Where the City Meets the Country

Cities have typically been associated with authentic food and diversity. Today's suburbs are the new cities, only flattened and dispersed. They are the destination of immigrants, land of experimentation, incubator of invention. In that regard, Prince William County is as fine an example as any.

Yes, the farms and the county's former rural character are practically gone, and the vast majority of historic landmarks have been obliterated by development, but what is the nation about if not rejuvenation?

As in any growing area, there are many diversions. Music lovers can enjoy the Prince William Symphony and the Woodbridge Flute Choir. There are theater groups performing classic and contemporary plays. There is the Manassas National Battlefield Park to explore and the unusual Weems-Botts Museum in Dumfries, named for Mason Locke Weems, who popularized fictitious anecdotes about George Washington, and Benjamin Botts, noted for defending Aaron Burr.

For the sports-minded, there are fields, pools and opportunities galore. For exercise, try the slick new Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center in Manassas. If you prefer golf, fairways abound.

For shopping, there is the singular experience of grabbing an Orange Julius and shuffling through the cavernous Potomac Mills Mall, a vast, warehouse-scale labyrinth of outlet stores in Woodbridge, home to $9.99 sweaters.

The most interesting thing about the county is the county itself, taken all together -- its odd juxtapositions and varied worlds. So grab some pupusas, drive around and just look through the windshield.

Go to the western end of the county, where sweeping developments such as Dominion Valley Country Club feel like so many theme parks and golf resorts out in the middle of nowhere.

Keep going west and enjoy the farmscape while you still can. Note the leftover scraps of older, rural communities without feeling nostalgic or sorry for people who have probably happily sold their land for a small fortune.

Then head to some neighborhood near Manassas and revel in the cultural diversity brought to this old Virginia burg by its new residents, who might hail from Mexico, El Salvador or Peru.

Drive east down Dumfries Road and into the massive Quantico Marine Corps Base, then up Route 1 to Cherry Hill Road, a shaded lane that winds alongside slanted and low-slung houses to the Potomac. Consider the river. Then go back to Route 1 and consider the river of cars -- and the wild and mighty landscape of strip malls and gas stations alongside it.

Much has been written about the image of Prince William County and how it's changing. Politicians like to emphasize such things as the $56 million performing arts center at George Mason University's Manassas campus. The center, styled after a famous European opera house, will surely be splendid and offer lots of cultural events.

Amid all these changes, the culture of Prince William County is broader and more dynamic than stages, restaurants or a sentimental version of history.

That culture includes the faux cupolas of Dominion Valley, which have their own authenticity in that they are an expression of the desires of people who live there. It includes the stuffed otter head in the shop next to Panino Ristorante and the man from Durango, Mexico, walking by in a white cowboy hat. There is much to do here, and much to see.

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The Right Breeder

Dogs are considered as man's best friend. Deciding to own one whether it is big or small involves a lot of responsibility. It is not just about feeding it but includes other chores such as grooming, watching its health and diet, cleaning up after it and most importantly, giving it some tender loving care. There are many places one can get a dog such as a kennel or the pet store but if one wants to get a pure bred animal, one must seek a reputable breeder to get the best results.

Finding the right breeder for the dog depends on the breed that one selects. Professional breeders do not breed frequently and will only do so when a pair is found to be healthy and temperament that will insure the birth of also healthy offspring. Breeders will also breed only when a sufficient number of homes have been evaluated and deemed appropriate.

Given that there is no standard as to what a standard breeder is, one should do research by asking people and interviewing as many breeders as possible before making a decision. There are many categories of the type of breeders in the market and by knowing which one is the best and understanding the consequences; this will make all the difference of the type of offspring that will be produced.

The ideal breeder should have the pair of dogs tested for every possible disease as well as have all the information regarding the pair's ancestors and health records on file. Should a breeder find no problem in the history of the pair, one must still ask details to be sure. This is one sign that shows the breeder the interest of a potential owner of such a magnificent and smart animal. One can also ask the people who have be given offspring's in the past to check if there were any problems since the breeder maintains a close relationship with these dog owners.

Reputable breeders have certain requirements that one must have before qualifying as a potential dog owner. These are usually in the form of written contracts or guarantees with a spay or neuter requirement that limits the registration of the puppies. This is done both for the protection of the owner as well to control a possible overpopulation problem.

The person who wants a dog must have a secured backyard and attend certain classes such a puppy kindergarten to be familiar with the challenges one will face come the time the dog has been given.

The requirements needed by the breeder is not to delay the process of giving one a dog but to ensure that the person is aware of what will happen as a dog owner and the responsibilities that come with it as well as make sure that the puppies will have good homes. This is what makes responsible breeders different from others who are not since these people are not concerned about the health or welfare of the dogs but are just in it to earn money.

Once a person is able to find the ideal breeder, the waiting does not end there. Since the demand for the breeder's dogs are well sought after due to the selective nature of the breeding practices, the newborn pups will still have to be raised with the breeder and will only be released when a number of pre-screened homes have been found. If one does the all the research, it is possible that one will qualify as part of that list.

One of the most critical factors in identifying a good breeder aside from the health and food given is the condition of the mother after birth and how well are the puppies taken cared of. The best way to do is if the breeder is just nearby so one can visit the place from time to time and monitor the condition of the puppies.

Another good quality of a responsible breeder is the voluntary assistance provided to the owners of the puppies. If the placement of the puppy did not work out as hoped with a certain owner, the breeder can require the person to return the puppy and provide it with a better home since the life of the puppies is the responsibility of the breeder throughout the dog's life.

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EU Food Supplements Directive Legal Challenge

"Mike you are a true American hero. All of us are lucky to have you out there not only fighting for our rights but protecting us, informing us, educating us and making it a better place to live." - Gregory Kunin, Principal, Ola Loa / DrinkYourVitamins.com

"Mike Adams has brought his towering intellect and uncompromising integrity to bear in this truly important work." - Jan Eastgate, International President, Citizens Commission on Human Rights International

European Court Announces Date of Ruling : EU Food Supplements Directive legal challenge (press release)

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Consumers, practitioners, retailers and innovative food supplement companies came together in 2003 under the umbrella of the Alliance for Natural Health, to challenge the European Food Supplements Directive. This Directive, set to affect over 30% of Europeans who regularly consume food supplements, has the potential to ban some 75% of vitamin and mineral forms, especially those found naturally in foods, affecting around 5000 products in the UK alone.

The case was brought initially in the High Court in London in October 2003, and was successfully referred and expedited to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg in January 2004. Oral hearings were presented to the Court a year later, culminating in an Opinion from the Court's Advocate General, issued on 5 April this year.

The Advocate General, Leendert Geelhoed, declared in his Opinion that the Directive was fundamentally flawed, and contravened EU law. He concluded:

"...that the Directive infringes the principle of proportionality, because basic principles of Community law, such as the requirements of legal protection, of legal certainty and of sound administration have not been properly taken into account. The Directive is, therefore, invalid."

The European Court of Justice has now declared that the judgment, made by the thirteen Judges presiding over the case, will be handed down at 09:30 h on 12 July 2005, in the Courtroom of the Court, Boulevard Konrad Andenauer, Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

Executive director of the Alliance for Natural Health, Dr Robert Verkerk, commented:

"The judgement will hopefully give rise to an amendment to the Directive that will result in much greater clarity for consumers and manufacturers of food supplements across Europe. This amendment is needed to prevent important nutrients being lost in food supplements. The Alliance for Natural Health is now close to commissioning an independent group of risk assessment scientists in Europe to help develop a new regulatory framework that is based on good science and good law. Such a framework would be likely to suggest that a Regulator should not determine which ingredients are allowed in supplements without also determining, based on all available science, the maximum dosages. The Food Supplements Directive currently separates these two issues. If this work had been undertaken before the Directive had been finalised, we would never have seen the attempted implementation of a defective Directive."

The ruling will potentially have significant impacts on the parallel development of international guidelines for vitamin and mineral food supplements by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which are near finalisation. This body, composed of delegates from around 90 governments and 40 non-governmental organisations, will meet in Rome on 4 to 9 July to decide whether to finalise these guidelines.

Since this Codex meeting occurs just before the date of the European Court ruling, the Alliance for Natural Health argues that it would be premature to finalise the Codex guidelines on vitamin and mineral food supplements before both the EU Food Supplements Directive is amended, and an improved system for risk assessment of nutrients is developed.

Dr Verkerk adds, drawing a further parallel with the Food Supplements Directive case:

"There is good evidence that in the effort to push through the Codex guidelines, procedural errors have again been made. Governments and regulators, as well as the many interests in this area, need to work together to put these right.

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The Benefits of Using a Treadmill

Treadmills are one of the most widely used pieces of exercise equipment available today. Not only are treadmills found at gyms around the world, they're perfect for use at home. If you're seeking an easy way to work out in the comfort of your home, then you can't beat a treadmill. However choosing one can be confusing at times. There are so many different types and models out there, you might wonder exactly which one is best for you.

There are manual types of treadmills and motorized ones. For almost everyone, the motorized type is the best choice. Some people choose a manual treadmill in an attempt to save money, then discover they would have been better off spending a little bit more for an inexpensive motorized model. With motorized treadmills, you can control the speed and incline of the treadmill with the touch of a button, something you cannot do with a manual model. For most every budget and fitness need, the motorized type of treadmill is usually always the best choice.

If you have a limited amount of space, then you'll want to check out the space saving folding treadmills on the market. These models are light and easy to fold up, and fit nicely in a closet or under the bed. They're also quite affordable, more so than some of the heavier and more complex models. Regardless of whether you purchase a folding or non-folding model, be sure it comes with a good warranty. A quality product will come with an extensive plan to guard against wear, tear and mechanical breakdown.

How much you should spend on your treadmill will depend on how often you're planning to use it. If you're a professional athlete or a marathon runner, you'll want a durable, high-quality treadmill with the longest deck possible and lots of options when it comes to your incline and speed. However if you're simply looking for a treadmill to walk on a few hours each week, one of the basic motorized treadmills on the market should do just fine. You can expect to spend anywhere from $200 to $1000 for one of these treadmills, depending on who makes it, what features it has and where you purchase it from.

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Parasite makes men dumb, women sexy

A common parasite can increase a women's attractiveness to the opposite sex but also make men more stupid, an Australian researcher says.

About 40 per cent of the world's population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii, including about eight million Australians.

Human infection generally occurs when people eat raw or undercooked meat that has cysts containing the parasite, or accidentally ingest some of the parasite's eggs excreted by an infected cat.

The parasite is known to be dangerous to pregnant women as it can cause disability or abortion of the unborn child, and can also kill people whose immune systems are weakened.

Until recently it was thought to be an insignificant disease in healthy people, Sydney University of Technology infectious disease researcher Nicky Boulter said, but new research has revealed its mind-altering properties.

"Interestingly, the effect of infection is different between men and women," Dr Boulter writes in the latest issue of Australasian Science magazine.

"Infected men have lower IQs, achieve a lower level of education and have shorter attention spans. They are also more likely to break rules and take risks, be more independent, more anti-social, suspicious, jealous and morose, and are deemed less attractive to women.

"On the other hand, infected women tend to be more outgoing, friendly, more promiscuous, and are considered more attractive to men compared with non-infected controls.

"In short, it can make men behave like alley cats and women behave like sex kittens".

Dr Boulter said the recent Czech Republic research was not conclusive, but was backed up by animal studies that found infection also changes the behaviour of mice.

The mice were more likely to take risks that increased their chance of being eaten by cats, which would allow the parasite to continue its life cycle.

Rodents treated with drugs that killed the parasites reversed their behaviour, Dr Boulter said.

Another study showed people who were infected but not showing symptoms were 2.7 times more likely than uninfected people to be involved in a car accident as a driver or pedestrian, while other research has linked the parasite to higher incidences of schizophrenia.

"The increasing body of evidence connecting Toxoplasma infection with changes in personality and mental state, combined with the extremely high incidence of human infection in both developing and developed countries, warrants increased government funding and research, in particular to find safe and effective treatments or vaccines," Dr Boulter said.

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