1. Due to the long frost season in the region, it took about 2 years for the houses to be built.
2. Chinese NBA center Yao Ming is facing a hard time in the upcoming season due to injury.
3. This time he will travel to the Turin Olympics free of the world crown, having been unable to defend the title in Moscow last season due to injury.
4. Hubei and Hunan almost ran out of coal stock in April after hydropower plants wilted due to a delayed rainy season.
5. Many retailers in Germany are open this Sunday due to Christmas shopping season.
6. Madsen missed 24 games this season due to a broken left thumb suffered in a the first half of a January 7 game against Philadelphia.
7. Two teams are due to be added to the league in 2011 - Seattle is the newest team in the league this season.
8. Houston Rockets forward Juwan Howard announced Thursday that he will miss the remainder of the season due to a viral infection in his heart.