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On a similar note, the iconic “Bird’s Nest” arena will host the opening and closing ceremonies in 2022. Additionally, the volleyball and basketball venues from 2008 will host hockey games in three years.
The Winter Olympics last year were hosted in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The 2018 winter games famously featured several rare public appearances by North Korean officials in South Korea.
Next year, the Summer Olympics will travel to Tokyo. It will be the fourth time the games have been held in Japan, and the first Summer Olympics in the country in more than 50 years.
The 2022 games will be the third consecutive Olympic competition in southeast Asia, and possibly the last for some time. In 2024, the Summer Olympics will travel all the way to Paris.
Some have criticized the decision to hold a Winter Olympics in Beijing for a simple reason: It does not snow much there. In fact, the region only averages a week of precipitation each winter and is usually above freezing in February.
The host city will have to resort to artificial snow, similar to what Russia did when the winter games were held in Sochi in 2014. That could add onto the already significant cost of hosting the Olympics, even in a city that has already done it before.
There were concerns about Beijing’s viability as a host city in the 2008 summer games, as well. Beijing has dealt with serious air pollution in the past, which was a major story in that year’s Olympics.
Want to know the forecast AND dress like Barack Obama? There's a site for that.
Obama-Weather.com can give you a daily forecast for numerous cities around the world, just like a lot of other weather sites. But here's the catch: it can also show you how the president would dress for the conditions.
OK, so this obviously isn't a game-changing Web site. But if you're looking to kill a few minutes of time today, it's worth a look. Try putting him in Alaska so you can see how he'd dress while looking at Russia from Sarah Palin's house. Or put him back home in Nairobi ... err, Honolulu. Good times!
Oh, and while you're on the site, you can also see what the wardrobes of Angelina Jolie, House and Bender would look like on a crisp fall day. Cartoon Brangelina in Miami? That's hot.
Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and actors Colin Firth and Michael Fassbender are among an array of British artists who have come together to save lives by raising awareness and money for the Malta-based search and rescue Migrant Offshore Aid Station (Moas).
Foxes, Jon Ronson, Miranda Hart and Nick Frost are among the artists.
Using the hashtag #savelivesnow celebrities are reaching out to their fans and followers on social media urging them to donate to Moas.
Many of them are even challenging their fans to raise enough funds to keep MOAS at sea for a day: €7,300. The artists have then pledged to match that donation. More celebrities will be launching campaigns of their own over the coming days and weeks.
The campaign, Artists for Moas - Save Lives Now, is being coordinated by fundraising expert Holly Allen and journalist Charlie Gilmour, using the platform GivenGain.com, as a response to the increasing number of tragedies at sea.
Oscar-winner Firth personally visited the Moas offices in Sliema last Wednesday to offer his support.
Moas has saved more than 11,000 men, women and children in the Mediterranean since launching its maritime operations in August 2014.
NASHUA – For years, the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce has recognized local businesses with their Best of Souhegan Valley Region Awards, and are currently calling upon the public and area businesses to vote on award categories.
SVCC Executive Director Wendy Hunt said the survey will be available on the Chamber’s Website for a month, to allow prospective voters time to make their choices in each of the categories. Roughly 350 voters participated last year, Hunt said, adding that business owners “really look forward” to the annual event.
It seems businesses get more and more competitive each year, and many get involved in doing their own campaigning to secure a “best of” award.
The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LYKTVY5. Those interested can check in ahead of the voting process to give voters, and local businesses, a chance to help shape this year’s ballot.
Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206 or aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.
How Far is Sais Harmony?
Sais Harmony is one of the popular residential developments in Erragadda, neighborhood of Hyderabad. It is among the completed projects of its Builder. It has lavish yet thoughtfully designed residences.
The country’s second-largest IT services firm Infosys on Saturday announced the launch of ‘InfyTQ’, a digital platform to offer learning and engagement experiences to engineering students in the country.
“With InfyTQ, students will benefit from the always-on, anytime, anywhere learning, catered through a continuous transfer of digital skills and expertise from the Infosys innovation ecosystem.
The platform will also assist students to stay connected with the organisation, keep up with the latest happenings, and familiarise themselves with Infosys’ culture and value system,” it said.
The learning courses will be centered around conceptual and practical aspects of technology. This includes extensive hands-on learning to aid application of concepts in the real world.
The state could cover $500,000 of the city's costs this year to install a chemical treatment system at the city's Water Treatment Facility.
The state could cover some of the costs to clean up chemicals from Stuart's water supply.
Rep.Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City, filed an appropriation request in the House Thursday that would cover $500,000 of the city's costs this year to install a perfluorinated chemical treatment system at the city's Water Treatment Facility to remove chemicals once used in fire-extinguishing foam.
The chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS, were found in the city's water supply in 2015, city spokesman Ben Hogarth told TCPalm earlier this week. The city closed and replaced three of its 24 wells that were contaminating the water supply.
The city’s water PFC contamination has remained below federal guidelines of 70 parts per trillion since 2016.
Firefighters nationwide used to train using extinguishing foam that contained PFCs, but the foam's formula was changed in 2002. In 2015, it was classified as a contaminant.
The city believes firefighting foam used by the city during training exercises affected the water.
Increased exposure to the contaminants can cause cancer, liver damage, low birth weight and a weakened immune system.
PFOS has been found in other Florida communities, including Satellite Beach near Patrick Air Force Base and Marion County near the Florida State Fire College.
Overdorf applauded the city, and said more communities should take a proactive approach to identifying and treating contaminated water.
"I hope they can set an example for the rest of the state," Overdorf said.
The project is expected to cost $2.1 million this year.
The project comes after the city filed a federal lawsuit in October against several manufacturers of the foam previously used by fire personnel.
There are many, many Hindus who don’t feel defensive about the holidays of other religions and happily join in celebrations for any festival. It is often said that Indians love to celebrate and will participate in any holiday that’s available!
It strikes me that you must be really secure and confident in your religion to be able to embrace and enjoy the holidays of other religions. I strive to be that way.
For me it’s hit or miss. Each year around Christmas is different for me. Some years I’m happy for the people whose holiday it is and wish them well, enjoying the spirit of joy. Other years I feel defensive and frustrated that Christmas is such a big deal, known and understood by everyone in America, while my holidays g...
It may be easier in India where our holidays are firmly established? Maybe then celebrating a minority religion’s holiday like Christmas wouldn’t feel like giving in to the Borg who want to assimilate us all. Maybe.
Last year was a rough one for me for some reason. This year I’m feeling a lot more at peace.
My mother-in-law asked me recently if we were going to celebrate Christmas. Even though she knew from the start that I’m Hindu, I think it was the first time she realized I might not do Christmas. For her it isn’t religious, it’s social. My husband was raised not religious and Christmas was a time for spending time wit...
I’ve been reluctant to bring Christmas traditions into our home. Brad would like to do a tree. I have a very difficult relationship with Christianity and I feel pretty uncomfortable about bringing a Christian ritual into my home. So maybe we’ll just re-frame a tree decorating as a solstice/pagan type thing. That I woul...
On the other hand, it bothers the very religious Christians that Christmas has become pretty secular and more about family time and family rituals than about Jesus, so maybe me doing a very non-religious Christmas will be a way of fighting back too.
This is a five day holiday starting on December 21 through December 25th and each day celebrates a different aspect of Ganesha.
Because Ganesha is connected to the forest you can decorate with pine boughs or durva grass. It is also fine to add tinsel, blinking lights, and hanging ornaments to this shrine!
Each day the Ganesha is dressed (preferably by the children of the household) in clothes that match the color of that day. Each morning a tray is prepared to offer puja to Ganesha with sweets, fruits, and incense. Each day wrapped gifts are added around Ganesha’s feet and all the gifts will be opened on the final day. ...
December 21st: Yellow. On this day the family gathers and resolves any tensions or conflicts. They spend time expressing the things they most love about one another. Forgiveness is the theme of the day.
December 22nd: Blue. On this day it is time to seek forgiveness and make amends with any friends, relatives, or neighbors we may have upset. Clearing up misunderstandings is the theme of the day.
December 23rd: Red. On this day the family clears up any debts and spreads goodwill among coworkers, merchants, and the general public. It is a time to honor and thank employees and employers.
December 24th: Green. This is a day for the arts. Family gathers to sing songs, play instruments, dance, and cultivate creativity. Ways to bring more art into everyday life are discussed.
6:00 PM This is the grand finale of the holiday. After this puja, all the gathered gifts are opened and then it is time to feast!
This is so subversive I just have to laugh. I love it!
There is a concern that celebrating Christmas would be confusing for American Hindu children, but as much as I do worry about that I have to admit that I grew up celebrating Christmas and it certainly didn’t make me into a Christian!
Gah!! I forgot to reply in another post of yours, in which someone has an issue about cultural appropriation. I think that what is going on is that to me, Christianity is “not very me,” and lots of other people are feeling it, too, and they are feeling their way along, trying to find their way out of religious darkness...
We were once “not-Christian,” Pagan, folk, otherwise country, nature-oriented, just like the Native Americans, but in our own European way. We had our own way of being in the midst of nature, and we lost that much earlier than the Native Americans did, who in turn have lost that for the most part, and then Hindus are n...
I see it that way, but for a very different reason, because it came from Sanaatana Dharma, and the people practicing it in America for the most part don’t understand the SD part of it and how it applies to Yoga to start with, especially Hatha Yoga (they can’t even pronounce it right!), which is really a neo-Hindu creat...
For me as a christian I don’t care if Christmas started out as a pagan festival or how people perceive this now. I understand that Jesus might not have been born on this day but it is a day that I can celebrate his birth. It could have been in June or August I would still celebrate his birth. I have many friends of all...
Thank you! It is so refreshing to hear your point of view on this!
I have several Christian friends with a similar attitude and I so value being able to enjoy the friendship of people of other religions!
It’s ironic that the Christians lay claim to the Christmas tree, especially since it’s explicitly forbidden in the Bible.
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
I was doing a Google search on Hinduism and the Christmas holiday, curious if there were calendar similarities on celebration / worship and found your article. I know almost nothing of Hindu, most non-Judeo / Christian faiths for that matter, but found your write to be informative (“Ganesha”) and very readable. It’s a ...
Awesome! Thank you for reading. Hinduism doesn’t have a big solstice holiday like many other religions do, but we have Diwali in November, which can be pretty big.
Thanks for this article. I was really surprised this month to see such a tree in my spiritual advisor’s house. It may be because either he or his wife have family members who aren’t Sanātani, or they just do it. If it’s because they like to see other holidays and don’t feel threatened by it, I certainly wouldn’t have a...
Me, on the other hand; I still do feel threatened and steamrolled as you have felt, Ambaa, as it is everywhere, and people assume that I’m Christian, when I’m not. It probably would be some time before I feel that level of security, especially since I do a lot of reading of contemporary books on SD (meaning, books like...
This is an excellent article and I thank the author for sharing her thoughts and opinions. We live in a world where there are many religions and after all, religion has been one of the main causes of war. I believe we all need to learn about other religions/cultures so that we can be supportive to our friends/coworkers...
I do agree that it seems like Christianity is taking over the world. But there are those “Christians” who follow through on some of their beliefs and ignore other parts. I have many non-Christian friends who have Christmas trees and identify as Christian, yet have never stepped foot into a church.
Again, thanks for making us think by sharing your thoughts in your writings.
Merry Christmas and Best Regards,–Amba.
Howbeit, Christmas and Hinduism are not interconnected though, yet has one thing in common. Hinduism brings in sparks, vivacity and happiness through festivals and Christmas as a festival brings in excitement, cheerfulness and joy all around.
COLOMBO, March 28 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka’s central bank said on Friday it was lowering the ceiling on deposit rates offered by finance companies to curb lending rates effective next month.
The maximum rate on a time deposit with a maturity period of 12 months or less will be the maximum rate of 364-day Treasury Bills issued during the immediately preceding quarter, plus 2.5 percent.
For deposits with a maturity period of more than 12 months the maximum return will be 5 percent plus 364-day T-Bills.
The previous limits were 3 and 6 percentage points, respectively, above the relevant T-Bill yields.
“The Central Bank expects that these revisions of the deposit interest rate ceilings would, in turn, lead to the reduction of the lending rates of finance companies,” the central bank said in a statement.
Finance companies in Sri Lanka offer returns on deposits high as 25 percent, higher than commercial banks. The market interest rate hovers around 18 percent.
Their borrowing cost are higher than banks, sometimes over 35 percent, but investors still go to finance companies for reduced bottlenecks and minimum due diligence.
Analysts see the central bank move as designed to spur economic growth which threatens to fall below target due to war, high inflation and soaring interest rates.
“The central bank is trying to promote credit, then (finance companies) they could lend at a cheaper rate,” said Chirantha Caldera, a currency dealer at Commercial Bank of Ceylon.
Sri Lanka’s economic growth weakened to 6.8 percent in 2007 from 7.7 percent in 2006, a lower than expected 7.5 percent by the central bank.
Economist say the the country faces many challenges to sustain over 6 percent growth in 2008, with a deteriorating security situation, high interest rates, and recession in the United States.
The civil war between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels, which killed more than 70,000 people, has intensified since the latter part of 2006, and has become more expensive for the state.
Annual inflation measured on a 12-month moving average hit an 18-year high of 18.1 percent in February, up from 17.6 percent in January.
A burglar, who was accidentally locked up in an apartment by its owner in an eastern China city, was found barely breathing four days later as he starved all through finding nothing to eat on the premises.
The suspect, surnamed He, sneaked into the sixth floor Taicang City apartment in Jiangsu province when he found the door wide open - and inviting. He hid himself in a room, the Shanghai Daily reported, citing Anhui TV.
The apartment owner soon left and locked the door from outside, unaware that a stranger had got himself into his residence.
However, the thief was devastated when hunger gnawed at him and he found no food, not a grain to eat in the apartment's closets and drawers. Worse, he noticed even his cellphone battery had run out, and he couldn't call anyone for help.
The starved burglar was barely breathing and was unable to even stand when the apartment's owner returned four days later. He called up the police, who took the stranger into custody.
Reykjavik, Iceland, which will be long remembered by chess aficionados the world over as the site of Bobby Fischer's 1972 world championship victory over Boris Spassky, was host to a different type of match recently. An all-star team from the United States battled a mixed team from the Nordic countries of Iceland, Norw...
The US team trailed 6-5 after the first day of play, but reversed the score in the second round to break even.
A. Browne has played many beautiful games with this innocuous looking move, first popularized by Petrosian and then espoused with great success by world champion Gary Kasparov.

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