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Chuột khổng Lồ Và Những Loài Gậm Nhắm To Lớn
9/30/2017 09:41:00 PM |Zcomity (30-09-2017): Một loài chuột mới được phát hiện trên đảo Solomon và nó có thể nặng đến 1 kg và có chiều dài khoảng 45,7 cm (1,5 ft) từ mũi tới đuôi của nó. Một con chuột đực trưởng thành ở bắc Mỹ nặng khoảng 350 g (12 oz), trong khi chuột đực đen thông thường trưởng thành nặn từ 75 đến 230 g (2,6 đến 8 oz).
Chuột ở đảo Solomon có thể ăn dừa.
Năm 2010, một con chuột đực Papau New Guinea Bosavi nặng khoảng ba cân rưỡi và đo được 32 inch từ mũi tới đuôi đã được tìm thấy. Đây là loài chuột lớn nhất đang sống.
Trên đây là hình ảnh của những con chuột sống lớn nhất được biết đến Papau New Guinea Bosavi len
Đông Indonesia là vị trí chính cho sự phát triển của động vật gặm nhấm. Cuộc thám hiểm con chuột khổng lồ này đã khám phá ra 13 loài động vật gặm nhấm, trong đó 11 loài chưa được biết đến. Do rừng rậm rạp và địa hình khó khăn của Đông Timor, có thể các mẫu vật mới, thậm chí còn lớn hơn đang chờ được phát hiện. Không ai biết điều gì đang xảy ra. Các nhà khảo cổ học ở Đông Timor đã khai quật xương chuột lớn hơn ba lần so với mẫu vật Bosavi được tìm thấy từ khoảng 1000 năm trước. Những gã khổng lồ đã tuyệt chủng này nặng đến 6 kg (13 lb).
Giống Nhím Cape của Nam Phi là lớn nhất trong các loài anh em có gai. Những con thú này có thể lớn lên đến 27 kg (60 lb), làm cho chúng trở thành những loài gặm nhấm lớn thứ ba đang sống sót. Chỉ có loài Capybara và beaver là lớn hơn những con quái vật này.
Capybara là loài gặm nhấm lớn nhất đang sống. Những động vật thủy sinh bán ở Nam Mỹ này có thể lên tới trên 45 kilogram (100 lb), về kích cỡ của loài lấy từ labrador.
Ở Thụy Điển, có những con chuột lớn có kích thước 16-24 inch chúng có thể nhai cả bê tông để vào nhà bạn.
Các Hóa Thạch Cổ Đại Tiết Lộ Con Người Đầu Tiên Xuất hiện Sớm Hơn 170.000 Năm So Khái Niệm Trước Đó
9/30/2017 12:36:00 PM |Zcomity (30-09-2017): Người hiện đại đầu tiên có thể xuất hiện cách đây 350.000 năm - sớm hơn dự đoán trước đây đến 170.000 năm. Phân tích ADN cổ đã cho phép các nhà khoa học theo dõi tổ tiên của người từ Nam Phi để xác định khi tổ tiên của chúng ta phân chia ra khỏi các loài Hominin khác. Phát hiện của họ liên tục chỉ ra một sự phân kỳ sớm, từ giữa 350.000 và 260.000 năm trước.
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Người Homo Sapiens đầu tiên |
Bằng cách nào?, và khi Nào? con người hiện đại đầu tiên xuất hiện như một loài đã trở thành một câu hỏi lớn chưa có lời giải đáp trong Cổ Nhân Văn Học bởi vì các hồ sơ hóa thạch là không đầy đủ. Hiện nay, dấu tích người Cổ xưa nhất còn để lại vẫn chỉ biết được ở niên đại từ khoảng 195.000 năm. Nhưng đây không nhất thiết là Homo Sapiens đầu tiên - và nguồn gốc của tổ tiên chúng ta vẫn còn là một bí ẩn.
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Hộp sọ Homo Sapiens |
Trong một nghiên cứu được xuất bản trên tạp chí Science, một nhóm các nhà nghiên cứu dưới sự lãnh đạo của Marlize Lombard, Đại học Johannesburg, Nam Phi, đã tìm kiếm 7 hài cốt của Người KwaZulu-Natal trong khoảng từ 2.300 đến 300 năm trước. Ba trong số đó vẫn sống trong thời kỳ đồ đá, trong khi bốn người khác sống cách đây 300 đến 500 năm trước.
Một trong những hóa thạch được phân tích, được biết đến với tên là Ballito Bay, thuộc nhóm người săn bắt - thợ săn và sẽ sống cùng thời điểm trước khi bất kỳ người di cư nào đến Nam Phi. Kết quả là, ADN của ông không bị ảnh hưởng bởi bất kỳ sự pha trộn di truyền từ những người khác từ các vùng khác nhau của Châu Phi hoặc Á-Âu.
Họ đã có thể sử dụng thông tin từ đứa trẻ Ballito Bay, kết hợp với các cá nhân khác, và so sánh nó với các ví dụ khác của bộ gen cổ từ thời gian và địa điểm khác nhau.
Mô hình nhân khẩu học về lịch sử châu Phi và sự phân kỳ ước lượng. Các đường màu dọc thể hiện sự di chuyển, với các tam giác trỏ xuống đại diện cho sự hòa trộn vào một nhóm khác. Người thợ săn Nam Phi được biểu hiện bằng các biểu tượng màu đỏ và các nông dân của Iron Age (thời đồ sắt) trong các biểu tượng xanh.
Các phát hiện cho thấy loài người hiện đại tách ra từ các nhóm trước đó từ 350.000 đến 260.000 năm trước. Tác giả nghiên cứu Mattias Jakobsson, một nhà di truyền học dân số tại Đại học Uppsala, cho biết: "Điều này có nghĩa là Người hiện đại xuất hiện sớm hơn những gì chúng ta nghĩ trước đó".
Ước tính niên đại của họ cũng phù hợp với hồ sơ hóa thạch. Ít nhất có hai hoặc ba loài Homo khác được biết là đã sống ở Nam Phi trong khoảng thời gian này. Hơn nữa, với những bằng chứng hóa thạch gần đây được phát hiện ở Ma-rốc. Các nhà khoa học tìm thấy xác của 5 người Homo sapiens có niên đại từ 300.000 trong năm nay, đưa ra những câu hỏi chính về nơi mà "cái nôi thực sự của nhân loại bắt đầu".
Tác giả nghiên cứu Carina Schlebusch, cũng từ Đại học Uppsala, cho biết: "Bằng chứng về nhân chủng học và Di Truyền học ngày càng cho thấy nguồn gốc đa dạng của các con người hiện đại ở châu Phi, ví dụ Homo Sapiens không bắt nguồn từ một nơi ở Châu Phi, nhưng có thể đã tiến hóa từ các hình thức cũ ở nhiều nơi trên lục địa có dòng gen giữa các nhóm từ những nơi khác nhau. "
Sự Sống Xuất Hiện Trên Trái Đất Hơn 4 Tỷ Năm Trước
9/29/2017 11:45:00 AM |Các nhà nghiên cứu từ Đại học Tokyo đã công bố những phát hiện về mẫu hóa thạch gần đây nhất của họ, có chứa các dạng sống hữu cơ có từ 4 tỷ năm trước, cho thấy sự sống có thể hình thành trên trái đất sớm hơn những gì mà khoa học trước đây từng tin tưởng.
Theo các nhà nghiên cứu ở Nhật Bản, các dạng sống trên trái đất hiện nay 4 tỷ năm trước đã được xác định. Các hóa thạch cổ được phát hiện, cung cấp bằng chứng về sự sống trên hành tinh vào thời điểm mà oxy không có trong bầu khí quyển.
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Sự Sống Xuất Hiện Trên Trái Đất là lần "Địa Chất Thứ Hai" Sau khi Trái Đất Được Hình Thành |
Nhóm các nhà nghiên cứu từ Tokyo đã khám phá ra các hạt graphit, một dạng carbon, từ các trầm tích cổ ở vùng Labrador ở miền đông Canada, mà họ cho là những hoá thạch cổ nhất chứa đựng bằng chứng về sự sống. Những khám phá trước đây về bằng chứng đời sống lâu đời ước tính là 3,8 đến 4,3 tỷ năm được công bố vào tháng 3 năm ngoái tại một khu khảo cổ ở Quebec.
Tuy nhiên, nhà nghiên cứu Tsuyoshi Komiya của Đại học Tokyo, người đã công bố những phát hiện mới, cho rằng phương pháp kể từ khi được sử dụng trên các hóa thạch đã phát hiện trước đó đã "gây tranh cãi". Komiya nói với AFP rằng nhóm của ông đã lấy mẫu từ các lớp vỏ được bảo quản phía trên của Trái đất.
Các bằng chứng bằng hóa thạch của các sinh vật sớm là hiếm gặp và các loại đá còn tồn lại từ thời kỳ này thường bị hư hỏng theo thời gian. Các nhà khoa học tìm kiếm bằng chứng về các dạng sống cổ trên trái đất cho thấy đặc biệt khó có thể chứng minh được rằng những sinh vật hữu cơ được tìm thấy thực tế đã được tạo ra bởi các sinh vật sống chứ không phải bởi các quá trình địa chất.
Nếu những phát hiện của các nhà nghiên cứu Nhật Bản là chính xác, điều đó có nghĩa là sự sống xuất hiện trên trái đất chỉ là một "địa chất lần thứ hai" sau sự hình thành của hành tinh cách đây 4,5 tỷ năm. Trước khi các hóa thạch nói trên được tìm thấy ở Quebec, bằng chứng về sự sống đã được khai quật ở những hòn đá cực ở Greenland và có niên đại khoảng 3,7 tỷ năm trước.
Reading: A Visitor To The Star
9/28/2017 08:21:00 AM | Anna Winter pulled on her Gucci sunglasses and sprayed herself with the extra-strength mosquito repellent she had bought in the airport. That was the biggest problem about her work, she thought. Mosquitoes and things like that. Bad hotels, and bad food. How could she be a front-line, award-winning, adventurous journalist if she had to stay in bad hotels and eat bad food?
Anna Winter thought her job was very difficult, and she told everybody about this.
As she landed in Lagos airport, she worried about the hotel where she was staying, and how she would be able to eat for the week she was staying in Nigeria. Perhaps that would make a good article, she thought. Lots of local colour.
Joseph Adoga collected a printed copy of the article he was working and put it in his bag as he left the small office of the Star. The Star was a local paper in Lagos. It came out every evening and had a mixture of stories - politics, current affairs, local news, human interest stories and sport. It was only a small newspaper, but Joseph enjoyed his job. He liked finding things out, and informing people about what was going on in the city, in Nigeria as a whole, in Africa generally, and in all the world. When he heard that the famous international journalist Anna Winter was coming to Lagos to do a story he was interested, and was even more pleased when her agency got in touch with Joseph. "You should be able to help her" the agency said, and Joseph hoped he could help her.
Instead of driving out to the usual part of the city where he lived, tonight Joseph drove into one of the rich areas of the city. He stopped outside one of the big hotels and went in to meet Anna Winter.
Anna Winter was disappointed by the hotel. It was one of a big international chain, so she expected more. The air-conditioning in her room wasn't working properly, and there were mosquitoes inside. She hoped that the local journalist she was going to meet would be able to help her.
"Let's go to somewhere really characteristic to eat" said Anna to Joseph when they met in the hotel foyer. "I want a really typical little place... the kind of place where I'm sure you go to eat... somewhere full of local colour.".
Joseph thought hard about a place where they could go and eat. Eventually he thought of somewhere and took Anna in his car to a restaurant he knew where they served traditional Nigerian food. Joseph really liked the place, but Anna wasn't happy.
"Hmmmm... it's very clean" she said. "Very clean and very quiet.".
"What did you expect?" asked Joseph.
"Well, erm, something more African" said Anna.
"How do you mean?" asked Joseph.
"More noise, more colour... lots and lots of people.".
"Well" said Joseph. "Lagos is quite a noisy and a colourful city, and there are a lot of people who live here... but we like to eat good food in good surroundings... like anyone else!"
Anna looked disappointed. "But I'm not getting a real feel of Africa here" she said.
"Anna" Joseph tried to explain. "Africa is a continent. There are 54 countries in Africa, and 900 million people. Nobody even really knows how many languages are spoken in Africa... hundreds!"
Joseph wanted to explain to Anna that it was impossible to talk about "Africa" as if it was just one place, but Anna wasn't listening. Joseph changed the subject of the conversation. "So, what are you going to write about Nigeria?" he asked her.
"I'm not sure yet" said Anna. "I want to look around and get a feel for the place first. Something about guns and crime, perhaps, and I need some pictures of starving people... starving people with guns if possible.".
Joseph thought for a minute. "Well, like any big city, there is crime in Lagos... sure. But I'm not sure how interesting that is. You won't find many starving people here though.". He pointed to the plates of food on their table. "Here we eat pretty well!"
"Tell me what things you write about in your paper". said Anna.
"All sorts of things" said Joseph. "It's only a small paper, so I have to write lots of the stories. Sometimes there are crime stories, yes. I can show you those if you like.".
"That could be interesting... I think I can use my influence to change things.".
"I've got a good idea" said Joseph. "Why don't you write an article about everyday life here in Lagos... you know, so many articles about Africa are just about famine or war or corruption... but that's not the reality of many of our lives".
Anna look confused. Joseph continued. "Why don't you write about some ordinary scenes, a restaurant like this, happy children at school.".
"People don't want to hear that" said Anna. "It doesn't sell. I need big sunsets over the Serengeti, and I need to contrast with the darkness of Africa... I've already got my title, yes, ‘Darkness at noon' I'm going to call the article.".
Joseph sighed and wondered why people always talked about "darkness" in Africa. Joseph had been to London in December - now that was darkness! It was dark at three o'clock in the afternoon. Nigeria was the brightest, lightest place he'd ever visited. Anna ignored him and continued. "And I need to contrast that with the nobility of the people.".
"I see," said Joseph, "but be clear... there are some noble people here, but there are also some very bad ones. We are not noble just because we are African. Why not write about some of our Nigerian writers and intellectuals... there are many - Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri, Wole Soyinka... they have some fascinating things to say.".
Joseph could see that Anna wasn't interested. Anna thought she was the only intellectual and writer who mattered.
A few days later Anna was on the plane back to London. "I have to file some copy... what can I write...?" She took out her laptop and began to type...
"As soon as I got off the plane I was in love with Africa. Like a noble man, disappearing into the huge sunset, Africa is impossible to know, but it will always haunt you.". Yes, this is good thought Anna to herself... "Jospeh Adoga is one such man, a face of Africa, a noble journalist, fighting for the cause of free speech in the Dark Continent... and without our help, he is in trouble.".
At the same time as Anna was typing, Joseph was sitting down to read the latest edition of The Star. He began to read his own article in it. "European journalists are strange people.". it began.
Anna Winter thought her job was very difficult, and she told everybody about this.
As she landed in Lagos airport, she worried about the hotel where she was staying, and how she would be able to eat for the week she was staying in Nigeria. Perhaps that would make a good article, she thought. Lots of local colour.
Joseph Adoga collected a printed copy of the article he was working and put it in his bag as he left the small office of the Star. The Star was a local paper in Lagos. It came out every evening and had a mixture of stories - politics, current affairs, local news, human interest stories and sport. It was only a small newspaper, but Joseph enjoyed his job. He liked finding things out, and informing people about what was going on in the city, in Nigeria as a whole, in Africa generally, and in all the world. When he heard that the famous international journalist Anna Winter was coming to Lagos to do a story he was interested, and was even more pleased when her agency got in touch with Joseph. "You should be able to help her" the agency said, and Joseph hoped he could help her.
Instead of driving out to the usual part of the city where he lived, tonight Joseph drove into one of the rich areas of the city. He stopped outside one of the big hotels and went in to meet Anna Winter.
Anna Winter was disappointed by the hotel. It was one of a big international chain, so she expected more. The air-conditioning in her room wasn't working properly, and there were mosquitoes inside. She hoped that the local journalist she was going to meet would be able to help her.
"Let's go to somewhere really characteristic to eat" said Anna to Joseph when they met in the hotel foyer. "I want a really typical little place... the kind of place where I'm sure you go to eat... somewhere full of local colour.".
Joseph thought hard about a place where they could go and eat. Eventually he thought of somewhere and took Anna in his car to a restaurant he knew where they served traditional Nigerian food. Joseph really liked the place, but Anna wasn't happy.
"Hmmmm... it's very clean" she said. "Very clean and very quiet.".
"What did you expect?" asked Joseph.
"Well, erm, something more African" said Anna.
"How do you mean?" asked Joseph.
"More noise, more colour... lots and lots of people.".
"Well" said Joseph. "Lagos is quite a noisy and a colourful city, and there are a lot of people who live here... but we like to eat good food in good surroundings... like anyone else!"
Anna looked disappointed. "But I'm not getting a real feel of Africa here" she said.
"Anna" Joseph tried to explain. "Africa is a continent. There are 54 countries in Africa, and 900 million people. Nobody even really knows how many languages are spoken in Africa... hundreds!"
Joseph wanted to explain to Anna that it was impossible to talk about "Africa" as if it was just one place, but Anna wasn't listening. Joseph changed the subject of the conversation. "So, what are you going to write about Nigeria?" he asked her.
"I'm not sure yet" said Anna. "I want to look around and get a feel for the place first. Something about guns and crime, perhaps, and I need some pictures of starving people... starving people with guns if possible.".
Joseph thought for a minute. "Well, like any big city, there is crime in Lagos... sure. But I'm not sure how interesting that is. You won't find many starving people here though.". He pointed to the plates of food on their table. "Here we eat pretty well!"
"Tell me what things you write about in your paper". said Anna.
"All sorts of things" said Joseph. "It's only a small paper, so I have to write lots of the stories. Sometimes there are crime stories, yes. I can show you those if you like.".
"That could be interesting... I think I can use my influence to change things.".
"I've got a good idea" said Joseph. "Why don't you write an article about everyday life here in Lagos... you know, so many articles about Africa are just about famine or war or corruption... but that's not the reality of many of our lives".
Anna look confused. Joseph continued. "Why don't you write about some ordinary scenes, a restaurant like this, happy children at school.".
"People don't want to hear that" said Anna. "It doesn't sell. I need big sunsets over the Serengeti, and I need to contrast with the darkness of Africa... I've already got my title, yes, ‘Darkness at noon' I'm going to call the article.".
Joseph sighed and wondered why people always talked about "darkness" in Africa. Joseph had been to London in December - now that was darkness! It was dark at three o'clock in the afternoon. Nigeria was the brightest, lightest place he'd ever visited. Anna ignored him and continued. "And I need to contrast that with the nobility of the people.".
"I see," said Joseph, "but be clear... there are some noble people here, but there are also some very bad ones. We are not noble just because we are African. Why not write about some of our Nigerian writers and intellectuals... there are many - Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri, Wole Soyinka... they have some fascinating things to say.".
Joseph could see that Anna wasn't interested. Anna thought she was the only intellectual and writer who mattered.
A few days later Anna was on the plane back to London. "I have to file some copy... what can I write...?" She took out her laptop and began to type...
"As soon as I got off the plane I was in love with Africa. Like a noble man, disappearing into the huge sunset, Africa is impossible to know, but it will always haunt you.". Yes, this is good thought Anna to herself... "Jospeh Adoga is one such man, a face of Africa, a noble journalist, fighting for the cause of free speech in the Dark Continent... and without our help, he is in trouble.".
At the same time as Anna was typing, Joseph was sitting down to read the latest edition of The Star. He began to read his own article in it. "European journalists are strange people.". it began.
Reading 4U: The Middlesbury Star
9/28/2017 08:09:00 AM | Middlesbury was a town that was as boring as its name. That's what Joe thought, anyway, and he had lived there for 12 years, all of his life in fact, so he was an expert on Middlesbury. And it was boring. The place was so boring that it didn't even have its own newspaper, said Joe.
"There's no need for a newspaper here" said Joe's sister.
"Why?" asked Joe. "Every town has its own local paper".
"The problem is" replied his sister, "is that nothing happens here. That's why there's no newspaper. Middlesbury is just too boring to have a newspaper".
"That's not true!" said Joe. "Lots of things happen here.".
"Such as?"
"Well, erm... there's a rising amount of crime... that's something to read about.".
"Rising amount of crime?" said his sister. "You mean somebody stole a bag of sweets from the local shop? Rubbish! Anyway, everything is available on the internet now". Joe's sister looked at Joe with that look that she always gave him. "There's no need for a newspaper". She wanted to make him feel stupid, as always.
"You can find anything you want on the net. Nobody needs a local newspaper anymore".
Joe's sister was older than him and always seemed to know more about everything than Joe did. At least she said she always knew more about everything than Joe did.
Joe, however, was starting to think that perhaps his sister wasn't always right. Sometimes, thought Joe, his sister didn't know everything. He decided to show her that she was wrong.
Joe had a paper round. Every morning he went to the newspaper shop, picked up a big bag of newspapers, and delivered them to people who lived nearby. Joe was certain that his sister was wrong; he knew that lots of people still read newspapers because he knew how heavy they were! Joe also knew that there were people like Mr Phelps who was so old that he didn't have a computer at all, and Mrs Smithers, who wasn't quite as old as Mr Phelps, but her daughter had bought a computer with an internet connection for her so that they could stay in touch more easily, but Mrs Smithers never learned how to use the computer, so she still telephoned her daughter, or wrote old-fashioned letters to her. Mrs Smithers would love a local paper, thought Joe.
So the next morning Joe sat in his bedroom and tried to design the front page of a new local paper for Middlesbury. He even had a name for the paper already: "The Middlesbury Star". Brilliant! Thought Joe. It sounds exciting, everyone will love it. Now all he had to do was think of at least six or seven stories, write them out, print them off and photocopy them and he could take them to the newspaper shop and sell them there for at least 50p each. Not only would he produce Middlesbury's first ever local newspaper, he would also get rich as well!
However, Joe soon found he had a problem. He looked at the words "Middlesbury Star" at the top of the page, and saw only a white space under it. What his sister had said was true: there was nothing to write about. He sat there for ages and tried to think of some news. He thought about Mr Johnson who lived next door. Somebody had scratched his car last week. There was a story! Joe wrote the headline in big letters: "VANDALISM HITS MIDDLESBURY!" Then he didn't know what to write next. He decided to interview Mr Johnson.
"Well" said Mr Johnson. "Nothing much happened really. I just woke up one morning and somebody had scratched the side of my car".
"Do you have any idea who did it?" asked Joe.
"Not really" said Mr Johnson. "It was probably just an accident". This, Joe realised, wasn't much of a story.
"Your problem is" said his sister when he told her, "is that you are waiting for a story to come to you. It's not like that. You have to go out and find a story!" Joe thought about what she said, got on his bike and went out into the town, looking for news. A tree in the park was falling down. The old butcher's shop in the town centre was closing down. Somebody new was moving into the big house at the end of their street. The supermarket had a special offer on microwave-ready meals. Even Joe realised that there wasn't much news here.
He sat down again in front of his computer and wrote a new headline:
"NOTHING HAS HAPPENED!"
It looked good. One thing was missing. Under the headline, in smaller letters, he wrote:
By Joe Barnes.
Perfect. He wanted to show everybody what a good reporter he was - his sister above all.
And there it was, the front page of the first edition of the Middlesbury Star. It looked great, thought Joe. He printed it off, then ran to the photocopy shop and made 100 copies. The next morning he took all the copies with him to the newspaper shop. He asked Mr Williams in the shop if he would sell them. Mr Williams looked at the Middlesbury Star and laughed.
"Certainly!" he said. "Everybody will love this!"
One day later, every single copy of the first edition of the Middlesbury Star had sold out. Joe was very, very happy. He was going to copy some more when the phone rang. It was the BBC.
"Hello, can we speak to the editor of the Middlesbury Star please?"
"Yes, this is me. Joe Barnes".
"Joe - we'd like to offer you a job.".
Over the next few days Joe got phone calls from CNN and al-Jazeera, from Reuters and France Press and lots of other press agencies and networks.
"We need a young reporter!" they said.
"We admire the truthfulness of your writing!" they said. "We like your direct style!" they said.
The BBC wanted to send Joe to Beijing. CNN wanted him to work in Washington. Al-Jazeera wanted him in Qatar.
"No!" said Joe. "I want to work in Middlesbury!"
"But nothing happens in Middlesbury!" they said.
"Exactly" said Joe. "That's why I like it..".
"There's no need for a newspaper here" said Joe's sister.
"Why?" asked Joe. "Every town has its own local paper".
"The problem is" replied his sister, "is that nothing happens here. That's why there's no newspaper. Middlesbury is just too boring to have a newspaper".
"That's not true!" said Joe. "Lots of things happen here.".
"Such as?"
"Well, erm... there's a rising amount of crime... that's something to read about.".
"Rising amount of crime?" said his sister. "You mean somebody stole a bag of sweets from the local shop? Rubbish! Anyway, everything is available on the internet now". Joe's sister looked at Joe with that look that she always gave him. "There's no need for a newspaper". She wanted to make him feel stupid, as always.
"You can find anything you want on the net. Nobody needs a local newspaper anymore".
Joe's sister was older than him and always seemed to know more about everything than Joe did. At least she said she always knew more about everything than Joe did.
Joe, however, was starting to think that perhaps his sister wasn't always right. Sometimes, thought Joe, his sister didn't know everything. He decided to show her that she was wrong.
Joe had a paper round. Every morning he went to the newspaper shop, picked up a big bag of newspapers, and delivered them to people who lived nearby. Joe was certain that his sister was wrong; he knew that lots of people still read newspapers because he knew how heavy they were! Joe also knew that there were people like Mr Phelps who was so old that he didn't have a computer at all, and Mrs Smithers, who wasn't quite as old as Mr Phelps, but her daughter had bought a computer with an internet connection for her so that they could stay in touch more easily, but Mrs Smithers never learned how to use the computer, so she still telephoned her daughter, or wrote old-fashioned letters to her. Mrs Smithers would love a local paper, thought Joe.
So the next morning Joe sat in his bedroom and tried to design the front page of a new local paper for Middlesbury. He even had a name for the paper already: "The Middlesbury Star". Brilliant! Thought Joe. It sounds exciting, everyone will love it. Now all he had to do was think of at least six or seven stories, write them out, print them off and photocopy them and he could take them to the newspaper shop and sell them there for at least 50p each. Not only would he produce Middlesbury's first ever local newspaper, he would also get rich as well!
However, Joe soon found he had a problem. He looked at the words "Middlesbury Star" at the top of the page, and saw only a white space under it. What his sister had said was true: there was nothing to write about. He sat there for ages and tried to think of some news. He thought about Mr Johnson who lived next door. Somebody had scratched his car last week. There was a story! Joe wrote the headline in big letters: "VANDALISM HITS MIDDLESBURY!" Then he didn't know what to write next. He decided to interview Mr Johnson.
"Well" said Mr Johnson. "Nothing much happened really. I just woke up one morning and somebody had scratched the side of my car".
"Do you have any idea who did it?" asked Joe.
"Not really" said Mr Johnson. "It was probably just an accident". This, Joe realised, wasn't much of a story.
"Your problem is" said his sister when he told her, "is that you are waiting for a story to come to you. It's not like that. You have to go out and find a story!" Joe thought about what she said, got on his bike and went out into the town, looking for news. A tree in the park was falling down. The old butcher's shop in the town centre was closing down. Somebody new was moving into the big house at the end of their street. The supermarket had a special offer on microwave-ready meals. Even Joe realised that there wasn't much news here.
He sat down again in front of his computer and wrote a new headline:
"NOTHING HAS HAPPENED!"
It looked good. One thing was missing. Under the headline, in smaller letters, he wrote:
By Joe Barnes.
Perfect. He wanted to show everybody what a good reporter he was - his sister above all.
And there it was, the front page of the first edition of the Middlesbury Star. It looked great, thought Joe. He printed it off, then ran to the photocopy shop and made 100 copies. The next morning he took all the copies with him to the newspaper shop. He asked Mr Williams in the shop if he would sell them. Mr Williams looked at the Middlesbury Star and laughed.
"Certainly!" he said. "Everybody will love this!"
One day later, every single copy of the first edition of the Middlesbury Star had sold out. Joe was very, very happy. He was going to copy some more when the phone rang. It was the BBC.
"Hello, can we speak to the editor of the Middlesbury Star please?"
"Yes, this is me. Joe Barnes".
"Joe - we'd like to offer you a job.".
Over the next few days Joe got phone calls from CNN and al-Jazeera, from Reuters and France Press and lots of other press agencies and networks.
"We need a young reporter!" they said.
"We admire the truthfulness of your writing!" they said. "We like your direct style!" they said.
The BBC wanted to send Joe to Beijing. CNN wanted him to work in Washington. Al-Jazeera wanted him in Qatar.
"No!" said Joe. "I want to work in Middlesbury!"
"But nothing happens in Middlesbury!" they said.
"Exactly" said Joe. "That's why I like it..".
Reading 4U: The Masterpiece
9/28/2017 07:53:00 AM | "The day was cloudy enough to feel blue, as if today the sun had chosen not to stay in the fearful sky. He had escaped from the big monsters of guilt, but still it would come up one day, for pay back time, when nothing would stop it from shining like a god in the right place and at the right time.
This is what you think and what you become, when you taste the power that you have in others. It's quite simple actually, when someone fears you, you're in such a privileged position, you can almost play with your victims, like little toys that you can move and scare.
They don't realize it, they just let it happen. That's why I'm the big guy and they are the smallest, meaningless people that think I will be always undefeatable. I'm telling you, if you really want to kill somebody, don't put a bullet in his head, put one in his mind, his morality, his principles, then you'll have him, without suffering, without the dramatic part, it will be just you and him, with his and your own demons. And then you'll be able to enjoy the part when the agony will take place, and then you'll have to face and challenge your victim to do something to help himself. And it gets even better, as he realizes there's no way out, he gives up and surrenders to be killed, almost as if he was begging you to do so.
Isn't life great!
My name is Mathew Novak. I like to see myself as an artist and because of that, I'm a tremendous fan of people that aren't afraid to see themselves as kings and queens of their lives and even of the world. These kings and queens are the kind of people that are always ready to face anything that may come, because they know what they want to get from life. They aren't corrupted with addictions, physically and mentally speaking, because they go beyond that. They realize that's just a way of controlling people. And as they can see that, they're always one step ahead of the rest of the people.
Therefore, I cannot accept competitors. And don't get me wrong here, I admire these guys, but I just cannot allow them to keep taking advantage of this precious knowledge, without sharing it. As you see I'm a humanitarian. The way I see it, getting rid of these guys, would be the best thing we could do for society.
My style is neat, classic and controversial. I like to watch my victims as they hurt themselves. Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't told you yet: first, I choose them very carefully, not everybody has all the qualities that are required to commit a "perfect" crime. Once I have the right person, it really doesn't matter if it is a woman or a man, I trick him or her, and just before killing him, I take him to an art Museum, before a big opening is starting. In that way my "art" is also exhibit to the whole world as an amazing masterpiece, my masterpiece.
But, as you seem so interested in my work, I've decided to document my next murder. So you'll experience for the first time in your life, what it feels to be in my shoes, and to have the last look of your victim on your mind for the rest of your life. Fasten your seat belts, this will be fun.
Her name is Angela Potter, she's the kind of woman that wakes up in the morning and exercises on her running machine until her body can't go on anymore. The same thing happens in her office, she always pushes everything to the limits and that's how she manipulates her business in order to be the best in the company. She's the one in charge of convincing investment clients to become rich and successful with her and her lucrative institution. As you see, she knows exactly what she's doing. And she's an unstoppable killing machine of people that are described by her as "sheep".
The next step to follow is to get to know the victim, how she works, where she takes breaks and of course, if she's interested in "human art". So I will go to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee, and then I'll establish the first communication. Now let's stop here one moment, it's very important to make a good impression, in that way she will come to you, instead of you to her.
Just as I thought, she likes the mysterious type of men, dressed completely in black and of course with an elegant style. The age didn't matter so much, so I had the perfect opportunity. I first started the conversation with a simple question: "Do you enjoy art?" And as a response I got a perfect answer: "Yes, especially Goya's paintings. I simply love the way he expresses human suffering" said Angela.
Are you feeling the excitement already? Every thing is perfect, if this keeps going so fast, you'll lose the enchanting part of the conquest. Angela was really pleased with my presence in her world, therefore, the time for executing her was close. As I hold her in my arms I start to examine her body closely, so I could pick the most sufficient weapon to end her life. She's a tall, slim woman, so she wouldn't offer much resistance.
I had chosen my weapon. Even though she had a horrible soul, she also had a beautiful face, so I've decided to remove it with a really sharp scalpel and with some other deadly knives, and then I'll make a tri-dimensional picture with her dreadful skin. That would really express the "human suffering" she was talking about. It's perfect, each and every part of her was useful for me. This will surely be my masterpiece.
I spoke with Angela this morning, she has to meet me in the art museum at eight o'clock. I've arranged everything, I have a spare key for the museum, and as I've studied the security system of the whole building, I'll have it open when she arrives for our meeting.
Now comes the sublime part of a murder, pay attention. As soon as she gets there, she can't be suspicious, at all; what's more, she has to be comfortable with the situation, and then you have to little by little start to get into her mind, play with it for a while, tell her that you love her, but you can't resist her superiority complex of wanting to have everything under control. After that, the humiliation part begins. You must make her feel insignificant, guilty, open the doors of her deepest fears and let them take over her. Then you'll have her in your hands.
Once I got there, I was impatient, I hate unpunctual people, I hate it so much, "but easy" - I told myself, I can't lose control now, it's about to happen. Everything is ready, she hasn't arrived yet, and I had been waiting for her over an hour. But, suddenly a cab stopped in front of me. It was her, Angela. She looked pale, insecure, but nothing that I could do would reveal my secret plan. I had taken care of all the details.
She came out of the car, dressed all in black, just like I was. She had this big carmine smile, and she came towards me to say hi. I carry on with the plan. I took her inside the museum, and I made her comfortable. Then we started to talk, I began by saying "I love you but."., and she just looked at me, with deep hate. I saw a glimpse of anger in her eyes, this was unexpected, and suddenly she pulled out her demons without me calling them. Then she began by asking me: "I once told you, I enjoyed human suffering, didn't I?" I felt a cold stab in my heart when I heard those chilling words coming out of her mouth. What was she doing? Wasn't she afraid? Where were her monsters of guilt? By then I could only see mine, eating me alive, consuming me. My frightened eyes were now on her mind, she had convinced me of what I had become, another sheep that had been manipulated by the queen of the kings. She was now the sun and I was the guilty shadow of a cloudy soul. I could not see so clear now, I was about to be killed, and without even knowing it, I was giving up, as if I had no way out. And I knew exactly what was going to happen. This is so ironic, I cannot even begin to understand it, I was going to be killed by my perfect victim, not Angela, but my own frustrated dreams and revenges of a society that won't understand my meaningless' life ever".
Well, I'm the one ending this crime, by assassinating the killer with his own twisted thoughts. The only thing I can tell you is what appeared in the next day's newspaper: "A man has been found at the state museum, skinless and hung out like a portrait with an inscription on the wall, that said: this was my masterpiece.".
This is what you think and what you become, when you taste the power that you have in others. It's quite simple actually, when someone fears you, you're in such a privileged position, you can almost play with your victims, like little toys that you can move and scare.
They don't realize it, they just let it happen. That's why I'm the big guy and they are the smallest, meaningless people that think I will be always undefeatable. I'm telling you, if you really want to kill somebody, don't put a bullet in his head, put one in his mind, his morality, his principles, then you'll have him, without suffering, without the dramatic part, it will be just you and him, with his and your own demons. And then you'll be able to enjoy the part when the agony will take place, and then you'll have to face and challenge your victim to do something to help himself. And it gets even better, as he realizes there's no way out, he gives up and surrenders to be killed, almost as if he was begging you to do so.
Isn't life great!
My name is Mathew Novak. I like to see myself as an artist and because of that, I'm a tremendous fan of people that aren't afraid to see themselves as kings and queens of their lives and even of the world. These kings and queens are the kind of people that are always ready to face anything that may come, because they know what they want to get from life. They aren't corrupted with addictions, physically and mentally speaking, because they go beyond that. They realize that's just a way of controlling people. And as they can see that, they're always one step ahead of the rest of the people.
Therefore, I cannot accept competitors. And don't get me wrong here, I admire these guys, but I just cannot allow them to keep taking advantage of this precious knowledge, without sharing it. As you see I'm a humanitarian. The way I see it, getting rid of these guys, would be the best thing we could do for society.
My style is neat, classic and controversial. I like to watch my victims as they hurt themselves. Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't told you yet: first, I choose them very carefully, not everybody has all the qualities that are required to commit a "perfect" crime. Once I have the right person, it really doesn't matter if it is a woman or a man, I trick him or her, and just before killing him, I take him to an art Museum, before a big opening is starting. In that way my "art" is also exhibit to the whole world as an amazing masterpiece, my masterpiece.
But, as you seem so interested in my work, I've decided to document my next murder. So you'll experience for the first time in your life, what it feels to be in my shoes, and to have the last look of your victim on your mind for the rest of your life. Fasten your seat belts, this will be fun.
Her name is Angela Potter, she's the kind of woman that wakes up in the morning and exercises on her running machine until her body can't go on anymore. The same thing happens in her office, she always pushes everything to the limits and that's how she manipulates her business in order to be the best in the company. She's the one in charge of convincing investment clients to become rich and successful with her and her lucrative institution. As you see, she knows exactly what she's doing. And she's an unstoppable killing machine of people that are described by her as "sheep".
The next step to follow is to get to know the victim, how she works, where she takes breaks and of course, if she's interested in "human art". So I will go to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee, and then I'll establish the first communication. Now let's stop here one moment, it's very important to make a good impression, in that way she will come to you, instead of you to her.
Just as I thought, she likes the mysterious type of men, dressed completely in black and of course with an elegant style. The age didn't matter so much, so I had the perfect opportunity. I first started the conversation with a simple question: "Do you enjoy art?" And as a response I got a perfect answer: "Yes, especially Goya's paintings. I simply love the way he expresses human suffering" said Angela.
Are you feeling the excitement already? Every thing is perfect, if this keeps going so fast, you'll lose the enchanting part of the conquest. Angela was really pleased with my presence in her world, therefore, the time for executing her was close. As I hold her in my arms I start to examine her body closely, so I could pick the most sufficient weapon to end her life. She's a tall, slim woman, so she wouldn't offer much resistance.
I had chosen my weapon. Even though she had a horrible soul, she also had a beautiful face, so I've decided to remove it with a really sharp scalpel and with some other deadly knives, and then I'll make a tri-dimensional picture with her dreadful skin. That would really express the "human suffering" she was talking about. It's perfect, each and every part of her was useful for me. This will surely be my masterpiece.
I spoke with Angela this morning, she has to meet me in the art museum at eight o'clock. I've arranged everything, I have a spare key for the museum, and as I've studied the security system of the whole building, I'll have it open when she arrives for our meeting.
Now comes the sublime part of a murder, pay attention. As soon as she gets there, she can't be suspicious, at all; what's more, she has to be comfortable with the situation, and then you have to little by little start to get into her mind, play with it for a while, tell her that you love her, but you can't resist her superiority complex of wanting to have everything under control. After that, the humiliation part begins. You must make her feel insignificant, guilty, open the doors of her deepest fears and let them take over her. Then you'll have her in your hands.
Once I got there, I was impatient, I hate unpunctual people, I hate it so much, "but easy" - I told myself, I can't lose control now, it's about to happen. Everything is ready, she hasn't arrived yet, and I had been waiting for her over an hour. But, suddenly a cab stopped in front of me. It was her, Angela. She looked pale, insecure, but nothing that I could do would reveal my secret plan. I had taken care of all the details.
She came out of the car, dressed all in black, just like I was. She had this big carmine smile, and she came towards me to say hi. I carry on with the plan. I took her inside the museum, and I made her comfortable. Then we started to talk, I began by saying "I love you but."., and she just looked at me, with deep hate. I saw a glimpse of anger in her eyes, this was unexpected, and suddenly she pulled out her demons without me calling them. Then she began by asking me: "I once told you, I enjoyed human suffering, didn't I?" I felt a cold stab in my heart when I heard those chilling words coming out of her mouth. What was she doing? Wasn't she afraid? Where were her monsters of guilt? By then I could only see mine, eating me alive, consuming me. My frightened eyes were now on her mind, she had convinced me of what I had become, another sheep that had been manipulated by the queen of the kings. She was now the sun and I was the guilty shadow of a cloudy soul. I could not see so clear now, I was about to be killed, and without even knowing it, I was giving up, as if I had no way out. And I knew exactly what was going to happen. This is so ironic, I cannot even begin to understand it, I was going to be killed by my perfect victim, not Angela, but my own frustrated dreams and revenges of a society that won't understand my meaningless' life ever".
Well, I'm the one ending this crime, by assassinating the killer with his own twisted thoughts. The only thing I can tell you is what appeared in the next day's newspaper: "A man has been found at the state museum, skinless and hung out like a portrait with an inscription on the wall, that said: this was my masterpiece.".