6 Healthiest Food

Do you think hard to find healthy food. Sometimes, maybe you think the healthy food already not healthy because some reason. So, this is a list of 6 healthiest food in the world.

1. Olive Oil

Olive Oil contains monounsaturated (good) fats, which have been shown to have some excellent health benefits, such as possibly lowering your risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancer. The popular Mediterranean Diet craze is well founded because people from these countries, who tend to get more of their fat from monounsaturated sources like olive oil and less from saturated and trans fat have lower incidences of heart disease, atherosclerosis, colon cancer, and asthma. Be sure to buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is the least processed and contains more polyphenols (antioxidants).

2. Broccoli

Broccoli makes the 10 healthiest foods list because it's high in antioxidants and loaded with vitamin C, calcium and folic acid. Broccoli is a proven cancer fighting food – eating broccoli stimulates the body to create natural cancer fighting substances and diets including broccoli have been shown to prevent a number of different types of cancers. Broccoli is also high in soluble fiber and low in calories. Among the other many healthy benefits of broccoli are its’ ability to help prevent osteoporosis and treat high blood pressure.

3. Spinach

Spinach prevents muscle & bone loss and has been linked to decreased risk of cancer and heart diseases. It’s also very high in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium and folate. Spinach is one the healthiest foods you can eat – calorie for calorie, not many foods can match the nutritional benefits and low calorie content of spinach and other green, leafy vegetables like kale and Swiss chard.

4. Apples

Apples aid in lowering cholesterol; prevent numerous types of cancer; and have health benefits related to many other conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, and diabetes. Apples are extremely high in antioxidants and contain high amounts of vitamin C and fiber. However, apples tend to be one of the most contaminated fruits with pesticides, so choose organic varieties when possible.

5. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one the top 6 healthiest foods for good reason: they're a nutrient-rich vegetable that contain high amounts of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Sweet potatoes also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and have been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels (making you feel fuller for longer periods of time) and have cancer and heart disease fighting properties.

6. Salmon

Salmon is loaded with heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to a decreased risk of sudden-death heart attacks, heart disease, memory loss, and Alzheimer's. Salmon has also been shown to help control symptoms of arthritis and depression as well. Be sure to choose wild salmon over farm raised.

6 Things of Bad Luck

1. Black cat
The origin of superstitions surrounding black cats including why a black cat crossing your path is considered bad luck.

Black Cats weren’t always the butt of superstitions, feared, or even considered bad luck. In fact, in early Egyptian times, dating back as far as 3000 BC, cats (including black ones) were the rock stars of the animal world, held in high esteem; to kill one was considered a capital crime. It wasn’t until the middle-ages in Europe that the black cat’s rock star status started to go downhill as they began to be associated with so-called witches. The hysteria of witches practicing black magic had just hit Europe and alley cats were often cared for and fed by the poor lonely old ladies (funny how some things never change) later accused of witchery.

Their cat companions, some of which were black ones, were deemed guilty of witchery by association. This belief was taken up a notch when a folklore involving a father and son in Lincolnshire in the 1560′s started making the rounds. The pair were said to have been traveling one moonless night when a black cat crossed their path and dove into a crawl space. Naturally, they did what any guys would do, they threw rocks at the furry feline until the helpless injured creature scurried out into a woman’s house, who at the time was suspected of being a witch. The next day, the father and son came across the same woman and noticed she was limping and bruised and believed that to be more than just a coincidence. From that day on in Lincolnshire, it was thought that witches could turn into black cats at night.

The belief of witches transforming themselves into black cats in order to prowl streets unobserved became a central belief in America during the Salem witch hunts. Even today the association of black cats and witches holds strong during Halloween celebrations, despite the holiday’s religious beginnings. Thus, an animal once looked on with approbation became a symbol of evil omens in some parts of the World.

However, in some cultures, the black cat is still revered and a symbol of good luck even today. The Scottish believe that a strange black cat’s arrival to the home signifies prosperity, while Pirates of the 19th century believed if a black cat walks towards you, it’s a sign of bad luck, but it’s good luck if it walks away from you. In the English Midlands, a black cat as a wedding present is thought to bring good luck to the bride!

2. Spilling Salt

The widespread superstition that spilling salt brings bad luck is believed to have originated with the overturned salt cellar in front of Judas Iscariot at the Last Supper, an incident immortalized in Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting.

According to an old Norwegian superstition, a person will shed as many tears as will be necessary to dissolve the salt spilled. An old English belief has it that every grain of salt spilled represents future tears. The Germans believe that whoever spills salt arouses enmity, because it is thought to be the direct act of the devil, the peace disturber. The French throw a little spilled salt behind them in order to hit the devil in the eye, to temporarily prevent further mischief. In the United States, some people not only toss a pinch of spilled salt over the left shoulder, but crawl under the table and come out the opposite side.

3. Walking under the ladder
Superstitions are blind beliefs which may sound illogical but all the same permeate every aspect of life and may vary in their importance according to the beliefs of cultures and nations. Some of the common superstitious beliefs considered ill omens include shattering of glass, breaking a mirror, a black cat cutting your path, walking under a ladder, among many more. Basically a ladder that is made to rest against a wall forms a triangle which was traditionally symbolic of life. So walking under a ladder or through a triangle was like risking life and hence considered bad luck.

4. Broken mirror
A broken mirror reflecting a distorted image was indicative of a corrupt soul and people who saw their reflections in broken pieces thus called for misfortune. The superstition itself was a combination of two superstitions – Bizarro world and seven years of revival. People believed that breaking a mirror entrapped the soul in a Bizarro world (where people act in the way opposite to that on earth) that the mirror represented. This resulted in bad health and thus bad fortune. The Romans also believed that the physical body revived itself in seven years. Therefore, the time period for facing the consequences was seven years.

5. Stepping on a crack in a sidewalk
Most children know a simple nursery rhyme: if you step on a crack, you’ll break your mother’s back. They sing it to themselves while skipping rope or playing hopscotch, and never give much thought to its true ramifications. For if they did, they might exercise just a bit more caution when hurrying down the sidewalk to get to the ice cream truck. It’s frankly amazing that mothers everywhere aren’t confined to wheelchairs and hospital emergency rooms considering the number of cracks in the world.

This also presents a hidden danger: malicious children can use this form of bad luck to physically assault their parents. If a mother instructs her son to stop playing outside and do his chores, all the child has to do is locate a nearby crack and stamp on it thoroughly. The mother will be permanently crippled, and he will get to play happily for hours until social services comes to take him away. It’s therefore a good idea for parents to fill in any cracks on the sidewalk with spackle until proper moral values can be taught.

6.Opening an umbrella indoors
The most common stems from the days when umbrellas were used mainly as protection against the sun. To open one indoors would be to insult the local sun god (especially Ra) and invite his wrath on everyone in your household.

Another theory borrows from the idea of an umbrella as a protector against the storms of life. If you were to open one in your home, the household guardian spirits might think you felt their protection was insufficient, and then they'd leave in a huff. Once again, everyone in the house is cursed.

In truth, the superstition is probably coincidental.

Indonesia

Republic of Indonesia

President: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2004)

Land area: 699,548 sq mi (1,811,831 sq km);
total area: 741,096 sq mi (1,919,440 sq km)

Population (2010 est.): 242,968,342 (growth rate: 1.1%); birth rate: 18.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 28.9/1000; life expectancy: 71.0; density per sq km: 130

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Jakarta, 13,194,000 (metro. area), 8,389,443 (city proper)

Other large cities: Surabaya, 3,038,800; Bandung, 2,733,500; Medan, 2,204,300; Semarang, 1,267,100

Monetary unit: Rupiah

National name: Republik Indonesia

Current government officials

Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official), English, Dutch, Javanese, and more than 580 other languages and dialects

Ethnicity/race: Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26%

Religions: Islam 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1% (1998)

National Holiday: Independence Day, August 17

Literacy rate: 90% (2004 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2009 est.): $969.2 billion; per capita $4,000.
Real growth rate: 4.5%. Inflation: 5%. Unemployment: 7.7%. Arable land: 11%.

Agriculture: rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs.
Labor force: 108 million (2007 est.); agriculture 43.3%, industry 18%, services 38.7% (2004 est.).
Industries: petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism.
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver.
Exports: $115.6 billion (2009 est.): oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber. Imports: $86.6 billion (2009 est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs. Major trading partners: Japan, U.S., Singapore, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Malaysia (2006).

Communications:
Telephones: main lines in use: 14.821 million (2006); mobile cellular: 63.803 million (2006). Radio broadcast stations: AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998).
Television broadcast stations: 54 (2006).
Internet hosts: 559,359 (2007).
Internet users: 16 million (2005).

Transportation:
Railways: total: 6,458 km (2006).
Highways: total: 368,360 km; paved: 213,649 km; unpaved: 154,711 km (2006 est.). Waterways: 21,579 km; note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km (2007).
Ports and harbors: Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok. Airports: 652 (2007).

International disputes: East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the boundary remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which hinders a decision on a northern maritime boundary; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute, culminating in hostile confrontations in March 2005 over concessions to the Ambalat oil block; the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait.

Geography

Indonesia is an archipelago in Southeast Asia consisting of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited) and straddling the equator. The largest islands are Sumatra, Java (the most populous), Bali, Kalimantan (Indonesia's part of Borneo), Sulawesi (Celebes), the Nusa Tenggara islands, the Moluccas Islands, and Irian Jaya (also called West Papua), the western part of New Guinea. Its neighbor to the north is Malaysia and to the east is Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia, part of the “ring of fire,” has the largest number of active volcanoes in the world. Earthquakes are frequent. Wallace's line, a zoological demarcation between Asian and Australian flora and fauna, divides Indonesia.

Government

Republic.

History

The 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia were home to a diversity of cultures and indigenous beliefs when the islands came under the influence of Hindu priests and traders in the first and second centuries A.D. Muslim invasions began in the 13th century, and most of the archipelago had converted to Islam by the 15th century. Portuguese traders arrived early in the next century but were ousted by the Dutch around 1595. The Dutch United East India Company established posts on the island of Java, in an effort to control the spice trade.

After Napoléon subjugated the Netherlands in 1811, the British seized the islands but returned them to the Dutch in 1816. In 1922, Indonesia was made an integral part of the Dutch kingdom. During World War II, Japan seized the islands. Tokyo was primarily interested in Indonesia's oil, which was vital to the war effort, and tolerated fledgling nationalists such as Sukarno and Mohammed Hatta. After Japan's surrender, Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed Indonesian independence on Aug. 17, 1945. Allied troops, mostly British Indian forces, fought nationalist militias to reassert the prewar status quo until the arrival of Dutch troops.

Dutch Recognize Indonesia's Independence

In Nov. 1946, a draft agreement on forming a Netherlands-Indonesian Union was reached, but differences in interpretation resulted in more fighting between Dutch and nationalist forces. Following a bitter war for independence, leaders on both sides agreed to terms of a union on Nov. 2, 1949. The transfer of sovereignty took place in Amsterdam on Dec. 27, 1949. In Feb. 1956, Indonesia abrogated the union and began seizing Dutch property in the islands.

In 1963, Netherlands New Guinea (the Dutch portion of the island of New Guinea) was transferred to Indonesia and renamed West Irian, which became Irian Jaya in 1973 and West Papua in 2000. Hatta and Sukarno, the cofathers of Indonesian independence, split over Sukarno's concept of “guided democracy,” and under Sukarno's rule the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) steadily increased its influence.

Sukarno was named president for life in 1966. He enjoyed mass support for his policies, but a growing power struggle between the military and the PKI loomed over his government. After an attempted military coup was put down by army chief of staff, General Suharto, and officers loyal to him, Suharto's forces killed hundreds of thousands of suspected Communists in a massive purge aimed at undermining Sukarno's rule.

Suharto Assumes Control and Brings a Measure of Stability

Suharto took over the reins of government and gradually eased Sukarno out of office, completing his consolidation of power in 1967. Under Suharto the military assumed an overarching role in national affairs, and relations with the West were enhanced. Indonesia's economy improved dramatically and national elections were permitted, although the opposition was so tightly controlled as to virtually choke off dissent.

Indonesia Annexes East Timor

In 1975, Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese half of the island of Timor; it seized the territory in 1976. A separatist movement developed at once. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, which had been a Dutch colony, East Timor was governed by the Portuguese for 400 years, and while 90% of Indonesians are Muslim, the East Timorese are primarily Catholic. More than 200,000 Timorese are reported to have died from famine, disease, and fighting since the annexation. In 1996, two East Timorese resistance activists, Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta, received the Nobel Peace Prize.

In the summer of 1997, Indonesia suffered a major economic setback, along with most other Asian economies. Banks failed and the value of Indonesia's currency, the rupiah, plummeted. Antigovernment demonstrations and riots broke out, directed mainly at the country's prosperous ethnic Chinese. As the economic crisis deepened, student demonstrators occupied the national parliament, demanding Suharto's ouster. On May 21, 1998, Suharto stepped down, ending 32 years of rule, and handed over power to Vice President B. J. Habibie.

June 7, 1999, marked Indonesia's first free parliamentary election since 1955. The ruling Golkar Party took a backseat to the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Sukarno, Indonesia's first president.

Basketball in America: A History

An American game that has traveled well is basketball, now played by more than 250 million people worldwide in an organized fashion, as well as by countless others in "pick-up" games. Basketball originated in 1891 when a future Presbyterian minister named James Naismith (1861-1939) was assigned to teach a physical education class at a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) training school in Springfield, Massachusetts. The class had been noted for being disorderly, and Naismith was told to invent a new game to keep the young men occupied. Since it was winter and very cold outside, a game that could be played indoors was desirable.

Naismith thought back to his boyhood in Canada, where he and his friends had played "duck on a rock," which involved trying to knock a large rock off a boulder by throwing smaller rocks at it. He also recalled watching rugby players toss a ball into a box in a gymnasium. He had the idea of nailing up raised boxes into which players would attempt to throw a ball. When boxes couldn't be found, he used peach baskets. According to Alexander Wolff, in his book 100 Years of Hoops, Naismith drew up the rules for the new game in "about an hour." Most of them still apply in some form today.

James Naismith

Basketball caught on because graduates of the YMCA school traveled widely, because Naismith disseminated the rules freely, and because there was a need for a simple game that could be played indoors during winter. Naismith's legacy included the first great college basketball coach, Forrest "Phog" Allen (1885-1974), who played for Naismith at the University of Kansas and went on to win 771 games as a coach at Kansas himself. Among Allen's star players was Wilt Chamberlain, who became one of professional basketball's first superstars -- one night in 1962, he scored a record 100 points in a game.

The first professional basketball league was formed in 1898; players earned $2.50 for home games, $1.25 for games on the road. Not quite 100 years later, Juwan Howard, a star player for the Washington Bullets (now called the Washington Wizards), had competing offers of more than $100 million over seven seasons from the Bullets and the Miami Heat.

Many teams in the National Basketball Association now have foreign players, who return home to represent their native countries during the Olympic Games. The so-called Dream Team, made up of the top American professional basketball players, has represented the United States in recent Olympic Games. In 1996 the Dream Team trailed some opponents until fairly late in the games—an indication of basketball's growing international status. In Athens in 2004 Argentina took home the gold, the first time a Latin American country won the basketball honor.

Source from factmonster.com

10 Deadliest Hurricanes

1. 1970 Bhola Cyclone

Taking the cake for the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded the 1970 Bhola Cyclone hit East Pakistan (Bangladesh today) and India's West Bengal on November 12, 1970. While the exact death toll is unknown it is estimated that 300,000-500,000 people perished in the aftermath of this storm, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters recent history.

This cyclone was not extremely large, reaching strengths equivalent of a Category 3 Hurricane. The killing power of this storm was almost completely attributed to the cyclone's surge which flooded most of the low lying islands in the Ganges Delta, literally wiping villages and crops off the face of the earth.

2. Typhoon Nina 1975

Not to be known as some regular typhoon Super Typhoon Nina came onto the scene with a bang, hitting China hard and quickly destroying the Banqiao Dam. The collapse of the Banqiao Dam led to such great flooding that it set off a series of dam collapses throughout China, greatly magnifying the damage caused by Typhoon Nina.

With a 100,000+ death toll Super Typhoon Nina is the 2nd deadliest Typhoon in recorded history though we think it should be #1 since the most deadly typhoon, which hit Haiphong, Vietnam in 1881, didn't even get a name.

3. Hurricane Kenna

Kenna, a category 5 hurricane, was the 3rd most intense Pacific hurricane to ever strike Mexico's West Coast. Hitting San Blas, Nayarit on October 25th, 2002 was the 3rd cat 5 hurricane of the hurricane season. 140 mph winds and a 16 foot surge devastated the coast line causing $101 million dollars in damage.

4. Hurricane Pauline

Not happy to just be one of the most destructive Pacific hurricanes to make landfall in Mexico, Hurricane Pauline had to be one of the deadliest too.

Working it's way up the Mexican coastline Pauline dumped torrential rain falls with 16" of rain in Acapulco alone! The relentless downpour caused disastrous land slides in some of Mexico's poorest villages, killing roughly 250-400 people and leaving a striking 300,000 people homeless.

Beyond all the lives destroyed Hurricane Pauline caused a massive amount of damage, exceeding $7.5 billion (USD 1997).

5. Hurricane Iniki

When people think of Hawaii they often imagine lazy days of surfing and long luaus that go into the night. The last thing most people think of is hurricanes yet in September of 1992 that's just what they got.

Born from the strong El Nino warm phase of 91-94 Hurricane Iniki reached cat 4 level winds as the eye passed over the island of Kauaʻi.

Not surprisingly the Hawaiians handled the effects of Hurricane Iniki amazingly well. Communities held parties to cook all the perishable food since the power was knocked out. Grocery stores offered free food to anyone who needed it while most insisted on paying anyways. While there was some looting in the aftermath of the storm though it was very limited in comparison to what happened in Katrina and other disasters.

Amazingly there were only 6 deaths attributed to Hurricane Iniki although the islanders were given less than 24 hours notice. The monetary damage however was huge for the small island, totalling over $1.8 billion (USD 1992).

6. Galveston Hurricane of 1900

The year was 1900, the place was Galveston Texas. On September 4th a warning was released saying a large tropical storm had just passed Cuba and was headed west across the Gulf of Mexico.

Even though the US Weather Bureau had warning that a large storm was on its way their policy at the time was to avoid pesky words like "hurricane" or "tornado" to avoid giving people a chance to escape oops, I mean to avoid panic.

In this case panic is really what the people of Galveston should have done as there was a big ass storm on it's way and they were grossly unprepared.

In 1900 Galveston was only about 9 feet above sea level which was a bit too low. When the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on September 8th it brought a 15 foot tall storm surge along with 135mph winds, making it a category 4 hurricane. The surge was so powerful it washed over the entire island, knocking buildings off their foundations and then pounding them into scraps of wood. In total over 3600 houses were destroyed.

The Galveston Hurricane is the deadliest natural disaster to ever hit the US, claiming over 6,000 lives. The total damages exceeded $20 million in 1900 dollars, which is over $500 million in todays dollars (inflation is no joke!).

7. Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike is in the top 3 for most destructive hurricane's to ever hit with $24 billion (2008 USD) in the United States, with additional damage of $7.3 billion in Cuba, $200 million in the Bahamas, and $500 million in the Turks and Caicos, amounting to a total of $32 billion in damages.

Hurricane Ike results in at least 195 deaths all the way from Haiti to Galveston and many places in between.

8. The Great Hurricane 1780

Holding the record as the deadliest Atlantic hurricane this storm devastated Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Lesser Antilles, Bermuda, and possibly Florida and other States.

While the total damages are unknown the death toll was well over 22,000 people, more than any other decade of Atlantic hurricanes.

9. Hurricane Andrew

Hurricane Andrew was the only named hurricane for the 1992 season but boy did it make it's mark. Wreaking havoc across the northwestern Bahamas, southern Florida and southwest Louisiana. Andrew caused $26.5 billion (USD 1992) in damage though some sources place this number closer to $34 billion.

Even with all the destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew the death toll was very low, with 26 deaths caused directly by the hurricane and 39 as secondary deaths.

10. Hurricane Katrina

Still fresh in the memories of American's, especially those from New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina was the costliest hurricane in US history as well as one of the 5 most deadliest ever recorded. Knocking out levies in Louisiana Katrina caused over 80% of New Orleans to flood before moving into the northeastern United States dumping rain all across the area.

By far the largest natural disaster to ever hit the US Hurricane Katrina is $80 billion (2008 USD) in damages and killed 1,836 people with 705 still missing.

One thing that stands out about the Katrina disaster is the utter failure of FEMA or any other government agency to provide support and rescue services to the areas. Lawlessness was rampant with police shooting innocent civilians and going door to door confiscating guns from American citizens in dry areas just trying to defend their homes.

The remnants of Hurricane Katrina are still evident in New Orleans even as efforts to rebuild the city are still under way.

Source form ranker.com

Baseball in America: A History

The sport that evokes more nostalgia among Americans than any other is baseball. So many people play the game as children (or play its close relative, softball) that it has become known as "the national pastime." It is also a democratic game. Unlike football and basketball, baseball can be played well by people of average height and weight.

Baseball originated before the American Civil War (1861-1865) as rounders, a humble game played on sandlots. Early champions of the game fine-tuned it to include the kind of skills and mental judgment that made cricket respectable in England. In particular, scoring and record-keeping gave baseball gravity. "Today," notes John Thorn in The Baseball Encyclopedia, "baseball without records is inconceivable." More Americans undoubtedly know that Roger Maris's 61 home runs in 1961 broke Babe Ruth's record of 60 in 1927 than that President Ronald Reagan's 525 electoral-college votes in 1984 broke President Franklin Roosevelt's record of 523 in 1936.

In 1871 the first professional baseball league was born. By the beginning of the 20th century, most large cities in the eastern United States had a professional baseball team. The teams were divided into two leagues, the National and American; during the regular season, a team played only against other teams within its league. The most victorious team in each league was said to have won the "pennant;" the two pennant winners met after the end of the regular season in the World Series. The winner of at least four games (out of a possible seven) was the champion for that year. This arrangement still holds today, although the leagues are now subdivided and pennants are decided in post-season playoff series between the winners of each division.

Baseball came of age in the 1920s, when Babe Ruth (1895-1948) led the New York Yankees to several World Series titles and became a national hero on the strength of his home runs (balls that cannot be played because they have been hit out of the field). Over the decades, every team has had its great players. One of the most noteworthy was the Brooklyn Dodgers' Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), a gifted and courageous athlete who became the first African-American player in the major leagues in 1947. (Prior to Robinson, black players had been restricted to the Negro League.)

Starting in the 1950s, baseball expanded its geographical range. Western cities got teams, either by luring them to move from eastern cities or by forming so-called expansion teams with players made available by established teams. Until the 1970s, because of strict contracts, the owners of baseball teams also virtually owned the players; since then, the rules have changed so that players are free, within certain limits, to sell their services to any team. The results have been bidding wars and stars who are paid millions of dollars a year. Disputes between the players' union and the owners have at times halted baseball for months at a time. If baseball is both a sport and a business, late in the 20th century many disgruntled fans view the business side as the dominant one.

It's generally agreed that baseball was introduced in Japan by an American professor in the 1870s and from then until the 1930s, the university baseball leagues dominated Japanese baseball. Professional Japanese baseball began in the 1930s with the formation of the Japan Professional Baseball League. In the 1990s a Japanese player, Hideo Nomo, became a star pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Baseball is also widely played in Cuba and other Caribbean nations. In the 1996 Olympics, it was a measure of baseball's appeal outside the United States that the contest for the gold medal came down to Japan and Cuba (Cuba won)

Source from factmonster.com

Fat and Calories

What's the difference between fat and calories?

Fat is one of six nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. The other five nutrients are:

• Carbohydrates (found in fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice, grains, peas, beans, and other legumes)
• Proteins (found in meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and beans)
• Minerals (such as potassium, calcium, and iron)
• Vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K)
• Water

Of these six nutrients, carbohydrates, protein and fats provide calories. Each gram of carbohydrate and protein yield 4 calories/gram. Each gram of fat yields 9 calories.

A calorie is a measurement, just like a teaspoon or an inch. Calories are the amount of energy released when your body breaks down (digests and absorbs) food. The more calories a food has, the more energy it can provide to your body. When you eat more calories than you need, your body stores the extra calories as body fat. Even a fat-free food can have a lot of calories that eventually will contribute and can be stored as excess body fat.

Why does fat get all of the attention?

Fat gets all of the attention for many good reasons. Consider these facts:

• Some fats can raise cholesterol levels in the blood. A high cholesterol level is a leading risk factor for heart disease.
• Some fatty foods (such as bacon, sausage, and potato chips) often have higher calories with fewer vitamins and minerals than low-fat other foods. (Note: Protein sources, especially red meat and dairy products, often contain fat. Good, low-fat sources of protein include lean meat, fish, poultry without skin, beans, lentils, tofu, low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, and low-fat cottage cheese, and tuna fish packed in water.)
• Fat has about twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and proteins. A gram of fat has about 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrate or protein has about 4 calories. In other words, you could eat twice as much carbohydrates or proteins as fat for the same amount of calories.

Will I lose weight if I eat low-fat foods?

It's true that a diet high in fat can lead to weight gain. But it takes more than just eating low-fat foods to lose weight. You must also watch how many calories you eat. Remember, extra calories even from fat-free and low-fat foods get stored in the body as body fat. Many times people replace high-fat foods for high-calorie foods, like sweets, and gain weight rather than lose weight.

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. You can achieve this goal by eating less fat and fewer calories, and exercising. Exercise burns calories. (Consult with your health care provider before starting an exercise or diet program.)

How much fat should I eat?

A low-fat style of eating is important for maintaining a healthy weight and preventing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends limiting total calories from fat to less than 30 percent. That's about 65 grams of fat or less a day if you eat 2,000 calories a day.

How can I know how much fat I am eating?

• Read nutrition labels on food packages. Nutrition labels show the number of grams of fat per serving. Compare this number to your ‘budgeted’ amount of fat for the day. Food labels They also show the daily percentage of fat provided in each serving. In other words, if the daily percentage of fat per serving is 18%, each serving provides 18% of the total fat you should eat for the day. Choose a brand that has a lower fat percentage. (The daily percentage value is based on a number of calories listed on the nutrition label, usually 2,000. Your calorie needs may be higher or lower.)
• Learn about the foods you eat. Fat and calorie listings for individual foods can be found in nutrition books at your local library and on food packages.

Source from my.clevelandclinic.org

Smart Food, Junk Food

Food for health and well-being is not a new idea. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans believed that certain foods were natural cure-alls. Poppy juice was used to kill pain, strawberry roots to treat mad-dog bites. Crocodile blood was recommended for failing eyesight. Here are some foods that are currently thought to be good for you.

Smart Food

• Banana =
  Contains potassium and helps to prevent ulcers



• Barley =
  Lowers cholesterol because it is high in the good fat (HDLs, high-density lipoproteins)



• Cheese = Fights cavities because it contains calcium



• Chili peppers = Good for bronchitis, colds, and sinusitis



• Cucumber = Breaks up cholesterol deposits



• Figs = Helps to stabilize blood sugar, which keeps energy levels high



• Fiber = It helps to rid your body of waste and also makes you feel full. Fiber is found in fruits and vegetables and whole-grain cereal. It is not digestible



• Horseradish = It's sharp and strong, but fights colds because the root contains an antibiotic and vitamin C

You may want these junk foods, but try to stay away !

Junk Food

• Cakes and cookies = Contain too much sugar and not enough vitamins and minerals



• Colas = Have lots of sugar and few nutrients; may contain caffeine, an addictive drug



• Ice cream = Has many nutrients but is full of sugar and fats
  


• Potato chips = Although made from potatoes, they are deep fried and contain lots of salt and fat



• Sugar-coated cereal = Half cereal and half sugar

Food Facts

Are french fries from France? Is chop suey Chinese? Here are some common but mistaken beliefs about food and eating.

French fries are not from France. They were first made in Belgium in 1876. The term “french” refers to the way of cutting the potatoes before cooking.

Chop suey was created in America by a Chinese cook who worked in a California mining camp in the 1800s. He stir-fried a variety of vegetables, called it tsa sui, Mandarin Chinese for “various things,” so people called it chop suey.

Almost everyone associates potatoes with Ireland. Although they are its main crop, the potato is a plant originally from Peru, and was brought to Europe by explorers

Cool off with ice cream? Wrong. Ice cream feels cool, but it is loaded with calories (units of heat) and actually makes your body warmer.

Source from factmonster.com

Chilli con Carne

Bahan:

• 2 sdm bubuk cabai
• 1 sdm jinten bubuk
• 2 sdt oregano
• 1 sdt thyme
• 1/2 sdt ketumbar bubuk
• 3-4 sdm air matang
• 4 lembar bacon sapi
• 1 sdt margarine
• 500 gram daging has dalam, potong kotak sedang
• 1 sdt garamt
• 1 bawang bombay ukuran sedang, iris halus
• 3 siung bawang putih, cincang
• 2 buah cabai jalapeño, buang bijinya, cincang
• 3 buah tomat, rebus, buang kulit
• 200 ml air matang
• 1 sdm air jeruk nipis
• 1 sdt gula
• 150 gram kacang merah, rebus hingga empuk
• 1 sdt maizena, larutkan dalam 1/2 cangkir air matang
• Keju parut dan irisan bawang bombay merah untuk pelengkap

Cara membuat:

1. Dalam mangkuk kecil campurlah bubuk cabai, jinten, oregano, thyme, dan ketumbar bubuk. Aduk dengan sedikit air sehingga campuran akan membentuk pasta. Sisihkan
2. Masak bacon dengan sedikit margarine hingga mengering. Angkat dan dinginkan. Jika sudah dingin potong kotak. Sisihkan
3. Masak daging di wajan tempat memasak bacon di atas api sedang. Taburi sedikit garam saat daging sedang dimasak. Masak hingga daging berubah warna. Sisihkan
4. Tumis bawang bombay hingga kecoklatan sekitar 5 menit. Masukkan bawang putih dan jalapeno, masak hingga layu sekitar 1 menit lagi. Masukkan campuran bumbu, aduk rata, masak sambil di aduk sekitar 2-3 menit lagi.
5. Masukkan ke dalam panci bertutup, daging, tumisan bumbu, bacon, tomat masak (hancurkan tomat dengan tangan saat memasukkannya ke dalam panci), air, air jeruk nipis, dan gula. Masak di atas api sedang hingga mendidih. Kecilkan api. Tutup panci dan masak di atas api kecil sekitar 30 menit atau sampai air meniris.
6. Tambahkan larutan maizena untuk mengentalkan, aduk rata. Tambahkan garam jika kurang. Penambahan garam, gula, dan jeruk nipis dapat disesuiakan dengan selera. Jika kurang pedas bisa juga ditambahkan cabai bubuk.
7. Sajikan panas dengan taburan keju parut dan irisan bawang bombay merah. Enak juga dinikmati bersama tortila chip atau nasi.

Porsi 4-6 orang

Selamat mencoba !!!

Minestrone

Resep Bahan Sup Minestrone

(Sup Sayuran) :
• 1 liter air kaldu daging sapi
• 1/2 buah bawang bombai, iris
• 3 sendok makan minyak zaitun
• 200 gram zucchini, iris
• 20 gram peterseli, iris halus
• 200 gram buncis
• 100 gram kacang polong
• 100 gram bayam, iris
• 100 gram kol putih, iris
• 100 gram wortel, potong dadu
• 100 ml saus tomat segar
• air secukupnya
• 200 gram kacang merah segar• garam secukupnya
• lada halus secukupnya
• 3 sendok makan keju parmesan, parut

Cara Membuat Sup Minestrone (Sup Sayuran) :
1. Tumis bawang bombai dengan minyak zaitun selama 3 menit, masukkan semua potongan sayuran dan saus tomat. Tuang air kaldu ke dalam tumisan sayur.
2. Rebus kacang merah hingga lunak. Blender setengah bagian kacang merah, masukkan ke dalam sup. Aduk.
3. Masukkan sisa kacang merah ke dalam sup, tambahkan garam dan lada. Masak sup selama 50 menit dengan api kecil hingga mendidih.
4. Sajikan sup selagi panas, taburkan sedikit keju parmesan.

Untuk 6 porsi

Tips : Kaldu daging dapat dibuat dari 1 kg tulang yang ada dagingnya dan 1 1/2 liter air dibubuhi garam. Masak hingga airnya menjadi satu liter.

Selamat mencoba Resep Sup Minestrone (Sup Sayuran)

What dreams are made of ost. The Lizzie McGuire Movie

By : Lizzie McGuire (Hillary Duff)

Have you ever seen such a beautiful night?
I could almost kiss the stars for shining so bright.

When I see you smiling I go Oh Oh Oh !
I would never want to miss this, its in my heart,
I know what this is.
Hey now Hey now! This is what dreams are made of.

Hey now Hey now! This is what dreams are made of.
Ive got somewhere I belong.
Ive got somebody to love.
This is what dreams.. are made of.

Have you ever wonder what life is about.
You could search the world and never figure it out.
You dont have to stare on the oceans.
No No No!

Happyness is no mistery as here and now, its you and me.
Hey now Hey now! This is what dreams are made of.
Hey now Hey now! This is what dreams are made of.
Ive got somewhere I belong.

Ive got somebody to love.
This is what dreams.. are made of.
Open your eyes.
(This is what dreams are made of)

Shout to the sky.
(This is what dreams are made of)
When I see you smiling I go Oh Oh Oh !
Yesterday my life was duller now everything is technicolor.

Hey now Hey now! This is what dreams are made of.
Hey now Hey now! This is what dreams are made of.
Ive got somewhere I belong.
Ive got somebody to love.

This is what dreams..dreams.. this is what dreams are made of.
Hey now Hey now!
Hey now..
This is what dreams..
Hey now Hey now!
This is what dreams ... what dreams are made of!

N.B : - Untuk melihat Video ini, klik tanda stop pada gadget musicdumper ( pojok kiri atas ) agar suara di video tidak terganggu dengan suara musik.
- Jika ada kesalahan pada lirik lagu, harap di komen
- Maaf, gambarnya pecah ! He..he..he :D

6 Permainan Terkenal di Dunia

1. Boule
(Perancis)

Permainan ini dimainkan oleh 2 orang atau 2 tim. Inti permainan ini adalah menggelindingkan boule (bola) dari posisi yang ditentukan ke sasaran yang disebut jack. Bola yang paling dekat dengan jack akan jadi pemenang. Bola yang digunakan bergaris tengah sekitar 8 cm dan berat antara 620-800 g. Lapangan yang digunakan biasanya adalah tanah berpasir.

2.Tabula
(Yunani)

Tabula dimainkan 2 orang, saling bergantian melempar dadu dan menggerakkan 15 pion. Yang paling cepat mencapai sisi seberang akan menjadi pemenang.

3. Charades
(Britania raya)

Dalam permainan ini para pemain dibagi menjadi 2 tim, yaitu tim tebakan dan tim jawaban. Saat bermain charades, tim tebakan seperti bermain pantomom. Misalnya saat memberi tebakan tentang sepakbola, tim tebakan memisah kata menjadi sepak dan bola. Ia membuat pantun tentang sepak atu bola. Lalu ia memperagakan 2 kata itu dengan gerak tubuhnya. Permainan ini terus dilakukan berulang-ulang. Setiap jawaban benar akan mendapat 1 poin.

4. Turkey's Checker
(Turki)

Permainan ini menggunakan papan yang mirip dengan papan catur. Papan terdiri dari 64 bujur sangkar dan biasanya berwarna merah hitam atau 2 warna berbeda yang menyolok. Setiap pemain mempunyai 16 pion yang berbeda warna. Setiap pion boleh bergerak maju, mundur atau ke samping sejauh 1 kotak. Pion akan termakan saat dilompati pion lawan. Jika ada jalur yang berurutan, pion dapat melompat lebih dari 1 pion. Permainan akan terus berlanjut hingga seluruh poin habis. Pemenang adalah yang paling banyak memakan pion musuh.

5. Chase the Ring
(Rusia)

Permainan ini hanya bisa dilakukan lebih dari tiga orang anak .permainan ini membutuhkan cincin mainan dan harus dimainkan ditanah lapang.setelah dilakukan undian akan didapat satu orang pemimpin.pemimpin bertugas memilih pemegang cincin berdiri berbaris dan menutup mata.lalu setelah pemimpin memilih satu orang ia akan memberikan cincin dan berteriak,
"Cincin,cincin,larilah dari kerumunan!"
Setelah itu pemegang cincin keluar dari barisan dan berlari.saat pemain lain berusaha menangkapnya pemimpin. Harus melindungi. Pemegang cincin dengan rentangan tangannya.
Bagi pemain yang dapat menangkap cincin maka ia akan menjadi pemimpin permainan selanjutnya.

6. Pesek
(Ceko)

Permainan ini bisa dilakukan empat sampai enam orang anak.semua anak duduk dan membuat lingkaran besar.Mereka berunding untuk memilih pesek. Semua orang kecuali pesek kemudian menutup matanya dengan kain hitam dan berdiri dengan tetap membentuk lingkaran bernyanyi ,"Pesek berjalan disekitar kita, jangan melihat dia, siapa yang melihat dia harus mengejar pesek".Saat lagu selesai,seseorang dalam lingkaran yang kejetuhan kata terakhir harus melepas kainnya dan mengejer pesek bersama satu orang yang ia tunjuk sebagai pembantu.jika ia dapat menangkap pesek maka ia akan menjadi pesek baru.

6 Raja terhebat dan termasyhur

1. Ashoka
(Raja ganas yang kesepian)Ashoka adalah kaisar India yang paling termasyhur. Ia di juluki ASHOKA THE GREAT, atau Ashoka yang Agung. Ia merupakan cucu dari Chandragupta Maurya dari kekaisaran Mauryan yang kekuasaanya melingkupi seantero Asia selatan. Ashoka berhasil menggantikan kedudukan ayahnya, Bindusara, sekitar tahun 265 SM. Nama Ashoka berasal dari bahasa sansekerta, yang berarti 'tanpa duka'.
Seorang penulis barat, H.G. Wells menulis tentang Ashoka, "Dalam sejarah dunia, ada ribuan raja dan kaisar yamg menyebut diri mereka sebagai 'Yang Agung', 'Yang Mulia' dan sebagainya. Mereka bersinar, namun kemudian cepat menghilang setelah eranya berakhir. Tetapi Ashoka tetap bersinar dan cemerlang seperti cemerlangnya sebuah bintang, bahkan sampai hari ini"
Setelah kematian Ashoka, Kekaisaran Mauryan perlahan-lahan surut, terpecah menjadi kekaisaran-kekaisaran yang lebih kecil.

2. William Normandy
(Penaklukan yang mengubah wajah Inggris)

William Normandy, atau William I, adalah Raja Inggris yang dijuluki "William sang Penakluk". Ia menguasai tanah Inggris, meski sebenarnya ia adalah Duke of Normandy (bangsawan dari Normandia).
Untuk mengklaim mahkota Inggris, William menyerang Inggris pada tahun 1066 dengan pasukan Normandia, Breton, Flemish, dan Perancis, yang dikenal dengan peristiwa Pertempuran Hastings. Penaklukan Inggris menjadi sejarah penting bagi negeri itu karena beberapa alasan. Di bawah kekuasaan bangsa Normandia, Inggris menjadi sebuah negara yang bersatu untuk pertama kalinya sejak perginya bangsa Romawi. Mereka berhasil pula menyatukan Wales dan Irlandia ke dalam wilayah Inggris. Inggris yang sebelumnya dikuasai oleh penguasa asli berubah menjadi monarki, kekuasaan berada di tangan bangsawan (aristokrat), undang-undang pengadilan dan penggunaan bahasa Prencis menggeser bahasa Inggris. Hal ini pada gilirannya membawa transfotmasi bagi bahasa dan budaya Inggris secara keseluruhan.

3. Sultan Saladin
(Sepak terjang sang pembebas)
Sultan Saladin dikenang sebagai raja, panglima perang yang brilian, sekaligus pemimpin umat. Ia juga dikenal amat toleran terhadap penganut kepercayaan lain. Banyak manuskrip yang mencatat "Saladin Sang Raja Mesir"(Saladin, king of Egypt) sebagai simbol kekuasaan Eropa. Namanya tidak bisah dilepaskan dari sejarah Perang Salib yang membawa kejayaan Islam, tanpa menindas kaum Kristiani.
Pertempuran terbesar yang pernah dilakukannya adalah pertempuran Hattin. Ketika itu, pasukan Muslim pimpinannya menyerbu Yerusalem. Nama Saladin harum seantero dunia hingga kini. Bukan hanya kalangan Muslim, kalangan non-Muslim juga sangat menghormatinya. Satu hal yang dicatat dalam buku-buku sejarah : ketika pasukan Salib membunuh semua Muslim yang ditemui saat mereka menaklukan Yerusalem, Saladin justru memberikan amnesti dan kebebasan bagi kaum Katolik Roma saat ia menaklukan Yerusalem.

4. Oda Nobunaga
(Sang pemersatu Jepang)
Jepang mengalami kekacauan di mana-mana pada periode Sengoku (pertengahan abad 15 hingga awal abad 17). Itulah masa ketika pergolakan sosial dan intrik politik menyebar di seantero Jepang. Jepang dikuasai oleh para DAIMYO, keluarga terhormat yang berpengaruh di suatu wilayah. Hal itu terus berlangsung hingga munculnya seorang pemuda dari Owari, Provinsi Akechi, Oda Nobunaga.
Nobunaga diingat oleh masyarakat Jepang sebagai salah satu tokoh paling brutal selama periode Sengoku. Tahun 1568, Nobunaga telah menaklukan tiga wilayah di Provinsi Aichi dan Shizuoka dalam pertempuran besar Okehazama dan menguasai Kyoto. Sejak kemenangannya ini, pengaruh Nobunaga semakin kuat. Ia mendapat dukungan yang banyak, namun seiring itu pula tak sedikit yang memusuhinya. Samurai dari Timur, Takeda Shingen dan Uesugi Kenshin menjadi tokoh yang memusuhinya. Namun, tahun 1573 Oda Nobunaga tak tertahankan untuk mempersatukan Jepang dengan menghancurkan pemerintahan Muromachi. Sayang, tak lama setelah itu, salah satu pengikutnya, Akechi Mutshuhide melakukan pengkhianatan dengan memaksa Nobunaga melakukan harakiri.

5. Hernan Cortes
(Demi petualang dan kejayaan)
14 tahun setelah Colombus menjejakkan kaki di Amerika, Spanyol datang dan dengan cepat membangun kerajaan di Amerika Selatang dan Tengah. Banyak alasan yang memicu kedatangan mereka, antara lain kekayaan dan petualangan. Mereka datang dan mengklaim tanah yang mereka injak sebagai milik raja mereka. Di antara mereka yang datang itu adalah Hernan Cortes. Dialah yang menjatuhkan Kekaisaran Aztek di bawah Moctezuma II danv membawa sebagian besar wilayah Meksiko kepada Raja Kastilia, sekitar awal abad 16.
Hernan Cortes memiliki pembawaan yang serampangan. Ia tamak dan ambisius. Ia juga sombong dan kejam. Namun pada sisi lain, ia berhasil berbaur dengan warga pribumi, yang menjadikannya berbeda dengan para CONQUISTADOR lainnya. Hal itu dibuktikan ketika betempur dengan Indian Tlaxcalan, yang setelah pertempuran justru mendukung tindakan Cortes.
Tindakan Cortes, jika memakai logika saat ini, tentu tak bisa dibenarkan. Namun untuk zamannya, apa yang dilakukannya semata untuk negara dan agamanya. Seperti yang telah banyak ditulis, negara-negara Eropa gencar mencari wilayah baru untuk memenuhi kebutuhan hidupnya akan rempah-rempah, terutama Spanyol dan Portugis. Di samping untuk kebutuhan itu, mereka pun sekaligus melaksanakan misi gereja. Dan tentu saja, petualangan.

6. Napoleon Bonaparte
(Dari Korsika ke Eropa)
Napoleon Bonaparte adalah seorang pemimpin militer dan politik Perancis pada Abad pertengahan (sekitar awal abad 18). Ia telah mengubah peta perpolitikan Eropa dan menjadi Kaisar Prancis yang menguasai nyaris seluruh daratan Eropa.
Di puncak kejayaannya, Napoleon Bonaparte menguasai hampir seluruh daratan Eropa, baik dengan jalan diplomasi maupun peperangan. Negara-negara yang dikuasainya antara lain adalah Belanda, Spanyol, dan Swedia. Bahkan saudara-saudaranya dijadikan raja disana. Juga sebagian besar wilayah Italia yang direbut dari Austria dan Polandia.
Sayang, di akhir karirnya Napoleon melakukan kesalahan fatal dengan menyerbu Rusia (1812). Perlahan kekuatannya surut, hingga akhirnya mengalami kekalahan di Waterloo, 1815. Napoleon membuat perubahan berarti yang hingga kejatuhannya masih lestari. Antara lain sistem kemiliteran dan hukum pemerintahan.

Sumber : My First Cartoonal EncyclopeBEE, Great People : The King and Conqueror, Pustaka Lebah

Fosil

Fosil adalah sisa makhluk hidup yang hidup beberapa juta tahun yang lalu dan mengeras seperti batu. Fosil bisa ditemukan dalam bentuk :

- Jejak kaki atau jejak melata makhluk hidup yang berubah menjadi batu.
Con : jejak kaki dinosaurus

- Bentuk makhluk hidupnya tetap sama, tapi semua bahan organiknya sudah diganti oleh mineral lain.
Con : fosil kayu yang membatu

- Tubuh makhluk hidup hancur, lalu digantikan dengan mineral.
Con : fosil kerang

- Bentuk tumbuhan yang tercetak di atas batu.
Con : fosil tumbuhan

- Bagian yang kosong akan diisi mineral, bagian yang lunak akan hancur oleh mineral, tapi bagian yang keras tidak akan rusak.
Con : tulang dinosaurus

Cara menyelidiki fosil

Kalau ditemukan di dalam batu di lembah gunung atau tebing pantai, bagian atas lapisan batuan tersebut juga perlu diselidiki. Ini karena batuan tersebut mengalami pergeseran hingga sampai ke bawah.

Fosil terbentuk dari penumpukan sisa jasad atau sarang makhluk hidup yng diawetkan di dalam tanah jutaan tahun lamanya. Berikut ini adalah proses terbentuknya fosil dinosaurus :

1. Setelah dinosaurus mati, tubuhnya tenggelam dalam danau, sungai, atau dasar laut.

2. Bagian yang lunak rusak, hanya tulang yang tersisa.

3. Di atasnya terjadi penumpukan batu.

4. Seiring berjalannya. Waktu, lumpur menjadi batuan keras, tulang berubah menjadi fosil.

5. Pelapukan oleh cuaca dan daya erosi memotong lapisan batuan keras dan perubahan kulit bumi memunculkan fosil.

* Tempat ditemukannya fosil tidak bisa disebut tempat matinya makhluk tersebut, karena air sungai dapat membawa jasad sampai ke tempat jauh.

Tidak semua makhluk hidup yang mati bisa menjadi fosil, karena sebagian makhluk hidup mati membusuk dan hilang.

Sejarah-sejarah fosil :

1. Mary Anning
(Ichthyosaurus)

Mary Anning, mempunyai seorang ayah yang kerjanya menjual fosil. Suatu hari, ayah Mary meninggal karena sakit. Mary bertekad untuk membantu kakaknya untuk mencari fosil. Di hari minggu, Mary dan Joseph, kakaknya bersama-sama mengumpulkan fosil. Suatu hari, Mary jatuh sakit karena terlalu giat bekerja. Selama Mary sakit, Joseph menggantikan menggali fosil. Suatu hari, Joseph menunjukan Mary kalau ia mendapat fosil besar. Setelah sembuh, Mary pergi ke tempat yang diberitahukan Joseph. Mary menemukan tulang yang besar. Akhirnya Mary minta bantuan orang lain untuk menggali. Mereka semua menyusun tulang tersebut. Setelah semua tulang disusun, panjangnya mencapai 3 meter. Mereka memanggil seorang paleontolog untuk meneliti fosil tersebut. Fosil tersebut adalah Ichthyosaurus, dinosaurus yang hidup di laut zaman Cretaceous, perioda Jurasik. Selain itu Mary menemukan fosil Plesiosaurus dan Pterodaktil.


Mary Anning dan Fosilnya







2. Roy Andrews
(Protoceratops)

Seorang anak muda yang baru lulus datang ke museum alam di Amerika untuk melamar kerja sebagai seorang pembersih fosil. Andrews bekerja merapikan fosil dan mendapat pengetahuan yang luas dari museum. Mempelajari geologi dari berbagai daerah mulai dari Utah sampai Arizona, dan lembah sangat besar di Grand Canyon. Andrews juga datang ke Korea menyelidiki gunung Baekdu untuk mencari fosil. Andrews berkelana ke berbagai daerah. Suatu hari, kapalnya karam karena badai. Andrews terdampar di pulau tak berpenghuno dan hidup hanya dengan memakan monyet. Suatu ketika, Andrews ditolong kapal penangkap ikan paus dan pergi ke laut. Pernah juga hampir mati tertindih ikan paus. Tahun 1920, Andrews menjadi ketua kelompok peneliti, dan pergi menyelusuri hamparan pasir di gurun Gobi. Mereka dihadang badai pasir. Terpaksa mereka menghindar ke bawah. Tim peneliti menyingkir ke lembah yang bernama Elemming Cliff smapai badai pasir itu lewat. Setelah badai pasir lewat, salah satu teman Andrews menemukan fosil dinosaurus yang belum pernah ditemukan. Mereka menemukan banyak tulang dinosaurus. Dinaosaurus itu Protoceratops. Protoceratops hidup sekitar 70 juta tahun lalu, panjang badannya 2,5 meter. Andrews juga orang pertama yang menemukan fosil telur dinosaurus.


Protoceratops




Selain ada fosil ada juga fosil hidup. Contohnya :

Hewan

-Buaya
-Nautilus
-Kepiting tapal kuda
-Capung
-Kecoa
-Iguana

Tumbuhan

-Shave grass
-Lumut payung
-Sago palm
-Ginko tree

Fosil tertua adalah fosil bakteri, ditemukan di Greenland barat. Berumur 3.700 juta tahun.

Umur fosil bisa diketahui dengan mengukur radioisotop lapisan bumi tempat fosil itu terkubur. Radioisotip adalah sebutan isotop elemen radioaktif.

Waktu paruh Radioisotop :

Lamanya waktu yang diperlukan oleh radioisotop sebuah unsur untuk luruh menjadi tinggal separuhnya disebut waktu paruh radioisotop tersebut. Setiap unsur memiliki waktu paruh yang berbeda. Di antara semua unsur radioaktif, karbon 14 sangat istimewa karena dimiliki oleh setiap makhluk hidup, dan akan mulai meluruh setelah makhluk itu mati. Karena itu, karbon 14 sangat penting dalam mengukur usia makhluk hidup organik.

Standar fosil :

Masa hidup pendek, penyebaran topografi luas dan banyak ditemukan berbagai macam batuan sediman. Lalu karena bentuknya yang khusus, mudah diketahuti dan dibedakan.

Zaman Precambrian - stromatolite, bakteri.

Zaman Paleozoic - trilobite, archeocyathids, ostracoderm, fusulina.

Zaman Mesozoic - ammonite, dinosaurus.

Zaman Cenozoic - nummulite, mammoth.

Fosil Feses :

Ditemukan di tempat sedimentasi, dapat ditemukan di tempat yang makhluk hidup tidah bisa hidup. Contoh :

Pakis - tinggal di rawa yang panas dan lembab

Koral - tinggal di laut dangkal dan panas.


Fossil Tanaman :

Pakis





Koral







Fossil Binatang :

Ammonite






Trilobite