Four years after the success of London 2012, our Olympic and Paralympic athletes continued to work and train – and they were rewarded by coming second in the medal table, becoming the first team ever to increase its medal haul four years after hosting the Games. Many of us will have more personal memories too, of happy times with family and friends. These are precious moments when people from many backgrounds, with different beliefs, come together to celebrate in families and communities.

    Coming together is also important for us as a country. As we leave the European Union we must seize an historic opportunity to forge a bold new role for ourselves in the world and to unite our country as we move forward into the future. And, with our international partners, we must work together to promote trade, increase prosperity and face the challenges to peace and security around the world.

    As we gather with our friends and families at this time of year we proudly celebrate the birth of Christ and the message of forgiveness, love and hope that he brings. We also think of Christians in other parts of the world who face persecution this Christmas and re-affirm our determination to stand up for the freedom of people of all religions to practise their beliefs in peace and safety.

    Having grown up in a vicarage, I know how demanding it can be for those who have to work over the Christmas period. So it’s right for all of us to express our gratitude to those who will have to spend Christmas away from the people they love in looking after others: those in our health and care services, those who work with the vulnerable, as well as those who will be caring for a loved one.

    And we thank those in our Armed Forces, security agencies, and emergency services who work all year round to keep our country safe – especially those who will be separated by their duty from their families and friends.

    Wherever you are this Christmas, I wish you joy and peace in this season of celebration, along with health and happiness in the year ahead.

Such a short, common word. A word you've said, heard or both countless times.

Yet the images and emotions it conjures are quite powerful.

This might sound awful, although it is not intended to: it's rare that I think of my mother. I just finished reading something (thanks, Amy) that not only reminded me of my mother, it made me think of the word Mom.

The images and emotions were of comfort, security and love.

I remember being sick as a child, with one of those big ones like mumps, measles or chicken pox. My mom and dad were having people over on a Saturday night, but it was an all adults and no kids occasion so there was no reason to cancel it. I was nearing the end of whatever it was, but still not fit for company. Mom set me up with blankets and pillows on the couch downstairs, where I could just watch TV.

My mom was a great cook and loved to entertain. On this particular night she was making pepper steak with rice, a hot recipe in suburbia at the time. Basically I think it was a flank steak cut into strips and cooked slowly in a sauce made of tomato, onion and green pepper. It's not that I didn't like those things, but Mom knew it wasn't my favorite. So besides making all that food for a house full of people, she made meatballs, mashed potatoes and a gravy from the sauce just for me.

When I fell off my bike and scraped my hands and knees, she would make a big deal out of cleaning the wounds, putting on band aids and giving me a kiss and hug to make me feel better.

If I was upset about something that happened at school or on the block, she would ask me what was wrong first, listen to me and calm me down before ever so gently asking me what I may have done wrong.

When I was being a brat and I was sent to my room without dinner, she would always cave and give me a bowl of soup before bedtime.

If I had a spelling test she would give me time to study, then make a game out of quizzing me. The only way to end the game was to spell all of the words correctly and consecutively; if I missed even one we would start all over.

When I had nightmares she would hear my cries and be by my side to comfort me when I awoke.

She made the best lunches you could fit into my Evel Knievel lunchbox. I was the envy of my peers and was constantly asked if I wanted to trade.

If it was raining and I couldn't go outside to play, she would let me take whatever I wanted from the pantry. Not to eat, but to make realistic looking fake blood so playing with my G.I. Joe, Johnny West or army men was extra fun.

It's rare that I think of my mother; I'm always happy when I do.

I miss you, Mom.

　　永远不要和一个丑陋的人打架，他们没什么好失去的。

　　Time is the best teacher, but unfortunately, it kills all of its students。

　　时间是最好的老师，不幸的是，它杀了它所有的学生。

　　Comedy is acting out optimism。

　　喜剧就是将乐观演绎出来。

　　You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it。

　　上天只给你一丁点儿疯狂，绝对不能丢掉！

　　If women ran the world we wouldn't have wars, just intense negotiations every 28 days。

　　如果由女人来统治这个世界，我们将不会有战争，但是每28天就要进行一场激烈的协商。

　　I love kids, but they are a tough audience。

　　我爱孩子们，但他们可真是不好伺候的观众。

　　In America they really do mythologise people when they die。

　　在美国，人死后就会被神化。

　　You have this idea that you'd better keep working otherwise people will forget. And that was dangerous。

　　你认为你最好努力工作，不然会被别人忘记。这个想法很危险。

Claustrophobia!

Why did Santa's helper see the doctor?

Because he had a low "elf" esteem!

What happened to the man who stole an Advent Calendar?

He got 25 days!

What kind of motorbike does Santa ride?

A Holly Davidson!

What do you call Santa's little helpers?

Subordinate clauses!

What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?

A Christmas Quacker!

What is the best Christmas present in the world?

A broken drum, you just can't beat it!

How did Scrooge win the football game?

The ghost of Christmas passed!

Who delivers presents to baby sharks at Christmas?

Santa Jaws

What says Oh Oh Oh?

Santa walking backwards!

Who is Santa's favorite singer?

Elf-is Presley!

What do Santa's little helpers learn at school?

The elf-abet!

What did Santa say to the smoker?

Please don't smoke, it's bad for my elf!

What do you get if Santa goes down the chimney when a fire is lit?

Krisp Kringle!

What do reindeer hang on their Christmas trees?

Horn-aments!

Why are Christmas trees so bad at sewing?

They always drop their needles!

Did Rudolph go to school?

No. He was Elf-taught!

Why did the turkey join the band?

Because it had the drumsticks!

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

Frostbite!

What do snowmen wear on their heads?

Ice caps!

How do snowmen get around?

They ride an icicle!

What song do you sing at a snowman's birthday party?

Freeze a jolly good fellow!

How does Good King Wenceslas like his pizzas?

One that's deep pan, crisp and even!

Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?

A mince spy!

What do you call a cat in the desert?

Sandy Claws!

What does Santa do with fat elves?

He sends them to an Elf Farm!

What did Adam say to his wife on the day before Christmas?

It's Christmas, Eve!

How many letters are in the Christmas alphabet?

25. There’s "no EL"!

What carol is heard in the desert?

O camel ye faithful!

What do angry mice send to each other at Christmas?

Cross Mouse Cards!

What athlete is warmest in winter?

A long jumper!

What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?

Tinsilitis!

What's the most popular Christmas wine?

'I don't like Brussels sprouts!'

What did the beaver say to the Christmas Tree?

Nice gnawing you!

Why are Christmas Trees like bad knitters?

They keep loosing their needles!

What do you get if you cross a bell with a skunk?

Jingle Smells!

What do you call a bunch of chess players bragging about their games in a hotel lobby?

Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!

What's green, covered in tinsel and goes ribbet ribbet?

Mistle-toad!

Which famous playwright was terrified of Christmas?

Noël Coward!

What is the best Christmas present in the world?

A broken drum – you just can’t beat it!

How do you know if Santa is really a werewolf?

He has Santa claws!

What did the stamp say to the Christmas card?

Stick with me and we'll go places!

Why did no one bid for Rudolph and Blitzen on eBay?

Because they were two deer!

What does the Queen call her Christmas Broadcast?

The One Show!

What did Father Christmas do when he went speed dating?

He pulled a cracker!

Why don't you ever see Father Christmas in hospital?

Because he has private elf care!

How did Mary and Joseph know that Jesus was 7lb 6oz when he was born?

They had a weigh in a manger!

Why is it getting harder to buy Advent calendars?

Because their days are numbered!

What does Miley Cyrus have at Christmas?

Twerky!

Celebrated: 25 December

Gifts? Yes

Father Christmas? Yes, but more prone to wearing sunglasses and fur-trimmed red shorts

Food: A vast roast turkey is not so appealing in 40C heat, but some still go for it. Others serve it cold. Prawns are also popular.

Notes: A summer Yuletide feels a bit back-to-front for us Northern Hemisphere chauvinists, but Christmas Day on Bondi Beach is something to behold. Otherwise, it is much like a British or American Christmas – gifts, food, family, telly, booze and arguments all make their appearances.

ETHIOPIA

Celebrated: 7 January

Gifts? No

Father Christmas? No

Food: Injera, a local sourdough pancake bread, with rich stews and meats. No turkeys.

Notes: The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is closely related to the Coptic Church, and still uses the Julian calendar, rather than the Gregorian as followed in the West. Hence their Christmas – or “Ganna” - falling 13 days later. 12 days after Ganna, they celebrate Christ's birth in a three-day festival called Timkat.

AMERICA

Celebrated: 25 December

Gifts? Yes

Father Christmas? Santa Claus, technically; while the British Father Christmas is related to Pere Noel, Santa Claus comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas. They've become interchangeable over time, though.

Food: Lots of it, predictably. Ham or beef is more common than turkey, as the bird (native to the United States) is the traditional centrepiece at Thanksgiving, a month earlier, but there is a wide variety.

Notes: Turkeys, the red-and-white Santa Claus, and many of the modern “traditions” of British Christmas are directly taken from our cross-Atlantic cousins. Perhaps ironically, the pilgrims who colonised America tried to ban the celebration altogether in 17th-century Massachusetts.

BRITAIN

Celebrated: 13 June. Not really. 25 December, obviously

Gifts? Yes

Father Christmas? Yes, although (see above) we have moved away from the green-cloaked “spirit of bonhomie” that Dickens would understand, to the red-and-white gift-bringer Santa Claus.

Food: Turkey! Lots of turkey. Although before the big American bird became commonplace over here, a goose was traditional (hence the carol saying “Christmas is coming, and the goose is getting fat”). Trimmings vary from household to household, although roast potatoes and Brussels sprouts are regular features, and the author of this piece would like to make it clear that Christmas dinner without bread sauce is just a warmed-up dead bird.

Notes: Christmas trees, carol singing, the Salvation Army, eating leftovers for a week, Boxing Day football, cold damp weather, the Queen's Speech (and Channel 4's irksome alternative), that infuriating bit between Christmas and New Year where you have to go back to work for three pointless days; it's British Christmas. You know how it goes.

GERMANY

Celebrated: 25 December (although they also celebrate St Nicholas's Day on 6 December)

Gifts: Yes – in a shoe, candy for good children, twigs for bad, on St Nicholas's Day

Father Christmas? No, St Nicholas; although as with so many places, the British/American tradition has taken hold strongly through films and adverts, so the red-and-white image is common.

Food: Hearty fare, as you might expect. Christmas Eve in Germany is called “Dickbauch”, or “fat stomach”, as tradition has it that those who go to bed hungry that night are tormented by demons as they sleep, so the big meal is late that evening.

Notes: Christmas trees first arose in Germany, and go up on 23 December – not a day before. They are decorated with sweets. German Christmas markets, which go up from the end of November, are a famous tradition, selling various oddments, meats and treats.

FRANCE

Celebrated: 25 December

Gifts? Yes, although adults exchange them on New Years' Day

Father Christmas? Oui, mais en France il s'appel “Père Noël”. He visits on 6 December, bringing small gifts, and again on Christmas Eve.

Food: Reveillon, the big Christmas meal, is held late on Christmas Eve and carries on past midnight (hence the name, which roughly means“waking meal”). Goose or turkey is common, but the French being the French they also get some lobster and foie gras in there.

Notes: The Nativity is a big deal in France (although not as big as in Catalonia; see below) and every home will display a small scene somewhere.

RUSSIA

Celebrated: 7 January (the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar)

Gifts? Yes

Father Christmas? Not exactly; the rather more stern-sounding Grandfather Frost (“Ded Moroz”) and his helper, Snegurochka, split the duties. The exact relationship between Snegurochka and Grandfather Frost is ill defined. Some say she is his granddaughter. Some say....well, never mind. St Nicholas is a famous figure too.

Food: Goose, fish and pork are all served, together with various bean and cabbage stews

Notes: During the Soviet period, Christmas was not a holiday in Russia.

ISRAEL (specifically Bethlehem)

Celebrated: Well, generally not at all – it's a Jewish country, obviously – but in Bethlehem, things are necessarily rather different, and it is marked at various times by local Christians, tourists, and pilgrims

Gifts? Yes, but not for everyone; as it is such a key location in Christian mythology, representatives of all the churches – Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Coptic and more – appear in the town. So the traditions are many and various.

Father Christmas? Yes. And Grandfather Frost, Santa Claus, and Père Noël.

Food: Well; again, yes. Different kinds.

Notes: The Church of the Nativity is naturally the centre of most celebrations, and various denominations have a procession from there through the town. Christmas decorations are hung around the town like many Western countries. Because Christmas takes place at different times for different churches, the festive period lasts for quite a while: the last church to celebrate it, the Armenian, holds it on 18 January.

CATALONIA

Celebrated: 25 December

Gifts? Yes

Father Christmas? Well; sort of... see below

Food: As elsewhere in Spain; there is nothing ubiquitous like turkey, although some do have turkey. Some sort of roast is usual, with soups and veg and so on. That's not the interesting bit though.

Notes: Catalan Christmas is notable for one thing: its scatological obsession.

Every Catalan home will likely have a Nativity scene; so far so standard European. But unusually (though not uniquely), they will all have an additional figure to the Holy Family, shepherds, donkeys etc – the Caganer. The Caganer is a small model of a man having a poo. Traditionally it was a Catalan peasant, but now may be the Prime Minister of Spain, Father Christmas, any number of celebrities – even Gordon Brown and Barack Obama have been immortalised, if that's the word, in Caganer form. It's not the only faecal part of Catalan Christmas: the Caga Tió or “s--- log” is a large stick thrown into the fire by children who entreat it to “s--- presents”.

There were 227,000 men staying at home to look after family between September and November last year, a rise of 19,000 compared to the same period in 2011 and the highest increase since figures began in 1993.

Experts suggested that the shift was down to men losing their jobs in the recession and either failing to find new employment or deciding that it did not make financial sense for them to return to work if their partner was a high earner.

Overall more than 2.3m people are classed as “economically inactive” because they are at home looking after children, the Office for National Statistics said.

The number of women staying at home saw a small rise over the period to reach just over 2.1m, but has been higher in the past.

The ONS said the figures reflected a growing trend where it was more common for the man to stay at home while his spouse went out to work.

A recent European Commission report said couples where both the man and woman earn money “lost ground” during the economic downturn in favour of female breadwinners, who increased their share to almost 10 per cent.

Jenny Garrett, the author of Rocking Your Role, a guide for women who earn the main salary in their family, welcomed the trend.

“The figures don’t surprise me. I think it’s a lot to do with the sectors that have been hit most by the current economic climate, which in the private sector were quite male dominated,” she said.

“Many men are now having to think about whether to retrain or possibly take a job that is not as highly paid, and asking whether it is worth their while if their partner is in a good job.”

However, she warned that there was still a “taboo” around female breadwinners and stay-at-home fathers.

“It’s something that’s kept quiet or treated as a bit embarrassing. We need to have more conversations about it in order for it to become more acceptable and for people to understand what makes the family unit work,” she said.

Justine Roberts, the co-founder of Mumsnet, said despite the increase in stay-at-home fathers, men were still significantly less likely than women to be the main child carer in families.

“It would be nice to think that one day it will simply be a matter of individual couples' preferences that determines which parent downscales their career,” she said.

“For now children are still overwhelmingly seen as mothers' responsibility and it's women who tend to put their careers on hold to look after them, which in part explains the lack of women on boards and the gender pay gap."(By Louisa Peacock and Sam Marsden,23 Jan 2013)

• Keep it simple. Three plants is probably plenty. Or forget the plants and try just moss and stones.

• Stand a planted terrarium in a light position but not in direct sun.

• Wood, moss, stones or other natural objects are important to give context in among the plants. They can mimic a full-sized landscape but in miniature.

• Marten uses real fossils in his landscapes as they bring something genuinely old, beautiful but affordable into a modern house and won’t spoil among damp earth and plants.

• The growing medium, which should be very free-draining at the base, can be layered in textures. Add a little crumbled charcoal to keep the soil sweet.

• Terrarium gardeners soon learn how to adapt tools for working in confined spaces. Long tweezers without too much spring, tiny forks or trowels taped to bamboo canes, chopsticks, a length of hose and a funnel to add composts and grit, all are simple to obtain or make.

• Always keep plants which need special conditions together. Don’t try mixing drought-loving succulents with moisture-loving ferns, for example.

• Once plants have established they need little maintenance. In enclosed spaces the moisture should recycle. Trial and error will establish when plants need any extra water.

• Remove any dead or dying foliage immediately to reduce the chance of fungal diseases. Prevent foliage from touching the glass sides. (By Ken Marten,23 Jan 2013)

For starters, Kate’s debilitating morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum, is more commonly found among women expecting girls. And the Duchess’s slim build may also hint at a royal daughter. A 2008 study at the University of Exeter showed women who consumed lower-calorie diets were more likely to have girls because female foetuses can survive on fewer nutrients.

Then William’s occupation as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot could also play its part. An American study found pilots had an 80 per cent chance of having girl babies.

One theory is that exposure to radiation on planes reduces the number of sperm carrying male chromosomes, but sperm carrying hardier female chromosomes are unaffected.

And if Kate is spotted leaving a Kensington dermatologist, it’s odds-on for a daughter.

French researchers found that mothers  who suffered acne while pregnant were 90 per cent more likely to give birth to  a girl due to excess levels of the female  hormone oestrogen.

On the other hand, there may be some truth in the idea that women who suffer cold feet will have a son. Cold feet are a symptom of poor circulation — and German scientists have  found that this condition during pregnancy is often experienced among women expecting boys, though they haven’t yet been able to explain why.

If all else fails, there is one final method of prediction: ask the Duchess whether she thinks she is expecting a boy or a girl.

According to scientists from Arizona,  women’s intuition is the most accurate gender predictor of all.
Asked to guess the sex of their child, mothers-to-be are correct 70 per cent of the time.
So, Kate, spill the beans. Is it a boy or a girl?

An adorable baby boy seen struggling to stay awake in his car seat is sweeping the web after more than one million views attributed to his super-human ability to crack a smile.

Smiling toward the camera despite his head falling heavier into his chest, baby Leo fights to keep his eyes on his mother with a twitching smile before realizing his near fall and popping back up, wide-eyed, like a daisy.  

With a brief shake of his head, he retains a bright smile and stretches open his eyes before sleep catches up once more.

Like a face scrunching to prepare for a sneeze, he droops losing to slumber before once more catching himself with a delighted smile.

He lets out a cheerful peep in either recognition of his near slip or for his mother beaming across from him with the camera.

But with another droop to his chest, he's near out again.

Pulling his eyes open to acknowledge his mother in farewell, he's nearly down when his final plunge startles him, and pulls his head back up with a similar peep and soft laugh from mom.

'Leo is now 3 years old and I feel so grateful to have 2 wonderful little boys,' the mother wrote with the video on Friday while describing her oldest son of the two who's now seven.

'I love them both so much and I'm so happy that I was able to share this moment with people like you,' she addressed one commenter who praised her displayed affection for her son.

'I had to Uproot a tree to feel manly again,' one commenter wrote after his own view of the video.

［本帖由 jetshing 最后编辑于 12-11-25 15:47］

A survey by the University of Worcester discovered one in five parents wanted their children to experience the Victorian Christmas tale more than any other fictional novel.
英国伍斯特大学的一项调查发现，五分之一的父母最想让孩子读的小说是这本维多利亚时期的圣诞故事。

2000 adults were asked to reveal which books they considered to be must-reads for the next generation.
2000名成人参与了该项调查，揭露出他们心中认为下一代必读的书目。

The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling was a close second, followed by The Lord of The Rings triology by JRR Tolkien in third place.
J•K•罗琳的《哈利•波特》系列小说以微弱差距位居第二，排第三位的是J•R•R•托尔金的《指环王》三部曲。

Others in the list were Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, Lewis Carroll`s Alice in Wonderland and Animals Farm by George Orwell.
其他入榜的还有简•奥斯汀的《傲慢与偏见》、刘易斯•卡罗尔的《爱丽丝漫游奇境记》，还有乔治•奥威尔的《动物农庄》。

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, which is set to appear in cinemas as a Hollywood blockbuster later this year, sits at ninth in the list, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is the tenth must-read.
J•R•R•托尔金的《霍比特人》被改编成好莱坞大片，今年晚些时候将在影院上映，该书名列第九位，而哈珀•李的《杀死一只知更鸟》则排在必读书目的第十位。

The findings mark the opening of The Hive - Europe`s first joint University and public library.
这一调查是为了纪念欧洲首个高校与大众共用图书馆The Hive的开放。

Anne Hannaford, Director of Information and Learning Services at the University of Worcester, said: "It is interesting to see that most of the popular books to pass down the generations have strong moral messages entwined in them.
伍斯特大学信息与学习服务部主任安妮•汉娜佛德说：“很有意思的是，这些父母想传给后代的受欢迎书籍中，大部分都交织着强烈的道德教化讯息。

"The books that feature in the top 10 all provide thought-provoking content and characters, so it is clear that parents value these books for providing challenging thoughts which can last a lifetime.”
“排名前十的书籍中都包含发人深思的内容和人物，显然父母们认为这些书有价值，是因为书中蕴含了有启发性、让人受益终生的思想。”

From the poll, it was also revealed `Alice in Wonderland` is today`s most-read book, with 41 percent of adults having read it.
调查结果还揭示，《爱丽丝漫游奇境记》是当代最多人阅读的书籍，41%的成人都读过这本书。

More than one third have read CS Lewis` `The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe`, which was following closely by Kenneth Grahame`s `The Wind in The Willows` and Roald Dahl`s `Charlie and the Chocolate Factory` with 37 percent and 36 percent of adults having read these books.
超过三分之一的人读过C•S•刘易斯的《纳尼亚传奇：狮子、女巫和魔衣橱》，阅读人数紧随其后的是肯尼斯•格雷厄姆的《柳林风声》和罗尔德•达尔的《查理和巧克力工厂》，分别有37%和36%的成人读过这两本书。

The University of Worcester`s top-ten of must-read titles:
伍斯特大学评出的十大必读书目：

1. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
1.《圣诞颂歌》，查尔斯•狄更斯

2. The Harry Potter Series, JK Rowling
2.《哈利•波特》系列，J•K•罗琳

3. The Lord of The Rings, JRR Tolkien
3.《指环王》三部曲，J•R•R•托尔金

4. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
4.《傲慢与偏见》，简•奥斯汀

5. Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
5.《爱丽丝漫游奇境记》，刘易斯•卡罗尔

6. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, CS Lewis
6.《纳尼亚传奇：狮子、女巫和魔衣橱》，C•S•刘易斯

7. Animal Farm, George Orwell
7.《动物农庄》，乔治•奥威尔

8. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
8.《雾都孤儿》，查尔斯•狄更斯

9. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
9.《霍比特人》，J•R•R•托尔金

10. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
10.《杀死一只知更鸟》，哈珀•李

2. It brings you more sex

3. Women who are married won’t need to work as much as when they are single

4. Married people are happier

5. You always have a plus one

6. Nothing cures a hangover like an orgasm

7. Married women don’t have to worry about being called cat lady

8. Listening to romantic songs doesn’t make you cry anymore

9. You have someone to kiss every morning

10. You also have someone to come home to every evening

Best Actress: Ruth Wilson - Anna Christie

Best Actress In A Supporting Role: Sheridan Smith for Flare Path

Best Director: Matthew Warchus - Matilda The Musical

Best Revival: Anna Christie

Outstanding Achievement in Dance: Edward Watson - The Metamorphosis

Best New Dance Production: Akram Khan - Desh

Best Sound Design: Simon Baker - Matilda The Musical

Best Lighting: Bruno Poet - Frankenstein

Set Design: Rob Howell - Matilda The Musical

Costume Design: Peter McKintosh - Crazy For You

A study of 1,000 children between the ages of six and 10 also revealed that 41% of them did not know that the UK is in Europe.

They found that 78% of the children had been abroad, 48% going to Spain by the age of 10 and 42% to France.
Point to prove: One in ten children are unable to pick out the UK on a map of the world

However, 45% could not find Spain on a map and 36% were unable to identify the location of France.

The USA was the third most popular holiday destination, with 19% of those surveyed having crossed the pond - but 42% did not know where it was, and 5% believing it shared a border with the UK.

The children performed better when asked to find countries outside of Europe, with 78% correctly identifying Australia, while 73% knew where Russia was.

Perhaps explaining their lack of knowledge when it comes to geography, 24% of the children said they did not know what an atlas was.

Heathrow has installed giant globes in its terminals in time for the Easter holidays to help children locate their destination - and maybe that of the UK.
--By Daily Mail Reporter, 2 April 2012

一个从不犯错误的人，一定从来没有尝试过任何新鲜事物。

2. Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them.

智者解决问题，天才预防问题。

3. Science is a wonderful thing if one does not have to earn one's living at it.

科学是个美妙的东西——如果无须靠它维生的话。

4. The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

世界上最让人难以理解的东西就是个人所得税。

5. I am convinced that He (God) does not play dice.

我确信上帝不玩赌博游戏。

6. Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

现实不过是幻象，尽管这幻象挥之不去。

7. I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.

我从不去想未来。因为它来得已经够快的了。

8. The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.

妨碍我学习的唯一障碍就是我的教育。

9. Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.

宇宙中唯有两件事物是无限的：宇宙的大小与人的愚蠢。我不能确定的是宇宙的大小。

10. I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

我不知道第三次世界大战会用哪些武器，但第四次世界大战中人们肯定用的是木棍和石块。

(Agencies)

Modern Family
30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Parks and Recreation
Happy Endings

BEST COMEDY FILM

Bridesmaids
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Midnight in Paris
Horrible Bosses
The Artist

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS

Jennifer Aniston (Horrible Bosses)
Cameron Diaz (Bad Teacher)
Kristin Wiig (Bridesmaids)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)
Emma Stone (Crazy, Stupid, Love)

BEST COMEDY ACTOR

Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Jason Bateman (Horrible Bosses)
Steve Carell (Crazy, Stupid, Love)
Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover Part II)
Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris)

BEST COMEDY TV ACTRESS

Zooey Deschanel (New Girl)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

BEST COMEDY TV ACTOR

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
Louis C.K. (Louie)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

BREAKOUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Zooey Deschanel
Josh Gad
Donald Glover
Melissa McCarthy
Jason Sudeikis

I'm following the path God laid for me.

I took His hand when I heard Him call;

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,

To laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way;

I found that place at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void,

Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared a laugh, a kiss;

Ah yes, these things, I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full, I savored much;

Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.

Perhaps my time seems all to brief;

Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.

Essential to finding the circumference of a circle, Pi, valued at 3.14159265, is engrained in the minds of every school child.

But one pair of scientists have taken their obsession a step further and calculated the ten trillionth digit, doubling the record set two years ago by a super computer.

Many mathematicians try to round it down to 3.14 but Japanese IT expert Shigeru Kondo and U.S. student Alexander Yee have spent just over a year ballooning it in size.

Using a home PC that sent Kondo's house temperature shooting up to 40 degrees, they also lost half a year as their computer failed to cope with the calculations.

'We could dry the laundry immediately, but we had to pay 30,000 yen ($390) a month for electricity,' Mr Kondo's wife, Yukiko, said.

It was Yee who wrote the complex programme to calculate the huge number while Kondo built the super-PC, adding at least ten hard drives to make sure it could cope.

Within weeks of starting on October 16 last year the system had failed and they had to start again and then the Kondo's Japanese home was hit by the giant earthquake that shook his country, but luckily it was not damaged nor hit with a power cut.

Then further hardware failures and other problems slowed the project before it completed its task on August 26.

After that they checked the ten trillion digits were correct, and confirmed that the final number was 5.

'Over the course of the computation, there were multiple hard drive failures. Each of which required us to roll the computation back to a previous checkpoint. The result was approximately 180 days of lost time,' he said. -By Martin Robinson,21st October 2011

Result: After the ten trillion digits were carefully checked it was confirmed that the final number was 5

14:03 NTC spokesman Abdel Hafez Ghoga says: "We announce to the world that Kadhafi has been killed at the hands of the revolution. It is an historic moment. It is the end of tyranny and dictatorship. Kadhafi has met his fate," he added.

14:00 PM David Cameron to give statement on reports of Gaddafi's death imminently.

13:57 The revolutionary fighter who says he saw the capture of Gaddafi tells Sky News he hit him with his shoe (one of the worst insults in the Islamic faith). He was reportedly shot once in the head and once in each leg.

13:54 NTC spokesman Abdel Hafiz Ghoga also now confirming the former leader's death.

13:52 If reports are found to be true that Gaddafi was found in a hole underground in District 2 in his hometown of Sirte, the similarities to the capture of Saddam Hussein are unavoidable. The Iraqi dictator was discovered in a small, underground hole concealed next to farm buildings near the his own hometown of Tikrit. He had been hiding out for months with a handful of his most loyal aides.

13:47 If Gaddafi is dead, that solves the problem of the trial – but we may never learn the truth about Lockerbie and other crimes, writes Telegraph commentator Daniel Knowles:

 If the reports of Gaddafi's death are true (and they may not be: the US cannot even confirm his capture yet), it will make some things easier between the Libyans and their Western allies. It solves the problem of where he will be tried, and by whom. If he is still alive, we have months of wrangling and undignified negotiation yet to come, and – notwithstanding the assurances above – the prospect of a Saddam Hussein-style show trial. On the other hand, if he is alive we also stand a greater chance of finally establishing the truth about Lockerbie, the killing of WPc Yvonne Fletcher and many other crimes. Either way, the end of this man's brutal dictatorship has arrived, and not before time.

13:44 Official confirmation from NATO on an attack by their aircraft on a pro-Gaddafi this morning: "At approximately 0830 local time (GMT+2) today, NATO aircraft struck two pro-Kadhafi forces military vehicles which were part of a larger group manoeuvring in the vicinity of Sirte," spokesman Colonel Roland Lavoie said in a statement.

13:38 Telegraph Middle East correspondent Richard Spencer says if the reports are true, Col Gaddafi has at least been true to his word: he always said he would die on Libyan soil.

 Credit where credit is due: Gaddafi had chutzpah, as we knew, and showed it by placing himself like Napoleon at Waterloo at the heart of the final battle. He also had courage - a mad courage, perhaps, but it must have taken something for a 27-year-old to seize power for himself back in 1969 and he did not flinch at the end.

On the other hand, Gaddafi was also wrong about one thing. Like many dictators, he reassured himself, when he was under attack from western democratic leaders, that the political system they promoted ensured their own political demise. Whatever they said about him didn't matter since their electors would kick them out shortly anyway. -By Josie Ensor and Barney Henderson,20 Oct 2011

It is a story that has deeply unsettled millions in China, posing troubling questions about whether three decades of headlong economic development has left nothing but a moral vacuum in its wake.

It begins last Thursday when a two-year-old girl totters into a narrow lane in a wholesale market in the thriving industrial city of Foshan in Guangdong Province and is hit by a small, white van. The driver pauses, and then pulls away, crushing the child for a second time under his rear wheels.

点击阅读全文:Chinese toddler run over twice after being left on street.doc （文件大小：87.50 KB）

This ends a two-month run of modest rises, but on an annual basis the cost of the average home has slipped by 2.3pc – or an average of £5,240 – over the past year.

According to research, the average home in England and Wales is now worth £218,650. The largest monthly growth was recorded in Greater London, with a monthly increase of 1.1pc.

Dr Peter Williams, housing market specialist and chairman of Acadametrics, said: "This monthly fall is small and, when combined with the positive movements in July and August during the quarter, means that the housing market is probably best described as 'stationary'."

The average price of a property has increased by 9.2pc since the trough of the last housing recession in April 2009 – an increase of more than £18,400. However, it is still 5.7pc below that of house price peak of February 2008.

"It is possible that the housing market will continue to remain more or less stationary over the next three months, giving an out-turn of approximately -2.5pc for the year as a whole – roughly in line with a number of forecasts published by HM Treasury in August," said Dr Williams.

However, Dr Williams said that a rapid tightening in the supply of credit and the emergence of renewed tensions around the banking sector, means that the likelihood of a double dip recession has increased and confidence remains very low.

David Newnes, director of LSL Property Services, said: "The modest summer recovery came to an abrupt end in September, reminding us there are still serious barriers to a sustained property market recovery."

Mr Newnes pointed out that it is not all doom and gloom for home owners as buyer activity is higher than average for this time of year while mortgage finance is cheaper than ever before.

"That's not to say the road to recovery is obstruction free," he said.

"Mortgage lenders' willingness to lend at record low rates is based on expectations that the MPC will keep rates low for the foreseeable future and that the Eurozone crisis won't become a disaster. While it's probable these conditions will continue, it's far from certain." -By Kara Gammell,14 Oct 2011