The Olympics

"Olympic" comes from the ancient Greek Olympus or olympia .Mount Olympus was a place where games were played in honor of the Greek god Zeus.The first modern summer Olympic games were played in Athens,Greece in 1896.Women started competing in 1912.

At first,the Olympic games were restricted to running.Later,many new events were added like the long run,boxing,wrestling,the foot race with armor.The winners of the Olympics were crowned and rewarded.Women used to have separate Olympic contests every four years,but with fewer events.

The traditional track and field athletics include the decathlon(100-metre,400-metre and 1500-metre runs) and pentathlon(300-metre freestyle swim,400-metre cross-country run,5000-metre 40-jump horse race,target shooting,etc). Other many games and sports are besides.For example,cycling,swimming,diving,shooting,volleyball,rowing,riding sports,soccer,hockey,weightlifting,boxing,gymnastics,wrestling, and so on.The winter games included ice hockey,skiing and skating.Since 19944,the winter games have been held in even-numbered years in which summer games are not contested.

The Olympic games have definite advantages.They promote a happy competition between different states, and this promotes international standards of games.Each state makes yearlong preparations for the Olympics and its players compete with each other in the best possible ways.This promotes nationalism.That is why the players from individual state take on their national color,and feel that they are playing for their countries.

On the other hand,the participating countries in the Olympic games contribute to international co-operation and goodwill.Representative sportsmen from most countries get together in the host country with the knowledge that they are competing internationally.They play and compete with the feeling that they belong to the world.

Sometimes political considerations affect the sports event.

Commercial interests also play their role when the Olympic games are arranged in the host country.The television network earn huge amounts when they televise the games, and also flash advertisements of commercial organizations.The whole world of newspapers and magazines is in action to report the sports events to earn money and fame.The Olympics of 2008 in China were magnificently impressive and reflective of the greatness of China in their presentation.

The Olympic games bring hopes of success to the competing groups of players.Whatever their performances,they leave the playgrounds and competition fields with the feeling that they did their best after all.

Music Addiction

Music means sounds arranged in a way that is pleasant or exciting to listen to."People sing music or play it on instruments."Music appeals to the soul more than to the ear as someone has said that it is food for the soul.We now have pop music or modern popular music with a strong rhythm repeated pattern of sounds and simple tunes that thrill young people and make them walk rhythmically and dance passionately.Dance music makes us dance in joy and hope.Religious music is devotional that creates in us moods of prayer and worship.Classical or traditional music is serious and connected with old musical instruments played with the hand.Whatever the form of music may be,it is the mood and thoughts of the player that make it interested in it.Even computer music and electronic music demand special moods of appreciation.

We are music addicts when we cannot stay away from it for long hours.We cannot stay away from musical notes and songs, and spend much listening to it as a matter of habit.We are even prepared to damage our regular work or studies at the cost of music.

Music addiction or the habit of listening to music for long hours is not as harmful as watching TV,taking drugs,smoking or drinking.We can study or work at a place,sometimes better while listening to music,Often musical tunes move,encourage and inspire us, and also help us to take momentous decisions.Many a soldier fights energetically while listening to light musical tunes.Even while lunching or dining,we are pleased to listen to soothing light music or songs in the background.Some religions,like Christianity and Hinduism,sanction music and singing with prayers.

Islam would oppose music when it leads to any kind of immorality.Martial music,nuptial,festive music, and birthday music are commonly acceptable in Islamic countries.The Arab music of this sort and Iranian,Turkish,Egyptian,Moroccan,Malaysian and Indonesian music are quite common.

Music addiction should surely be condemned if it makes us attend rock concerts,pop concerts,some jazz performances, and the like as a habit.We,then,get lost in these concerts and attend them at the cost of our studies,professional work, and household duties.The music that pleases us as we work and study and improves the tempo or pace of our work is the best.