely and anonymously like George, from ones home and the loan process is often completed faster. If George's application is approved, the loan amount is then sent overnight via wire into George's checking or savings account.

The day after the incident, George got the ring and gave it to Brenda. After a month, they got married... Thanks to perfectcashadvance.com.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Free online casino guide

If you are having a hard time finding online casinos that is really fitted to your taste, well I think I might help you with that. There is this site www.casinoguide.ws that will surely be your guide in a wide range of casinos. They have a very easy navigation system that will take you to a specific genre of casino you want and in every online casino you can already picture out hows it going to be in that actual casino through its relevant reviews. Try it and your hard times are over.

Full Tilt poker at Flopturnriver

One of the top traffic-volume poker rooms and boasting a team of over 40 world-class poker pros - including Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, Allen Cunningham, Gus Hansen, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and Erik Seidel - anybody who plays poker knows Full Tilt. And rightly so - there's great action to be found at any game and limit and it features the highest-stakes action available online where you can frequently find, chat and play against the pros themselves. It's also open to U.S. players and Mac compatible

Full Tilt Poker is also one of few sites offering No Deposit Bonus Poker, and mixed games such as H.O.R.S.E., H.A. and H.O.S.E. in both cash games and tournaments, making the game variation some of the most extensive and impressive online.

Overall FullTilt Poker is a great place to play, and watch, online poker. Although the avatars that are available give a more humorous feel to proceedings the action is anything but, you’ll find games on all games types and at most levels. Full Tilt Poker offer one of the best sign-up bonuses, $600 at 100% deposit match.

Full Tilt Poker referral code

Thursday, January 10, 2008

One good way to make your bedroom interesting

A very good place to hang out which will not cross the perimeters of your house is your bedroom. Decorating a bedroom can be a tough task. Designers usually advise to make one piece of furniture the focal point of a room, and in the bedroom it can be hard to make anything but the bed become the focal point. However, there are countless ways to make your bed become more interesting, and you can also make an effort to center the room on a piece of furniture other than the bed.

One very good way to transform your bedroom from boring to beautiful is through adding Contemporary Bedroom Furniture. And I know the perfect place where you can find it. Room Service Group is founded on the principle that well-designed, well-made furniture should be stylish, functional and affordable. For years, they've been able to offer their customers both unparalleled service and valuable products because they directly source a good portion of their goods, thereby cutting out layers of middlemen and the associated costs. They also keep their operating overheads to a minimum, and share the resulting savings with their customers. At Room Service Group they stand behind their products and want to make sure their customer experience has been exceptionally positive by offering a unique combination of stylish products, special customer programs and flexible policies.

With Room Service Group, furnishing your residence has never been easier: just make your selections, enjoy huge savings, then kick back and let them do the rest!

Debt consolidation at nodebttoday

Many people find themselves in tricky debt situation when they have taken on too much responsibility and do not have the means to pay every bill. This can cause much damage to a person's financial health by driving up interest rates in the future and causing a rapd decline in your credit score. Being in debt can be very scary and leave many confused and unsure what steps to take next. No Debt Today wants to help. Being able to clear up the confusion and taking the stress away is what we do best. Most creditors are only interested in getting you to pay back the money, no matter what the personal cost to you or the ones you love. Having our debt professionals help figure out what makes the most financial sense for your unique situation is the best way to ensure that you get out of debt without giving up 100% of your paycheck week after week.

Conquering debt can be a challenge and without the right formula it can come back to haunt you. By choosing to consolidate much of your debt can help you on your journey to becoming debt free. No Debt today wants to offer you a chance for a free consultation today. Getting your consultation now will save you waiting and possible getting deeper into debt then you may be able to handle. Visit www.nodebttoday.com for more information about debt consolidation.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Unusual weird strange and interesting facts on gambling


As with any recreational gaming, there is always a good deal of trivia associated with such games. So it is with gambling. Gambling has a rich and intriguing history, so much so that trivia lovers will surely adore the wealth of trivia facts pertaining to gambling. Let’s take a look as some gambling trivia facts below.

Did you know all of the Kings in a standard deck of player cards actually represent real people? That’s right; the Kings are more than Kings in a deck of cards. Due to the fact that a standard deck of cards was created in France during the 15th century, the designer of the cards used historical figures to represent the Kings the deck that they designed. For example, Charlemagne is depicted as the King of Hearts, while Julius Caesar is represented by the King of Diamonds. Likewise, Alexander the Great is represented by the King of Clubs, while King David of the Bible is represented by the King of Spades.


On a similar note, the designer of the first deck of playing cards also decided to represent specific cultures with a deck of cards. Thus, the various suits of the cards represent different cultures that had major influences on the world before and during the 15th century. Therefore, the suits of spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts represent the Middle East, Greece, the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire respectively.

Alternatively, let’s take a look at the game of slots for a moment. Did you know that in certain states of America it is still illegal to use slot machines? That’s right; various states throughout the United States do not permit any form of gambling in the state. Therefore, the only way an individual can even possess a slot machine without getting in trouble for possessing it is that the machine meets certain criteria established by the law of the state. What are the criteria? The machine must be considered an antique: it must be at least 25 years old and used for display purposes only. Finally, anyone found in states that do not permit ownership of gaming devices runs the risk of getting fined and the equipment is immediately confiscated.

Finally, did you know that the act of gambling may actually predate documented history? In fact, examples of gambling appear in all civilizations as long as people have been able to write things down. Whether it existed prior to the act of writing however, is anyone’s guess.

By the way in case you might want to know, bet365 are one of the world’s leading online gambling groups with over 1.5 million customers in 140 different countries. The Group employs over 700 people and is the UK’s 32nd largest private company. At bet365 they provide a range of online betting services through their online casino, Sportsbook betting facility, interactive games section and a dedicated online poker playing area. Visit them and get to know more about them.

Interesting unusual weird and strange facts about Uranus


I have heard enough of Mars. Is there life on Mars, Can we live in Mars, Why is Mars red, Are there alliens in Mars etc etc blah blah blah... Why not try a different one. How about Uranus? Well let us see...

Some interesting facts about Uranus:
  • Uranus is the 3rd largest planet in terms of diameter but only 4th largest in terms of mass
  • Uranus is named after the Greek god of the sky
  • Uranus wasn't officially discovered until March 13, 1781
  • Uranus is composed of 85% hydrogen and 15% helium, with trace amounts of methane
  • Uranus is tilted at a unique 98-degree angle
  • Uranus has 27 known moons, the largest of which is Titania
  • Uranus is also surrounded by 13 faint rings
  • Percent of Methane in the atmosphere of Uranus: 1.99%
  • Uranus was named after Ouranos, one of the first gods in Greek mythology
  • Uranus’ moons have names from Shakespearean plays
  • Uranus’ rings might have formed from broken moons
  • Since Uranus lies nearly on its side, its North Pole gets 42 years of daylight while the South Pole gets 42 years of darkness
  • Herschel argued with other astronomers over the new planet's name. He wanted to name it after King George III of Great Britain. Other astronomers wanted him to name it after himself
  • Uranus' symbol is

Uranus VS Earth



Uranus

Earth

Position from the Sun

7

3

Diameter

31,763 miles (51,118 km)

7,926 miles (12,753 km)

Moons

21

1

Rings

10

0

Average Distance from Sun

1,786,000,000 miles (2,875,000,000 km)

93,000,000 miles (149,000,000 km)

Your Weight on the Planet

Multiply your weight by 0.93

Multiply your weight by 1.0

Length of One Year

84 Earth years

1 Earth year

Length of One Day

17 hours and 8 minutes

24 hours

What’s in the Atmosphere?

Hydrogen, helium

Nitrogen, oxygen

Temperature

-360ºF (-220ºC)

-128ºF to 136ºF

(-89ºC to 58ºC)



More facts about Uranus:

Uranus is a very unusual planet. It sits on its side with the north and south poles sticking out the sides. It rotates around this axis, making it look like a ball rolling around in a circle around the Sun.

William Hershel discovered Uranus on March 13th, 1781, using a telescope he had invented. Observations of the objects movement indicated that it was a planet. William Hershel called the newly discovered planet George's Star in honor of the King of England, George III. However, the name was later changed to one more acceptable to astronomers. The planet was re-named Uranus after the Greek god of the sky.

Since 1781, people have been observing Uranus and learning many interesting facts about this planet's location and movement. Uranus is located approximately 1,784 million miles from the sun, making it the seventh planet from the sun. Because of its distance from earth, about 1,691 million miles, it can only be observed with a telescope on a clear night. A giant outer planet composed of gases, mostly hydrogen and helium, Uranus travels in an orbit around the sun once every eighty-four years. It rotates every seventeen hours and fourteen minutes on an axis tilted at ninety-seven degrees.

Uranus is too far from Earth to see with the naked eye. Even with its diameter of 31, 764 miles, and the use of telescopes, it is difficult to learn details about the planet. In 1986, the space probe Voyager 2 was able to send back detailed images of Uranus. The Hubble Telescope was used to observe Uranus in the 1990's, revealing more about the planet.

What do astronomers see when they observe Uranus and its surroundings, and analyze the information provided by the Voyager 2 and the Hubble Telescope? Uranus can appear as a blue-green disk with a cloudy atmosphere because methane is included in its upper layer of gases. Strong winds travel at speeds up to six hundred and fifty miles an hour, blowing clouds around the planet and obstructing astronomers' views.

At least eighteen orbiting moons, or satellites, surround Uranus. These moons are all less than one thousand miles wide, and thirteen of them are less than one hundred miles wide. Astronomers have discovered evidence indicating that Uranus may have up to twenty-one moons. Although they have not yet been officially discovered, astronomers also speculate that more small moons travel through Uranus's system of rings.

Uranus's system of rings is made up of eleven rings that circle the planet. Uranus's rings were first observed as obstructions of the light of a passing star. Uranus has since been photographed by the space probe Voyager 2, and the Hubble Space Telescope with some of its rings clearly visible. This system of rings is made up of eleven individual rings that circle the planet. These rings are composed of rocks and dust and some have gaps. Astronomers believe that some of these rings may be the result of meteors having stricken a moon. The gravity of two of the eighteen or more remaining moons, Cordelia and Ophelia, continue to hold the material forming the rings together.

For over two hundred years, Uranus has been fascinating astronomers, other scientists, and ordinary people. However, it can be a challenging planet to observe from earth because of its distance, and sending a space probe is expensive. Although there is a vast amount of information available to us today, there is still much to be learned about this planet.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT URANUS on INTERESTING | UNUSUAL FACTS

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Promopeddler, number one choice in promotional product suppliers

Promotional products, also known as promotional ad specialties, allow you to get your company's message across on T-shirts, calendars, or even fine crystal, and your next promotion will make a lasting impression.

One of the most enduring tactics in the marketer's bag is imprinting a logo or message on promotional products. Promotional products and/or promotional items are so common that even marketing pros often take them for granted. That can be a problem if you use them carelessly, not only because it wastes money but because it means you're overlooking ways to use them creatively in your marketing program.

One good promotional product company I know is Promopeddler. Few organizations are as committed to working as hard as Promopeddler to earn your business. No one else has the huge selection of products and corporate gifts, the highly trained customer service people and the promotion experts that are dedicated to your success. Tell them what you need and let them put their resources and experience to work for you! Promopeddler.com is your one-stop online source for volume pricing on the world’s largest selection of top-quality logo imprinted items. Their huge selection, highly trained promotion experts, personal service and driven desire to earn your business is what makes them the number one choice in promotional product suppliers!

Better medicare and medicaid at Agis dot com

It's not that simple being old. Lots of painful adjustments are inorder to cope up with old age. One major problem on this is loneliness. That is why if one plans to have a caregiver, it is really important to have a caregiver who knows what is best for that someone to be cared for.

Loneliness is undesirable and personal: what for one person may be acceptable solitude may for another be anguish. The negative stereotype of old age includes loneliness, but the problem seriously affects only one in 10 older people. Certain people are prone to loneliness--bereaved people, immigrants, and those limited by physical disabilities--but loneliness can be exacerbated by lack of money and may occur among those in institutional care as well as older caregivers. Loneliness may be described as an unwelcome feeling of lack or loss of companionship, or feeling that one is alone and not liking it. It is essentially undesirable and it may have implications for the health of the person experiencing it.

Most older adults would prefer to live at home, but it's not always easy to figure out whether that's feasible. A quick look at your situation and that of your aging loved one will give you a good start on identifying the types of care and services you might need. With that,
Medicare and Medicaid Resources plays its vital roles. Medicare and Medicaid are different and separate programs. Medicare is a federal health insurance program primarily for older adults. Medicaid is an assistance program for people with low incomes. Medicare doesn’t cover most long term care expenses, but learning how to maximize its benefits is an essential step toward meeting the costs of aging. In most states, Medicaid covers nursing home costs and provides some assistance to qualified caregivers. Even if your loved one is financially comfortable today, it’s a good idea to learn about Medicaid.

So its not just about having a caregiver, it also involves what happened before that. For
Medicaid and Medicare Help and more detailed information you need to know you can visit at http://www.agis.com/.

Friday, January 04, 2008

No more bad credit loans

Having trouble on your credits? Are you currently experiencing bad credits? No matter how bad your credit is, you can take steps that will make it better.

These are just some tips on overcoming that annoying credits or
bad credit loans; Pay all of your bills on time. Late payments (payments that are 30 days late or more) have a negative effect on your credit rating, - reduce the number of credit cards you carry. Write to your creditors to request that they close your accounts and report this status change to all three credit-reporting agencies, - avoid bankruptcies, tax liens (a lien for not paying state or federal income taxes or property taxes) and collections. A bankruptcy stays on your credit report for up to 10 years. Collection accounts and paid tax liens stay on for seven years, and unpaid tax liens will haunt you forever, - request in writing that your creditors reduce the credit limits on your accounts to lower your amount of available credit. The total amount of available credit is considered by lenders even if you owe nothing, - ask a family member or friend to co-sign on a small loan or credit card to help you re-establish credit. Make your payments on time, - get a secured credit card to help reestablish your credit. You will have to keep a designated amount of money in an account that will be sufficient to cover your charges. Make payments on time, get a yearly copy of your credit report to catch any errors (see 'eHow to Obtain a Copy of Your Credit Report').

To further help you with that, I came accros this site Bad Credit Offers which I think might really help you. With the number of "bad credit" consumers in the U.S. growing by the day, their site is a great resource to help these consumers get back on their feet financially. Rather than applying for the first offer that comes in the mail, their site allows visitors to compare dozens of bad credit offers from major providers and find the best offer to fit their needs. And by making payments on time, consumers can rebuild their credit and, perhaps, their financial future. Why not try to visit them yourself and start healing that broken credit of yours.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Male enhancements on the move!

Well, lets get this straight and fast... Are you having problems with that small penis of yours? Do you? Well, you might as well get the most effective penis enlargement products, such as penis stretcher, penis extender on penis enlargement pills available on earth. But be careful, there are still those who claimed their product to be effective, yet turned out into dead air. Be sure not to be hasty instead be picky on any male enhancement - penis enlargement products.

There is one that I can recommend that really helped a lot of people. The X4 Penis Extender is one of the only penile enlargement devices to have undergone pharmaceutical studies and to be medically certified. Penis extenders have proven themselves as a viable non-surgical instrument to provide significant increases in penis size, both length and girth.

Don't let that tiny little mojo of yours left unrecognized amidst the vast pleasures you deserve!

Another interesting online casino to be reviewed

The bona fide feeling of Las Vegas is what the brand new 32Vegas online casino is all about. Its innovative style and original design will keep you revisiting it time and again. Try out over 100 games including live dealer casino games and progressive jackpots. Get started with the incredible 320% Welcome Bonus or choose from many more exciting bonuses and promotions. At 32Vegas, it’s all about the choice, YOUR CHOICE! Additionally, don’t forget that the exceptional 24/7 online support staff and live chat feature will assist you immediately with any queries that you may have. So if you feel like living Las Vegas then you will feel right at home at the All New 32Vegas Casino.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Unusual, weird, and interesting jokes online

Boredom sucks isn't it? If you hate it, well I'm 1 million times more than you hate it. Good thing I found this great site where I can access a wide range of jokesLotsofjokes.com had been online for many years and has been collecting and posting jokes for many years. It has a very large selection of jokes in many categories, including all the standards like blonde jokes, dirty jokes, Yo mamma jokes, political jokes. Several of the listed categories are unusual like Real Man Test, Fun While Driving, Fuzzy Language, Rules For Women, Signs Of Insanity, Self Evaluation, Horror Movie Survival, Bathroom Wisdom and a whole lot of other strange kinds of jokes. Lots of funny jokes to select! So, no more boredom for me. And maybe for you if you try it right now!
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Unusual, weird, and interesting sports

On a safari in Nepal, Phil Noble discovered the sport of elephant polo.

“Incredible, absolutely incredible,” said Noble, who visited Nepal in 1999 to take photographs for a travel feature for the Press Association, the British wire service.

“There were seven elephant polo teams there from all over the world, and an umpire riding a massive bull elephant who rode around ensuring fair play,” said Noble, 32, who joined Reuters in 2006. “There were two other guys running around the field removing any elephant dung dropped on either goal line which could have prevented a goal from being scored.”

Through his camera lens, Noble has seen some of the wackiest sports on the planet.

In August 2006, he was in Wales to shoot the bog-snorkeling world championship, which featured 100 contestants — some wearing pajamas — with snorkels and flippers in a muddy trench about 150 feet long and 4 feet deep. Rules governing the sport forbid using conventional strokes.

“People of all ages, of all sizes, jumped into this smelly trench and tried to get from one end to the other as fast as they could,” Noble said. “Spectators were cheering wildly when a woman who weighed about 400 pounds jumped into the mud, and they cheered one man who jumped in wearing a fairy-godmother costume, and another who wore a Superman cape.”

One of Noble’s photographs of bog snorkeling is included in a recently published book, “Reuters Sports in the 21st Century” (Thames & Hudson).

“Like Phil, many of our photographers have a passion to cover the quirkier side of sports,” said Jassim Ahmad, a photo editor at Reuters who managed production of the book. “When we were putting this book together, it was unbelievable to learn of all the weird, wonderful sports going on in the world.”

Noble, who lives with his wife, Paula, and their two children in Manchester, England, has zoomed in on his share of oddball sports in his home country. He once covered a cheese-rolling championship in Summerbee, where participants clench large wheels of cheese between their legs before releasing them down a hill and giving chase.

“The cheese wheel is about the size of a soccer ball, and the first guy who catches his cheese wins,” Noble said. “But the hill is so steep, it’s actually quite dangerous. In fact, an ambulance crew waits at the bottom of the hill, just in case.”

Noble has also covered sheep racing in Wales and toe wrestling in England.

“Obviously, you cannot ride sheep,” Noble said. “So people knit jockeys out of wool and fasten the knitted jockeys to the sheep and race them on a course made out of bales of hay. It’s sort of like a rodeo, but on a smaller scale.”

Noble has his sights set on covering a number of other little-known championship events in England and beyond, including cricket matches on ice, lawn mower racing and desert golf.

“When I golf, I have a habit of finding bunkers,” Noble said, laughing. “As much time as I spend hitting out of sand traps, I would give Tiger Woods a run for his money in desert golf.”

Although he has photographed “everyone in England from Prince Charles to David Beckham,” Noble says he gets great satisfaction in “covering people you can actually relate to.”

“When it comes to covering mainstream politics or sports, you can’t get anywhere near most celebrities for a little conversation or to get to know them a bit, because they are always off limits,” he said. “One of the best parts of my job is that I do get to meet regular people, like the men and women who compete in these lesser-known sports.

“Take the winners of the bog-snorkeling and cheese-rolling events. Except for the fact that one of them dived into a smelly, muddy swamp and the other chased a cheese wheel down a steep hill in order to become world champions, they are really no different than you and me.”

Adrift in the Weird World of Sports
By VINCENT M. MALLOZZI
Published: December 30, 2007