Did you know?

The brain is made up of three different parts - the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum, which is the largest part of the brain, is responsible for thoughts, emotions, and senses like touch, taste, smell, and vision. It is what we use to think with. The cerebellum, which means "little brain," is what helps us keep our balance, and helps coordinate our body movements. The brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord. It is also responsible for all of the things you don't normally think about (like your heart beating, breathing, and digesting food).

Did you know?

Second-Hand Smoke
Smokers aren’t the only ones affected by tobacco smoke. Secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard for nonsmokers, especially children. Cigarette smoke contains more than Nonsmokers who have high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol have an even greater risk of developing heart diseases when they’re exposed to secondhand smoke.

Environmental tobacco smoke causes about 46,000 heart disease deaths and 3,400 lung cancer deaths. Studies show that the risk of developing heart disease is about 25-30 percent higher among people exposed to environmental tobacco smoke at home or work. Secondhand smoke promotes illness, too. Children of smokers have many more respiratory infections than do children of nonsmokers. Nonsmoking women exposed to tobacco smoke are also more likely to have low-birthweight babies. Excerpted and adapted from "When Risk Factors Unite," appearing in the Stroke Connection Magazine January/February 2005 (Science update May 2008)

These are just a few of the dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes; there are many more.  But you do not have to spend the rest of your life giving in to your addiction! Thousands of people kick the habit every year, and you can be one of them.  It may not be easy, but you can do it!

Did you know?

1. Hurricanes are large, spiraling tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles an hour and unleash more than 2.4 trillion gallons of rain a day. Hurricanes can be coupled with storm surges and severe flooding.

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The primary functions of your lungs are to transport oxygen from the air you breathe into your bloodstream while taking away carbon dioxide, which is released into the air when you breathe out.

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Every day, your heart beats about 100,000 times, sending 2,000 gallons of blood surging through your body. Although it’s no bigger than your fist, your heart has the mighty job of keeping blood flowing through the 60,000 miles of blood vessels that feed your organs and tissues. Any damage to the heart or its valves can reduce that pumping power, forcing the heart to work harder just to keep up with the body’s demand for blood.

Did You Know?

The first servings of Coca‑Cola were sold for 5 cents per glass. During the first year, sales averaged a modest nine servings per day in Atlanta. Today, daily servings of Coca‑Cola beverages are estimated at 1.8 billion globally.  One of the most famous advertising slogans in Coca‑Cola history “The Pause That Refreshes” first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1929. The theme of pausing with Coca‑Cola refreshment is still echoed in today’s marketing.

A moment in history

Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play major league baseball. Jackie was a star in the Negro Leagues but wasn't allowed to play in major league baseball because he was black. He finally got his chance when he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945. On April 15, 1947, he played his first major league game as the Dogers' first baseman. Many people booed and jeered Jackie when he took the field but by the end of the season, he won many of them over with his play on the field. He batted .297, led the league in stolen bases and was named the National League Rookie of the Year. More importantly, he broke baseball's color barrier and opened the door for other black athletes to participate in professional sports.

Read more: Black History Month | Facts | Events | Pictures | African American Sports History | Muhummad Ali | Jessie Owens http://www.kidzworld.com/article/3081-sports-moments-in-black-history#ixzz2oQtuMMn4

Did You Know?

Alexander Cartwright (1820-1892) of New York invented the modern baseball field in 1845. Alexander Cartwright and the members of his New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, devised the first rules and regulations that were accepted for the modern game of baseball.

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The tiger is the biggest species of the cat family and can reach a length of up to 3.3 metres (11 feet) and weigh as much as 300 kilograms (660 pounds).Rare white tigers carry a gene that is only present in around 1 in every 10000 tigers. Many subspecies of the tiger are either endangered or already extinct. Humans are the primary cause of this through hunting and the destruction of habitats.
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Did You Know?

Frank Henry Fleer invented the first bubble gum in 1906. Fleer's recipe was later perfected by Walter Diemer, who named his popular product "Double Bubble."

Did You Know?

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR as it's more popularly known, is one of the most viewed professional sports in the United States, second only to professional football. Since its inception in 1947, NASCAR has expanded at a rate comparable to some of the speeds seen around the track, broadcasting in over 150 countries and holding 17 of the top-20 attended single-day sporting events in the world. In addition, it claims 75 million fans who purchase over $3 billion worth of licensed products annually—that's a lot of logoed mesh hats, my friends. And, all this sprang up from humble beginnings.

Recognizing a need and the potential opportunity that accompanied it, Bill France Sr., of Daytona Beach, Fla., held a meeting at the Streamline Hotel in December 1947 to discuss the problems facing stock-car racing. When the meeting adjourned, NASCAR had been born, with the points system written on a bar room napkin.

NASCAR was incorporated by France, Sr., a driver himself, on February 21, 1948 with the help of several of his fellow drivers. The original intent of NASCAR was to offer three distinct divisions: modified, roadster, and strictly stock. But as it turned out, fans couldn't have cared less for the roadsters, perceiving them as a Northeast or Midwest pursuit.

The first NASCAR "strictly stock" race was held at Charlotte Speedway and won by Jim Roper after Glenn Dunnaway was disqualified for altering his rear springs. The "Strictly Stock Division" was initially raced with almost no modifications to the factory models. Over the decade that would follow, modifications to things likebrakes and the muffler were eventually allowed for both safety and performance. By the mid-1960s, vehicles appearing on the track had a stock-car body and were built for the specific purpose of racing, with the addition of car accessories that included performance brake pads and catalytic converters.

With a green light from highly-supportive fans, NASCAR's premier division took the lead in worldwide motorsports attendance in 1976 with more than 1.4 million spectators in the stands. Television soon followed, and the 1979 Daytona 500 becoming the first 500-mile race in history to be telecast live in its entirety. Corporate sponsorships soon followed, with Fortune 500 companies sponsoring the events, individual races and teams as well. Not bad for something that remains a family-owned business.

You don't have to be a NASCAR driver to upgrade your ride with the latest car accessories. Easy and affordable, do-it-yourself upgrades like exhaust tips or a muffler can provide huge gains in power and streamline the efficiency of your engine.

 http://www.autoanything.com/articles/the-history-of-nascar.aspx

A moment in history

Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

A moment in history

Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, most of it on the famous Robben Island, as an enemy of the apartheid government of South Africa and was declared to be a terrorist and traitor to his country. However, he obtained a law degree while he was there and fought against injustice for his fellow inmates.