Friday, June 15, 2007
To:Lili
Lili, I can't view my blog here in China, don't know why...only can create new posts. Thank you so much for you words. I'll work hard in my future study and won't let anyone down. Take care!!!Enjoy you vacation. By the way, do you have a vacation or do you and Adrianne have to go on teaching this summer?
Back in Beijing!!!
An unpleasant trip from Montreal to Beijing... neck hurts and very sleepy... But it's nice that I finally reached my destination~ Never want to stay in a plane for so long time again!!! Yet I have no choice~
It's two days since I've been back, nothing changed here. I've grown up a lot...daddy and mommy were so excited to see me. I didn't let them down and never will.
Have to plan for my vacation, everything should be in the right order. Miss you guys and take care!
It's two days since I've been back, nothing changed here. I've grown up a lot...daddy and mommy were so excited to see me. I didn't let them down and never will.
Have to plan for my vacation, everything should be in the right order. Miss you guys and take care!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Final Exam questions discussion
1. Should government be responsible for keeping consumers safe?
In my opinion, government should be responsible for keeping consumers safe. It's the government's duty to keep the consumers safe in any kind of market. Government should protect consumers when there are things that infringed the rights of consumers. But I think consumes also have to be responsible to the government.
4. Is the individual consumer responsible? Should we rely on the consumer's common sense? What is common sense?
Individual consumer should be responsible, yet a lot of consumers aren't responsible. My father owns a food company, I know that some of the consumers are very rude and not responsible at all. They think that it's the company's duty to change anything that consumers don't like. They are not only not responsible to themselves but also to the company and to the market. However, being a consumer myself, it is hard to think of the company's benefit. We all believe in our own common sense. What I think this common sense is that consumers think that they are right in judging products. For example, when we see a nice and beautiful packaging in a supermarket, we usually believe that this package of product must be expensive and good. And the problem is that the more expensive, the more we believe that the product is good! This is wrong. The value and quality of a product doesn't lie on the beautiful package of the product. We should all learn more on how to choose products and learn what's the real market is like. So that we choose what is right. I think after this final exam we will all learn more about these things.
Good luck to you next week!!!
In my opinion, government should be responsible for keeping consumers safe. It's the government's duty to keep the consumers safe in any kind of market. Government should protect consumers when there are things that infringed the rights of consumers. But I think consumes also have to be responsible to the government.
4. Is the individual consumer responsible? Should we rely on the consumer's common sense? What is common sense?
Individual consumer should be responsible, yet a lot of consumers aren't responsible. My father owns a food company, I know that some of the consumers are very rude and not responsible at all. They think that it's the company's duty to change anything that consumers don't like. They are not only not responsible to themselves but also to the company and to the market. However, being a consumer myself, it is hard to think of the company's benefit. We all believe in our own common sense. What I think this common sense is that consumers think that they are right in judging products. For example, when we see a nice and beautiful packaging in a supermarket, we usually believe that this package of product must be expensive and good. And the problem is that the more expensive, the more we believe that the product is good! This is wrong. The value and quality of a product doesn't lie on the beautiful package of the product. We should all learn more on how to choose products and learn what's the real market is like. So that we choose what is right. I think after this final exam we will all learn more about these things.
Good luck to you next week!!!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Research Project Evaluation
Research Project:
1. Do you think your writing has improved overall by doing this paper? Explain.
After writing this paper, I felt that I've improved in my writing. After Lili and Adrianne's correction, I learned more of the rules in English and know how to do references. The most important of all, I know how to paraphrase. Maybe we can't feel how much we improved, but I know I must have improved at least some in my writing than before. Looking forward for the teacher's feedback next week.
2. What are some of the skills you improved in while doing the paper?
I've learned how to do reference list and most important of all, I learned how to "write" in my own words but not copying from other papers. This is a very good experience for me, when entering university, being smart in writing papers is very important for university life.
3. How do you feel about your paper?
I feel great about my paper~~ Egyptian Pyramids is the topic which I always liked and wanted to do more research on. This research project gave me the chance to explore more. Though it was a hard time to find information that are really useful, I enjoyed the progress while doing my paper. After a 6-month study here in Concordia, my feel that after this paper, I can find what's my strong part and my weak part.
Presentations:
1. Did you enjoy listening to the presentations?
Absolutely yes! The presentations are great! Every student did well in working on their presentations and all of us spend lots of time practising. Each presentation has it's own style and own way of showing their thesis. Everybody did a great job in presenting. I believed we've all learned a lot.
2. What did you learn about presentation techniques while listening to them?
While listening to others presentation, I learned that to look at the audience is very important. When the presenter look at the audience, the audience will be more concentrated on the presentation and be full of passion. At the same time, the presenter will be more involved and present better. When doing the PowerPoint, we shouldn't put to many words on it, or else the audience will read the PowerPoint instead of listening to what you've presented.
3. What did you learn during the process of preparing for your presentations?
It was fun to do the PowerPoints while preparing for my presentation. Especially finding the beautiful pictures to support my project. I learned that it's always important and necessary to put references when we take others pictures or sentences. The process of preparing for my presentation was fun and I improved a lot in doing presentations, really hope to do more presentations...
4. Were you satisfied with you own presentation?
I was satisfied with my presentation. Thanks to the audience, you asked a lot of questions. At first I was quite nervous, but through the whole presentation, the audience concentrated in my presentation and it gave me confidence. I was also very glad to tell you about this topic of mine, and share the interesting things in Egypt.
1. Do you think your writing has improved overall by doing this paper? Explain.
After writing this paper, I felt that I've improved in my writing. After Lili and Adrianne's correction, I learned more of the rules in English and know how to do references. The most important of all, I know how to paraphrase. Maybe we can't feel how much we improved, but I know I must have improved at least some in my writing than before. Looking forward for the teacher's feedback next week.
2. What are some of the skills you improved in while doing the paper?
I've learned how to do reference list and most important of all, I learned how to "write" in my own words but not copying from other papers. This is a very good experience for me, when entering university, being smart in writing papers is very important for university life.
3. How do you feel about your paper?
I feel great about my paper~~ Egyptian Pyramids is the topic which I always liked and wanted to do more research on. This research project gave me the chance to explore more. Though it was a hard time to find information that are really useful, I enjoyed the progress while doing my paper. After a 6-month study here in Concordia, my feel that after this paper, I can find what's my strong part and my weak part.
Presentations:
1. Did you enjoy listening to the presentations?
Absolutely yes! The presentations are great! Every student did well in working on their presentations and all of us spend lots of time practising. Each presentation has it's own style and own way of showing their thesis. Everybody did a great job in presenting. I believed we've all learned a lot.
2. What did you learn about presentation techniques while listening to them?
While listening to others presentation, I learned that to look at the audience is very important. When the presenter look at the audience, the audience will be more concentrated on the presentation and be full of passion. At the same time, the presenter will be more involved and present better. When doing the PowerPoint, we shouldn't put to many words on it, or else the audience will read the PowerPoint instead of listening to what you've presented.
3. What did you learn during the process of preparing for your presentations?
It was fun to do the PowerPoints while preparing for my presentation. Especially finding the beautiful pictures to support my project. I learned that it's always important and necessary to put references when we take others pictures or sentences. The process of preparing for my presentation was fun and I improved a lot in doing presentations, really hope to do more presentations...
4. Were you satisfied with you own presentation?
I was satisfied with my presentation. Thanks to the audience, you asked a lot of questions. At first I was quite nervous, but through the whole presentation, the audience concentrated in my presentation and it gave me confidence. I was also very glad to tell you about this topic of mine, and share the interesting things in Egypt.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Improving Academic Performance
It's important that every student has to know how to study and how to improve their academic performance. I remember last year when I was still in high school, it was a difficult time for Chinese students... study study study all day long... some students even don't sleep more than 3 hours a day!!!! In this article, several good points are given for us on how to study.
Setting up a schedule for studying is a very good method. I used to write down what's in my mind and do all the things step by step. It's not to follow the rules, but to feel more comfortable and relax when you have do to a lot of things in hand. Find a plave to study where you can concentrate is very important. I remember some of my classmates prefer to go on the streets to study!!!That's...oh my god~~~ I prefer to study at home, home is a nice and quite place for me to concentrate, there are several points that you have to be aware of when studying at home. One is always keep yourself awake. Moreover, don't be lazy while you study, it's not good for you to stand up and walk around always (for example some people like to stand up and walk around every 20 minutes). You have to learn how to control yourself. When I was in high school, the best thing is to reward myself! haha~~have a snack and walk around is a good way to make yourself more concentrated in later study. This worked quite well for me.
Though I'm still not in university yet, I believe "getting more out of lectures". No one can say that they are so smart that they don't even need to go to classes. Even if the lectures are hard to understand or the teachers are not right for you. It is important to attend the lectures. You can at least get some points out of the lecture. There's a sentence in the article, " The key to getting more out of lectures is to stay motivated, stay attentive, and expend the effort to make your notes as complete as possible. To be a smart student is not to follow all the teachers word, but to make the best out of it.
As I said in the beginning, some of my friends don't sleep much. They think that they can sleep less and use sleeping time to study more than others who sleep. That's wrong!!! "The purpose of sleep may be more to rest the mind than to rest the body." After a whole days hard study, and max use of mind, it's good to have a rest and sleep well in order to make progess the next day. Sleeping well can make yourself concentrated more and have a higher speed in reaction. Why not be more efficient when it's time to study and sleep well when it's time to sleep? I have a friend in middle school, he's not a smart boy, but he knows how to study. That's why he always got good marks. To be honest, every time my classmates called him to ask him questions, he was always sleeping... when asked why he always sleeps? His answer was: I can solve problems while sleeping!
Haha~~~ Have a nice weekend my friends! Remember! When it's time for bed, go to bed! Don't make yourself too tired, still two more tough weeks! Keep on going!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Shrek the third~~~
I went to watch Shrek the third this afternoon... my...oh my...It was funny at some parts of the movie, but to be honest, it's not so interesting...
Snow white, Cinderella, and a bunch of other characters in other folk tells. Messed up a little bit. But for me, the most interesting part is when the frog king died, and when the donkey act like the cat...haha...funny...
Looking forward to watch The Pirate of Caribbean!!!!
Snow white, Cinderella, and a bunch of other characters in other folk tells. Messed up a little bit. But for me, the most interesting part is when the frog king died, and when the donkey act like the cat...haha...funny...
Looking forward to watch The Pirate of Caribbean!!!!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Lecture Project
On May 8, 2007, Cathy, Jennifer, Hajji and I went to a public lecture at McGill University. The lecture was about "Palliative Care isn't just about Cancer."
It was a quite interesting lecture as our group said in our presentation. A lot of people went to the lecture and they really get involved in it. The lecture started on time, and a host spoke at first. She wasn't a very good speaker, because she was reading her paper and speaks in a low voice. The main part of the lecture was when the speaker Dr. Borasio spoke, he is an expert in palliative care and gave many lectures about it. Although he is a German, he can speak English very well and we can feel that he practiced before the lecture. His PowerPoint was very clear and he gave a lot of examples to support his ideas.
This was a very good experience for us, because after this lecture, we knew what the teacher taught us to do in our presentation was very useful. There was a comparison between the speakers in this lecture. Now I know that in my presentation, I have to be well prepared and instead of reading my notes, I have to present. Being humorous is also very important during speech, so that your audience can concentrate well and get involved. Doing PowerPoint can help the speaker grab the attention of the audience, but never read the PowerPoint, and put only notes in the PowerPoint.
This lecture project made us gain more experience and learned how to use the things that we learnt in class.
It was a quite interesting lecture as our group said in our presentation. A lot of people went to the lecture and they really get involved in it. The lecture started on time, and a host spoke at first. She wasn't a very good speaker, because she was reading her paper and speaks in a low voice. The main part of the lecture was when the speaker Dr. Borasio spoke, he is an expert in palliative care and gave many lectures about it. Although he is a German, he can speak English very well and we can feel that he practiced before the lecture. His PowerPoint was very clear and he gave a lot of examples to support his ideas.
This was a very good experience for us, because after this lecture, we knew what the teacher taught us to do in our presentation was very useful. There was a comparison between the speakers in this lecture. Now I know that in my presentation, I have to be well prepared and instead of reading my notes, I have to present. Being humorous is also very important during speech, so that your audience can concentrate well and get involved. Doing PowerPoint can help the speaker grab the attention of the audience, but never read the PowerPoint, and put only notes in the PowerPoint.
This lecture project made us gain more experience and learned how to use the things that we learnt in class.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
About population...
Population growth is such a big problem now that almost everything relates to it. We should be opitimistic of our future life, but with so many problems, how can we be optimistic? In this unit, I've learned a lot. We have to be realistic. Things always happens when we aren't planning well. So have a plan to have a baby is important for everyone, in order to help the world we are living in. As in my country China, population growth is a problem. The government helped a lot in controlling population growth. One-child-policy helped in some part of China, but still needs to be improved and be more strict. Because of the density of population in some parts of the world, people aren't better educated. This leads to wanting more babies. The highly educated parents are wanting to have only one baby or not having a baby. What will happen in the near future? Lower IQ human-being or more intelligent ones?
The mass growing population of developing countries and the reducing population growth in developed countries causes headaches... How can we balance the world population? More need to be explored. Anyway, we should be optimistic so that we can live an easier life. Care more of our planet and our future.
The mass growing population of developing countries and the reducing population growth in developed countries causes headaches... How can we balance the world population? More need to be explored. Anyway, we should be optimistic so that we can live an easier life. Care more of our planet and our future.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Spiderman 3!!!!!
I've went to watch Spiderman 3 today! Wow................
Strongly recommend you guys to watch it! The Pirate of Caribbean is going to show on May. 25th! Highly recommend it too!
Watching spiderman 3 in the cinema is really a great! I feel like flying...
A lot of kids are watching the movie with their parents, haha...funny kids... they are acting like spiderman!
In Spiderman 3, new characters are coming out. Great prop!! Amazing and heartshaking...haha...I'm still thinking of this movie...wow...hero...
Strongly recommend you guys to watch it! The Pirate of Caribbean is going to show on May. 25th! Highly recommend it too!
Watching spiderman 3 in the cinema is really a great! I feel like flying...
A lot of kids are watching the movie with their parents, haha...funny kids... they are acting like spiderman!
In Spiderman 3, new characters are coming out. Great prop!! Amazing and heartshaking...haha...I'm still thinking of this movie...wow...hero...
Friday, May 4, 2007
Population questions...
1. My grandparents have 5 children.(my father's parents have 3, mother's parents have 2)
My parents only have one child---me!!!
It's good to have 2 children, one boy and one girl! But... one girl might be enough for me.
2. In my country, China, there is 1.3 billion people. Having a large population effects the quality of life in my country. Like eating problems and not enough living spaces are two main points. A lot of children are always hungry, they don't have enough food to eat and are also starving to death...
3. The earth's population is about 6.7 billion now...
4. There are lots of factors that control or regulate animal populations. One factor is traffic. With cars, trucks and all kinds of transportation roaring on the road and urban areas. How can animals live in peace? More species are dying not only because of the noisy surroundings they are living now, but also the dirty environment that traffic causes. Another factor is that too many high buildings are built for human purpose. Less natural surroundings are available for animals. Moreover, human have to eat animals! We are controlling the amount of animals living. So how can these poor animals live in peace? It's for sure that less animal species are living on earth. The population of human is influencing animal species directly.
5. In my opinion, governments should control population growth. For example in my country China, if the government doesn't control, more social problems will take place. One-child policy is very useful. Why should people born many children? Is it possible? Every governments should and must do something for the whole world. It is believed that the population limit is 100 hundred million on earth, it's already 6.7 billion now. We have to do something to save the earth and save our next generations. In order to let everyone get involved, government should do something so that everyone could obey the laws and born less children...
My parents only have one child---me!!!
It's good to have 2 children, one boy and one girl! But... one girl might be enough for me.
2. In my country, China, there is 1.3 billion people. Having a large population effects the quality of life in my country. Like eating problems and not enough living spaces are two main points. A lot of children are always hungry, they don't have enough food to eat and are also starving to death...
3. The earth's population is about 6.7 billion now...
4. There are lots of factors that control or regulate animal populations. One factor is traffic. With cars, trucks and all kinds of transportation roaring on the road and urban areas. How can animals live in peace? More species are dying not only because of the noisy surroundings they are living now, but also the dirty environment that traffic causes. Another factor is that too many high buildings are built for human purpose. Less natural surroundings are available for animals. Moreover, human have to eat animals! We are controlling the amount of animals living. So how can these poor animals live in peace? It's for sure that less animal species are living on earth. The population of human is influencing animal species directly.
5. In my opinion, governments should control population growth. For example in my country China, if the government doesn't control, more social problems will take place. One-child policy is very useful. Why should people born many children? Is it possible? Every governments should and must do something for the whole world. It is believed that the population limit is 100 hundred million on earth, it's already 6.7 billion now. We have to do something to save the earth and save our next generations. In order to let everyone get involved, government should do something so that everyone could obey the laws and born less children...
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
How I define Happiness
Happiness is......
Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen , as by little advantages that occur every day. (Benjamin Franklin, American president)
What is happiness? There isn't an exact definition of it. Big things and small things can all lead to happiness. There are both long terms of happiness and short terms of happiness. People's different happiness rate might because of his/her personality caused by genetic differences or even the influence by his/her surroundings. At least most people agree that money can't buy happiness.In my own point of view, happiness is abstractively. I can easily be happy of anything. For me, happiness is looking at the greens shooting out of the trees and ground in spring time. Happiness is feeling the summer sun shining on my face. Happiness is walking on the falling leaves in autumn. Happiness is touching the beautiful snowflakes in winter time.
I think having hope is important. Hope is like a goal for future. Sometimes a hope might be unrealistic, but it can encourage you and give you strength when feeling down. When you have hope deep in your heart, it's easily to work hard and keep up with anything you're up to. I can't imagine if there's no hope. I remember I've seen an article before about scientists found out that people who have hope is living an easier and more cozy life than people who don't. So why not have hope and plan for your future?
Having money is important, but not too much or too less. Anything won't be beautiful if you own too much, especially happiness. Money can't buy happiness. But money can still buy the things that can lead to happiness. For instance, if I buy a piece of stickers, I'll feel happy! But if there are too many stickers... I'll feel bored. Too many isn't beautiful anymore, it will be a mess...It's the same with anything for almost anybody. In modern world, people can't always feel happiness. Owning too much is one problem why people aren't feeling happy.
People now know more about happiness and are eager to be happy. There are many ways to be happy. The ways which I am using to be happy is that, love others and believe, think of happier things more than unhappy ones, learn to give, laugh out loud with friends!!! Come on my friends, try to be happy everyday, after all, tomorrow will be a new day!
Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be .(Abraham Lincoln ,American president )
Monday, April 23, 2007
Happiness
Happiness is an emotional feeling of enjoyment and satisfaction.
People may pursue happiness differently. But it is the same happiness for everyone. Happiness is important in our every day life. We have thoughts, happiness varies differently to each person. But it’s one of the main things in our whole life. There are different kinds of happiness. Everyone has their own definition of happiness. Big events like getting married, graduated from a good university are happiness. Small things like buying a favorite thing or looking at your beloved ones is also happiness to someone. Having happiness is easy but also difficult. Think of happy things and make your life full. Happiness will come to you anyhow.
People may pursue happiness differently. But it is the same happiness for everyone. Happiness is important in our every day life. We have thoughts, happiness varies differently to each person. But it’s one of the main things in our whole life. There are different kinds of happiness. Everyone has their own definition of happiness. Big events like getting married, graduated from a good university are happiness. Small things like buying a favorite thing or looking at your beloved ones is also happiness to someone. Having happiness is easy but also difficult. Think of happy things and make your life full. Happiness will come to you anyhow.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Why I choose "Pyramids"
Pyramids are great constructions of men-kind. How did ancient people build pyramids? Were pyramids build by ancient human beings or by aliens? Scientists are exploring what really happened when building the pyramids in ancient time.
Building PYRAMIDs...
Construction
The base of the Great Pyramid forms a nearly perfect square, with only a 19-cm (about 7.5-in) difference between its longest and shortest sides, out of a total length of about 230 m (756 ft). This huge square is also almost exactly level. When newly completed, the Great Pyramid rose 146.7 m (481.4 ft)—nearly 50 stories high. The pyramid’s core probably includes a hill of unexcavated rubble, making it impossible to determine its exact number of blocks. Researchers estimate that 2.3 million blocks were used to build the Great Pyramid, with an average weight of about 2.5 metric tons per block. The largest block weighs as much as 15 metric tons.
The work of quarrying, moving, setting, and sculpting the huge amount of stone used to build the Great Pyramid was most likely accomplished by several thousand skilled workers. Thousands more unskilled laborers and supporting workers—bakers, carpenters, water carriers, and others—were also needed for the project, so that a total of as many as 35,000 men and women were involved in the project. Many archaeologists and engineers now believe that the pyramid builders were not slaves, as was previously thought, but paid laborers who took great pride in their task. Most were probably farmers, contracted to work for a limited period. Specialists, who were permanently employed by the king, filled the positions that required the most skill—architects, masons, metalworkers, and carpenters.
In building Khufu’s pyramid, the architects used techniques developed by earlier pyramid builders. They selected a site at Giza on a relatively flat area of bedrock—not sand—which provided a stable foundation. After carefully surveying the site and laying down the first level of stones, they constructed the Great Pyramid in horizontal levels, one on top of the other.
Most of the stone for the interior of the Great Pyramid was quarried immediately to the south of the construction site. The smooth exterior of the pyramid was made of a fine grade of white limestone that was quarried across the Nile. These exterior blocks had to be carefully cut, transported by river barge to Giza, and dragged up ramps to the construction site. Only a few exterior blocks remain in place at the bottom of the Great Pyramid. During the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century) people took the rest away for building projects in the city of Cairo.
To ensure that the pyramid remained symmetrical, the exterior casing stones all had to be equal in height and width. Workers marked all the blocks to indicate the angle of the pyramid wall and trimmed the surfaces carefully so that the blocks fit together. During construction the outer surface of the stone was left unfinished; excess stone was removed later.
As the Great Pyramid rose, the workers built large ramps to drag their materials up the sides of the structure. The exact form of these ramps is not known, but scholars believe that they were probably built wrapping around the pyramid as they rose. These ramps were probably made of desert clay mixed with water and bonded with limestone debris left over from the construction work.
When the workers had completed the pyramid and installed the pyramidion, or cap stone, ramps still covered the surface of the pyramid. As the workers dismantled the ramps from the top down, they slowly exposed the pyramid’s stone surface, which stonemasons smoothed and polished. When the ramp was gone, the pyramid was displayed in its full majesty.
The base of the Great Pyramid forms a nearly perfect square, with only a 19-cm (about 7.5-in) difference between its longest and shortest sides, out of a total length of about 230 m (756 ft). This huge square is also almost exactly level. When newly completed, the Great Pyramid rose 146.7 m (481.4 ft)—nearly 50 stories high. The pyramid’s core probably includes a hill of unexcavated rubble, making it impossible to determine its exact number of blocks. Researchers estimate that 2.3 million blocks were used to build the Great Pyramid, with an average weight of about 2.5 metric tons per block. The largest block weighs as much as 15 metric tons.
The work of quarrying, moving, setting, and sculpting the huge amount of stone used to build the Great Pyramid was most likely accomplished by several thousand skilled workers. Thousands more unskilled laborers and supporting workers—bakers, carpenters, water carriers, and others—were also needed for the project, so that a total of as many as 35,000 men and women were involved in the project. Many archaeologists and engineers now believe that the pyramid builders were not slaves, as was previously thought, but paid laborers who took great pride in their task. Most were probably farmers, contracted to work for a limited period. Specialists, who were permanently employed by the king, filled the positions that required the most skill—architects, masons, metalworkers, and carpenters.
In building Khufu’s pyramid, the architects used techniques developed by earlier pyramid builders. They selected a site at Giza on a relatively flat area of bedrock—not sand—which provided a stable foundation. After carefully surveying the site and laying down the first level of stones, they constructed the Great Pyramid in horizontal levels, one on top of the other.
Most of the stone for the interior of the Great Pyramid was quarried immediately to the south of the construction site. The smooth exterior of the pyramid was made of a fine grade of white limestone that was quarried across the Nile. These exterior blocks had to be carefully cut, transported by river barge to Giza, and dragged up ramps to the construction site. Only a few exterior blocks remain in place at the bottom of the Great Pyramid. During the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century) people took the rest away for building projects in the city of Cairo.
To ensure that the pyramid remained symmetrical, the exterior casing stones all had to be equal in height and width. Workers marked all the blocks to indicate the angle of the pyramid wall and trimmed the surfaces carefully so that the blocks fit together. During construction the outer surface of the stone was left unfinished; excess stone was removed later.
As the Great Pyramid rose, the workers built large ramps to drag their materials up the sides of the structure. The exact form of these ramps is not known, but scholars believe that they were probably built wrapping around the pyramid as they rose. These ramps were probably made of desert clay mixed with water and bonded with limestone debris left over from the construction work.
When the workers had completed the pyramid and installed the pyramidion, or cap stone, ramps still covered the surface of the pyramid. As the workers dismantled the ramps from the top down, they slowly exposed the pyramid’s stone surface, which stonemasons smoothed and polished. When the ramp was gone, the pyramid was displayed in its full majesty.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
To fight global warming, some hang a clothesline!---From the New York Times
To reduce energy bills and carbon emissions ,the author (Kathleen A. Hughes) secretly hung a clothesline in her backyard. Like many homeowners' associations, hers restricts their use. According to the authors own experience, as a child she used to hung clothes outside on the clothesline with her mother every time they washed their clothes. Her teacher told her she should use a clothesline to dry her clothes instead of the dryer. Since 1991, Kathleen hasn't seen people using clothesline. More buildings are build so that there's not even space for us to hang clothes outside. In the authors opinion, in order to use less energy and to reduce our monthly electric bills, using clothesline is possible.
There's a clothesline fan, Alexander Lee, a lawyer and 32-year-old clothesline activist in Concord, N.H. His web site, laundrylist.org, is an encyclopedia on the energy advantages of hanging laundry. Mr. Lee sponsors an annual National Hanging Out Day on April 19. The clotheslines are in a lowered corner of the backyard surrounded by hedges, they cannot be seen from the street, so it's not ugly for the neighborhood. There were more than 88 million dryers in the country in 2005, the latest count, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. If all Americans linedried for just half a year, it would save 3.3% of the country's total residential output of carbon dioxide, experts say. It's one of the simplest things to do to help with global warming. In Hollywood movies, they even use clotheslines as a kind of decorator, like in the films "Angela's Ashes," "Children of Men" and "Pearl Harbor." As to the author, she completely agrees, she thinks that maybe more people will join in to the group of clotheslines fans.
In my own point of view, using clotheslines rather than dryer is a good way to fight global warming. Clotheslines are actually a kind of "beauty". It gives a homey, close neighborhood feeling. Especially in summer or spring time, hanging your clothes outside the yard is a way to be close to nature. Some people might think that seeing laundry at the neighborhood is an ugly flag of poverty. In some countries, hanging out the clothes is almost a traditional. Like in China, few people use dryer to dry clothes. Although we have drying machines at home, but it's not necessary to use it when we have a balcony. Why not feel the smell of nature? The smell of machinery isn't good...is it? In most of the developed countries, people mostly prefer to use dryer. Because it's fast and convenient. But think of it, using dryer is a waste of both energy and money. Give ourselves a break, try to dry your clothes on a clothesline some day. You can exercise at the same time! Feel the feeling of closing nature, and enjoy the moment hanging clothes with your kids!
Saturday, April 7, 2007
My opinion in building skyscrapers
Skyscrapers are hard to build and cost a lot when building it. People think it's not worthy to build super-high skyscrapers because of both economic and physical problems. But in my own opinion, building skyscrapers is the best solution for the fast growing population in the whole world.
The fast growing population is one of the most serious problems in the world now. Will there be enough space for mankind to live in the future? Architects find a good way to solve the mass growing population problem by building super-high skyscrapers. Building these tall buildings can let more people live and work in it. Try to think of a 6 storeys building and a 150 storeys one. Which one is better? The 150 storeys building can hold a lot more people than the 6 storeys one. For example in New York City downtowm, factors like lands are expensive, the growth of business. In order to earn more money and develop the economy, tall buildings have to be build for earning back the profits.
With the fast developing technique. Engineers are using high-techs to build these skyscrapers. Special kinds of shapes are designed in order to withstand the great turbulence of earthquake and strong wind. New materials are used. However, because building a skyscraper is an enormously complex project, the materials used in building a skyscraper has to be supported by all over the world. The usage of materials will cause a disruption to global supply. But the result is optimistic. Using one of the sentences Louis Sullivan wrote in 1896, "The building is one of the most stupendous, one of the most magnificent opportunities that the Lord of Nature in his beneficence has ever offered to the proud spirit of men." Skyscrapers are the pride of man-made structures.
Building super-high skyscrapers might be the best solution for our future life. Although more need to be done, building more skyscrapers seem to be the tendency in the whole world. Our achievements are only limited by our own imagination. The things impossible today, will be reality tomorrow.
The fast growing population is one of the most serious problems in the world now. Will there be enough space for mankind to live in the future? Architects find a good way to solve the mass growing population problem by building super-high skyscrapers. Building these tall buildings can let more people live and work in it. Try to think of a 6 storeys building and a 150 storeys one. Which one is better? The 150 storeys building can hold a lot more people than the 6 storeys one. For example in New York City downtowm, factors like lands are expensive, the growth of business. In order to earn more money and develop the economy, tall buildings have to be build for earning back the profits.
With the fast developing technique. Engineers are using high-techs to build these skyscrapers. Special kinds of shapes are designed in order to withstand the great turbulence of earthquake and strong wind. New materials are used. However, because building a skyscraper is an enormously complex project, the materials used in building a skyscraper has to be supported by all over the world. The usage of materials will cause a disruption to global supply. But the result is optimistic. Using one of the sentences Louis Sullivan wrote in 1896, "The building is one of the most stupendous, one of the most magnificent opportunities that the Lord of Nature in his beneficence has ever offered to the proud spirit of men." Skyscrapers are the pride of man-made structures.
Building super-high skyscrapers might be the best solution for our future life. Although more need to be done, building more skyscrapers seem to be the tendency in the whole world. Our achievements are only limited by our own imagination. The things impossible today, will be reality tomorrow.
Friday, April 6, 2007
My experience on China Central TV Tower
I've been to the China central television tower in Beijing when I was in elementary school. The tower is 386.5 meter high, 405 meters high including the lightning rod. Our teacher took us up to the balcony of the tower, although on that day, there was no wind. On the top of the tower, because it's so high, the wind was so strong. My classmates and I can't stand still on the balcony. We felt like flying... and it was so scary. I remembered that I had a small toy bear on the back of my backpack, the strong wind even blew my favorite toy bear away. I was so sad that day and even swear that I will never go to a place so high again.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Petronas Towers
Petronas Towers
Vital Statistics:
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Completion Date: 1998
Cost: $1.6 billion
Height: 1,483 feet
Stories: 88
Materials: Concrete, Steel
Facing Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Engineer(s): Thornton-Tomasetti and Ranhill Bersekutu
Until 1998, the world's tallest skyscraper had always been in the United States. But that year, Malaysia's Petronas Towers laid claim to this distinction.
Squeaking past the Chicago Sears Tower by 33 feet, the spires atop the Petronas Towers peak at an impressive 1,483 feet. Yet there's a controversy. The highest occupied floor in the Sears Tower is actually 200 feet higher than the top floor of the Petronas Towers, and its antennae stretch higher still.
So why are the Petronas Towers considered the world's tallest buildings? According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, spires count, but antennae don't. Spires do not contain floors, but they are counted in the world's tallest building race for one architectural reason: they're nice to look at.
Built over a former racetrack, the Petronas Towers reflect a unique blend of religion and economic prosperity. The $1.6 billion towers contain more than eight million square feet of shopping and entertainment facilities, underground parking for 4,500 cars, a petroleum museum, a symphony hall, a mosque, and a multimedia conference center.
Each tower's floor plan forms an eight-pointed star, a design inspired by traditional Malaysian Islamic patterns. The 88-story towers, joined by a flexible skybridge on the 42nd floor, have been described as two "cosmic pillars" spiraling endlessly towards the heavens.
Vital Statistics:
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Completion Date: 1998
Cost: $1.6 billion
Height: 1,483 feet
Stories: 88
Materials: Concrete, Steel
Facing Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Engineer(s): Thornton-Tomasetti and Ranhill Bersekutu
Until 1998, the world's tallest skyscraper had always been in the United States. But that year, Malaysia's Petronas Towers laid claim to this distinction.Squeaking past the Chicago Sears Tower by 33 feet, the spires atop the Petronas Towers peak at an impressive 1,483 feet. Yet there's a controversy. The highest occupied floor in the Sears Tower is actually 200 feet higher than the top floor of the Petronas Towers, and its antennae stretch higher still.
So why are the Petronas Towers considered the world's tallest buildings? According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, spires count, but antennae don't. Spires do not contain floors, but they are counted in the world's tallest building race for one architectural reason: they're nice to look at.
Built over a former racetrack, the Petronas Towers reflect a unique blend of religion and economic prosperity. The $1.6 billion towers contain more than eight million square feet of shopping and entertainment facilities, underground parking for 4,500 cars, a petroleum museum, a symphony hall, a mosque, and a multimedia conference center.
Each tower's floor plan forms an eight-pointed star, a design inspired by traditional Malaysian Islamic patterns. The 88-story towers, joined by a flexible skybridge on the 42nd floor, have been described as two "cosmic pillars" spiraling endlessly towards the heavens.
Home Insurance Building
Home Insurance Building
Vital Statistics:
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Completion Date: 1885 (demolished in 1931)
Height: 138 feet
Stories: 10
Materials: Steel
Facing Materials: Brick
Engineer(s): William LeBaron Jenney
Considered the first American skyscraper, the 10-story Home Insurance Building in C
hicago was the first tall building to be supported by a metal skeleton of vertical columns and horizontal beams. Engineer William LeBaron Jenney discovered that thin pieces of steel could support a tall building as well as thick stone walls could. The steel necessary to carry Jenney's 10-story building weighed only one-third as much as a 10-story building made of heavy masonry. Since the steel skeleton supported the weight of the entire building and the exterior wall was really just a skin to keep out the weather, the Home Insurance Building was the first tall building to have many windows. Jenney steel frame brought floor space and windows to the structure we now know as the modern skyscraper.
Vital Statistics:
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Completion Date: 1885 (demolished in 1931)
Height: 138 feet
Stories: 10
Materials: Steel
Facing Materials: Brick
Engineer(s): William LeBaron Jenney
Considered the first American skyscraper, the 10-story Home Insurance Building in C
hicago was the first tall building to be supported by a metal skeleton of vertical columns and horizontal beams. Engineer William LeBaron Jenney discovered that thin pieces of steel could support a tall building as well as thick stone walls could. The steel necessary to carry Jenney's 10-story building weighed only one-third as much as a 10-story building made of heavy masonry. Since the steel skeleton supported the weight of the entire building and the exterior wall was really just a skin to keep out the weather, the Home Insurance Building was the first tall building to have many windows. Jenney steel frame brought floor space and windows to the structure we now know as the modern skyscraper.
Chrysler Building
Chrysler Building
In the summer of 1929, a "race for the sky" broke out on the island of Manhattan. Automobile tycoon Walter Chrysler battled Wall Street powerhouse Bank of Manhattan Trust Company for the title of world's tallest building in what many historians consider to be the most intense race in skyscraper history. In the spring of 1930, just when it appeared that the bank might capture the coveted title, a small crew jacked a needle-thin spire hidden in Chrysler's building through the top of the crown to claim the title of world's tallest at 1,046 feet.
Not only was the Chrysler Building the world's tallest structure, it was also one of the most decorated office buildings in the world. Chrysler wanted "a bold structure, declaring the glories of the modern age" -- and he got it. He decorated his skyscraper with hubcaps, mudguards, and hood ornaments, just like his cars, hoping that such a distinctive building would make his car company a household name. Today, the Chrysler Building is recognized as New York City's greatest display of Art Deco, a decorative style characterized by sharp angular or zigzag surface forms and ornaments.
Only four months after the completion of the Chrysler Building, the world's tallest championship title would be claimed by a new structure, the Empire State Building.
Vital Statistics:
Location: New York, USA
Completion Date: 1930
Cost: $20 million
Height: 1,046 feet
Stories: 77
Materials: Steel
Facing Materials: Brick
Engineer(s): Ralph Squire & Sons
In the summer of 1929, a "race for the sky" broke out on the island of Manhattan. Automobile tycoon Walter Chrysler battled Wall Street powerhouse Bank of Manhattan Trust Company for the title of world's tallest building in what many historians consider to be the most intense race in skyscraper history. In the spring of 1930, just when it appeared that the bank might capture the coveted title, a small crew jacked a needle-thin spire hidden in Chrysler's building through the top of the crown to claim the title of world's tallest at 1,046 feet.Not only was the Chrysler Building the world's tallest structure, it was also one of the most decorated office buildings in the world. Chrysler wanted "a bold structure, declaring the glories of the modern age" -- and he got it. He decorated his skyscraper with hubcaps, mudguards, and hood ornaments, just like his cars, hoping that such a distinctive building would make his car company a household name. Today, the Chrysler Building is recognized as New York City's greatest display of Art Deco, a decorative style characterized by sharp angular or zigzag surface forms and ornaments.
Only four months after the completion of the Chrysler Building, the world's tallest championship title would be claimed by a new structure, the Empire State Building.
Skyscrapers
The term "skyscraper" was coined in the 1880s, shortly after the first tall buildings were constructed in the United States -- but the history of tall buildings dates back hundreds of years. Since the Middle Ages, engineers have engaged in a battle for the sky.
San Gimignano towers
Before there were skyscrapers, there were towers.Made of heavy stone, towers had thick, sturdy walls, but the rooms were dark and cramped -- too many windows would have weakened the structure.
First steel skyscraper:Home Insurance Building
With steel came the first modern skyscrapers.During the Industrial Revolution, engineers began experimenting with two new materials -- iron and steel. The 10-story Home Insurance Building in Chicago was the first tall building to be supported by a steel skeleton of vertical columns and horizontal beams. But even with windows, the closely spaced columns and deep beams made rooms in the Home Insurance Building feel tight and cramped.
San Gimignano towersBefore there were skyscrapers, there were towers.Made of heavy stone, towers had thick, sturdy walls, but the rooms were dark and cramped -- too many windows would have weakened the structure.
Flying buttresses: Notre Dame Cathedral 
Soon Gothic cathedrals joined the quest for height.Long, stone arms, called flying buttresses, supported the cathedral's heavy weight, allowing the walls to be filled with colorful glass windows.
Soon Gothic cathedrals joined the quest for height.Long, stone arms, called flying buttresses, supported the cathedral's heavy weight, allowing the walls to be filled with colorful glass windows.
First steel skyscraper:Home Insurance BuildingWith steel came the first modern skyscrapers.During the Industrial Revolution, engineers began experimenting with two new materials -- iron and steel. The 10-story Home Insurance Building in Chicago was the first tall building to be supported by a steel skeleton of vertical columns and horizontal beams. But even with windows, the closely spaced columns and deep beams made rooms in the Home Insurance Building feel tight and cramped.
Home Insurance Building
Early elevator
Who wants to climb all those stairs?In 1857, the installation of the first passenger elevator in the Haughwout Department Store in New York City made it possible and practical to construct buildings more than four or five stories tall.Check out the forces that act on skyscrapers!
Minneapolis skyline
New structural designs made skyscrapers even lighter and stiffer.As skyscrapers grew taller and taller, engineers were faced with a new enemy: wind. Today's tallest skyscrapers, which are almost 1,500 feet tall, must be 50 times stronger against wind than the typical 200-foot buildings of the 1940s. How do engineers design skyscrapers to resist wind?
Petronas Towers
Today, the sky's the limit!As architects and engineers experiment with new styles and building methods, taller and more innovative structures are springing up around the world. The tallest buildings in the world, the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, are connected by a flexible skybridge on the 42nd floor -- a design that improves the circulation of people between the towers and provides an escape route from one tower to the other in case of emergency.
Now that you're a genuine skyscraper whiz, test your skills in the Skyscraper Challenge!
Who wants to climb all those stairs?In 1857, the installation of the first passenger elevator in the Haughwout Department Store in New York City made it possible and practical to construct buildings more than four or five stories tall.Check out the forces that act on skyscrapers!
Minneapolis skyline
New structural designs made skyscrapers even lighter and stiffer.As skyscrapers grew taller and taller, engineers were faced with a new enemy: wind. Today's tallest skyscrapers, which are almost 1,500 feet tall, must be 50 times stronger against wind than the typical 200-foot buildings of the 1940s. How do engineers design skyscrapers to resist wind?
Petronas Towers
Today, the sky's the limit!As architects and engineers experiment with new styles and building methods, taller and more innovative structures are springing up around the world. The tallest buildings in the world, the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, are connected by a flexible skybridge on the 42nd floor -- a design that improves the circulation of people between the towers and provides an escape route from one tower to the other in case of emergency.
Now that you're a genuine skyscraper whiz, test your skills in the Skyscraper Challenge!
Picture
The Turning Torso skyscraper in Malmö, Sweden. It is the second tallest residential skyscraper in Europe. The tower was completed in 2005.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
The first day in my blog
This is the first time I create my own blog. I'm sure I'll have a good time here! If you have some comments just leave messages here.
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