Happy Birthday, Mr. Obama

Did You Know? Did you know that Barack Obama was a member of the Democrat Political Party? Did you know that Barack Obama likes to read Harry Potter? Did you know that he has a YouTube channel? Do know what his pet dog is called? Fun Fact 1: Barack Hussein Obama II was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4, 1961 Fun Fact 2: Barack Obama's father was a Kenyan, he left the family when Barack was two years old and died in a car crash in 1982. Barack Obama was raised by his mother Ann Dunham from Kansas; she died from cancer in 1995 and did not live to see her son become president

Fun Fact 3: Barack Obama had a good education, and was a skilful basketball player, because of this he was given the nickname "O' Bomber" at high school. Later he attended Columbia University in New York and then Harvard Fun Fact 4: When he was at Harvard he met his future wife Michelle LaVaughn Robinson. They married on October 18, 1992 and have two daughters named Malia Ann and Natasha Fun Fact 5: Barack Obama was 47 years when became the 44th president of America on January 20, 2009. He was the first African American to be elected president Fun Fact 6: Barack Obama's inauguration was the largest attended presidential ceremony. With an estimated crowd of nearly 2 million people it also established a record for the most attended event ever held in Washington D.C. Fun Fact 7: He was given a symbolic wooden carving of a hand holding an egg. It is a Kenyan symbol to remind the observer of the fragility of life; Barack Obama keeps his carving on the presidential desk in the White House Fun Fact 8: Bo is the Obama family dog, he is a black and white Portuguese Water Dog. Bo came to the White House when Barack fulfilled a promise he made to his daughter; he had promised her that they could have a dog if he was elected president Fun Fact 9: Barack Obama included his favourite candy at his inauguration, just as Ronald Reagan included his favourite Jelly Bellie Beans. Barack Obama's choose Salted Caramels for his guests, made by master chocolatier Fran Bigelow; these treats are considered to be outstanding and made by one of the finest chocolatiers in America Fun Fact 10: Michelle Obama once confirmed in an interview that Barack Obama had read all six Harry Potter books! Apparently he read them to his daughter, but we like the thought of him reading them at the presidential desk! Fun Fact 11: Barack Obama is certainly a 21st century president, and has a YouTube Channel since 2006. He is the first ever American president to upload his weekly address, and his channel has exceeded over 289 million views. We wonder what George Washington would think of that? Fun Fact 12: One of the first policy targets Barack Obama addressed was the reform of national health care, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed on March 23, 2010 Fun Fact 13: A key achievement during the presidency of Barack Obama was the ending of the war in Iraq. On May 1, 2011 it was announced that the leader of al Qaeda and the Taliban, Obama bin Laden, had been found and killed by US Special Forces Fun Fact 14: On November 6th, 2012 Barack Obama was elected to a second term as U.S. president, at his second inauguration he also became the second U.S. president to take oath of office four times. During the first oath in 2009, a mistake was made on the wording, so the oath was retaken in a ceremony the following day. Tradition states that inaugurations take place at Midday on Jan 20th, however, when Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term in 2013 that date was a Sunday, so he took oath on that day in a private ceremony, and again the following day at the Capitol. The other President who took oath four times was President Franklin Roosevelt Fun Fact 15: An inspirational quote from Barack Obama; "If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress"http://m.fun-facts.org.uk/american-presidents/barack-obama.htm

ЗНО 2017

http://osvita.ua/test/answers/55820/

Teacher Gives His Students 15 Tasks To Do For Summer As Homework. What A Remarkable Educator!

Summer time is the most awaited season for all students. It is their time to take a break from school, go to the beach, sleep in, and just be lazy. But of course, students also need to use this time to improve themselves, enrich what they know, and learn new things. All these and more may be on the mind of a teacher named Cesare Catà from Italy when he gave a unique homework to his students as they parted ways to welcome the summer months.

1. Go for a walk along the coast every morning on your own, look at the sunlight reflected on the water and think about what makes you happy.
2. Try to use the new words we learnt in class this year. The more things you can say, the more thoughts you’ll have. The more you think, the freer you’ll be.
3. Read as much as you can. Not because you have to, but because summertime is the inspiration for dreams and adventures, and reading is like flying. Reading is the best form of rebellion (for advice on what to read, come to me).
4. Avoid people, things, and situations which make you feel unhappy or empty. Search for inspiration and friends who enrich your life, understand you, and value you for who you are.
5. If you feel sad or afraid, don’t worry. Summer, just like every other wonderful thing in life, can lead the soul into confusion. Try keeping a diary and describe how you feel (if you want, we can read it together in September).
6. Dance, without feeling embarrassed. Do it anywhere and everywhere you can — on the dance floor or alone in your room at home. Summer is about dancing, and it’s foolish not to take part.
7. Watch the sunrise at least once. Stand silently and breathe deeply. Close your eyes, and be thankful.
8. Play a lot of sport.
9. If you’ve met someone who you really like, tell them, and do it in the most eloquent and sincere way you can. Don’t worry if they don’t understand. If nothing happens, then it’s not meant to be, and follow the instruction in point 8. If things go well, then you will spend summer 2015 together, and it will be glorious.
10. Reread your notes from our lessons. Compare all the things we read about with everything that’s happening in your life.
11. Be as happy as the sunshine, and as free and untameable as the sea.
12. Don’t swear. Be polite and kind.
13. Watch good films with heartbreaking scripts. If possible, watch them in English. That way you’ll both improve your language skills and develop your ability to dream and feel. Don’t let the film end with the final credits — recreate its plot in your own life, again and again, make it part of your summer experience.
14. Summer is magical. In the sparkling sunshine of the early morning and during the hot summer evenings, dream about what life should and could be. Make everything that happens depend on you — that way you will never give up on the path to your dreams.
15. Be good.https://www.elitereaders.com/summer-homework-cesare-cata/

The victory of Ukraine 🇺🇦

May 2017 is likely to go down in history as a landmark month in the epic odyssey of Ukraine’s post-Soviet European integration. In the past few weeks, Ukrainians have celebrated confirmation of visa-free EU access, while also hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in spectacular fashion.

Victory at Eurovision went to Portugal’s Salvador Sobral with his hauntingly beautiful song, “Amar Pelos Dois”. However, once the glitzy costumes are packed away and the dust has settled, we will likely come to recognize that the real winner of Eurovision 2017 was Ukraine itself. Ukrainians managed to introduce their country to thousands of international guests and hundreds of millions of TV viewers across the globe, creating an array of positive impressions that directly challenge prevailing negative stereotypes of war-torn and poverty-stricken Ukraine.

Kyiv has been in full festive mood for the first two weeks of May, with Eurovision-related fun throughout the city. The Ukrainian capital made a huge effort to impress Eurovision visitors, opening up numerous fan zones and laying on a small army of English-speaking guides. Police underwent special training and transport hubs received makeovers, while clubs and bars bent over backwards to offer a warm welcome. Meanwhile, the show itself was a technical triumph complete with brilliant branding, stunning stage and professional presentation.

There were inevitably hiccups along the way – the contest’s “Celebrating Diversity” slogan was not reflected in the choice of three male hosts, while the failure to complete the Arch of Diversity in downtown Kyiv due to far-right objections also led many to see the unfinished arch as a metaphor for Ukraine’s incomplete embrace of European values. Nevertheless, Ukraine’s overall handling of the country’s Eurovision 2017 host duties was engaging and impressive in equal measure.  

There is considerable evidence that these efforts have paid off handsomely. Since the start of May, the international media has been awash with positive tourism articles hailing Kyiv as an undiscovered gem. Guests to the city have been equally generous in their praise, with specific mentions going to the beauty of Kyiv, the friendliness of Ukrainians, and the excellent value for money on offer in the Ukrainian capital. UK journalist Heidi Stephens captured this general enthusiasm for Kyiv during her popular Eurovision live blog for The Guardian newspaper, writing, “If you’ve never been to Kiev, you really should. It’s a beautiful and friendly city, the food is magnificent and everything is ridiculously cheap. I’ve had a ball here for the last few days, the organisation has been brilliant. Going to Eurovision is an experience in itself, but doing it in a city I’ve never been to before makes it really special - I highly recommend.”

The success of the Eurovision Song Contest in Ukraine was by no means a foregone conclusion. Hosting Eurovision is a complex and expensive undertaking that presented considerable challenges for a notoriously cash-strapped country also currently defending itself against a Russian hybrid war in its eastern borderlands. For months prior to the song contest, rumors continued to swirl regarding Kyiv’s lack of preparations and Ukraine’s inability to finance the event.

Russia also tried to spoil Ukraine’s Eurovision party by selecting a Crimea-tainted singer to represent the country. The Kremlin chose Yulia Samoylova safe in the knowledge that she would be unable to perform in Kyiv, having earlier violated Ukraine’s border laws by illegally entering the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula. This stunt generated considerable negative publicity but ultimately failed to derail Ukraine’s preparations. It may even have played a part in the success of the song contest in Ukraine, removing an awkward political element from the agenda and allowing organisers to focus on putting together a spectacular show.    

Ukraine’s successful stint as Eurovision host nation is an important soft power victory for the country that will resonate far beyond the narrow confines of the song contest itself. It will help Ukraine to build a more positive international image after spending decades in the shadows and the past few years depicted in one-dimensional terms as a warzone. Crucially, it will also serve to counter Russian efforts to denigrate Ukraine on the international stage. Having failed to convince global audiences that neo-Nazis have seized power in Ukraine, Kremlin tactics have since moved on, with Moscow now preferring to portray the country as a failed state. Gushing coverage of Kyiv’s citywide Eurovision extravaganza will go a long way to dispelling such myths, while also positioning the Ukrainian capital as an appealing European destination for both tourism and business.

This image boost could have very real consequences for the country’s economy. In the struggle to attract international investment, perceptions play a hugely important role. The success of Eurovision will not change negative perceptions of Ukraine overnight, but it will raise the country’s profile and encourage many more people to investigate what it has to offer. This is what hosting international events is all about. Ukraine can now take significant satisfaction from seizing what was a rare opportunity to sell itself to global audiences.http://bunews.com.ua/lifestyle/item/ukraine-wins-eurovision-spectacular-song-contest-in-kyiv-proves-a-soft-power-triumph

Qualities of the best hotels and accommodations

http://travelkd.com/2014/01/all-good-qualities-of-best-accommodation-for-travelling.htmlQualities 

Top 10 Qualities to have in Your Dream Job

1 Unlimited passion in doing your work - Life without passion is said to be fatal. So instead of whining about life, work, situations or any particular person, do jobs that makes you happy and moreover you enjoy doing it keeping the economics intact.

2 Aligns with your monetary goals - Lets talk money but before you take up a job, be clear what is that you want really in life. Money, Time, Health, Family, Fame etc etc. etc..  Desires go on and on but we are never fulfilled. So settle with a job that can bring all of it to equilibrium. Remember the rule of sacrifice to get something in return.

3 Let you have great life after job - One and the only fine distinction between a good and bad job is you don’t need to figure out the former. You love going to back to office and meet up the people there whereas for the latter you’ll have list of excuses to avoid talking about it. First love your job and then your company.

4 Doesn’t limit your horizon - A job which entails you to path of self-learning and exploration will help you in leading a purposeful career. Cultivate more skills, attributes and knowledge that can pay you rich dividends in long run.

5 Adds to your values and core - Do not let any company define your abilities or potential because you’ll never be able to know them until it is put to test or in use. Be prepared to learn and unlearn the craft and believe on your instincts when it comes to taking risks or changing jobs.

6 Consistently hone your skills - As long as you are living you are learning, if not you’re not worth living. Sounds too harsh, I agree but the literal meaning has a profound impact that hits our core psychology to go beyond scopes and situations and produce something which is useful. Use this in your job context and never be afraid to fail.

7 Grow you both as a Person and Worker - From all the points stated above, it is very clear that we all need to work for a good amount of time in our lives. For a few a working life is the only option. Have some goals or vision in your life that aligns with your job or company. The more it coincides the happier you would be.

8 Recognition and high acceptance rate - Now what keeps us going on our jobs, it’s definitely Recognition and our acceptance rate. This goes for everyone; work where you are celebrated not tolerated. And there is nothing like it when your hard work is acknowledged and rewarded. If your story doesn’t matches with what I said above then it’s time to look for a new job.

9 Your work ultimately benefits someone in the end- Very aptly said by all successful people so far; Give something back to the society. In your case it can be your end customers, clients or even your company who pays you. It’s a 2 way street for sure. Benefit them with your services and get yourself paid handsomely. 

10 Peace and Satisfaction rarely found in jobs today- Lastly what brings human mind to rest and calm; Peace and Satisfaction. If your work contributes to this anyhow, you are blessed to have this job; you must embrace it as you are very few amongst who can do what they wish.http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/top-10-qualities-to-have-in-your-dream-job

Teens' Problems

The most common problems that teenagers face today include:

Self-Esteem and Body Image

Stress

Bullying

Depression

Cyber Addiction

Drinking and Smoking

Teen Pregnancy

Underage Sex

Child Abuse

Peer-Pressure and Competition

Eating Disorders

Youth is a very important period in the life of man. This is the time when a person discovers the world and tries to determine the place in the universe. Young people face lots of problems which are very important for them and do not differ much from those that once their parents had to deal with. At the same time every generation is unique. It differs from the one that preceded it in its experience, ideals and a system of values.

The adults always say that the young are not what they were. These words are repeated from generation to generation. To some extent they are true, because every new generation grows up quicker, enjoys more freedom. It is better educated and benefits from the results of the technological progress of the time.

Young people of today do not directly accept the standards of their parents who believe that they are right because they are older. The adults don't want their values to be questioned. The young on the other hand can not accept the values of their "fathers". All these differences generate a generation gap when the young and adult do not understand one another. As a rule the adults, dissatisfied with their own lives, teach the young how to live. Unfortunately, the adults apply old standards to the new way of life. They can not leave behind their "good old days". This burden is very heavy. They think that the world is going down hill. They gloomily look ahead unable to understand the optimism of their children who want to pave their own way in life. The majority of the young people do not want to live in the past. They have their own ideals. They want to make their own mistakes rather than to listen to the warnings of the adults and repeat the mistakes of the older generation. They want to overcome their own difficulties without looking back. However, the life of the young is frequently determined by the adults. I think that parents will never understand their children. And children, in their turn, shock their parents with their dress, language, behaviour. The existence of sub-culture which is specific for every generation is a form of protest of the young people against the values of the adults. Thus, informal groups such as Hippies, Rockers, Bikers, Skinheads, Punks, Goths, Acid House appeared as a kind of protest against the values and lifestyles of the older people.

Traditionally, young people were looking at their elders for guidance. Today the situation is different. Sometimes the young people share information and experience with their parents. I think that it is not bad, especially when the adults really try to understand what is going on in the lives of their children. Moreover, young people grow up so quickly that they almost do not have time to enjoy their childhood.

Another problem that young people face today concerns their relationship with their friends. As far as friendship is concerned, I think that a person can and should have a lot of friends. Не/she can be on good terms with the classmates. But at the same time there can be only two or three real friends. I believe that real friends will never betray each other. They will always understand and help each other. I agree that tolerance is the pledge of friendship. It is wonderful if a school friend will remain your friend for the rest of your life. But in this case everything depends on the person.

The problem of love is very important for young people. Today they fall in love when they reach the age of Romeo and Juliet. Romanticism and idealism very often accompany the love of the young. They can love deeply and passionately, they believe that their love will last forever. Unfortunately, often their hearts are broken. Young people are not always ready to have stable relations. In many cases they are too young and inexperienced to begin a family life. They have to continue their education, while family obligations will force them to make money. At the same time without good education it is not easy to find a good job.

Communication has always been an important part of young people's lives. Today they can choose between traditional and new ways of communication. Traditionally the young meet after classes with their school friends, make parties, go to the movies or disco clubs to have fun, relax and acquire new friends. But if the young people do not like noisy clubs and other places of entertainment, they can find friends without leaving their homes - the Internet gives such an opportunity. Although this international Web Wide Web is intended for getting knowledge, only few users employ it in this way. Others use different computer programmes to chat with their friends from all over the globe. They can sit for twenty four hours staring at the monitors. Such young people do not eat, sleep, work or learn properly. Their parents think that they are doing nothing, but this is not absolutely correct. They only thing many young people are interested in is navigating through the net and checking their e-mail boxes. And it is a great problem of the present and future. In general all the problems of the youth are linked with the present rather then with the past or future.

- Do your parents like music?

- Yes, they do. They like both classic and popular music. But my tastes differ from the preference of my parents. They prefer the music of their youth performed by Joe Cocker, the "Beatles" or something of that kind. They do not like chaos, rap or tech, which my generation chooses.

- Do you often quarrel with your parents?

- No, I prefer to settle all our problems peacefully. Sometimes the best tactics is not to contradict the parents while doing what I think is important. It is not always necessary that parents should know that I disagree with them. But very often my friends are unable to follow this pattern, especially those who hate compromises and do not like to make concessions to their parents.

- Do you think that a generation gap can be bridged?

- I doubt that a generation gap can ever be bridged. But I think that some concessions on both sides are possible. Sometimes older generations are important for young people because they can share their experience however irrelevant it may seem to the young. Parents are also providing their children with pocket money. That is why the young should not be too impatient when older people teach them what to do, what to wear or how to think. Tolerance is the only way to bridge the gap of the generations.

- Do you think that people can live without problems?

- Problem is the result of the activity of human mind. Only a simpleton can have no problems and be happy with everything. Nothing will come of nothing. Problems are inevitable when people do something. I think that without problems our life will be very boring. Moreover, when people start to cope with different problems they become stronger and more experienced. They harden like steel while overcoming problems. I do not think that life without problems will be better.http://www.ranez.ru/article/id/484/