SpaceX Dragon leaves space station for trip home

This framegrab image from NASA-TV shows the SpaceX Dragon capsule just after the capsule is released from the Canadarm2 at 5:49 a.m. EDT Thursday morning May 31, 2012. The Dragon capsule is scheduled for splashdown at 11:44 a.m. EDT Thursday in the Pacific Ocean. (AP Photo/NASA)

This framegrab image from NASA-TV shows the SpaceX Dragon capsule just after the capsule is released from the Canadarm2 at 5:49 a.m. EDT Thursday morning May 31, 2012. The Dragon capsule is scheduled for splashdown at 11:44 a.m. EDT Thursday in the Pacific Ocean. (AP Photo/NASA)

This framegrab image from NASA-TV shows the SpaceX Dragon capsule just after the capsule is released from the Canadarm2 at 5:49 a.m. EDT Thursday morning May 31, 2012. The Dragon capsule is scheduled for splashdown at 11:44 a.m. EDT Thursday in the Pacific Ocean. (AP Photo/NASA)

This framegrab image from NASA-TV shows the SpaceX Dragon capsule, center, the U.S. Destiny lab, left and the Japanese Kibo module, right just after the Dragon capsule was dematted from the International Space Station Thursday May 31, 2012. (AP Photo/NASA)

This framegrab image from NASA-TV shows the SpaceX Dragon capsule just after the capsule is backed away from the International Space Station and being repositioned for release later Thursday morning May 31, 2012. The Dragon capsule is scheduled for splashdown at 11:44 a.m. EDT Thursday in the Pacific Ocean. (AP Photo/NASA)

In this image provided by NASA with rays of sunshine and the thin blue atmosphere of Earth serving as a backdrop, the SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is berthed to the Earth-facing side of the International Space Station's Harmony node Sunday May 27, 2012. Expedition 31 Flight Engineers Don Pettit and Andre Kuipers grappled Dragon at 9:56 a.m. (EDT) with the Canadarm2 robotic arm and used it to berth Dragon to the at 12:02 p.m. May 25, 2012. Dragon became the first commercially developed space vehicle to be launched to the station. Dragon is scheduled to spend about a week docked with the station before returning to Earth on May 31 for retrieval. (AP Photo/NASA)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) ? The SpaceX Dragon capsule left the International Space Station on Thursday and aimed for a Pacific splashdown to end its historic flight.

Astronauts set the world's first commercial supply ship loose after a five-day visit, releasing the vessel with the space station's robot arm. The Dragon slowly backed away from the 250-mile-high outpost, on track for a midday return to Earth, six hours later.

The targeted splashdown zone is 560 miles west of Baja California.

"Dragon smoothly undocked, moved out, released and on its way home," Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers reported via Twitter.

NASA's Mission Control quickly radioed praise to the six-man space station crew: "Great work, guys." A brown toy dragon decorated the flight director's desk in Houston. Within minutes, the capsule was outside the NASA-controlled safety zone around the space station and under the complete jurisdiction of the SpaceX team in Hawthorne, Calif.

Last week, SpaceX became the first private company to send a cargo ship to the International Space Station. And Thursday, it was on the verge of becoming the only supplier to return major items.

The unmanned Dragon capsule is returning nearly 1,400 pounds of old space station equipment and some science samples, a little more than it took up. Because it is a test flight, NASA did not want to load it with anything valuable.

The retro bell-shaped capsule was set to parachute down in the style of NASA's old Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft. A Dragon has returned from orbit once before, on a solo shakedown mission in December 2010.

Russia's Soyuz spacecraft for carrying crews also parachutes down, but on land, deep inside Kazakhstan. All of the government-provided cargo vessels of Russia, Europe and Japan, meanwhile, burn up on descent.

NASA lost the capability of getting things back when its space shuttles were retired last year. The space agency has turned to American private business to take over cargo runs and, eventually, astronaut ferry flights. Several companies are in the running for the human missions, with SpaceX in the lead given the success of this latest cargo shipment.

SpaceX's billionaire founder, Elon Musk of PayPal fame, expects to have astronauts riding his Dragons in three or four years.

Until then, the focus is on filling the space station's larder.

Assuming Thursday's entry goes well, the next Dragon supply mission will be in September. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is already at Cape Canaveral, Fla., awaiting launch.

Rival Orbital Sciences Corp. hopes to have its first test flight off by year's end, launching from Wallops Island in Virginia.

President Barack Obama wants NASA free of orbital deliveries so it can work on getting astronauts to asteroids and Mars.

___

Online:

SpaceX: http://www.spacex.com

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/c3po/home/

Associated Press

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Asia's biggest wine expo opens in Hong Kong

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Mired in 8-game skid, Braves shake things up

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tommy Hanson sits in the dugout after being pulled in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, May 28, 2012, in Atlanta.?(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tommy Hanson sits in the dugout after being pulled in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, May 28, 2012, in Atlanta.?(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Atlanta Braves' Dan Uggla throws his bat down after popping out in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, May 28, 2012, in Atlanta.?St. Louis won 8-2. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Atlanta Braves' Martin Prado takes off his helmet after getting forced out at second on a double play in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, May 28, 2012, in Atlanta. St. Louis won 8-2.?(AP Photo/David Goldman)

ATLANTA (AP) ? Mired in an eight-game losing streak, the Atlanta Braves decided to shake things up before Tuesday night's game against St. Louis.

Right-hander Kris Medlen was shipped to Triple-A Gwinnett, but not for anything he's done. The Braves want him to stretch out his arm so he can bolster the rotation, which is a bit of a mess with Mike Minor struggling, Randall Delgado not doing much better and former All-Star Jair Jurrjens already demoted to the minors.

Medlen showed up at Turner Field, ready to take his usual role in the bullpen, only to find out he was being shipped to the team's suburban Atlanta farm club. He will report Wednesday and expects to get his first start a couple of days later.

"I'm going to go home, sit on the sofa and have a beer," Medlen quipped, saying he planned to watch the Braves-Cardinals game on television.

That wasn't the only change. Jose Constanza was called up from Gwinnett and immediately inserted into the lineup as the left fielder. Also, he was batting ninth ? ahead of starting pitcher Delgado ? in a further attempt to end the team's longest losing streak in more than two years.

"You've got to try to push the envelope as much as you can," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Here we are. We've lost eight. Why not?"

When Medlen is ready to return, he'll likely take the spot of either Minor (2-4, 6.98 ERA) or Delgado (2-5, 4.53 before Tuesday's game).

Minor pitched well in spring training and got off to a solid start, going 2-1 with a 3.42 ERA in his first four starts. In his last six appearances, however, the left-hander is 0-3 with 9.95 ERA, having allowed 43 hits, 35 earned runs and 12 homers in 31 2-3 innings. Delgado's numbers are better, but he lasted less than six innings in seven of his first nine starts.

"You can't guarantee anybody anything in this game," Gonzalez said.

But he's also looking to settle his shaky team, which was leading the NL East before the losing streak. Gonzalez met with the players privately before the game for what was essentially a pep talk.

"I wanted to remind them we're a good club," the second-year manager said. "Sometimes, you've got to remind them. Sometimes, they forget."

The Braves are turning to the versatile Medlen (1-1, 3.49, one save) because he looks better than some of the other pitching options. Jurrjens has yet to regain his All-Star form, going 3-2 with a 4.85 ERA in his first six starts at Triple-A. Julio Teheran, one of the team's top prospects, got knocked around for six runs (four earned) in three innings during a start Monday night for Gwinnett.

Constanza was a surprising spark for the Braves in 2011, hitting .303 with seven stolen bases. But he failed to make the team in spring training and went to Gwinnett, where he was batting .288 with eight stolen bases.

Just a few days ago, Gonzalez indicated that he wanted to leave Martin Prado in left field, saying it wouldn't be fair to move him all over the field. But with the injuries and losses piling up, the manager had a change of heart.

Constanza took over in left and Prado moved to third base in place of Chipper Jones, who is on the disabled list. The Braves also were missing first baseman Freddie Freeman, who didn't start for the fourth game in a row because of vision problems. In addition, backup catcher David Ross was slowed by a strained right groin and reserve outfielder Matt Diaz was battling strep throat.

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

Associated Press freelance writer Amy Jinkner-Lloyd contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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'War criminal': UK ex-PM Blair heckled while testifying

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was accused of being "a war criminal" by a heckler who burst into a courtroom as he testified at an U.K. inquiry into media ethics on Monday.

By NBC News' Baruch Ben-Chorin and msnbc.com's Alastair Jamieson

Updated at 10:49 a.m. ET: LONDON - Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was accused of being "a war criminal" by a heckler who burst into a courtroom as he testifed at an U.K. inquiry into media ethics on Monday.?

The protester, who gave his name as?David Lawley-Wakelin,?shouted?that Blair?should be arrested -- but only seconds later he was?bundled away by security staff.

---

He yelled at Blair, who is a?$2.5-million-a-year adviser to U.S. investment bank JP Morgan:?"This man should be arrested for war crimes. JP Morgan paid him off for the Iraq war, three months after he invaded Iraq."?

In response to the outburst, Blair said: "Can I just say on the record what he said about Iraq and JP Morgan is completely and totally untrue. I have never had a?discussion with them about that."

Lawley-Wakelin describes himself online as?a documentary film-maker working on a project called the "The Alternative Iraq Enquiry", for which he has traveled to Iraq.

ITV News reported he was being questioned by police, but later released.

Sky News reported that an investigation was immediately launched into how he entered the secure area of the court - an embarrassing breach of security less than a year after Rupert Murdoch was hit by a custard pie at a inquiry into the same subject at Britain's parliament.

Prior to the interruption, Blair was facing questions about his relationship with Murdoch.

Blair, who served as prime minister between 1997 and 2007, was the latest senior politician?to appear?at the investigation set up last year in the wake of a phone-hacking scandal when it emerged that reporters at the Murdoch-owned News of the World tabloid had routinely hacked into the phones of public figures. Other witnesses have included actor Hugh Grant, as well as Murdoch and his son James.

More coverage from Britain's ITV News

Blair is godfather to one of the powerful News Corp. chairman and CEO.'s children.

Ordered by Prime Minister David Cameron, the inquiry has tarnished Britain's elite by laying bare the collusion between politicians, the police and the media.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair testified this morning about his close ties to media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who's News of the World tabloid is in the middle of a phone-hacking scandal. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.

While Blair is no longer active in British politics, the inquiry may still prove uncomfortable as it examines issues such as his decision after stepping down as prime minister to become a godfather to Murdoch's daughter Grace at a ceremony on the banks of the River Jordan.

"Blair led the way in having no shame about courting Murdoch," said Ivor Gaber, professor of political journalism at City University. "He set the style and the standard and if you regard Cameron as the 'heir to Blair' then it's not exactly surprising that he followed suit."

The BBC reported that, giving evidence earlier in May, one of Mr Blair's former Cabinet ministers told the inquiry he felt the relationship had "arguably" become "closer than wise".

Murdoch told the inquiry last month that he had never asked a prime minister for anything.

Blair set the tone for his relationship with Britain's press when he flew to Australia in 1995 to speak before a gathering of Murdoch's executives who had previously used their British tabloids to vilify his Labour Party predecessors.

'Into the lion's den'
The decision infuriated much of his left-of-center party who saw the Australian-born tycoon as a right-winger who had helped to keep them out of power for years.

"People would be horrified," Blair said later in his autobiography. "On the other hand ... not to go was to say 'carry on and do your worst,' and we knew their worst was very bad indeed."

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and her husband, Charlie Brooks, have been charged with perverting the course of justice during the U.K. phone hacking scandal. ITV's Keir Simmons reports.

"The country's most powerful newspaper proprietor, whose publications have hitherto been rancorous in their opposition to the Labour party, invites us into the lion's den. You go, don't you?"

With the backing of Murdoch's top-selling Sun tabloid, Blair swept to power in 1997 and again in 2001 and 2005. But with an ever-increasing reputation for public relations "spin", he started to face questions over his sincerity.

"Tony Blair quickly became famous in Fleet Street for inviting in one group of newspaper people and telling them how skeptical he was about Europe; and then inviting in another lot and telling them how keen he was on Europe," Andrew Marr, a senior BBC journalist, told the inquiry.

May 1: Rupert and James Murdoch are severely criticized after investigations into phone-hacking allegations - and three of their senior executives are accused of misleading parliament. ITN's Juliet Bremner reports.?

"But the different groups compared notes, and his reputation was not hugely enhanced."

Much of that came to a head when Blair and then President George W. Bush agreed to invade Iraq, going against the public opinion in Britain.

Blair is likely to be asked why he spoke to Murdoch three times in the days leading up to the Iraq war and whether this had any impact on the fact that all Murdoch's papers supported the unpopular invasion.

Rupert Murdoch returned to the Leveson Inquiry to give evidence for a second day. ITV's Paul Davis reports.

He will also be asked whether his reliance on Britain's press meant that he did not properly scrutinize their role in society and whether any group, such as Murdoch's UK arm, News International, had too much control of the market.

"There was a desperation to get the Sun onside and to get News International on side, basically at all costs," Liverpool University's political professor Jonathan Tonge, told Reuters. "And if that meant sacrificing a serious analysis of the relationship and the health of the relationship, then so be it."?

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world

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Uncovering the family tree - ABC New South Wales - Australian ...

Uncovering the family tree

29/05/2012 , 1:13 PM by Katya Quigley

How much do you know about your family?

Some of us are lucky enough to have known our grandparents, even our great grandparents.?

Euginia Rauch knows a lot about her family.? She's just won second prize in the Alexander Henderson Award for Family History for her book "Clarkes in Australia: The Families of Thomas and Ellen Clarke".?

?

?

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Chrome OS review (version 19)

It seems like yesterday that we reviewed the inaugural Samsung Series 5 Chromebook running Google's Chrome OS, an operating system for laptops based on Chrome. It was, from the start, a world in which everything from music playback to document creation happened in browser tabs. Since we last checked in a year ago, Google has addressed some early complaints -- the browser can actually stream Netflix now! -- but it's only just getting around to ticking off some other long-standing grievances, like multitasking.

The company just announced two new Chrome OS devices -- the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 and Chromebox Series 3 -- and both run a spanking-new build of the OS that ushers in a simplified desktop with customizable wallpaper and the ability to minimize, maximize and close windows -- oh my! More importantly, you can now view multiple windows onscreen, edit docs offline and pin shortcuts to the bottom of the screen -- a combination that promises some seriously improved multitasking. Other goodies: built-in Google Music, Google+ and Hangouts, along with a basic photo editor, redesigned music player and enhanced remote desktop app. So does all this add up to an upgrade meaty enough to make the skeptics give Chrome OS a second look? Could it be time for you to get the low-tech person in your life a Chromebook? Let's see.

Gallery: Chrome OS screenshots (version 19)

Continue reading Chrome OS review (version 19)

Chrome OS review (version 19) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marshall Medical Centers, UAB to build cancer care center in Albertville

al.com (blog)
Marshall Medical Centers, UAB to build cancer care center in Albertville
al.com (blog)
By Budd McLaughlin, The Huntsville Times GUNTERSVILLE, Alabama - Marshall County's efforts to provide cancer care have embarked with a new two-pronged strategy. For the first "prong," the Marshall Medical Centers announced plans this week to build a ...

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Mogwai at Union Transfer on 06/12/2012 08:30 PM EDT

?Hello all and a happy new year. 2011 was a great year for us releasing our Hardcore Will Never Die album and playing 124 shows (our busiest ever). We were constantly surprised and grateful for the support we received throughout both through people coming to see us play all over the world and the goodwill shown towards our record. The only blemish on an otherwise brilliant year was us twice having to postpone shows in North America. Firstly because of a visa delay and secondly because of ill health. We can?t apologize enough to the people who arranged travel and bought tickets to see us. Both of these postponements were completely out with our control and the shows would not have been postponed if there was any way possible to make them happen. That said we realize fully how disappointed people were who had bought tickets only to find out very close to the shows that we were postponing.

In light of this we are very happy to announce the rescheduled dates along with new dates and festivals for next May and June. It will likely be the last extensive touring we do for some time so we hope it will be a very special tour. Thanks for your patience!?"

Mogwai is a Scottish band from Glasgow, United Kingdom. Stuart Braithwaite and Dominic Aitchison formed Mogwai in 1995 and since then, they have become one of the most influential and best known post-rock bands. They compose lengthy instrumental guitar-based pieces in the post-rock tradition, usually focused around the elaboration of a single theme, and are known traditionally for dynamic contrast, melodic bass riffs, and their use of guitar distortion and effects. The band were originally signed to renowned Glasgow indie label Chemikal Underground, but are now distributed by different labels, such as Matador in the US and Play It Again Sam Records in the UK. They have also developed their own label, Rock Action Records, named after Stooges drummer Scott Asheton who had his name changed to Rock Action. Their style has been influenced by bands including The Dirty Three, Joy Division, The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, and post-rock pioneers Slint. During 2004 the band supported tours by two major influences, Pixies and The Cure. Mogwai's style has easily identifiable connections to genres like shoegaze, math rock, art rock, and occasionally instrumental metal. While their sound bears little resemblance to traditional punk rock, the band seems to identify closely with the punk ethic. Mogwai is named after the creatures from the film Gremlins, although guitarist Stuart Braithwaite comments that "it has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better one, but like a lot of other things we never got 'round to it." Mr. Beast, the latest Mogwai album, was released in the UK on 6 March 2006. It returns to the heavier sounds of 1997's Young Team. Mogwai produced the remix track of 'Plans' on the British group Bloc Party's 2005 album Silent Alarm Remixed.

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Smart Card Reader | Computer Internet Software Technology

A smart card reader is a data input device that operates and reads smart cards to help you get the data stored in that card and perform transactions. It is also a card programmer because it lets you write to a card acceptance device (CAD), card terminals, and interface device (IFD). There is only a slight difference between the terminal and the card reader.

A terminal is a self-contained device that can process. A reader is generally used to describe the unit that connects with the computer and enables it to function or process its requirements.

Smart cards are portable data cards that requires it to connect with another device for it to gain access to a display device, network or computer. It is required that you plug your smart cards into readers. Sometimes they can operate with radio frequencies (RF).

The function of the chip inside the card can be categorised in two. The smart card could be used as memory or it could be a microprocessor

It does not follow that the moment a card and a reader come in contact your data will immediately be open. Each device is required to identify itself with the other by sending and receiving messages. If the information that they exchanged do not match, it stops functioning and no further processing takes place. The advantage of this smart technology over ordinary bank cards is its ability to defend itself against unauthorised users because it uses very innovative security measures. The smart technology or sometimes as it is referred to, the chip card technology is now becoming more prominent in the techno scene and society as a whole.Apart from this security measure there are also more advanced ways of protecting your smart cards.

The smart card reader gives a path for the application to send and receive commands from the smart card. There are many types of readers available since the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) group was not able to provide a world standard for communicating with the different readers. Hence, there is no one size-device that fits all approach to the smart card communication technology. Examples of different readers are serial, PCCard, and standard keyboard models. However, even with all these choices available most computers now come with a built-in smart card reader.

Although there are many readers available out there we need to keep in mind that there are features that we all should look for that is desirable for a card reader to have. Card Contact types refer to how the contact between a card reader and a smart card is physically made.

There are two types of contact and they are landing contact and friction contact.

For the card reader that features friction contact, their contact part is already fixed. The contact wipes the chip and the card surface when a card is inserted.

For landing type contact readers the contact part is movable. The contact only lands on the chip after the card is wholly inserted. Generally, card readers that uses a landing type of contact offer more protection to the card compared to the friction type.

It will not take long before smart card readers become an integral part of every computer. Card readers are also accessible as a USB dongle.

Check out our store for low priced quality card readers and swipe card machines.

Keith Carasco, I am a writer and domain name entrepreneur encompassing a wide range of subjects and niches. I just love building new blogs with all the intense reading and researching that goes with that task. An example being.?http://swipecardmachines.com/category/iphone-credit-card-reader/

You have full permission to reprint any of my articles provided the box is kept unchanged.

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Florida Ethics Commission might settle with Sen. Gary Siplin

Florida Ethics Commission might settle with Sen. Gary Siplin

Florida Ethics Commission may settle with Sen. Siplin

The Florida Elections Commission likely will consider a settlement that would lead to Sen. Gary Siplin paying a $3,000 fine because of missing information on campaign-finance reports and an excessive contribution from a phosphate-industry group. The case, which stems from Siplin's 2008 re-election campaign, had been scheduled to go before an administrative law judge June 7. But attorneys filed a document this week requesting that the case be sent back to the elections commission because a settlement had been reached. Siplin?s finance reports did not fully detail the names and addresses of poll workers who received payments from his campaign, the settlement says. Such information is required by law.

News Service of Florida

Rubio?s book tour hits swing states

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is planning a swing-state summer bus tour that will also roll through South Carolina, the early presidential primary battleground.

It?s officially aimed at selling books, not winning votes, but Florida?s freshman senator and possible Republican vice presidential pick is set to make multiple stops, not just in his home state but also in North Carolina and Virginia, critical presidential battlegrounds. On the way, he?ll make several appearances in South Carolina. His autobiography, ?An American Son,? is scheduled to be released in June.

Associated Press

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Measles breaks out at military academy

KHARTOUM, Sudan, May 26 (UPI) -- An outbreak of measles among Sudanese military recruits forced Khartoum health authorities to put those affected by the virus under quarantine, officials said.

The Sudan Tribune said Friday 37 students contracted the often deadly virus while undergoing their military training in the Sudanese northern state of Nile River.

Measles is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus which can often lead to complications and sometimes death.

Officials reported on Friday in a statement they suspected the 49th Brigade had been exposed to the measles virus "while in the town of Atbara, raising fear of further outbreaks in the region."

Rabi Ali Mohammed, the coordinator of national service in Nile River denied allegations of death and said the "situation was stable," adding all conscripts had been vaccinated.

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Boston Barn wedding photos | Ashley and David

Ashley and David at Smith Barn on their wedding day!

Here?s how they connected! Robbie & Karen got married at Smith Barn. Another bride named Annie flipped though the pages of The Knot Magazine and saw their wedding I shot. She recognized Robbie from Hebrew school, and hired me to photograph her wedding on Martha?s Vineyard at the Allen Farm Sheep & Wool Co. Annie married Pete, and the Rabbi David who officiated the ceremony contacted me to hire me to photograph his marriage to Ashley. Their beautiful wedding took place at the same barn where Robbie and Karen held their ceremony and reception. I can only presume someone at Ashley and David?s wedding will be getting married at the Allen Farm Sheep & Wool Co. to keep this awesome circle going!

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Ceremony Venue: Smith Barn at Brooksby Farm
Reception Venue: Smith Barn at Brooksby Farm
Hair Amy Buchanan from Main Street Salon, Andover MA:
Makeup: About Faces, North Andover, MA
Officiant: Rabbi Fred Reiner (Father of the Groom)
Wedding Planner: Leslie at Planned Perfectly
Ceremony Music: Shilakowsky Strings
Band: Clockwork
Florist: Les Fleurs
Caterer: Vinwood Caterers
Cake Bakery: Fredericks Pastries

Posted in Boston wedding venues, jewish weddings, weddings | 1 Comment ?

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The Power of Receiving with Guest Amanda Owen 05/30 by Priya ...

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Ford mulls government funding for Gardiner repairs

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Date: Friday May. 25, 2012 2:38 PM ET

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said Friday that he would consider going cap in hand to the federal and provincial governments for help financing the mounting costs of repairing the Gardiner Expressway.

The budget conscious mayor has been hit with unexpected costs in the past few weeks as city workers scramble to repair the aging expressway that runs along the city's lakefront.

City crews began clearing loose concrete from beneath the Gardiner Expressway on Wednesday, one day after another chunk of debris fell from the downtown highway. It was the third time this month that a piece of the highway had fallen.

Mayor Ford and Public Works Chairman Denzil Minnan-Wong have since ordered immediate inspections of the crumbling roadway as well as repairs.

Ford estimated that the cost of repairs could top $150 million.

"It's a lot of money but safety comes first," Ford told reporters as he toured the area.

And he conceded that he would welcome financial aid to pare down the costs.

"I will take provincial money. I will take federal money. I will take private money. I will take any money where I can get it," Ford said. "But right now we're not sitting here pointing fingers at the province or the feds, we are getting it done?"

Tuesday's incident of falling concrete was the third time this month that a piece of the Gardiner's concrete facade crumbled and fell to the ground.

Earlier in May, concrete chunks fell onto roadways at Lower Jarvis Street and Parkside Drive.

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Counseling Continuing Education ? Options for Busy Schedules

For those who need counseling continuing education, there are many places to get it. Many people go back to the same school or college setting where obtained their degree to gain additional training or for CE credit. For others, it is possible to find local colleges to provide this type of help. In many cases, you can take courses over a few months and not have to worry about it again. However, the benefit of CE is lost when you do not invest in the right type of location to get your training from or you do not take the best courses.

Improving the Outcome

Counseling continuing education is often a requirement for some types of degree and license programs. For individuals who work as a licensed counselor, especially as a psychiatrist or psychologist, it is a requirement to continue obtaining educational information and knowledge to maintain your license. Even if it is not a requirement to maintain a license, it is a good idea to stay up-to-date in the industry. It makes you more valuable to your clients.

However, many of those who need CE courses do not put enough time and effort into taking the right ones. They may spend a great deal of time taking the easiest local option and miss out on exciting opportunities to learn something new or to expand their educational background further. In some situations, they may not feel they have the opportunity to get this type of training because of a busy caseload or schedule.

Making It Work

To get the counseling continuing education required, many individuals can utilize online resources. These online programs provide a number of key benefits for individuals. For example, they provide a way for the student to continue his or her studies without having to devote a great deal of time to attending a local college or university to get it. There are no weekends away at a seminar. Rather, those seminars happen online. Webinars and conferences are conducted online, and online training and full courses are available over the Internet to make it far easier for individuals to gain the knowledge they need in a convenient way.

For those who need counseling continuing education, do not rely on local schools as your only option. Rather, look for options online, as well. These accredited programs often meet the requirements set forth by a licensing board, but they also provide an ideal way for you to get the training and course hours you need without having to stop working. This is one of the best ways to make yourself a better resource for your clients without having to give up a great deal of time to go to a classroom setting.

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Siri Tells John Malkovich a Better Joke [Video]

In John Malkovich's iPhone ad, Siri tells him a joke. The only thing is, it's not that funny. Good one, Siri (forced laughter, forced laughter). More »

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This LEGO Avengers Quinjet Is Your Homemade-Spoiler-Alert Deal of the Day [Dealzmodo]

LEGO is swamping my life. They have invaded all facets of every hobby, book or movie that I find interesting by designing a set around it. But I have no problems with that. Except for this Quinjet Aerial Battle Set maybe. You see, I haven't seen the movie yet, and the aerial battle scene has already been ruined for me! How could it possible live up to my reenactments? I've tried every possible scenario between the Quinjet and Loki ? and he loses no matter what. Those rockets are wicked and all he has is some minion and a golden staff. The set comes with Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Loki and Loki's chariot-riding foot soldier. The Quinjet alone is pretty cool too with two pods, and dual flick missiles. And if having a prison pod specifically for Loki isn't a clear spoiler alert, I don't know what is. More »

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'List billing' is good insurance option | Online Athens

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Watchdog: Cramer Tells Investors Sell J.C. Penney and Buy These 4 ...

May 22 2012 Email This

Jim Cramer made the following calls on May 21st, 2012. What do you think about his picks?

Atlas Energy, Inc. (NYSE:ATLS): Jim Cramer ranked this stock a Buy. The stock closed at $34.86, its 52-week high is $39.35, and its 52-week low is $15.82.

Dean Foods Co. (NYSE:DF): Jim Cramer ranked this stock a Buy. The stock closed at $14.31, its 52-week high is $13.90, and its 52-week low is $7.83.

Eaton Corporation (NYSE:ETN):? Jim Cramer ranked this stock a Buy. The stock closed at $42.09, its 52-week high is $53.96, and its 52-week low is $33.09.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAIN): Jim Cramer ranked this stock a Buy. The stock closed at $53.45, its 52-week high is $48.21, and its 52-week low is $26.10.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE:JCP): Jim Cramer ranked this stock a Sell. The stock closed at $26.66, its 52-week high is $43.18, and its 52-week low is $23.44.

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Iran talks in Baghdad: Western naivet

It?s hard to overestimate the degree of naivet? on the part of the West as it heads toward another round of nuclear talks with Iran in Baghdad on Wednesday.

Clearly, Iran is stalling for time to develop a nuclear weapon. One example: In talks last month in Istanbul, Tehran seems to have convinced international negotiators of the sincerity and weight of a fatwa, or religious edict, by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that a nuclear bomb is haram ? forbidden ? in Islam.

Last week, for instance, former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard said the fatwa will help promote confidence about Iran?s nuclear activities.

OPINION:?3 reasons not to attack Iran

The ayatollah is not beholden to keep his word, but that doesn?t seem to be of much concern. At the Istanbul talks, the West agreed for the first time to Iran?s demand that it may enrich uranium, with restrictions ? despite UN resolutions to the contrary.

The Islamic regime has continuously believed that the more its nuclear program is expanded and progress is achieved, the less likely the West will demand a halt to the program ? and if Iranian leaders remain steadfast in the face of all threats, the more likely the West will eventually accept a nuclear Iran.

Recent chronology bears this out.

When President Obama took office in 2009, Iran was under several UN sanctions conditioned on its suspension of all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. At the time, Iran had 1,200 kilos of low-enriched uranium at its Natanz facility.

Mr. Obama chose to engage the Islamic regime, believing that an extended hand would yield better results than threats. He reasoned that a new US approach would be welcomed by Tehran because it was a complete change from the Bush administration.

However, the radicals ruling Iran saw this extended hand as weakness. They engaged the Obama administration while enriching uranium beyond the benign 3.5 percent level, as it had been limited to for many years, to the 20 percent level. While that is not a high enough enrichment level for a nuclear weapon, it is high enough to get to bomb-grade very quickly ? in a matter of weeks if Tehran decides to do so.

Early in 2010, Obama, realizing his defeat in the negotiation phase, moved to a sanctions phase. But instead of the crippling sanctions he had promised, he started step-by-step sanctions that Iran?s clerics saw as further proof of America?s inability to stop Iran, which emboldened them to speed up their program.

OPINION:?5 reasons US must avoid war with Iran

Today Iran, under further sanctions by the United Nations, United States, and European Union, has over 5.5 tons of enriched uranium ? enough to eventually make six nuclear bombs. It continues to enrich uranium with more than 9,000 centrifuges at Natanz, both at the 3.5 and 20 percent levels, and at the previously secret site, the Fordow facility, deep in a mountain near the city of Qom, to the 20 percent level.

All the while Iran is expanding the number of centrifuges at both sites, with a possibility that there are more sites unknown to the West or the International Atomic Energy Agency.

This takes us to the current set of negotiations. In Instanbul, the West handed the Islamic regime a historic win. For the first time in the negotiations over Iran?s nuclear program, the West offered Iran full acceptance of its nuclear enrichment process if Iran stopped the 20-percent enrichment.

In other words, the West has caved to Iranian demands of accepting its domestic nuclear enrichment.

Most interesting is an Iranian analysis of Khamenei?s fatwa: ?If the Obama administration realizes the importance of the place of the supreme leader in Iran and understands the fatwa, then most of their problem [with Iran?s nuclear issue] will be solved.?

The analysis ominously stated: ?There will be no other guarantee beyond the fatwa to the West? ? meaning that the West will only get the word of a leader whose regime has been based on lies and deceit, a leader who has ordered the slaughter of thousands of Iranians ? and also Americans ? in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a leader who constantly threatens the existence of Israel and the ?defeat? of America.

ANOTHER VIEW: Iran nuclear talks: To keep global support, US must seize diplomatic opportunities

Khamenei is not a grand ayatollah, or a marja, and therefore cannot issue a fatwa. Many in Iran?s Islamic leadership know this. He was elevated to ayatollah status overnight to replace Ruhollah Khomeini when he died in 1989. Even if a marja issues a fatwa, he can overturn it if it benefits Islam. So Khamenei?s fatwa can be tossed out at the right time.

Interestingly, the regime?s interpretation of the Quran is to deceive its enemy, i.e. the West, until such time as the regime is strong enough to confront it.

Is Obama so naive as to hang on to a fake fatwa in return for accepting a nuclear Iran?

His secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, says she has discussed the fatwa with Turkey?s prime minister, experts, and religious scholars. ?If it is indeed a statement of principle, of values, then it is a starting point for being operationalized, which means that it serves as the entryway into a negotiation as to how you demonstrate that it is indeed a sincere, authentic statement of conviction,? she said last month.

According to media reports, the US is expected to push Iran to close its Fordow facility and send its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium out of the country.

Iran has ruled out the closure of Fordow, even announcing that it will increase the number of centrifuges at that facility. And so far, its strategy of expanding its nuclear program while wearing down the West has already proved successful.?

OPINION:?Five reasons to attack Iran

It is clear that after a decade of negotiations and sanctions, the leaders of the Islamic regime will not accept a full halt to their nuclear program. But given that Iran now has the know-how to make a bomb, that is the only outcome that should be acceptable to the West.

Reza Kahlili is a pseudonym for a former CIA operative in Iran?s Revolutionary Guard and the author of the award winning book "A Time to Betray:?The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran." He teaches at the US Department of Defense?s Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy (JCITA) and is a member of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security.

ALSO BY THIS WRITER:?Ex-CIA spy: History of failed negotiations shows Iran won't deal

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NATO Summit 2012: Obama's Speech Live (VIDEO)

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Fencing

Fencing
Sports Injuries: Mechanisms, Prevention, Treatment

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23
FENCING
JULIE M. KNOWLES
REBECCA JAFFE
MARLENE ADRIAN

Rules of Play
Epidemiology
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Acute Injuries
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Overuse Injuries
Mechanisms of Injury
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Fencing Environment
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The Fencer
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Techniques
Training, Conditioning, and Rehabilitation
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General Concepts
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Sport-Specific Training Techniques
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Mental Training
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Rehabilitation
Sport-Specific Treatment Concerns
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Evaluation and Treatment of Emergencies
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Special Supplies
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Rules Influencing Medical Care
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Appendix A. USFA Fencing Treatment Form
Appendix B. USFA Injury Initial Evaluation Form
Appendix C. Fencingspecific Training Chart
Appendix D. Personnel Responsibilities for Medical Coverage
Appendix E. USFA Injury Waiver and Drug Testing Form
Chapter References

Fencing is a sport of European ancestry with origins in weapons of war and dueling. The latter could be thought of as a combination of war and sport, because the duelists did not fight to the death but only to save their honor. A cut across the cheek was a common trademark of dueling with the sword as late as the 20th century. Today, the sport involves blunted weapons and a linear fencing area in which two people attempt to score touch?s (contacts of the weapon to the body) on each other (Fig. 23.1). It is a sport of intense physical and mental activity, and the two opponents are within 6 feet (2 m) of each other most of the time.

FIGURE 23.1. Fencing is a sport in which two people attempt to score touch?s on one another by using blunted weapons on linear fencing area.

The U.S. competitions and rules are governed by the United States Fencing Association (USFA); fencing's National Governing Body, which is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee; and the International Fencing Federation, or Federation Internationale d'Escrime (FIE). The USFA was founded as the Amateur Fencers League of America in 1891. The technical rules established by the FIE are, in most cases, the same rules adopted by the USFA and therefore are the rules used to govern fencing in the United States. These rules address such issues as equipment and technique, safety, injury timeouts, and drug testing.
The USFA also is the official body that chooses the national teams to represent the United States in international competitions, including world championships. Point-awarding competitions (North American circuit and national junior and senior championships) are offered for the purpose of selecting these teams. International competitions include world cups, world championships (junior and senior), the Pan American Games, the World University Games, and the Olympic Games.
Three weapons are used in fencing: the ?p?e, the foil, and the sabre (Fig. 23.2). Each weapon has its own design and rules of play. All three weapons are fenced by men in international contests, but only the foil and ?p?e are fenced by women in the Olympic Games, but all three weapons have World Cup events. National, sectional, and divisional USFA-sanctioned competitions are offered in all three weapons to both men and women. There are children's events (under 14 years and under 17 years), junior events (under 20 years), open events, and senior events (40 years and older). University and high school leagues also exist and are governed by the appropriate athletic governing bodies. In the schools, female competitions have been limited to the foil. There have been, however, instances when women have fenced on the male ?p?e and sabre teams, because there were no women's teams with these weapons.

FIGURE 23.2. The three weapons used in fencing are the ?p?e (top), the sabre (middle), and the foil (bottom).

Another form of fencing competition is designed for athletes with physical impairments. National and international wheelchair fencing require that the participants fence from a sitting position. These competitions are governed by the relevant national and international disabled sports organizations.
Fencing is offered throughout the United States in many major cities and in some remote towns through recreation programs, private clubs, health and sport clubs, and fencing clubs. The fencing club is known as a fencing salle, and the fencing coach, if a graduate of a fencing school, is known as a fencing master (maistro).
Fencing equipment is usually provided by the schools and by the facilities offering novice classes. After the class stage and as the fencers begin to compete and become members of a club, students usually must purchase their own equipment. The mask, weapon, glove, and uniform (exclusive of the shoes) cost approximately $200. If the equipment is certified for international competition, the price is approximately $500, which includes three weapons. All the equipment sold in the United States must meet the fencing standards approved by the FIE for safe fencing. All pertinent equipment must be properly inspected by the technical committee before competition. Most teams and competition sites have equipment specialists (armorers) as part of their entourage to ensure that the equipment meets FIE safety standards (Fig. 23.3). Because scoring is based on electrical contact, the armorer also ensures that the equipment has been assembled in such a way as to avoid a malfunction or misrepresentation of the electrical scoring system.

FIGURE 23.3. The armorer is the individual who officially inspects fencing equipment to ensure the athletes' safety.

Fencing equipment and wear has been designed with the athlete's safety in mind. For all three weapons, the protective jacket must overlap the knickers (or uniform of Kevlar-type material), a plastron is mandatory, and women must wear breast protectors. The glove must cover at least one half of the forearm so that the opponent's weapon cannot enter the sleeve. All masks must be checked by an instrument with a spring-loaded point before competition to ensure that the mask cannot be penetrated by the opponent's blade. This instrument must be able to withstand a 12-kg force (1).
To prevent injury, there are rules governing the methods by which one fences. It is strictly forbidden for a fencer to perform any abnormal motion, such as severe hits or opponent collision, that may be construed as discourteous and dangerous (1).
RULES OF PLAY
Fencing has several courtesies, including saluting of the opponent and the director (official) at the beginning of each match and shaking hands with the opponent afterward. The mask, weapon, and clothing of both fencers are evaluated by the director before the start of the bout. The fencers assume the ready position (en garde). The referee says ?Fence,? and fencers fence until the referee says ?Halt.? When there have been five touch?s scored by one fencer, the bout is ended and that fencer is declared the winner. During some competitions and at later stages of a large competition, fencers must win with a margin of two touch?s in two of three bouts, to a maximum score of 6 in each bout.
The area of fencing is a linear strip (piste) approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) wide and 47 feet (14 m) long (Fig. 23.4). The fencers exchange a series of offensive attacks and defensive actions consisting of advances, retreats, lunges, and fl?ches in which the feet are usually at right angles to each other and the legs are in continual semiflexion or vigorously extending (Fig. 23.5). Defense involves retreats and arm flexion movements. Attack arm actions are primarily elbow and wrist extension and lateral or circular movements of the hand and forearm.

FIGURE 23.4. The piste is the linear strip on which fencers compete.

FIGURE 23.5. A series of attacks and defensive actions produces vigorous extremity movements, and mechanical stresses are common in the sport of fencing.

Because of the rules and target area for valid touch?s, the actions of the arm when using the foil are more restrictive than with the other two weapons. Only the torso is a legal target. Lunges are prominent in the foil strategy. The rule of right-of-way results in a rather definite pattern of attack?defend?attack?defend before a hit (contact) is made. Right-of-way refers to the need of a fencer to initiate an attack before the opposing fencer does.
In the sabre competition, the target is expanded to include the head and arms. In addition, the cutting edge of the blade may be used to score a touch?. For these reasons, there is a greater variety of arm actions than with the foil. The fl?che is used more extensively than the lunge. The right-of-way rule also applies to the sabre.
The total body is the legal target in the ?p?e, and no right-of-way rule exists. Both fencers can score a touch? simultaneously as long as it is done within 1/25 second. As with the foil, only the point of the ?p?e can be used to score a legal touch?. Lunges are used, but the fencers rely frequently on their quickness or reaction time, and some do not often lunge.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Acute Injuries
Because of the nature of the sport, fencing produces a wide diversity of acute injuries. A 2-year study was performed by the USFA's medical commission to investigate the actual frequency and distribution of such injuries. This study was conducted from 1988 to 1990 at all North American Circuit (NAC) events and two national championships (each weapon has three NAC events and nationals). During this time, 586 injuries were reported by the fencers to official medical personnel, in most cases a certified athletic trainer. Only 323 of the 586 reported injuries were acute injuries requiring medical attention. (Non acute injuries included sinusitis and diarrhea.) All acute injuries requiring medical treatment were documented on the Fencing Treatment Form IQ (Appendix A). In addition, for any significant injury that required stabilization, transport, and possible future medical treatment, the Injury Initial Evaluation Form was also completed (Appendix B); this form was reviewed by the physician onsite or on call whenever possible.
Relationship Between Acute Injuries and Weapons
To determine whether the differences in injury ratio (type of injury and body part injured) for each weapon (men's foil, women's foil, men's ?p?e, women's ?p?e, men's sabre, and women's sabre) were the result of chance alone or whether the results were caused by significant differences between groups, a statistical analysis using a chi-square and Cramer's V value was performed.
When weapons were compared with body parts injured, a statistical significance was found among the variables (p = .0177); however, the Cramer's V value indicated that this relationship was not strong (V = .32618). It was concluded that the body part injured may depend on the type of weapon. When comparing the weapon with the type of injury, researchers found the p value to be .0838 and Cramer'sV value to be .18098, indicating no statistically significant relationship between these two variables.
Distribution and Types
Of all injuries reported during the study almost 33% were sprains (more than 50% of which occurred during men's ?p?e events). Strains were the second most common injuries (23.8%), followed by heat-related disorders (17.9%), contusions (6.2%), fractures and complete tendon ruptures (1.2%), and other miscellaneous systemic disorders (0.3%) (Table 23.1, Fig. 23.6).

TABLE 23.1. TYPES OF ACUTE FENCING INJURIES (%)

FIGURE 23.6. Percentage of acute injuries in men's and women's fencing. Numbers are based on men's and women's fencing combined. (Graphs courtesy of D. Grygo.)

Comparing all six weapons, men's ?p?e accounted for the most injuries, 45.8%. Men's sabre represented 20.7% of all injuries, and men's foil, 10.5%. This may be partially attributed to the fact that the ?p?e has a much larger target area than the sabre or foil. Furthermore, the ?p?e is of greater stiffness and weight compared with the other weapons.
Of the three women's events, women's foil represented 15.2% of the total injuries, compared with 6.8% for ?p?e and 0.9% for sabre. This may be accounted for in part because more women compete in women's foil than in women's ?p?e or sabre.
Location
In terms of body part, a significantly higher number of injuries occurred at the ankle (15.8%) compared with the other 23 sites observed (Table 23.2, Fig. 23.7).

TABLE 23.2. LOCATION OF FENCING INJURIES (%)

FIGURE 23.7. Percentage of acute injuries by body part in men's and women's fencing. Numbers are based on men's and women's fencing combined. (Graphs courtesy of D. Grygo.)

The total body (systemic) was the location for the second most frequently treated acute disorders (usually heat related) at 10.5%, followed by the hand (8.4%) and the knee (8%).
Types of Acute Injuries
Because of the planted, flexed, and externally rotated valgus-stressed position of the trail leg, acute injuries such as medial collateral ligament sprains, medial meniscal tears, lateral subluxating patella, groin strains, ruptured Achilles tendons, and eversion ankle sprains have been observed. Quadriceps strains, blisters, and nail contusions have been noted in the front leg. Because the trunk is a target area for all three weapons (in addition to the upper extremities for the sabre and ?p?e), more contusions and lacerations are seen in this area.
Gender Differences
Over one academic year, men's and women's collegiate fencing injuries were monitored and compared. When adjusted for exposure time, no significant gender differences were found. Approximately 0.10 injuries per 100 person-hours were noted in men's fencing, compared with 0.18 in women's fencing. There were 0.43 disability days per 100 person-hours associated with these injuries for men, compared with 0.21 days for women. Overall, 28% of men participating in fencing were injured, compared with 50% of women (2).

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