More and more people are hopping on their bikes.

But what do you do when your knees start to give out, when running becomes impossible, and even walking is tough?

It seems the answer at the moment is you jump on a bike.More and more people are taking up cycling every year. Be it for commuting or fitness, cycling is in the middle of a boom.Kingston Council last month approved a 12-month trial, which will see parking banned from 6-10am on Saturdays and Sundays along Beach Rd, allowing the lycra-clad enthusiasts free rein.

So why are people taking up cycling?Bicycle Victoria's Garry Brennan says: "The sport part of bike riding has been solid for several years, but what is really accelerating is riding for transportation - riding to work, school, university, the movies and so on.

"People can get fit and at the same time avoid the misery of driving, as well as the crowds on public transport."

Bicycle Victoria's membership has been climbing rapidly in recent years and is now pushing 45,000. That's the size of a big AFL club. Our members are active and have a lot of influence."

Brennan also pointed to the enormous growth of participation in Bicycle Victoria's Around the Bay in a Day ride. In 1998, 4351 people took part; last year that number had risen to 15,615.

Comments:

Cycling is getting more popular in Australia. People cycle to excercise and as a mean of transport to reach their destination. Thus, cycling is really beneficial as it can kill two birds with one stone. Furthermore, scientists say that a day of half an hour's exercise three times a week is no more enough to sustain our more sedentary lifestyle nowadays. In fact, we should exercise everyday for half an hour. Therefore, cycling has gained its popularity as more and more people wish to lead a healthier lifestyles.

Since cycling is quite common in Australia and I am going to fly over to Australia to continue my studies, I should pay more attention to this matter. Though I haven't seen the so-called " cycling lifestyle" in Australia, I look forward to it. It is because cycling can reduce the volume of traffic. As a result, less air pollution occur, creating a fresher and cleaner environment. Indirectly, our mood may be positively influenced and we can live happily everyday! As Ken's Law states, happy mood equals healthy lifestyle and greater life.

Aussie News 8

A COUPLE watching whales from a sailboat got a close-up view when a southern right whale soared out of the water off Cape Town and landed on their boat, snapping the mast.

This species of whale navigates by sound and has poor eyesight meaning it may have simply not heard the sailboat, which had its motor off, The New York Post reported.

“Our boat's engine was off and so the whale just didn't know we were there," Paloma Werner told the BBC.

"We were just the wrong boat, in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Ms Werner and her partner, Ralphm first saw the whale in the distance and spent an hour watching it.

"It appeared about 120m away from our boat and then it went under the water again,” she told the BBC.

"A few moments later, I saw it resurface just 10m away.

"Suddenly I heard my partner shout and when I looked around, I saw the huge thing breaching on to the deck.

"Instinctively, I took cover as the mast came crashing down. I saw my partner, Ralph, dive for cover behind the yacht's wheel. Then the whale slid down the side of the boat and back into the water.

"As soon as I realised that we were unhurt, we checked to see how much damage had been done.

"Luckily, we weren't taking on water so we started the engine and headed for shore. I saw the whale reappear further away.

"When we got back to land, I realised how lucky we were to have survived."

Comments

After reading this news article, I am quite astounded as that is a rare case where whale could come so near to a sailboat and even crashed on it! It is kind of hilarious but it also points out some issue worth us to look at, that is human beings are endangering the animals' habitat.

It's reported that the whale which crashed on the sailboat is one type of whales that navigates by sound. Hence, it could barely notice the sailboat which had its engine off. Luckily, the couple did not get injured and the whale are also not hurt. The whale was unhurt because the sailboat was quite small compared to its size. However, if it was a big-sized ship, let say, a steamship or cargo ship, the life of the whale might be at stake!! The question is should we blame the whale for being so reckless and senseless or the human who break into the living place of other inhabitants in the earth? The sad part is human, as we all know, the most selfish and timidest creatures ever always put the blame on other parties. As a result, we continue our mistakes and never learn from them.

This problem is getting more serious each day. Habitats of animals are destroyed, leading to extinction of species. In illustration, global warming causes the global mean temperature to keep on increasing. This warms up the sea water and causes the ice glaciers at the North and South poles to melt. As a result, polar bears cannot survive as more sea ice that they depend on to move from one place to another place and hunt disappear. Another example includes the killing of shark in order to obtain their fins. Shark's fins can be sold at a high price because it can be served as a luxurious meal, favoured particularly by the Chinese.

In short, are we always the smartest creatures on earth? Think about it. All the time, what we are doing actually jeopardise our home-the earth. If we continue to kill animals mercilessly and deforest places hastily, we are actually digging our own graves for ourselves. Therefore, we should really do so deep soul-searching and don't do anything that will make us regret later. As the saying goes, "look before you leap".

News 7

A CONTROVERSIAL weight-loss study has found the best way to shed flab is to do it fast.

Dietitian Katrina Purcell presented a study to an international obesity conference in Stockholm this week which defied conventional wisdom that "slow and steady" was the best way to permanently ditch those muffin tops.

Ms Purcell, a University of Melbourne researcher, compared a rapid diet - with subjects weighing about 100kg losing 1.5kg a week for 12 weeks - to a 36-week diet in which participants lost 0.5kg a week.

"Surprisingly and against current beliefs this study shows rapid weight loss appears to be superior to gradual weight loss in achieving target weight," she said.

Her results found 78 per cent of those on the rapid diet achieved the target loss of 15 per cent of their body weight within the period, while only 48 per cent of those on the gradual diet met their target.

In fact, four people on the gradual diet gave up before the end of the experiment, compared with only one in the rapid diet group.

Ms Purcell said one explanation could be psychological, with those achieving big weekly results remaining more motivated.

The dietitian, however, warned against crash diets, in which weight was lost very quickly by slashing calories.

"Don't do it by yourself, do it with a dietitian," she cautioned.

Dietitians Association of Australia spokeswoman Melanie McGrice said the heavier you were, the easier it was to shed kilograms quickly.

But she warned that "what you lost" was more important, with crash diets likely to strip the body of muscle tone and water than targeting fat cells.

"If you're going to go on a diet where you're losing weight quite quickly, you need to maintain your nutritional requirements," she said.

"Research has shown if the weight is lost slowly you keep it off."

Conventional weight-loss wisdom holds the quicker it comes off, the quicker it returns - with interest - so Ms Purcell plans to follow her subjects over the next three years to see which of the two groups best maintains their target weight.'

The study comes as the Federal Government committed $6 million to helping 150,000 Australians fight obesity and improve their health.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon yesterday announced six not-for-profit organisations would receive $6.3 million to implement national programs to help fight obesity.

Comments:

It has been increasingly alarming that obesity problems in Australia has surged exponentially in recent years. It is no longer a symptom to alert us to watch after our future health but is now a disease that adversely affects our health and might even kills lives. Therefore it is indispensably necessary for the Federal Government and people nationwide regardless of status to seriously look at this issue as we should not simply risk our lives just like that.

As we can read from the news above, a new research has shown that on contrary to the conventional wisdom that "slow and steady" weight-loss program can contribute to a better result, rapid diet appears to be more superior to gradual diet in achieving target weight loss. This is attributed to the psychological effect experienced by the participant s of the weight loss being more motivated in achieving big weekly results. In brief, more relevant researches must be carried out in order to find a good solution to this ever-increasing health problem.

In addition, Australia Federal Government noticeably has diverted some focus to the prevalent obesity in their country and put much effort as to address it efficiently. In illustration, 6 million has been committed by the Federal Government to help 150,000 Australian to fight obesity. In short, everyone should take care of their health carefully. Maintaining a balanced diet is not only important to have nice body shape or muscular tone, but it also helps to make sure we can lead a healthy and happy lifestyle. Hence, everyone let's just get started to practice a healthier diet and lifestyle!!

Aussie News 6

A NOSE for trouble has led this dogged trooper from life in a cage to dodging death on Afghanistan's front lines.

Military "operational reasons" have cast a pall of secrecy over Bundy's early life. But close to three years ago, the labrador-staffordshire cross was rescued from an uncertain future in a pound, somewhere in Australia.

The military put him to work, training him to detect explosives.

Now, with his handler Sapper David Brown, he's putting his life on the line for his country, sharing responsibility for keeping a team of engineers alive.

The three-year-old is certified to sniff out everything from the Taliban's weapon of choice, improvised roadside bombs, to armaments caches.

"The dog and myself will be sent forward to clear the road and look for explosives," Spr Brown said. If Bundy senses something, "we get out of harm's way and let the other boys do their job."

Spr Brown, who completed his own training two years ago, has to be entirely in tune with Bundy to know when he's found something.

"He will indicate, or his tail will start to wag a bit faster. And I will call him back before he goes too far," he said.

"He's wagging his tail because he's shown interest in something. It's all part of a game for him.

"He comes back, and he gets all excited because he gets to play with me," Spr Brown said.

"He's had a couple of finds over here. He's very keen to work."

And Bundy loves nothing more than cooling down after a day spent in what is often a climatic as well as a military hot zone.

"Whenever he's near water, he loves to jump in it and cool down," Spr Brown said. "He jumps in puddles and he will sit there and lie down in it and look back at me."

After 12 months together Bundy and Spr Brown, of Footscray - who's on his first tour of Afghanistan - share quite a bond.

"He responds quite quickly to my verbal commands, or if he's looking at me I can use hand commands," Spr Brown said.

And the duo are also a hit with their comrades in the reconstruction task force operating out of Tarin Kowt, in the south.

"The boys love to pat him. Whenever we're back in base, he gets lots of pats," Spr Brown said.

"Whenever we go anywhere, it's always: 'Hello, Bundy. How you going, mate?"' he said.

"It's never Brownie."

Comments:

Bundy was rescued from a pound somewhere in Australia and sent to the frontline of Afghanistan to serve for his country. He is a very smart dog in fact. He is trained to sniff out almost everything from Taliban's weapons, improvised roadside bombs, to armaments caches. He is also an obedient dog because according to his handler Sapper David Brown, Bundy responds quite quickly to his verbal commands and if he is looking for him, he can even use hand commands. Sapper David and Bundy also make a hit with their comrades.

However, is Bundy lucky or unlucky to be found and put into work in the frontline, facing dodging death everyday? Bundy is trained to discover weapons, bombs and when he finds something he will wag his tail showing his excitement and indicating the other comrades. Yet he doesn't know what he has just found may kill him one day!

I sympathise with Bundy because in the pound he can only wait for an uncertain future. If he is fortunate, he might be sent to a farm in which his life might be much better and safer than now he is or sent to a rich man's house as a pet as which he might have a comfortable and luxurious life.But if he is unfortunate, he might be slaughtered and served as a delicious meal for those who find eating dog's meat as their cup of tea. And, now he is putting his own life to contribute for the country. This may be better as at least he is serving for his country but may be even worse as he might be killed before he ever know.

Sign, what a pitiful life. If you were Bundy which life will you choose, staying in the pound for unknown future or risking its life in the battlefield? In short we should treasure our lives because we at least have a choice for our future, deciding our own path, unlike Bundy who can only lead a pathetic and unfair life. Hence, starting from this moment onwards, everyone please don't cry for your bad luck anymore. Take it as a test and you'll find tomorrow better.

Aussie News 5

Australian dollar continues falling as investors flee currency market

• AAP
• From:AAP
• May 21, 2010 8:45AM
• 2 comments

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THE Aussie dollar has taken another beating, opening nearly 1.5US cents lower this morning after more "carnage'' on overseas markets.

And forecasters say there is no immediate relief in sight for investors, with the dollar expected to drop as low as $US0.8090 in trading today.

At 7am, the Australian dollar was trading at $US0.8169/74, down 1.72 per cent from yesterday's close of $US0.8314/16.

An unexpected rise in US jobless claims and ongoing concerns about the Eurozone debt crisis depressed investor confidence about global economic recovery.

Since 5pm yesterday, the local unit traded between $US0.8360 and $US0.8149, its lowest level since July 2009.

The local currency has depreciated 12.3 per cent since the end of April 30.

For consumers, the drop will push up the prices of imported electrical goods and cars.

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The fall in the dollar follows another shocking day of trade on the Australian share market, with the S&P/ASX200 last night closing down 70.6 points, or 1.61 per cent, at 4,316.5 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 71.9 points, or 1.63 per cent, to 4,342.4 points.

Overnight the Dow Jones Industrial Average index closed down 3.60 per cent, its third straight day of losses and its biggest percentage drop in more than a year.

Bank of New Zealand currency strategist, Mike Jones, said high risk assets such as equities, commodities and currencies such as the Australian dollar continued to weaken following more ``carnage'' on financial markets.

"We are seeing worries continue to mount that the European sovereign debt crisis is starting to derail, or at least slow the global economic recovery,'' Mr Jones said from Wellington.

"That has taken a harsh toll on equity markets and commodity prices.

"There has been a clearout on equities and the risk sensitive currencies, with the Aussie at the forefront of that clearout.''

The Australian dollar is considered a high-risk currency as it is linked to the global economic recovery, so signs of weaker economic growth across the world will hinder the domestic unit.

Mr Jones forecast the local dollar would trade between $US0.8090 and $US0.8250 during today's local session.

"The current backdrop of deteriorating risk appetite and widespread pessimism about the global recovery mean the Aussie dollar would be expected to keep falling today,'' he said.

Mr Jones said the Australian dollar would gain its direction today from Asian equity markets' reaction to the very sharp fall in the US and Europe overnight.

Comments:

As learned in Economic class, this article catch my attention and I would like to share with the others. A country's currency falls because the demand of the country's currency drops, causing the supply of this currency to have surplus. In illustration, the supply of the currency increases, shifting to the right in the market of the currency.This pushes down the currency, meaning that each Aussie dollar can only buy less US dollars ( normally measured in US dollars ). The main underlying reason is that an unexpected rise In US jobless claims and ongoing concerns about the European debt crisis depressed the investors' confidence about global economic recovery. As a result, there is a clearout on equities and risk sensitive currency. Aussie dollars are the forefront of the clearout because it depends highly on the global economic situation. Deteriorating risk appetite and widespread pessimism cause expectation that Aussie dollars will continue to fall.

Australia News 4

Good sleepers live longer

• Staff Writer
• From:Herald Sun
• May 03, 2010 12:00AM

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RESEARCHERS say the best length for a nightly sleep is around seven hours.

Researchers from the University of Warwick and the Federico II University in Naples studied the nightly habits of thousands of people and found poor sleepers are 12 per cent more likely to die prematurely than those who get six to eight hours.

Their findings provide the most convincing evidence yet of a link between too little sleep and an increased risk of early death. Many people sleep five hours or less a night.

Long sleepers could also be in trouble.

While over-sleeping does not in itself increase the risk of death, it can be a significant marker of an underlying serious illness.

The findings published in journal Sleep today coincide with the release of a separate American study that found older people tend to sleep better - the opposite of what was previously thought.

Comments:

It is definitely better to sleep more than six hours a day. One of the underlying reasons is that our body needs rest after a long day of "non-stop working". Enough sleeping is very essential particularly for children and teenagers because their bodies need a lot of time for rest and thus encourage a more healthier growth. Good sleepers are also found to be more efficient and productive in doing things because they have the energy to concentrate in their studies. Besides, early nightly sleeping also can contribute to our health, especially that the pimples on face can reduce greatly^^ So, all my friends let's start early nightly sleep now.

Television Viewing Draft 2

Television is created in the past to serve as a tool to provide entertainment for us. As evidenced in the America Time Use Survey (2003), the population in United States catagorised into female and male in the survey averagely spend 2.5 to 2.75 hours per day to watch television during their leisure time. Besides, another survey in United Kingdom, UK Time Use Survey (2000) also depicted a similar result. This shows that there are certainly many benefits in watching television. However, some skeptics of this issue argue that watching television is not beneficial but on the other hand it brings a lot of adverse effects to the viewers. It has become a provocative national interest to discuss whether television viewing is beneficial or detrimental to the viewers. I strongly assert that television viewing brings more advantages than disadvantages. Therefore, it is significant for us to discuss the importance of television viewing which include that it helps the viewers to gain knowledge, to think critically and to assuage stress.

Firstly, television programmes provide a variety of information for the viewers, enabling different groups of viewers to gain knowledge that they want. For example, children before they reach the age to enter kindergarten, they can commence learning colours, numbers and letters from programmes like ‘Sesame Street’ (Rutherford 2002). In addition, for teenagers, they can get knowledge ranging widely from animal kingdom, geography, astronomy, general knowledge, contemporary issues and science from television (Rutherford 2002). These knowledge are important and are always not found in the textbook. Teenager with little of these knowledge can learn better from television because convoluted scientific questions are explained in a diverting and pleasurable way (Rutherford 2002). In fact, they can remember better through programmes because they do not merely see and read but also listen. (Leigh 2001). Besides, they can also comprehend their cultural uniqueness and the role of the other cultures to the nation through television viewing.

Furthermore, television viewing can stimulate the viewers’ critical thinking. Critical thinking is an indispensable skill to socialize as well as to excel in studies. It can help to resolve many setbacks in life. As an illustration, family can learn how to solve conflicts more appropriately after watching programmes which show solutions to these problems (Sharif 1999). More importantly, television programmes encourage critical thinking which is also essential in analysing global issues. Viewers can learn about various significant world issues ranging from globalization to homelessness (Leigh 2001). In this way, they can also become more involved in the society. Since they know about current issues, they can voice for their rights so that the councils, major companies and national governments take their needs into consideration more seriously when making decisions. As such, television can be said to be a force of democracy (Rutherford 2002). In addition to this, viewers can be aware of global problems such as the famine in Africa. Exposing news to the viewers is vital because the victims of catastrophes need helps urgently. Hence, television viewers can contribute their help, for instance, by donating to assist the victims (Sharif 1999).

Lastly, television viewing can alleviate stress of the viewers. Viewers, particularly, teenagers who are still in school need entertainment after a solid school day. As the saying goes, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. Teenagers will feel fatigued, pressured when their teachers and parents’ expectations on them to get good result increases. By watching television, they can concentrate on the shows and forget about all the hassle temporarily. After that, they feel recharged and more motivated to finish their homework. Moreover, they can use television viewing as an opportunity to regain their focus and hence, will be able to view problems from another different perspective (Rutherford 2002).

In a nutshell, it is apparently true that television viewing is advantageous for the viewers if moderation is practised (Rutherford 2002). Everything has two sides of it, bad and good. As human beings, we should be able to differentiate these two and adapt only the good one. The effects of television viewing can be disastrous if we are to become couch potatoes, though, by managing our time wisely, we, in fact, can gain abundant benefits from television viewing.