Sharapova is coming back

The former world No.1 and highest money-earner in women’s sport, Maria Sharapova has announced her return to singles action after an eight-month injury layoff in the Warsaw WTA tournament starting on May 18.

 

She has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since last summer missing last year’s Wimbledon, the Olympics and US Opens as well as this year’s Australian Open.

 

Sharapova spend 10 weeks in Arizona to work on the injury, and she had an operation in New York on October 15 to repair a moderate tear in her right rotator cuff tendon.

 

She wrote: “I know this entire process has made me stronger and hungrier. I miss competing so much. I am trying to do everything possible to be ready for Australia, but I have promised my doctors, coach and family that I will not rush back” on her website on December 30^th last year. But she missed the Australian Open eventually.

 

The impact of Maria Sharapova’s withdrawal from Australian Open was reflected by betting markets that had rated the world No. 9 as no higher than seventh favorite for the title a Williams sister remains most fancied to win.

 

Australian girl Wendy Harmer who is a big fan of Sharapova said that she liked tennis just because of Sharapove. 

Wendy said, “Sharapova is an amazing player with pretty face. I’ve gone to every fight of her in Australia. She missed the game this year because of injure, and I know she will back soon.”

 

Feng Lee comes from China said that he was not interesting in any star, but tennis was his favorite game.

Feng said, “Tennis is a very excited game. Tennis playing could help people keep good physical condition. I don’t know much about Sharapova, but I hope she could get better soon.”

 

 

 

Related news:   http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=57&ContentID=141089

Photo: – www.poster.net/sharapova-maria/sharapova-mari

Labour Day March in Brisbane (TBM)

Hundreds of unionists and their supporters marched through Brisbane for the annual Labour Day on 4^th May.

 The march aimed for job security, the recession, better pay for teachers and nurses, paid parental leave and safer conditions for truck drivers, among other issues.

 Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) used the march to launch a national advertising campaign highlighting their fight for teachers’ pay.

Hundreds of QTU members shouted, “Hardest workers, lowest paid, Queensland government should be ashamed” in their fight for a new pay deal.

Chris, who comes from QTU said that teachers were the lowest paid in the country.

“If teachers in QLD are not to be paid commensurate salaries to those in other states, QLD would lose teachers from the profession.”

In a speech, the Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh told the state’s teachers that an outcome would be reached in their controversial pay claims but only through negotiations, not strike action.

 The recent deaths of construction workers has raised safety issues.

Members of the Transport Workers Union’s (TWU) carried a coffin, and led the Transport Workers Union’s (TWU) procession to draw attention to the road carnage affecting truck drivers.

David, who is a driver in Brisbane, said that they can’t take the present situation anymore.

  “I hope the government could offer proper rates and better conditions for drivers.”

 Other unions marching included the Queensland Nurses’ Union, Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the Maritime Union of Australia and the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union.

 

On the afternoon of 4^th May, families joined in the march with barbecues and celebrations continuing at the show grounds.

 

 

Related news: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/04/2559837.htm

Buddha Birth Day Festival in Brisbane (TBM)

Brisbane was holding the Q150 Buddha Birth Day Festival from the 1^st of May to the 3^rd of May, 2009.

According to viewpoints of Buddhism, Buddha’s birthday is the most significant day of the year for Buddhists, as celebrations take place for the birth, enlightenment and death of Sakyamuni Buddha, the Founder of Buddhism.

The Buddha Birth Day Festival in Brisbane is one of most prestigious and largest cultural events in Queensland, and also the biggest annual Buddhist Festival in the world.

The celebration of the Festival included the official ceremonies and the major performances, as well as international food fair during two days.

A lot of Buddhists in Brisbane joined the Welcoming Ceremony and the daily Bathing Buddha Ceremony, which were main parts of the Festival. They got down their knees for praying during the whole process.

A visitor Lee, who comes from Canberra said that recent events in Brisbane were very nice and joining these events made him pretty relaxed.

“I am not a Buddhist, but I am glad to visit this activity; it’s a good way to learn a different culture.”

The organizer of The Festival of Buddha Birth Day in Brisbane, Mr. Ralph Smith said that The Festival of Buddha Birth Day not only had meaning for religion, but also produces deep value in cultures.  

“Australia has developed into a country with a mixture of nationalities from around the world. The festival is a reflection of the union between diverse cultures.”

As an ending of the festival, there was a spectacular 15 minute fireworks display above the Brisbane River on the evening of 3^rd of May.

 

 

 

Related information: http://www.ourbrisbane.com/whats-on/buddha-birth-day-festival-feature

Travel Warning in Thailand

 

The travel operator China Travel Service, decided to stop sending tourists to Thailand recently.

 

 Chinese tourist agents have been taking cautionary measures to protect travellers in Thailand. Jian Huang, a Chinese student who lives in Brisbane said that his parents cancelled the travel plans for Thailand because of the rioting.

 

 Jian Huang said, “It’s quit dangerous nowadays, because some people protest against the government. I was worried about my parents.”

 

According to the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, all Chinese travelling in Thailand are believed to be fine, and  no casualties have been reported from Chinese citizens so far.

 

Read more: http://english.sina.com/china/2009/0413/233571.html

 

What does Easter mean to different cultures?

As an important religious feast, Eater is celebrated by many Christians and non-Christians alike.

 

In a society with multiple cultures like Australia, what does Easter mean to people who live in Brisbane? 

 

 

Arba’iyah Satriani who comes from Indonesia said that as a Muslim, Easter did not mean anything to her and her family, also they never celebrate Easter. The public holiday for Easter, on the other hand, was nice for her.

 

 

Steven P. Brown comes from a Christian family, but he is not a Christian. Mr. Brown said, “My family believes that Easter is the time to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They usually go to church Friday and Sunday mornings. They usually give Easter eggs to each other on Sunday morning.”  He said that Easter did not mean much to him, because he was not a Christian, but likes having holidays though!

 

Can they be better?–The facilities in Nathan campus

 

The most significant issue is that sometimes the facilities and the system in our campus does not work well for international students.

 

 Kim Jinyam who come from Korea said, “I don’t know how to book books from another campus; the process is not easy to understand.”

 

 

Meanwhile, a Chinese student Zhang Jia said, “I think there are not enough text books for borrowing, so whenever I want to borrow a text book, I am always told that all of them have been borrowed.”

 

Furthermore, students complained that staff of the office lack a sense of responsibility.

 

A student who comes from Indonesia, Janice, said that last semester because someone in the international office lost all her files, which included the results of her bachelor program, she couldn’t enroll smoothly.

 

Janice said, :“I think it would be more helpful, if they could improve the quality of their work.”

 

 

Photo: www3.griffith.edu.au/02/ins-essentials/resour

Switching off for our planet

Most lighting was turned off in the city from 9:30pm on March 28th in Brisbane for the Earth Hour event to help conserve the planet’s energy resources.

 

For this global event, millions of people around the world switched off their lights and saved power usage to support this event, which extremely benefits our environment.

 Dr. Kees Hulsman is research member and senior lecturer from the Environment School of Griffith University. 

Dr. Hulsman said, “We have to change. We need the environment. The environment provides the eco-system and the resources. ”

 

 Furthermore, Dr. Kees Hulsman believes that media could increase public awareness about these issues.  

Dr. Kees Hulsman said, “If we start to say how important the issues are, people will start to listen.”

 

For more source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/29/2528962.htm?site=brisbane

Picture: www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images

How much to drink?

How much can we  safely drink a day? An international study shows there’s no exact safe level of drinking.

The National Health and Medical Research Council released new safe alcohol guidelines recently,which explaine what alcohol does to our bodies over the long-term, such as damage to the liver, brain, and causing cancers.

Meanwhile, the new guidelines point out that people under 18 years of age and women who are pregnant, or plan to have babies, or who are breastfeeding, shouldn’t drink at all.

The NHMRC said that the new guideline doesn’t aim to stop you drinking; they’re just to inform the risk of drinking, and people would then make the decision by themselves. 

 

read more:

  http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2009/03/19/2514551.htm

Photo: my247.com.au/brisbane/whats-on

Technology Vs Media presentation

Jakson has worked for a IT company several years, and he has his own opinions about the relationship between technology and new media.  ” There’s a natural link between technology and new media, I  guess they couldnt exsit seprately, at least, media dose.” 

Jakson believes that mornden tech and media have offered a huge maket to each other, and he gave a example, ” just like NYT reader. People need something more convinent to read news online, so someone made this software. Hance the online viewer have incresed extramly. ” ” I believe that tech has played a significant role in the presentation of information of the media, and it couldnt be replaced. “

China taking steps to grow in downturn

China could become an even stronger economic compitior than it was before the global donwturn.

China taking steps to grow in downturn