Sleep Baby ......
sleep, baby, sleep,
Your father tends the sheep,
Your mother shakes the dreamland tree,
And from it fall sweet dreams for thee.
Sleep, baby, sleep,
Sleep, baby, sleep,
Sleep, baby, sleep,
Our cottage vale is deep.
The little lamb is on the green,
With snowy fleece so soft and clean.
Sleep, baby, sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Good Night......
Good Night......
Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight,
With lilies over spread is baby's wee bed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
Lullaby and good night, thy mother's delight,
Bright angels beside my darling abide.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
Listing this song hear
Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight,
With lilies over spread is baby's wee bed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
Lullaby and good night, thy mother's delight,
Bright angels beside my darling abide.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
Listing this song hear
Old King Cole.........
Old King Cole.........
Old King Cole,
Was a merry old soul,And a merry old soul was he,
He called for his pipe,
And he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.
Every fiddler he had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he.
Oh, there's none so rare,
As can compare,
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z5mN9_bAaI
Old King Cole,
Was a merry old soul,And a merry old soul was he,
He called for his pipe,
And he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.
Every fiddler he had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he.
Oh, there's none so rare,
As can compare,
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z5mN9_bAaI
The fisherman
The fisherman
The Fisherman by Abbie Farwell Brown
The fisherman goes out at dawn
When every one's abed,
And from the bottom of the sea
Draws up his daily bread.
His life is strange ; half on the shore
And half upon the sea —
Not quite a fish, and yet not quite
The same as you and me.
The fisherman has curious eyes ;
They make you feel so queer,
As if they had seen many things
Of wonder and of fear.
They're like the sea on foggy days, —
Not gray, nor yet quite blue ;
They 're like the wondrous tales he tells
Not quite — yet maybe — true.
He knows so much of boats and tides,
Of winds and clouds and sky !
But when I tell of city things,
He sniffs and shuts one eye !
The Fisherman by Abbie Farwell Brown
The fisherman goes out at dawn
When every one's abed,
And from the bottom of the sea
Draws up his daily bread.
His life is strange ; half on the shore
And half upon the sea —
Not quite a fish, and yet not quite
The same as you and me.
The fisherman has curious eyes ;
They make you feel so queer,
As if they had seen many things
Of wonder and of fear.
They're like the sea on foggy days, —
Not gray, nor yet quite blue ;
They 're like the wondrous tales he tells
Not quite — yet maybe — true.
He knows so much of boats and tides,
Of winds and clouds and sky !
But when I tell of city things,
He sniffs and shuts one eye !
The tiger
The tiger
yger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
yger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
History of Ballooning
History of Ballooning
It is now more than two hundred years since the first balloon took to the skies. The Montgolfier brothers, two paper makers from the southern French town of Annonay, were intrigued by the way smoke rises above a fire. They decided to capture its lifting powers with small paper and cotton balloons and, while they were mistaken in their faith in the smoke itself (or 'Phlogiston' as it was referred to at the time), they succeeded in creating the world's first hot-air balloon.
Antique Hot Air Balloon
On June 5, 1783 they were ready to demonstrate their discovery to the townspeople of Annonay and a small unmanned balloon was inflated over a fire of straw faggots and then released to fly high above the town square. For their next experiment they sent a sheep, a duck and a cockerel aloft for a flight of fifteen minutes. When these pioneering creatures returned unscathed they decided it was time for a man to take to the skies.
For such an experiment to take place required the permission of the King himself and Louis, concerned by the possible risk to one of his subjects, decreed that two convicts should make the ascent. (If they survived they would be granted a royal pardon, and if they didn't...) The Montgolfier brothers were dismayed by this proposal and after much discussion with the court officials persuaded the king to relent and on 21 November 1783 a brightly decorated balloon rose above an ecstatic Parisian crowd bearing aloft the first aeronauts – the first humans to fly – Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes.
Heat for the balloon was generated by a straw fire carried in a brazier slung beneath its mouth and the two men were carried in a narrow gallery encircling it. However as the balloon was only made of paper and cotton they spent much of their time either tending the flames or dabbing out little fires from the smoldering embers with wet sponges fixed on to the end of long sticks. However the Duke d'Arlandes was unable to ignore the splendor of the panorama unfolding down below them, but de Rozier soon reminded him of their plight. 'If you look at the river in that fashion you will be likely to bathe in it soon!' Yet despite the many hazards the balloon landed safely after a flight of thirty minutes.
ALL GASSED UP
By one of those strange quirks of history, another band of would-be aeronauts had approached the same challenge of manned flight from an entirely different angle. Professor Charles, another Frenchman, had been closely following Faraday's work with the newly discovered gas hydrogen – a gas which has molecules that are more widely spaced and therefore less dense and lighter than air itself. He joined with the Robert Brothers in Paris and together they constructed a rubberized silk balloon to contain enough of the gas to carry a basket or 'gondola' (as it looked like a small boat) and the crew of two.
Pipped at the post by the Montgolfier brothers they nevertheless continued with their work and only ten days later the citizens of Paris gathered to witness a second historic first as a gas balloon bore Professor Charles and M. Robert into the heavens and soared to 1,800 feet. The flight was a great success and Charles was so taken with his creation that when they came back down to earth Robert got out of the balloon and it shot upwards like a homesick angel – thus Charles became the first person to witness two sunsets in one day.
BALLOON FEVER
France and the rest of Europe were quickly gripped by balloon fever and balloons became all the rage. The question of superiority between the 'Montgolfiere' hot-air type and the 'Charliere' gas balloon was soon resolved – for the Montgolfiere was a delicate craft while the Charliere was much more robust. And so, for nearly two centuries, the gas balloon was to rule the lighter-than-air roost.
OOPS!
Pilatre de Rozier, thought he could combine the best virtues of the two types and mounted a gas balloon above a cylinder containing hot-air for his attempt to fly the English Channel in 1785. Unfortunately he had not appreciated the dangers of having highly explosive hydrogen in the proximity of the flames and his balloon was destroyed near the French coast. The first aeronaut became the first fatality of air travel.
ERA OF THE SHOWMEN
The novelty value of ballooning could not be denied, but as a means of transport it left much to be desired as they could only fly where the vagaries of the wind took them. By the early nineteenth century the balloon had become a public entertainment taken from town to town by the showmen where they would be displayed and flown before the paying public. As even this novelty began to wear off and the audiences – and consequently the showmen – grew thinner they resorted to ever greater stunts taking their horses and even their wives aloft!
HIGHER AND HIGHER
The Victorians applied their minds to the balloon and adventurers and scientists continued to push the boundaries flying further and higher than ever before. Charles Green was probably the most famous of the Victorian aeronauts. He financed his passion for ballooning with public displays and passenger pleasure flights from London's fashionable public gardens, and in 1836 he made an epic flight taking off from the Vauxhall Gardens and flying all the way to Nassau in Germany.
For the scientists, balloons represented the only way of taking their experiments aloft and as they explored the upper levels they took their balloons higher and higher. Henry Coxwell and James Glaisher were to fly higher than intended when they both fell victim to hypoxia – or lack of oxygen – at nearly 30,000 feet. Glaisher passed into unconsciousness and it was left to Coxwell to fight his increasingly dimmed senses and numb limbs to pull the gas valve line with his teeth, releasing just enough gas to bring them safely back to earth. Other high flyers were not always so lucky.
MILITARY BALLOONS
By the turn of the century the balloon had seen many applications. Most notably the military had discovered their value as observational platforms and they were used very successfully by Napoleon in 1794 and later in the American Civil War and also the Boer War in South Africa. Balloons had also been used by the Parisians to escape from the Prussian siege in 1870 and to carry with them mail and also carrier pigeons to send messages back into the city.
Bigger and bigger balloons had been built to entertain and carry the public at the big expositions that flourished in Europe during the latter half of the eighteenth century. Even the new science of photography took to the skies and aerial photography was born. But no one had yet devised an effective means of propelling and steering the balloon.
YOU CAN COUNT ON ZEPPELIN
The problem in building a steerable or 'dirigible' balloon was finding a source of propulsion which was powerful enough yet also light enough to be carried. Henri Giffard had successfully flown his small steam-driven airship as early as 1852, but it lacked power and the idea of a steam engine puffing away underneath a bag of hydrogen wasn't the way to go. Other experimenters tried the new-fangled electric motors, but again the required ratio of power to weight wasn't there. It remained for a retired Prussian cavalry officer to come up with the right formula. Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin had been intrigued by balloons since he first came across them while serving in America during the Civil War. His idea was to string several balloons together to form a more steerable sausage shape and, by combining this with the new internal combustion engines being developed at that time, the Zeppelin airship was born.
The first of his craft, 420 feet long and consisting of several gas cells surrounded by a lightweight aluminum framework covered in canvas, flew from Lake Constance in July 1900. It was the first of many and while these first craft were somewhat accident prone, the Zeppelin grew from strength to strength and provided the first regular passenger air service, a military 'terror' weapon during the First World War and finally the silver transatlantic airships of the 1920s and early 30s. But that's another story...
GORDON BENNETT!
Meanwhile ballooning had been taken up by the new playboys of the Edwardian era and balloon meetings and races became all the rage among the rich young men. The greatest of these races was the annual long distance race organized by the American publishing tycoon Gordon Bennett. Started in 1906 these continued with great success until the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1979 they were revived but by then the gas balloon was being usurped by its old rival... hot-air was back!
HOT-AIR 'BORNE AGAIN'
The first of the modern hot-air balloons flew in 1953 and since then there has been a remarkable resurgence of hot-air activity. This has largely been brought about by the marriage of two technologies - lightweight and airtight nylon fabrics, and new powerful burners which burn liquid propane to heat the balloon. All over the world colorful flotillas now dot the sky - including many ingenious special shape balloons in the form of everything from beer bottles to flying cows. Nowadays thousands of people throughout the world enjoy the sights and pleasures of going ballooning.
A picnic by the sea
A picnic by the sea
Teluk Kemang is about 12 kilometres from Port Dickson town in Negeri Sembilan. It is a popular beach where many people go to and relax on.
It was on one of the days of the Chinese New Year holidays that we had a picnic at Teluk Kemang. I went there with my uncle and his family. There were five of us, my uncle, his wife, their two young children and me. My uncle drove us there in his car.
We arrived there at about ten in the morning. The beach was already crowded with other holiday-makers. Anyhow we managed to get a place in the shade of a large tree and we put our things there. My aunt laid out a mat for us to sit on.
In double-quick time we were enjoying ourselves in the sea, except my aunt. She just sat on the mat watching us.
The water was cool and refreshing and I loved splashing it on my cousins. However the hot sun above can be quite uncomfortable. So after about an hour or so, my uncle told us to sit in the shade for a while. The sun was getting increasingly hot. So we reluctantly came out of the sea.
In the shade of some trees we built some sandcastles.
Time passed so quickly. Soon we heard my aunt calling us to have lunch. We ran to her and helped ourselves to the delicious curry she had brought. Then we had several glasses of ice-cold drink from the Thermos flask.
After lunch we played a while more in the sea. The sun was just too hot. So we walked over to one of the hotels nearby and washed ourselves with clean freshwater.
When we returned, my aunt had already packed everything in the car. So all of us got into the car and my uncle drove us back home to Seremban.
My favorite time for the day
My favorite time for the day
My favorite time of the day is between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. This is the time when the sun is setting and the air is cooling down. At this time I either go for a stroll, play some games or sit quietly watching the activities around me.
Sitting quietly doing nothing in particular is what I like most.
The compound surrounding my house is a fairly large one. So my father has planted many trees in it. Birds of all sorts come to the trees in the evening to sing their sweet songs. I just sit under my favourite rambutan tree and listen to these lovely songs.
However I cannot just sit quietly all the time. My parents sometimes ask me to mow the lawn or help them in some gardening tasks. These I do gladly for the air is nice and cool. Working under a hot sun is one thing I do not like. In the evening the sun is soft and gentle. It is pleasant to potter around the garden then.
Other times I might go out for a stroll or play games with my friends.
Again it is pleasant to stroll around or play games when the sun is not hot in the evening. In fact many people come out of their houses to breathe in the cool evening air and to relax a bit, unless it is raining. This is the time of the day when the playing fields, parks and other recreational areas are filled with people. I guess it is not only my favourite time of the day. It is many people's favourite time as well.
My neighbors
My neighbors
Many of us live in housing estates. I live in one myself. The one thing about living in a housing estate is that we have many neighbours.
Next to my house on the right lives a family whose parents seem to be always scolding the children. I do not know them very well because they always appear angry. Never a day passes without hearing the children crying and the parents shouting at the top of their voices.
On the other side of my house, however, lives a very quiet and polite family. Mr. Verghese is a quiet man who seems to manage his family very well. Though he has four children, which is one more than the other family, I never hear him scold his children. So his children never cry. What a wonderful family they are.
Further down the road is a family whose radio is switched on most of the time, except late at night. His immediate neighbours must have a tough time putting up with the noise of the radio.
Then there is a family whose members seem to live in a world of their own. Many times we have met along the road and not once has any of them even nod his or her head in acknowledgement. They are not blind or deaf. Yet they can walk straight past as if I am not there at all. I would not say that they are unfriendly. I guess they are simply not interested in knowing their neighbours.
On the opposite side of the road live Mr. Lim and his family. Mr. Lim is a bird-collector. So everyday a dozen or more birds sing melodious tunes right beneath his front porch. It is preferable to the blare of the other neighbour's radio. However the bird droppings can give off an awful stench.
These are some of the neighbours living near me. There are others that I have yet to meet. However I am careful not to intrude on their privacy. The friendly ones smile or raise their hands. The not-so-friendly ones look away. I have to live among them, friendly or not.
Next to my house on the right lives a family whose parents seem to be always scolding the children. I do not know them very well because they always appear angry. Never a day passes without hearing the children crying and the parents shouting at the top of their voices.
On the other side of my house, however, lives a very quiet and polite family. Mr. Verghese is a quiet man who seems to manage his family very well. Though he has four children, which is one more than the other family, I never hear him scold his children. So his children never cry. What a wonderful family they are.
Further down the road is a family whose radio is switched on most of the time, except late at night. His immediate neighbours must have a tough time putting up with the noise of the radio.
Then there is a family whose members seem to live in a world of their own. Many times we have met along the road and not once has any of them even nod his or her head in acknowledgement. They are not blind or deaf. Yet they can walk straight past as if I am not there at all. I would not say that they are unfriendly. I guess they are simply not interested in knowing their neighbours.
On the opposite side of the road live Mr. Lim and his family. Mr. Lim is a bird-collector. So everyday a dozen or more birds sing melodious tunes right beneath his front porch. It is preferable to the blare of the other neighbour's radio. However the bird droppings can give off an awful stench.
These are some of the neighbours living near me. There are others that I have yet to meet. However I am careful not to intrude on their privacy. The friendly ones smile or raise their hands. The not-so-friendly ones look away. I have to live among them, friendly or not.
My classmate
My classmate
We are a noisy lot, that is what our teachers say about us. This is largely due to Ah Keong. He is the noisiest of us all. His voice is like that of a bull frog but volumes louder. It seems that he cannot talk softly. Actually he does not talk, he shouts. Perhaps his living with his family of ten children has something to do with it.
In this noisy bunch lives a boy who hardly ever opens his mouth. This is Padma, the boy who sits next to me. He is such a gentle and soft creature that one would think that he is a sissy. This is not so. No one dares call him one for he is a member of the school's Karate Club.
Then there is Doris, our class monitor. She sits right in front of the teacher's table. She is such a model student that all the teachers love her. We all love her for she does not boss us around. She has given up doing that long ago. All she does is to make sure that the teachers have sufficient chalk and that the classroom is clean.
Right at the back of the class sits our class sleepy-head. Mat seems to need more sleep than others. He catches cat-naps in between lessons. The astounding thing is that he can fall asleep almost instantly. The moment the teacher leaves after a lesson, Mat's snores start up and we know he is at it again. Remarkably he wakes up when the next teacher arrives.
Every class has a clown. Our class has Jack, otherwise known as "Jacko The Clown". He is always up to some prank or other, putting tails on the boys' pants, frogs in the girls' desks and powdered chalk on the teacher's chair. So when we hear a girl scream or see men-teachers strolling around with chalk on the seat of their pants, we know that Jacko has struck again.
The other classmates too have their own unique personalities. Each contributes his or her part to our class. All in all we are a group of young children who perhaps are a bit noisy at times, but on the whole are well-behaved and pleasant to be with.
Road safety
Road safety
Everyday many people are involved in road accidents. Some are killed. Many more are injured or maimed. So it is important for us to learn to use the roads properly and safely. No sane person would like to be involved in an accident.
As the roads are very busy nowadays, we should be very careful when crossing one. It is safer to use a pedestrian crossing or an overhead bridge whenever one is available. Never cross a road by dashing across it. That is inviting trouble. If there are no crossings, then we must look carefully right and left and cross only when it is safe to do so.
Some of us take the bus to school. It is important that we do not try to get on or off a bus while it is still moving. I tried to get on a moving bus once. It dragged me a short distance and nearly ran over me. I was lucky to escape with only some scratches on my legs. Also we must not fool around while in the bus. A suddenly lurch can send us knocking our heads against something hard.
Using a bicycle can be dangerous too. We must pay attention on the road and never cycle too far out to the middle of the road. We must obey all traffic rules. Also we must make sure our bicycles are in good condition with working brakes, lights etc.
These are some things we can do to avoid accidents. However there is no guarantee that we will never be involved in one. The important thing is to stay alert at all times while using the roads. We must know what is happening around us. In that way we can take necessary action to avoid danger whenever we see one. Road safety is very much up to how we use the roads. Use them carefully and we may be able to use them for a long time. Use them carelessly and we may never be able to use them again.
An unforgettable experiences
An unforgettable experiences
Carrying a passenger on a bicycle is an offence punishable by law. Everyone knows that but still some of us do it.
I had done it many times before until something happened to teach me never to do it again. It was not the police. Rather it was an unforgettable, and unpleasant, experience.
It happened one evening when my friend Segaran and I wanted to go and visit another friend who lived some distance away. I had a bicycle. Segaran did not. So, as usual, he sat side-saddle on the horizontal bar of the bicycle while I pedalled. We had done it many times before, so it should not be any problem.
Near my friend's house, we got onto a gravel path made slippery by the recent rain. Still we managed to wobble along, thoroughly enjoying the rough ride.
As we passed by a stream, I made the mistake of going too near the bank. The rain had softened the soil and it could not hold our combined weight. One moment we were going along merrily, the next we were tumbling head over heels into the stream as the bank gave way beneath us.
Splash! Splash! Splash! We plunged into the river bicycle first, followed by Segaran, then me. Normally the stream is only a few centimetres deep with clear water. When we fell in, it was a metre deep with foul black water. The water prevented us from getting badly injured but we also had to pay the price of gulping some of it. It tasted horrible. Segaran got the worst of it for being sandwiched between the bicycle and me, but it was not too bad. We had only a few cuts and bruises. Our pride was far more hurt.
We retrieved ourselves and the bicycle from the stream. We were both dirty and soaking wet. Obviously we were in no condition to visit anyone. So we decided to go home.
We walked all the way home. I had to push the bicycle because its front wheel was bent out of shape. From that moment I vowed never to carry anyone on a bicycle again. Never again do I want to be dirty and wet with cuts and bruises all over my body. Once was enough.
I had done it many times before until something happened to teach me never to do it again. It was not the police. Rather it was an unforgettable, and unpleasant, experience.
It happened one evening when my friend Segaran and I wanted to go and visit another friend who lived some distance away. I had a bicycle. Segaran did not. So, as usual, he sat side-saddle on the horizontal bar of the bicycle while I pedalled. We had done it many times before, so it should not be any problem.
Near my friend's house, we got onto a gravel path made slippery by the recent rain. Still we managed to wobble along, thoroughly enjoying the rough ride.
As we passed by a stream, I made the mistake of going too near the bank. The rain had softened the soil and it could not hold our combined weight. One moment we were going along merrily, the next we were tumbling head over heels into the stream as the bank gave way beneath us.
Splash! Splash! Splash! We plunged into the river bicycle first, followed by Segaran, then me. Normally the stream is only a few centimetres deep with clear water. When we fell in, it was a metre deep with foul black water. The water prevented us from getting badly injured but we also had to pay the price of gulping some of it. It tasted horrible. Segaran got the worst of it for being sandwiched between the bicycle and me, but it was not too bad. We had only a few cuts and bruises. Our pride was far more hurt.
We retrieved ourselves and the bicycle from the stream. We were both dirty and soaking wet. Obviously we were in no condition to visit anyone. So we decided to go home.
We walked all the way home. I had to push the bicycle because its front wheel was bent out of shape. From that moment I vowed never to carry anyone on a bicycle again. Never again do I want to be dirty and wet with cuts and bruises all over my body. Once was enough.
My first day at School
My first day at School
My mother accompanied me to school on the first day. Other parents accompanied their children as well. We all waited in front of the school office.
Soon a teacher came and led us to some classrooms. There we were put into four separate classes. This was when some children began to cry as the parents were not allowed into the classrooms. I did not cry because I had been to kindergarten before. Actually my mother went home soon after for she knew I would be all right.
It was an enjoyable time for me as I got to know my new classmates. The teacher was very busy writing down our particulars so we had plenty of time to ourselves.
Meantime some children continued to sob while their parents looked in anxiously through the windows.
Soon recess came. Some of us headed for the tuck-shop while the rest headed for their parents. I bought a drink with the money my mother gave me. Getting to know my new friends had made me thirsty.
After recess we went back to out classroom and my new friends and I managed to coax two boys to stop crying. In fact, soon we were laughing and playing together. Once in a while the teacher had to tell us to keep quiet as we were making too much noise.
Still some parents looked in anxiously through the windows.
Finally the bell rang for us to go home. Some of us were very relieved to be reunited with our parents. I too was glad to see my mother waiting for me at the school gate. I had made many friends. It had been a wonderful first day at school.
Soon a teacher came and led us to some classrooms. There we were put into four separate classes. This was when some children began to cry as the parents were not allowed into the classrooms. I did not cry because I had been to kindergarten before. Actually my mother went home soon after for she knew I would be all right.
It was an enjoyable time for me as I got to know my new classmates. The teacher was very busy writing down our particulars so we had plenty of time to ourselves.
Meantime some children continued to sob while their parents looked in anxiously through the windows.
Soon recess came. Some of us headed for the tuck-shop while the rest headed for their parents. I bought a drink with the money my mother gave me. Getting to know my new friends had made me thirsty.
After recess we went back to out classroom and my new friends and I managed to coax two boys to stop crying. In fact, soon we were laughing and playing together. Once in a while the teacher had to tell us to keep quiet as we were making too much noise.
Still some parents looked in anxiously through the windows.
Finally the bell rang for us to go home. Some of us were very relieved to be reunited with our parents. I too was glad to see my mother waiting for me at the school gate. I had made many friends. It had been a wonderful first day at school.
My home
My Home
The saying ‘East or West, home is the best’ is true in more ways than one. Home offers affection and security. My home to me is the best place in the world, where I live with my mother, father and a sister.
I belong to a middle class family. My home is a cosy little flat on the 1st floor in Essex. Our drawing-cum-dining room is tastefully decorated. It has a TV set, a sofa, a refrigerator, a dining table. The decoration pieces remind me of our visits to different places. There are two bedrooms. One is used by my parents and the other is shared by three of us. Not only the room but the study-table is also shared by us.
Ours is a small and happy family, where every members has consideration for the needs and comforts of each others. We all share household work too. Our morning are busy and everybody rushed about doing one’s work too. Our morning are busy and everybody rushes about doing one’s work and takes food or breakfast as and when ready. But we all have our dinner together. We share all that we had enjoyed or suffered during the day.
We keep our home clean and tidy. Every thing is kept in place. I am proud of my home
The saying ‘East or West, home is the best’ is true in more ways than one. Home offers affection and security. My home to me is the best place in the world, where I live with my mother, father and a sister.
I belong to a middle class family. My home is a cosy little flat on the 1st floor in Essex. Our drawing-cum-dining room is tastefully decorated. It has a TV set, a sofa, a refrigerator, a dining table. The decoration pieces remind me of our visits to different places. There are two bedrooms. One is used by my parents and the other is shared by three of us. Not only the room but the study-table is also shared by us.
Ours is a small and happy family, where every members has consideration for the needs and comforts of each others. We all share household work too. Our morning are busy and everybody rushed about doing one’s work too. Our morning are busy and everybody rushes about doing one’s work and takes food or breakfast as and when ready. But we all have our dinner together. We share all that we had enjoyed or suffered during the day.
We keep our home clean and tidy. Every thing is kept in place. I am proud of my home
My school
My School
I study in Cambridge School which is one of the best schools of London. It has a stone building. It has all facilities a good school should have-well furnished classrooms, laboratories, library and playground.
As we enter the school, there is a playground to our left and a small garden to our right. When we enter the building, the Principal’s room and the office room are to the left and the staff room to the right side. These are well furnished. There are thirty four classrooms. Our labs are well equipped. Our library has books almost on all subjects. Our Librarian is also very helpful.
Our school, like all schools, has a prescribed uniform. We have to wear white or cream cotton shirts, light-blue trousers, black shoes and white socks. Girls have to wear white blouses and light-blue skirts in primary and middle classes and white shirts and light-grey skirts in higher classes. They have to tie white ribbon also.
In our school special attention is paid to behavior, cleanliness and punctuality. The most well behaved, neat and punctual student is awarded a prize at the Annual Day function.
Our Principle is a strict disciplinarian. He takes the help of P. T. Teachers too. If any one violates the rules, and is not in uniform, or makes mischief, he gets punished. But he is fair and loving. He tries to find out the reason and guides us.
Our teachers are also quite strict. They teach us with great care, check our note-books, help us when we need but if we are inattentive and don’t work properly, then we are punished.
I like my school very much and I am proud that I belong to it. I shall never forget it.
Monday, October 28, 2013
keyboard shortcut keys
This is very helpful to all of you
* CTRL+C (Copy)
* CTRL+X (Cut)
* CTRL+V (Paste)
* CTRL+Z (Undo)
* DELETE (Delete)
* SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
* CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
* CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
* F2 key (Rename the selected item)
* CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
* CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
* CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
* CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
* CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
* SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
* CTRL+A (Select all)
* F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
* ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
* ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
* ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
* ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
* CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
* ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
* ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
* F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
* F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
* SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
* ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
* CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
* ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
* Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
* F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
* RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
* LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
* F5 key (Update the active window)
* BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
* ESC (Cancel the current task)
* SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
* CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again. Extended selection mode cancels itself when you move the focus to another control.
* CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
* CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
* TAB (Move forward through the options)
* SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
* ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
* ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
* SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
* Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
* F1 key (Display Help)
* F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
* BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)
Microsoft natural keyboard shortcuts
* Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
* Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
* Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
* Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
* Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
* Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
* Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
* CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
* Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
* Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
* Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
* Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)
Accessibility keyboard shortcuts
* Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
* Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
* Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
* SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
* NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
* Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
* END (Display the bottom of the active window)
* HOME (Display the top of the active window)
* NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
* NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
* NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
* LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
* RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)
Shortcut keys for Character Map
After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:
* RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
* LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
* UP ARROW (Move up one row)
* DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
* PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
* PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
* HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
* END (Move to the end of the line)
* CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
* CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
* SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected)
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) main window keyboard shortcuts
* CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
* CTRL+N (Open a new console)
* CTRL+S (Save the open console)
* CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
* CTRL+W (Open a new window)
* F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
* ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
* ALT+F4 (Close the console)
* ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
* ALT+V (Display the View menu)
* ALT+F (Display the File menu)
* ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)
MMC console window keyboard shortcuts
* CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
* ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
* SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
* F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
* F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
* CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
* CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
* ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
* F2 key (Rename the selected item)
* CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)
Remote desktop connection navigation
* CTRL+ALT+END (Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box)
* ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
* ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
* ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
* ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
* CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
* ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
* CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
* CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
Microsoft Internet Explorer navigation
* CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
* CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
* CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
* CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
* CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
* CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
* CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
* CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
* CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
* CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
* CTRL+W (Close the current window)
* CTRL+C (Copy)
* CTRL+X (Cut)
* CTRL+V (Paste)
* CTRL+Z (Undo)
* DELETE (Delete)
* SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
* CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
* CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
* F2 key (Rename the selected item)
* CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
* CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
* CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
* CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
* CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
* SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
* CTRL+A (Select all)
* F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
* ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
* ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
* ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
* ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
* CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
* ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
* ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
* F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
* F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
* SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
* ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
* CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
* ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
* Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
* F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
* RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
* LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
* F5 key (Update the active window)
* BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
* ESC (Cancel the current task)
* SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
* CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again. Extended selection mode cancels itself when you move the focus to another control.
* CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
* CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
* TAB (Move forward through the options)
* SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
* ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
* ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
* SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
* Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
* F1 key (Display Help)
* F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
* BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)
Microsoft natural keyboard shortcuts
* Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
* Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
* Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
* Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
* Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
* Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
* Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
* CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
* Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
* Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
* Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
* Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)
Accessibility keyboard shortcuts
* Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
* Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
* Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
* SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
* NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
* Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
* END (Display the bottom of the active window)
* HOME (Display the top of the active window)
* NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
* NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
* NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
* LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
* RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)
Shortcut keys for Character Map
After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:
* RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
* LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
* UP ARROW (Move up one row)
* DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
* PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
* PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
* HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
* END (Move to the end of the line)
* CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
* CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
* SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected)
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) main window keyboard shortcuts
* CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
* CTRL+N (Open a new console)
* CTRL+S (Save the open console)
* CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
* CTRL+W (Open a new window)
* F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
* ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
* ALT+F4 (Close the console)
* ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
* ALT+V (Display the View menu)
* ALT+F (Display the File menu)
* ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)
MMC console window keyboard shortcuts
* CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
* ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
* SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
* F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
* F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
* CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
* CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
* ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
* F2 key (Rename the selected item)
* CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)
Remote desktop connection navigation
* CTRL+ALT+END (Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box)
* ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
* ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
* ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
* ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
* CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
* ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
* CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
* CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
Microsoft Internet Explorer navigation
* CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
* CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
* CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
* CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
* CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
* CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
* CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
* CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
* CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
* CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
* CTRL+W (Close the current window)
Environment Pollution
Environment pollution
Environment pollution is a big problem in the world. People pollute
the environment by cutting trees and dumping garbage everywhere.
Sri Lanka's forest cover has drastically reduced. Therefore, when we
cut a tree, we must plant another one in its place.It is our
responsibility to protect the environment from pollution. The
environment is very precious not only to man but also to animals and
other organisms in the world.I always try to protect the environment.
Friends
Friends
I have many friends such as Swaathi, Nethra, Dilrukshi and Rahma.
They study at Dhilshaath International College in grade seven. We became
friends when we were in grade one. Friendship is one of the most valuable gifts in life. We all love to have friends.
If you can find a good friend, you will be very fortunate. To be a good friend you should be polite, humble and honest. There should be a good understanding between friends.
We need friends who are very faithful to us. It is said, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” When they are in trouble we should help them. Friendship is like a ring, it has no end.
I wish my friends all success in everything they do.
My pet goes missing
My pet goes missing
Since our pets are always with us people do not care for them. But if
one day our pet goes missing, we will feel miserable.It was a day in
August last year. I took Nobby for a walk to the beach. There I met one
of my cousins, Chamanthi. We were talking for about an hour. Suddenly, I
noticed that my dog was not there.
We walked all over to find Nobby, but he was nowhere to be seen. We
published a notice in the newspapers but still we could not find it. My
sister and I cried a lot and we had hopes that we will find Nobby one
day.We still hope that Nobby will come back. I cannot express my sadness
in words.
We should love and take care of our pets because we can lose them at
any time.
Sripada
There are several sacred places in Sri Lanka. Among them Sripada is regarded as one of the most sacred places for Buddhists.
The Mahawamsa says that the Buddha left his footprint on the summit of Sri Pada on his third visit to Sri Lanka. Some people believe that God Saman has been guarding this footprint since the day the Buddha visited the mountain.The sacred mountain is in the Sabaragamuwa province. The distance from Colombo to Sripada is about 101 km. The height of the mountain is 7,362 ft.
Devotees go on pilgrimage to the sacred mountain every year. The pilgrimage season begins in December and ends in May. People from all walks of life climb the mountain during this period. They usually travel in groups. The leader of the group is called Nade Gura. While climbing the mountain they recite devotional verses. They climb the mountain as members of the same family. They stop at resting places and share their meals. They do not feel tired as their minds are filled with religious thoughts. Some devotees wear warm clothes as it is cold at the top of the mountain.People belonging to all the four major religions worship the sacred place for different reasons.Some devotees pollute the environment by throwing polythene bags and other waste matter.
We should always try to keep the environment of the sacred place clean.
Cappuccino
CappuccinoCappuccino is an Italian coffee-based drink prepared with Espresso, hot milk, and milk foam. But do you know where the drink - and the word - come from? And would you believe this hot new beverage sweeping the nation is actually 100 years old?
Cappuccino takes its name from the order of the Franciscan Minor friars, named "cappuccini" from their hooded frock ("cappuccio" means hood in Italian). The drink has always been known by this Italian name.
The Espresso coffee machine used to make cappuccino was invented in Italy, with the first patent being filed by Luigi Bezzera in 1901.
The beverage was used in Italy by the early 1900s, and grew in popularity as the large Espresso machines in cafés and restaurants were improved during and after World War II. By the 1950s, the Italian cappuccino had found its form.Typically regarded as myth, some believe that a 17th century Capuchin monk, Marco d'Aviano, invented Cappuccino after the Battle of Vienna in 1683, and that it was named after him.
No one knows if this is true or not.Cappuccino was a taste largely confined to Europe, Australia, South Africa, South America and the more cosmopolitan regions of North America, until the mid-1990s when cappuccino was made much more widely available to North Americans, as upscale coffee bars sprang up.
In Italy, cappuccino is generally consumed early in the day as part of the breakfast, with a croissant, better known to Italians as cornetto, or a pastry. Generally, Italians do not drink cappuccino with meals other than breakfast. That's obviously not the case in most other countries. A good Cappuccino is relished when the mood is good and that can be in the morning, the middle of the day, or even in the evening .
Galle face
The Galle Face Green stretches from the foyer of the Galle Face Hotel, to the old Parliament building now used as the Presidential Secretariat, hugging the western coast of Colombo along the waters of the Indian Ocean.
The green grassy promenade has been a place for families to gather and spend their leisure, flying kites, eating gram, playing cricket and soccer, or even simply jogging along to keep fit and slim. Evenings on the promenade are always choked to capacity with people and vendors, especially on weekends.
The cool breeze wafting from the Indian Ocean and the open spaces that bring in so much light and laughter bring a sense of calm and relief to the weary body and mind. Children frolic as if they were spending time in Disneyland.The early morning hours see many elderly and elegant folks driving up to exercise their bodies, walking along the beachfront stretch from end to end. In the old days colonial masters and their local counterparts used to ride on horseback here as a form of exercise.
In recent times the weekends take on a carnival atmosphere with an abundance of food and delights being offered for sale. People swarm to sit on the grass and loosen up over the humdrum of the week that was.
The Green was also used for a wide variety of social, religious, cultural and entertaining occasions such as the Old Crocks Rally, musical fiestas, religious festivals and cross country races.
The Galle Fac
A plaque at the entrance proudly announces that the hotel was in existence long before 1866 when the first railway engines were introduced to the island.
The delightful Victorian style halls, dining and bedrooms display a splendour of that era which is relished by many tourists who choose to visit Sri Lanka and enjoy the luxury of those halcyon times. The Galle Face Hotel was one of the first buildings at the turn of the century to have electricity which lit up its elegance. It provided an elevator service for those who couldn't walk up the stairs.
Behind the Taj Samudra Hotel and across the road opposite the Army Headquarters at Slave Island is the Victoria Masonic Hall. Built during the British Colonial times it houses the Ceylon Association of Freemasons.The building was opened on September 5, 1901. It was envisioned in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. The history of Freemasons in Sri Lanka dates back to the Dutch era.
The Galle Face Burial Grounds
In the early years in Ceylon, the British used the Dutch cemetery in Pettah to bury their dead. Later they moved the final place of rest to the southern bank of the Beira Lake which is now the frontal yard of the Secretariat building. It was named the Galle Face Burial Grounds. People at that time referred to it jokingly as 'Padre Bailey's Go-Down', so referred to after the Anglican Archdeacon Bailey who officiated at many of the funeral ceremonies held there.
The cemetery was exclusively for British nationals. In 1860, a plot of bare land at Kanatte in Borella, Colombo was declared the common burial grounds for people of Sri Lanka belonging to different communities.
The Galle Face Burial Grounds was then taken over by the British Military and used till the end of World War 1.
Sun, the largest object in the solar system
Sun, the largest object in the solar system
The sun is by far the largest object in the solar system. It contains more than 99.8 percent of the total mass of the Solar System (Jupiter contains most of the rest).
It is often said that the Sun is an 'ordinary' star. That's true in the sense that there are many others similar to it. But there are many smaller stars than larger ones; the Sun is in the top 10 percent by mass. The median size of stars in our galaxy is probably less than half the mass of the Sun. The Sun is personified in many mythologies: the Greeks called it Helios and the Romans called it Sol.
The Sun at present is about 70 percent hydrogen and 28 percent helium by mass everything else ("metals") amounts to less than two percent. This changes slowly over time as the Sun converts hydrogen to helium in its core.
The outer layers of the Sun exhibit differential rotation: at the equator the surface rotates once every 25.4 days; near the poles it's as much as 36 days.
This odd behaviour is due to the fact that the Sun is not a solid body such as the Earth. Similar effects are seen in the gas planets. The differential rotation extends considerably down into the interior of the Sun but the core of the Sun rotates as a solid body.
Conditions at the Sun's core (approximately the inner 25 percent of its radius) are extreme. The temperature is 15.6 million Kelvin and the pressure is 250 billion atmospheres. At the centre of the core the Sun's density is more than 150 times that of water.
The Sun's power (about 386 billion megawatts) is produced by nuclear fusion reactions. Each second about 700,000,000 tons of hydrogen are converted to about 695,000,000 tons of helium and 5,000,000 tons of energy in the form of gamma rays.
As it travels out towards the surface, the energy is continuously absorbed and re-emitted at lower and lower temperatures so that by the time it reaches the surface, it is primarily visible light. For the last 20 percent of the way to the surface the energy is carried more by convection than by radiation.
The surface of the Sun, called the photosphere, is at a temperature of about 5800 K. Sunspots are "cool" regions, only 3800 K (they look dark only by comparison with the surrounding regions). Sunspots can be very large, as much as 50,000 km in diameter. Sunspots are caused by complicated and not very well understood interactions with the Sun's magnetic field.
A small region known as the chromosphere lies above the photosphere. The highly rarefied region above the chromosphere, called the corona, extends millions of kilometres into space but is visible only during a total solar eclipse. Temperatures in the corona are over 1,000,000 K. The Moon and the Sun appear the same size in the sky as viewed from the Earth.
And since the Moon orbits the Earth in approximately the same plane as the Earth's orbit around the Sun sometimes the Moon comes directly between the Earth and the Sun. This is called a solar eclipse; if the alignment is slightly imperfect then the Moon covers only part of the Sun's disk and the event is called a partial eclipse. When it lines up perfectly the entire solar disk is blocked and it is called a total eclipse of the Sun. -Internet
History of ice cream
history of ice creamThe history of ice cream is a messy one. Many nations claim to have invented it, just as various individuals take credit for it. Still, it makes for a chilling drama. So grab a bowl of your favourite flavour, and dig in.
A.D. 54-68: For centuries, iced desserts were a luxury. The Roman Emperor Nero is said to have sent his slaves into the mountains to fetch snow to mix with nectar, fruit pulp, and honey, although this widely told tale may be a myth.
A.D. 618-907: The origins of ice cream date back to China's T'ang period, probably as a dish for the country's rulers. The founder of the dynasty, King T'ang of Shang, kept 94 "ice men" on hand to lug ice to the palace to make a dish made of koumiss (heated, fermented milk), flour, and camphor.
1744: American colonists brought along recipes from Europe. On May 19, 1744, a group of VIPs dined at the home of Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen. A Scottish colonist who described "a Dessert" was present. Among the rarities of which was composed, of some fine ice cream which, with the Strawberries and milk, eat most deliciously." This is the first written account of ice cream consumption in the new colonies.
1782: Ever heard of how Martha Washington left a bowl of sweet cream on the back steps of Mount Vernon one night, and the next morning discovered ice cream? It's a nice story, but not true. George Washington, described in his ledger, "a cream machine for ice."
1843: Until September 9, 1843, ice cream was made by the "pot freezer method," but on this day, Nancy M. Johnson of Philadelphia got her "artificial freezer" patented, containing a tub, cylinder, lid, dasher, and crank. This design is still widely used today.
1850: Baltimore dairyman Jacob Fussell opened the first commercial ice cream factory. He had a surplus of cream so he built an ice cream factory in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, and shipped it to Baltimore by train. Business boomed, and Fussell became the father of the wholesale ice cream industry.
1880: Buffalo, NY; Evanston, IL; Two Rivers, WI; and Ithaca, NY all claim to have invented the ice cream sundae. Wherever it happened, it first started appearing in soda fountains during the 1880's. It was invented because ice cream sodas weren't allowed to be sold on Sundays; the ice cream sundae was a way to circumvent that restriction. On September 22, 1903, there is a recorded application for a patent for the ice cream cone by Italo Marchiony.
1939: Grocery stores didn't start selling ice cream until the 1930's, and by WWII, ice cream had become so popular that it turned into somewhat of an American symbol (Mussolini banned it in Italy for that same reason). Ice cream was great for troop morale, and in 1943, the U.S. Armed Forces were the world's largest ice cream manufacturers!
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Fun facts about ice cream and you
* It takes about 50 licks to lick away one scoop of ice cream!
* Of all the days of the week, most ice cream is bought on Sunday!
* Children aged 2-12 and adults over 45 eat the most ice cream!
* More men (13%) admit to licking their ice cream bowls clean than women (8%)!
* Vanilla, chocolate, butter pean, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip are the most popular ice cream flavours!
*Chocolate syrup is the most popular ice cream topping!
*5% of ice cream eaters share their ice cream with their pet!
*The largest ice cream cake in the world weighed 12,096 pounds. It was made by Carvel Ice Cream Company to celebrate their 70th Birthday on May 25, 2004.
*The largest ice cream scoop pyramid was made of 3,894 scoops and weighed 1,005 pounds. Carvel Ice Cream Company made it live on the CBS Early Show on August 20, 2002. It took 58 minutes to complete
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