IGCSE Computing and more...

Having left Beijing for the Uk where we completed the Grade Awards at IBO in Cardiff and I found time to visit my kids afterwards it is noice to be back in New Zealand.

I just heard today that living in Beijing on one of its bad days is like smoking 70 cigarettes. I don't know about that I sometimes smoked that many cigarettes in the old days - Beijing never seemed that bad. 20 I could believe.

Anyway I will use this site to critique some books and websites that I run across, particularly if they relate to eLearning in The Asia Pacific region.

Disclaimer!
I don't want to spoil anybody's fun but think I should just point out that many of these stories are just made up. Some are true, like the one about Miss Harris, but most are not (there was no explosion at Sellafield, for example).

Don't want to start a panic anywhere! Questions or comments can be addressed to webmaster@www.igcse-computing.com.

Please see the Dulwich College Beijing website for further information about the day.

Irish Prime Minister Mister Shane O’Shea is signing the death warrant for thousands, if not millions of British citizens. The Emerald Isle is set to get greener as a deadly radioactive cloud prepares to contaminate the population. At around 2:00 am this morning, the Sellafield Nuclear Processing Plant experienced some terrifying explosions. 3 of the 21 tanks holding the nuclear waste exploded, emitting a potentially fatal plume of smoke. Authorities were immediately informed about the situation and they sent in disaster limitation experts to formally assess the damage.

Joanne Harris was surprised when Michael Preston proposed to her on the 8th of March in Raffles Hotel, Wangfujing. Many people were involved in her surprise including: Mr. Chow, Ms. O’Sullivan, Mr. Bendall, Mrs. Shung, Mr. and Mrs. Belcher. Ms. Harris was shopping at Oriental Plaza when she received the call from Mr. Preston to meet him at Raffle Hotel. No doubt about, the answer was ‘YES!’, but the trouble lies on weather on not she should change her last name and where the marriage should be held. The proposal will be celebrated at Salt Restaurant, Lido.

As the Olympics draws nearer, more and more things are starting to take place - estimates, tests, upgrades, and construction are some things that are happening around Beijing. The crews and overseers are hoping to install the other 3000 by the end of April, but have already conducted lighting tests, and what a sight it is - from a distance the Bird’ Nest looks like a beautiful red lantern (and only half the lights are installed). During the Olympics, the Bird’s Nest will have an opening/closing ceremony, and will be used for football and track/field purposes.

Tom McGarnet from the Food Climate Research Network in Surrey University reported talked about eating meat and its affect on the environment and global warning. Recent research suggests that the livestock industry is responsible for 8% of the worlds CO2 emission. The Food climate research networks looked at a variety of ways to cut down CO2 emissions. McGarnet says that organic faming has its benefits but it is no better. McGarnet claims that being a vegetarian has no affect on improving environmental conditions.

Mrs. Astra Meider of the international spokesperson for the common people of china or the Lao Bai Xing started that the year of the rat has most definitely not brought peace and prosperity and wealth as promised, but instead the economy is experiencing hardships, and this is affecting China’s migrant workers. The year of the rat is the first year of the 12 year cycle, and the story is that there was a race held by the emperor of China to decide how people could tell the years and the rat won by riding on the ox’s back.

Roger Clemens plays for New York Yankees, was claimed for taking steroids by his trainer. Clemens accused him for taking steroids but Clemens denies. The CY Young awards that Clemens won might be taken away for taking steroids, illegally. Jose Canseco wrote a book, “Juiced” in 1994 about Clemens. This is a book that explains about the private life of Clemens in the public eye. The author, Canseco also took steroids and was actually the first man that started becoming wider and stronger.

In China, a policy passed in 1978 banned all Chinese citizens from having more than one child, and it’s been going on for about 30 years. The policy’s purpose was to control the population growth in China, as there were too many people and not enough space. Today, the Chinese Government has declared to relax the leash on the One-Child Policy, as they believe it will help the country in the long run. The government sees this change will help the economy, and the people wanted a change as well, and so the government responded by ending this one-child rule.

Dr Skarlet.Jenkins Reported from the Arctic Seed Vault center in a Norwegian Island that they completed the arctic seed Vault center, it opened on 26 February 2008. The prime Minister was there to put his first box of seeds into the Vault. In this box were rice seeds from Asia, they were accompanied with music. The structure goes underground for 125 meters with lots of locks doors and movement cameras for security.