text:
A Positive Ramadan
By Ibrahim
July 18, 2012
Ramadan is the name of one of the 12 lunar months of the Islamic calendar. For 29 days of Ramadan, Muslims believe that they are supposed to fast from sunrise until sunset. Many HIV-positive Muslims wish to join their community in observing this important month ... Can they?
In Ramadan, Muslims practice the maximum self-control by denying their bodies every earthly pleasure during the daylight. This means, they cannot eat food, drink water or even have sex (bad news to some J). If a Muslim wrongs another human then his fasting is annulled and a Muslim will miss the great reward God promised to those who fast Ramadan truly.
Furthermore, for an entire month, Muslims are encouraged to avoid talking about worldly matters; most Muslims recite the Quran a lot during this month. Fasting Muslims cannot commit backbiting, gossip or any other evil during the days or the nights of Ramadan. In Ramadan, Muslims believe that God comes down every night to the lowest sky to reward those who fast and have no hate in their souls, generously for each good action they take while fasting; this is why when they greet each other during this month, Muslims say: Ramadan Kareem [Ramadan is Generous].
After sunset, a fasting woman/man can eat, drink, and have sex; they are also encouraged to attend Mosques at night to pray and socialize. Ramadan ends when the next crescent is born and Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan with Eid ul-Fitr [breaking fast feast].
Fasting is a healthy practice for people with good health; the Quran exempted some categories from fasting -- the sick, pregnant, breastfeeding mothers and the travelers -- and the wisdom behind this waiver is to spare them hardship or damage. However, in spite of the Quranic waiver to those who are sick, many Muslims insist on fasting even if they have a minor health condition; they justify this by their wish to enjoy the rewarding experience and to be part of their community.
The question that we need to address is, can an HIV+ person fast Ramadan?
The best person to help you decide is your HIV doctor. To help you and your doctor make the decision, you need to take under consideration some general factors, such as: when you were diagnosed, your overall health, your viral load and T-cell count. Those in the early period of treatment should not fast, because their body is still trying to adjust to the HIV shock and the treatment.
If you have been on treatment for some time, and your T-cell numbers are good, with undetectable viral load, and an overall good health then you might consider discussing your wish to observe Ramadan with your doctor. Explain to her/him that you cannot let any substance go down your mouth to your stomach from sunrise to sunset. Ask your doctor if your medication regimen could be adjusted with no risk, so you can take it before the sunrise and/or after the sunset. If you are on a one pill regimen it might be easier for you to fast than if you are on a multiple pill one.
Once you get the green light from your doctor, you still need to take extra steps when fasting Ramadan.
For example, try to prepare good supplements to use on a daily basis during the month if you haven't been doing so; in Ramadan eating less meals a day could seriously decrease your intake of important minerals and vitamins. Drink plenty of water during the night and avoid salty meals that could make you thirsty. Avoid unnecessary exposure to sun or heat to avoid dehydration. Do not overload your body with work and rest well while fasting.
Ramadan is a good opportunity to quit bad habits; remember that smoking is not allowed while fasting, so maybe this is a good time to quit.
Fasting can also have great health benefits if done the proper way. According to Mayo Clinic, "Regular fasting can decrease your low-density lipoprotein, or 'bad,' cholesterol. It's also thought that fasting may improve the way your body metabolizes sugar. This can reduce your risk of gaining weight and developing diabetes, which are both risk factors for heart disease."
Ramadan can be a relaxing month to relieve your mind from the daily stress ... focus on your soul ... you will be surprised how easy it is to focus on your inner soul when your body has less activity. When feeling hungry, remember that we live in a world where millions feel the same way for years. Understanding the impact of hunger might open your eyes to understand how a starving child in a developing world feels. You will end up being a better person.
God promised those who truly fast to forgive their sins by the end of Ramadan and God asked Muslims to forgive those who wronged them. Forgiveness could be the best thing you can do in this month.
Remember: the Quran forbids Muslims to commit acts that could even remotely jeopardize their health. If your doctor advised against fasting, or if you have any concern that fasting might hurt your health, then don't fast and invest the month in doing all the other good deeds that you can do; you can delay your lunch meal to be able to join your community in the daily fast-breaking ceremony.
I wish you all a joyful and happy Ramadan filled with blessings and generosity. I hope this Ramadan will enable you explore the great benefits of spirituality when fighting against HIV/AIDS or any other hardship.
Ramadan Kareem.
Get email notifications every time this blog is updated.
Add Your Comment:
(Please note: Your name and comment will be public, and may even show up in
Internet search results. Be careful when providing personal information! Before
adding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.)
A Poz Salam
I'm Ibrahim, a 35-year-old professional Muslim man from the Middle East, living in the US. I want to fulfill my big dreams while holding strongly to my culture. My new identity as HIV positive changed my life in a strong way that I am still trying to understand and deal with. By sharing my experience, I'm trying to help myself and others in similar situations to find some peace -- and working on bringing the good change I believe every human must bring to this world. In my attempt to introduce TheBody.com's readers to my part of the world, I won't be taking you far -- I'll start right here, in the US.
Subscribe to Ibrahim's Blog:
Recent Posts:
November 15, 2013 - The Grinch Who Stole World AIDS Day: A Blog Entry by Ibrahim
September 5, 2013 - Arabian Erotica on Twitter: A Blog Entry by Ibrahim
April 26, 2013 - Mental Therapy and HIV: One Patient's Perspective -- A Blog Entry by Ibrahim
July 18, 2012 - A Positive Ramadan: A Blog Entry by Ibrahim
March 23, 2012 - Middle Eastern Food Is Poz Friendly: A Blog Entry by Ibrahim
A Brief Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed by TheBody.com's bloggers are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheBody.com itself.


text:
A bouncy ragtime song with piano and saxophone that takes you back to the beginning of the 20th century. The main version is 51 seconds long, perfect for an advertising spot or a cartoon / animation. It has an exuberant, excited feel and is sure to bring a smile to your face as your thoughts think about old silent cinema film.
It works well in a funny / cute video game, a photo album slideshow / collage with a humorous touch or in a commercial / advert. It could even work as a TV show theme or as a longer logo / intro / outro for a YouTube channel / video. Also quirky corporate.
I also included a loopable version (without the ending) so you can extend it to any desirable length. In the preview, I show the loop being looped once, so you can see how perfectly it loops. Check the preview file at 1:37 for the loop point.
In the preview:
1. Original version – 00:51 (0:00-0:51)
2. Seamless loop – 45 seconds – (0:51-2:23 )
Earn 30% from sales of this track
Did you know that by linking to this track, you will get 30% if a new buyer signs up and buys it?
This is what a referral link to this track looks like:
Just replace GroovingGecko (but keep the ?ref=) with your own Envato/AudioJungle username and post the link to your blog, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook or anywhere else. You can even post the preview (WITH the watermark) on YouTube directing viewers here with your referral link.
YouTube users: If you get an Acknowledged third party content match, all you have to do is go here and enter your license details and it will be removed within 24 hours, but usually much faster than that.
Or you can contact me directly and I will clear your video for you right away. I can also whitelist your entire YouTube channel before you upload your video.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
There's a really interesting article over at The Guardian where Paula Cocozza looks into why Skinny Jeans have become so popular in the UK.
They might not be for everyone, but since the mid noughties and in spite of the best efforts to re-market the Boot Cut – Levi's have recently gone with Boot Cut Skinny – the drainpipes as your dad used to call them remains the cut of choice, ooh for anyone under 40 (and a few aging rockers too)
The really interesting question though is what sparked this revival (they were worn by Punks in the late 70s and Teds in the 50s had pretty tight trousers too)? Was it some enterprising stylist who started to champion them? Or was it a celebrity looking to wear something different who brought them back into style?
The answer is probably a bit of both? According to The Guardian the fashion industry was embracing them over a decade ago.
Earl Jean offered slim straight-legs in 2001. In her autumn/winter 2002 collection, Stella McCartney showed trousers drawn taut by cuffs and zips and stirrups. There were stretchy legs at Versus and slim ones at MaxMara.
But it was a celebrity who played a significant role in popularising the style for men at least and not one that you are thinking of. Nope not Russell Brand or even Pete Doherty.
But the man who I think deserves the accolade for being at least partially responsible for the British style success story of the decade is Nick Valensi – the guitarist (who isn't Albert Hammond) with The Strokes.
Given how quickly they fell from grace after their rather disappointing second album it is hard to remember what a huge impact The Strokes made on Britain and its media. They went from a well kept secret among power pop fans who raved about their debut EP The Modern Age, to playing gigs in sell out London venues where the celebrities outnumbered the indie pop punters.
After half a decade of championing all things British – think Brit pop, Brit art etc The Stokes were when the UK fell in love again with the idealised version of New York. The five undernourished looking dark haired fellas seemed to encapsulate all that we loved about the city from their urban style through to their edgy, but accessible driving punky pop that inevitably drew comparisons with Blondie, The Velvet Underground and and The Ramones.
But check out those early pics of the band (see above) and you'll see that one member, Mr Valensi, wears his jeans that little bit tighter than the rest in way that conjures up images of a certain band some 20 years earlier.
At the time the press wrote endless stories about the band's style and their tight trousers. A seed was planted and other rock icons, celebrities and fashion houses took note so that by the mid noughties skinny jeans were starting hitting the mainstream for men. Topshop's Baxter range along side Kate Moss and others did the trick for women. Within a few years the reign of the Boot Cut would be over and if you didn't have the legs to go skinny, you wanted your jeans at least straight.
Anyway hop over to The Guardian and read the article. I am off to play Is This It?


text:
Canuck rumps resist Street View arsebusters
Blue moon shines bright in Nova Scotia
NSFW Google's Street View has been around long enough to become part of the internet scenery, although it continues to offer interesting scenery for those with a sharp eye.
The Great Satan of Mountain View addressed early privacy concerns with its face-blurring algorithm, while the company's dedicated censorship SWAT teams were on instant standby to eradicate outrages against public decency, such as Spanish women caught taking the piss, Bambi-slaughter shockers and innocent kiddies' naked arses.
Indeed, Google has a dim view of rear-views, especially when perpetrated by cheeky citizens for the benefit of passing spymobiles. When Street View went live in Ireland back in October 2010, it took just hours for the local press to locate a couple of bare-arsed wags, and a similarly short span for the two mooners to get their rumps righteously pixellated.
We're glad to report, though, that there are still uncensored examples of the public mounting gluteus maximal protests against Street View's bid for world surveillance domination, as this Nova Scotia blue moon shows:
A hearty slap on the, er, back for these two lads for escaping the attention of Google's arsebusters until now, although we fear their backsides' days are numbered... ®


text:
Do you have a favorite playground? Maybe it's a new wooden one that has lots of tall towers and passageways. Maybe its an indoor soft playground with ropes to climb and tubes to crawl through. Or maybe your favorite is an old-fashioned playground with swings and a seesaw.
Playgrounds are fun places for kids because there's so much to do and other kids to have fun with.
But sometimes kids get hurt at playgrounds. That's no fun, so here are 10 ways to keep safe:
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-
Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.
Copyright Cook Children's Health Care System, Fort Worth, Texas


text:
Meet local Lahaska singles in your area by filling out our quick registration form. Once inside you will be area to search thousands of single Lahaska members. Personal ads of singles in the Lahaska area will be at your fingertips and with our new matchmaker service you will receive new matching members in your email inbox on a weekly basis. Find the best Lahaska singles when joining our online dating service today!
LahaskaJoin Now Free!
Lahaska Girls | Lahaska Men | Lahaska Gay | Lahaska Lesbians
More Lahaska Links:
Lahaska Dating | Lahaska Personals | Lahaska Speed Dating | Lahaska Chat | Lahaska Love
Senior Dating | Catholic Dating | Christian Dating | Muslim Dating
Black Singles | Asian Singles | Latin Dating
Matchmaker.com offers its members a great resource for Lahaska singles looking for a short or long term relationship. We have compiled a hundreds of dating and online dating related articles to help give you timely and detailed advice. Some interesting topics include tips for single parents, Lahaska singles, first date ideas, valentine gift ideas, love poems and great tips on cooking for a date. We are here to help the Lahaska singles with free advice.


text:
No quotes were submitted by June 10 at noon deadline.
The plan was to make the engineering plans and specifications for the Downtown Square pavilion so detailed that contractors looking to submit a price quote to do the work would be able to do so in relatively rapid fashion.
That's why they were only given a few days to do so after volunteer designer Robert Gustafson put the finishing touches on the structure that square proponents hope will be finished in time for Ox Cart Days in August.
The deadline for quote submissions was noon on Monday, June 10. Problem is, at noon on Monday, no quotes had been submitted. City Administrator Tony Chladek, speaking to the city council's Ways & Means Committee this week, said a contractor called him about five minutes after the deadline, saying he needed more time. Then, around 45 minutes later, another contractor turned in his quote. But because it was late, Chladek said he didn't open it.
So the council agreed to extend the deadline by a week, to noon on Monday, June 17. Assuming at least one quote comes in for the building with a $100,000 cap on the construction budget, the council is expected to hold a special meeting later that evening in order to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.
The delay prompted Public Works Director Pat Kelly to remind council members on the differences between soliciting quotes for a project and having to go through a full-blown bidding process. With the project under $100,000 and, therefore, eligible for a faster quotation process, Kelly said council members are allowed to go directly to various contractors and pitch the project to them. "If you know someone who's interested, we'll take the specs to them," he said. "They don't have to come to you after reading a small legal ad or going on the city website and wading through all that information."
Agreement with owner
The council this week also OK'ed a "severance agreement" with the owner of the Downtown Square property, Resource Management, LLC, that allows the city to construct the pavilion. The agreement also distinguishes the structure as a city building, Chladek said, which means it won't be subject to property taxes.


text:
The Marion County Juniors (MCJ) volleyball club's 14s National team finished second out of 64 teams last weekend in the USA Division at USA Volleyball's Big South national qualifier held in Atlanta.
The Marion County Juniors (MCJ) volleyball club's 14s National team finished second out of 64 teams last weekend in the USA Division at USA Volleyball's Big South national qualifier held in Atlanta.
By finishing second, MCJ's 14s National team earned a bid to play in the USAV National Championships, which will be held in Dallas from June 29 to July 3.
"This is a great group of girls who have worked very hard to achieve such a high level of success," head coach Jimmy Collins said. "I am honored to coach this outstanding group of student athletes."
Collins' team went 9-1 at Big South, beating teams from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas to up its season record to 31-5 in USA Volleyball matches.
Team members include Carly Bigelow, Kylie Ditty, Leah Drake, Kris Eisaman, Julia Ewers, Chloe Robertson, Jordan Shoemaker, Brooke Waldron and Micayla Yates.
Ocala Power Volleyball Academy (OPVA) also made a good showing at Big South as its 16 Rox team finished third out of 80 teams in the USA Division to qualify for USAV Nationals. This marks the third straight year that OPVA has qualified a team.
The 16s Rox will compete in Dallas from July 2 to July 5, but will face a tough task before that when they defend their AAU national title in June at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex.
Team members are Kyra Atkinson, Kim Blasko, Kelsey Coleman, Reagan Davey, Ciara Debell, Shannon Domfort, Lauren Donnelly, Haley Kairab, Ashley LaBorde, Ashley Lanoue, Alexis Perry and Jordyn Saulsberry. The team is coached by Jason Morris and assistant Sean Steiner.
Besides 16's Rox, all of OPVA's teams finished in the Top 20 at Big South, including 13s Rox (4th, American Division), 15s Rox (4th, American Division), 17s Rox (19th, American Division) and 18s Rox (13th, Open Division).
WRESTLING CLUB: The Ocala Outlaws practice from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at TCHS through the month of July. Cost for season is $50. No experience necessary for youth, ages 4 and up. Email firstname.lastname@example.com. Call 572-6962.
GRAPPLING CLINIC: The Ocala Outlaws will host a wrestling clinic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 27 at TCHS featuring state champion wrestlers Quincy Hoppel, Taylor Jackson and Colton Jackson, along with state placers Josh Buress and Dex Christmas. Cost is $15. Email firstname.lastname@example.com. Call 572-6962.
LIFEGUARDING CLASS: The Newton A. Perry Aquatic Center will be holding American Red Cross lifeguarding courses for individuals 15 years and older Monday through Apri14. Cost is $175. Call 873-5811 or 368-5517.
SUMMER HOOPS: St. John Lutheran will host a basketball camp from 8 a.m. to noon June 10-14 for any kids, grades 3-9, interested in participating. The camp will focus on developing basic basketball skills, with individual and team competitions being held each day. Cost is $90 if paid before May 31, $100 if paid before June 10 or $125 if paid thereafter. Call 622-7275 ext. 2004. Email email@example.com.
DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE: Rising Stars Athletics Inc. has established a developmental basketball league to help develop fundamentals for youth, grades 4-8, that will run April 23 to June 1. Cost is $210 for all 18 sessions. Call 843-1407. Email email@example.com.
PANTHERS REGISTRATION: The Pop Warner Belleview Panthers football and cheer programs will hold registrations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 13 and 27, May 18 and June 1 at Moose Lodge, 1135 South U.S. Highway 441 in Belleview. Call 267-7975 for football, 789-4213 for cheer.
TENNIS TIME: Marion County Parks and Recreation will offer a youth tennis program to kids, ages 6-14, from Tuesday through May 30. Practices will be held Tuesdays (Belleview Sports Complex) and Thursdays (Coehadjoe Park) from 3:15 to 4 p.m. for beginners and from 4:15 to 5 p.m. for advanced players. Fee is $16. Register at www.marioncountyfl.org/parks.htm or in person at main office (111 SE 25th Ave., Ocala). Call 671-8560. Email firstname.lastname@example.com.
PLAYERS AND COACHES NEEDED: Marion County Parks and Recreation is seeking youth, ages 7-16, and volunteer coaches to participate in its upcoming youth basketball program, which will begin Saturday at the Historic Reddick Gymnasium (4595 W. Highway 316, Reddick) with on-site registration. Fee is $15. Interested volunteers can call 671-8560. For all other information call 671-8562. Email email@example.com.
Submit youth items to Jamie Voisine at email@example.com. Items need to be e-mailed by 3 p.m. on Tuesdays to appear in that week's column. The Star-Banner relies entirely on coaches to provide information used for this column.


text:
Letterman, Led Zeppelin among those receiving Kennedy Center Honors
Washington (CNN) -- An array of talents was on display Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors gala where President Barack Obama toasted the lifetime achievements of an iconic ballerina, a famed comedian, a timeless actor and two chart-topping musical acts.
In the 35th installment of the honorary event, late-night show host David Letterman, ballerina Natalia Makarova, actor Dustin Hoffman, blues musician Buddy Guy and the rock group Led Zeppelin joined the ranks of the top musicians, dancers and actors of their time.
The festivities kicked off at a White House reception where Obama honored the award recipients and recounted highlights of their careers.
"Each of us can remember a moment when the people on this stage touched our lives. ... Maybe they inspired us to see things in a new way, to hear things differently." Obama said. "It is that unique power that makes the arts so important."
The Kennedy Center Honors has long been a tradition that bridges Hollywood and Washington, and this year was no exception. Aside from the honorees, other notable attendees included actors Alec Baldwin, Jack Black and Morgan Freeman; rockers Lenny Kravitz and Jeff Beck; and such politicians as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Thad Cochran of South Dakota and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.
After the White House reception, the cadre of luminaries and guests moved to The Kennedy Center, a performing arts space overlooking the Potomac River, for an event dedicated to their respective talents.
This is the fourth time Obama has honored Kennedy Center award recipients. Last year's group included singer Neil Diamond, composer Sonny Rollins, theater actor Barbara Cook, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and actress Meryl Streep.
While the 2011 pool of honorees had a noticeable music bent, the backgrounds in this year's group are more diverse but equally talented.
Letterman, host of "The Late Show" on CBS, was recognized for his 30 years in late-night television and joined a small group of past comedians who have won the award. In a press release, Kennedy Center chairman David Rubenstein described Letterman, 65, as "one of the most influential personalities in the history of television."
With more than 5,000 broadcasts, Letterman, holds the title as the comedian with the longest late-night career in the United States, recently surpassing the industry's previous standard-bearer, the late Johnny Carson.
In his witty style, Letterman joked about learning he was an award recipient.
"When I stopped laughing, I was very excited. This was great for my family; they think I'm working at a Jiffy Lube in Mexico," he said on his program.
Obama, someone who has been on Letterman's show a number of times, remarked at the White House reception that Letterman was "a true gentleman" who "has always offered us an authentic piece of himself."
The president did joke, however, that not being in front of the microphone was a difficult position for the usually opinionated comedian.
"You are looking a little stressed, aren't you," Obama said to Letterman.
Speaking to reporters on the red carpet before the event, Letterman expressed more surprise about the honor.
"I don't know what to tell you," he said. "It just keeps getting better and better and better and I am not supposed to be here."
Asked if there's anything he was particularly looking forward to at the event, he pointed to his special ride home.
"Well, afterwards, we get joy rides in Marine One. That is going to be something."
Hoffman, meanwhile, has become a household name with a resume that includes 50 movies, not to mention two Academy Awards for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and Rain Man (1988).
While the 75-year-old actor has said he grew up thinking movie stars had to look like Rock Hudson, it didn't take long for the Los Angeles native to get into acting and start a career that spans five decades and covers just about every genre of film.
Many of his titles were featured in his tribute at the Kennedy Center, which is not far from the famous Watergate hotel -- a site he knows well after playing the ambitious reporter, Carl Bernstein, in "All The President's Men" (1976).
Asked on the red carpet how he was feeling, the actor had a line all ready to deliver.
"My wife keeps reminding me that when I say, 'Pretty good -- I am a nominee,' she says 'No, you are an honoree.' So it is spectacular," he said.
Russian-born Makarova is perhaps best known for leaving her mark on the production of La Bayadère, a ballet that dates to 1877. She transformed the scene "Kingdom of the Shades," and went on to stage the full production in theaters around the world.
Makarova, 72, is no stranger to the Kennedy Center. She won a Tony Award for best actress in a musical for the center's 1984 production of "On Your Toes."
Makarova said before the gala that she considers American ballet "fantastic," adding, "I think it will grow and grow. The interest will never stop."
The audience Sunday night will also feel the rhythm in performances honoring blues legend Buddy Guy. Born into a Louisiana sharecropper family, Guy eventually made Chicago his home at the peak of the blues era in the Windy City. And with his distinct guitar sound, the six-time Grammy Award winner helped pioneer the electric blues with other legends including Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.
"From picking cotton in the field to picking a guitar in the White House, that is a long ways man," Guy told reporters at the Kennedy Center.
The president called Guy "one of the last guardians of the great American blues."
And the stage will continue to rock in a tribute to John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant -- the three surviving members of the band Led Zeppelin. Famed drummer John Bonham passed away in 1980.
Having sold more than 100 million albums in the United States alone, the British band has churned out a number of classics, including "Whole Lotta Love," "Thank You," and the enduring song: "Stairway to Heaven."
Though thanking the group for "making us all feel young," Obama took the liberty of joking about the trio during his remarks in the East Room, noting how the group redefined "the rock and roll lifestyle."
"There were some hotel rooms trashed, mayhem all around," the president said. "So it is fitting that we are doing this in a room with windows three inches thick."
"So guys, settle down, these paintings are valuable," Obama joked.
Asked on the red carpet if part of him wanted to get on stage and join the tribute, Plant said, "Absolutely."
"I've always got a little bit of agitation in me," he continued. "That's what keeps me going. But I'm not going to show anybody how to do it."
The trio is scheduled to join fellow honoree Letterman on the "The Late Show" on Monday.
The Kennedy Center Honors will air December 26 on CBS.
From: CNN
This Month in


text:
In honor of Halloween, we're taking you on a tour of the spookiest cruise destinations around the globe. When it comes to world travel, some things are universal - like scary stories! These ten cities are home to rumors of ghosts, hauntings and more!
Thanks to its narrow alleys that often end with canals, Venice is the ideal setting for a spooky story. It's famous (or, infamous) for being one of the most haunted cities in the world, thanks to a chilling history of illnesses and murder! Some of the smaller islands surrounding Venice once housed mass graves, prisons, and an insane asylum. Scary!
Dublin is teaming with ghost stories. Local pubs aren't only frequented by living residents, some - like the Davy Byrne Pub, Brazen Head, and Lord Edward's Pub - are allegedly haunted as well. Rumor has it, Trinity College is haunted by a former medical professor, while Dublin Castle is home to the ghosts of headless bodies buried beneath the landmark. The world-famous St. Patrick's Cathedral is said to be haunted by a ghost dog, who belonged to a sailor buried beneath the church. Scariest of all? Beneath St. Michan's Church, a burial vault contains over 30 mummified bodies.
New Orleans is often referred to as America's most haunted city, and it has a colorful history of voodoo and black magic. The city is below sea level, so above-ground tombs in the city's 42 cemeteries help add to the atmosphere. Ghost tours will take tourists to some of the city's most well-known haunted spots, including plenty of old buildings in the French Quarter. Rumor has it that the Le Pavilion Hotel is haunted by four ghosts, including a 19th century teenage girl and an aristocratic couple from the roaring 20s. The 200 year-old bar at Old Absinthe House is said to be haunted by its famous patrons, including Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau and Andrew Jackson.
Obviously, the home of Jack the Ripper had to make this list! The Ten Bells pub, once called "The Jack The Ripper", is allegedly haunted by one of his many victims. Another local pub, The Flask, is said to be haunted by the ghost of a barmaid who hanged herself in the cellar, and a man in a Cavalier's uniform. But the spookiest of all is the famous Tower of London, said to be haunted by the souls of those who lost their heads there. The most famous headless ghost? Queen Anne Boleyn, of course.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires has a historic, beautiful cemetery that is a must-see for tourists - especially ones interested in the supernatural! A young woman who was mistakenly buried alive is said to haunt the Recoleta Cemetery, checking graves to make sure the occupants are truly dead. The Torre del Fantasma is allegedly haunted by Clementina, a young artist who threw herself from the tower's highest window. Ghosts have also been reported in the city's subway tunnels!
Paris is most widely known as the most romantic city in the world, but it's also one of the most haunted! The city's catacombs store human bones, and this underground network of tunnels can be toured today. A haunted history and a beloved work of fiction collide at the Garnier Opera House, a baroque palace that served as inspiration for The Phantom of the Opera.
Tokyo is home to the Himuro Mansion, one of the most famous haunted mansions in the world. It's said to be the location of one of the most brutal murders in Japanese history - seven people were allegedly found murdered as part of an occult sacrifice. The story, though most likely not true, inspired the setting for a horror video game. To this day, visitors report seeing ghosts, bloody handprints on the walls, and other spooky sights.
Scotland is home to several famously haunted cities, including Edinburgh. This city's underground (literally) history will send shivers up your spine! Mary King's Close is a historic street, now completely encolsed underground, where those suffering from the plague were said to have been sealed up, to protect the rest of the city from disease. The Edinburgh Vaults, also underground, once housed pubs and shops. Today it's a popular tourist destination thanks to frequent ghost sightings!
Port Arthur and Hobart, Tasmania
Tasmania, a small island below Australia, has a dark history that lends itself well to ghost stories. Both Port Arthur and Hobart are said to be haunted by the ghosts of the convicted prisoners who were sent there. In Port Arthur, The Parsonage is known as the city's most haunted building. The Reverend George Eastman died in an upstairs bedroom of the house. Allegedly, ropes broke as his coffin was being lowered out a window. His body fell into a gutter, and The Parsonage has been believed to be haunted ever since.
The Eternal City has a rich history, so it should come as no surprise that Rome rounds out our ten haunted cities list. The Colosseum, built to entertain ancient Romans with blood, gore and violence, is said to be haunted by ghosts of gladiators and guards, as well as lions and tigers. Turn the creep factor up another notch and visit the city's catacombs and the Capuchin Crypt. Rome's most famous ghost is Beatrice Cenci, an aristocratic young woman who was executed after murdering her abusive father. It's said that Beatrice appears the night of September 10th on the bridge leading to Castel Sant'Angelo.
Have you been to any of these haunted world cities? Did you spot any ghosts? Let us know in the comments!
from $2,999 USD
from $2,149 USD
from $6,699 USD
Other Blogs You May Like...
Five Things To Do In Venice
Live Like A Local In Dublin, Ireland
Food and Fun in London, England
Are you excited for your next Azamara voyage?
Enter your email address below for exclusive offers, updates, and news. Don't miss out!


text:
Clip Art of a Electric Symbol; Number Eight
Number Clip Art © Chrisroll
Royalty free digit clip art of a electric symbol; number eight. This eight stock number image #494 was designed by chrisroll. Please note: this image is protected by copyright law and may not be used without buying a license. To acquire the license simply click on the 'Download Digital File' button.


text:
SOURCE: FluoroPharma Medical, Inc.
September 12, 2012 14:16 ET
MONTCLAIR, NJ--(Marketwire - Sep 12, 2012) - FluoroPharma Medical, Inc. (OTCBB: FPMI), a company specializing in the development of novel diagnostic imaging products that utilize positron emission tomography (PET) technology for the detection and assessment of disease before clinical manifestation, today announced a significant increase in revenue forecast.
This news was shared by Thijs Spoor, Chairman, CEO and President of FluoroPharma Medical, during his presentation yesterday at the Rodman & Renshaw Annual Global Investment Conference in New York City.
According to Mr. Spoor, "Our decision to raise our revenue estimates reflects our growing confidence in the strength of our portfolio and what we see now. A few days ago, our products were included at two prestigious international Scientific Forums."
FluoroPharma's BFPET images were included at the Annual Scientific Session of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) in a lecture on "Nuclear Cardiology in 2012 and Beyond: Can we Meet the Challenges?" and two abstracts describing their products were presented as posters at the World Molecular Imaging Congress as previously released by the company.
"Our initial focus is on cardiology, the largest segment of the nuclear medicine market," Mr. Spoor noted. "As our products advance through clinical trials, we are even more confident that we have three significant opportunities in this critically important market. Molecular imaging fulfills numerous unmet diagnostic needs by enabling visualization, characterization and measurement of biological processes at the molecular and cellular level," emphasizes Mr. Spoor. "Unlike the traditional imaging modalities of MRI, CT and ultrasound, which reveal anatomical abnormalities, PET provides insight into physiology and can detect disease before an anatomical manifestation is identified. The combination of both modalities is becoming a more powerful tool; helping doctors address the question, 'What do I do next for this patient?'"
FluoroPharma Medical's presentation and a copy of the presentation materials are available on the investor relations page on the Company's website www.fluoropharma.com.
About FluoroPharma Medical
FluoroPharma is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of proprietary PET imaging products to evaluate cardiac disease at the cellular and molecular levels. The Company has licensed technology from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
The Company's goal is to enable personalized medicine through advanced imaging products that will help the medical community diagnose disease more accurately at the earliest stages, leading to more effective treatment, management and better patient outcomes.
The Company's initial focus is the development of breakthrough positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents for the efficient detection and assessment of acute and chronic forms of coronary artery disease (CAD). FluoroPharma is advancing two products in clinical trials for assessment of acute and chronic forms of coronary disease. These first in class agents have been designed to rapidly target myocardial cells. Other products in development include agents for detection of inflamed atherosclerotic plaque in peripheral arteries, agents with the potential to image Alzheimer's disease and agents that could potentially be used for imaging specific cancers.
Editor's note:
About Symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD):
Symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) affects millions of patients worldwide and, according to the World Health Organization; cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Cardiologists' demand for faster, more accurate diagnostic tools continuously drives the development of non-invasive techniques with increased sensitivity and accuracy for the detection and assessment of acute and chronic CAD.
For more information on the Company, please visit: www.fluoropharma.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are inherently unreliable and actual results may differ materially. Examples of forward looking statements in this news release include statements regarding FluoroPharma's research and development activities and anticipated operating results. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include such factors as significant fluctuations in expenses associated with clinical trials, failure to secure additional financing, the inability to complete regulatory filings with the Food and Drug Administration, the introduction of competing products, or management's ability to attract and maintain qualified personnel necessary for the development and commercialization of its planned products, and other information that may be detailed from time to time in FluoroPharma's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. FluoroPharma undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investor Relations:Richard Moyer
Cameron Associates, Inc.Email Contact
Phone: 212-554-5466Media:Carol J. Perlman
FluoroPharma Medical, Inc.Email Contact
Phone: 917-592-9260
Investor Relations:Richard Moyer
Cameron Associates, Inc.Email Contact
Phone: 212-554-5466Media:Carol J. Perlman
FluoroPharma Medical, Inc.Email Contact
Phone: 917-592-9260
See all RSS Newsfeeds


text:
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The special counsel for a New Jersey legislative panel investigating a political payback scandal surrounding Gov. Chris Christie's office says the state probe won't impede an ongoing federal investigation.
Reid Schar, the lawyer for the joint legislative committee, said he discussed the parallel investigations with officials from the U.S. Attorney's Office on Friday. Schar said Saturday he's comfortable the state investigation can continue.
Both entities are looking into traffic lane closings near the George Washington Bridge apparently orchestrated by former top aides for Christie. Four people close to the Republican governor and possible 2016 presidential candidate have resigned or been fired over the scandal.
Subpoenas are due back to the state panel Monday, though committee Chairman John Wisniewski (Wiz-NOO-skee) says almost all the subpoena recipients have asked for more time.


text:
sound like fun i would like to try out the system lol this an online game right? im avalible any day after 5PM est time hit me back if you dare
Normally I'd post a campaign invite, but I am not the GM, and it is kind of in bad taste to do an invite if you are just a player.
I said online, but if there are people in the Hampton Roads area of VA that want to play/GM, even better.
I was trying to run a HERO game (inspired by final fantasy), but it never took off. I still like the HERO system, and would still love to play in a HERO game.
I have never played in a super-heroic game, but I have always wanted to. I could NEVER run one well, but I'd love to play in one. I just wouldn't be able to come up with good missions/adventures. I have good ideas for general game concepts, but wouldn't know how to fill in the details. So this is a generic call for GM's and players alike to get together and play.
It can be any system, but I like the HERO system. If unfamiliar with HERO, that's ok, I am new to it too. If (as a GM) you are unfamiliar with HERO, that's ok, I am sure we can figure something out until you get a copy for yourself. I don't have any objection to "lending" my pdf copy to aid you in running the game. I figure that is equivalent to lending you a sourcebook or letting you use one of my 5 downloads for D&D insider, as long as you don't distribute it to the whole world. I'd just prefer HERO, because it is balanced and has nifty mechanics (and to get use out of my book aside from interesting reading material).
By "slight", I mean a bit lower powered than normal. Specifically with HERO, maybe only a 300 pt build. This would call for a team of heroes rather than being powerful enough to be on your own.
Some possible campaign ideas:
The eXiles - the timekeeper (a master of time and space) acts in a professor X capacity by delegating the team out to different places (worlds) and times to correct bad things or aid the world. It'd sort of be a combination of sliders and quantum leap. This affords a lot of opportunities for different settings, technology levels, etc... One mission may involve going to Earth-815 during the civil war to do ____, and the next go to a present-day Earth-9882 where super powers are literally non-existant to help them with ____, then go to a post-apocalyptic Earth-26 and overthrow the evil tyrant, etc...
When I first came across the eXiles, I thought it was a super cool concept, and great venue for a super hero RPG.
Breaking the Bat - a team of villains (more like Kingpin and his croney's, no "Joker" types). You gain ranks in the criminal organization (your powers could be your secret to success) by pulling certain jobs like the grand theft auto game. Rob banks, steal government technology, etc... You have to plan things out you wouldn't normally plan out as a protagonist. On the long-term, you'd overthrow the organization and bring down the super hero (i.e. batman) who is always on your case (hence "breaking the bat"). This would be tricky (for team cohesion and cooperation and still stay in character). Maybe establish the organization as Yakuza (honor above all) and you have a certain "code" where you don't severely harm innocents (but may knock them unconscious if they get in your way), kill/torture only when necessary, and so on.
I didn't know much about Bane from batman, but he was in my Lego game. As such, I looked into his story, and how he was able to break his back was mind-blowing. How clever and cool. This is what gave me inspiration for wanting to play in a villain campaign. This is never something you could do as a hero, but what a fun campaign concept.
Generic - the age-old, but still fun, super-heroic game. Taken from the GM's head as inspired by movies, comics, tv shows, whatever.
To me, there are two ways to run a super hero game. Either episodic or long-term over-arching campaign. Both have their bonuses. Episodic allows for a variety of "missions" and doesn't require cohesion (players can leave the game as they please). Long-term campaigns are great because of the interesting story that unfolds, the opportunities for interesting character development, and so on. I think any of the campaign ideas above could be episodic or over-arching.
Anyhoo, if interested, please reply. I have posted invites on other forums too. Maybe we can get enough together for a fun game.
sound like fun i would like to try out the system lol this an online game right? im avalible any day after 5PM est time hit me back if you dare
I tried some PBP super hero games at herocentral, but they either moved WAY too slow (one post a week) or nothing happened (lounged around lobby of superhero building).
I have generated many interesting characters, but again, nobody to play them with.
I could never GM a superheroic game (too unfamiliar with the genre to really set up a whole game), but would love to play in one.
As such, I am looking for an online champions game (if there are any out there). I will conform to whatever building standards you need, as long as RP/combat is a reasonable 50/50 split (I don't want a high school game where there is more concern whether I'll pass my final compared to saving the world). I wouldn't mind building a teenage level hero, but I would want something to happen. I'd rather not relive high school.
If it is time commitment, I am pretty adept at HERO, so I TOTALLY wouldn't mind building up mooks and villains and such. You could just tell me what you want (but not what it's for) and I'll build it, to help alleviate the time commitment.
I know those GMs out there LOVE face to face (who doesn't) but what's better, a non-existant face-to-face game, or an online game with enthusiastic players.


text: Report: Mobile drives paid search cost increases Published on July 19, 2013. Los Angeles—The average cost-per-click for paid search campaigns on tablet devices has surpassed the average desktop cost-per-click for the first time, according to a new report from search marketing company the Search Agency. According to the company's "State of Paid Search Report" for the second quarter, the average tablet CPC on Google was 1.7% higher than on desktop/laptop computer searches, attributable to increased competition for user attention, the Search Agency said in a statement. In addition, tablet click volume is up 62% year-over-year. Among other findings, spending on paid search on all devices increased 16% compared with the year-earlier period. Most Popular In this article: BtoB


text:
Event: Bollywood actress Ameesha Patel, Zayed Khan and veteran actor Randhir Kapoor launched the film DESI MAGIC. Ameesha makes her debut as producer with DESI MAGIC. She launches the film under her home production. Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishan was also spotted at the event. Ameesha Patel amazed with her performance and with her goth eye make-up and garters.
Guest List: Ameesha Patel, Zayed Khan, Randhir Kapoor, Ravi Kishan
Bollywood celeb Aamir Khan along with wife Kiran Rao were spotted at PVR.
Bollywood producers-directors Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Krishan Kumar, Ravi Bahl, Divya Khosla Kumar, Sajid Nadiadwala, Wardha Nadiadwala celebrate diwali with Bhushan Kumar
Bollywood celebs Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Sonali Bendre, Nimrat Kaur among others were snapped by paparazzi.Bebo looked super cool in a casual look. She wore a white t-shirt with yoga pants...
Bollywood actress Shama Sikander celebrated Diwali festival at her residence.
Bollywood celebs Aamir Khan, Zaira Wasim, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Anil Kapoor, Nitesh Tiwari, Aparshakti Khurrana, Bhushan Kumar, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Sachin Tendulkar, Rajkumar Hir...


text:
I have an outbreak of shingles with lesions on my right breast. My dr in consultation with Infant Risk determined I should take valtrex, nurse from the unaffected side and pump from the affected side (lesion is close to nipple).
All i own is a manual Harmony pump which I never use. I need to get a better pump. Ideally a pump I could take with me on a trip to Canada (which I'm going on tomorrow).
Any suggestions of pumps?
Also, what kind of pumping schedule should I keep? Baby is 11.5 months and nurses 5-7 times a day. Only one breast per feeding. How should I do this so she gets enough from one breast and the other one keeps up without producing too much? ????
PS. I'm going to go buy the pump in a couple of hours from now, so if you see this post, please send me some advice!!!!! Sorry for the short notice and superthanks


text:
Save 84% off the newsstand price!
Note: Games are optimized for desktop and may not work on tablet or phones.
We're sorry, but the page you're requesting is not available for mobile / tablet at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience. It is, however, available on any desktop computer.
proving that basically that if you add a panda to anything it makes it worthy of "ooh"s.
"Plume deflector." We're going to install one of those on our hat at the Renaissance festival. You wouldn't believe the number of times we've almost put somebody's eye out....
Did you know dinosaurs had wishbones? Yup. When this guy was restored for display purposes, it was noted that his "furcula" was original. We think if you're pulling on a dinosaur's wishbone, you'd best get your wish.
Give a Gift
Get the best of Smithsonian.com by email. Keep up-to-date on:
Sign up


text:
For the best experience on the Abcam website please upgrade to a modern browser such as Google Chrome
This product is a fast track antibody. It has been affinity purified and shows high titre values against the immunizing peptide by ELISA. Read the terms of use »
Synthetic peptide conjugated to KLH derived from within residues 900 - 1000 of Human Hairless.
(Peptide available as ab37538.)
Please note: All products are "FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY AND ARE NOT INTENDED FOR DIAGNOSTIC OR THERAPEUTIC USE"


text:
Rullingnet Corporation, home to VINCI Early Learning Systems, announced the release of VINCI Kids Library, which includes interactive stories, learning games, videos, and more than 500 titles at the launch, with an expected 1000 titles before the end of the year. Designed for children ages 18 months through nine years old, VINCI Kids Library is free from commercials, adult content, violence, and addictive in-app purchases, creating a unique and safe digital learning environment for children.
Rullingnet has partnered with leading children's educational content providers, including TVO, The Jim Henson Company, and Mightybooks. The VINCI Kids Library will include popular games, such as TVO's "Alphabet Goop," "Tumbletown Mathletics," and "Amazing Spelling Fleas;" Mightybooks' "Pixie Has A Question;" and a selection of clips from "Sid the Science Kid."
Additionally, VINCI is inviting game developers to help create apps on VINCI Kids Library. As a content provider, developers will have access to several co-marketing opportunities with VINCI, such as special features and announcements on VINCI's social media channels, monthly newsletters, and numerous highlights of one's brand at www.vincigenius.com.To learn more about how to become a VINCI content provider and to submit an app, visit developer.vincigenius.com.
VINCI Kids Library is available for download to the VINCI Early Learning Systems. All content within VINCI Kids Library will be offered free to customers until August 31, 2012.
This post was originally written by Sierra McCleary-Harris and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.


text:
France Genealogy
|Genealogy courses: Learn how to research from an expert in France courses.
|Find us onFacebook
Ask a question
Learn what's new
Build the community
Getting started with French research
Welcome to the France page! FamilySearch Wiki is a community website dedicated to helping people throughout the world learn how to find their ancestors. Through the France page you can learn how to find, use, and analyze French records of genealogical value. The content is variously targeted to beginners, intermediate, and expert researchers. Here you will find helpful research tools and research guidance. Please visit the help page to learn more about using the site. The French Page is a work in progress, your contributions and feedback are essential! For help with specific areas in France, click here for a list of locations and topics.
See the tutorials at the FamilySearch Learning Center on basic French Researchand on Reading French Handwritten Records.
History of France
See the Facebook page "Histoire de France - sites et blogs" for more information.
Prior to March 1790 France was organized into provinces. Several administrative regions of France still carry the names of the former provinces.
Provinces (with their capital)
Today France is divided into 96 departments plus 4 overseas departments. This number has changed over the years, in 1790 there were 83 and at the height of Napoleon's reign there were as many as 130. Records are kept on the town level, but one needs to know in which department the town is located.
Research Tools
- Listing of all records collections for France available on FamilySearch.org.
- Finding Records of your Ancestors in France 1792 to 1880
- France Letter Writing Guide
- France Research Outline
- French Archives Online
- French Handwriting
- French Republican Calendar
- French Wordlist
- Gallica: The French "Library of Congress"
- Research Guide for France by BYU
- France Records Websites
Wiki article describing online collections are found at:
- France Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- France Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- France Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- France, Coutance, Parich Church Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- France, Diocese of Coutances et d'Avranche, Parish Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- France, Coutances et d'Avranche Diocese, Inquiries of Consanguinity (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- France, Protestant Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- France, Quimper et Léon - Parish Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
Research Strategies
- Birth records 1539-1791
- Birth records 1792-Present
- Death records 1539-1791
- Death records 1792-Present
- Marriage records 1539-1791
- Marriage records 1792-Present
Featured Content
(Your text or images here)
Related Content
French citizens of Alsace-Lorraine (Haut Rhin, Bas Rhin, Moselle) often speak German. Many people from this area moved to Russia and the Ukraine and are discussed in Germans from Russia.
Did you know?
- The archives of most of the départements (states) in France and 60 French cities have digitized a wide range of historical records and made them available online. Additional French archives are coming online monthly. Records available often include birth, marriage, and death records, cadastral and other land records, military records, censuses, and more. Click here to see the latest updates.
- French national censuses are seldom used for primary research by most family historians, and many have not been microfilmed.
- Some French military records begin as early as the 1500s. Records since the 19th century may include information about an ancestor's military career, such as promotions, places served, pensions, and conduct. In addition, these records may include information about his age, birthplace, residence, occupation, physical description, and family members.
Help Wanted
In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by:
Articles that need editing:


text:
Aside from proper eating; which is the base for all health and performance attributes, there are an array of supplements available through The Life Extension Foundation which contributes to stamina and endurance. Before I get to explaining some of these products, let me back up a bit and discuss the food issue.
I'm sure by now you're aware that improper eating habits burdens the body in so negative many ways. Digestion is sluggish. And assimilation is even worse, because what are you assimilating? Junky substances, right? And when our digestive systems our subjected to overloads, extra energy is needed for the adequate break down and assimilation of food rather than be available for daily chores and exercise.
After foods are broken down, they journey into the body awaiting a reassembling process. After permeating into the body they go to work on making new body tissues, repair damaged cells, and provides us with energy. Food moves through our intestinal tract with a process know as peristalsis. During peristalsis food particles permeate the surrounding intestinal linings and enter the bloodstream. It is in the intervascular spaces were food particles are transported to the various cites of the body to enact their roles of growth, maintenance and repair.
When burdensome foods are eaten, one will feel weak and sluggish. Internal energy is needed for the process of cleaning up after that junky meal instead of having the zest needed to play several matches on the tennis court, go running down the beach side, or just having the energy to play with your kids when you get home from work. Eating right contributes to the energy we all wish to attain. And it is those who have the most energy who are those who eat the best. Case in point.
As important as eating the correct foods is to providing abundant supplies of energy, eating at the correct time is just as important, especially if you're a true performance seeker.
Contrary to what many may believe, the so-called pre-workout drink or meal is not the most effective way to fuel your muscles for performance. Sure, energy can be extracted from foods [or drinks] eaten close to a workout, but this energy is in the form of glucose which is a faster burning fuel than the fuel you can obtain when proper meal timing is conducted. If you are to rely on the so-called sports drinks to fuel your workouts with energy, as long as these drinks are consumed during regular intervals throughout your workout periods, blood sugar levels will remain consistent avoiding any crashes in energy and performance.
The body preferentially chooses to burn the most immediate fuel it has access to; most often, its glucose from meals or drinks consumed shortly before the activity. When glucose is not used as fuel, the body has the ability to convert it into a longer fuel source called glycogen which is shuttled out of the bloodstream and stored in the muscles and the liver were it awaits burning.
Most often, nonconverted glucose will turn to fat. This is why extremely high carbohydrate diets aren't making us any leaner. But when glucose is consumed immediately after a workout; when fuel sources are depleted from the training session, the body shifts to a repletion mode and converts a much higher percentage of the carbohydrates (or sugars) consumed at these times into glycogen, the more powerful and longer acting fuel source.


text:
The United States is considering launching a punitive strike against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, blamed by the U.S. and the Syrian opposition for an Aug. 21 alleged chemical weapons attack in a rebel-held suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus.
The U.S. has said a sarin gas attack killed 1,429 people, including more than 400 children, based on intelligence reports. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which collects information from a network of anti-government activists in Syria, said it has been compiling a list of the names of the dead and that its toll has reached 502.
President Barack Obama said he has decided that the United States should take military action against Syria but is seeking congressional authorization for the use of force in a vote expected after Congress returns to work Sept. 9.
Here's a look at key Syria developments around the world Thursday amid heightened tensions over potential military action:
Leaders at the forefront of the geopolitical standoff over Syria's civil war gathered in St. Petersburg and started the two-day meeting of the Group of 20 leading world economies, with the threat of missiles over the Mediterranean eclipsing economic issues that usually dominate the annual summit. Differences over Syria have heightened tensions between Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin since the civil war in Syria started in 2011.
Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the U.S. should wait for the U.N. inspectors' report on their investigation into chemical attack before intervening militarily, adding that Washington's evidence of Syrian regime involvement isn't strong enough. He insisted the U.N. Security Council is the only body that can authorize use of force. The Kremlin's chief of staff said Russia has been sending warships to the Mediterranean Sea for possible evacuation of Russian citizens from Syria. Sergei Ivanov told Russian news agencies the country boosted its naval presence "primarily" to organize a possible evacuation.
Prime Minister David Cameron said British scientists have found new evidence that poison gas was used last month outside the Syrian capital. Cameron told BBC television the evidence being examined at England's Porton Down Laboratory "further shows the use of chemical weapons in that Damascus suburb."
Syrian government troops battled al-Qaida-linked rebels for a second day over the regime-held Christian village of Maaloula in western Syria. Rami Abdul-Rahman, the director of the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights, said the fighters included members of the of al-Qaida affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra group.
Obama pressed skeptical lawmakers in phone calls from St. Petersburg to give him the authority to use U.S. military force against Syria while the administration. Obama's advisers were lobbying Congress in closed-door meetings for military strike authorization.
U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power lashed into Russia at the United Nations, accusing Moscow of holding the Security Council "hostage" by blocking action against Syria. In St. Petersburg, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the situation in Syria has "no military solution. There is only a political solution which can bring peace and end this bloodshed right now."
European Union President Herman Van Rompuy urged U.N. investigators to release information as soon as possible about a chemical weapons attack in Syria so the international community can decide how to respond. Rompuy said in St. Petersburg that the attack "was a blatant violation of international law and a crime against humanity." He said it is too early for a military response,
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, warned that a U.S. strike on Syria's atomic facilities might result in a nuclear catastrophe and urged the U.N.'s nuclear agency to conduct a risk analysis. Gill Tudor, spokeswoman for the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, said the IAEA is ready to "consider the questions raised" by Lukashevich if it receives a formal request from Moscow.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she doubts world leaders can agree on what to do about Syria's civil war despite frenzied diplomatic efforts because of disagreement over who was responsible for the gas attack. She said: "I do not believe yet that we will reach a joint position."
Pope Francis urged world leaders to abandon the "futile pursuit" of a military solution in Syria and work for dialogue and negotiation to end the conflict. In a letter to Putin, the pope lamented that "one-sided interests" had prevailed in Syria. He said those interests allowed the "senseless massacre" of innocent people.
Italy's culture ministry decided it's not the right time to send a Botticelli masterpiece on loan to Israel with tensions high over Syria. The ministry said it decided against transporting the 15th-century "The Annunciation of San Martino alla Scala" from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, where it to go on display for several months starting Sept. 17.
China warned of global economic risks linked to a potential U.S.-led military intervention in Syria's civil war. Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao says such "military action would definitely have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price."


text: New York—Spending on digital video ads in the U.S. will nearly double in four years, climbing from $4.14 billion this year to $8.04 billion in 2016, according to a new report from marketing consultancy eMarketer. According to "Buying Online Video Advertising: Making the Most of Your Budget," the cost-per-thousand impressions of digital video for "midtier sites" is about $25 and reaches $33 for premium destinations. Also, while marketers often place television and digital video in separate marketing categories, some are beginning to look at them as a single universe, according to the eMarketer report.


text:
Matchmaker.com provides great new features for contact single Union Corner men. Use our icebreaker feature to let Union Corner guys know you are interested in getting to know them a little better. There are thousands of Union Corner men in your area so create a free profile today.
Union CornerJoin Now Free!
Union Corner | Union Corner Girls | Union Corner Gay | Union Corner Lesbians
More Union Corner Links:
Senior Dating | Catholic Dating | Christian Dating | Muslim Dating
Black Singles | Asian Singles | Latin Dating
While Union Corner men and women in Union Corner might find dating to be more annoying than nice, it'simportant to get past this by breaking the ice. Write an introductory email that's worthy of a response, you probably find that it's easier than delivering a tired line in a darkened bar. After taking a good look at a number of local Union Corner guys, you'll know that the person you are attempting to get to know will have plenty in common with you.


text:
A dejected Allen Crabbe sat in front of the room and tried to explain how California let a golden opportunity slip away against UNLV in the final seconds.
"It was a perfect day to show what we can do," he said softly, "and it came down to one play. We just made a defensive play ... we were right there."
Instead, Quintrell Thomas grabbed Anthony Marshall's airball under the basket and scored on a short hook shot with 1.2 seconds remaining to lift No. 21 UNLV to a 76-75 win over California on Sunday.
"Defensively we got what we wanted," Golden Bears' coach Mike Montgomery said. "We got an airball, in fact. Either we fell asleep or we were mismatched."
Cal junior forward Richard Solomon, who matched his season high with 14 points in addition to his team-leading eight rebounds, took the blame for the miscue. The Runnin' Rebels (7-1) grabbed 13 offensive boards and outrebounded the Bears 38-30.
"I should have went out and got that rebound," he said. "I was boxing out, but rebounding is a mindset. We have to be more physical on the defensive end."
California (6-2) has lost two straight. The Bears were trying to beat a Top 25 team at home for the first time in more than three years.
"One of our Achilles heels is giving up offensive rebounds," Montgomery said. "We're not reacting all the time."
The Runnin' Rebels led for most of the second half but trailed 75-74 following two free throws by Cal's Justin Cobbs with 11.9 seconds left. Marshall then rushed a long jumper that Thomas alertly grabbed and flipped in. Thomas was fouled on the play but missed the free throw. Justin Hawkins then blocked a 3-point attempt by Cobbs from midcourt as the buzzer sounded.
Anthony Bennett had season-highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds and led UNLV to its sixth straight win. Bryce Dejean-Jones also had a career-best 22 points.
"He's pretty good," Solomon said of the Runnin' Rebels' leading scorer. "We could have done a better job on him. He made a lot of plays by outhustling us."
Crabbe led California with 18 points, freshman Tyrone Wallace scored a season-best 13, and Cobbs finished with 11.
"I can't believe I missed three free throws," Crabbe said. "If I make two of them, we win."
The Bears shot just under 54 percent from the foul line (15 of 28). UNLV made 19 of 27.
The Rebels weren't sharp offensively early and trailed most of the first half. They made up for it by dominating the boards despite losing leading rebounder Mike Moser to a dislocated right elbow less than five minutes into the game.
Cal backup center Robert Thurman's putback gave Cal a 72-70 lead before Bennett tied it with a thunderous one-handed dunk from the baseline.
Crabbe made a free throw to break the tie, but Bennett followed with a 15-foot jumper to put the Rebels up 74-73. Cobbs then made two free throws after being fouled by Marshall, setting the stage for Thomas' game-winner.
UNLV, which beat Cal 85-68 on Dec. 23, 2011, leads 5-1 in the series.
Cal played a long stretch of the first half without its best player. Crabbe went to the bench for the final 6:49 after picking up his third foul.
UNLV led 45-38 at halftime.
The Bears fell behind by nine early in the second half before rallying behind Crabbe.


text:
Two years ago, frustrated by a conservative resurgence in the 2010 election, a group of progressive activists, economists, communicators, and pollsters came together to write a compelling story about our view of the economy (as Mike Lux relates). Our goal was to write a story that people could easily understand, based on our beliefs about how to create an economy that delivered broadly shared prosperity -- a story that could stand up against the right's familiar recipe of free markets, limited government, and rugged individualism. The core of the story we developed in our progressive economic narrative (PEN) was: "The middle class is the engine of our economy. We build a large, prosperous middle class by decisions we make together."
So it was a milestone in our work to hear President Obama tell our story and use our language in his State of the Union address. The key line, delivered at the top of the speech and quoted in almost every news story, was "It is our generation's task, then, to reignite the true engine of America's economic growth: a rising, thriving middle class."
Taking another lesson from PEN, the president prefaced that quote with an explanation of what the economic problem is, focusing on how working families and the middle class have been crushed. In PEN we say, "American families are working harder and getting paid less, falling behind our parents' generation. Too many Americans can't find good jobs and too many jobs don't pay enough to support a family. Big corporations have cut our wages and benefits and shipped our jobs overseas." Here's the president's version:
But -- we gather here knowing that there are millions of Americans whose hard work and dedication have not been rewarded. Our economy is adding jobs, but too many people still can't find full-time employment. Corporate profits have skyrocketed to all-time highs, but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged. It is our generation's task, then, to reignite the true engine of Americas economic growth: a rising, thriving middle class.
When it came to describing how we build this middle-class engine, the president again used the same ideas frame laid out in PEN: "We build a large and prosperous middle class through the decisions we make together; investing in our people, expanding opportunity and security, paving the way for business to innovate, and to do business in ways that create prosperity and economic security for Americans." The president's agenda was based on these same concepts:
- Invest in people through education (starting at Pre-K), skills we need for today's jobs, affordable health care, and a secure retirement.
- Pave the way for businesses through research, infrastructure, and green energy.
- Do business in ways that create prosperity, with a higher minimum wage and pay equity for women.
The president's story contrasted sharply with Marco Rubio's. Rubio also paid homage to the middle class, but he told the conservative tale:
This opportunity -- to make it to the middle class or beyond no matter where you start out in life -- it isn't bestowed on us from Washington. It comes from a vibrant free economy where people can risk their own money to open a business. And when they succeed, they hire more people, who in turn invest or spend the money they make, helping others start a business and create jobs. Presidents in both parties -- from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan -- have known that our free enterprise economy is the source of our middle class prosperity.
So the fight is joined. For too long, progressives have not taken on the conservative story with our own narrative. As a result, even when people agree with us on specific issues, they still hold fast to the right's definition of how to move the economy forward. We have, with the simple tale told by the president and in the progressive economic narrative, a very different story, an economy driven by working families and the middle class, which we create by decisions we make together, with our government as the catalyst.
Our next task is to tell this same story over and over again in all of our communications. Repetition is key. People need to hear the story whenever we communicate on an economic issue. We give examples of how do to that on job quality, job creation, the federal fiscal mess, and health care at progressivenarrative.org.
President Obama left out one part of the progressive economic narrative in his speech. As we say in PEN, "Our political system has been captured by the rich and powerful and corrupted by big money in politics. The issue is not the size of the government, it's who the government works for -- powerful corporations and the richest few, or all of us. We have to take our democracy back to ensure that our economy will work for all of us. "
That's a story that politicians are reluctant to tell. As always, we need to lead and the leaders will follow. It is up to us to build an America and economy that works for all us. Clearly describing our vision of how to do that is a crucial element of building power that progressives overlooked for too long. We're much closer when the president tells that story to the nation. It's up to us to keep telling it every day.
Cross-posted from Next New Deal.


text:
Election official: State law requires special election for successor to Councilor BurtonBy JOHN DiSTASO
Senior Political Reporter
November 12. 2013 2:06PM
CONCORD -- State law requires Gov. Maggie Hassan to call for a special election for a successor to the late Executive Councilor Raymond Burton, according to a top state election official.
Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan said Tuesday said that while the state constitution says the governor "may" call for an election if a councilor dies, a state law makes it a requirement.
The law, Scanlan pointed out, says the governor, within 21 days "after proof of a vacancy," "shall declare that there shall be a special election," in this case in Executive Council District 1, which Burton represented for all but two of the past 36 years.
Scanlan noted that the law says that no election may be held after March 15 of "the second year of the biennium," which is 2014.
"And I think the convention wisdom is that the special election would be held on town meeting day," which is Tuesday, March 11, 2014, Scanlan said.
Hassan spokesman Marc Goldberg said, however, the date and arrangements for a special election "will be addressed at the appropriate time.
"The governor is now focused on joining the rest of the state in mourning the loss of Executive Councilor Burton," Goldberg said.
The law says the special election shall be held on a Tuesday "not less than 110 nor more than 124 days following the day that the governor" declares that there will be such an election.
Nov. 21 is 110 days before March 11, Scanlan noted, and so Nov. 21, he said, is last day Hassan can call for an election, although she could do so sooner.
Scanlan noted that according to state law, the filing period for a special election must start on the Monday following the day the governor calls for the special election. The filing period would end at 5 p.m. on the Friday of that week.
The law says party primaries for nominees to the post must be held "49 days prior to the special election." That would be Jan. 21 if the special election is, in fact, set for town meeting day March 11, Scanlan said.
State law also says that if only one candidate files for each party, then there would be no primary elections and the special general election would be held on the day the party primaries would have been held, which would be Jan. 21.
A special election for an executive council seat was last held on town meeting day of 2002 in council District 4.
Voters chose Republican former Manchester mayor Raymond Wieczorek to succeed fellow Republican Tom Colantuono, who had resigned in late 2001 to become U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire in the George W. Bush administration.
Wieczorek defeated then-Assistant Attorney General John Kacavas, a Democrat who in 2009 was chosen by President Barack Obama to succeed Colantuono as U.S. Attorney.


text:
High school football is in the air as CHad practice opensBy ROGER BROWN
New Hampshire Union Leader
June 18. 2013 9:12PM
June has become high school football season in New Hampshire.
Practice for the second CHaD East-West All-Star Game will begin today at two locations: The East team will practice at Exeter High from 4:15 to 7:45 p.m.; and the West will hold its first workout at Manchester Memorial from 4:30 to 8:15 p.m. Practices are open to the public.
Each team will have 10 days of practice leading up to this year's game, which will be held June 29 (1 p.m.) at the University of New Hampshire's Cowell Stadium. Proceeds from the game will benefit Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
Former Manchester Central coach Jim Schubert is the West's head coach. Former Concord coach Bob Camirand will coach the East.
Players in the game are recently graduated seniors.
Each coach said the limited amount of preparation time is the biggest challenge in an all-star game.
"We'll be running a pro-type offense that I used at Central," Schubert said. "The defense usually takes care of itself and goes in pretty quickly, but you only have so many days to put the offense in. Most of our QBs worked out of a spread offense, and most of my offense is under center. Everything is timing. We won't be dropping back to pass and waiting for someone to get open — I don't teach that."
Camirand had to replace two players on the East roster Monday, and both are quarterbacks. Camirand said Pinkerton quarterback Sean Conroy and Winnacunnet linebacker Niles Connor have been added to the team, replacing Pinkerton's Chris St. Onge and Somersworth's Drew Francouer. Conroy and Windham's Joe Lorenz are the team's two quarterbacks.
"We'll try to keep them safe," Camirand said. "We have enough athletes, so we'll also have a third one ready."
Camirand said the wing-T and the straight-T will be two of the East's four formations.
Bedford's James Caparell and Keene's Lucas Luopa are among the West quarterbacks.
Milford lineman Brett Stagnone was a late addition to the West roster.
"The strength of our roster are the skill kids," Schubert said. "I think we only have 12 linemen on the team. We didn't have a lot of linemen to choose from at the beginning, so whenever we've had to replace a kid I've tried to replace him with a lineman."
Tickets to this year's game can be purchased by visiting the following website: www.chadallstarfootball.org. Tickets can also be purchased for the CHaD All-Star Tailgate Banquet, which will be held June 28 at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester.
The West won the inaugural game 44-12 last year.
A free youth clinic sponsored by the New England Patriots and the New England Patriots Alumni Club will be held at UNH's Bremner Field (the UNH soccer field) on the morning of this year's CHaD game. The non-contact clinic is open to boys and girls ages 10-14 of all skill levels.
Former New England Patriot players will be the clinic's instructors. Registration for the clinic is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., and all participants will receive a complimentary ticket to this year's game.


text:
originally by: The Independent
published: 2 August 2012
A new investigation into the custody sergeant who was found to have lied under oath at the Sean Rigg inquest has been launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission amid criticisms about its original investigation which found no wrongdoing against any of the officers involved in his death.
The four arresting officers PC Mark Harratt, PC Richard Glasson, PC Andrew Birks and PC Forward who restrained Mr Rigg, 40, for eight minutes face down with "unsuitable" force that was found to have contributed to his death – are no longer on operational duties, the Metropolitan Police Service said.
The watchdog today announced an "independent investigation" into the evidence of Custody Sergeant Paul White who is on restricted duties.
It will also review its own investigation into the incident which the Rigg Family have described as "inadequate and obstructive".
Other News:
Families need backing over custody deaths
2 August 2012
Police restraint 'more than minimally' contributed to Sean Rigg's death in custody, inquest jury finds
1 August 2012


text:
The Actors Playhouse
100 7th Ave. South
Mon., Wed., Thurs., Fri., 8pm;
Sat. at 5 & 7 pm; Sun. at 3 & 7 pm
$65, 212-463-0060 & 212-239-6200
Photo courtesy of Shaffer-Coyle
Christoper Sloane, left, Paul Whitthorne, January LaVoy and Ryan Kelly in the Off-Broadway premiere of John Fishers romantic comedy Joy, directed by Ben Rimalower.
Good enough for Broadway
Joy looks at gay relationships with infectious energy
By Scott Harrah
In the mid-1990s, at the height of the AIDS crisis, most gay plays focused on how the community was dealing with the epidemic. In 1994, San Francisco playwright John Fisher penned Joy, a lighthearted look at gays and lesbians falling in love for the first time. His intention was to create a play that celebrated life and love at a time when things were quite grim for gays. The play had a successful run at the University of California-Berkeley and in San Francisco, and was brought back to life earlier this year at the Producers Club in New York. Director Ben Rimalowers vibrant and luminous revival of Joy at the Actors Playhouse in the West Village seems to have been updated slightly for the new millennium, but it remains a fun romantic comedy about finding love and losing it, and the joy of experiencing love regardless of ones sexual orientation
Paul (Paul Whitthorne) is a frustrated, outspoken graduate student completing a controversial doctoral dissertation about the life of Jesus Christ. He meets Gabriel (Christopher Sloan), a closeted, slightly innocent undergraduate with a romantic demeanor. The two learn to balance their new relationship with their distinct identities. Meanwhile their friends Kegan (January LaVoy) and Elsa (Ryan Kelly) plunge into a passionate lesbian romance. One of Pauls professors, Corey (Ken Barnett), starts having an affair with drunken blond party guy Christian (played with aplomb by Ben Curtis, the Dell dude from the famous TV commercials). Young, bi-curious sailor Darryl (Michael Busillo) adds even more sexual tension to the friends lives.
Paul and Gabriels relationship is strong but volatile, but does not have the same happy outcome as that of their friends. Some of the characters are stereotypical but still well developed, and the dialogue and plot twists are slightly predictable, but Joy is still much more realistic and truthful than any episode of Will & Grace. The shows few sex scenes are done tastefully, without any gratuitous nudity.
Although the play is not a musical, various members of the cast sing a number of great old Cole Porter and Gershwin tunes, including Zing Went the Strings of My Heart, Ill Be Seeing You, and Youre the Top. Wilson Chins set, featuring the San Francisco skyline at night, adds whimsy to the story. David Kaleys great costumes and James DeFortes clever choreography help polish the shows production values, and give everything a good-enough-for-Broadway quality.
This is a seamless production with infectious energy. Rimalowers direction is razor-sharp, and the subplots all intertwine well without becoming too confusing. The cast is also truly first-rate. Paul Whitthorne has just the right amount of abrasiveness to make the lead character of Paul believable but also sympathetic, and Christopher Sloan is equally outstanding as his lover, Gabriel. The gorgeous Ryan Kelly is marvelous as the blonde Jewish American princess Elsa, as is January LaVoy. Ben Curtis is hilarious as the surfer-dude type Christian, and manages to pull off three drag scenes with conviction.
It is indeed refreshing to see a gay play with an original narrative that doesnt need to rely on gimmickry like half-naked hunks, and also doesnt preach and try to deliver a heavy-handed message. Joy is simply a light, entertaining evening of comic theater that offers pure late-summer escapism.
Email our editor
View our previous issues
Report Distribution Problems
The Villager is published by
Community Media LLC.
The Villager | 487 Greenwich St., Suite 6A | New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212.229.1890 | Fax: 212.229.2790
Email: email@example.com
Written permission of the publisher must be obtainedbefore any of the contents of this newspaper, in whole or in part, can be reproduced or redistributed.


text:
Book Report: Court documents reveal historical truths
I have ancestors who came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the seventeenth century, so I'm always on the lookout for books, movies or plays about that fabled place. My interest lies in artistic recreations of a time long past, creations like Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," and movies like "Plymouth Adventure," where to my dismay I learned that Governor William Bradford's wife almost had an affair with the Mayflower's captain. I'm a descendant of Bradford, but thankfully not his wandering wife.
Every once in a while, serious historians get their teeth into the colony and come up with something less romantic, but undeniably true because they base their creations on court documents and other unimpeachable evidence. Such a book is "Under Household Government" by M. Michelle Jarrett Morris (Harvard, $25). Subtitled "Sex and Family in Puritan Massachusetts," it's based on what actually happened back then, and not necessarily what Nathaniel Hawthorne dreamed up.
A wonderful example is the confession of one Elizabeth Pierce, who went for a walk and came home disconsolate. Here's her recorded testimony.
"last night wn shee wase coming home Benjamin Simonns wase aleaaning one the rayles and as I came near to him I being in the highwwaye hee came to mee and layed hould of mee I strove to get out of his hands but hee being stronger than I halled me into the bushes and threw mee downe I said to him Benjamin lett mee alone for it will bee boath sin and ashame to you and me as long as wee live but he said it wold be no shame to him yet I resisted as much as I Could; but hee being stronger than I forced me and did the acte to mee"
At the outset, the rape charge leveled at Simmons seems like an open and shut case, especially after a neighbor agreed with Elizabeth's testimony. But such was not the case. As historian Morris explained to readers what the rape law was like in Massachusetts back then, I was reminded of the brouhaha over what constituted rape in the debate during the election last November.
It turns out the same was true three hundred years ago. Some rapes were punishable by execution, in other cases, the rapist got off scot-free. Although "blasphemy" was always punishable by execution, rape was not. For example, if someone got raped out of earshot, the authorities were more likely to believe the accuser. But if the rape were performed in town, the authorities would wonder why the raped person didn't scream.
"Rape was a complicated crime, biblically speaking. The book of Deuteronomy prescribed death for the rape of a married or engaged woman, but it mandated that a man who raped a single woman could be forced to marry her."
The case of Elizabeth and Benjamin went on and on, eventually involving five interrelated families, with testimonials from relatives and enemies that Elizabeth told "fallse" stories, that she wasn't really penetrated, etc., etc.
It's almost time for basketball mania on the college level and second- through fifth-grade readers will enjoy "Hoop Genius," by award winning author John Coy, illustrations by Joe Morse (Carolrhoda, $16.95 cloth). It's the lavishly illustrated book and subtitled "How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball."
The inventor was James Naismith and the time was the Gay Nineties. After college graduation from McGill in Canada, he took a teaching job to discover his students didn't like the boring regimen of marching and calisthenics in a gym class he inherited from other teachers who had given up on them. He tries indoor football and indoor soccer (too rough) and finally fell on a sport inspired by an earlier game called "Duck on a Rock."
Naismith was honored at the Olympics in Germany in 1936. He died in 1939. Carolrhoda has cunningly reproduced the original typescript of Naismith's thirteen rules of basketball, which he had typed on and hung on the gymnasium wall in Springfield, Mass., in 1891.
Dave Wood is a past vice-president of the National Book Critics Circle and former book review editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.


text:
To the Editor:
The recent town budget process was the most contentious we have seen in many years. Republicans championing a cut-at-all-costs strategy got their way, leaving our schools to struggle to adjust next fall when children return to increasingly underfunded buildings and programs.
Meanwhile, at the state level, debate over the biennial budget adjustment was also wrought with controversy. And just as local Republican leaders in Fairfield demanded draconian cuts to our schools, a handful of Republican state representatives worked in concert to cut crucial funding for our towns, schools and families. Eight out of 54 House Republicans, including Tony Hwang and Brenda Kupchick from Fairfield, were among those who voted for these harmful cuts.
Fortunately for our town and others across the state, Democrats, like Rep. Kim Fawcett, D-133, and moderate Republicans in the House and Senate stood firm to approve a balanced state budget that does not raise taxes and maintains education grants to the municipalities. Also preserved was funding for critical services to our most vulnerable citizens. Thank you, Kim Fawcett for seeing the big picture.
It's important to remember that the state budget has a direct impact on the municipal budget process. For example, state funding includes $3.5 million to Fairfield's schools. An annual state bond package also ensures long-term investment in Metro-North Rail Line safety upgrades, Merritt Parkway improvements, shoreline and open-space preservation, clean-water projects and upgrades for aging sewer lines. Indiscriminate cuts to the state budget and bonding would mean less money for our schools, force local leaders to increase property taxes and limit progress we have made in recovering from the economic collapse.
Yet your Republican state representatives voted for the following:
• $6 million in additional cuts to education.
• Elimination of a state grant to Operation Hope.
• More than $4 million in cuts to programs that support our seniors.
• More than $500,000 in cuts to earned-income tax credits that benefit Fairfield residents.
• More than $5 million in cuts to programs for the disabled.
• Massive reductions in healthcare programs for our children, including those with special needs.
• Reduced breast and cervical cancer screening for women.
There's no doubt that Connecticut's economy continues to struggle, forcing our lawmakers to make tough choices. We must be vigilant in managing Fairfield's and Connecticut's financial future. Cutting underperforming or wasteful programs, minimizing the scope of government and reducing spending will be part of the dialogue for many years to come. But leaders — both at the local and state levels — who propose radical, cut-everything, stop-investment strategies are playing a dangerous game that threatens our excellent public schools, property values and economic prosperity.
Heather Dean


text: In baseball, a knuckle ball is often used where the pitcher doesn't impart any spin on the ball and the Gods of Aerodynamics will take care of the rest. So what is knuckling exactly? When a soccer ball is kicked, the air flowing over the ball 'hugs' the ball tightly forming what is called a 'boundary layer' over the ball. The roughness of the ball and the depth of the seams will then affect this boundary layer which determines the motion of the ball. When a ball is kicked with little or no spin, the air flowing over the ball is 'tripped' by the seams and separates from the ball, forming a region of wake behind it. The unsteadiness of the wake behind the ball is what pushes it into an unsteady flight path. The ball may oscillate from left to right or up and down when kicked and the trajectory of such a kick is hard to predict for the kickers and goalkeepers alike. During knuckling, the unsteady wake behind the ball will oscillate in direction leading to lift and side forces on the ball moving from one direction to the other. Recently, researchers have shown that the Brazuca knuckles less at 50 mph, the average speed with which free kicks are taken and hence is better than the Jabulani.