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A classroom saga: can Dr Evil get boys to start reading again?
A series of classroom storybooks using digital pictures and action-packed storylines has been created to encourage boys to read. In Britain, which is a reading and book-publishing superpower (more titles are published in Britain each year than any other country) boys lag behind girls at reading. Recent research suggests that 21 per cent of British nine-year-old boys are not interested in books, compared with 13 per cent of girls. Boys are also particularly attracted to non-fiction. The special series, Project X, features three boys, Max, Ant and Tiger, and a girl, Cat, who is something of a tomboy. The four friends are pitched against Dr Evil, a wicked scientist who wants to shrink the world. *A classroom saga: can Dr Evil get boys to start reading again?* Alexandra Frean, Education Editor The Times 7th January 2009 A series of storybooks for primary schools, using digital pictures and action-packed storylines, has been created to encourage boys to read. Parents and teachers have become increasingly concerned at boys’ lack of interest in reading, and the ir lack of motivation at school. Recent research suggests that 21 per cent of nine-year-old boys are not interested in books, compared with 13 per cent of girls. When asked, 46 per cent of boys, but little more than a quarter of girls, said that they only read if they had to do so. At the age of 7, boys lag behind girls in reading performance by eight percentage points (with 80 per cent, compared with 88 per cent of girls, reaching the target for their age.) At age 11, the gap is six points. Oxford University Press, publisher of the Oxford Reading Tree Magic Key series, featuring Chip, Kipper and their dog Floppy and used in most primary schools, has created a “reading tree” specifically for boys. A reading tree is a series of books of increasing difficulty, with the same cast of characters. The new series, Project X, features three boys, Max, Ant and Tiger, and a girl, Cat, who is something of a tomboy. The four friends are pitched against Dr Evil, a wicked scientist who wants to shrink the world. Sophie Quarterman, of the Oxford University Press, said the books had very fast-moving plots, plenty of computer-generated images and stories involving teamwork: this has been shown to appeal most to boys. “All the research shows us that girls read because they are told to and will read anything put in front of them. But boys need to be given a reason to read. They need to feel they will get something out of it,” she said. As boys are frequently attracted to non-fiction, each group of books in the Project X series is accompanied by a non-fiction book full of interesting facts and diagrams. One, on ants, suggests that if you weighed all the ants in the world they would weigh about as much as all the human beings in the world. Another explains all about pirate ships and includes a recipe for ships’ biscuits. “The teaching notes contain lots of activities, such as things for boys to make and do with their hands,” Ms Quarterman said. Gary Wilson, an independent consultant and author of Breaking Through the Barriers to Boys’ Achievement, said: “Through my work with thousands of boys in high schools I would say that less than 20 per cent of boys read for pleasure. The most common reasons they cite for not reading include peer pressure — ‘it’s not cool to read; nobody wants to look like a boff’ — and that ‘there are more important things to do than read’.” Mr Wilson, who has endorsed the Project X books, said that many boys were only ever read to by their mothers or by female teachers and may never see a man reading anything other than an instruction manual or a newspaper. It was wrong to assume, however, that the way to encourage boys to read was through non-fiction and “fact bites”. “Reading fiction helps to counter what is a vital flaw in many boys’ learning process — their ability to reflect,” he said. ------------------------------------------------- Image: The British lead the world at reading books * Britain leads the world with per-capita new titles per year. * Britain overtook the U.S. in 2006 for the second time in 20 years; the last time was 2001. * New titles in Britain increased by 28 per cent in 2005-6, whereas output in the U.S. dropped 18 per cent. TOP 10 COUNTRIES WITH MOST NEW TITLES EACH YEAR 1) Britain: 206,000 2) United States: 172,000 3) China: 100,951 4) Germany: 71,515 5) Japan: 56,221 6) Spain: 46,330 7) Russia: 36,327 8 ) Italy: 35,326 9) France: 34,766 10) Netherlands: 34,067 timesonline.co.uk
Pictured: The amazing tin can bomber made by British pilot in Great Escape POW camp
*A replica of a classic World War II RAF aircraft has been discovered.* *The Lancaster Bomber model was made from tin cans and matchsticks during World War II by a British pilot as he was held prisoner in Stalag Luft III - the camp featured in the movie "Great Escape".* *The RAF pilot was shot down over Hungary in 1944 and arrived at the camp only months after the Great Escape when 76 Allied airmen made an audacious bid for freedom. * *Only three made it home and 50 were executed by the Gestapo.* *The RAF operated 7,377 Lancasters during the War. Known affectionately as the "Lanc" or the "Lankie" it became the most famous and most successful of the Second World War night bombers, delivering 608,612 tons of bombs in 156,000 sorties.* *Pictured: The amazing tin can bomber made by British pilot in Great Escape POW camp* By David Wilkes (+Wilkes) 07th January 2009 Daily Mail Skillfully crafted from tin cans, matchsticks and off cuts, one can only imagine the satisfaction a prisoner of war derived from finishing this stunning model aircraft as he languished in Stalag Luft III. Constructed almost perfectly to scale, his detailed version of a Lancaster Bomber like the one he flew before his capture even bears what appears to be the skull and crossbones logo of RAF 100 Squadron, famous for its night-time raids. Little is known about its maker, other than that he was an airman named E Taylor. Image: Remarkable: The scale version of a Lancaster Bomber was made out of items found by captured British World War II pilot E Taylor The model was found during a clearance sale at house in the south of England along with his prison camp diary, in which he had drawn a map of where his plane was shot down over Hungary on August 28, 1944. He was incarcerated in the prisoner of war camp in Sagan, 100 miles south-east of Berlin, during its strictest regime, having arrived there only months after the 'Great Escape' when 76 Allied airmen made an audacious bid for freedom. Only three made it home and 50 were executed by the Gestapo. In 1963, the story was turned into a hugely successful film starring Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough and James Coburn. The pilot's model shows how prisoners were determined to keep their spirits up despite being made to go on forced marches and fed only meagre rations. His diary includes morale-boosting songs, along with sketches of the camp so detailed they show the prisoners' sleeping arrangements and clothes hanging on a washing line. In it, he tells of his harsh treatment at the hands of his captors, referred to as the 'goons'. Image: The 1963 film The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen, portrayed the camp where the pilot E Taylor was held Enlarge Image: () The infamous Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp where the Great Escape and Trjoan horse bids for freedom took place Describing how he and his fellow prisoners were given an hour's notice before one forced march, he wrote: 'The first day we covered 20km. The ice on the roads was good and we pulled our kit along on homemade sleigh. 'Tired and hungry we put up at a school for the night. Next day. Until now no food was given us by the goons and it was hard going on the roads. 'We covered about 20km during the day and spent the night in a church it is pouring with rain.' Elsewhere he writes: 'We got in the gates and an air raid started. There was panic by the goons and it was early morn when they searched us and put us in blocks. 'This is one of the unhealthy and dirtiest places I had seen. We are starving there is practically no food. Our food for the day consists of 3 slices of bread and a cup of soup, there is no need to say more.' The model and diary are due to be auctioned in Ludlow, Shrosphire, later this month. Richard Westwood-Brookes, historical documents expert at at Mullocks Auctioneers said the plane is the finest example of 'trench art' he has ever seen. Image: E Taylor's diary, complete with drawings of the prisoner of war camp, will be auctioned alongside the model plane He said: 'The model is beautifully slotted together and is constructed of a lot of different sections, which require some skill. 'While the main body is made out of wood, the moving propellors are fashioned by materials from a tin can and the cockpit section from glass or some kind of resin. 'Matchsticks underneath form the guns on the plane and the model is completed with realistic camouflage colouring. He will have managed to have got the paints whilst doing the painting duties around the camp. 'The guards will have let this kind of thing happen because the more time the prisoners were doing things like that, the less time they were spending on trying to escape.' Mr Westwood-Brookes added: 'The model and diary just shows the remarkable spirit of the British troops. Mr Taylor has certainly left us with a fine legacy of his courage.' *READERS' COMMENTS* *Was he a pilot or Flt Engineer? * *That model is superb- it really shows the British skill of making the best from minimal rescources under hardship.* *- Phil, Perthshire, Scotland* ********************************** *Heartening* *- L., Glos. England* ********************************* *Wow, great find!* *- Steve Smith, London* dailymail.co.uk
Ops....Sorry 'bout that. Next!!!
Source: CANOE -- CNEWS - Canada: Misprint may void lotto tickets () *Misprint may void lotto tickets* *'Printing error' could cost him* *By JASON BUCKLAND, SUN MEDIA* BRAMPTON -- You can easily see the pain in Thomas Noftall's eyes. "They're going to take away my dream. They're going to take it all away," the 27-year-old said yesterday, staring at what he feels are $135,000 in winning scratch tickets the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. won't reward him for. "I've gone from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in the past few days." A regular lottery player, Noftall had his world turned upside down on New Year's Eve when he won huge denominations on four separate Fruit Smash scratch cards. One card, he said from the basement apartment he shares with his wife and 21-month-old son, paid the top prize of $75,000. Three other cards uncovered huge winnings, too, paying another $60,000 between them. Noftall was beside himself. "I'm thinking, I have a house. I can make my family upstairs happy. I can make my wife happy," he said. "Now I can send my kids to school. I can do things in my life I've never done before." But Noftall's quest to claim his riches with the OLG prize office has since turned into a whirlwind of anger, frustration and bureaucracy. Despite his initial contact with a claims representative who assured him he would be paid, Noftall has since been told the tickets were a "printing error" and he's not likely to see any cash. "And I made sure to ask the woman from the start -- in about seven different ways -- if I would get paid regardless of the error because it was their mistake," Noftall said. "She told me I absolutely would. She said they made the mistake and it would be false advertising if they didn't (pay)." An OLG spokesman told the Sun last night there were 1,000 Fruit Smash tickets misprinted across the province and that players should consult a lottery prize centre to deal with the issue. Noftall did that yesterday, and it was not an encouraging visit. "One guy pulled me into his office and said, 'Between me and you, they're going to void your tickets. They're not going to pay,'" Noftall said of his visit to Toronto's downtown prize centre. So now, the steelworker father -- who is behind on child support payments for two young daughters he rarely sees -- wonders if he'll ever see the money to help those close to him. "My dad isn't doing well and I told him I could finally take care of him," he said. "I thought I had a chance to have something better, something decent for once." Last I heard, the OLG was willing to refund to Noftall the origional retail cost of his lotto tickets. Thanks for coming.
William and Harry set up their own offices that will bring back memories of their mum
*The Queen has given her grandsons, princes William and Harry, their own royal household in St James's Palace.* *And the logos for their new office bring back memories of their mother Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash on 31st August 1997, leaving millions of Britons in grief.* *William and Harry set up their own offices ... with royal logos that bring back memories of Diana* By Daily Mail Reporter (+Mail+Reporter) 07th January 2009 Daily Mail Princes William and Harry have been granted their own royal household by the Queen. The 'household' - which contrary to how it sounds is not a new home but an office and a retinue of staff members to organise their public duties and private life - has been established at St James's Palace. And the 'cyphers', or logos, which appeared at the top of their household's first press statement last night, bare a touching resemblance to the cypher used by their late mother, Princess Diana. Image: Royal insignia: The 'W' and 'H' cyphers, with coronets above them, which Princes William and Harry will use on paperwork related to their new office Previously, William and Harry's affairs had been handled by the office of their father, Prince Charles, at Clarence House in central London. But now the brothers will have their public, military and charitable activities organised by three main members of staff, supported by a small team. Image: In memory: Princes William and Harry after the Service of Thanksgiving for Diana in August 2007 Sir David Manning, the former British ambassador to Washington, will work as a part-time adviser to the princes. William's cypher is red - the same color used by his father and grandmother - and consists of a "W" topped with a coronet. Harry's cypher is similar, but has an "H" and is blue - a similar shade to that used by Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Image: Image: Princes William and Harry's insignias bear a resemblance to Princess Diana's royal insignia William, 26, is currently training as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot with the Royal Air Force. Harry, 24, is preparing to begin two-and-a-half years of training to fly British army helicopters. Other royals with their own households include the queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, and their other children, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and the Duke of Kent. dailymail.co.uk