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NKoreans urgently need drinking water after floods: UN

Tens of thousands of flood-hit North Korean families urgently need clean drinking water to prevent disease outbreaks, UN agencies said Thursday.

The agencies and other aid groups reported their assessment a day after state media reported a total of 119 deaths and major crop damage in recent weeks in the food-scarce nation.

The UN said wells have been contaminated by overflowing latrines, creating a high risk of a diarrhoea outbreak, while floods had damaged water sources and pumping stations.

Citing government figures, it said about 50,000 families in six badly-hit counties would need purification tablets or other help to secure clean water.

The UN children's fund UNICEF has ordered 10 million tablets along with other materials. Drugs and IV fluids were badly needed.

The report said a hospital in Chonnae county had already seen a fourfold rise in diarrhoea cases. "In general, unless... needs are addressed, rapid increase in diarrhoea, skin infection and respiratory infections could occur."

The North late Wednesday reported 31 killed by landslides and lightning during storms on Sunday and Monday and 16 missing, in addition to 88 earlier reported dead in floods and storms last month.

More than 21,000 people lost their homes in the latest storms, bringing the total made homeless by the recent bad weather to around 84,000, it said.

A total of 45,370 hectares (122,500 acres) of farmland had been submerged or washed away.

Coal mines in the Kaechon and Tokchon areas were also hit by "devastating" floods and tens of thousands of tonnes of coal and equipment was washed away.

The flooding represents a challenge for Kim Jong-Un, new leader of a nation which has grappled with severe food shortages since a famine in the 1990s killed hundreds of thousands.

UN agencies estimated last autumn that three million people would need food aid this year even before the deluge.

The UN report said it was difficult at present to assess the longer-term impact on food supplies, but any future floods in the cereal basket regions would hit food production more severely.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said it would allocate 300,969 Swiss francs (almost $308,000) to cover the cost of immediate help for some 2,500 families.

Widespread deforestation, partly to clear land for crops, has made the impoverished nation increasingly prone to serious flooding which washes away the harvest.

IFRC regional spokesman Francis Markus, in an email to AFP, said the landslides were a reminder of the severe deforestation which the IFRC was trying to correct.

Millions of seedlings were planted every year under a programme which began several years ago.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/red-cross-helps-n-korea-flood-victims-toll-044047298.html

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A Well-Made Chair for the Bistro in Your Kitchen [Daily Desired]

I'm moving to a new apartment today. Groundbreaking because I'm actually going to have room for a dinner table. And you can't have one of those without a few chairs. The bistro chairs from American Country Home look just like the ones you see in cute sidewalk cafes in New York City. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7Ya7x8occ3E/a-well+made-chair-for-the-bistro-in-your-kitchen

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Badminton doubles pairs face match-throwing probe

LONDON (AP) ? Four women's badminton doubles pairs, including the reigning world champions from China, faced a disciplinary hearing Wednesday after being charged with trying to throw their matches at the London Olympics to secure an easier matchup in later rounds.

The Badminton World Federation said in a statement it had charged the players from China, South Korea and Indonesia under its players' code of conduct with "not using one's best efforts to win a match" and "conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport."

A spokeswoman for the federation, Gayle Alleyne, declined comment on possible sanctions ahead of the disciplinary hearings.

The doubles pairs were all due to compete in quarterfinals Wednesday afternoon.

China's official Xinhua News Agency cited an unnamed spokesman for the Chinese delegation as saying the delegation was taking the incident seriously and had ordered its own investigation.

"The Chinese delegation will handle this case according to the results of the investigation into this match," the spokesman said.

World doubles champions Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang of China and their South Korean opponents Jung Kyun-eun and Kim Ha-na were booed loudly by the crowd Tuesday after dumping serves into the net and making simple errors like hitting the shuttlecock wide.

The longest rally in their first game was only four strokes. The umpire warned them and tournament referee Torsten Berg spoke to all four players but it had little effect.

Eventually, the Chinese women lost 21-14, 21-11 and both pairs were jeered off the court.

The teams had already qualified for the last 16, but the result ensured that the top-seeded Wang and Yu will avoid playing their No. 2-seeded Chinese teammates until the final.

The problem was repeated in the next women's doubles between South Korea's Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung and Indonesia's Meiliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii. Both teams were also warned for deliberately losing points in a match the Koreans won 18-21, 21-14, 21-12. The capacity crowd vented their displeasure on them, too.

"If they play right, the Chinese team, this wouldn't happen," said South Korea head coach Sung Han-kook. "So we did the same because we don't want to play Korea. Nobody likes playing against strong players."

Yu said they were only trying to save energy for the knockout rounds starting on Wednesday.

"We would try hard in every match if they were elimination games," she said. "Because they are group stage that's why we are conserving energy.

"If we're not playing the best it's because it doesn't matter ? if we're the first or the second (in the group) we're already through. The most important thing is the elimination match tomorrow."

The South Koreans filed a protest with the referees.

"It's not like the Olympics spirit to play like this," Sung Han-kook said. "How could the No. 1 pair in the world play like this?"

Australia coach Lasse Bundgaard blamed the group format for the controversy.

"It's not good when you create a tournament where the players are put in this situation," he said. "If you can win a medal by losing, but not by winning, that's not a good situation to be put in."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/badminton-doubles-pairs-face-match-throwing-probe-043639387--oly.html

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Amnesty urges UAE to release or try activists

Amnesty International urged UAE authorities on Tuesday to release activists or provide them with fair trials, saying 50 people have been arrested in a clampdown on peaceful dissent.

"UAE authorities must halt the ongoing crackdown on peaceful dissent," the London-based organisation said, adding that 35 men are believed to have been detained since July 16, bringing the total of arrests since March to 50.

"The whereabouts of all 35 are unknown, and they are thought to be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment, which Amnesty International has previously documented in the UAE," it said.

On July 15, the UAE announced that it had dismantled a group it said was plotting against state security and challenging the constitution of the Gulf state without identifying their affiliation or the number of arrests.

"This wave of arrests is deeply disturbing and appears to be part of an ongoing attack on the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly in the UAE," said Ann Harrison, Amnesty's deputy Middle East and North Africa director.

She urged authorities to disclose the location of the 35 men and allow them immediate contact with their families.

"Incommunicado detention is known to facilitate torture and other ill-treatment," she said.

Lawyers Mohammed al-Roken, Mohammed al-Mansoori and Salem al-Shehhi "are believed to be prisoners of conscience, held solely in connection with the peaceful expression of their views or for carrying out their professional duties," she said.

They "must be released immediately and unconditionally."

"Any others held must be released unless they are to be tried promptly on an internationally recognisable criminal charge in full accordance with international fair trial standards," she said.

Last week, Dubai police chief General Dahi Khalfan accused the Muslim Brotherhood, which is the emerging force in the Arab world after the Arab Spring uprisings, of plotting against Gulf monarchies, claiming the detainees were linked to the group.

The banned Islamist group Al-Islah, to which many of the detainees are said to belong, called on Monday for the release of the activists and for an end to "all security harassment against citizens."

It condemned "false accusations" of challenging the political system, renewing allegiance to the leadership of the federation of seven hereditary sheikhdoms.

The UAE has not seen the kind of pro-reform protests that have swept other Arab countries, including Gulf neighbours Bahrain and Oman, since last year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/amnesty-urges-uae-release-try-activists-183257521.html

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Long Beach dream home a money pit: Next-door oil pump hands unsuspecting homeowner pricey water bills

LONG BEACH -- When Delano Vasquez and his wife, Christina, bought their dream house in 2007, they were thrilled.

"This was just the kind of home my wife was looking for," Vasquez said.

The dream has passed and for Vasquez, who was recently laid off by the Los Angeles Unified School District, a cold reality is settling in.

When Vasquez bought the five-year-old, two-story, 2,400-square-foot home with four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, he finally had some space for his family of six. It was a considerable upgrade from their cramped home in Carson.

The home is in a hilly subdivision of newer homes on the border between Signal Hill and Long Beach and just a short drive from Seal Beach, where Christina works. Off

Delano Vasquez shows the larger than normal water valves in front of his Long Beach home. He has been battling to get relief from an exorbitant water bil because Vasquez' home is next to an oil well. To complicate matters, Vasquez was recently laid off by the Long Angeles Unified School District and says he is unable to keep up with the water bills. (Stephen Carr/ Press-Telegram)

the back balcony are sweeping views, and in the evening the family could watch the sun dipping behind the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

The only drawback was an oil pump that churned day and night on the adjoining lot immediately south of the home.

At the time Vasquez bought the house, it seemed a small price to pay for an otherwise seemingly ideal setting.

That changed considerably when the first city utility bill came in -- it was about $250 per month.

In particular, he was being soaked by a water bill that was a staggering $165 a month. Of that, he was paying more than $100 for a monthly service fee, or roughly nine times higher than the normal rate for a residential home in Long Beach.

While the normal annual service charge for a Long Beach resident is $152.57, Vasquez pays $1,316.92.

The service fee was for larger pipes that connected to an exterior sprinkler system installed on the house because of its proximity to the oil well. Where most homes have 5/8-inch to 3/4-inch pipes, Vasquez's home was required to have 3-inch pipe for the sprinkler.

According to Deputy Fire Marshal David Zinnen, state regulations say a home cannot be built within 100 feet of an active pump. However, they do allow for an architect to present a plan to a fire department that will provide adequate protection if a pump fire occurs.

Zinnen said in his nine years in Long Beach he isn't aware of a pump catching fire.

The Vasquez home, however, was built with a protection plan. The builder put a 10-foot noncombustible wall on the property line, built the south-facing wall with noncombustible material with no window, removed the eaves from that side of the home and installed fire sprinklers.

These were detailed in a deed restriction.

Problem is Vasquez said the paperwork was not included in his documents when he bought the house. Vasquez has since received a copy of the deed restriction, and nowhere does it mention the extra cost of maintaining the sprinkler system.

In a town like Long Beach, which has numerous oil wells, it would seem the Vasquez situation is not unique.

Maybe not unique, but close.

"It's not common, it's very rare," Zinnen said. "When we had jurisdiction in Signal Hill we had more."

Zinnen said he was aware of only Vasquez and his neighbor, Don Cometa, who lives in the 3000 block of Linden Avenue. However, Zinnen said the Fire Department does not track houses such as Vasquez's because they are not regularly inspected.

Similarly, Anatole Falagan, deputy general manager of business at the Long Beach Water Department, said while there are 428 properties with 3-inch pipes, he does not know how many are homes, but said it would likely be a small number.

He would not go into exact number citing privacy rights.

Falagan said state law does not allow him to adjust the rate for Vasquez, as that would be tantamount to having that service subsidized by other rate payers.

He said the Water Department was able to lower Vasquez's sewer rate.

Vasquez said he doesn't understand why he has to pay for the hazard that the oil well creates. He has talked to the water department, the fire department, planning, engineering, the mayor's office and says most of his calls go unreturned.

Meanwhile, Vasquez said that since being laid off, his situation had gone from annoying to dire.

When he first started receiving the bills he said, "I paid them and complained."

Now he is unsure how long he can keep up with the bills.

With an 18-month-old son in the home, Vasquez said it is critical for him to keep the utilities hooked up.

It's a weekday afternoon and Vasquez is sitting in his living room holding a delinquent utilities bill for $495.65. He has no idea how he will pay it.

"The next one will be red and they'll threaten to disconnect," Vasquez said.


greg.mellen@presstelegram.com
562-714-2093

Source: http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_21187593/long-beach-dream-home-money-pit-next-door?source=rss_viewed

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The Millions : 700 Cats: Why I Write

I?m not comfortable with the term ?writer.? When asked at a family function involving distant relatives last summer what it is that I do, I responded with, ?I?m an office worker.? Which is true. I spend more than forty hours a week working in an office. I also spend more time either writing, or thinking about writing. What I?ve always struggled with, is the question, ?Why do I write?? and more deeply, and troubling, ?Why do I feel guilty for doing so??

Maybe this isn?t a common problem. I know many writers who proudly discuss their novels and wouldn?t hesitate to speak back to one of my uncles chomping away on a hot dog with, ?I?m a writer, that?s what I do.? But for me, this is painful. Hearing someone discuss her novel, or worse, her current word-count, is torture. I?ve often imagined my unborn son someday reading a copy of my first novel and the embarrassment that will no doubt follow when he pummels me with questions. The poor kid, forced to tell his friends that his father wrote a book about ?balloon people.?

My guilt can be broken down into two different categories. Category one is guilt on a big, social level. Writing, by and large, is considered an intellectual pursuit and its non-consumption and seemingly non-active (in a physical sense ? you?re just sitting there) goes against current, major cultural norms. Category two is guilt on a smaller, personal level. I know deep down that writing is selfish, stupid, egotistical, and helps no one. When I am writing I am entertaining myself and the surrounding world doesn?t matter.

The personal guilt, which I?ve spent endless hours trying to dig deep into, I believe, stems from my childhood. When I was in my bedroom either playing video games, or reading, or talking to friends on the phone, it was considered ?ignoring the family? by my Mother. If I wasn?t in the living room watching television, or merely physically present, I was somehow distancing myself from my family. As I grew older, and began to write, the distance grew (both mentally and physically) and in correlation, more guilt. Even now, 31 years old, living with my wife (who is very supportive of my writing), I sometimes think I hear Mom calling me downstairs to ?come and spend time, you only get one family, you know.?

The first category, social guilt, is probably something I shouldn?t care about. And largely, I don?t. But I wouldn?t be honest with myself if I said it didn?t bother me that I?m participating in something that has little to no value in our society. Sure, I?m reaching on this one, but if you?ve published and told a stranger, or distant relative, that you?re a writer (?Yeah, my new story is in Baby Boo Review?), you?ve experienced the blank reaction and know what I?m talking about. We live in a society that doesn?t know how to discuss or get close to something as odd as the modern writer. When I told my relatives at the family function, ?I work in an office,? the response was easy ? ?Oh, I do too. Where do you work?? And boom, off to a conversation.

In my experience, when I?ve told someone ?I?m a writer,? the two most common responses are the following:

1) No response, head nod/smile.

2) ?I wrote a novel once? or ?I have an idea for a book, let me tell you about it.?

On occasion, the person may ask what I?ve written (?Can I get it at Amazon??) or the dreaded ?What are your books about?? but the conversation feels strictly one-sided and I?m often left rambling about how it?s only something I do on the side, not my real job or anything, oh no, that would be crazy. The social level guilt is a kind of ?distant-guilt? because 1) No one understands writers and 2) No one outside of writing circles and MFA groups wants to engage in a two hour speculative discussion on what Donald Antrim is working on.

I?m crazy. I?m insane. Those are two thoughts I?ve always had over the course of my brief ?writing career.? That what I?m doing, and continue to do, are clinically insane. I?ve read numerous interviews and articles where writers discuss their process, why they write, how it?s as necessary as breathing (No, it isn?t). The best, most comforting advice I?ve ever heard on the ?Why I write? question is from a woman named Lynea Lattanzio.

Lynea Lattanzio was featured in a 2011 National Geographic special called ?The Lady With 700 Cats.? Lattanzio runs the largest cat refuge in California, and what she said has had a profound impact on me. She said, ?I?m not crazy, what I do is crazy.? This is perfect advice for the modern writer and I doubt I?ll ever forget it. Like Lattanzio caring for her 700 cats (cats, I believe, are disliked by a majority of Americans who really, don?t care to understand them) I am caring for my 10 characters in a novel-in-progress, my desire to create interesting and aseptically pleasing sentences, the need to create something. But there?s a larger problem here, a third type of guilt.

I imagine I?ll always deal with some kind of guilt, either personal or social, for writing fiction, but a third type of guilt stems from both of these categories: ?What I?m doing isn?t real, it?s fantasy.? I?ve thought this to myself, and I?ve heard people say it ? from strangers to family. My answer, or coping mechanism, is that yes, what I?m doing is fantasy, but it?s always a reflection of the real world. I don?t even know if that?s true, it?s just something I tell myself and it sounds good.

So here I am, writing this, full of guilt (but not crazy), and the question still remains, ?Why do I write?? I?ve spent years trying to answer this question. My original answer, only several weeks ago while attempting, and failing, to write this essay, was, ?because I love it.? I am in love with the act of writing. But this didn?t have much staying power. Love is a fantasy in its own definition. It?s complex and intangible. The answer, the reason I write, is because I?m obsessed with the act of writing. I?m obsessed with taking a blank piece of paper and just putting something on it.

Obsession :?a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling;?broadly?:?compelling motivation.

Isn?t that a perfect definition for writing? I couldn?t agree more. I?ve read this definition over and over again. I should have it tattooed on my arm opposite the arm with the cat lady?s quote. It would certainly make family functions easy ? I could simply say ?I?m a writer? and raise my arms.

Believing that my writing is an obsession helps deal with some of my guilt. Not nearly all of it. If I break down the obsession, there is an even simpler answer to the question of why I write: It?s just something that I do. It?s an act, a performance, on par with mowing the lawn or going for a jog.

My personal guilt motivates. American society doesn?t care about your writing, and hey, that?s perfect. It?s time to get obsessed because no one is watching and beautiful things that don?t matter need to be created.

Image via rikkis_refuge/Flickr

Source: http://www.themillions.com/2012/07/700-cats-why-i-write.html

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Florida's Jewish Grandmas Are Mixed on Romney's Israel Trip

Is there a chance Jewish voters will vote not quite so overwhelmingly Democratic in the presidential election? The Washington Post's Jason Horowitz asked the experts: Jewish grandmas and grandpas in Florida. Their reviews of Mitt Romney were mixed.

RELATED: Romney Outspent Gingrich 4 to 1 on Florida Ads

When Romney gave a speech in Jerusalem last week, Sheldon Adelson -- a major Romney donor who funds Birthright tours of Israel -- said that his candidate would appeal to American Jewish voters "If they hear it." Did they? Horowitz reports:

?I heard it!? said Margie Rosen, 84, leaning on her cane outside Sage Bagel and Deli on Monday morning. A clock above the selection of white fish and black-and-white cookies read, ?Be a Mensch...? Rosen agreed with Romney that Jerusalem should be the capital of Israel, but she didn?t like that he talked about it publicly. ?That?s a problem they have to solve.?

But Jews tend to vote very Democratic. An anonymous Floridian told the Post, that winning over Jews would be hard:?"They are strictly Democrats and they are not changing! ... How are you going to change their minds? They just say, 'oy vey.'" Some Obama backers told the newspaper there were other issues that mattered, like Medicare, just like your average gray-haired voter.

RELATED: Romney Weakened Against Obama

Republicans quadrennially think this is the year to win back the Jewish vote. Adelson has pledged to spent $6.5 million to organize Jewish voters for Romney in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.?Last fall, when?Republican Bob Turner won a special election in a traditionally Democratic congressional district in New York, the Drudge Report?declared it was "REVENGE OF THE JEWS."?But in September, the Democratic-leaning firm?Public Policy Polling found that Obama had a 76 percent approval rating among Jewish voters in Florida. In March, The Jewish Week reported that an American Jewish Committee poll found that Obama's support among all Jewish voters rise to 61 percent from 45 percent in September. So it seems Jewish grandmas are still hesitant to welcome Romney into the family.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/floridas-jewish-grandmas-mixed-romneys-israel-trip-142732848.html

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Self Improvement | 8 Lessons From the Olympics - How to Overcome ...

Brian Lochte wins Gold

By Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. -

Ever since the first modern Olympic games were held in 1896, athletes have worked hard to ?go for the gold.? Baron Pierre de Coubertin brought the ancient Greek Olympiad back to life to recreate the ideals of physical, mental and spiritual excellence demonstrated by the competitors there. This year, the athletes at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver continue this tradition. They?re training long hours, maintaining a positive attitude, and overcoming their fears ? all in an attempt to accomplish their personal best.

Although you may not be vying for any medals, you can learn about triumphing over worry from the stories of athletes around the world. Here are 8 obstacles to consider as you map out your own personal strategy for success.

Overcome fear of failure. For some, failure signifies humiliation and the loss of self-esteem. But when the goal is to perform to the best of your ability, you can feel good about yourself even when you don?t come in first place. As Coubertain stated in the Olympic creed, ?The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.? Stay focused on your growth and the steps you take, not the outcome. Canadian skier Alexandre Bilodeau personified this ideal. He envisioned his courageous brother as a role model and, in the process, won the gold medal in moguls.

Overcome fear of success. Does thinking about what might happen, after you actually achieve a victory, stop you in your tracks? Or do you worry that you won?t meet others? high expectations of you once you win? Believing you must perform perfectly sometimes stands in the way of achieving your goal. U. S. figure skater Evan Lysacek had to deal with this stress at the Olympics, admitting, ?I did have some extra pressure coming in as the reigning world champion.? He rose to the occasion and skated with passion and skill, winning the gold medal and savoring the experience.

Overcome fear of competition. Performance anxiety is a common and familiar phobia. Speed skater Apolo Ohno is no stranger to competition, having conquered his own fears and come away a champion, on both the short-track and the dance floor. Entering many races, he has already beaten the record for the most U.S. medals in the Winter Games. Ohno doesn?t always win, but he strives to perform to the best of his ability each time he competes. To overcome stage fright, there are many techniques you can employ: put the competition into perspective; do deep breathing and relaxation exercises; concentrate on your own actions, not those around you; practice, practice, practice.

Overcome fear of sacrifice. After 46 years of consistently taking the gold medal in pairs figure skating, Russia/U.S.S.R. was finally was shut out from the podium. How did China?s Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo manage such a feat? They endured considerable sacrifice along the way. The oldest skaters in Vancouver, they have been together for 18 years, married for the past three. After victories despite numerous injuries, they retired in 2007. But two years later, they put their marriage vows and personal life on hold in order to retrain, living in the athletes? dorms as they worked to fulfill their dreams of Olympic gold. As you set important goals for yourself, recognize that you too may need to give up some pleasures along the way.

Overcome fear of risks. In order to succeed as Olympiads, athletes need to conquer their fear of the unknown and go for the gold anyway. According to Canadian hockey great Wayne Gretzky, ?You miss 100% of the shots you never take.? Snowboarder Shaun White understands taking measured risks and won the men?s halfpipe gold medal by hard work and his readiness to take chances. Although he had already won after his first run, he chose to attempt his difficult, signature moves in a second run. Exuberant after accomplishing his ?Double McTwist 1260,? he said, ?I have fun, I have dreams, I have goals, and I?m just now trying to do them.? After your own preparation, outline the risks you?re comfortable taking and then follow through with gusto.

Overcome fear of change. With poor weather conditions in Vancouver, many events were postponed, throwing off schedules. Athletes had to mentally adjust to these shifts and still be ready to compete. One athlete who initiated her own change was figure skater Yuko Kawaguchi. She gave up her Japanese citizenship and moved to Russia to be trained by legendary coach, Tamara Moskvina. Although not medaling at the Games, she lived her dedication to her sport by her move. When you are forced to modify your own original strategy, don?t hesitate to put your Plan B into action. It just might be a winner.

Overcome fear of pain. Downhill skier Lindsey Vonn severely bruised her shin during training last month and feared it might prevent her from competing in the Olympics. But she tried anyway, saying before the race, ?It?s tough?I know what I have to do. I know how to ski. It?s just fighting the pain.? And fight it she did, winning the gold medal in the women?s downhill. After, she commented on her efforts, ?Nothing comes for free.? You may have your own pain ? physical or emotional ? to work through as you pursue your goals. Keep in mind the determination you need to succeed as you struggle to prevail.

Overcome fear of pleasure. Lindsey Jacobellis skid off course in the snowboard cross semi-finals, once more losing a chance at a medal. After her initial frustration, she shared her thoughts with reporters, ?I still can have fun in some way. I just felt like doing a nice, fun truck-driver grab, that?s the spirit that it is.? Other competitive snowboarders agreed with her attitude. Nate Holland commented, ?It?s not always about winning. It?s about fun, style, showing your stuff.? And Nick Baumbartner explained, ?It?s not about the finish?it?s all about the journey. It?s all about taking the wild ride.? So, even when you?re in the midst of a competition of your own, don?t forget to enjoy the process and have fun.

As you learn from the athletes of the winter Olympics and overcome your own fears, remember that ?you can?t score if you don?t take a shot.? Rely on your courage, endurance and sense of fair play as you meet your challenges and achieve success. You may not receive a gold medal but you can be a winner just the same.

(c) 2010, Her Mentor Center

Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. is a family relationship expert with a 4-step model for change. Coping with stress, acting-out teens, aging parents, boomerang kids or difficult daughters-in-law? Visit http://www.NourishingRelationships.blogspot.com & http://www.HerMentorCenter.com for tips & free ezine.

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Lochte chases more gold on day three

Ryan Lochte will target his second gold medal on day three of the Olympics Monday as America's swimmers attempt to bounce back from the shock of losing their 4x100 relay crown.

Lochte, who got his Games campaign off to a flier on Saturday when he crushed compatriot and long-time rival Michael Phelps to win the 400m medley, suffered a reality check on Sunday in the United States' relay loss to France.

The 27-year-old will line up in the 200m freestyle final against China's Sun Yang, who will also be targeting his second gold of the Games after his win in the 400m freestyle on Saturday.

Lochte has the opportunity to avenge the USA's relay defeat when he lines up against Yannick Agnel, the Frenchman who reeled him in over the last leg.

Phelps, meanwhile, will attempt to get his individual campaign back on track following his chastening loss in the 400m medley final when he begins the defence of his 200m butterfly crown.

The four swimming medals are among a total of 12 up for grabs across all competitions on Monday.

Host nation Great Britain, still awaiting their first gold of the Games, will be hoping diving star Tom Daley can challenge for honours in the 10m synchronised platform final where he competes with partner Peter Waterfield.

Daley aims to deliver an emotional triumph, just two months after the death of his father from cancer.

"It's always there in the back of your head and it would be extra special if I could do well at these Games," said Daley.

"It's been a very tough year but going into this, the only thing I can focus on is my performance."

The first medals in artistic gymnastics will be decided with the men's team final event, where China and Japan will attempt to put poor qualifying displays behind them to challenge for gold.

Japan and China, the dominant force in Beijing in 2008, had been expected to fight it out for the major honours in London, but they were eclipsed by the United States, Russia and Britain on Saturday's opening day.

Japan ended in fifth position in the overall team ranking, with reigning Olympic champions China one place below them in sixth.

Japan superstar Kohei Uchimura has warned his team-mates not to become fixated on China as they prepare for the final, which he blamed for their poor performance in qualifying.

"We were all more or less thinking about how the Chinese were going to perform, so it might have affected our performance," he said.

"From now on, we'll try not to think about how the Chinese team are going to do and just try to do our best."

Defending champions China will become the first team since Japan in 1976 to successfully retain the team title if they recover to win gold.

China, who were leading the medal table with six golds after Sunday's action, will also attempt to maintain their dominance in the shooting, where Zhu Qinan can become the first man to win medals in the 10m air rifle competition at three separate Olympics.

Away from the medals, Great Britain and Argentina will meet in a men's field hockey after recent tensions between the two nations on the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War.

At Wimbledon, Roger Federer and Serena Williams look to reach the last 16 of the tennis tournament.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-surges-top-medals-table-olympics-day-two-154209024--oly.html

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