Making and Keeping Friends Is More than Child's Play

    When 6-year­-old Rachel returned to school on a recent Monday morning, her eyes immediately scanned the playground for her friend Abbie. “Though they were only separated by a weekend, the girls ran right into each other's arms and hugged,” recalls Rachel's mother Kathryn Willis of Gilbert. “It was like a scene from a movie.”

    Most parents instinctively (本能地) know that having friends is good for their child. Experts agree that friendship isnot simply child's play, but a powerful predictor of social adjustment throughout life.

A Skill for Life

  “Childhood friendships serve as a very important training ground for adulthood,” says Dr. Robbie Adler­Tapia, psychologist with the Center for Children's Health & Life Development at the East Valley Family Resource Center.

    Researcher William Hartup states,“Peerrelations contribute significantly to both social and cognitive (认知的) development.” Hartup concludes that the single best childhood predictor of adult social adaptation is not school grades or classroom behavior, butrather, how well a child gets along with other children.

    The work of Arizona State University professor of Developmental Psychology Gary Ladd proves that just as being ableto make and keep friends is beneficial to kids while the lack of friends is detrimental.

Good Friendships Don't Just Happen

    Experts agree that it is essential forchildren to establish high­quality friendships. But, researchers warn, these friendships don't necessarily just happen. Often, a good friendship begins with involvedparents.

    Psychologist Dr. Lynne Kenney Markan believes kids should be taught social skills in much the same way they are taught math and reading.

Bad Company

Many parents worry about the quality aswell as the quantity of their child's friendships. “When she was in 1st grade, her supposed ‘best friend' began calling her names and threatening to hurt her,”says Mindy Miller. “My daughter wasn't allowed to talk to or even look at other girls in her class. It really crushed her spirit. I told my daughter she didn't need a ‘friend' like that.”

    “I'll bend over backwards(拼命) to help my son get together with a friend I think is good for him,” Adler­ Tapiasays. “I don't look at it as manipulation (操纵)，just positive parental involvement.”

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April Fool's party

On Friday, April 1, Inner Affair goes back to the days of funk! Classic Tunes from the 70's and 80's by DJs Den & Sion, 9pm till late.

Tickets: Free entrance for those in costume, otherwise 50 yuan (US$6)

Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1

Place: Inner Affair, 1/F Qiankun Dasha, 6 Sanlitun Xiliujie, Chaoyang District

Tel: 8454-0321

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The "worst" party

Organized by ozone productions, the party is set to be "the worst ever", with the lamest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Special prizes will be awarded to the worst dressed or for bad fashion sense.

Tickets: Free entrance

Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1

Place: Pula Pula, Tianze Lu, Oriental Seven Colours Plaza, Chaoyang District

Tel: 6466-8575

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La Nuit Francaise

Again on the 2nd Thursday of the month La Nuit Francaise will be held at Le Rendezvous. The monthly event is an opportunity for all French people and everyone interested in France or speaking French to gather together.

The evening features three glasses of wine for participants and a special exhibition.

Time/Date: 7 to 10 pm, April 14

Place: Le Rendezvous, 3 Gongti Beilu, across from the Pacific Century Plaza, Chaoyang District

Tel: 6462-9110

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Marco V

Dutch DJ Marco V drops by Banana for a gig which is supported by Hong Kong's DJ Spark.

Marco V has been around for many years, as an inventive, style blending deejay and a successful and devoted producer. His spinning is energetic, crowd pleasing and never sees an empty dance floor. He was ranked No. 15 in this year's international DJ MAG DJ Top100.

Tickets: 40 yuan (US$4.80) in advance, 50 yuan (US$6) at the door, both including a free drink

Time/Date: 10 pm to 4 am, March 31, April 1

Place: Banana, in the lobby of the Scitech Hotel, 22 Jianwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

Tel: 6528-3636

    The next time someone asks you where the biggest ocean is, point them toward Jupiter. While earth harbours about 320 million cubic miles(1,333 cubic km)of water, our planet is practically a desert compared to the rest of the Solar System.

    A moon of Jupiter called Europa, for example, which is roughly the size of our own Moon, likely hides a subsurface ocean with more than twice as much water as there is on Earth.

    Yet even that pales into insignificance in comparison to Europa's neighbour Ganymede; more than 30 times as much water as our home planet is thought to reside there as liquid and ice.

    And scientists keep finding more water wherever they look. On September 28, researchers reported that Dione — a small moon of Saturn — probably has a subsurface ocean, too.

    To see just how Earth stacks up against other ocean worlds, Business Insider contacted Steve Vance, a planetary scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who's calculated the numbers on just how much water might be out there.

    In order of how much water they have, from the least to the most, they are: Enceladus, Dione, Earth, Europa, Pluto, Triton, Callisto, Titan, and Ganymede. Mimas, a moon of Saturn, and Ceres, the largest asteroid in the Solar System, are also thought to have subsurface oceans —but scientists aren't yet sure how big each one might be.

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    Can you imagine walking into a gym and seeing dogs lifting weights or cats jogging? We're being a bit silly thinking of dogs and cats going to the gym, but we do have a reason. Just like human beings, pets that don't get enough exercise can become overweight.   
   Overweight pets can develop serious health problems just like we can. So, if you have a pet, part of being a good owner is making sure that your pet gets the right amount and kind of exercise.

    Before you start your pet on an exercise program, be sure to schedule a check-up for your pet and ask your veterinarian how much and what type of exercise your pet needs.

    Just like humans, pets need to be started out slowly. Over time, they will get fit and be able to exercise for longer periods of time. If you exercise alongside your pet, you'll benefit, too!

    Starting out, you might want to play with your pet for 15－20 minutes at a time. Gradually, you can turn those plays into several 30－minute walks or jogs each week. If your pet is especially active, you can extend them to an hour or longer.

    Of course, some pets, such as cats, may not be easy to take for a walk or a run. These pets still need exercise, though. Don't underestimate the value of energetic indoor play, such as games of chase, for these types of pets.

    As you start exercising with your pet, here are some things to keep in mind:

    Make sure your pet has plenty of water before, during, and after exercising.

    If you have older pets, don't push them as hard.

    Watch the heat! If you are outside, exercising with your pet will be best early in the morning or later in the day.

Some Popular RestaurantsParsley &Thyme Restaurant

    Daryl Cheong is a young chef who has recently taken over the running of Parsley&Thyme Restaurant. Since his graduation from At Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, Daryl has worked in a couple of leading European restaurants before taking over Parsley & Thyme Restaurant. Daryl serves popular dishes such as French Onion Soup, Braised Beef Cheek and 100% Grass-Fed New Zealand Tenderloin.

    Liquids Cafe Pte LId

    Having a decade of experience, we let our customers experience an explosion of American and Italian cuisine in a cafe atmosphere with affordable prices. Having both indoor and outdoor dining area, we are known for our welcoming atmosphere of romance. Customers simply bathe themselves in a range of magazines over a cup of caffeine. Our kitchen offers pastes, baked rice and main courses.

    The Rotisserie

    Sitting in the center of the downtown, the Rotisserie brings you a casual and affordable dining experience that is simply satisfying, We offer numbers of specialties on the menu that have been perfected to arouse your taste desires. From the award-winning coffee to our signature roasted chicken and mouth watering salads, we are committed to bringing you the best ingredients for a truly memorable affair.

    The Mind Cafe

    There can be no good fun without good food. The cafe aims to provide our customers with a pleasant session with something to fill their appetite. Light snacks, a warm coffee or hot chocolate serve the customers' needs just well. With over 2, 000 games on shelf across our outlets, the cafe eaters to people from all walks of life. You will never get bored from a lack of choice. It is suitable for a family outing, company gathering, or simple friends' get-together. We provide the games suitable for almost all ages to play together.

Soccer is played by millions of people all over the world, but there have only been few players who were truly great. How did these players get that way—was it through training and practice, or are great players "born, not made"?

First, these players came from places that have had famous stars in the past—players that a young boy can look up to and try to imitate (模仿). In the history of soccer, only seven countries have ever won the World Cup. There has never been a great national team—or a really great player—from North America or from Asia.

Second, these players have all had years of practice in the game. Pele, who is often named as the greatest soccer of all time, was the son of a soccer player. He began to play soccer with his father when he was only three. Most players begin playing the game at the age of three or four.

Finally, many great players come from the same kind of neighbourhood—a poor, crowded area where a boy's dream is not to be a doctor, lawyer, or businessman, but to become a rich, famous athlete or entertainer (艺人). For example, Liverpool, which produced the Beatles, had one of the best English soccer teams in recent years. Pele practiced in the street with a "ball" made of rags (破布). And George Best learned the tricks that made him famous by bouncing the ball off a wall (对着墙壁踢球) in the slums (贫民窟) of Belfast.

All great players have a lot in common, but that doesn't explain why they are great. Hundreds of boys played in those Brazilian streets, but only one became Pele. The greatest players are born with some unique quality that sets them apart from all the others.