The star of the Toy Story movies, Buzz Lightyear, got a hero’s welcome when he returned to Earth after spending more than a year on the International Space Station.
The 30-cm tall figurine who launched into space in May 2008 was on board the US space shuttle Discovery when it returned to Earth last week.
Lightyear was only supposed to spend six months in space, returning home in November on board space shuttle Endeavor, but Disney said his stay was extended because his educational mission there had been such a resounding success.
“The education program that was put in place for kids had really worked out well. So by keeping him up there, it kind of kept the stories and educational pieces relevant,” said Todd Heiden, Disney World’s strategic planning director.
Disney has brought Lightyear back to Earth just in time to attend and help promote the opening of a remastered double feature of Toy Story 1 and 2, which will be in cinemas next month.
Walt Disney World was also planning a ticker-tape parade for the toy which is now “the longest-tenured crew member in space — and that even surpasses the Russians,” Heiden told AFP.
In total, Lightyear spent 467 days in space, which is 30 days longer than Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov who spent 437 days on board the Mir space station in 1994. And while such a feat would be a huge undertaking for a human astronaut, it was child’s play for the ever-popular plastic toy.(AFP)
電影《玩具總動員》的主角「巴斯光年」結束為期一年多的國際太空站之旅返回地球時，受到英雄般的熱烈歡迎。
二ＯＯ八年五月，這個三十公分高的玩具搭乘美國太空梭「探索號」上太空，直到上週才返回地球。
巴斯光年本來只計畫在太空待六個月，應於去年十一月搭乘「奮進號」太空梭返回，不過迪士尼公司表示，他的教育任務成效卓著，因而順延了他停留的時間。
迪士尼世界的策略規劃主管陶德•海登說：「他的任務是配合一項孩童教育計畫，結果非常成功，因此讓他繼續留在上面，可以使這些太空故事和教育題材緊密結合。」
迪士尼公司把巴斯光年召回到地球，剛好趕上出席《玩具總動員》一加二集重新錄製版的首映宣傳，該版本將於下個月上映。
海登對法新社表示，華特迪士尼世界也正在計畫舉辦一場盛大歡迎會，來迎接這位目前「在太空停留最久的太空人──他甚至打破了俄國太空人的紀錄」。
巴斯光年總計在太空停留了四百六十七天，這比一九九四年俄國太空人瓦勒利．保利耶可夫，在俄羅斯和平號太空站停留四百三十七天的紀錄還多了三十天。雖然這項英勇事蹟對人類太空人來說是一個極大的挑戰，但對這個紅遍全球的塑膠玩具而言，卻是輕而易舉之事。（法新社╱翻譯：袁星塵）
A: The news says comic superstar Snoopy’s birthday is coming soon on Aug. 10. B: So he’s a Leo, and his birthday will fall on this Sunday. A: Cartoonist Charles Schulz created the comic strip Peanuts, featuring Snoopy, in 1950. And this year marks the character’s 75th anniversary. B: No wonder there are some big celebrations in Japan, Hong Kong and elsewhere. How about Taiwan? A: The “How Do You Do, Snoopy?” exhibition is taking place in Taipei. Let’s go to Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store’s A11 branch to see the show. A: 新聞說，卡通巨星史努比的生日是8月10日耶。 B: 原來史努比是獅子座，本週日就是他的生日。 A: 漫畫家查爾斯舒茲1950年在《花生》漫畫創造了該角色，今年正好歡慶75週年！ B:
When you think of the Netherlands, images of tulips, windmills, and iconic wooden shoes — known as “Dutch clogs” — may come to mind. These traditional shoes are rich in cultural significance. For centuries, Dutch clogs have been admired for their sturdy design and impressive craftsmanship, making them a fascinating symbol of Dutch heritage. Dutch clogs date back to the Middle Ages. During that time, farmers and laborers needed durable shoes to cope with the region’s damp and unpredictable climate and topography. Crafted from solid wood, such as willow or poplar, clogs offered outstanding protection. Their firm structure kept
A: Apart from the “How Do You Do, Snoopy?” exhibition, the Penghu International Fireworks Festival displayed some Snoopy-themed balloon installation art. B: The Yilan International Children’s Folklore & Folkgame Festival also displayed a giant rubber “Snoopy Duck.” A: And Starbucks, Kura Sushi and 7-Eleven are all selling Snoopy-themed products. B: Starlux Airlines even launched new Snoopy-themed flights recently. Isn’t that cool? A: Taiwanese love Snoopy so much. Happy 75th birthday, Snoopy. A: 除了《How Do You Do, Snoopy?花生漫畫75週年特展》，澎湖海上花火節展出了史努比氣球裝置藝術。 B: 而宜蘭國際童玩藝術節，則展出了巨型「史努比鴨」。 A: 星巴克、藏壽司、7-Eleven也推出了史努比聯名商品。 B: 星宇航空今年更推出全新「Snoopy主題航班」，很酷吧？ A: 台灣人好愛史努比啊，75歲生日快樂！
Whale sharks are the largest species of fish in the world. They aren’t related to whales, but take their name due to their enormous size. At full maturity, whale sharks measure around nine or 10 meters long and can weigh from 15,000 to 40,000 kilograms. Whale sharks live in warm waters, with about 75% of them found in the Indo-Pacific region. They can migrate thousands of kilometers to different feeding grounds, but at a slow speed of 5 km/h on average. Whale sharks have a broad, flat head and are typically brown or gray in color. Their distinguishing characteristic
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