Winter Olympics

8th Winter Olympic Games, Squaw Valley, California, February 18-29, 1960
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are plenty of different sports to keep your attention if you are watching the Winter Olympics. They take place every four years at different locations found around the world. Some of the most exciting events of the entire Olympics take place during the winter games. The most popular winter sports events that get watched are the skiing competitions and the skating events.

There are ten different events that take place for both men and women to compete in for the Alpine skiing competition. Cross-country skiing is offered as an individual and as a team event with competitions spanning over several different distances ranging from 15 km to 40 km.

Freestyle skiing allows those in competition to be judged on their style, their stunts, and the level of difficulty that they are able to offer during their routine. Ski jumping allows contestants to race down hills and then see how far they can jump in the air across an area. The way in which the land is also judged. The Nordic combined is a skiing event that offers a combination of cross-country skiing combined with jumping.

Snowboarding was added to the Winter Olympic Games in 1998 and continues to be one that many people love to watch. These events require the individual to use a board strapped to their feet without any poles as you would use in regular skiing. The individual controls the direction of the snowboard with their feet and body.

In the skating categories of the Winter Olympics, figure skating is watched by millions of viewers. There are individual and team events which have both been plagued with controversy over the years. In 1992 Nancy Kerrigan was attacked and injured while practicing for the Olympics. It was later determined that a rival, Tonya Harding, had launched the plan with her boyfriend to get Kerrigan out of the way for the competition.

In 2002 there was controversy surrounding the judges as the Canadian team had a flawless routine but the Russian team walked away with the gold. Rumors that some judges had been paid off quickly circulated and eventually the Canadian team was offered a gold medal. However, the accusations could not be substantiated enough to justify the removal of the gold medal from the Russian team.

The event of speed skating in the winter Olympics is one that has gained the attention of the audience in recent years. This involves individuals and teams racing around the ice at neck-breaking speeds. There is plenty of action though to keep you on the edge of your seat as they skate around the track.

Ice hockey is always a fun sport to watch, and there are events in the Winter Olympics for both men’s teams and women’s teams. Canada holds the record for the most gold medals in this event with 13. There is plenty of stiff competition in the ice hockey games though so make sure you tune in to cheer on your favorite teams.

The fastest sport in the Winter Olympics is the Luge. This event involves one or two people on a small sled that quickly descends down the course. The riders control the speed and the movement of the sled with their bodies so they have to exhibit strength in their calves and their shoulders in order to be very fast.

The bobsleigh events are very similar but there are events for a full five-person team as well as a two-person team. They sit upright for this particular event in the Winter Olympics while they lay down for the Luge events.

The next Winter Olympic Games will be taking place in 2010 and will be hosted by Canada. You will be able to watch all your favorite sports as the teams from around the world compete to take home the gold medals in the various individual and team sports.

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Targets used for Archery

Archery Target - Photo: Flickr

Archery is the skill of shooting arrows from a bow at a target. The individual scores are counted in the game and the archer with the highest total is declared the winner of the competition. There are two types of archeries the Target Archery and the Field Archery. This entails shooting at one target from different distances.

The Field archery is different from the Target Archery. It involves moving around a track, shooting at different sized targets from the distance that is unknown. If you want to learn about Archery Target, browse the website for more information. It is interesting knowing about the archery target.

Bows are used to achieve the target in the archery. These bows are made of materials like fiberglass, carbon and they have a sight and stabilizers. The stabilizers are connected to the bow to help keep it stable while shooting. Generally, bows are used in the field archery. Arrows hold a pointed metal tilt at the front and a furrow at the back, which makes a hole over the bowstring. The targets or butts are made of straw wires that are connected together. Canvas targets or the colored papers are joined to the targets.

To meet the archery target, a competitor has to shoot at the goal from diverse distances. There are two types of archery targets Out Door archery and In-Door archery. The diameters of the standard faces in the outdoor archery are approximately 122 cm and 80 cm. the 122 cm face is collected of a loop in the center of 24.4 cm diameter, which is circled by four concentric bands.

The 80 cm face is composed of around in the center of 16 cm diameter and it is also circled by four concentric bands. The width of each circle is around eight cm. Both the target faces are colored from the middle outwards in gold, red, blue, black and white.

The center of the gold is known as the pinhole, it should be marked with a tiny cross, and its lines should not surpass 2 mm in width.

The archery targets should be set up at one end of the ground. These targets should be appropriate at an angle of around 15 degrees and there should be pinholes 130 cm + 5 cm above the land. The altitude of the pinhole on a line of faces should be straight while looking at any time. All the archery targets should be visibly numbered and the shooting line should be exact because over this line the archers will take up the shooting position.

The shooting marks including discs and flat markers should be placed opposite the targets at the proper distances. These shooting marks are used to consider the number of the target. A waiting line should be painted five yards behind the shooting line.

The area on the ground where the people have right to enter should be roped off to point out that people are not allowed to pass the border. This will help the shooter to achieve his archery target and he will not get disturbed.

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The Chinese Chess

Some serious thinking going in this game of Xiangqi (Chinese chess) - Photo: Flickr

The Xiangqi falls under the same family as the Chaturanga, Shogi, Janggi and Western chess. This is a two-player chess game that originated in China and is commonly known as the Chinese chess.

Xiangqi is one of the most popular board games in the world. Features unique to the game is the movement of the pao or cannon piece, the rule prohibiting the generals or chess kings from directly facing each other and the place and river features that restrict the movement of some pieces.

History of Xiangqi

The game has a long history through the accurate origin has not been definitely confirmed. However, earliest indications reveal that Xiangqi may have been played during the 4th century B.C. by the Lord of Mengchang, Tian Wen. 

The word Xiangqi can mean "figure game", which can be treated as the "constellation game". The boards used for the game is also called the "heavenly river", which may mean the Milky Way. More so, the early versions of the game have been based on the movements of the objects in the sky.

During the Song Dynasty, the game took three forms. One of the forms consisted of thirty-two pieces, which was played on a board consisting of nine horizontal and nine vertical lines. Additionally, the popular board used during those days was the one without the river borderline.

When the Qing Dynasty entered, the economic and cultural progress gave way to the new stage of

Xiangqi. There are different schools of players and circles that came into prominence. Along with the

popularity of the game, a number of manuals and books regarding the techniques of playing the game were also published. These publications played a vital role in popularizing Xiangqi and improving the techniques used in modern times.

Rules of Xiangqi

The board used in Xiangqi is nine lines wide and ten lines long. The pieces are played on the intersections or points. Files are the term used for the vertical lines, while ranks are for the horizontal lines. It is also possible to play Xiangqi in a standard chess set but with few substitutions.

Two players control pieces located on either side of the river. The pieces are also painted in red, while

the other player’s in black. The rules regarding who moves first are varied throughout history and also from one part of Chine to another. There are books stating that the black moves first though others indicate that the red should move first. More so, there are other books referring to the two sides as north and south.

The General is the equivalent of the King used in Western chess. Much like the modern chess, when the General is threatened by an enemy piece, it is "in check". Additionally, it can be checkmated when it is unable to escape a check from an opponent.

The Guard or Advisor is the equivalent of the Queen since most of their powers are similar to that of the Western chess piece. The War Elephant or Minister move two points diagonally and cannot cross rivers, thus they usually serve as defensive pieces.

The Horse or Cavalry begins the game next to the elephants and moves one point horizontally, vertically or diagonally. The Chariot or Rook can move at any distance either horizontally or vertically. The movement of the Cannon or Catapult is similar to the chariot but can capture by jumping at one piece over its target. Lastly, The Private or Soldier can move and capture by advancing one point similar to the pawns.

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Allington Castle

Allington Castle - Photo: Wikipedia

Allington Castle stands beside the River Medway about a mile north of Maidstone.  This beautiful, moated castle seems perfect, but the perfection has been contrived in modern times.  

Henry II destroyed a Norman castle after the revolt of 1173-74.  The low mound immediately southwest of the present castle represents the motte and some herringbone masonry is visible in the curtain facing it.  Other than that, Sir Stephen de Penchester, Constable of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports built the existing structure.  He obtained a license to crenellate in 1291 and the original survives.

His castle is characteristic of the Edwardian age but is not uncompromisingly military like the contemporary castles of Wales.  In design, it reflects the quadrangular layout that was becoming popular, but the rear bows outwards in a gentle curve and the distribution of towers is quite irregular.

Five D-shaped towers of different sizes project from the curtain, though one or two others existed originally.  Solomon's Tower, at the south corner, is the largest and may be regarded as an early tower house. There is also a gatehouse flanked by simple, half-round turrets; the machicolations above the gateway are modern. 

Some ruins of barbican survive on the far side of the moat.  The range on the southwest side of the courtyard, known as the Penchester Wing, may incorporate a slightly older manor house.  However, once the castle was built, the main apartments stood opposite, centred on a hall that still exists but is largely a reconstruction.  Only its fifteenth-century porch is authentic.

In 1492, Allington was granted to Sir Henry Wyatt in recognition of his loyalty to Henry VII.  He upgraded the castle by building the narrow range which divides the courtyard into two unequal parts.  Its upper floor forms a long gallery.  The picturesque, half-timbered house within the smaller enclosure also dates from the Wyatt period.

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Baroque Architecture

Baroque Castle - Photo: Max pixel

A very early style of architecture, but a very beautiful style is Baroque architecture, which began in the early 17th century in Italy.

Taking the renaissance architecture and modifying it to a new theatrical, sculptural fashion, Baroque architecture became a very fanciful, extravagant style of structural design.

While the Renaissance style was designed for the well to do of society, the Baroque architecture initially played into the wealth and power of the Roman Catholic Church.

The concerns were for light, shade and color intensity and Baroque found its secular expression in grand palaces first in France, then throughout Europe.

If you were to visit France today, the Chateau de Maisons would be one of the highlights of Baroque architecture.

One of the most famous though of the Baroque architecture pieces is the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is the most prominent building inside Vatican City. Topped with its towering dome, it is a notable feature in the Roman skyline.

Baroque structures are grand in size and ornaments. As baroque moved through Europe, it eventually took on the look of European Colonialism.

Greenwich hospital in London, England is another beautiful example of Baroque architecture. Founded in 1694 as the Royal Naval Hospital for sailors, the Greenwich hospital is famous for its Baroque Painted Hall, which was painted in honor of King William and Queen Mary.

The chapel is an awesome example of not only Baroque architecture but of baroque art with its high gold painted ceilings.

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Winter Sports - Skiing

Skiing - Photo: Pixabay

Skiing is a sport wherein the skiers glide over snow with the help of skis made out of wood planks or fiberglass strapped to the feet. Over the period of years have been many alterations to the original sports like the cross-country variant and downhill variant. The alterations are Alpine Skiing, Telemark Skiing, and Nordic Skiing. Skiing is also used by the military as a means of transportation and training in ski warfare.

Originally skiing was used as a means of transportation in an ice-packed area. Sondre Norheim, from Norway, was the father of modern skiing as he developed slalom form of skiing in the 19th century. His ideas were later worked on and Telemark Skiing was developed in the 1970s. Mathias Zdarsky from Austria invented the Alpine or downhill skiing. He developed the firmer bindings to help skiers to better anchor their feet. Sometime after that, Hannes Schneider of Austria invented the Arlberg technique, according to which the body is rotated to steer the skis. 

Not only there are different versions of skiing, but also there are many competitions, which are held every year for the fans of skiing. Skiing is a big part of the Winter Olympic games, too. The regions, which are ideal for skiing, are some parts of Scandinavia and Alaska. Many of the ski resorts have been constructed in these areas and some of them are specifically meant for Alpine Skiing.

The visitors have to buy warm clothing, ski, ski poles, and ski boots. After getting all dressed up, the skiers can take the gondola lift or the chairlift to reach the summit. From there the skiers ski downwards along a marked path called piste or trail or slope. If the skier is interested in off-piste skiing, he can take the unmarked area and ski in between trees, which is also known as glade skiing. 

Skiing outside the boundaries of the resort is called out of bounds skiing and is not allowed in some resorts. This can be very dangerous as there can be a possibility of falling avalanches, which can be a threat to life. Its advisable to take avalanche training, carry necessary equipment and to hang out with experienced skiers. In case of emergency, insurance is a must otherwise the cost of search and the skier himself should bare rescue service. It is highly recommended that the skiers inform the ski patrol before going out to ski and check out for bad weather.

It takes a long while to master the art of skiing and the help of ski schools can be taken to overcome this. Initially trained instructors ask the leaner to keep the skiing speed low. The terrains and steep slopes are better avoided. Advanced skiers are made to ski on steep terrains and the risks taken are much more dangerous than the beginners.  

Two basic types of downhill skiing are alpine skiing and telemark skiing. Telemark skiing involves flexible ski boots and the heels aren't locked to the skis. Alpine skiing involves harder ski boots.  

Even people with disabilities with the help of outriggers have practiced downhill skiing; sit skis, ski tip retention devices, ski guides, colored guide bibs and audible clues. The dangers that can be faced in these sports are avalanches, collisions, hypothermia, and other illnesses and sometimes even death.  

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Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks - Photo: Wikimedia

In any great movement which effects great change in a nation or a people, there is something called a watershed moment.  A watershed moment is that one signature event that triggered the onslaught of great and historic change.  In American history, that watershed moment might be the Boston Tea Party.  But in the context of black history, particularly when we consider the central role that the civil rights movement has played in black history in this country, there is really just one watershed moment that virtually anybody who understands black history will point to.

That event took place on December 1, 1955, on a simple city bus when a black woman by the name of Rosa Parks got on that bus.  When the bus became crowded, the bus driver ordered Ms. Parks to relinquish her seat to a white man as was the cultural order of things at that time.  But Rosa Parks was not interested in seeing that cultural order of things continue.  She refused to give up that seat.  

The explosion of outrage and social change that was released by that one simple act of civil disobedience is the watershed moment that anyone affected by the civil rights movement points to at the most important event in modern black history.  Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving her seat up that day and the trial for that act of civil disobedience brought to the national spotlight another important leader in the civil rights movement by the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  

This one event began to escalate and gather energy in the black community.  It was an exciting and somewhat frightening time as the black community was energized and began to organize around these two courageous leaders and the result was the most powerful civil rights protests in the history of the movement occurred which came to be known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

There are many reasons why such a simple event has had such a powerful effect on a people such as it did on the black community of the fifties.  Clearly, the frustration and gathering power of a movement was already building in the black community.  A situation like this can best be described as a tinderbox that is just waiting for a spark for it to explode into fire.  When that simple black woman finally decided that she was no longer going to live in servitude to the white man and she put her foot down and said NO, that was the spark that set the civil rights movement in motion.

Rosa Parks was not a trained instigator or a skilled manipulator of groups.  Because she was just a citizen and a simple woman with simple daily needs, that itself was a powerful statement that this was the time for the community to take action and effect change.  She was not even looking to start a nation changing civil rights movement when she refused to give up her bus seat.  As she said later in an interview about the event…

"I would have to know for once and for all what rights I had as a human being and a citizen of Montgomery, Alabama.”  And then in her autobiography, My Story she elaborated that…  “People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true.  I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day.  I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then.  I was forty-two.  No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”

Rosa Parks won the right to be treated as a human being for herself and for her people across America and even around the world with her simple act of civil disobedience.  She is an inspiration to us all that we too must demand the right of simple human dignity for all people who are citizens of this great land.  And the story of Rosa Park’s defiance shows that if we demand that, it will be won.

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