CT Scan Machine

This is the type of X-ray machine used by Brent Seales, mentioned in the article "Reading Buried History". Normally, it is used to examine human beings, but he's using it to try and read ancient scrolls that were buried when Mt. Vesuvius erupted.

I had a CT exam a few months ago. I had to lay down on the "bed", and they elevated it, then slid the bed into the hole of the "doughnut". It wasn't bad, only seven or eight minutes. Much less stressful than an MRI exam (which I also had, and lasted an hour---ugh!).

2009 Deaflympics Taipei 2009年臺北聽障奧林匹克運動會 (Text below)

2009 Deaflympics Taipei

Teacher Bill here in Taipei. This is the 2009 Deaflympics, and we have track and field events, here. There’s the men, men’s Decathlon going on, also the ladies Javelin toss, and we’ve got the men’s Triple Jump. So, we’ll take a look around and see what’s happening with these events.
The brand new Taipei Stadium, and they just finished this, maybe 8 months ago. And, uh, seats about 35,000 people, at this stadium. It’s actually very nice—well laid-out stadium. Here for the Deaflympics they have it decorated in kind of an Aboriginal motif to welcome all of the Deaflympians here to Taiwan. And, uh, we’ve got the Javelin toss—it’s actually part of, the uh,--uh, I think that’s women’s Javelin toss going on down there.
And we’ve got the high jump happening down at that end—which is actually part of the men’s Decathlon. Oh!—we haven’t seen many successful jumps.
That’s actually the, uh, Olympic flame—the Deaflympic flame up there. It’s been burning up top of the tower. That’s a big drum right below that—they used that drum during the Opening Ceremonies. I’m sure they’ll use it for the Closing Ceremonies, for some music performances.
A high jump—Ohhhh! Not quite high enough.
Another good toss on the javelin.
He’s from the USA? Here’s somebody from the United States. Ohhhh! Too much gravity.
Okay, I think the Italian will be attempting the high jump. Oh, yes! Successful.
Alright, the Javelin throw—Javelin toss, make that.
Alright, the flag from China raised for the Gold. Looks like the Korean flag for Bronze. I don’t know what flag that is—the green and white, for the Silver.
Alright, the Triple Jump.
Oooh—good toss.
Ah, this is the beginning of the final event in the men’s Decathlon. The fifteen hundred, 1,500 meter race. So, I don’t know who is leading the competition—they’ve already had nine events in the Decathlon, which is the ultimate competition in the Olympics. And, um, this is going to determine the winner. Very exciting time here tonight. We’ll check back with these guys later, see how they do.
Okay, that was a Triple Jump attempt.
The guys are over there running the fifteen hundred meters.
I, there’s some High Jump going on, and there’s Javelin tosses. So, stuff going on all over the place here.
These guys have to pace themselves, don’t use up all their energy too soon.
Yeah, wow, it’s the end of the 1,500 race. Wow, that guy had a big kick at the end. Wow! What a finish.
Okay, this guy’s going for a new world record—Deaflympics record, 2.13. Ohhh!
Ah, good toss.
Okay, this is the women’s 800 meter final. They’ll go around 2 times. Okay, here they come, uh, second and final lap. There’s a guy triple-jumping, there.
800 meters women’s final. They run faster than I do.
The men’s 800 meter semifinal. We’ve got, uh, runners from Venezuela, Kenya, Greece, U.S., Spain, Russia, Russia, and Kenya. Okay.
He’s giving a report for a station, TV station—uh, sounds like Spain, or somewhere in South America.
So, it’s time for the men’s 800 semifinals.
Ah, he is actually from Columbia. So, he’ll be filing a report back to his TV station, back in Columbia.
Now, back the action—final lap of the men’s 800 meter semifinal. Oh, yeah, I use to run like that—use to.
Wow, very exciting, what an ending! Man it’s going down to the wire. Wow! What a finish. I don’t know. We’re gonna have to go to the replay. They don’t even know—the runners aren’t even sure who won.
Look at that! Four guys. Four guys right at the finish line.
Who won? I don’t know, how do you pick a winner? Four guys, that’s amazing.
They don’t even know, the runners don’t even know, the judges don’t even know. They’re gonna do it with paper-scissors-stone—that’s how they’re going to determine the winner.
Here’s the finish, of that exciting men’s 800 meter semifinal race. A four-way heat, right down at the wire. A four-way heat. Amazing!
Okay, this is the second semifinal of the men’s 800 meters race. I don’t know, we’ll see if we have, we’ll see if we have four guys finish in a tie, again.
Got the Nigerian—he’s taking off.
Okay, second and final lap in the 800 meters, and the pace-setter from Nigeria seems to be fading.
Alright, there’s the finish, the second semifinal. Oh my gosh, another guy fell—we had three guys fall in that race. I think they just, uh, fatigued—too much fatigue.

TV's Everywhere (full text below)

TV's Everywhere

I'll have the text soon for this video!

Mega Computers - In case you missed this video on our website in Feb., here it is!

Mega Computers - Math Software - Feb. News

Boss: Johnson! Johnson! Come in here!
Johnson: Yes sir, Mr. Schmedley, how may I help you?
Boss: I thought there was one more chocolate doughnut in here. I wonder where it went to. Hmmm. Well, anyway Johnson, I was just reading this month’s Advanced Magazine’s Newsworthy Clips, and it got me to thinking.
Johnson: Yes sir, you’re always thinking.
Boss: Well, that’s how I come up with all of my brilliant ideas. See, this news clip about Math Disguised as a Video game. Johnson, we need to increase our sales to kids. Mega Computers is the leader in P.C. s for business, but we’re just not selling enough computers to kids.
Johnson: How do you propose that we do that, sir?
Boss: Math, Johnson, math!
Johnson: Math? But math is boring, Mr. Schmedley. Kids don’t want math, they want games.
Boss: You, Johnson, are my software genius. You can make math engaging! You like math, don’t you?
Johnson: I love math, sir. I really like multiplication and division. And square roots, and . . .
Boss: See! Now what I want you to do is design a game for our computers, and sneak into the software all sorts of math exercises. Make it so they don’t even know they’re doing math.
Johnson: I see—make it a game, but have them do math as a way of getting good scores.
Boss: That’s right, Johnson. Be creative—make it kind of an adventure, something like a scavenger hunt. Kids love hunting for things and solving problems.
Johnson: How difficult should I make it, sir.
Boss: Not too difficult, Johnson—I need to be able to play it, you know, test it out. If it’s good, we can give away some free computers to the local schools.
Johnson: So we can be educational philanthropists, and help the students.
Boss: Exactly, Johnson. That way, Mega Computers looks good, and we can sell more!
Johnson: You’re a genius, boss!
Boss: I know Johnson—that’s why I’m the boss around here. Now, before you start work on that new math computer, go and get me a chocolate doughnut, and some of that Moonbucks coffee.
Johnson: Yes sir!
Boss: And get a chocolate doughnut for yourself, too, Johnson.
Johnson: Oh, I already had one sir.

Key Words

engaging-adj-something that is interesting, to be involved in.

sneak-v-secretly put something in, or to move without being noticed.

scavenger hunt-n.phr-a game where you must find items, follow directions, in a limited time.

philanthropist-n-a generous person, one who gives money or gifts to those in need.

A Ten-Year Decision (text below, MP3 at www.teacherbill.com)

A Ten-Year Decision

Okay, there is the neighborhood dog—Xiao Hei. He has been, uh, she has actually been adopted by the , uh, foot massage place, right here. So, at least they’re taking care of this dog.
Xiao Hei’s actually very lucky, because most street dogs here in Taipei, uh, don’t get taken care of by anybody.
Oh, yeah, you’re beautiful, beautiful, yeah.
Now, Xiao Hei is three years old, and I think, about uh, maybe 60 kilograms. So, this is a fat dog.
Go ahead. This is a fat dog, so, and eh, she should not be this fat. So, three years old, 60 kilograms, right.
So, the problem is, people don’t take care of their dogs, properly. I’ll come back to you in just a moment.
Hey! Xiao Hei almost got run over.
Come here, Xiao Hei!
Xiao Hei, you want a hamburger, right?
There’s a couple problems, what happens with dogs here in Taipei, and many other places, is that, um, people just, they don’t understand the decision to buy a dog. It is a ten-year decision. Let me repeat that, buying a dog is a ten-year decision. And too many people go watch a movie, and they see a dog like, uh, the Labrador in “Marley and Me”, or maybe the Husky in “Eight Below”, and, uh, they just don’t understand they’re not ready for that decision.
This is like inviting another person to live into your home
And then they bring these big dogs home, and live in these tiny apartments. A big dog needs a lot of room, and, uh, needs a lot of exercise, needs a lot of space.
And then what happens is also the dogs, uh, er, the people actually, they become bored after one year. Their children become disinterested—the children promised to take care of the puppy FOREVER—and of course, that never happens.
But, um, what we need to do is think about a decision to buy a dog. Don’t just go watch a movie and buy a dog because you think they’re cute.
And don’t just go and buy a dog in the market place because you see a puppy. This is a ten-year decision; why would you only take five minutes, or even an hour-and-a-half and consider that decision.
So—and then what happens is people just end up getting rid of the dogs, and, uh, they put them out on the street—like Xiao Hei here. Three years old.
We also need to feed the dogs properly. Don’t be giving them chocolate or fried chicken—they need dry dog food.
So, I hope I don’t see too many more dogs like Xiao Hei, here.
Alright everybody, take care.

Key Words

Adopted-v-taken in taken care of by a different family, person or group of people.
Properly-adv-to do something in the right way.
Disinterested-adj-not interested anymore, not caring about something.

What is Soup Ball?

Chinese New Year Office Cleaning (full text below)

Chinese New Year Office Cleaning (MP3 at www.teacherbill.com)

Okay, I’m here with our pre-Chinese New Year cleaning, and this is a tradition here in Chinese culture, to clean before the new year, once a year. We actually have a cleaning contest to see which floor can do the best job cleaning.
I really think it’s kind of a neat thing to have, an organizational cleaning in the office. Because what happens is, usually in America, there’s no such organized cleaning, and then things just pile up, and they just, they start to look unprofessional, and it looks real sloppy around an office.
So, but uh, this is good not only for the organization, but also personally, because we accumulate things that we don’t need. Think about your desk—you’ve got stuff there for two, three, four years that you’ve never even looked at—you don’t even need. It’s time to get rid of them.
Go through your stuff now, and look at it. If there’s anything you haven’t even used in six months, you might want to think about throwing it out.
And, uh—I’ll tell you about accumulating things. Alex, you can show them some of the cleaning here, and see all the work that’s being done—right.
So, anyways I want to show you something. There’s an office in Scott Township where my father used to work. What they do—they don’t throw anything out—they actually have started to put garbage bags over chairs. (Come on Mabel.) And they actually use the garbage bags as, like a filing system. And their whole—they’ve got this big room full of these garbage bags. Of course, the tables are all piled up with things. And, uh, it’s really embarrassing; one, it’s embarrassing, it doesn’t look professional; two, I don’t know how they find anything, in this atmosphere.
So, don’t let your office get to this point. Have an organized cleaning once a year. We do it here in Asia, so do it back there in America.
Goodbye!

Key Words
Organizational-n-relating to the entire organization, involving everyone.
Pile up-v-to become more and more, not organized, unmaneagable.
Sloppy-adj-messy, not organized, untidy.
Accumulate-v-to gather things, collect many items.
Get rid of-v.phr-to discard, throw away.
Filing system-n-a way of keeping things in order.
Embarrassing-adj-shame, feeling of not being very good.
Atmosphere-n-the surroundings of a place, the environment.