Taekwondo at the Olympics

     How do you achieve discipline, courage, perseverance, and develop indomitable spirit?  You can learn all these through Taekwondo, an ancient form of martial arts.  Taekwondo, a discipline of mind and body, has an ancient history, which has led to its popularity as an Olympic sport.

      Taekwondo is various forms of Korean martial arts.  Taekwondo is the art of kicking and punching.  It uses control, self-discipline, precision, and power.  It is a balance between mind and body.  It is the knowledge of self-defense and is used only when necessary.  The goals include building a more peaceful world, respecting others, perseverance, and developing character. Taekwondo utilizes six pieces of protective gear.  These are the trunk protector used to protect the upper body; the forearm and shin guards; the head protector; and the groin guard.  The uniform is called a dobok.  The pants and jacket are white.  A colored belt is worn around the jacket.  The color signifies the rank of the athlete.  In order of least to greatest rank, the colors are white, yellow, orange, green, purple, blue, brown, red, and black.  Taekwondo is not only a sport, but also a way of living.

             Taekwondo has a history that spans over 2,000 years.   The first evidence of this sport goes back to wall paintings dated to 50 B.C. in Korea.  It developed through the Silla (AD 668 – AD 935), Konyo (AD 935 – AD 1132), and Yi (AD 1397 – AD 1907) dynasties.  During the Silla dynasty, it was a recreational sport called Taek Kyon.  The Konyo dynasty changed it to a form of fighting.  It was changed back to fitness and recreation by the Yi dynasty.  In 1909, Korea became occupied by Japan for 36 years.  Japan banned all military arts.  This stirred up a lot of interest in Taekwondo, which led to its popularity and growth. The first Taekwondo School was opened by Yong Chun in Seoul, Korea.  It first appeared in the United States in 1949 when Hong Hi Choi of the Korean Armed Forces gave demonstrations while he attended the General Ground School in Kansas.  The sport has grown to include over 30 million people in 156 countries.  We celebrate its modern-day birthday on April 11, 1955.  Taekwondo is an old discipline that is now a popular sport. 

                             Taekwondo is now an Olympic event.  In 1988 and 1992, it was a demonstration sport.  It became a medal sport in 2000 in Sydney, Australia.  103 athletes competed in Taekwondo in Sydney.  This year, 128 athletes competed in this sport in the Beijing Olympic Games.  The top medal winner was South Korea.  Of the 32 medals, they earned 4 medals: all gold!  The United States earned 3 medals; one silver and two bronze.  This year, there were many controversies involving Taekwondo at the Summer Olympics.  For the first time in history, the judges’ decision was overturned after watching the playback of competitors Sarah Stevenson of Great Britain and Chen Zhong of China in the Women’s +67 kg event.  Sarah Stevenson won the match.  After the women’s controversy, another controversy occurred in the Men’s +80 kg class. After Cuban Angel Matos’ game was declared a forfeit because he did not return to the ring one minute after his injury, he and his coach attacked the referee.  Angel kicked the referee in the face; his injury required stitches. This resulted in Angel and his coach receiving life bans from international Taekwondo competitions, and his participation in the 2008 Olympics was struck from the records.  The crowd, angry and disappointed from the ladies’ decision, chanted “Cuba.”  Taekwondo is an exciting and serious Olympic sport!

             Even though Taekwondo is an ancient art, it has been embraced by the Olympic community, and people today still persevere to achieve its inner discipline.  

Did You Know

Sweeeets! the Skinny on Sugar Substitutes

     This article, by Emily Sohn, can be found at www.sciencenewsforkids.com.

     People use artifical sweetners because sugar is unhealthy.  Too much sugar can cause obesety.  Cancer, allergies, and others medical problems can occur.  People also use them when they are on a weight loss diet.  Around 200 million people use artifical sweetners.

     Our ancestors used sweets to have the energy to stay alive.  The desire for sweets is natural.

     Artifical sweetners stimulate the same cells on the tongue that sugar does.

     Two of the five artificial sweetners are Saccharin and aspartame.  Saccharin is the oldest.  It was invented in 1879 and is called Sweet 'n' Low.  The other artificail sweetner is aspartame. It has been around for about 40 years.  It is called Nutrisweet and Equal.  It is in Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi.

    The main fear in the use of artificial sweetners is cancer.  Over 500 tests have proved otherwise.  Artifical sweetners have been used for decades and so far, no medical problems have been discovered.

   Another problem with artificial sweetners is that they can make you crave sugar.  It can actually sabatoge diets!  It may be that the artificial sweetner confusing the brain.  The brain does not associate this sweetness with calories, so you remain hungry and eat more.

     I think sweetners are safe and I use them because I am a diabetic.  

Edward Jenner

     Edward Jenner (1749-1823), a country doctor, discovered the vaccination for small pox.  He opened a new field of medicine, the preventative medicine      I want to remember his determination to study cow diseases for 14 years to prevent small pox.  He got the idea from an off coment from a milk maid.  He was a country doctor who had studied with John Hunter who said "Don't just think - try." When he was bandaging up some cow pox, which was at its peak, on a milk maid,  he called in the maintence man's son.  He scratched the arm of the son.  He put some of the cow pox puss in his skin.  When the boy was vacaniated for small pox with a live, mild small pox, he showed no reaction.  His body had become immune to small pox.

     I would tell a friend that after five years of studying cow disesases he was proven wrong, but  he didn't give up.  He studied for another nine years and he was successful.

Lured by Clean Energy, Industry Heads for Iceland

     Iceland has come up with a new energy source, steam.  They are getting it from volcanos.   It has also become a safer enviorment. 

     It is good because they are not using as much carbon dixiode and it is not changing nature.  They also want to share their technolgy.

     On the other hand it would ruin the beauty of the landscape.

     I think it is a good idea because we will not be so depent on oil. 

Math Naturals

     On the website www.sciencenewsforkids.com. I found an interesting article entitled "Math Naturals" by Camilla K. Gilmore. 

     The University of Nottingham in England did an experiment with kindergartners that didn't officially know how to add or subtract.  They took 20 5-6 year olds and had them do a math word problem.  75% were able to correctly estimate the answer.  Then they did another math word problem outside their public school room, and 75% correctly estimated the answer.  Next, they took 27 kindergartners from rich backgrounds and had them answer a subtraction math problem.  Again, 75% got the estimation correct.

      I think it is amazing that 5 and 6 year olds can do that.  This seems to show that some math is just logic.      

Antarctica

     Antarctica is the southern most continent.  It overlays the South Pole.  It is 5,400,000 sq. miles.  Only 108,000 is ice free and the ice is 1 mile thick.  It is the coldest, driest, and windiest country.  It is the 5^th largest continent.  There are zero permanent residents.  The animals that live there are penguins and fur seals.  The plants are mosses, lichen, and algae.  There are no military or mining activities permitted.  It is governed by 45 countries through the Antarctic Treaty.             

     Although there are not many illnesses in Antarctica, there are many physcial dangers.  In Antarctica, it is rare to get a cold.  Most of the germs are killed by the cold weather.  If someone gets a cold it is usually from newcomers.  You can also get hypothermia from wet layers of clothes. Frostbite is usually around the face. Foot rash and body rash can come from the many layers of clothes you wear.  To make the rash go away, use synthetic undrewear and a sleeping pad.  Sleeplessness can be due to muscle and joint pain.  You should take weak sleeping pills and painkillers, although they can make you drowsy during the day. Snow blindness is and irritation in the eyes.  Use eye drops and always keep your eye protection on. Dehydration is a lack of liquid. Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.  Sun stroke is caused hard labor outside for a long period of time.  Keep hydrated and wear a hat. Trauma is a physcial injury.  One way to avoid trauma is to keep an eye on your sled.   Altitude sickness is possible but is prevented with acclimatization.  These are some of the dangers and their prevention or treatment.

     There are few medical facilities in Antarctica.  There are medical facilities on every   cruise vessel and in small  research stations.  They are not like hospitals in United States.  Doctors need training to deal with anything from a broken arm to a rash.  For parties that go for extended time, they need to take a doctor that knows basic medical treatment.  There are no search and rescue teams ready.  It takes a long time to get a search and rescue team to Antarctica and it is expensive.  If you are going to Antarctica you need to know the dangers and be prepared.

      There are natural dangers in Antarctica, such as crevasses, icebergs, and the constant cold.  Ice bergs can become a problem because most of the tourism is done by ships.

     Antarctica is a beautiful country but it is dangerous.

How the Eye Works

     The light rays reflect from the object.  The rays go through the cornea, then through then lens.  Light rays cross over as they are fine-focused on the retina by a fatter lens.  The crossed-over rays project an upside-down image on the retina,which stimulates photorecepters to fire off nerve impulses to the brain.

     Please refer to my Pictures folder to do an eye experiment.

How the Ear Works

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)

     What are contributions she made to science?

     She opened St. Thomas Nursing School in St. Thomas Hospital.  Florence cleaned up the nursing profession.  The nurses used to be lower class, prostitutes, and unclean people.  She made it a respectable profession.  She really cared about the patint.  She was an important part of the Sanitary Reform Movement.  She wrote "Notes on Hospitals" in 1858 and "Notes on Nursing" in 1859. 

     What was she interested in?

     She was interested in hospital work and managing the disease, not merely curing it.  Cleaning up the nursing profession and her patients. 

     What would you tell a friend?

   She worked on the architecture of hospitals.  The nursing profession is more educated, caring, higly trained, and knowledgeable becuase of Florence.   Florence Nightingale went into the Crimean War and brought santitation onto the military field.     

Dont Eat That Sandwich

     This article, "Don't Eat That Sandwich" by Jennifer Cutraro at www.sciencenewsforkids.com, stated that the five second rule is wrong.  The food that touches the floor is immediately contaminated.  Some of the symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea. Salmonella makes 1.4 million people sick each year.  Earlier this year 370 people got salmonella from peanut butter.  Salmonella is found in raw eggs and chicken. Therefore, you should cook your food thoroughly.  Dirty surfaces can hold salmonella for weeks.  Clemson University in South Carolina did  research and found that if you drop a piece of toast on wood it take 5 seconds to completely contaminate, it take it 30 seconds on tile, and 60 seconds on carpet.  So if you drop something on the floor, just throw it away and get another one.

     I think they had an accurate study because they tried different surfaces.   I think that they should test it on carpet that is contaminated with animal hair.      

Heavy Sleep

From www.sciencenewsforkids.org.  Heavy Sleep by Lucy C. Lemeng           

     There is a link to not a enough sleep and obesity.  There was a survey that third graders that didn't get enough sleep were obese when they were sixth graders.  For sixth graders every hour of sleep over 9.5 hours will decrease your risk of obesity by 20%.

     I think that the test was inclusive because they didn't keep track of what they ate.   

Senate Plan to cut Emissions

     The plan is to cut the U.S. is to cut the green house gas by 20%.  One senator said it is "the most far reaching global warming bill in the world."  It is called the"Climate Security Act". 

     It has passed the senate committee.  It will be on the floor next year.  The Democrats are for it and they need 10-20 Republician votes. 

     The bad part is that there could be a be a loss of jobs, a higher energy bill, this is an intrusion into the private sector, and we need China and India to join us to help make a difference.

    Scientists say that there should be an 80% reduction.

     I think that it that it is a good bill and should be passed and thatChina and India should join us in making a difference in the world. 

Parents seek Alternatives to Chinese Toys

People are seeking alternatives for Chinese toys.  They are seeking them because the Chinese are made of toxic materials.  The government is recalling toys.  Parents aren't buying the toys to protect their children.

     People are buying European and American toys.  They are finding local toy makers to buy their toys from.  It is expensive, but it is worth it.

One analysis says" I expect toy sales to be down but only by 1% or 2%.

Healthcare

   In this article, universal healthcare was discussed between the Democratic presidential candidates, Clinton and Obama.

     Universal healthcare is where everybody is covered for healthcare expenses.  The candidates couldn't figure out how to get the money and how to make sure everyone is enrolled.  They mainly complained about each other's ideas and didn't give any solutions.

     They talked about how to force people to enroll in the healthcare program.  They thought that withholding tax refunds and garnishing wages might make people enroll in the program.  They also thought that if people were enrolled in schools, hospitals, or at their work, they would have to have healthcare.

     I am for universal healthcare.  Healthcare and health insurace rates are high.  I think they should lower them.  I think people have a right to healthcare because we are a free  and  a rich country.  Health care is a necessity, not a privilege.  Everyone needs a healthcare program to help pay for their medicine and expenses.  This makes for a better life.

New Tests May Alter Number of Those With AIDS

There is a dissagrement on how many new cases there are of AIDS as reported by Brenda Wilson in her article, "New Tests May Alter Number of Those with AIDS." 

     The U.N. lowered the worldwide estimate to 33 million.  The C.D.C. (Center of Diease Control) revised their estimate upward .   

     There are reasons to raise the number.  The reasons are that the population is growing, there are more states reporting, and more people are being tested.   Alot of people being tested now were infected years ago and should not be counted as new infections.

     There is a new test that can tell if the infection is new.  Some experts say"The reason for inaccurate estimates is failed policies and lack of funds".

     I learned that there are old cases being reported as new cases.  We don't Know how many new cases there really are and that is affecting if we know whether we have it under control.