Tamil Historic Novels

The novel form of Tamil literature has been in existence only since around two centuries.

Before that, the poetry form used to rule the roost for nearly two thousand years. Novel is a relatively new genre in Tamil literature but is very popular among the Tamil novel readers. The novel format was made popular by legendary writers like Kalki Krishnamurthy, Vai. Mu. Kothainayaki, Lakshmi, Na. Parthasarathy etc. The novel form has given us several others. The historic novels by Kalki, Akilan, Sandilyan and Na. Parthasarathy were enjoyed by the Tamil readers for their skillful depiction of the historic, social and cultural aspects of the bygone era. These novels are no less than priceless treasures for the Tamil people of even successive generations. Here is a bird's eye view of some of the famous historic novels.

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Historical novels by Kalki

Tamil Historic Novels

Ponniyin Selvan is a novel set in the Chola period and brings out the social and political situation that prevailed during that era. The imaginary characters and events blend well into the historic events. He could even blend humour and satire into the actual events. His description of the kings and the wars they fought and their aspirations and dreams for their country and people. The stories were full of twists and turns that captured the imagination of the reading public. Sivagamiyin Sabhatham is his masterpiece, romantic novel set in the Pallava dynasty's reign over south India. Parthiban Kanavu is the story of Chola prince Vikkiraman who fulfills the dream of his father Parthiban, the Chola king to re-establish the Chola kingdom and freeing it from the Pallava ruler Narasimha Varma Pallavan.

Akilan

Akilan's Kayalvizhi is a gripping saga set in the Pandiya kingdom background. His other novels include Vengayin Maindhan, Kanni Maadam and Vettri Thirunagar. Vengayin Mainthan has won the Sahitya Academy Award in 1963. Vettri Thirunagar depicts the life of Viswanatha Nayaka of Vijaya Nagar who was the founder of the Nayakas. He played a major role in integrating the country.

Na Parthasarathy

Popularly known as Deepam Parthasarathy, after the name of the Tamil magazine he edited, his novels Paandimaa Devi, Rani Mangammal and Manipallavam are very popular. Paandimaa Devi depicts the glorious Tamil culture and philosophy. The novel is a story of the Pandian ruler the third Rasa Simma Pandiyan.

Vikkiraman

Vanthiyathevan Vaal by Vikkiraman is a novel set in Raja Raja Chola period. He has penned some interesting novels like Kulothungan Kanavu, Raja Rajan Sabhatham, Aalavai Arasi and Vathapi Vijayam which are very popular.

Kovi Manisekaran

Kollippaavai, Naaga Nandhini, Vengai Vanam, Sera Sooriyan and Ilavarasi Mohanangi are famous novels by Kovi. Manisekaran serialized in Tamil Magazines.

Ra Ki Rangarajan

Naan Krishnadevarayan by Ra. Ki. Rangarajan is a story woven around Vijayanagaram and as seen by the king Krishnadeva Rayan.

Sandilyan

His novels are historic romance with lots of adventure laced into them. Most of them are set in the times of the Chola kingdom. His novels also describe the political situations prevailing in south India and the conflict with the other countries across the seas. Yavana Rani is about a Greek Princess who is saved by Ilanchezhiyan, from the Chola Empire. Kadal Pura is another novel about the army commander of Chola king Rajendra II and the princess of Sumatra.

Tamil readers could read most of the historical novels serialized in Tamil weekly magazines. They were published as books later on.

Tamil Historic Novels

Sad Movies

Movie lovers come in all shapes and sizes. For some, there's nothing better than a brainless comedy. Others stick to the independent and art-house scene. And then there are those who can't get enough of tearjerkers and sad movies. This article is dedicated to the latter, as it's jam-packed with weepy classics guaranteed to make you reach for the Kleenex.

Imitation of Life (1959) - After temporarily losing her daughter at the beach, an aspiring actress (Lana Turner) takes in the black widow (Juanita Moore) who helped her. As the years pass, the widow's daughter--a very fair-skinned girl--tries to pass for white, much to her mother's chagrin. Also starring Sandra Dee and John Gavin.

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Atonement (2007) - Based on the novel by Ian McEwan, this winner of Best Picture of the Year at the 61st British Academy Film Awards tells the heartbreaking tale of a young girl (Saoirse Ronan) who falsely accuses her sister's (Keira Knightley) lover (James McAvoy) of being a rapist. As the years go by, the girl grows into a woman and comes to grasp the full significance of her accusations. Nominated for seven Academy Awards.

Sad Movies

Penny Serenade (1941) - Irene Dunne and Cary Grant play a married couple who endure financial hardships and try to raise an adopted child. Grant would receive an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film. Also starring Edgar Buchanan and Beulah Bondi.

Love Story (1970) - The tragic romance between a Harvard student (Ryan O'Neal) and a girl with a working-class background (Ali MacGraw). Nominated for seven Academy Awards, the film provided us with the famous line "Love means never having to say you're sorry." Tommy Lee Jones has a small role in his feature film debut.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) - Based on the novel by James Hilton, this British classic focuses on the life of Charles Edward Chipping (Robert Donat), an elderly former teacher looking back on his 58-career during a dream. Greer Garson co-stars, and Donat would win a Best Actor Oscar for his performance (beating out Clark Gable for Gone with the Wind).

Brief Encounter (1945) - A bored British housewife (Celia Johnson) engages in an extramarital affair with a handsome doctor (Trevor Howard). Since it's on my list of sad movies, it's probably safe to assume that they don't live happily ever after. Considered one of the best British films ever made, it won the Palme d'Or at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival.

If you're not already blubbering uncontrollably, head out and pick up a few of the sad movies listed above. And once you're done with these selections, be sure to check out anything adapted from the novels of Nicolas Sparks. The writer of such works as The Notebook and Message in a Bottle, his big-screen adaptations are bound to leaving you sobbing.

Sad Movies

How to Deliver a Killer Thank You Speech

Writing a terrific thank-you speech is great, but the magic behind a really great speech is the speaker's ability to deliver it in a manner that matches the eloquence of the words themselves. Here are eight keys to delivering a fantastic acceptance speech that anyone can use.

1. Speak to individuals
Instead of addressing your audience as a large group of people, create "mini conversations" by speaking to individual members of your audience. Pick a specific person or a spot in the crowd, deliver a complete thought, then look at a different person, deliver a complete thought and so on. People will feel an instant connection with you because you're looking them in the eye as you speak.

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Know where people are sitting so that when you're thanking the committee or specific members of the organization, you can look in their general direction to show them you care and to honor them.

How to Deliver a Killer Thank You Speech

2. Pause
As much as your audience will enjoy listening to your 3-5 minute speech, they will equally welcome appropriate pauses during your presentation. If you want to emphasize something, say it and then pause to allow your listeners a chance to reflect. Remember, time and space get all jumbled up in the mind of the speaker.

When you pause during your speech for 2-3 seconds to let a point or comment sink in, it will feel like you haven't said anything since the cretaceous period. But to your audience the silence will be refreshing and well received.

3. Slow down
Slow down. Slow down. Slow down. Even when they're trying to be mindful of their pace, many public speakers rush through their speech like an overly eager shopper at 5 a.m. at a door-buster sale on Black Friday.

Take your time, this isn't the Oscars. The orchestra won't begin playing to force you off the stage. You have all the time in the world, enjoy your moment in the sun.

4. Speak up
Speakers often overestimate how loud they're talking even when using a microphone. Speak forcefully and clearly into the microphone so that your voice sounds slightly louder than normal conversational volume to your listeners. If you're unsure how you sound, ask the audience it they can hear you.

5. Smile
Your speech is commemorating a joyous, uplifting moment not a funeral. Make sure your smile reflects it. Even if you feel incredibly nervous on the inside, a smile tells your audience that you're happy to be there and you're thrilled by the honor of being recognized.

6. Show and tell
Today's audiences are accustomed to unbelievable amounts of visual stimulation from Hollywood to the Internet to video games. Your challenge is to engage your listeners using just your voice, your face and your arms. No easy task. But you can answer your audience's cry for eye candy by using your entire physical presence to bring your speech to life.

Let your arms and gestures be an extension of the words you're saying and think about how you can communicate size, time, numbers, geography, etc. with you hands. Gestures are a great way to add punch to your speech, get rid of nervous energy and generate a temporary boost in your volume and vocal inflection.

7. Don't talk over applause or laughter
If you should be fortunate enough to get some laughter or applause during your speech, be sure to let your audience fully express themselves in the moment. Remain quiet until the laughter or applause dwindles to almost nothing and then pick up right where you left off.

8. Do the two-step (pivot)
The two-step pivot is a unique move you can use when you're giving a speech from behind a podium and it serves two purposes. It allows you to release some nervous energy and it gives the appearance of movement even though you're basically standing in one place. Here's how it works.

Think of the area you're standing as a clock face, and if you're standing directly behind the podium facing the audience, that is considered 12 o'clock. To do a two-step pivot, move your feet to left (one at a time) so that they are pointing in the direction of 10 o'clock. Deliver a sentence or two and then pivot both feet back to 12 o'clock.

A few moments later point both feet to the right in the 2 o'clock position, and so on. The two-step pivot is great because it enables you to address different parts of the room and it confers the appearance of movement while keeping your mouth close to the microphone.

Follow these time-tested suggestions and you'll be well on your way to giving the thank you speech of a lifetime.

How to Deliver a Killer Thank You Speech

Steroids Should Be Allowed In Pro Sports

If you read most sports columnists and listen to the blathering of politicians, it's just awful that athletes have taken steroids and, by using them, have found the added power to break records.

I suppose these critics would like to turn the page back before Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa were having that spectacular, summer long home run derby. To me, that was one of the greatest personal rivalries in the history of sport.

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So, now we hear they were juiced, pumped to the gills with chemicals.

Steroids Should Be Allowed In Pro Sports

Who isn't?

That gal at the office who has been chatting her way to sale after sale, secretly powered by diet pills, should she give back the company paid vacation she won in the recent sales contest?

Should her name be stricken from the corporate record books and that plaque on the wall be removed, the one proclaiming her to be the best of all time?

The shareholders don't care.

She lit a fire under other reps, including every woman in the place who admired her run for the gold, and sought to outdo their "personal bests."

Last year's winner, Bill, was also juiced most of the time. Word has it he schmoozed and boozed his way to more than one big sale. That extra scotch habit may have given him all the confidence he needed.

What about those actors and actresses that binge and purge to fit the part? George Clooney put on an extra 40 pounds for his Academy Award winning turn in "Syriana," possibly using more than chocolate shakes to put it on and then to take it off.

Heck, even the great Babe Ruth played drunk, arguably better drunk. Who will ever know?

Mickey Mantle, was also known to self-medicate, otherwise, the excruciating pain in his legs might not have carried him around the bases after his homers.

Let's not dismantle the trophy case or disinherit some of the best athletes of all time.

I don't care if they're juiced. I want to see the best performances from the best athletes, and if they accomplish this through some chemical experimentation, no problem!

Steroids Should Be Allowed In Pro Sports

The Patriot (Movie Review)

In the years between Braveheart and The Passion Of The Christ, Mel Gibson created The Patriot - a big screen portrayal of the American Revolution against the British crown. Nominated for three Academy Awards, and including a brilliant original soundtrack composed by John Williams, The Patriot is an excellent illustration of the historical roots of American representative government. Mel Gibson stars in the lead role with his usual charismatic screen presence. In essence, this is Braveheart in the foothills of South Carolina, and Gibson's fans will not be disappointed...

The year is 1776, and in a small South Carolina town, farmer Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) is disheartened to hear of the impending American rebellion against England. A veteran of the French and Indian War, Martin is well aware of the horrors associated with armed conflict. He prefers the safety and tranquility of farm life and encourages his family to do the same. But when his eldest son Gabriel (Heath Ledger) joins the revolution, British redcoats arrive on Martin land and threaten the entire family. When one of Benjamin's younger sons attempts to help his brother, the sadistic British officer William Tavington (Jason Isaacs) cuts him down. The murder of his son inflames the passions of Benjamin Martin who changes his mind about fighting and enlists in the local militia. Hunting down British army officers with the stealth actions of a wild animal, Martin employs guerrilla tactics and superior knowledge of the land in order to level the playing field against the world's greatest army...

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As British General Cornwallis moves his troops into the South Carolina area, Martin leads a band of militiamen who successfully sabotage British supplies, bomb British ships anchored in Charleston, and pluck off redcoats one-by-one. Fighting side by side with his eldest son, Martin hopes to hold off the British advance long enough to receive aid from the French. He also hopes to avenge the murder of his son and give birth to a new nation. But another chance encounter with Tavington results in Gabriel's death on the battlefield.

The Patriot (Movie Review)

As the American Revolution gains ground against the British forces, Martin engages in a series of bloody conflicts - one of which leads to the inevitable showdown between himself and Tavington, the man who murdered his sons...

Released in late June of 2000, just a few days before Independence Day, The Patriot is a well-written, action packed foray into the world of Colonial rebellion. Its stunning portrayal of the American Revolution inspires every viewer who retains a modicum of patriotism for the American experiment, and the fight for freedom makes for a worthy subject. One of Mel Gibson's best movies, The Patriot offers scene after scene of majestic landscapes, elegant soundtrack music, and an overall story dripping with action and suspense. If you loved Braveheart, then you'll definitely enjoy The Patriot. Its similar depiction of an honorable and heroic figure fighting for the freedom of his countrymen makes The Patriot a must-see film for the ages...

The Patriot (Movie Review)

The Best Daniel Day Lewis Films of All Time

I wish Daniel Day Lewis had more movies that he has starred in. Lewis is arguably the most talented actor working today, and his multiple Academy Award wins and nominations further back this claim. Since the start of his career, he has been nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role four times, and has won twice. Quite the feat indeed.

This article will cite some of my favorite films starring the great Daniel Day Lewis.

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If you have never seen a Daniel Day Lewis, then a great place to start would be the film that won him the 1990 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, My Left Foot. Lewis stars as the inspirational Christy Brown, an artist with cerebral palsy.

The Best Daniel Day Lewis Films of All Time

When it comes to epic films starring Daniel Day Lewis, it is hard to get a film better than The Last Of The Mohicans. There are few movies about the French and Indian War, and maybe that is because Michael Mann and crew set the bar so high with this 1992 war epic.

Another great film starring Lewis is Gangs Of New York. This movie shows New York City in the days when various gangs ran the streets and it was far from the place it is today.

In what is arguably the role of his career, Daniel Day Lewis stars as Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood. The incredibly talented Paul Thomas Anderson directed this amazing film which plays like a biopic because of Lewis' ability to steal every scene he is in.

One other film of Lewis' which I feel the need to mention is A Room With A View. This film was released in 1985, and while I normally do not like romance movies, this one was rather enjoyable.

Hopefully there is at least one film on this list of Daniel Day Lewis' that you have not seen before.

The Best Daniel Day Lewis Films of All Time

Upcoming Concerts In Las Vegas 2011

With the new year here, are you wondering what 2011 brings for upcoming concerts in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas, Nevada is a constantly booming place that never slows down. Between casinos, concerts, theater performances, Broadway musicals, and whatever else you can think of, it can be a bit overwhelming. With so much going on around you all the time it can be hard to separate the events you are seriously interested in from the ones you do not care for without missing anything.

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"Sin City" is home to numerous amphitheaters, auditoriums, concert halls, and night clubs where you can find concert events of every genre and variety imaginable. This month and the next few are chock full of musical performances spanning all interests and ages. Here are some of the upcoming concerts in Las Vegas.

Upcoming Concerts In Las Vegas 2011

The ever popular Blue Man Group will be making several appearances throughout the upcoming season. The Blue Man Group is originally a New York based performance that encompasses art, music, science, and theater in a vaudeville style of entertainment that has grown into a nationally acclaimed and beloved experience. The Venetian will be hosting this eclectic group of bald, blue men beginning on January 7, 2011 and continuing through June 1, 2011.

Appearing at The Colosseum at Caesar's Palace beginning on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 is the well-known American singer/songwriter known as Cher. Cher has won many awards since the launch of her career including an Academy Award, an Emmy, three Golden Globes, and a Grammy Award among others. She will be performing at The Colosseum until February 5, 2011.

From January 7-9 and 14-16, 2011 Le Theater des Arts at the Paris Las Vegas will feature the legendary pop icon Barry Manilow.

Former lead vocalist of the metal band Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, along with phenomenal guitar player Slash, will be performing at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Friday, January 28, 2011.

Save your strength and your metal frame of mind because the very next night, Saturday, January 29, the House of Blues is hosting Motorhead and Clutch.

The hilarious bachelorette party group Thunder From Down Under made up of six Australian men is performing at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino every night from now until the end of March.

A Santana tribute event entitled Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits is going on at the Hard Rock Hotel until January 16. If you cannot make it out this time around, this show will be picking up again on April 20, 2011 and running until May 1.

The Chicago-born American rock band Styx, with hits like Renegade and Mr. Roboto, are playing the Courtyard Room at the House of Blues on January 16, 2011.

Weezer is appearing at Las Vegas' first rock venue, the Hard Rock Hotel on Paradise Road. This concert is being held on January 21, 2011.

For the country lover, George Strait and Reba McEntire will be appearing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on February 5, 2011.

Upcoming Concerts In Las Vegas 2011

Giant Women

Before she died in August 2008, Sandra Allen was identified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's tallest woman. Standing at 7 ft 7 1/4", Allen, who was born in Chicago, U.S.A, developed a tumour in her pituitary gland when she was very young causing uncontrollable hormone growth.

Many though, identified Yao Defen from China as the world's tallest female although her actual height was disputed. Like Allen, Defen had a tumour which caused her to grow to a massive height. By the age of eleven she had already reached 6 ft 2".

Academy Award

Both women have suffered major health problems. Allen had to use a wheelchair because her body couldn't support her gigantic frame and was prone to infections and breathing difficulties plus she suffered from diabetes and kidney failure. Defen can only sit up straight for an hour and suffers from heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis and poor nutrition.

Giant Women

Allen was 53 when she passed away at a nursing home in Indiana. She appeared in the movies Side Show and Fellini's Casanova which won an Academy Award for best costume in 1976. She also appeared on Being Different, The World's Tallest Woman and Me, Extraordinary People and Inside Extraordinary Humans : The Science of Gigantism.
When Allen was 22 years old, she had surgery to abort her growth. If not she would have continued growing.

Defen who was born in 1972 is now classed as the tallest woman in the world at a height of 7 ft 9". She still lives in a small rural village in China with her mother.

Giant Women

Fascinating Facts About Vietnam

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu was one of most elegant women of the 20th century.In the 1950s and 1960s,she was first lady of South Vietnam. She was born in 1924 in Hanoi,Vietnam.In fact, she was compared with ladies such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (former first lady of the United States), Dewi Sukarno (ex-first lady of Indonesia), Grace Kelly ( former princess of Monaco) and Eva Duarte de Peron (former first lady of Argentina).In the 1960s, Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu popularized the traditional Vietnamese "ao dai" (long dress). She currently resides in France, where she is writing her autobiography.She speaks fluent English, Vietnamese and French.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is the home to Historic City of Hue-one of the ancient wonders of the world. During the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), Hue was the capital of Vietnam. More than 10 palaces in Hue provide some of the best remaining examples of Vietnamese architecture in Asia. It is the monument that best symbolizes Vietnam. Hue has been recognised as a World Cultural Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

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DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hieu Ngan Tran is one of the Vietnam´s best known and well-loved athletes. She is a taekwondo athlete who competed in the women´s featherweight category at the 2000 Olympic Games and won the silver medal. The silver medal for Vietnam was the first ever won by that country in Olympic competition.

Fascinating Facts About Vietnam

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is famous for its hospitality, and the average visitor will have no difficulty in adapting to local traditions.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The Vietnamese film industry has been honoured at film festival and award ceremonies around the world. The prizes attained include the Golden Lion for best film awarded by the Venice International Film to Anh Hung Tran´s Cyclo (1995) ; the Jury Prize awarded by the Sundance Film Festival to Tony Bui´s Three Seasons (1999); and the Grand Jury Prize awarded by the Pusan International Film Festival to Luu Hynh´s The White Silk Dress Press (1999).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Madame Nguyen Thi Binh became the first female vice president of Vietnam in 1992. She became head of the Vietnamese women´s movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Like its Thai cousin, Vietnam is world-famous for its traditional cuisine. At Paris´s top restaurants, visitors can savor the true taste of Vietnamese cuisine.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has long been famous for its magnificent temples and palaces.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Third World.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The development of traditional Vietnamese sports is vital to the preservation of Vietnamese culture. Takraw, or kick volleyball, is a traditional sport in Vietnam. In this sport, a ball is passed from player to player by hitting it with the head and feet. Takraw also is widely played in Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The bio-diversity of Vietnam is one of its greatest riches.The country has six world´s biosphere reserves: Can Gio Mangrove Forest, Cat Ba, Cat Tien, Kien Giang, Red River Delta, and Western Nghe An.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The United States of America recognizes Vietnam as an independent country since 1995. In 1996, president Bill Clinton appointed Douglas Peterson to serve as United States ambassador to Vietnam.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is world-famous for its animal wildlife. This wildlife -which includes elephants, buffaloes, tigers, monkeys, rhinoceroses, snakes and turtles- attracts thousands of tourists to Vietnam each year.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam maintains diplomatic relations with 140 countries in the world, including France, China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Canada, South Korea, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Russia and Malaysia.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Ha Long Bay is generally considered to be the most beautiful scenery in the whole of Vietnam. It consist of 1,969 islands and islets situated in the Gulf of Tonkin. This zone is known for its spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. It is one of the most popular spots in Asia. Ha Long Bay has been recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam joined the United Nations in 1977.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam. It is the most important economic, industrial and cultural center in the country.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The best-known Vietnamese works of art the thousands of pagodas found throughout the country.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The education has received increased emphasis in Vietnam since the country became independent in 1976. Certainly, Vietnam has greatly increased the number of schools in response to demands for educational opportunities by the people.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...In 2000, Bill Clinton,who was president of the United States (1993-2001), was given a hero´s welcome in Vietnam as he became the first American president to visit the Asian country.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The "ao dai" is the most popular national costume in Vietnam.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is one of the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hanoi is well known for its famous restaurants. Some of the restaurants are built along the Red river to provide diners with a riverside view of Hanoi´s sunset.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam hosted delegates from 21 contries at the 2006 APEC Summit.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a World Heritage Site in Vietnam.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...AmeliaVega, Miss Universe 2003,went to Hanoi to attend the 2003 Miss Vietnam pageant.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam competed at the modern Olympic Games for the first time at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The 11th Taekwondo World Championship was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in June 2001.

DID YOU KNOW THAT....Like Carlos Noriega (Peru), Abdul Ahad Mohmad (Afghanistan), Jugdermedidiyn Gurragcha (Mongolia) and Salman al-Saud (Saudi Arabia), Pham Tuan was one of the best astronauts in the Third World. He was the first Vietnamese astronaut and the first Asian in space. Pham Tuan flew aboard the shuttle Soyuz-37 in July 1980. He was in space for more than 7 days. Pham Tuan was given a hero´s welcome when he returned to country after completing its historic orbital space flight.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is one of the best-watered areas in Southeast Asia. Five main rivers flow eastward across the country. They are Mekong, Red Can, Srepok and Black.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hanoi hosted the Fifth Asia-Europe Summit Meeting (ASEM) in 2004.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has rich mineral deposits (oil, coal, gas, manganese, bauxite and phosphates), large forests, and good farm.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The Scent of Green Papaya was the first great Vietnamese movie of the 20th century. This film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Category at the 1993 Academy Awards. The movie enjoyed the highest-grossing opening in Vietnam film history.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has eight idols:Anh Hung Tran (film director), Pham Tuan (astronaut), Thuy Tran (modeling agent), Nguyen Thi Phoung (ecologist), Hieu Ngan Tan (sportswoman), Madame Ngo Dinh Nho (former first lady of Vietnam), Tony Bui (film maker) and Nguyen Thi Binh (vice president of Vietnam).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...More than 20 million people in Vietnam ride a bicycle.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has an area about 1 per cent as large as that of the United States.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Le Duc Tho was a diplomat who always worked for a unified Vietnam. He was born on October 14, 1911, in Phan Dinh Khai,Vietnam. Certainly, Le Duc Tho worked with Henry Kissinger (secretary of state of the United States) to end Vietnam war, and in 1973 the two men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The award citation said, "On January 23 of this year a ceasefire agreement was concluded between the United States and the Vietnamese Democratic Republic.At its meeting on October 16 the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Storting decided to award the Peace Prize for the 1973 to Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho, the two chief negotiators who succeeded in arranging the ceasefire after negotiating for nearly four years..."

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has been chosen to host the 2008 Miss Universe. Vietnam won the right to host the 2008 Miss Universe by one vote over Japan.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...President George W.Bush became the first U.S. president to visit Vietnam in the 21st century.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is about 8 times the size of Switzerland.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam competed at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha,Qatar. It finished 19th in the medal count, with 23 (3 gold), trailing China, South Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Iran, Uzbekistan, India, Qatar, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Bahrein, Hong Kong, North Korea, Kuwait and Philippines.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is famous for its beautiful beaches along the Pacific Ocean: Bai Chay, Tran Phu, Nha Trang,China Beach,Mui Ne Beach,Hon Chong Beach and Bai Tam.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...The 7th Summit of the Francophonie was held in Hanoi,Vietnam

Fascinating Facts About Vietnam

Good Quality Improvement Programs Produce Better Bottom Lines

W. Edwards Deming once said, "In God we trust, all others bring data!" That is just what I propose to do in this newsletter. I often speak of how continuous quality improvement programs improve the bottom line at a healthcare site. This idea is throughout my web site. I promote the idea that "Quality pays, it does not cost." That is, a good quality improvement program based upon population level data not only is not cost neutral, it improves the income and profit at a site. Many healthcare professionals do not believe this. They point at all the regulatory standards for quality, such as those written by JHACO, and believe that quality is actually costing them quite a bit. I have done some extensive research on this topic recently and believe that I can prove this point convincingly to you.

Fortunately there is good documentation of financial outcomes at healthcare sites which use various quality improvement approaches. I am very familiar with two of these-TransforMed's National Demonstration Project and the Federal Government's NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Baldrige Award program. Starting in 2006 TransforMed, a subsidiary of American Academy of Family Physicians, began a program to aid in transforming a sample of primary care practices into models of the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). One group of sites was actively involved with representatives from TransfoMed to adopt the Patient-Centered model and the other group used materials supplied to them by TransforMed to use in a self-directed approach to adopt the model. TransforMed's CEO, Dr. Terry McGeeney, wrote an article recently (available on the TransforMed website) summarizing the financial impact of the adoption of the PCMH. The results were very positive. The revenue for the assisted sites rose 10.49% on average and the rise in revenue for the self-directed sites was 2.43%. For physicians at these sites personal income rose nearly 14% at the assisted sites and 13% at the self-directed sites. This was achieved while most of these practices were installing electronic medical records. These results are well documented because of TransforMed's practice change model incorporates strict tracking of financial data.

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I am familiar with one such site here in West Michigan that has seen its bottom line swing from the red to the black because of its involvement with the TransforMed national project.

Good Quality Improvement Programs Produce Better Bottom Lines

The Baldrige Award is given out each year to competitors in manufacturing, small business, education, healthcare and nonprofits. Those competing for the award must document continual quality improvement in a variety of categories. For healthcare providers there must be demonstrated improvement and achievement in healthcare outcome, patient and other customer-focused outcome, financial and market outcomes, workforce-focused outcomes, process effectiveness outcomes and leadership outcomes. In 2002 SSM Healthcare in St. Louis, the first healthcare recipient of the Baldrige Award, noted that it was able to maintain a AA credit rating over 4 years as it worked on the goals of the Baldrige Award. It increased its market share in St. Louis from 13% to 18% while three of its competitors lost ground. It has also been able to maintain its goal of contributing at least 25% of its operating revenue to charity care at its site. This is very impressive, given today's marketplace challenges.

Another healthcare recipient, Mercy Health System of Janesville, Wisconsin, maintained its AA bond rating since 1989, all the while growing from a stand-alone hospital to a fully integrated system with three hospitals and 64 outpatient service facilities. In 2007 Mercy Health Systems was given a rating of positive long term outlook by Moody's rating service.

This summer Modern Healthcare released a report prepared by Thomas Reuters Center for Healthcare Improvement focusing on the CMS's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey of patient satisfaction. The intent was to see if the 'happiness' as measured on the survey improved the bottom line. The report stated that there was not a strong direct correlation between the two measurements but that the hospitals with the best scores on the survey did generally have significantly better bottom lines than those who did not. Those with significantly better satisfaction scores did achieve significant results in core metrics other than financial. For instance, most reduced significantly patient-waiting times for discharge. Patients don't like to wait for discharge and tend to be more dissatisfied when they do. When discharge time is minimal, then the cycle time for bed use is reduced and income per bed increases, thus improving the bottom line. Another measure of patient satisfaction relates to personal care. Hospitals with higher nurse to bed ratios show generally improved patent care and attention. According to J.D. Powers those with higher ratios also have a better bottom line. Those with an average of 1.19 nurses per patient bed had an average operating margin of 0.64%. Those with a ratio of 0.91 nurses had a negative 0.27% operating margin.

These three examples provide ample illustration, I believe, that good continuous quality improvement programs improve the bottom line. Those who use professional assistance in their improvement efforts earn a better bottom line improvement, as illustrated in the TransforMed example. The American Society of Quality at its website has several good samples of better bottom lines with quality improvement efforts; there is usually at least one article each month in its flagship publication Quality Progress which details an improvement effort at a healthcare site. My illustrations along with a variety of other resources available online prove that "Quality pays, it does not cost."

Good Quality Improvement Programs Produce Better Bottom Lines

Good Quality Improvement Programs Produce Better Bottom Lines

W. Edwards Deming once said, "In God we trust, all others bring data!" That is just what I propose to do in this newsletter. I often speak of how continuous quality improvement programs improve the bottom line at a healthcare site. This idea is throughout my web site. I promote the idea that "Quality pays, it does not cost." That is, a good quality improvement program based upon population level data not only is not cost neutral, it improves the income and profit at a site. Many healthcare professionals do not believe this. They point at all the regulatory standards for quality, such as those written by JHACO, and believe that quality is actually costing them quite a bit. I have done some extensive research on this topic recently and believe that I can prove this point convincingly to you.

Fortunately there is good documentation of financial outcomes at healthcare sites which use various quality improvement approaches. I am very familiar with two of these-TransforMed's National Demonstration Project and the Federal Government's NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Baldrige Award program. Starting in 2006 TransforMed, a subsidiary of American Academy of Family Physicians, began a program to aid in transforming a sample of primary care practices into models of the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). One group of sites was actively involved with representatives from TransfoMed to adopt the Patient-Centered model and the other group used materials supplied to them by TransforMed to use in a self-directed approach to adopt the model. TransforMed's CEO, Dr. Terry McGeeney, wrote an article recently (available on the TransforMed website) summarizing the financial impact of the adoption of the PCMH. The results were very positive. The revenue for the assisted sites rose 10.49% on average and the rise in revenue for the self-directed sites was 2.43%. For physicians at these sites personal income rose nearly 14% at the assisted sites and 13% at the self-directed sites. This was achieved while most of these practices were installing electronic medical records. These results are well documented because of TransforMed's practice change model incorporates strict tracking of financial data.

Academy Award

I am familiar with one such site here in West Michigan that has seen its bottom line swing from the red to the black because of its involvement with the TransforMed national project.

Good Quality Improvement Programs Produce Better Bottom Lines

The Baldrige Award is given out each year to competitors in manufacturing, small business, education, healthcare and nonprofits. Those competing for the award must document continual quality improvement in a variety of categories. For healthcare providers there must be demonstrated improvement and achievement in healthcare outcome, patient and other customer-focused outcome, financial and market outcomes, workforce-focused outcomes, process effectiveness outcomes and leadership outcomes. In 2002 SSM Healthcare in St. Louis, the first healthcare recipient of the Baldrige Award, noted that it was able to maintain a AA credit rating over 4 years as it worked on the goals of the Baldrige Award. It increased its market share in St. Louis from 13% to 18% while three of its competitors lost ground. It has also been able to maintain its goal of contributing at least 25% of its operating revenue to charity care at its site. This is very impressive, given today's marketplace challenges.

Another healthcare recipient, Mercy Health System of Janesville, Wisconsin, maintained its AA bond rating since 1989, all the while growing from a stand-alone hospital to a fully integrated system with three hospitals and 64 outpatient service facilities. In 2007 Mercy Health Systems was given a rating of positive long term outlook by Moody's rating service.

This summer Modern Healthcare released a report prepared by Thomas Reuters Center for Healthcare Improvement focusing on the CMS's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey of patient satisfaction. The intent was to see if the 'happiness' as measured on the survey improved the bottom line. The report stated that there was not a strong direct correlation between the two measurements but that the hospitals with the best scores on the survey did generally have significantly better bottom lines than those who did not. Those with significantly better satisfaction scores did achieve significant results in core metrics other than financial. For instance, most reduced significantly patient-waiting times for discharge. Patients don't like to wait for discharge and tend to be more dissatisfied when they do. When discharge time is minimal, then the cycle time for bed use is reduced and income per bed increases, thus improving the bottom line. Another measure of patient satisfaction relates to personal care. Hospitals with higher nurse to bed ratios show generally improved patent care and attention. According to J.D. Powers those with higher ratios also have a better bottom line. Those with an average of 1.19 nurses per patient bed had an average operating margin of 0.64%. Those with a ratio of 0.91 nurses had a negative 0.27% operating margin.

These three examples provide ample illustration, I believe, that good continuous quality improvement programs improve the bottom line. Those who use professional assistance in their improvement efforts earn a better bottom line improvement, as illustrated in the TransforMed example. The American Society of Quality at its website has several good samples of better bottom lines with quality improvement efforts; there is usually at least one article each month in its flagship publication Quality Progress which details an improvement effort at a healthcare site. My illustrations along with a variety of other resources available online prove that "Quality pays, it does not cost."

Good Quality Improvement Programs Produce Better Bottom Lines

7 Guidelines For Your Award Acceptance Speech

Award acceptance speeches surround us. We watch the Academy Awards, Golden Globe, Heisman Trophy, Miss America, and Tony Awards. On a smaller scale, we see and hear our local colleagues honored as Rotarian of the year, philanthropist of the year, or employee of the year. While we are not likely to qualify for the nationally known trophies, we might eventually move into the spotlight as top salesperson of our district, hospital volunteer who gave the most hours of service, outstanding rookie on the team, or-for a very select few-valedictorian. What guidelines should we follow, to express our gratitude gracefully and sprinkle our humility with an appropriate measure of pride?

ONE: Prepare your remarks yourself

Academy Award

Maybe you will face significant occasions when you should engage a speech coach or ghost writer, but this is not one of them. For an acceptance speech, the thoughts and words should be yours entirely. Consider your presentation a dignified conversation with your audience, not a structured, stilted speech. Who else could explore your feelings well enough now to express them to your satisfaction? Work alone as you gather your thoughts and shape your brief key word outline.

7 Guidelines For Your Award Acceptance Speech

TWO: Never take the "I don't deserve this" approach

For one thing, that declaration became trite decades ago. For another, most listeners will doubt you on this point anyway. Then again, saying you're not worthy of the award accuses the selection committee of making a mistake. Also, you will anger other finalists who will muse silently, "Well if she isn't worthy, I sure wish they had called my name."

THREE: Remember to thank your presenter as well as the group

Caught up in the excitement of the event, too many recipients fail to thank the person who hands them the plaque or trophy. Your credibility will rise markedly when you say sincerely, "Ellen, having you hand me this award makes this tribute much more special, because of the many projects we have worked together on during the last few years."

FOUR: Within limits, thank those who helped you qualify

The audience expects you to name two or three mentors, coaches, family members, and teammates who carried the work load with you. Yet you will want to avoid calling the names of what Hollywood once termed "a cast of thousands." Think about the worst Academy Award acceptance speeches, and you'll get the point. For a positive example: note that Robert De Niro, in receiving an Oscar, thanked "my mother and father for having me, and my grandmother and grandfather for having them."

FIVE: Mention two or three previous winners

Paying tribute to prior members indicates you are grateful for being in their company as an honoree. "As I stand here, I remember-as I am sure you do-how Nelda Fleming embraced this trophy tightly last year and shed a few tears of joy. And the year before that, we can still visualize Marvin Pennington calling his entire family to the stage to embrace him as the photographer took pictures for our newsletter."

SIX: Be surprisingly brief

As I just hinted, a short acceptance speech will make you both likeable and memorable. Probably you will break the norm, because the majority of honorees tend to stretch the ceremony to its maximum time span. And consider that many award citations come at the end of a long evening. Mentally, people are reaching for their car keys by this time. So setting a 3-5 minute limit for your speech will generate acclaim and appreciation.

SEVEN: Tell a story about your experience with the group

Audiences welcome good stories any time, and they absolutely embrace stories that convey a "you are there" sensation. So describe a pivotal incident related to your involvement with the organization. To illustrate: "It seems like yesterday that our CEO, Trudy Miller, shared lunch with me at the end of a morning of interviews I had with her staff. She painted a vision of where this company was headed. She gave me the greatest professional compliment of my life when she said that I could play a pivotal role in helping her team reach those targets. I wouldn't have dreamed that lunch conversation would one day lead to this award-but I am thrilled that it did."

Keep this list of recommendations handy. You never know when a ranking official will notify you that you are going to be center stage at an awards dinner. Following these seven guidelines, your speech will become as award-worthy as your career.

7 Guidelines For Your Award Acceptance Speech

Fun Facts About South Africa

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Perhaps the most famous South African movie is "Tsotsi" by Gavin Hood."Tsotsi" is a story about a gang leader.On March 5, 2006, "Tsotsi" won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film in Los Angeles.
In his speech, Gavin Hood said, "God bless Africa. Wow. I have a speech, it´s in my pocket, but that thing says 38 seconds. But mine´s way too long. Go to tsotsi.com and there is a huge long list of people. Because I´m accepting this not for myself. This is for best foreign language film. It is sitting right there to start with.Please stand up Presley Chweneyagae and Terry Pheto. My two fantastic young leads. Put the cameras on them, please. Viva Africa. Viva. I´ve got ten seconds.Ten seconds I just want to thank my fellow nominees who I´ve become deep friends with. We may have foreign language films, but our stories are the same as your stories. They´re about the human heart and emotion. It says please wrap.Thank you so much. Thank you to the Academy. Thank you".
Winner: "Tsotsi" (South Africa)
Finalists:
-"Sophie Scholl" (Germany)
-"Joyeux Noel" (France)
-"The Beast of the Heart" (Italy)
-"Paradise Now" (Palestine)

Academy Award

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Fun Facts About South Africa

For the first time since 1960, South Africa sent a delegation to compete in the Olympic Games. Certainly, South Africa sent 94 athletes to the 1992 Olympic Games, which were held in Barcelona, Spain.The African delegation had athletes competing in seventeen areas: archery, badminton, boxing, kayak, cycling, equestrian, fencing, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, weighlifting and wrestling. They returned to South Africa with two silver medals.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Nelson Mandela was one of the most important leaders in the 20th century.He played a fundamental role in the recuperation of the nation´s democracy. Under his leadership, South Africa adopted one of the best constitutions in the world.Mandela once said, "And so it has come to pass that South Africa today undergoes her rebirth, cleansed of a horrible past, matured from a tentative beginning, and reaching out to the future with confidence. Our pledge is : never and never again shall the laws of our land rend our people apart or legalize their oppression and repression".
Since 1993, in South Africa you can feel the freedom. Different from Cuba, Iran, and Zimbabwe, South Africa is a democracy where the civil society has immense influence and power.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa has loads of national parks and reserves that are the home of some amazing wildlife. The Kruger National Park is one of the most popular tourist spots in the African continent. It is one of the world´s most beautiful national parks. The Kruger National Park provides an ideal habitat for animals such as elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, monkeys, zebras, cheetahs, hyenas, hippopotamus, gazelles, elands, lions, and African wild dogs.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa has three capitals: Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative), and Bloemfontein (judicial).However, Johannesburg is the most important economic, industrial and cultural center in South Africa.It is one of the most industrialized cities in the Third World along with Taipei (Taiwan), Mexico City (Mexico), and Seoul (South Korea).In 2006 Johannesburg had a population of 2.6 million

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

For the first time, Africa will host 2010 FIFA World Cup.The Football World Championship to be held in South Africa.In 2000,Joseph Blatter, FIFA president, wanted the FIFA to vote for South Africa.However, New Zealand´s Charlie Dempsey ducked out of the final vote and Germany nicked it.For this reason, Germany hosted the World Cup in 2006.
In 2007,Thabo Mbeki, South African president, said: "I have no doubt that our local organising committee, government at all levels, and everybody concerned will do the necessary work to guarantee that we host a better tournament in 2010 than the excellent 2006 German World Cup".
It also noted that millions of dollars have been spent in the past years on reforming South Africa´s sporting system.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

About half of the world´s gold is produced in South Africa.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa has many famous people: Christian Barnard (surgeon), Miriam Makeba (singer and anti-AIDS activist), Caron Bernstein (model,actress and singer), Nelson Mandela (former president and anti-AIDS activist), Nadine Gordimer (writer), Athol Fugard (writer),Mathosa (singer), Zola Budd (sportswoman), Charlize Theron (actress), Ilene Hamann (actress and model), Harry Oppenheimer (anti-apartheid industrialist), Richard Goldstone (international judge), Musetta Vander (actress and model), Danny Koppel (singer), Zakes Mokae (actor), Juliet prowse (dancer and actress), and Joe Mafela (actor).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The South African Penny Heyns, won the 100-and 200-meter breaststroke events at the 1996 Summer Olympics.She is considered among South Africa´s national heroines. Like Anthony Nesty (Suriname), Felipe Muñoz (Mexico), Claudia Poll (Costa Rica), and Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe), Penny Heyns is a Third World swimming icon.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa has many World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: Greater Saint Lucia Wetland Park (1999), Robben Island (1999), Drakensberg Park (2000), Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (2003), Vredefort Dome (2005), and Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (2004).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

On March 26, 1998, American U.S. president Bill Clinton visited South Africa.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa has more Nobel Prizes than Mexico(3) India (2) Brazil (0)Argentina (3) Cuba (0), and the People´s Republic of China (1).

South Africa has six Nobel Prize winners:

1960: Albert J. Luthuli (Nobel Prize for Peace)

1982: Aaron Klug (Nobel Prize for Chemistry)

1984:Bishop Desmond Tutu (Nobel Prize for Peace)

1991: Nadine Gordimer (Nobel Prize for Literature)

1993: Nelson Mandela and Frederik W. de Klerk (Nobel Prize for Peace)

2003: John Maxwell Coetzee (Nobel Prize for Literature)

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The people of South Africa are proud that their country is a society of people with many different backgrounds. Many people are mixture of several nationalities and races. About 2 million Asians live in South Africa. The ancestors of the most of them came from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa superstar Charlize Theron is an icon in Africa. She is a woman one can not fail to admire.

Academy Award winning actress, Halle Berry worked as a fashion model in the 1980s.Berry is not the only Hollywood star who made a living from special jobs before becoming famous. For many actresses, this early experience came in useful in their acting career. The South African actress Charlize Theron -who has appeared in over twenty films in a movie career lasting over ten years- was a supermodel in the 1990s.

Hollywood actress Charlize Theron was born on August7, 1975, in Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa.She has German and French ancestry. Charlize grew up to be a beautiful young woman and attracted the attentions of many people.She speaks English, Afrikaans and Xhosa.

Charlize had been an international model since the age of 16. She began her career in Milan, Italy. In late 1996 she became an actress.On February 29, 2004, Charlize won an Academy Award for Best actress for her role as Aileen Wuournos in the film "Monster". She became the first African actress to win an Oscar for Best Actress in the history.

Charlize Theron is one of the most beautiful women in the world.The elegant clothes she wears complement her perfect body.
Filmography:"Celebrity" (1998), "Reindeer Games" (2000), "The Yards" ( 2000), "Men of Honor" (2000), "The Italian Job" (2003),
"Monster" (2003), "The Life and Death of Peters Sellers" (2004),"North Country" (2005), and "The Brazilian Job (2006).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The Nobel Prize Nadine Gordimer is a human rights activist. Her proudest moment was when she testified at a 1986 treason trial on behalf of 22 South African anti-apartheid activists.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa has had famous athletes in the past century: Reggie Walker (olympic 100m gold medallist in 1908), Esther Brand (olympic high jump gold medallist in 1952), Joan Harrison (swimmer,won 1 olympic gold medal in 1952), and Sam Atkinson (olympic 110m hurdles gold medallist in 1928).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Mathosa was one of the best singers in South Africa. She was called "South Africa´s Madonna of the townships". In the 1990s, Mathosa was considered among the most talented artists in Africa.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The 2003 Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to South African author John Maxwell Coetzee. He was the fourth African Nobel laurate for literature after Wolle Soyinka of Nigeria (1986), Naguib Mahfouz of Egypt (1988), and Coetzee´s countrywoman Nadine Gordimer (1991). J.M Coetzee was born on February 9, 1940, in Cape Town, South Africa. He was cited by the Swedish Academy as an author "who in innumerables guises portrays the surprising involvement of the outsider".Certainly, Coetzee is one of the most famous South African authors in the 21st century.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

South Africa hosted the 1999 Pan African Games.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The golf is a popular sport in South Africa. South Africa has had famous golfers throughout its sports history.In the 1960s and 1970s, Gary Player was one of the best golfers in the world. He won many tournaments such as the Masters Golf Tournament ( 1961,1974, and 1978), the United States Open (1965), the PGA Championship (1962 and 1972), and the British Open ( 1959, 1968, and 1974).His countryman Bobby Locke won the British Open (1949, 1950, 1952, and 1957). Furthermore, South Africa won two times the World Cup Golf: 1965 (Gary Player and Harold Henning) and 1974 (Bobby Cole and Dale Hayes).

Fun Facts About South Africa

Top 10 Celebrities With HIV

Most people by now are familiar with HIV. This virus became extremely well-known as a result of one famous actor that came out and went public with his diagnosis and ultimately died from the disease. Since the time that Rock Hudson was seen on TV with Dinah shore, it is no longer as taboo or perceived as life-threatening like it once was.

Let's take a look at the top 10 celebrities with HIV. Keep in mind some of these people are still alive and thriving while some have passed away.

Academy Award

Rock Hudson. As previously mentioned he was the forerunner in terms of those celebrities that came forward admitting that they had HIV. Rock passed away shortly after appearing at the podium gaunt and gravely ill.

Top 10 Celebrities With HIV

Magic Johnson. The former Los Angeles Lakers star guard has been living with HIV for over a decade now. When he first came out it was quite shocking and most people thought he would not live from the virus but his blood levels indicate that he is almost back to normal.

Arthur Ashe. The former tennis star ultimately died from HIV which it is believed that he contracted through blood transfusion years before his death.

Liberace. The former classical pianist is no longer alive as he succumbed to HIV.

Freddie Mercury. The former lead singer of Queen is now deceased as a result of contracting HIV virus.

Anthony Perkins. The former star of a Hitchcock movie, "Psycho," died of HIV back in 1992.

David Oliver. The former soap star from "A Year in the Life," died of the virus in 1991.

Tony Richardson. The previous Academy award winner (two times over) died of HIV in 1991.

Tommy Morrison. When you are talking about the top 10 celebrities with HIV it is hard not to include Tommy. The former star of the latter "Rocky" series still has HIV and is getting along fine with it and is still seeking to get back into boxing.

Greg Louganis. The former Olympic diving star has been living with HIV for many years now. All reports indicate that he is in good health and doing well.

Top 10 Celebrities with HIV

Top 10 Celebrities With HIV

Top 10 Celebrities With HIV

Most people by now are familiar with HIV. This virus became extremely well-known as a result of one famous actor that came out and went public with his diagnosis and ultimately died from the disease. Since the time that Rock Hudson was seen on TV with Dinah shore, it is no longer as taboo or perceived as life-threatening like it once was.

Let's take a look at the top 10 celebrities with HIV. Keep in mind some of these people are still alive and thriving while some have passed away.

Academy Award

Rock Hudson. As previously mentioned he was the forerunner in terms of those celebrities that came forward admitting that they had HIV. Rock passed away shortly after appearing at the podium gaunt and gravely ill.

Top 10 Celebrities With HIV

Magic Johnson. The former Los Angeles Lakers star guard has been living with HIV for over a decade now. When he first came out it was quite shocking and most people thought he would not live from the virus but his blood levels indicate that he is almost back to normal.

Arthur Ashe. The former tennis star ultimately died from HIV which it is believed that he contracted through blood transfusion years before his death.

Liberace. The former classical pianist is no longer alive as he succumbed to HIV.

Freddie Mercury. The former lead singer of Queen is now deceased as a result of contracting HIV virus.

Anthony Perkins. The former star of a Hitchcock movie, "Psycho," died of HIV back in 1992.

David Oliver. The former soap star from "A Year in the Life," died of the virus in 1991.

Tony Richardson. The previous Academy award winner (two times over) died of HIV in 1991.

Tommy Morrison. When you are talking about the top 10 celebrities with HIV it is hard not to include Tommy. The former star of the latter "Rocky" series still has HIV and is getting along fine with it and is still seeking to get back into boxing.

Greg Louganis. The former Olympic diving star has been living with HIV for many years now. All reports indicate that he is in good health and doing well.

Top 10 Celebrities with HIV

Top 10 Celebrities With HIV

Award Acceptance Speech Tips

Acceptance speeches are tough - you need to convey gratitude, honor, competence, and humility, all at once. Here are four user-submitted speech tips.

Keep it short and sincere. Thank the people who presented the award and if time permits, a FEW others who helped you to earn it. Smile and sit down or leave the stage. Be humble. One of the better speeches I have heard was when Ron Howard won an academy award for best director for "A Beautiful Mind." He said he often dreamed about receiving the award and what he would say, but now that he was at that moment, he felt very humble. Remember to thank your significant other. Nothing seems to stir up more gossip than forgetting to thank your husband/wife/partner. If appropriate, acknowledge those who went before you. Eminem once accepted a grammy and quickly read a list of rappers who influenced him. It was a classy move. Share some of the happiness you are feeling. You don't have to gloat. Remember to thank people who helped and supported you on your way to winning the award. It'll make them happy, and taking the spotlight off yourself for a thank you will actually make you look even better in your big moment. It is important to be humble, but not too humble. If you appear too humble, people will perceive this as fake and think you have a big ego and may not really deserve the award. While prepared remarks are nice, they generally are not something that people remember or find moving. Think about what you want to say ahead of time and even practice, but avoid note cards if possible. Thank others not through a litany of names, but choose one or two influential people who helped you succeed in getting the award and tell a short story about how they helped. If it's funny, that's even better. As you are speaking keep a sense of the audience, are they captivated or are they losing interest? If they appear to be falling asleep, then try to wrap up quickly. There is nothing worse than being classified as 'just another boring acceptance speech.'

Academy Award

Award acceptance speeches can be hard, but you've already won the award - the speech is the easy part. Happy speaking!

Award Acceptance Speech Tips

Award Acceptance Speech Tips

Titanic - A Love Story Movie Review

'Titanic' is a love story that captures the romance of two young lovers as the tragedy of the doomed vessel, RMS Titanic, unfolds around them. It was released in 1997 and was a great commercial and critical success, winning 11 Academy Awards (the first to do so since 'Ben Hur') and 3 Grammys.

It was was written, directed, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron, who also won the Academy Award for best director. 'Titanic' became the highest grossest movie of all time, earning .8 billion at the box office, until it was surpassed in 2010 by 'Avatar', another movie by James Cameron.

Academy Award

The story concerns two young people from different social classes - Leonardo DiCaprio appears as Jack Dawson and Kate Winslet has the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater - who fall in love while aboard the doomed maiden voyage of the Titanic in 1912. Although the love story is fictitious, many of the characters - crew and passengers - were based on those who were actually aboard the real vessel.

Titanic - A Love Story Movie Review

For instance, the brash Margaret "Molly" Brown (played by Kathy Bates) was famous for her heroic efforts (not shown in the movie) of trying to save drowning passengers. She later became known as the "Unsinkable Molly Brown".

There were many scenes in the movie, although only briefly touched on, which added greatly to the emotional impact of the inevitable sinking on passengers and crew. Two historical characters were Isador and Ida Strauss. Isador was a former owner of R.H. Macy and Company and was also a former NY Congressman. In the movie, his wife Ida has a chance of leaving the ship in a lifeboat but declines and returns to her husband, saying she will honor her wedding vow and remain with Isidor. She is last seen embracing him as they lie on a bed in their stateroom, with the water rushing in.

Layers of emotion are added with other scenes that depict obvious heroism by crew members. Joseph Bell, the Chief Engineer, and his men work desperately until the last moments to maintain the power for lights and so distress signals can be sent. All are lost.

Wallace Hartley, the bandmaster, and his orchestra, continue to play uplifting music to the very end, even as the ship sinks.

The two lovers, Rose and Jack, initially come together when he rescues her from a suicide attempt brought about by her despondency at a loveless engagement, having been pressured to marry a wealthy suitor, Cal, because of her family's financial needs.

Jack is scorned as inferior by Rose's mother and Cal but he does manage to attend a stuffy first-class dinner, where he renews his acquaintance with Rose and their bond deepens.

The next day, Rose defies her mother and Cal and goes to the bow of the ship where she meets Jack, realizes her feelings for him and the two passionately embrace. They then go to the privacy of Rose's stateroom and she asks him to sketch her wearing only the Heart of the Ocean, a blue diamond necklace which was an expensive engagement gift from Cal. She later leaves the sketch in Cal's safe.

While attempting to escape from Cal's bodyguard, Rose and Jack enter the cargo hold where they enter one of the cars stored there and make love on the back seat.

They witness the collision with the iceberg and overhear the lookouts discussing how serious it is. Rose and Jack decide to warn her mother and Cal but, in the meantime, Cal has discovered the nude sketch of Rose and furiously plants the necklace on Jack; then accuses him of stealing it. Jack is arrested and taken below deck, where he is handcuffed to a pipe.

The emotional elements of the 'Titanic' are very powerful, with the later scenes showing the aftermath of the collision, the desperate attempts of those aboard to find shelter on a lifeboat, or the brave acceptance of their fate. As there were not enough lifeboats, more than 1500 passengers and crew perished in this catastrophe. Throughout, the musical score strongly reflects their feelings and the dangers they face. The closing song, 'My Heart Will Go On' (sung by Celine Dion) won an Academy Award and two Grammies. Following the success of 'Avatar', a 3-D version of 'Titanic' will also be released.

Titanic - A Love Story Movie Review