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    FIRST AMERICAN SATELLITE
    January 31, 1958 - United States

    The United States entered the space age by launching the first successful orbiting satellite, Explorer-I, four months after the Soviet launch of Sputnik on 4 Oct 1957. Explorer-I measured cosmic radiation, and led to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt. Its instrumentation included temperature sensors, a micrometeorite impact microphone, and a ring of micrometeorite erosion gauges. Data from these instruments were returned by a 60-mW transmitter operating on 108.03 MHz and a 10-milliwatt transmitter operating on 108.00 MHz. Explorer-I was 80-inch long, 6-in diam, weighed 31-lb with 18-lb of payload and was delivered into orbit using a Jupiter-C rocket. The orbit had a period of 114.9 minutes.

    FIRST PRIMATE IN SPACE
    January 31, 1961 - U.S. launched a 4-year-old male chimpanzee

    The U.S. launched a 4-year-old male chimpanzee named Ham on a Mercury-Redstone 2 rocket into suborbital flight to test the capabilities of the Mercury capsule. During his 16.5 minute suborbital flight, Ham experienced about 7 minutes of weightlessness, reached an altitude of 108 miles and a speed of 13,000 mph. He was wired to medical sensors to monitor his vital signs. During flight, Ham performed some simple tasks such as pulling levers when a light came on for a reward of banana pellets. Ham was recovered safely 1,425 miles downrange. This was a test flight before risking the lives of human beings. Now, after Ham's successful flight, NASA was ready to launch the first Mercury astronaut, Alan Shepard, into sub-orbital flight three months later.

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  • A Change is Gonna Come
    by Meredith Grey

    "...Change; we don't like it, we fear it, but we can't stop it from coming. We either adapt to change, or we get left behind. It hurts to grow, anybody who tells you it doesn't is lying. But here's the truth: Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. And sometimes, oh, sometimes change is good. Sometimes change is everything...."
  • The wealth of the nation
    by Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson

    "...The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity that'as all there is. That'as the whole economy. That'as where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world...."

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    Steve Jobs' annual salary was $1, just enough to keep company health benefits. Drug Abuse
    about Facts about Drugs

    Facts about drugs can protect against drug abuse. Legal drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, kill more people than illegal drugs. Tobacco (smoking cigarettes) kills more people than any other drug. Illegal drugs including heroin, cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines can have unknown or dangerous ingredients. Mixing drugs, especially with alcohol, can be fatal.

Avatar film - Cameron's science fiction :

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ARTICLE INFORMATION :

The article features and reviews James Cameron's science fiction epic movie "Avatar" released in 2009 and nominated nine times for the Oscar 2010 and concentrates upon the main plot theme.

ARTICLE CONTENT :

AVATAR is spoken about everywhere. It is in nine nominations for the Oscar 2010 and is likely to receive a few awards. Avatar is a 2009 US science fiction film written and directed by renowned film director James Cameron. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Rodriguez and Stephen Lang played the starring roles. The term "avatar" comes from Indian mythology. It means "god's visit to Earth to fix smth that is broken". Vishnu, one of the 3 gods who shield creation, visits Earth frequently. As Hindu mythology state, Vishnu is dark-blue in color. James Cameron has also decided to paint the aliens blue. The action of the film takes place in 2154. It emphasizes the ever-lasting human vices, such as greed, immaturity and ferocity that results from ignorance.

The plot revolves around a soldier - Jack - who goes to Pandora the moon situated in the Alpha Centauri star system to help The Corporation aiming to mine and export a precious mineral called unobtainium. The Na'vi are the alien sentient humonoid species that live and thrive on the moon. They are a part of a vast symbiotic living system that includes both animals and plants which are all connected by an intricate biological communication network. The Corporation plans to mine the moon and the Na'vi fight for their homeland. The rapid expansion and growth of the mining colony menaces the existence of the local tribe.

While on a mission, Jake is taken in by the Na'vi and explores their labguage, culture and habitat. Natirii, the female Na'vi he meets, helps him through this journey. Avatars are biological creatures made from alien and human DNA. They are controlled by a human from whose DNA they were made. The soldier takes control of an avatar made from his brother's DNA. AVATAR is an idealistic movie showing an ideal world. The end of the movie is particularly poignant. The visual effects are fantastic. The alien world Cameron and his team display to viewers is one of the most carefully thought-out and consistent. The film is really worth viewing.

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