Paul Hamm: Did He Deserve Gymnastics Gold in 2004?
July 2, 2008
What was the controversy all about?
In the 2004 Olympics, an all-star group of athletes from around the world gathered together to compete for titles in gymnastics. In the spirit of competition, there are always tensions between analysts and spokespersons about whether or not athletes deserve the medals they receive. Sometimes, judges are found to be at fault for the controversy, and other times the fiasco is trumped up by uneducated speculation. In this case, the Paul Hamm stir was due to an ancillary error.: the judges mistakenly set his rival’s starting score at 9.9 rather than 10.0. Many believe that it is this error that cost Yang Tae Young, the South Korean rival of Paul Hamm, the all-around gold medal in gymnastics.
Gymnastics judging is not a science.
This is proven again and again. There is no mathematical way of measuring gymnastics routines — in fact, gymnastics is perhaps one of the most subjective sports of all. No goals are involved, as in soccer - no hoops like in basketball; no bullseyes are involved, as in archery; one does not go for distance or height, as in pole vaulting or shot put. In gymnastics, an athlete is judged on form, scored on perfection. It is exceedingly difficult to do so accurately, as there are no vectors that can be calculated to see if someone grasps hold of the parallel bars incorrectly or lands with a wobble.
Carly Patterson: What Makes A Champion?
June 28, 2008
If you have been following gymnastics for any length of time, odds are you have heard of a particular gymnast by the name of Carly Patterson. You probably also know that she is one of the youngest female Olympic gymnasts ever - and that she has stunned the world of late with her astounding abilities. In 2004, she became the first all-around Olympic champion for the United States in more than two decades, and was also the first to win for the US in the past two games, an amazing feat indeed, considering these past Olympic games were fully attended! The last female all-around gymnastics champion for the United States won in 1984, when the Soviet Union had boycotted the Olympics entirely.
Carly was born on February the fourth, 1988, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to a pair of loving parents - her mother, Natalie, and her father, Ricky. She is the first of a pair of girls (her younger sister is Jordan). Currently, she lives with her mother, her sister, and her pets in Allen, Texas. A straight-A student, she is almost a normal teenager when it comes to taste in music, boys, and shopping. However, one thing sets her apart from the rest of the crowd, even beyond her academics: she spends more than thirty hours a week training in her Texas academy. Of course, she could not have gotten to where she is currently without help. This logically leads to the question — what makes a champion?
The Beothuk
June 25, 2008
Canada is an emancipated country in the relative scheme of things. But it has a dark history that some people aren’t aware of, and others would like to keep it that way. In the early 20th century the last Beothuk Indian met her death after various parties encouraged other Indians (Micmac) to hunt people to their extinction. It is true that the Beothuk stole merchandise but it is also true that their culture assumed that what wasn’t being used was for the common people to use and that those who weren’t using the canoe or boat wouldn’t mind if it was borrowed. In time they returned the goods if they were given a chance.
Humans are not special, hate to break it to you
June 22, 2008
I hate to break it to you, but humans are not all that special really. I laugh at the self importance humans place on this species as if some how they are better, more evolved or the divine work and special project of a God. There is actually not a single piece of evidence for that. We see the same general characteristics we see in humans in house pets, primates, birds and even fish. Yes, indeed we have a larger brain and the point is? Few humans bother to use its potential. Now that I have offended every human on the planet, let me recommend a book to you:
"The Ape and The Sushi Master-Cultural Reflections of a Primatologist" By Frans de Wall.
Very interesting that we as Human Beings may believe we are human because we are social animals, as if somehow that is what makes us different. Frans’s first book was "Chimpanzee Politics Power and Sex Among apes" was recommended reading by Newt Gingrich for freshman Congressmen. I can certainly see why having had a little political fun in my past. I think every one who has a spiritual or passion driven need for the understanding of cultural anthropology should read this book. I found particularly interesting the notion that chimpanzees used tools like rocks and flat stones to crush pinecones to get out the seeds in the center to eat.
Civil War Uniform Shirts ? When to Use a One and Two Piece Body!
June 18, 2008
So, you want to make your own Civil War shirt. You have so many decisions to make - one or two-piece body, type of front, buttons, material, colors, collars! Wow.
A common pattern is a one-piece body with gussets under the sleeves with or without a collar using the same pattern.
You can vary the widths of the cuffs to copy original photographs. There is no standard pattern - even issued shirts were made off civilian patterns of the day. The variation of shirts is mind-boggling. You will see everything.
The most common shirt has a placket front with about 3 buttons. But you will see shirts that button all the way down. There is everything from A to Z.
If you see a shirt in an original photo and you want to copy it, do it. The red, white, blue on this shirt was a copy. Patriotic shirts were a common theme.
All topstitching should be by hand.
If you don’t have enough material to do a 1-piece body, you can do 2 and piece them together using a shoulder strap.
Bad Mouthing Fellow Authors
June 14, 2008
The creative mind is a gift to humanity; but unfortunately it comes with some baggage. We often find people who are creative also have negative and self-defeating personal character flaws. I recently had the pleasure of someone proving this to me. The name of the individual was Ed. You see Mr. Ed condemned my expert status in some articles I wrote and put online. I recently wrote an article called "1000 Ways to Improve Your Business." http://ezinearticles.com/?id=37886
Ed was quick to make critique when he stated:
“Now, I assume the term “expert author” refers to someone being an expert in their field. If Lance is indeed an expert in all the subjects he writes about - more power to him. If not, he should not misrepresent himself.”
In the article of "1000 Ways," I stated that I recommend authors write articles that they are an expert or borderline expert in. I did not say; "I am an expert or borderline expert in all the industries of all the articles I have written," although now challenged I will admit that in fact I am. I do not misrepresent myself, yet I challenge Ed to identify himself.
Archaeology and Spirit Guides
June 11, 2008
One of the northern derivatives of Hopewell of interest to a few scholars is the anomalous Effigy Mound culture of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. The remains attract attention because of the range of animal forms represented by the low effigy mounds. There are sometimes burials at the “vital” points - hips, head or heart area - of the animals, but there is only the simplest of grave goods.
{How these nature worship spiritual guide representations can be talked about as “anomalous” is beyond me. The Serpent Mound near Cincinnati is a key worldwide astrological figure. The Nazca Line effigies of animals are well known. The Dragon Project and other ley line and Gaian concepts of earth energy and center point location of the Mayan urban and pyramid complexes are definitely related. Stonehenge is recently shown connected to the Serpent Mound and certain astrological or astronomical observations are discussed in Ancient American magazine. Vortexes of energy are obvious in places like Sedona, Arizona. The Giza main pyramid is on such a vortex and some people talk about time warp effects there. But we must remember most archaeologists like their academic brethren the psychiatrists, don’t believe in psychic visions, soulful interpretations and other spiritual things that all early people on earth clearly knew very well.
The Power of Words
June 8, 2008
I freely confess that I have had a life-long love affair with words. I fell in love with words by the flickering light of a pine-knot fire. I watched my story-telling father use words to hold the neighbors captive. I learned how to use them from anybody who could teach me.
Words have been used to support and praise me. They have also been used to attack and wound me. But I have never lost faith in their power or their durability.
Words can reveal thoughts, conceal pain, paint dreams, correct errors, and pass along dearly bought lessons to the latest generation. Words can transport knowledge from the past, interpret the present, and speak to the future. Words can build walls between people, or bridges. Words can tear down or build up, wound or heal, tarnish or cleanse.
The ability to use words can endear you to your fellows, win them to your side, and enable you to rise to heights you may now only dream of. That happened to my father’s son.
Pursuing the mastery of words is worth all the time, money, and energy that you can muster. And what you invest will be repaid with interest compounded.
Chinese Tattoos - Meaning of Chinese Dragon Tattoos
June 5, 2008
Chinese Tattoos have always been hugely popular. At one stage they were the realm of criminals and the mafia. Now it seems even Hollywood celebrities seem to have caught on to the mystery and allure of the Far East. While it is undeniable that classic Chinese tattoos have an attraction which can easily be appreciated regardless of whether one can understand the often subtle meanings or not.
Aesthetics should be the primary consideration when getting tattooed, and Chinese characters are very well suited to this purpose. While tattoos have always been conversation pieces, Chinese tattoos add another element, since the typical viewer will probably ask you the meaning, which allows the wearer to not only translate the characters, but to explain the story behind the decision to make such a lasting statement.
Meaning is an important question however and for this reason can make Chinese tattoos date very quickly. Often it is not quite what the wearer was told by the tattooist at the tattoo shop or the meaning can become irrelevant after a few years.
Hopefully the person being tattooed has done his or her research and consulted with a native Chinese speaker about the meaning before being inked. Some non Chinese speakers have unwittingly tattooed their bodies with Chinese symbols which when translated become meaningless.
Tribal Tattoo Designs - Why Are They So Popular?
June 2, 2008
Tribal tattoos have been practiced for thousands of years. Modern people still get them done for many reasons such as to belong to a modern ‘tribe’ even if they do it on a subconcious level.
Getting tattooed was also seen as a rite of passage into adulthood. A belief goes that if a girl can’t take the pain of tattooing, she is un-marriageable, because she will never be able to deal with the pain of child birth. If a boy can’t deal with the pain he is considered to be a bad risk as a warrior, and could become isolated from the tribe.
Some primitive tribes use tattooing as a rite of social status. The Maori, of New Zealand use tattooing primarily for this purpose. To the Maori, a person’s Moko designs enhanced their prestige and show transition from one social status to another. At its highest level, Moko designs proclaimed the sacredness of chieftanship.
The Hawaiians are prominent among people who have specific tattoo gods. In Hawaii, the images of the tattoo gods are kept in the temples of tattoo priests. Each tattoo session begins with a prayer to the tattoo gods that the operation might not cause death, that the wounds might heal soon, and that the designs might be handsome. Many modern American tattooist will tell you, “When you should get a tattoo, the tattoo god will tell you that it is time.”
