Mes: febrero 2022

There are many reasons to go to Brazil, probably thousands of reasons. I’ve listed the top 101 reasons to travel to this beautiful country filled with warm, fun loving, people, and very beautiful exotic feminine women.

#1. Carnival – A world-renowned celebration in Rio which takes place 40 before Easter. Carnival in Rio, Brazil’s world-renowned celebration, takes place 40 days before Easter. Rio is considered by many to be the carnival capital of the world!

#2. Copacabana Beach World famous beach that attracts millions of tourists every year. In 2005, Lenny Kravitz performed there in front of 300,000 people.

#3. Cariocas (Define Carioca) The women of Rio de Janeiro are called ‘Cariocas’. They are known for being very friendly and hospitable to visitors.

#4. More Women then Men The ratio of women to men are higher then in most other countries in the world. Especially in Rio, where it is believed there are 100 women for every 86 men.

#5. Great surfing Beaches In Rio you have the Arpoador beach at the north end of Ipanema beach, and it’s great for surfing. Brazil has many great beaches for surfing such as Florianopolis in the state of Santa Catarina and the island of Fernando de Noronha, located off the northeast coast of Recife.

#6. Brazilian Bikini Babes millions of young Brazilian women love to sport bikinis—and with warm weather all year long, trust me you won’t miss seeing them in winter coats.

#7. Median age in the late 20’s According to indexmundi, the median age in Brazil as of 2008 is 29. This is much lower then most Western European countries (late 30’s), United States (late 30’s) and Japan (40). This means more younger sexy ladies!

#8.Fitness Culture: most women are thin or fit It only takes one trip to Rio, Sao Paolo, Recife or any other Brazilian city to realize that in Brazilian culture the women—and men have a keen interest to stay in shape. Thousands of young ladies work out on the beaches every day.

#9. Small percentage of obesity in Brazil Because of a culture of fitness and health conciseness, most Brazilian women are in good shape and are not obese. Brazil doesn’t have an obesity crisis like the United States, Australia, England and some other Western European countries. How can a young Brazilian woman where a bikini if she is obese? I guess the bikini craze keeps the pressure on them!

#10. Brazilian women love foreign men! If you are North American, German, British, Australian, Japanese—or from any other Western European country, then Brazilian women will love you. They have a thing for foreign guys—most Brazilian women are fed up with Brazilian guy’s reputation of ‘players’—but can you blame these guys? With such nice ratios of women to men and numerous hot young ladies to go around, it’s very easy to fall to temptation!

#11. Great place to learn Portuguese If you want to practice some Portuguese, then this is a great place to start. Be sure to practice some basic phrases before you come! You will have plenty of women to practice with trust me.

#12. Brazilian women are fun to be with Most Brazilian women are very fun and know how to have a good time. In there culture it’s all about the carnival and having a good time, dancing and just living life to the fullest

#13. Brazilian women are friendly and hospitable In comparison to American and some Western European countries, the women in Brazil are much friendlier and approachable. You can easily make new friends with young sexy Brazilian girls—just by being sincere, and they will make you feel at home very quickly.

#14. Great food Brazilian food is very good. Be sure to go to a ‘churrascaria’ while your down there. The ‘Frango Asado’ is a good dish, it’s barbecue chicken with rice and fries. Very good.

#15. Ipanema Beach The other great beach in Rio besides Copacabana. Ipanema Beach is also one of the safest areas in Rio, giving you yet another reason to stay here. Plenty of young ladies to check out.

#16. Great weather all year round The average weather in Brazil fluctuates around 70’s to 80’s degrees all year long. For example, the average annual temperature in Rio De Janeiro is 73.5.

#17. Help Disco Almost half of the girls you will meet here are working girls. Either way, it’s a great way to warm up with the local ladies.

#18. Club Six in Rio – A very popular nightclub in the Ipenema section of Rio. A great place to have some drinks while enjoying all kinds of music, including dance music, hip-hop, etc. Plenty of women to talk to.

#19. World famous Topless beaches Copacabana and Ipanema have great nude beaches. Don’t forget the sunglasses!

#20. Lots of single attractive women who are not committed Unlike many other countries, Brazil is full of attractive single women who are not committed. Many are having a hard time finding a normal, down to Earth guy who isn’t married.

#21. Friendly Brazilian culture In Brazil it is culturally accepted to treat everyone, especially foreigners—with great hospitality. A smile and a friendly greeting is very common from strangers. Not like in NYC!

#22. Variety of women from mullata to blonds You can find all kinds of women in Brazil. To date, there are roughly 11,714,000 people in the Rio De Janeiro metropolitan area. Out of these, 53.6% are white, 33.6% are brown, 12.3% are black, and .5% are Asian or Amerindian. This means you have plenty of different shades of women to choose from!

#23. Great soccer games If you like soccer, then you will be in the right place. There are many soccer games to go to.

#24. The Maracana Stadium The most famous soccer stadium in Brazil. It’s located in Rio and the local clubs Flamengo and Botafogo play here.

#25. Open sexual culture Unlike women from many other countries, in Brazil sex is embraced openly—it’s considered the national pastime!

#26. Brazilian women enjoy sex and are very sensual Great news guys! In Brazil sex is not used as a bargaining chip by the local women like in other countries. In Brazil sex is used to make love!

#27. Stable Government, Stable political climate The Brazilian government is experiencing a period of political stability. President Lula Da Silva has won the faith of the people and it’s showing.

#28. Improving economic situation – Compared to other Latin American countries, Brazil is experiencing a period of unprecedented economic growth and investment.

#29. One of the easiest places on Earth to find an attractive girlfriend It’s the most populated Christian country in the world that has a higher female to male ratio—China, India and USA have a higher male to female ratio! Indonesia is an Islamic country.

#30. Pay for play is always an option, especially in Rio There are many popular places in Rio where you can find plenty of young hot working girls. Help Disco is one of them.

#31. Hot Brazilian girls will flirt with you Hot Brazilian girls, from working girls, university students, professional ladies, to traditional ladies, they all flirt with you!

#32. No game needed, the sexy Brazilian girls will do all of the seducing They have no choice. Remember, in Brazil there are more women then men. This means the women have to compete over the fewer guys—like you!

#33. Beach soccer: A great way to work out and have fun also. Many women play soccer also, making it even more enjoyable.

#34. Brazilian thongs and bundhas World Famous «Dental Floss» thongs, very popular and very sexy. You won’t find these in NYC, Dublin or London! Have fun!

#35. The Euro, Pound and Dollar are stronger then the Real (the Brazilian currency) Your currency is stronger. This means while in Brazil most local goods will be much cheaper for you. Especially the Euro and Pound, you guys will live like Kings!

#36. Brazilian culture is one of the most open minded in all of the Americas and the World – Due to a history of mass cultural absorption by Portuguese, Indigenous, African, Japanese, German, Italian, Spanish and many other ethnicities, Brazilian culture has evolved into a very diverse, ‘everyone get along’ culture.

#37. Brazilian women love to dance The local ladies are known for having a great time, especially on the dance floor. This is one reason they stay in such great shape.

#38. The exotic culture, women, and feel – Brazil is being discovered as the world’s most exciting destination and the local Brazilian people are vibrant and the nightlife is simply extraordinary.

#39. The drums in Pelourinho – Salvador has some of the best nightlife in Brazil. Pelourinho explodes with music and people and activity search harder and on any given night in Pelourinho you could probably uncover scores of groups playing. Many of these concerts are free.

#40. The tan – Beach life is considered a normal part of Brazilian culture and a major attraction for tourists and foreign investors.

#41. New Years party on the beach Rio de Janeiro has the largest new year’s celebration worldwide—well over 3 million people every year go to Copacabana.

#42. The Caipirinha’s Brazil’s most famous cocktail drink—so popular that even in Miami and NYC people enjoy it. It is delicious and potent!

#43. The view from Corcovado – Corcovado (Christ the redeemer) is one of the best-known landmarks in Rio and it is definitely the best view in Brazil. Recommended for one of the seven wonders of the world, you can see all of Rio beneath you.

#44. Sugar loaf mountain around 600 million years ago mother nature’s formed a natural wonder, called Pao de Acucar or Sugar Loaf. Today it’s one of the most recognized and sought after tourist attractions in Rio.

#45. Botafogo Bay (Rio) – Botafogo is a beautiful beachfront neighborhood (bairro) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Botafogo’s beach is within Guanabara Bay and it’s also home to two of the city’s largest shopping centers, Botafogo Praia Shopping and RioSul.

#46. The malls filled with beautiful Brazilian ladies Botafogo Praia Shopping Mall and RioSul Shopping Mall are just two of the many malls filled with beautiful young ladies in Rio. This is a great place to get a few emails and make a few dates!

#47. Ipanema Beach – Ipanema is a neighborhood located on the southern region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, near Copacabana beach. It is a sunbather’s paradise filled with thousands of young beautiful women wearing Dental Floss bikinis. Ipanema is also regarded as one of the safest districts in Rio.

#48. Bello Horizonte (means «beautiful horizon» in Portuguese) – The capital of Minas Gerais state, located in the southeastern region of Brazil and with a population of 5.3 million it also has the third largest metropolitan area in the country. The city offers interesting leisure areas and it’s known for a traditional characteristic: regional hospitality.

#49. Bahia – one of the 26 states of Brazil located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is also the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais. It is also one of the most important states in terms of history and culture. Bahia’s capital is the city of Salvador (São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos). Salvador is known for having world class beaches for surfing.

#50. Minas Gerais – one of the 26 states of Brazil and also the second most populous with 19,522,000 people. The capital is the city of Belo Horizonte. In Tourist attractions are Monte Verde and the national parks of Ibitipoca and Aiuruoca. You also have the Sete Lagoas, Cordisburgo and Lagoa Santa, and waterfalls which attract many tourists.

#51. Recife – the fifth largest Metropolitan area in Brazil with a population of 3,646,204. The capital of the state is the city of Pernambuco. It is also known as the Brazilian Venice thanks primarily to its resemblance with the European city. Recife is considered one of Brazil’s cultural capitals.

#52. Fortaleza – Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in northeastern Brazil, and has a population of over 3.4 million (in the metropolitan region). Nightlife in Fortaleza is filled with energy and excitement, local nightclubs and discos open every day of the week.

#53. Florianopolis (nicknamed Floripa) – The capital city of Santa Catarina State in southern Brazil. It is composed of one main island, the Island of Santa Catarina. It has a population of 406,564 while the metropolitan area has an estimated population of 821,552. The city has 42 pristine beaches and is a center of surfing activity, considered by many Brazilians as one of «the best places to live in Brazil.» As a result Florianopolis is growing as a second home destination for North Americans and Europeans.

#54. Porto Alegre (Joyous Port in Portuguese) – The 10th largest city in Brazil and also the capital city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is one of the most important cultural, political and economic centers of Southern Brazil. It is also considered to have one of the highest standard of living in all cities of the country.

#55. Curitiba The capital city of the Brazilian state of Parana, with a population of 1.8 million—it also has the fourth best GDP ranking in all Brazil. As most of Southern Brazil’s population, Curitiba is mostly inhabited by Brazilians of European descent. The city has the largest population and also the largest economy in Southern Brazil.

#56. Trancoso – A small town in the municipality of Porto Seguro in the state of Bahia, Brazil, it’s the perfect sunny getaway—a place to slow down and relax. There are many great beaches—one of the most popular by visitors and locals is Coconuts Beach.

#57. Osklen Swimming trunks Here is your opportunity to sport some of the most popular Brazilian swimwear for men—and check out the ladies in bikini! This is not New York guys! In this environment everyone shows 80% of there skin every day!

#58. Sao Paolo – The capital of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, this city is also the largest in the country and the most populated city in all South America (10,886,518 people). Located in the South East of the country, Sao Paolo is also the richest city of Brazil. Again, like Rio, there are unlimited number of blondes, brunettes, mullattas, etc.

#59. Futsal The indoor version of soccer, ‘Futsal is very popular in Brazil. Futsal is played with a smaller ball and places more emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique. It’s a great way to stay in shape.

#60. World cup champion soccer Brazil is the world cup’s most successive national team, having won the prestigious tournament a record 5 times. Brazil is also the only country to have participated in every World Cup tournament.

#61. Porto Seguro- A municipality in Southeastern Bahia, a North Eastern Brazil state and one of the oldest settlements in the country. Many Brazilians believe it is in Porto Seguro where Pedro Álvares Cabral, (a Portuguese discoverer) first set foot on Brazil on April 22, 1500. An interesting note: A significant number of Bahian women have married Italian and Swiss men—and the trend continues to grow

#62. Investing- Apart from life’s pleasures, Brazil is also a great country to invest in. The Brazilian economy and importantly the rates of interest and currency are recognized as stable and supportive for foreign investment. The country is also experiencing unprecedented growth.

#63. Outdoor culture unlike many other countries where people tend to spend a lot of time indoors, in Brazil people tend to spend more time outdoors, usually with beach related activities such as surfing, swimming, beach soccer, or just working out. This means there are plenty of sexy women outdoors!

#64. Brahma Beer a very popular Brazilian beer, originally made by the Companhia Cervejaria Brahma which was founded in 1888. It’s very sensual and a great way to relax in the sun.

#65. Daily Flights to USA and Europe More then 5 million people visit Brazil every year. There are numerous flights from USA—Europe is literally connecting with Brazil, particularly via Fortaleza with direct flights from Germany, Netherlands , Spain , Norway and others.

#66. Great scenery and diversity One nice word to describe Brazil is diversity: a mix of cultures, food, music, dance, drinks, art, crafts, architecture and love of the sea.

#67. The nature Covering 3.8 million hectares (9.4 million acres), Tumucumaque Mountains National Park is the world’s largest tropical reserve – the same size as Belgium and about 500,000 hectares (1.23 million acres) larger than the state of Rio de Janeiro. Nature untouched!.

#68. The Amazon Rain Forest – Brazil has the largest forest in the world in the Amazon Basin which houses 20% of the worlds living species and have 14% of the worlds renewable fresh water. Another interesting note: more than one third of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest

#69. The Amazon River – The largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next top ten largest rivers flowing into the ocean combined. It also has the largest drainage basin in the world, accounts for approximately 1/5 of the world’s total river flow. The Amazon river has over 3,000 recognized species of fish and that number is still growing. Some estimates go as high as 5,000.

#70. Beautiful waterfalls – Brazil is much more than beautiful beaches: a trip to the southern state of Paraná reveals one of the countries most popular tourist destinations. This is a beautiful waterfall named Cataratas do Iguaçu located in the town of Foz do Iguaçu,

#71. Lots of international food (from previous migrants and communities) – The cuisine of Brazil is very diverse and varies greatly by region. This diversity reflects the country’s mix of native Amerindians, Portuguese, Africans, Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Poles, Syrians, Lebanese and Japanese among others. There is great variety and great food!

#72. Lapa (Small bar/club zone in Rio, close to club Six) – The Lapa street parties are among the best of Rio nightlife and there are bars open all week as the crowds gather from around 11 am until 5 in the morning. Hundreds even thousands of sexy ladies mill up and down the street, drinking beer at street bars and just going with the flow.

#73. Brazilian coffee – Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer. Santos Brazils is the most traditional Brazil coffee, and the kind most likely to be seen in specialty store. Be sure to try some when your down there!

#74. Salvador – a city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil’s capital of joy due to its countless popular outdoor parties, including its famous street carnivals. The first colonial capital of Brazil, the city is also one of the oldest in the country and in the New World.

#75. Manaus – a city in the northern part of Brazil and capital of Amazonas State, it is an important centre for ecological tourism. Located on the Rio Negro near its confluence with the Amazon River it is the chief port and a hub for the region’s extensive river system. It is also a common point of departure for tourists visiting the Amazon region.

#76. Belem – the second biggest city of Amazonia, in the northern part of Brazil. It is the capital of the state of Pará, part of the greater Amazon River system. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon region and together with Manaus the most important city in the north of Brazil.

#77. Goiânia – The capital and the largest city in the state of Goiás, it’s also the largest city in the Central-Western Region of Brazil. With a population of nearly 1.25 million Goiânia is the twelfth largest city in Brazil.

#78. Pao De Queijo (Cheese Bread – a famous bread from the state of Minas Gerais) – A typical Brazilian snack which is made of manioc flour and cheese— served hot. Very delicious and very popular sidekick for coffee.

#79. Cachaca This Brazilian sugarcane liquor has become the second most popular drink in Brazil—after beer. Cachaca is distilled in such a way that the scent of sugar cane and inimitable flavor typical of rum are retained—making an enjoyable drink!

#80. Brasilia – The capital of Brazil which borders the states of Goiás and Minas Gerais. The city and the district are located in the Central-West region of the country and has a population of about 2,455,903 making it the fourth largest city in Brazil. It is also listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

#81. Praia do Pinho First official nude beach in Brazil’s history located in the southern state of Santa Catarina. Praia do Pinho beach in Brazil is a naturists dream. It is one of very few nude beaches in the world where it is legally required to be nude!

#82. Scuba Diving There are more then beaches in Brazil. Arraial do Cabo Marine Reserve is considered the best scuba diving on the southern coast of Brazil—it’s located just 2 hours by car from Rio de Janeiro. The splendid waters of Arraial do Cabo are teeming with marine life – turtles, sea horses, moray eels, colorful coral and some exotic tropical fish like the famous Holacanthus Ciliaris). For around 200$ you can take a tour that includes Scuba equipment, bilingual guide, boat operation and a 10 hour duration.

#83. Fishing – Peacock bass fishing in Northern Brazil (Manaus) is as good as it gets! The peacock bass is legendary in its explosive top-water strikes and bullish runs. In a class of its own, the peacock bass is one of the hardest hitting and most aggressive sport-fish—plentiful in the Amazon. The Amazon offers fishers a haven of fish life that makes fishing as fun and exciting.

#84. Trekking- One of the most traditional backpacking trails in Brazil, a 36 kilometer (22 miles) crossing linking the two Brazilian imperial towns of Petrópolis and Teresópolis. The crossing takes 2 to 4 days, hiking through valleys, ridges and mountaintops where Atlantic rainforest vegetation is exuberant and pristine. It’s located just 100 km off Rio.

#85. Rafting – Hold on tight and experience a great adrenaline rush: rafting down the wild rapids of the Paraibuna River! The Paraibuna is located in Três Rios city, 2 hours from Rio de Janeiro by car. The Paraibuna is also a full 20 km (14 miles) of level 3 and 4 rapids so bring a change of clothes! For around 100$ you can enjoy up to three hours of great adventure!

#86. Amazonia National Park This massive park covers almost 40% of Brazil’s landmass including seven of Brazil’s 27 states. Every year thousands of visitors come here to witness the splendour of this magnificent natural wonder. You can go bird watching here. A journey into the Amazon rainforest can be an experience of a lifetime!

#87. Iguassua Falls The waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. It’s a great once in a life time opportunity!

#88. Brazil’s Oil Boom Last year a huge offshore oil discovery in Brazil could raise the countries oil reserves by a whopping 40 percent and boost this country into the ranks of the world’s major exporters. The future of Brazil looks bright indeed.

#88. Great ecosystems – many of Brazil’s plants and animals are found no where else on Earth.

#89. Brazilian women are generally very friendly the best part of Brazil is how friendly the women are. The great weather, nice beaches, growing economy, it’s all great, but without the sexy friendly women—it’s all in vain!

#90. The nice hips and bottoms Hourglass figures are very common in Brazil. How many women do you see where you live that have a nice .7 waist to hip ratio? If it’s not 80% of all the women, then you need to come to Brazil!

#91. Proximity to other great destinations for men Brazil borders many great countries for meeting women, such as: Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela!

#91. Language close to Spanish If you learn Brazilian Portuguese, then learning Spanish will not be so difficult. These two languages are cousins, so learning either one will only make it much easier to learn both!

#92. Brazil is considered the world leader in production of Ethanol based fule Brazilian Ethanol is made from sugar cane, which is cheaper then gasoline and is much less harmful to the environment and the world.

#93. Brazilian currency weaker then U.S. Dollar, Euro, Pound, Yen and Australian Dollar Get more bang for your buck. In Brazil you will find much cheaper prices then you would in the United States, Western Europe, Japan, U.K. and Australia!

#94. Brazil has the eighth largest economy in the world Their are a lot of potentials for investment in Brazil. Many people are realizing that Brazil has great resources and is a major player in the world economy.

#95. Political Stability Brazil hasn’t had a major conflict as some of it’s neighbors have had. It is politically stable, and is a leader in Latin America, such as the recent crisis between Colombia and Venzuela, Brazil’s government led the peace and helped keep Latin America in a period of stability.

#96. Brazil is self sufficient in Oil! Due to the leadership in Ethanol on a global scale, Brazil today produces enough oil/ethanol to run its own economy.

#97. Brazil is not a Hurricane risk Unlike other countries such as Cuba, United States (Gulf Coast Area), Honduras and Guatemala,Brazil does not experience Hurricane risks.

#98. Cost of living very low compared to USA and Western Europe You can live like a King in Brazil. In some places of Brazil, you can live with 30% of what it would cost you in Western Europe, USA, Japan, UK, Canada, Australia and other wealthier countries.

#99. Real Estate in Brazil is Booming! Don’t wait til it’s too late. Now is the time to invest in Brazil!

#100. Brazil is believed to be a leader in the future Many leading world economists and politicians believe that Brazil has the potential to become a world leader along with China, India and Russia.

#101. All the young Brazilian ladies that are waiting for you! That’s the icing on the cake! Remember, in Brazil there are more +women then -men = great news for you!

Las Camisetas de fútbol de adidas se encuentran entre las preferidas de muchos equipos. Descubre por qué visitando nuestra colección en la web. Noticias generales de Fútbol, comentarios, resultados, estadísticas, posiciones, audios y videos

I -Eva Peron, Korea and the Olympics

Before Korea became one of the most industrialized nations on the entire Asian continent, Argentina -it is about 26 times the size of SK- was one of the world’s six richest countries. Around the same time, they were getting off on the right foot in the Olympic Games.

Argentina -now a football-loving nation- was home to sixty percent of Latin America’s Olympic winners-aquatics, boxing, polo, rowing, track-field. At the 1948 London Games, they finished 13th in the medal standings. In contrast to its neighbours, Argentina had an Olympic champ to cheer in that year , when Delfo Cabrera won a gold medal. On that occasion, Korea was certainly not lucky,and finished 32nd in the medal table. Korea’s first Olympic national team was formed in the late 40s. But Koreans dare to dream the impossible.

At the 1951 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, the host country finished first in the count medal- where America was ousted from the number one spot for the first time in Continental Games history by Argentina.

But Argentina is now history. In the last Olympics, the Latin American nation only won two golds-soccer & cycling. Ironically, Argentina-where there are snow-mountains- has never won an Olympic medal in the Winter Games. Then, in April 2009, the Bolivian men’s soccer squad upset team Argentina, which was trained by soccer player-turned-coach Diego Armando Maradona, 6-1.

Different from Argentina, Japan, Australia and Canada, SK is ranked among the five best Olympic teams, along with China, America, Russia and Germany. This superb team is a paradigm on Earth.

Korea expects to send about 50 champs to the XXI Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. The country’s athletic rulers also expect to send 250 champs to the London 2012 Olympics.

II-A Small Nation With A Big Ambition

From my perspective I think that South Korea is the most successful Olympic nation in history. Now SK became a source of inspiration for many Olympic countries around the world. Certainly, it is a role model for small countries -from Austria to Brunei Darussalam- and multiparty States -e.g. India, Taiwan, Chile, Peru, Argentina.

The Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea, is about the size of Indiana. More than 49 million people live there-it is not far off the total in Ukraine. Unlike Venezuela-it has had the benefit of high oil prices, Peru and Angola, Korea has few natural resources. This nation does not have oil, diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, gas, and uranium.

But in the last decades of the 20th century, the Korean State introduced an industrialization program and expand education. The rulers devoted more than 20 percent of its national budget to the development human-education, culture, welfare, sports. Now SK has one of the world’s strongest economies.

III-The Difficult Years

In the 1940s and 1950s, SK was a war-torn nation-World War II and Korean War. Because of this, it became one of the world’s poorest nations. After World War II ended 35 years of Japanese domination and Korea gained its independence (1948).

From 1950 to ’53 nearly three million Koreans died. On the other hand, there were, 500,000 Koreans living overseas. In the following decades Korea was governed by military warlords. In the 1990s SK became a democratic nation.

IV- A Nation of Sports Lovers

During the 1960s and 1970s, the rule introduced many sports reforms -a strong emphasis on physical education into educational system- and did many things to improve sporting life in the nation-an official policy that continued in the 1990s and 2000s. In just a few years, they also promoted the sports that were not well-known in the country.

Success came slowly at first. The number of Asian awards increased from around 27 in 1958 to more than 65 in 1978. From 1964 to ’76, the country’s champs earned 12 Olympic medals. Another example, Korea’s boxers, led by Moon Sung-Kil, won many global titles in the 1980s.

Unlike Cuba -which had a lot of coaches from the USSR, East Germany, Bulgaria, North Korea and Poland- SK did not have foreign coaches. All its Olympic awards were produced by Korean coaches.

To support Seoul’s bid to host the 1988 Olympics, the Korean chairmans hosted many international events -the 1979 Shooting World Championships, the 1982 Baseball World Cup, the 1982 Boxing Global Championships and the Korea Cup (volleyball)-and built world-class stadiums.

V- The Boycott Against South Korea

During Cold War, especially between 1950 and 1985, Korea was an isolated Olympic nation. This Asian country was considered an international pariah by the World Marxist and several anti-American states (Korea became a UN member in 1991).

The 1979 Seoul FIBA Women’s World Championships were boycotted by the Soviet Union and its allies. Three years later, Cuba’s boxers, world & Olympic champions, were not allowed to compete in the World Cup by Fidel Castro. That same year, Cuba also did not send baseball players to the World Championships in South Korea.

In 1986 North Korea boycotted the Asian Games. The Democratic People’ s Republic of Korea refused to send champs to SK. Subsequently, the XXIV Seoul Summer Olympic Games were boycotted by seven nations-Albania, Cuba, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Nicaragua, North Korea, and Seychelles. However, the sports officials sent several champs to Moscow, Varna, Havana and Prague.

VI – Seoul Olympic Games- A Gold Medal for Korea

During the IOC Session in Germany in 1981, Seoul was selected as host country for the 1988 Summer Olympics, and began a new era for the country’s sports development. Seoul beat Nagoya, Japan’s city. That decision caused surprise around the world.

Thirty-eight years ago, Seoul had been destroyed by Korean War, but it had been rebuilt in record time. In the ’70s and early ’80s, Seoul was a successful host to several international tournaments.

The IOC awarded Seoul the Olympics by a margin of 15 votes. Kim Un-Yong -one of the world’s best Olympic czars- was a key figure behind South Korea’s bid to host the 1988 Summer Olympics. He was runner-up when Jacques Rogge was elected IOC chairman.

SK, an anti-Marxist state in the 20th century, did not have full diplomatic ties with the World Soviet-which had won the last three Olympics- and the People’s Republic of China-the new Olympic member. Moscow could have boycotted the Games in South Korea.

Secondly, Korea was not a multiparty-state on the Asian region. In 1980, a demonstration organized by the pro-democratic groups turned into the bloody riot known as the «Kwangju Massacre». In 1974 South Korea’s First Lady had been assassinated. Some time later, ruler Park Chung Hee was killed by the head of South Korea CIA in Seoul.

At the 24th Summer Games, SK won 12 gold medals and was one of the four best sports teams on the planet.

The Opening ceremony was spectacular. The next day, the photos were seen all over the world and from that moment the name Korea was known everywhere. Meanwhile, representatives from 159 countries attended the Olympics, including the USSR and China.

Seoul’88 was a political-blow to the Communist Movement. The Kremlin sent 514 champs to the 1988 Games. That travel had the blessing of the Soviet regime, which had boycotted the Summer Olympics in the States in 1984. Then, more than 290 champs -e.g Petra Felke, Heike Drechsler, Kristin Otto- were sent by the East German warlords- a landslide victory for the Korean chairmans. But there were other friends too: The Vietnamese rule allowed champs from Vietnam to attend the Summer Games. Certainly, sports was an important diplomatic tool for Korea.

VII- Democracy & Sports

In the country’s first multiparty presidential election, in December 1992, Kim Young Sam -a passionate human-rights advocate-, was elected, and the Asian nation returned to civilian rule. It was a watershed moment.

Now South Korea is one of the most outstanding democracies -human development and democracy- in Asia and a role model for several post-dictatorship states. From then on, Korea has one of the world’s most ambitious educational projects-many young people study more than 11 hours.

Under the new democratic rulers, SK has reinforced its sporting system. Certainly they wanted to be the centre of excellence in Asia. The Olympic Korean team surprised the world when it emerged as a «new world power» in the 21st century. On the other hand, the country staged successful 2002 World Cup and 2003 World University Games.

In the two-year period between the 2006 Winter Games and 2008 Summer Olympics, Korea won 42 awards (19 golds, 13 silvers, 10 bronzes) and finished five in the unofficial team standings, behind China, Russia, Germany and the U.S. Korea’s delegation was backed up by President Roh Moo-Hyn. In addition to the Olympic and world titles, South Korea has won several Asian gold medals. They competed with 45 countries in the Olympic-type Asian Games.

Before the 1992 Winter Olympic Games, Korea had not won any medal. Without the sporting tradition of Czechoslovakia and Sweden, Korea has more Winter Olympic medals than Spain and Japan. For this reason, the government lent its support to a bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics. In Guatemala City, Pyongchang was only beaten for the Winter Games by Sochi (Russia).

VIII- From Archery to Wrestling

Since the 2000s Korea is powerhouse in aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, fencing, field hockey, gymnastics, handball, judo, shooting, short-track, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling,and other sports.

Archers With Olympic Honours

Korea has produced world-beating archers in recent years. From 1984 to 2008 they have won 16 gold medals. The country’s archers, inspired by Seo Hyang-Soon, won 3 of the 4 events at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

Athletics-Fusion of Past, Present and Future

In the first half of the 20th century, two Koreans, Suh Yun Bok & Ham Kee Yong, won the Boston Marathon. In 2001 Bong-Ju Lee became the first non-African to win the Boston Marathon since 1991. The country’s marathon runner Hwang Young-Cho – one of Korea’s most well-known champs- claimed a gold medal at the 25th Summer Olympics in Spain. Hwang is the second sportsman from an Asian nation to win an event in this competition. Korean-born Kijung Son won the Olympic title in 1936. At the Berlin 1936 Games, he had been forced to run in the colors of the occupying Japanese forces.

Badminton-Stage of Stars

Since 1985 SK became one of the world’s best teams. Lee Yong-Dae and Lee Hyo-Jung defeated Lilyana Natsir and Nova Widianto (Indonesia) in the mixed doubles final at the China Summer Olympics in 2008. Korea placed first at the 1996 Olympic Badminton Tournament in the States-it collected two gold and silver medals.

Baseball- SK vs Cuba

Baseball has come a long away in South Korea. Its greatest year was 2008, when Korea won the gold at the Beijing Olympic Games, beating Cuba, former world champion (1984-2005). Eight years ago, they had earned a bronze medal in Sydney 2000. When the Games were opened in China, the States-2007 world champion- and Cuba were contending odds-on favorites.

The year 1982 was very happy for Korea too. That year they became the first Asian team to win a World Cup. The national team came close to winning the Global Championships in 2005.

Women’s Basketball-Asian Superstar

Surprisingly SK was runner-up at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s.In 1979, Korea, host country, placed second at the Global Championships. They caused an upset in the second round of the World Cup by beating the favorite America (94-82). Four years later, Korea was one of the semi-finalist in the Universal Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil-behind the USSR, America and the People’s Republic. But they did not stop there. The following year it earned silver at the Summer Olympic Games in California, USA. The team became the first women’s basket team in Asia to win an Olympic award.

Fencing-New Olympic Awards

In 2000 Young Ho Kim lived up to reputation as one of the most popular Asian fencers by winning a gold medal at the Summer Games. He is the first fencer from an Asian country to win an Olympic title.

Field Hockey- A Major Asian Talent

In the past few decades, the Korean teams have won three Olympic silver medals. During this period of time, SK became the first Asian female team to qualify for the Olympic finals. The national men’s team won silver at the 2000 Sydney Games and were fourth at the 2002 World Championships. In Australia they, spearheaded by Song Seung-Tae, defeated India (2-0), Poland (3-2), and Pakistan (1-0) before losing to the Netherlands (4-5). Amazing silver medal!

Women’s Handball- Two Olympic Golds

This country is the only successful Asian team in the world. In 1984 they became the second Korean players in history to win a team Olympic medal at the Summer Games.

In 1988 Korea made history when it won the Olympic gold medal without ever having won a World Cup title. The national team, host country, became the first non-European handball team to win a global title in history. After the winning the Asian Tournament in 1990, Korea qualified for the 1992 Olympics and won its second Olympic medal in a row.

At its fourth Olympic appearance, they claimed silver medal at the 26th Olympiad-only Denmark could beat SK. During the 14th Asian Games in 2002, Korea won both the men’s and women’s handball tournaments. This sport was completely unknown in the 1960s.

Judo- A Gold Mine for Medals

From 1981 to 2007, Korea has won a total of 21 gold medals in the World Championships. At the 1996 Atlanta Games, the national team won seven judo medals (2 golds, 3 silvers, 2 bronzes), behind only Japan (8 awards). In 1981 Park Chung Hak became the first judoka in SK to win a world trophy.

Short-Track Speed Skating-New Olympic record!

SK is the only country to have 17 Olympic gold medals. At the 2006 Turin Winter Games, the national team dominated the medal table, with a total of 10 awards (6 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals).

Shooting-Surprises

In Barceolona’92 it earned two Olympic golds, Lee Eun Chol (men’s free rifle) & Yeo Kab Soon (women’s air rifle).

Soccer- Cha Bum-Kun, the Legend

According to Park Pil-Soon, Director of the Korean Olympic Committee, soccer is the most popular sport in the country. «The most popular sport in Korea these days is football. While baseball used to take the top spot in terms of popularity and the number of spectators in the past, football gained many fans after the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which we hosted with Japan. Korea advanced to the semifinals, which made us very excited about this sport».

In the early 80s, Korea placed fourth at the FIFA Junior World Cup and became the second Asian football team to qualify for the semi-finals in a global tournament.

They have qualified for the FIFA World Cup since 1986. At the 2002 Japan-South Korea, Cha Bum-Kun became one of the best football players on the planet. Korea has won five regional tournaments (two Asian Cups and three continental gold medals). At the 1948 Olympics in the UK, South Korea placed 8th.

Swimming- The Road to Bejing

Park Tae-Hwan became the first swimmer in SK to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games when he won the men’s 400m freestyle at the 29th Summer Olympics in Beijing (China).Park’s first major international success came at the 2007 FINA World Championships, where he won a gold medal. The Korean star is the country’s pre-eminent sporting icon.

Table Tennis- A Traditional Sport

This sport is one of the oldest sports in the nation.In the early 1970s, Korea made history when it won a gold medal in the Global Tournament. Between 1987 and 1993 it also earned four world trophies.

Taekwondo-Unbeatable Records

Some famous taekwondo athletes have born in South Korea: Hwang Kyung-Seon, Kim Kyong-Hun, Lee Sun-Hee, and Moon Dae-Saung.

For many decades these athletes were unbeatable in the world. Korea has won more than 140 world titles (1975-2007). They have also dominated the Olympic Taekwondo Tournament. Since 2000 it has won nine golds.

Volleyball- A Strong National Team

This sport is one of the most popular in the country. In 1987 the national team claimed the FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship in the Persian Gulf, and was the third Korean team to win a global title since 1977.

When they arrived in Manama, Bahrain’s capital, the Korean team was not favorite.Some time later Korea defeated Brazil, which won the silver medal in 1984, 3-2 (19-17, 15-8, 6-15, 11-15, 15-12), at the Olympic Men’s Volleyball Tournament. In the late 70s, Korea was semi-finalist at the World Championships in Italy. In the qualifying rounds, they defeated Poland, Olympic champion, 3-1 (15-7, 11-15, 16-14, 15-10).

The Korean women’s national team have also won many international trophies. Between 1973 and 1977 they earned three world bronze medals.

Weightlifting- A Dark Horse

In 2006, Jang Mi-Ran, 2004 Olympic silver medalist, broke the world record in the + 75 kg category in the Middle East.

In the early 90s, Chun Byong Kwan, an unknown weightlifter, came to the Barcelona Games and won the Olympic trophy.

Wrestling-Heroes of the Games

Korea’s wrestlers have a long tradition of winning awards. In the mid-60s, Sun Jang Chang earned a gold medal at the World Cup in the States. He became one of the first Koreans to win a global title. In the last decade of the 20th century, the national team won nine universal awards.

IX – Man Bok Park- A Superb Coach

Despite attractive offers from many nations, he remained in Peru. In the mid-1970s, Man Bok Park came to Lima and became one of the world’s best coaches.

Led by Park, Peru was runner-up at the 1982 FIVB World Championships and silver medal at the 24th Summer Olympics. Korea’s Man Bok Park became the first coach to lead a Latin American female team to the Olympic finals in 1988. In 1980 Cuba, Olympic’s favorite, failed to qualify for the semi-finals at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Under the advice of Man Bok Park, the Peruvian women’s volleyball squad defeated Brazil several times and won more than six South American Championships. After the Golden Age for Peru, country’s volleyball team were never as successful again at the World Championships.

X -Young Wang Sonh’s Legacy

But Man Bok Park was not alone! At the same time, the Argentine men’s volleyball squad was trained by Young Wang Sonh.This South Korean is a pioneer of Argentina’s volleyball.Young Wang Sonh led the South American team to win the bronze medal at the 1982 Global Championships.

He has become the most successful coach in the history of Argentine volleyball.

Today Argentina is producing an ever-increasing number of world-class coaches-Julio Velasco (Italy), Jon Uriarte (Argentina & Australia), Carlos Cardona (Puerto Rico), Marcelo R. Mendez (Spain), and Raúl Lozano (Poland).

XI -A Statistical Comparison

SK: 2006 Winter Olympics

Nation……….Gold……Silver…..Bronze…Ranking

SK………………..6………..3……….2…………..7th

Italy………………5…………0………6………….9th

France………….3…………2……….4…………10th

China…………..2…………4………5………….14th

Japan…………..1………….0………0………….18th

Asian Games Medals

Hosts…………Gold……Silver…….Bronze….Total…Rank

Doha 2008……58………52…………82………192……..2

Busan 2002….96………80………….84………260……..2

Bangkok’98…..65………46…………53……….164………2

Japan’94……..63………56…………64………..183……..3

China’90……..54………54………….73…………181……..2

Korea’86……..93………55………….76…………224……..2

India’82………..28…….28………….37………….93………3

Bangkok ’78…..18…….13………….23………….54………2

Iran’74………….15…….14………..17…………..46………5

Bangkok’70…….18…….13………..23…………..54………2

Bangkok’66…….12…….18…………21…………..51……..,2

Jakarta’62………4………4………….7…………..15……….5

Japan’58………..8………7………..12…………..27………3

Manila’54………..8………6…………5…………..19………3

XII -References

Almanaque Deportivo Mundial 1976, Editorial America, 1977

Almanaque Deportivo Mundial 1977, Editorial America, 1978

El Grafico. «Este Podio Vale una Lagrima y un Grito», 19 de octubre de 1982

Guevara Onofre, Alejandro. «Historia del Deporte en America Latina»

————————-«El Deporte en el Sur»

Leipziger, Danny & Thomas Vinad. «Las Bases del Exito del Asia Oriental», Revista Finanzas y Desarrollo, marzo 1994

White, Peter. T. «South Korea: What Next?», National Geographic, September 1975

Yun-han Chu, Larry Diamond, Doh Chull Shin. «Halting Progress in Korea and Taiwan», Journal of Democracy, January 2001

1988 Seoul Official Report Volume 2, IOC, 1989

2000 Sydney Official Report Volume 2, IOC, 2001

2006 Torino Olympic Winter Games Official Results,IOC, 2007

Camisetas de fútbol Equipamiento, ropa y calzado deportivo . Compra online ahora con los mejores descuentos. Consulta las últimas noticias sobre fútbol nacional e internacional. Todas las competiciones, fichajes y análisis de los mejores partidos

It doesn’t seem like that long ago I graduated from my School Psychology graduate program but it has actually been going on 16 years now. Time flies and much has changed in the field of School Psychology. However, it seems like my reasons for becoming a School Psychologist have relatively remained intact. Here they are:

1) The pay isn’t that bad. Even though we are required to complete 3 years of graduate school which includes a one year internship that is commonly unpaid, School Psychologists get compensated relatively well. The average salary seems to be in the $60-80K range after about 5 – 10 years of experience.

2) The vacation time isn’t bad either. School Psychologists are commonly on a 210 day contract or around there and don’t work through the summer unless they want to pick-up some extra money. This allows time to spend with family or to go on long vacations in the summer.

3) School Psychologists are relatively well respected in the school setting. Despite the fact that most individuals think we are guidance counselors and very few school officials even know exactly what we do, School Psychologists seem to be held in high regard and are commonly looked for when it comes to finding solutions to a wide range of issues.

4) School Psychologists have a great deal of autonomy in the work place. Quite often you will be assigned more than one school. This can be stressful in terms of work load but it can also be a blessing in disguise since you will be able to move from school to school depending on each school’s needs. You usually aren’t stuck in an office being watched by your boss. If you are, you probably need to re-consider where you are working.

5) Number 4 brings up another good point. The job outlook for School Psychologists is pretty good. I don’t have the statistics but it seems that there are plenty of jobs available to those that are willing to move about the country. With the economy taking a turn for the worse lately I have definitely seen a decrease but even in tough economic times it seems that there are opportunities still out there for school psychologists. I have found Schoolspring.com a great place to go to get a feel for actually how many schools are looking for new School Psychologists.

6) You feel like you are helping those that need help. Sure, weeks and months pass by where you slog through the paperwork and complete the evaluations. However, every so often you are confronted with a situation in which you are able to provide some real assistance to someone in need of it. That always feels good. I actually recommend finding a position in those areas that are the most economically depressed and full of problems. After all, this is where we are needed the most and is also where our efforts are appreciated the most by parents, children and administrators. I work on the Mexican border and wouldn’t change that for anything. Despite the news reports, the people and the community here are very grateful and value their children’s education quite a lot. I very rarely get the over aggressive soccer mom yelling at me because her child isn’t in the gifted program.

7) Opportunity to branch out into other fields. With a Masters in Psychology one can teach at the community college level, work weekends for the local counseling agency, perform outside evaluations for other local area school districts, and/or branch out into educational consulting. Not too many fields where you are qualified to do so many different things.

8) If you don’t want to supplement your income in the various methods in #7 the field of School Psychology offers a great many areas you can choose from to be an «expert» in and apply in your everyday professional life while being a School Psychologist. There are post graduate certificate programs in School Neuropsychology as well as behavior specialist and/or life coaching, all of which can be applied with your students in the school setting.

9) We are called «Psychologists» but do not have a license. This was actually up for review by the APA but thankfully we can still call ourselves School «Psychologists». Funny thing how many Clinical «Psychologists» attempted to become School «Psychologists» due to the poor job prospects for clinical psych degrees but that is another story and issue.

10) Helping is something you are driven to do. If you like helping kids who are basically just in need of a bit of support to get them through to a successful life then the field of School Psychology might be fore you. I wish I were able to read the ups and downs of being a school psychologist back in the early 90’s before I ventured out into this profession. However, this article is there for those who want to consider this profession. No profession is perfect and jobs vary a great deal depending on locations, bosses, school boards and so on. In my experience it seems that School Psychology positions are more similar than they are different and the job is what you make of it. You have the freedom to start programs or specialize in your area of choice. Not too many professions out there where you can do that.

Camisetas de fútbol baratas Tienda online, Comprar Camiseta futbol precio más barato y envío rápido. En nuestra tienda de camisetas de futbol baratas. Todas las Noticias y Vídeos sobre Fútbol y mucho más, Sigue las Últimas Noticias en Directo.

I collect these. Additions to this list are welcome. Also, note that in some cases I don’t know the origin of a particular expression. If you have knowledge or theories of origin for anything below, I’d also like to hear from you. I hope you enjoy these.

Talking Through Your Hat

To talk nonsense or to lie. c1885. [In an interview in The World entitled «How About White Shirts», a reporter asked a New York streetcar conductor what he thought about efforts to get the conductors to wear white shirts like their counterparts in Chicago. «Dey’re talkin’ tru deir hats» he was quoted as replying.]

Eating Your Hat

There is no such thing as a sure thing, but that’s where this expression comes from. If you tell someone you’ll eat your hat if they do something, make sure you’re not wearing your best hat-just in case. [The expression goes back at least to the reign of Charles II of Great Britain and had something to do with the amorous proclivities of ‘ol Charlie. Apparently they named a goat after him that had his same love of life which included, in the goat’s case, eating hats.]

Old Hat

Old, dull stuff; out of fashion. [This seems to come from the fact that hat fashions are constantly changing. The fact of the matter is that hat fashions had not been changing very fast at all until the turn of the 19th Century. The expression therefore is likely about 100 years old.]

Mad As A Hatter

Totally demented, crazy. [Hatters did, indeed, go mad. They inhaled fumes from the mercury that was part of the process of making felt hats. Not recognizing the violent twitching and derangement as symptoms of a brain disorder, people made fun of affected hat-makers, often treating them as drunkards. In the U.S., the condition was called the «Danbury shakes.» (Danbury, Connecticut, was a hat-making center.) Mercury is no longer used in the felting process: hat-making — and hat-makers — are safe.]

Hat In Hand

A demonstration of humility. For example, «I come hat in hand» means that I come in deference or in weakness. [I assume that the origins are from feudal times when serfs or any lower members of feudal society were required to take off their hats in the presence of the lord or monarch (remember the Dr. Seuss book «The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins»?). A hat is your most prideful adornment.]

Pass The Hat

Literally to pass a man’s hat among members of an audience or group as a means for collecting money. Also to beg or ask for charity. [The origin is self-evident as a man’s hat turned upside down makes a fine container.]

Tight As Dick’s Hat Band

Anything that is too tight. [The Dick in this case is Richard Cromwell, the son of England’s 17th Century «dictator», Oliver Cromwell. Richard succeeded his dad and wanted to be king but was quickly disposed. The hatband in the phrase refers to the crown he never got to wear.]

Hat Trick

Three consecutive successes in a game or another endeavor. For example, taking three wickets with three successive pitches by a bowler in a game of cricket, three goals or points won by a player in a game of soccer or ice hockey, etc. [From cricket, from the former practice of awarding a hat to a bowler who dismissed three batsmen with three successive balls.]

Hard Hats

In the 19th Century, men who wore derby hats specifically Eastern businessmen and later crooks, gamblers and detectives. [Derby hats, a.k.a. Bowlers or Cokes, were initially very hard as they were developed in 1850 for use by a game warden, horseback rider wanting protection.] Today, «Hard Hats» are construction workers [for obvious reasons].

In One’s Hat, or In Hat

An expression of incredulity. [Origin unknown. Help us if you can]

Throwing A Hat In the Ring

Entering a contest or a race e.g. a political run for office. [A customer wrote us with the following: «I read in «The Language of American Politics» by William F. Buckley Jr. that the phrase «throw one’s hat in the ring» comes from a practice of 19th Century saloonkeepers putting a boxing ring in the middle of the barroom so that customers who wanted to fight each other would have a place to do so without starting a donnybrook. If a man wanted to indicate that he would fight anybody, he would throw his hat in the ring.

At one point, Theodore Roosevelt declared he was running for office with a speech that included a line that went something like, «My hat is in the ring and I am stripped to the waist». The phrase «my hat in the ring» stuck, probably because «I am stripped to the waist» is a little gross.]

Hats Off . . .

«Hats off to the U.S. Winter Olympic Team» for example. An exclamation of approval or kudos. [Origins must be from the fact that taking one’s hat off or tipping one’s hat is a traditional demonstration of respect.]

A Feather In Your Cap

A special achievement. [I assume that the origins on this expression hail from the days when, in fact, a feather for one’s cap would be awarded for an accomplishment much like a medal is awarded today and pinned to one’s uniform. A feather, or a pin, add a certain prestige or luster to one’s apparel.]

Hold On To Your Hat(s)

A warning that some excitement or danger is imminent. [When riding horseback or in an open-air early automobile, the exclamation «hold on to your hat» when the horse broke into a gallop or the car took-off was certainly literal.]

Bee In Your Bonnet

An indication of agitation or an idea that you can’t let go of and just have to express. [A real bee in one’s bonnet certainly precipitates expression.]

Wearing Many Hats

This of course is a metaphor for having many different duties or jobs. [Historically, hats have often been an integral, even necessary, part of a working uniform. A miner, welder, construction worker, undertaker, white-collar worker or banker before the 1960s, chef, farmer, etc. all wear, or wore, a particular hat. Wearing «many hats» or «many different hats» simply means that one has different duties or jobs.]

All Hat and No Cattle

All show and no substance. For example, in October 2003, Senator Robert Byrd declared that the Bush administration’s declarations that it wanted the United Nations as a partner in transforming Iraq were «All Hat and No Cattle». [This Texas expression refers to men who dress the part of powerful cattlemen, but don’t have the herds back home.]

To Hang Your Hat (or not)

To commit to something (or not), or stake your reputation on something (or not), like an idea or policy. For example «I wouldn’t hang my hat on George Steinbrenner’s decision to fire his manager.» [Origin unknown. Can anyone help with this one?]

At the Drop of a Hat

Fast. [Dropping a hat, can be a way in which a race can start (instead of a starting gun for example). Also, a hat is an apparel item that can easily become dislodged from its wearer. Anyone who wears hats regularly has experienced the quickness by which a hat can fly off your head.]

To Tip Your Hat or A Tip of the Hat

An endorsement of respect, approval, appreciation, or the like. Example: «A tip of the hat to American troops for the capture of Saddam Hussein.» [This is simply verbalizing an example of hat etiquette. Men would (and some still do) tip their hat to convey the same message.]

My Hat Instead of Myself

This is an expression from Ecuador, home of the «Panama» hat. It means what is says; it is preferable to give up your hat than your life. [The Guayas River runs through Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city on the Pacific coast. People from the city were known to hunt alligators for their hides in the river by swimming stark naked wearing Panama hats on their heads and long knives between their teeth. When the reptiles open their jaws and go for the swimmer, he dives leaving his hat floating on the surface for the alligator to chew on while he plunges the knife into the animal’s vitals. From THE PANAMA HAT TRAIL by Tom Miller.]

Bad Hat

I believe this is a French expression for a bad person. [Ludwig Bemelmans’ MADELINE series of children’s books, set in France, includes one MADELINE AND THE BAD HAT. In this story Madeline, our heroine, refers to a little boy neighbor as a «bad hat». She clearly means this as a metaphor for a bad person and because I do not know the expression in English, I assume this is a common French reference. If anyone out there knows more about this, please drop us an email.]

Hat by Hat

Step by step. [Nevada Barr’s book SEEKING ENLIGHTENMENT: Hat by Hat means just that. Has anyone heard this expression otherwise? If yes, please email us.]

Keeping Something Under One’s Hat

Keeping a secret. [People kept important papers and small treasures under their hats. One’s hat was often the first thing put on in the morning and the last thing taken off at night, so literally keeping things under one’s hat was safe keeping. A famous practitioner of this was Abraham Lincoln. The very utilitarian cowboy hat was also commonly used for storage.]

Here’s Your Hat, But What’s Your Hurry

When someone has taken up enough of your time and you want him/her to leave. [Origin unknown.]

Carry His Office in His Hat

Operating a business on a shoestring. [Important papers and the like were often carried in one’s hat.]

Sets Her Cap

A young lady «sets her cap» for a young man who she hopes to interest in marrying her. [Long ago, maidens wore caps indoors because homes were poorly heated. A girl set her most becoming hat on her head when an eligible fellow came to call.]

Thinking Cap

To put on your «thinking cap» is to give some problem careful thought. [Teachers and philosophers in the Middle Ages often wore distinctive caps that set them apart from those who had less learning. Caps became regarded as a symbol of education. People put them on (literally or figuratively) to solve their own problems.]

Black Hat . . .

Black hat tactics, black hat intentions, etc. refer to nefarious actions or designs. [Black hats in Western lore and literature were the bad guys.]

White Hat . . .

Although I don’t see or hear this expression as much as «Black Hat», it simply is the opposite of the above. [Good guys wore/wear white hats.]

Las Camisetas de fútbol de adidas se encuentran entre las preferidas de muchos equipos. Descubre por qué visitando nuestra colección en la web. Toda la información y última hora sobre Futbol gallego. Noticias, eventos, reportajes y artículos de opinión

1. Cuba- Drugs & Scandals

Unfortunately, Cuba is already a nightmare in the Olympic Movement. Why? Since 1964, Cuba has produced athletes with a huge superiority complex and strong anti-American feeling. They have showed this anti-Olympic feeling many times. Angel Volodia Matos Fuentes, a Cuban taekwondo athlete, is the only athlete in the Olympic history that has hit a referee. This sportsman kicked a referee in the face after he lost a match at the 2008 Olympics. «We didn’t expect anything like what you have witnessed to occur. I’m at a loss for words. This is an insult to the Olympic vision, an insult to the spirit of taekwondo and, in my opinion, an insult to mankind», said Yang Jin-suk (World Taekwondo Federation secretary). Angel won a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in 2000.

In Atlanta in 1996, the Cuban’s women’s volleyball team quarreled with the Brazilian team during the semi-finals. This is why Regla Radameris Torres Herrera, who has received several offers to become a top fashion model in Italy, was suspended and could not play for several months. Cuban players of women’s volleyball are famous for their aggressiveness against rivals.

Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor Sanabria will be remembered as one of the worst examples in the world sports community. In 1988, Prensa Latina -Cuban news agency- announced that in its annual poll of sportswriters Javier Sotomayor was named «Cuban Athlete of the Year». He beat out Felix Savon (boxing), Jorge Fis (Judo), and Ana Fidelia Quirot (track & field). Javier, known as «Soto», was one of the most successful athletes in the history of the Cuban Revolution.

On September 8, 1988, Javier -whose country had boycotted the Summer Olympics in 1988- set a world record in the high jump. A year later he set another world record (2.45 m / 8′ 1/2″). Under the direction of Jose Godoy, a Soviet-educated professor, he won almost all his competitions in the 1990s.

In 2001, Javier Sotomayor, in one of a series of exhibitions tournaments, tested positive for a muscle-building steroid. «The decision to let him compete again is like a hit in my face», said Arne Ljungqvist (vice president of the IAAF).Two years ago, Javier also had tested positive for drugs at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg (Canada). However, he had been exonerated by the Cuban Olympic Committee. Furthermore, Fidel Castro Ruz -Cuba’s dictator- denied that Javier had taken cocaine. In an article in Granma (Communist party daily), Javier said » I’m innocent. I have only seen that substance in the movies. I´m the victim of maneuver, a dirty trick».

Unlike Ben Johnson and Linford Christie, Javier received a special treatment by the IAAF. He was banned by the IAAF for only 11 months. Thanks to this, Javier Sotomayor could compete at the 2000 Olympics, where he won a silver medal. Three European countries, Norway, Finland and Denmark, criticized this controversial decision. «If you test positive and get suspended, you shouldn’t get a reduced sentence just because you’re a famous track athlete», said Patrick Sjoberg, a former world record holder in men’s high jump.

2. Myanmar- Sports & Dictatorships

Olympic sport can unify a country like Myanmar -an Asian country which has many ethnic conflicts. However, it -pop. 52 million- has one of the world’s worst Olympic teams. In the last fifty years, three dictatorships have destroyed the Olympic spirit in this land of friendly people. For unknown reasons, Myanmar did not compete at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Canada. In 1980, Sue Khin finished in 47th place in the marathon at the Moscow Summer Games. Four years later, Myanmar -it officially changed its name from Burma in 1989- sent 1 athlete (boxer) to Los Angeles (USA). In 1996, Myanmar was represented by only 3 athletes (athletics and shooting).

At the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, Myanmar finished 27th in the unofficial team standings (behind China, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Jordan, Lebanon, etc). In an interview, Khin Maung Lwin, secretary of the Myanmese Olympic Committee, said «Our NOC has worked in close collaboration with the respective national sports federations to make all the necessary preparations for participation in Doha 2006. We have selected the athletes who showed their best form and achieved top results from that 23rd SEA Games for the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006. As a founding member of the Asian Games Federation in 1949 and the Olympic Council of Asia, we believe the Asian Games is a very important tool for the development of the youth of Asia and for the promotion of international respect, friendly and goodwill…»

3. Albania – Enver Hoxha’s Legacy

What is the reason why Albania does not produce world-class athletes? Albania is well-known for its indifference to sports. It is one of the few European countries that have not Olympic champions. Albania was one of the most unsuccessful countries at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the People’s Republic of China.

Like Mao Tse-tung (Chinese dictator, 1949-1976) and Pol Pot (Cambodian tyrant, 1975-1979), Enver Hoxha did not support friendly relations with the International Olympic Committee. From 1950 to 1985, Enver Hoxha -one of the bloodiest dictators of the 20th century- gained a reputation as an anti-Olympic leader in the world. During his Maoist dictatorship, Albania boycotted seven Olympic Games (Rome ’60, Tokyo ’64, Mexico City ’68, Montreal ’76, Moscow ’80, Los Angeles ’84, Seoul ’88), seven Mediterranean Games (Beirut ’59, Naples ’63, Tunis ’67, Izmir ’71, Algiers ’75, Split ’79, Casablanca ’83) and other international events (Winter Games, World University Games, World championships, European tournaments). In 1985, two weightlifters had defected to Yugoslavia (currently Serbia).

Since 1991, the new government does not have interest in sports and recreation. This European nation is losing its best athletes, who are choosing to live abroad, and not returning to Albania. Many Greeks athletes have Albanian descent: Leonidas Sampani (weightlifting), Sawa Lika (track and field), Pyrro Dimas (weightlifting / Olympic champion, 1992, 1996, 2000), Mirela Manjani (athletics). At the World Championships in 2003, Mirela won a gold medal. Albania has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 1959.

4.Taiwan is not Ethiopia

Who was the last world-class athlete of Taiwan? Her name: Chi Cheng (1959-1972). This Olympic ambassador has been called «the Eastern Flying antelope». At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, in October, she, who studied and trained in California, won a bronze medal in the 80 meter low hurdles. Two years later, she broken the world records in the 100m (11,00 seconds) and 200m (22,44 seconds) in July 1970, but she failed in the Olympic Games in 1972. Unexpectedly, she had an injury. Chi Cheng was the favorite to win the gold medal in the 200m. To prepare for the Munich Games, she competed in Asia, Europe and the United States. In 1972, she announced that she was retiring from athletics. In 1971, she was elected «World Athlete of the Year» by the Associated Press. In this election, she beat Edson Arantes do Nascimento, one of the greatest athletes of all time. Since 1972, Taiwan continues to celebrate Chi Cheng’s world records.

Unfortunately, Taiwan can not produce world-class athletes.

This Asian country -also known as ROC, Chinese Taipei, Republic of China on Taiwan or Free China- has 10,000 stadiums, 1,850 swimming pools, 1,420 tennis courts, 14,252 sports parks, more than 762 gymnasiums, nearly 9,100 basketball and handball courts, and 87 cycling tracks. With more than double the budget of Jamaica, Ethiopia and North Korea, Taiwan only has won two gold medals (1960-2008). At the 1996 Games, Chinese-Taipei sent 71 athletes and won one silver medal (tennis table).

They have not learnt the experience of South Korea, whose athletes have won 85 gold medals-its best unconventional diplomacy in the world. A good example for a country which does not have full diplomatic relations with 180 nations. Chinese Taipei -one of the developing world’s most successful democracies- is only recognized by 23 countries: Belize, Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gambia, Guatemala, Holy See, Haiti, Honduras, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Sao Tome & Principe, Swaziland, Tuvalu.

5. Iceland- A country without Olympic Champions

Iceland – a nation in the North Atlantic near the Arctic Circle- has never won an Olympic medal in the Winter Games. It is one of the oldest Olympic countries in the world (IOC member since 1921). Ranked by the United Nations as one of the richest countries in the world, Iceland has several sports facilities- indoor stadiums, winter Olympic arenas, sports parks and swimming pools. Many people can not believe that one of the richest nations in Europe can not win a winter Olympic medal. Unlike Iceland, Liechtenstein -an area the size of District of Columbia- has won two Olympic titles and 58 World championships. Iceland -it is slightly larger than South Korea- took part in 15 editions of the Winter Games between 1948 and 2006. Glíma, a traditional wrestling, is the national sport of Iceland.

References

-Agacino, Ricardo. «30 años», Cuba Internacional, Habana, diciembre de 1988

-Almanaque Deportivo Mundial 1976, editorial America, Panama,

1976 – «Castro defends fighter facing ban», The Miami Herald, August 26 2008

-Encyclopaedia Britannica Book of the Year: 1977, 1981, 1984, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chicago

-The World Almanac and Book of Facts: 1975-2007, The World Almanac Books, New York

-Guevara Onofre, Alejandro. Enciclopedia Mundototal, editorial San Marcos, Lima, 1999

——–«La silenciosa caída del deporte cubano» (The silent fall of the Cuban sport ). Lima, 5 de septiembre del 2005

-Human Development Reports: 1996-2007

-Martinez Perez , Pedro. «Desarrollo deportivo en Cuba», Granma, Habana, 28 de mayo de 1978

-The Republic of China Yearbook. Taiwan 2002

-Urbano, Fernando.»Del Batos a Montreal», Cuba Internacional, Habana, junio de 1978

——«Derecho al deporte», Cuba Internacional, Habana, julio de 1976

-2004 Athens Official Report Volume 1, International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, 2005

-2000 Sydney Official Report Volume 2, International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, 2001

-1984 Los Angeles Official Report Volume 2, International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, 1985

-1980 Moscow Official Report Volume 2, International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, 1981

-1976 Montreal Official Report Volume 1, International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, 1977

Las Camisetas de fútbol de adidas se encuentran entre las preferidas de muchos equipos. Descubre por qué visitando nuestra colección en la web. Un jugador muere por un golpe en un partido de fútbol. EFE. Javier Tebas acompaña la cena de Nochebuena de Cruz Blanca Huesca.