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How can a person exercise more despite the busy stressful lives we live?

At work:
1. Take a brisk walk at luch time.
2. Stand up at your feet and stretch every half hour.
3. Walk a little faster.(Imagine you're late at work, that will do.)
4. If you go to work by public transport, get off at an earlier stop and walk the rest of the way.

At home:
1. Get up to switch TV channels instead of using the remote control.
2. Plan a regular, brisk weekend walk.

More tips to help you keep physically fit.
1. Don't cross one leg over the other. Ensure that your feet are on the floor to keep weight off your thighs.
2. Don't lean forward more than you have to. You may not notice it but your head is fairly heavy.
3. If you're using a computer, position the video display unit of your computer in a way that allows you to hold your head in a comfortable position.
4. Position your desk so that you don't have to keep turning when when somebody enters the room.
5. When standing, don't fold your arms, this position tends to make you lean forward.
6. Balance your weight equally on both feet. Don't shift your weight from one foot to another.

And of course…

Tips on exercising safely:
1. Think long-term and get fit gradually.
2. Warm up before exercising. This will lessen the chances of strain and sprain. Have a few bends and stretches and armswing.
3. Exercise regularly. Three 20-minute sessions are best.
4. Cool down afterwards by walking slowly for a few minutes. If possible, have a warm bath to relax muscles after exercise.

Being a 6'6 as a male high school basketball player is a tremendous advantage. But when has there been a female at that size as a high school player? Brittney Griner was an assist away from a quadruple-double last night and has led her team from Nimitz High School to a 27-7 record.

She had 29 points, 13 rebounds, 11 blocks and 9 assists and leads her area in points per game, blocks, and dunks according to Maxpreps.com. Griner has already verbally committed to women's college powerhouse Baylor, as a junior according to a youtube.com report. The highlight of her season was when she scored 47 of her team's 55 points en route to a 55-40 victory over Westfield.

No player in Texas High School basketball can do anything to defend against her. She regularly gives opposing players facials with her rim-rattling dunks and all-ball blocks. “She really is the complete player, she really cares about defense,” Nimitz coach Debbie Jackson said in an interview with click2Houston.com. What is even more remarkable about her size and skill is her character. Judging by the videos on youtube.com and the articles I've seen, she is very grounded. While her teammates go nuts every time she dunks, Griner is quiet and hustles to the other side of the court to play defense.

She reminds me of Kara Braxton, a forward for the Detroit Shock. WNBA.com notes Braxton also stands at 6'6, and is an efficient rebounder and defensive wall Griner is a tremendous talent in high school, but can not rely on her size alone at the college level. She will have to develop a more reliable low-post move. Also, I could picture her like 7'2 Margo Dydek of the newly formed Atlanta Dream. No it is not a typo she is actually 7'2. Dydek plays about 20 minutes a game, and is second in the league in rebounds per 40 minutes. The athleticism isn't tremendous for either of these giants, but defense and rebounding are the games that they play. Griner will certainly be a standout at Baylor, and it will be very interesting to see how she adapts her game to the WNBA if she makes it that far.

Quentin Tarantino rather surprisingly received an Academy Award nomination for Best Achievement in Directing for Inglourious Basterds (2009), 15 years after he got his first nod from the Academy for the watershed picture Pulp Fiction (1994). While Tarantino lost that year (and likely will lose again), he brought home an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Pulp Fiction.

Recently, the aging enfant terrible of Hollywood declared his 20 favorite movies made since 1992, the year he became a filmmaker with the release of Reservoir Dogs. He refused to rate the films in order of preference, though he did reveal that the 2000 movie Battle Royale was his favorite movie of the last 19 years. It is a film that he says he wished he had directed.

This is the list of Tarantino's favorites. I have marked films I think of particular worth with stars, from * from good and worth seeing up to **** for what I consider a classic. The three films I disliked on the list, movies I didn't think worthy of inclusion on a Top 20 list, I annotated with a #.

Dazed and Confused (1993) dir: Richard Linklater

Police Story 3, a.k.a. Supercop (1993) dir: Stanley Tong

Speed (1994) dir: Jan de Bont

The Blade (1995) dir: Hark Tsui

Friday (1995) dir: F. Gary Gray

Boogie Nights (1997) * dir: Paul Thomas Anderson

Fight Club (1999) *** dir: David Fincher

The Insider (1999) * dir: Michael Mann

The Matrix (1999) * dir: Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski

Audition (1999) dir: Takashi Miike

Battle Royale (2000) dir: Kinji Fukasaku

J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (2000) dir.: Park Chan Wook

Unbreakable (2000) dir: M Night Shyamalan

Anything Else (2003) # dir: Woody Allen

Dogville (2003) *** dir: Lars Von Trier

Lost in Translation # (2003) dir: Sofia Coppola

Memories of Murder (2003) dir: Joon-ho Bong

Shaun of the Dead (2004) director: Edgar Wright

Team America: World Police # (2004) director: Trey Parker.

The Host (2006) dir: Joon-ho Bong

Honorable Mentions

I would add 10 to this list of Top 20 movies since 1992, starting with Tarantino's own first flick, which I prefer to his 1994 break-through movie, Pulp Fiction. I am going to cheat a bit by adding Lars Von Trier's masterpiece Europa to the list. Von Trier's movie was released in the U.S. in 1992.

Europa (a.k.a. Zentropa) **** (1991) director: Lars von Trier.

Reservoir Dogs *** (1992) director: Quentin Tarantino

Exotica (1994) **** director: Atom Egoyan

The Shawshank Redemption ** (1994) director: Frank Darabont

Dead Man **** (1995) director: Jim Jarmusch

Casino (1995) **** director: Martin Scorsese

The Sweet Hereafter (1997) **** director: Atom Egoyan

Deconstructing Harry *** (1997) director: Woody Allen

The Big Lebowski ** (1998) directors: Joel Cohen & Ethan Cohen

Se7en (1995) * director: David Fincher

Note:

An earlier version of this article originally appeared on Examiner.com

Michele Greene is probably best known from her five years on the seminal television series L.A. Law, but with the upcoming release of her second Spanish-language CD Luna Roja (“Red Moon”), she talked to us about her Irish background and the role it plays in her music:

“My paternal grandparents Tennessee Cochrane and Thomas Greene were of Irish descent and they rode into Oklahoma in a covered wagon – and this was back when it was still Indian Territory.”

Greene hasn’t visited Ireland yet, although her brother has done a lot of research on the Cochrane family tree:

“My father died when I was two, so it’s a whole part of my life that I was never really been exposed to. I do have some old photos of my grandparents though, and when I was hiking across Europe about 20 years ago I met up with some Irish guys in Mykanos, Greece, who swore to me that Cochrane was a common name in Derry and Co Down and Greene in Co Antrim and Tipperary. I wish I knew more.”

Greene grew up in a bi-lingual household and was surrounded by the classic boleros and rancheras of Mexican music as well as the folk/country tunes of her father. Her mother had her roots in Nicaragua and Chihuahua, Mexico, and it was actually Michele’s great aunt Beatriz Dominguez who had the first brush with Hollywood, dancing with Rudolph Valentino in movie The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse:

“I was only 23 when the L.A Law was on and I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time, but people still mention it to me today, which is very sweet. Today though, acting is really at the bottom of the list for me. It can be great, but the business end is so vile and really takes its toll on you after a while. Ideally you want to work with a good script, good actors and a good director, but that’s not always there. It’s like having a drummer that can’t keep up with the beat”.

Greene is about to leave for a short tour of the East Coast promoting Luna Roja, and hopes that the concerts will reflect the intimate atmosphere of the CD:

“Writing music is about the song, and a great song can be done with full orchestration, or one guy with a guitar.”

Dates in Texas, Arizona and California are planned for later in the year, although many people in the audiences may not know that the CD had a rocky road to release:

“I loved my old record label, but they didn’t have any Spanish-language artistes and I really wasn’t sure that they could market it in the right areas. I produced the music so I owned the rights, but I don’t think they ever thought I would say “no” to them. In the end I had to pull out and put it out on my own label, hard as it might be, because I believe in these songs. If you have something you want to say in a certain way, you have to be honest with yourself.”

Requinto Records is the name of her label – “it’s the name of a smaller-sized guitar used in mariachi, and it was the first guitar I ever had” – and the socio-political songs on this CD include Green covering Bruce Springsteen’s Across The Border as an acknowledgement to the ever-present issue of immigration:

“We are a country of immigrants. Even here you just have to look at some of the street names; La Cienega, La Brea, Cahuenga, to say nothing of the origins of the names Los Angeles and San Diego. Mexican land owners started this city, but now the lines are starting to get very blurred across the country, especially with the chance of a left-leaning politician hopefully likely to be elected President of Mexico.”

A typical day now includes several hours working on the record label, and it starts very early when her dogs wake her:

“I try to write for three or four hours a day, and sometimes there’s an audition to go to – as well as the music stuff. This CD was a sort of universal trial for me, but it’s been a real education and really energizing too. I really enjoy it”.

As for taking in the bright lights, Greene – who went to Fairfax High School in Hollywood, and admits to “knowing her way around”, tries to limit herself to one or two nights out a week:

“I’ve recently discovered a new place called Citizen Smith 1600 N Cahuenga Blvd. It’s somewhere I’d never normally go, but they’re great for a few drinks. The W in Westwood is the same, and I sometimes I like to sit by the pool and have drinks at the Avalon Hotel on W Olympic Blvd in Beverly Hills.”

As for eating, she has several favorites, but is naturally a big fan of Mexican food:

“I like to go little mom-and-pop places when I can, but there’s also Little Door on W 3rd Street and several places on Olvera Street in Downtown. There’s even a plain old taco stand, Delta Tacos in Silverlake – delicious! As for music, I like to see bands at the Tangier on Hillhurst Avenue.”

HarperCollins has just published Greene’s first book, Chasing The Jaguar, in stores now and selling briskly. It’s the first in a mystery series featuring teenaged sleuth Martika Galvez and set in Los Angeles:

“I think I must have a kind of storytelling gene, because sometimes I see stories anywhere, and an artist should expand into as many areas as they can. If I was just an actress, I don’t know what I’d do with all these stories.”

As for the future, she plans to direct her own short film, Beethoven’s 7-11, this year and will be appearing in the indie film The Legend of Lucy Keyes and returning in her recurring role on the CBS David Mamet series The Unit, although she confesses that she’d like things to be different:

“In an ideal world the book would be wildly successful and I could just go on tour with my music, then go to maybe Chicago, New York, Boston, London or even Dublin once a year to do a play. Either way, I consider myself lucky to have been called to do what I do, because I’m not good at anything else. Except maybe making chicken tacos – hard shell.”

In plants the basic struggles for survival are over sunlight, water, and nutrients. When one of these basic needs is not present in an environment a plant will either die or slowly evolve to be able to survive. Carnivorous plants have evolved a way to supplement their nutrient intake by trapping insects. The simplest trapping mechanism is where a modified leaf, which is filled with water and a digestive fluid, traps insects that fall in then are dissolved in the fluid. One of the most unique and complicated trapping mechanisms is found in the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). The Venus Fly Trap has a modified leaf that physically closes on its prey and then digests it.

The closure of the Venus Flytrap's lobes is one of the fastest movements in the plant world (Lloyd, 1942). At the base of the trap is a midrib and connected to this is two semicircular/trapezoidal lobes. The red pigment anthocyanin is found in each of the inner lobes to attract insects. On the edge of the lobes there are cilia that when closing help keep the prey in the trap. On each lobe there are about 3 sensory hairs that are used to trigger the trapping mechanism. There are three stages to the closure of the trap. The first stage is the fastest one, with speeds reaching 10 m/s. In the first stage, the lobes close most of the way, but still leaving a gap so that smaller and unwanted prey can escape the trap but larger prey cannot. This seems like a great adaptation, since it might not be beneficial for the plant to use up stored energy to digest one an (Lloyd, 1942). The second stage brings the tops of the lobes together. The third stage seals the prey in a airtight pocket. According to Batalin the closure of the lobes has enough force to crush an insect (Lloyd, 1942). Darwin thought this compression of the lobes is related to the plant absorbing the prey (Darwin, 1875).

Stimulus Mechanism

To mechanically stimulate the Venus Flytrap one of the sensory hairs needs to be touched by a small object. Under normal conditions, 260C and a 12/12 hr photoperiod, it takes two consecutive mechanical stimuli within the time span of about 30 seconds to cause the trap to close (Benolken and Jacobson, 1970). If two stimuli are completed in longer then 30 seconds then three stimuli may be necessary to close the trap. In 1916 Brown found in his research that a series of 18 stimuli separated by 18 minutes caused the trap to close. This response of closure to many stimuli proves that each stimulus build on the one before to create enough signal to cause the trap to close.

In 1873 Burdon-Sanderson figured out that the trap could be stimulated to close by applying an electrical charge (Benolken and Jacobson, 1970). The electrical charge of 14 μC is applied between lobe and midrib causing the trap to close. This charge can be applied all at once or over a short time span in a couple pulses (Volkov et al., 2008).

Under non-ideal conditions the stimulus and the speed of closure will change from the norm. When an uncoupler is added to the soil, the closing speed decreases from the original speed (Volkov et al., 2008). When 50 mL of μM of the uncoupler CCCP was added to the soil the closing speed was one-fifth of the original speed. It also takes a charge of 70 μC to cause closure (Figure 1; Volkov et al., 2008). Tetraethylammonium and Zn2+ are aquaporin inhibitors and ion channel blockers, which also decrease the speed and increase the time of closure. At high temperatures 360C-400C it only takes one mechanical stimuli to set off the trap (Volkov et al., 2008).

Creating an Action Potential

In order to create an action potential a stimulus needs to act on the trap to cause it to close. When the sensory hair is bent out of place, an action potential propagates through out the lobes of the plant (Di Palma et al., 1961; Volkov et al., 2008). The action potential travels through plasmodesmata from cell to cell (Fagerberg and Allain, 1991). Each stimulus creates a separate action potential. Under normal conditions it takes two stimuli, which corresponds to two action potentials, to create a closure of the trap. The shapes of the first and second action potentials are not identical (DiPalma et al., 1961). The first stimulus causes an overall slow action potential with a total duration of 1 millisecond. With the negative phase lasting 0.24 milliseconds and the positive phase 0.76 milliseconds. The second stimuli causes a very different shaped action potential with the negative phase being only 0.13 milliseconds and the positive phase being 0.65 milliseconds (DiPalma et al, 1961; Figure 2). This fast depolarization of the second action potential seems to be necessary to cause the lobes to close.

According to Alexander Volkov's experiments the action potential has a speed of 10m/s, an amplitude of 150 mV and a duration of about 1.5 ms (Volkov et al., 2008). This data is hard to be confirmed since there have been countless experiments with varying data, but Volkov used an anti-aliasing filter, which restricts the bandwidth to make the sample more accurate.

Stages of Closure

Each time the trap of the Venus Flytrap closes it goes through three stages. The first phase is called “Capture” (Fagerberg and Allain, 1991). In this phase the lobes change from convex to concave. The cilia cross, but the top of the lobes do not. The second phase is termed “Appression”. In this stage the lobes increase in concavity and the tops of each lobe touch. This stage occurs around 30 minutes after the trap closes. The third stage is “Sealing”. In this stage a watertight chamber is formed for the digestion of the prey. This occurs about 1 hour after the trap is sprung.

Looking at the influx of water in the different layers of tissues at each of the three stages of closing will give insight into how the changing of size in cells will cause a change in shape in the whole section of the lobe. To look at the influx of water in and out of the cell, the mean cell volume (MCV) was calculated for each tissue at each stage of closing (Fagerberg and Allain, 1991). Each lobe was broken up into three sections: A, B, C (Figure 3). In each of these three sections five different tissues were studied: upper epidermis (UE), lower epidermis (LE), medulla (M), upper cortex (UC) and lower cortex (LC) (Table 1).
In the capture stage Region A there was positive growth in all of the cell tissues, but mostly in the cortical and medullary tissues (Table 1; Fagerberg and Allain, 1991). The greater increase in the lower cortical compared to the upper cortical is a major factor for the force that bends the upper region towards the other lobe. The upper epidermal and the medullary of Region B and the lower epidermis of Region C caused an increase in the concavity of the lower part of the lobe.

During the appression stage of closing in Region A the lower epidermis decreased in MCV along with both cortical tissues (Table 1, Fagerberg and Allain, 1991). This decrease in MCV caused the tops of the lobes to touch. In the lower epidermal tissue in Region C there was an increase by 173%. In Region B the upper and lower epidermis increased in size. The increases in theses tissues from Regions B and C cause the lobe to become move concave and also increase pressure between the closed lobes.

The main change in the Sealing phase is the tops of the lobes form an airtight seal and the lobes bow out from the middle, which is an increase in the concavity (Figure 3, Fagerberg and Allain, 1991). The increase in the lower epidermal tissue in Region A caused the tops of the lobes to make the airtight seal. The increase of the lower and upper cortical tissues causes the bowing of the lobe to make a pocket for the digestion of the prey.

Movement of Water

To make the cell tissues increase and decrease water has to be flow in and out of the cells. A pH gradient in the different tissues can cause the flow of water into or out of the cell. During closure of the lobes 29% of the ATP is used by ATPase/ H+ transporter (Williams and Bennett, 1982). This pumps H+ in to the cells, which causes a pH gradient. Water flows in the cells where there is a lower pH through aquaporins. Aquaporins are vacuole and plasma membrane water channel proteins that are activated by the pH gradient (Maurel, 1997; Volkov et al., 2008). Water flows in to the cell to try to create or keep the current equilibrium.

Shape of the Lobes on Closing

One key finding by Darwin on the shape of the lobes is the when the trap is open the lobes are convex and when there closed there concave (Darwin, 1875). This change in shape from convex to concave is and example of a bistable mechanism (Bobji, 2005; Forterre et al., 2005). A bistable mechanism is when there are two states of low energy separated by a state of higher energy. The open and closed states of the Venus Flytrap's lobes are the low energy states; so it takes energy to move from open to closed and from closed to open. e.g. Once there is enough energy to overcome the intermediate state the trap snaps into the other low energy state (Bobji, 2005). With out this bistable mechanism in the trap there would be much more energy required to close the trap as quickly enough to catch a living insect. This is a great adaptation for survival since with little energy input the plant receives precious nutrients that are found infrequently in the soil where the plant lives.

Overview Of Mechanism

When a fly lands on the trap of the Venus Flytrap it walks around touching the sensory hairs looking for food. This causes an action potential to propagate through out the lobes (Volkov et al, 2008; Fagerberg and Allain, 1991; DiPalma et al., 1961). Each sensory hair touched creates an action potential; once the second hair is touched the action potential is large enough to trigger the closing of the lobes. This action potential triggers ATPase to pump H+ in to the cells, which causes water to follow; increasing the cell size (Volkov et al., 2008; Fagerberg and Allain, 1991). The growth in the cell size of the epidermal, medullary and cortical cells in Region A cause the lobe to overcome the intermediate stage of the bistable mechanism and become concave (Fagerberg and Allain, 1991; Bobji, 2005). Further water movements cause the trap to shut completely and then digestion begins. In about nine days the trap will open with the fly fully consumed, ready to start the process all over again.

Works Cited

Benolken RM, Jacobson SL (1970) Response properties of a sensory hair excised from Venus's flytrap. J Gen Physiol 56: 64-82

Bobji MS (2005) Springing the trap. J Biosci 30: 143-146

Darwin C (1875) Insectivorous Plants. Murray, London

DiPalma JR, Mohl R, Best W (1961) Action potential and contraction of Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap). Science 133: 878-879

Fagerberg WR, Allain D (1991) A quantitative study of tissue dynamics during closure in the traps of Venus's flytrap Dionaea muscipula Ellis. Am J Bot 78: 647-657

Forterre Y, Skothelm JM, Dumals J, Mahadevan L (2005) How the Venus flytrap snaps. Nature 433: 421-425

Lloyd FE (1942) The Carnivorous Plants. Ronald, New York

Maurel C (1997) Aquaporins and Water Permeability of Plant Membranes.

Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 48: 399-429

Williams S. and Bennett A. (1982) Leaf Closure in the Venus Flytrap: An Acid Growth Response Science 218: 1120-1122

Volkov AG, Adesina T, Markin VS, Jovanov E (2008) Kinetics and mechanism of Dionaea muscipula trap closing. Plant Physiol. 146: 694-702

Born in the Canary Islands in 1969 and spending part of his childhood in the African desert, Lozano was exposed at a young age to exotic sights and eccentric personalities. When he moved to London in 1993, he used makeup to transform his subjects into something beyond conventionally beautiful. Decorated with feathers, gold leaf, and airbrushed insignia, the models became symbols of emotions, lifestyles, and pop culture. Gozra's arresting style put him in demand as a cosmetician: he provided artistic direction at many London and Paris fashion shows, enhancing the latest lines of Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and other high profile designers. He also worked with MAC Cosmetic's European Pro Team, Emporio Armani Cosmetics, and Makeup Forever.

MANMADE, a photo exhibition featuring his makeup art and the photographic genius of Michele Martinoli, debuted at a London club in March 2001. The event was attended by celebrities such as Pete Burns, Paul Rutherford, and Steve Strange, as well as moguls of the fashion world. The opinion was unanimous: Lozano and Martinoli had presented the human male in a colourful, alluring light rarely seen outside the peacock species.

In 2008, having proven to be as skilled with a camera as he was with a makeup brush, Gozra decorated and photographed Pete Burns, Julian Clary, Mark Almond, and an assortment of London club personalities for a second exhibition that ran from March 4 until April 1 at the Green Carnation in Soho. Over two thousand visitors came to view the kaleidoscopic images of famous people morphed into vampires, angels, lounge lizards, and other fantastical beings. Time Out, QX, and Pink Paper gave the show rave reviews, and Gozra intends to compile a photo book based on the exhibition.

Asked what inspires his unconventional approach to beauty, he says, “My intent is to be eclectic and not submit to the standard rules. I want to photograph real icons- the style generators at the forefront of pop culture. They are much more interesting than those at the top of the charts, as they are the real pioneers of today's society.”

The Winchester Wildcat is a popular .22 Long Rifle loading that has been around for quite a few years. The familiar white box is a common companion for many shooters around the country. Even though hyper velocity hollow point .22 loadings are most commonly used for hunting, the Winchester Wildcat has its fans. The Winchester Wildcat .22 LR ammo fires a conventional 40 grain round nose lead bullet.

According to information from Winchester's website (www.winchester.com) the Wildcat fires its 40 grain bullet at 1255 feet per second. At one hundred yards it is moving along at 1017 feet per second. Compared against a popular hyper velocity load such as the CCI Stinger which reaches a muzzle velocity of 1640 with a 32 grain bullet, the Winchester Wildcat seems pretty tame. But the standard round nose lead bullet has taken a lot of rabbits and squirrels over the years and should not be dismissed as obsolete for rimfire hunting. Shot placement is always more important than bullet design or velocity when it comes to hunting effectiveness, if you can hit what you are shooting at with a round nose then use it. This is especially true given the current high cost and scarcity of hyper velocity ammunition compared against the standard or high velocity loads.

I recently went out to shoot a few boxes of Winchester Wildcat .22 LR and the results are as follows. The guns used to test the Winchester Wildcat were a Marlin autoloader and an old Mossberg bolt action. I also shot a few rounds through my revolver, but as I didn't have too many Winchester Wildcats to shoot I saved the bulk of them for the rifles. Both rifles shot the Winchester Wildcat well, but not spectacularly. I should state that certainly accuracy was good enough for squirrel and rabbit hunting out to 50 yards or so. Given that 22's are prone to shoot some ammunition well and others poorly, every .22 shooter or hunter needs to try a lot of different loadings to find what works best in their guns.

Given that the Winchester Wildcat is still available at a reasonable price (at least in my area when you can find them), hunters and shooters need to give it a look. Buy a box of 50 and give the Wildcat a test in your guns. If they shoot well go back and get some more. Though I assume (or perhaps hope) that the current scarcity of ammunition will pass, those who find a good shooting load for their guns should stock up on them while they can. Especially since rimfire ammunition can't be reloaded you might as well have a supply of them on hand.

Leaving for basic combat training, also known as boot camp, can stir your emotions. You may be feeling anxious, excited, frightened, and stressed out. There are things you can do to make the transition from civilian to soldier easier. Here are some tips for surviving basic combat training.

Basic Combat Training Tip # 1 – Prepare Your Body

Preparing for basic combat training takes time. You must prepare yourself physically and mentally, prior to arriving at your basic combat training site. Physical preparation is only ten percent of your success, while mental preparation is about ninety percent. To prepare yourself physically, pay close attention to the information you receive from your recruiter. If your recruiter has not given you any information on the physical standards expected of you, ask for it. Find out how fast you have to run for your physical training test, how many push-ups are required of you, and how many sit-ups you must do in order to successfully complete basic combat training.

Once you have received the information on the physical fitness standards, set up a training schedule. Try to delegate Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays as running days and Tuesdays and Thursdays as your strength training days. Remember to gradually work your way up and do not over exert your body as this can cause injuries. By preparing yourself physically, you will be well ahead of your fellow basic combat trainees.

Basic Combat Training Tip # 2 – Prepare Your Mind

It is a well-known fact that mental games are a major part of basic combat training. The drill sergeants will try to intimidate you and play mind games with you. You must be prepared to not let them get into your head. You must understand it is the drill sergeants' jobs to break you down so they can build you up to be model soldiers. This is the main process of basic combat training. You must be prepared to have less sleep than you are used to and having to do everything a certain way. To succeed at the mind games of basic combat training you will need to be prepared for yelling and being awaken at any time of the night to do some physical training, which is often referred to as a “smoke session.” Always remember, it is always mind over matter.

Basic Combat Training Tip # 3 – Listen, Then Execute

During basic combat training, you will be asked to do many different things. Some of these things can be very complex and if you do not get it right it could end up with a smoke session. Always listen to what your drill sergeant has told you prior to executing the order. You must follow every bit of detail in order to be successful. You do not want to partially execute an order because you decided it would be better to skip a step. If you do not follow orders exactly as given, you will be made into an example and that can be very embarrassing and set you up to be picked on by the other trainees and drill sergeants.

Basic Combat Training Tip # 4 – Make a Few Friends

If you want to get through basic combat training, it is imperative to make a few friends. By having friends you are extending your support system. Many of your best friends in life may be those with whom you went through basic combat. You and your platoon are like a family so get to know a few and become buddies with them. This is beneficial because you can help each other out during harder tasks and support each other during hard times.

Basic Combat Training Tip # 5 – Volunteer

Many people may be told to never volunteer for anything in the Army because you will be the one the drill sergeants pick to task out. This is not the case. Volunteering can display your eagerness to become a leader within the platoon. With that being said, you should not volunteer for every detail or project which may come up, but step up will gain you respect from both the drill sergeants and your fellow trainees. For instance, volunteer to do KP (kitchen detail), which many do not like to do, after all you will eventually have to do it during your nine week basic combat training. This gives you the chance to relax to an extent and get away from the daily training.

Basic Combat Training Tip # 6 – Study, Study, Study

I cannot stress enough how important it is to study your soldier's handbook. You will receive this once you arrive at the reception battalion of your basic combat training center. This book is full of regulations, rank structure, and historical information. You must read this book and know just about everything inside this book. You will be quizzed from time to time on subjects such as Army Values and the Soldiers Creed. By studying this book, during your downtime, you will make basic combat training less stressful on yourself.

These tips for surviving basic combat training are things I learned when I went through basic combat training. If you follow these tips you can make your basic combat training less stressful and even enjoyable. As long as you are prepared, you will finish your basic combat training successfully.

I traveled in the Province of Quebec for the first time but a few weeks ago, and I noticed what probably any American lad driving through it would–”This place is in French!” I knew, lest you think me a fool, that I could expect to hear French spoken colloquially, and that it was the primary language of the place. What I was not expecting was that it was the only language of the place. Of course, it could just be the case that none of the Quebecois were willing to reveal their fluency with English to a base American like myself. In any case, if that was my experience, it may be yours, too. I found it to be a problem especially in Quebec City, though Montreal presents a problem, too. In any case, here are some useful phrases you'll see through your windshield, some of which deserve your attention:

Rue: it means “Road.” It's used for the names of streets much busier than most in the States.
Chateau: it means “Street.”
Arrete: this means “Stop.” You'll find it on octagonal red signs, just like home.
Sortie: this is an “Exit” on a highway.
Douane: this means “Customs”–the kind you find along the border
Ralentissez: means “Slow down,” and is usually seen in a construction zone
Sans Interdit: means “Wrond Direction” and should be duly noted
Attention: is not a cognate per se, in so much as it means “Caution.”

Those were the ones that I saw a lot and could not figure out as readily as others. The list is by no means exhaustive, but it ought to be at least a little bit helpful. Not to mention, Americans generally make the Quebecois out to be a lot less helpful and kind than they actually were, in my experience. If something confuses you, and you aren't on a major highway, just ask someone.

Additionally, I would be remiss not to mention the difference between Imperial and metric speed limits. That's right, Canada measures their distances in kilometers, not miles, so the speed limits are different. There's a simple and relatively accurate way to convert, which is just to multiply by 0.6 (if you know your 6 Times Tables), or you could try and remember this handy table (which was made using the more accurate 0.62 for conversion):

110 km/h = 68.2 mph…….if you're going 70 mph on your speedometer, you should be fine.
100 km/h = 62 mph………use 60 mph on the speedometer.
90 km/h = 55.8 mph…….use 55 mph
80 km/h = 49.6 mph…….use 50 mph
70 km/h = 43.4 mph…….use 45 mph
60 km/h = 37.2 mph…….it would probably be best to use 35 mph
50 km/h = 31 mph………use 30 mph
40 km/h = 24.8 mph…….use 25 mph
30 km/h = 18.6 mph…….I would use 20 mph
20 km/h = 12.4 mph…….it's your call between 10 and 15 mph
10 km/h = 6.2 mph……..use 5 mph

You will rarely, if ever, find a Canadian speed limit that ends in a five (such as 95 km/h), but it might be possible. If you do, use a speed between the equivalents of the nearest two ending in zero (between the equivalents, then, of 90 and 100, which would be about 57 or 58 mph). Many cars come with a metric inner circle on their speedometers, anyway, so you can use that, too.

You should also probably know that, while Canadian police may be tougher on speeding than many American police, there seem to be many fewer cruisers on the highways, and so it is not in any way unusual for you to be going 70 mph in a 110 km/h zone and still be passed by every car on the highway. Most will be going at least 120 (almost 75 mph), if not faster. Feel free to use other drivers as a guide.

One last note about driving. I was driving through New Brunswick and into Nova Scotia one day during the trip and there suddenly fell upon us a heavy downpour. I, like all of the American drivers I have ever encountered, simply slowed down so as not to hydroplane. All around me, however, Canadians pulled off to the side of the road and waited out the storm. I've never seen that before, during my life in New England, New York, and Pennsylvania, but it appears to be a Canadian custom. Just be ready for it.

Christmas Season in the Milwaukee is filled with festive shows, concerts, ballets and theatre.  For entertainment there is nothing like the energy of a live show.Here is an entertainment guide that includes Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the surrounding area.  Christmas shows are an excellent  energy filled entertainment for the entire family and are filled with festive holiday spirit. 

MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
700 North Water Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
414-291-7605
Milwaukee Symphony presents several Holiday shows over the Christmas season:
HANDEL'S MESSIAH: Friday, December 1, 2006 and Saturday, December 2, 2006 at 8:00 PM.
DOC'S HOLIDAY POPS (with Doc Severinsen): Saturday, December 9, 2006 at 2:30 PM and 8:00 PM. Sunday, December 10, 1006 at 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM. 
HOLIDAY CLASSICS: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 7:30 PM. Thursday, December 21, 2006 at 7:30 PM. Friday, December 22, 2006, 7:30 PM.

THE NUTCRACKER
Milwaukee Ballet Company
Marcus Center for the Performing Arts
929 North Water Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
414-902-2103
December 16 through December 29, 2006
The classical holiday favorite, The Nutcracker Ballet will be held at the magnificent Uhlein Hall during selected dates in December. The ballet , with energetic dancing Christmas Toys, is a magical fantasy enjoyable for children and adults. The The live performance of Nutcracker Ballet is visually spectacular, with dancing children and dancing toys. Classical music by Tchaikovsky creates holiday magic.  Tickets can also be purchased at Ticket Master.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
The Pabst Theatre
114 East Wells Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
414-286-3663
November 24 through December 24, 2006
Adapted by Joseph Hanreddy and Edward Morgan, directed by Judy Berdan. For 31 years A Christmas Carol has been Milwaukee's best-loved family tradition and longest-running holiday production! This highly acclaimed production combines traditional Christmas carols, magnificent costumes, and memorable characters with Dickens' timeless Christmas tale. Rep Resident Company Actor Lee E Ernst returns in the role of Scrooge. Don't miss this memorable holiday experience for the family. Nov 24 – Dec 7 $12.50 – $50. Dec 8 – Dec 24 $20 – $65.

DAVE AND CAROLE-ING
Riverside Theatre
116 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
414-224-3000
December 9, 2006
Cudahy Carolers singing  unique Wisconsin flavored Christmas songs  at the newly remodeled Riverside Theater. John McGivern, Milwaukee children's Choir, the Kinsella Irish Dancers  Cudahy Carolers, and Dylan and Mort with entertain you with merriment. Tickets benefit  Dave and Carole's annual Christmas for Kids party. $29.99. 

A CHRISTMAS STORY
First Stage Children's Theatre
Marcus Center for the Performing Arts
929 North Water Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
414-273-7206
Selected dates and times from November 24 to December 24
A children's Christmas story set in 1938. The live show is most appreciated by adults and children 4 and over.Ticket prices $11.50 – $24.50.

SEASON'S GREETINGS
Sunset Playhouse
800 North Elm Grove Road
Elm Grove, Wisconsin
262-782-4433
Selected dates December 1 through 31, 2006
Season's Greeting is a cynical comedy by Alan Ayckbourn.  Tickets $18.00 – $22.00.

A FIRESIDE CHRISTMAS
Fireside Dinner Theater
1131 Janesville Avenue
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
920-563-8557 or 800-477-9505
Thursday, October 19, 2006 through Saturday, December 23, 2006.
 Now entering its second decade, this cherished tradition offers a new and spectacular musical celebration that grows more wondrous with each passing year. Fireside Dinner Theater.

THE NUTCRACKER BALLET
Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance
8815 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
414-771-1027
December 16 through December 23, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006 through Saturday, December 23, 2006. Ballet Center Presents The Nutcracker: Kingdom of the Sweets at the Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance. This family friendly ballet performance will last about an hour and will delight all ages. December 16-23, 2006. Tickets only $15.00, available through Ballet Center 414-771-1027.

CHRISTMAS SCHOONER
The Armory
Janesville, Wisconsin
608-741-7400
Thursday, November 16, 2006 through Saturday, December 23, 2006. Thursday through Sunday. 
The Armory, Janesville's premiere dinner theater, presents The Christmas Schooner. This acclaimed holiday treat tells the true story of a Michigan shipping captain who braves the deadly winter weather to bring Christmas trees to homesick German American families in turn-of-the-century Chicago. His voyages become a yearly tradition despite his wife's misgivings – until a fateful voyage makes her realize the true importance of his mission. Family entertainment at its best: hearty and wholesome.

HOORAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Grand Geneva Resort and Spa
7036 Grand Geneva Way
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
262-248-8811 
Sunday, November 19, 2006 through Thursday, December 28, 2006.
Twice daily Thursday-Saturday. Matinées everyday except Monday. 
The magic of the holidays will be in full display inside the main lodge as Grand Geneva presents “Hooray For Holidays!” – a magical Broadway-style musical featuring spectacular costumes, amazing music and fabulous dancing. The 90-minute performance is an extravaganza of color, music, pageantry and choreography guaranteed to deliver abundant holiday memories.

SCROOGE THE MUSICAL
Racine Theatre Guild, Inc.
2519 Northwestern Avenue
Racine, Wisconsin
262-622-4218
Friday, December 15, 2006. 7 pm.
 Learn why 10,000 people made our 2005 production part of their holiday celebration. The uplifting story of skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge's dramatic conversion is enhanced by ghostly effects, bustling choreography and a spirited musical score. $18.00.

THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER
Memories
Port Washington, Wisconsin 
262-284-6850
December 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 
Dinner Theatre
 Musical about the captain of a ship that transported Christmas trees to homesick German Americans in Chicago. Memories Dinner Theater, Port Washington. 

CHRISTMAS ON ANGEL STREET
Margaret Brate Bryant Civic Theatre Building
264 West Main Street
Waukesha, Wisconsin
262-547-0708
Saturday, December 16, 2006.
 2)00 PM and 6:00 PM
 Not only is Christmas on Angel Street a show from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s glorious past, but it is written by one of WCT’s founding members, Conne Cross Smith. The story revolves around a young boy who is tempted to break the law in order to buy his little sister a Christmas present, and in the process learns the true meaning of Christmas. The live show will be directed by Ellen Langler. $13, or $11 students and seniors, now on sale.

THE NUTCRACKER
Irvin L. Young Auditorium
930 West Main Street
Whitewater, Wisconsin 53190
262-472-2222
Saturday, December 16, 2006
 2:00 PM  and 7:00 PM
 Warm memories often begin with holiday traditions and The Dance Factory’s The Nutcracker  Ballert is fast becoming a tradition at Young Auditorium. This delightful production, features talented area youth, gorgeous costumes, lavish backdrops, and a professional dancer in the role of the prince. Start a beautiful family tradition this holiday season with The Nutcracker!

CARTHAGE COLLEGE CHRISTMAS 
A. F. Siebert Chapel
Kenosha, Wisconsin
262-551-5810
Friday, December 2: 7:30 PM, Saturday, December 3: 7:30 PM, Sunday, December 4: 4:00 PM
A Carthage Christmas is an annual event and Racine / Kenosha tradition. A. F. Siebert Chapel, with 1600 seats, fills with people and the sound of music. The 2006 concert is called “How Can I Keep From Singing?” The Fritsch Memorial Organ will play majestic music. The program follows an age old tradition of sharing and celebrating the birth of Christ through readings and choral and instrumental music. The performance includes Carthage's annual Service of Light Musicians in the Carthage Choir Performers include the the Carthage Community Chorus, Carthage Women's ensemble, Chapel Choir, Lincoln Chamber Singers, Gospel Messengers, Wind Orchestra and Instrumental Ensemble Program, as well as students from the Theatre and CommunicatBalletions Department.
The concerts are free, but reservations are required. Tickets are available by calling 262-551-5810.

Celebrate your Christmas in the Milwaukee area and delight the entire family.