The Leaning Tower of Pisa was straight like a pole when the construction began in 1173. It started to shift direction soon after construction because of poor foundation in addition to the loose layer of subsoil(底土). At the beginning, it leaned to the southeast before the shaky foundation started to shift leaning towards the southwest. After the period of structural strengthening at the beginning of the 21^st century, now the Leaning Tower of Pisa leans at an angle of 3.97 degrees.

    In 1178, the shift in direction was observed for the first time when the construction had progressed further to the third floor. The tower was heavy for the three-meter foundation that was built on a weak area of land.

    For compensating(补偿) the leaning position, the builders started to construct the upper floors with one side higher than the other one. This caused the tower to lean in the other direction. This unusual structure led to the tower being actually curved. In spite of these efforts, the tower kept on leaning.

    The government of Italy started to plan prevention of the complete collapse of the tower in 1964. However, a request was put forward by the authorities to keep the leaning position because of the tourism industry of the region.

    After nearly two decades of careful planning by engineers, historians and mathematicians, the stabilization efforts for the Leaning Tower of Pisa started in 1990. The tower was closed for the general public and the people living nearby moved away. For reducing the total weight of the tower, its seven bells which represented the seven musical notes were removed. The tower was reopened for the general public on December 15, 2001.

    In May 2008, after removing another 70 metric tons of earth, the engineers announced that the tower had been finally stabilized and it would remain stable for at least 200 years.

    Given that many people's moods (情绪)are regulated by the chemical action of chocolate, it was probably only a matter of time before somebody made the chocolate shop similar to a drugstore of Chinese medicine. Looking like a setting from the film Charlie&the Chocolate Factory, Singapore's Chocolate Research Facility (CRF) has over 100 varieties of chocolates, its founder is Chris Lee who grew up at his parents' comer store with one handalmost always in the jar of sweets.

    If the CRF seems to be a smart idea, that's because Lee is not merely a seasoned salesperson but also head of marketing department that has business relations with big names such as Levi's and Sony. That idea surely results in the imagination at work when it comes to making different flavored (味道) chocolates.

    The CRF's produce is “green”, made within the country and divided into 10 lines, with the Alcohol Series being the most popular. The exotic Series—with Sichuan pepper, red bean(豆), cheese and other flavors—also does well and is fun to taste. And for chocolate snobs, who think that they have a better knowledge of chocolate than others, the Connisseur Series uses cocoa beans from Togo, Cuba, Venezuela, and Ghana, among others.

    Pastime is a bi-monthly magazine for curious young minds. Many of the topics we write about won't be covered in the classroom. All the articles are written in a lively style, and each one is paired with drawings by some of the country's most talented artists.

    History focuses on archaeological (考古的) sites around the world where archaeologists work to unearth important finds.

    World includes stories about daily life, folk tales, and history and traditions of the people and places.

    Sport includes nutrition tips, information about up-and-coming young athletes, and sports events.

    Art stimulates a child's cultural life, from film to theatre through to writing and music.

    On top of all that, Pastime is packed with items to stimulate a youngster's imagination, including pages of puzzles and a step-by-step guide to creating their own impressive-looking drawings.

    In every issue, we review the latest books top authors write for youngsters. There are also short works of fiction written especially for Pastime by some of our best writers.

    We know that children at this age are dealing with many emotions and sometimes difficult feelings, so we have a personal advice page to reply to questions dealing with personal and moral problems.

    Unlike many of today's throwaway comics, Pastime is written and designed to be kept and treasured. We know children love going online — but we also know how much they enjoy holding a printed magazine in their hands, and the excitement they get when each new issue drops through the letterbox personally addressed to them.

    Subscription

    Pastime is published six times a year. An annual subscription costs just £20 and makes a great gift for any child aged eight to twelve.

    To order by phone: Dial 1-800-821-0156 and use Offer Code WEBSAVE86 for print-only subscriptions.

    You can cancel at any time for magazines that haven't shipped yet.

    Do you have a talented young artist, photographer, or designer in your life? It's never too early to start helping them get their work out there! We've rounded up the top art contests for kids and teens that can help these young creators share their first masterpieces with the world. Best of all? Most of them are totally free to enter!

    Global Canvas Art Competition

    Ages: 16 and under

    Mediums: Drawing, painting

    Global Canvas is all about the environment. Launched by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, this art competition wants to inspire the next generation to be more mindful of how we take care of the earth. The judges are looking for artists to capture the wonderful places that wildlife call home.

    Toyota Dream Car Art Contest

    Ages: Four to 15

    Mediums: Drawing, painting

    Time to design a dream car! Toyota wants to get junior artists thinking about what the future of transportation might look like. Prizes include cash and a chance to tour one of the Toyota manufacturing plants.

    Advena World's art Competition

    Ages: 15 and under

    Mediums: Drawing, painting

    Advena World's art competition aims to promote creativity and self-expression. Instead of a theme, they ask the participating artists to simply express their feelings—anything from sadness or joy to anger or excitement—through their chosen medium,.

    Progressive Young Artist Awards

    Ages: 13 to 19

    Open to: All international applicants

    Mediums: Painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, sculpture

    Cost to enter: $5 USD

    PYAA is all about expressing and celebrating progressive values. So, if there is a creative teen in your life who wants to do good in the world, sign them up for this art contest for teens. The prize is a scholarship which they can put toward their post-secondary schooling.

    Chewing gum(口香糖) has its origins in ancient times from Mayans to Greeks who would chew the resin(树脂)of certain trees for medical purposes and maybe even for freshening breath. The history of chewing gum continued as Native Americans introduced it to European settlers.

    Chewing gum hit the market after Santa Anna brought a case of chicle(糖胶树脂) from Mexico to New York. Santa Anna gave some to the part-time inventor Thomas Adams Thomas Adams changed the gum and marketed it as a candy. The invention took off and was known as Chiclets.

    In 1900 Frank Fleer coate chewing gum with sugar, and in 1906 Blibber Blubber was invented, but never made it to market. Blibber Blubber was too sticky and it was also too difficult to remove the burst bubble(破了的泡泡) from one's skin without using some special tools.

    A history of bubblegum just wouldn't be complete without mentioning the gumball machine, which popularized gum. The first gumball machine came onto the scene in 1907 and sold sugar-coated chewing gum.

    However, it wasn't until 1928 that bubblegum was created. Walter Diemer, working for Frank Fleer's gum company, discovered bubblegum by accident while experimenting in the lab during his breaks. The gum was named Dubble Bubble. Pink was the only color which could be used at the time, and Dubble Bubble has remained pink ever since.

    According to the International Chewing Gum Association,during WWII Dubble Bubble was handed out by US military members as gifts, thereby spreading its popularity among the peoples of Europe, Africa, and Asia. And in the 1930s he first bubblegum cards appeared. "the pictures changed from war heroes to Wild West figures to professional athletes."

    Bubblegum has been popular ever since, especially among children, thanks to its inventive shapes, and sugary flavors, from original bubblegum to a yardstick of fruity bubblegum.

    You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

    Jane Addams (1860-1935)

    Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区)by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

    Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

    If it weren't for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness(意识) of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world's lakes and oceans.

    Sandra Day O'Connor (1930-present)

    When Sandra Day O'Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court(最高法院). O'Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

    Rosa Parks(1913-2005)

    On December 1,1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott(抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. "The only tired I was, was tired of giving in," said Parks.