The screenplay, which was written by Nolan with his brother Jonathon (the two also wrote 2001's "Memento" together, another great script), is a gem - tightly constructed, and weaving multiple, simultaneous dramatic sequences with their own twists - two of my favorites are the Joker's involvement in a funeral scene and a moral dilemma he poses involving two ferry boats. "The Dark Knight" is thoroughly modern moviemaking in our quick-cutting MTV world, yet, as in classic film noir, is dark and sinister, with an emphasis on story and character. The look of the film in shadowy contrasts is stressed, but less emphasis on computerized visual effects as so-many empty-story films are today - which isn't to say Batman lacks CGI, which is ample and well-done. The violence in the movie is exciting and necessary to the story without being gratuitous, but still leaves many things up to the imagination, despite the heinous acts committed by the Joker and others. The Joker kills face-to-face some of the time, yet the camera shoots the actual violence from behind. "I bet I can make this pencil disappear" he says in one scene, and you have a pretty good idea where that pencil goes without actually seeing the result. The dichotomy of life, the two (or more) sides to everything. is explored fully in this movie - the good and bad, the two sides of a coin (or are there?), a woman caught between two men, the two men's own identity crisis within themselves and with each other, and the difficult choices we sometimes have to make, even when we are not in control of what to choose or the outcome.

Gotham City in this movie is a microcosm for America and its current war-time predicament, including commentary on ordinary citizens' rights to privacy and protecting themselves and their loved ones. The Joker in this movie is more than a comic-book villain - he's a nihilistic terrorist with no rhyme or reason for his despicable actions, except maybe one - to cause chaos for his own amusement. Yet, even the Joker is humanized when he explains that it was his torturing father who is the source of his disfigurement, and he is seeking sick revenge for that past. Although Heath Ledger's hyped-up performance does live up to it, the movie is more about the writing and overall production than about the acting. Ledger is only in about 1/3 of the scenes - though it seems like much more, because his presence makes such an impact every time he is on-screen. Ledger's make-up-laden portrayal is tragic and comic, crazy and controlled, intelligent and silly. He definitely left this world at the height of his career, which is simply tragic in real life. Christian Bale is consistent as Batman, but, incredible acting is not so much needed for this role, though the character's emotions are believable through Bale's performance.

A small criticism I have is that, with the highs and lows of the some of the set pieces (brilliant as they are), the movie seemed like it could have ended a few times in the last half hour, causing an over-long feeling to the movie. Also, the romantic side of the movie doesn't quite reach the emotional appeal that Chris Nolan was going for, although I think he may suffer from what Spielberg and Lucas and many other guy-film directors suffer from, which is the inability to write good male-female relationship movies or scenes.

Overall, this is an excellent film.

]]> Movies Gateway 2008-08-20T10:58:30-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3591 I went to the movies this past weekend. There was a guy sitting 4 chairs down from me who would laugh (like a complete moron) at every single scene! This is the worst movie experience I've ever had. The guy completely ruined it for me. I need to see the movie again, once it is out on DVD. Has anyone else had similar experiences Has anyone else had similar experiences?

]]> Movies Gateway 2008-08-22T03:03:51-08:00 6 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3590 For most of the year, it is the duty of the press to scour the known universe looking for ways to ruin your day. The more fear, guilt or angst a news story induces, the better. But with August upon us, perhaps youre in the mood for a break, so Ive rounded up a list of 10 things not to worry about on your vacation.Now, I cant guarantee you that any of these worries is groundless, because I cant guarantee you that anything is absolutely safe, including the act of reading a newspaper. With enough money, an enterprising researcher could surely identify a chemical in newsprint or keyboards that is dangerously carcinogenic for any rat that reads a trillion science columns every day.What I can guarantee is that I wouldnt spend a nanosecond of my vacation worrying about any of these 10 things: 1. Killer hot dogs. What is it about frankfurters There was the nitrite scare. Then the grilling-creates-carcinogens alarm. And then, when those menaces ebbed, the weenie warriors fell back on that old reliable villain: saturated fat. But now even saturated fat isnt looking so bad, thanks to a rigorous experiment in Israel reported this month. The people on a low-carb, unrestricted-calorie diet consumed more saturated fat than another group forced to cut back on both fat and calories, but those fatophiles lost more weight and ended up with a better cholesterol profile. And this was just the latest in a series of studies contradicting the medical establishments predictions about saturated fat.If you must worry, focus on the carbs in the bun. But when it comes to the fatty frank or the fatty anything else on vacation Id relax.2. Your cars planet-destroying A/C. No matter how guilty you feel about your carbon footprint, you dont have to swelter on the highway to the beach. After doing tests at 65 miles per hour, the mileage experts at edmunds.com report that the aerodynamic drag from opening the windows cancels out any fuel savings from turning off the air-conditioner. 3. Forbidden fruits from afar. Do you dare to eat a kiwi Sure, because more food miles do not equal more greenhouse emissions. Food from other countries is often produced and shipped much more efficiently than domestic food, particularly if the local producers are hauling their wares around in small trucks. One study showed that apples shipped from New Zealand to Britain had a smaller carbon footprint than apples grown and sold in Britain. 4. Carcinogenic cellphones. Some prominent brain surgeons made news on Larry Kings show this year with their fears of cellphones, thereby establishing once and for all that epidemiology is not brain surgery its more complicated. As my colleague Tara Parker-Pope has noted, there is no known biological mechanism for the phones non-ionizing radiation to cause cancer, and epidemiological studies have failed to find consistent links between cancer and cellphones. Its always possible todays worried doctors will be vindicated, but Id bet theyll be remembered more like the promoters of the old cancer-from-power-lines menace or like James Thurbers grandmother, who covered up her wall outlets to stop electricity from leaking. Driving while talking on a phone is a definite risk, but youre better off worrying about other cars rather than cancer.5. Evil plastic bags. Take it from the Environmental Protection Agency : paper bags are not better for the environment than plastic bags. If anything, the evidence from life-cycle analyses favors plastic bags. They require much less energy and greenhouse emissions to manufacture, ship and recycle. They generate less air and water pollution. And they take up much less space in landfills.6. Toxic plastic bottles. For years panels of experts repeatedly approved the use of bisphenol-a, or BPA, which is used in polycarbonate bottles and many other plastic products. Yes, it could be harmful if given in huge doses to rodents, but so can the natural chemicals in countless foods we eat every day. Dose makes the poison.But this year, after a campaign by a few researchers and activists, one federal panel expressed some concern about BPA in baby bottles. Panic ensued. Even though there was zero evidence of harm to humans, Wal-Mart pulled BPA-containing products from its shelves, and politicians began talking about BPA bans. Some experts fear product recalls that could make this the most expensive health scare in history. Nalgene has already announced that it will take BPA out of its wonderfully sturdy water bottles. Given the publicity, the company probably had no choice. But my old blue-capped Nalgene bottle, the one with BPA that survived glaciers, jungles and deserts, is still sitting right next to me, filled with drinking water. If they ever try recalling it, theyll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers.7. Deadly sharks. Throughout the world last year, there was a grand total of one fatal shark attack (in the South Pacific), according to the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida. 8. The Arctics missing ice. The meltdown in the Arctic last summer was bad enough, but this spring there was worse news. A majority of experts expected even more melting this year, and some scientists created a media sensation by predicting that even the North Pole would be ice-free by the end of summer. So far, though, theres more ice than at this time last summer, and most experts are no longer expecting a new record. You can still fret about long-term trends in the Arctic, but you can set aside one worry: This summer it looks as if Santa can still have his drinks on the rocks. 9. The universes missing mass. Even if the fate of the universe steady expansion or cataclysmic collapse depends on the amount of dark matter that is out there somewhere, you can rest assured that no one blames you for losing it. And most experts doubt this collapse will occur during your vacation. 10. Unmarked wormholes. Could your vacation be interrupted by a sudden plunge into a wormhole From my limited analysis of space-time theory and the movie Jumper, I would have to say that the possibility cannot be eliminated. I would also concede that if the wormhole led to an alternate universe, theres a good chance your luggage would be lost in transit. But I still wouldnt worry about it, In an alternate universe, you might not have to spend the rest of the year fretting about either dark matter or sickly rodents. You might even be able to buy one of those Nalgene bottles. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07...itial

For most of the year, it is the duty of the press to scour the known universe looking for ways to ruin your day. The more fear, guilt or angst a news story induces, the better. But with August upon us, perhaps you’re in the mood for a break, so I’ve rounded up a list of 10 things not to worry about on your vacation.

Now, I can’t guarantee you that any of these worries is groundless, because I can’t guarantee you that anything is absolutely safe, including the act of reading a newspaper. With enough money, an enterprising researcher could surely identify a chemical in newsprint or keyboards that is dangerously carcinogenic for any rat that reads a trillion science columns every day.

What I can guarantee is that I wouldn’t spend a nanosecond of my vacation worrying about any of these 10 things:

1. Killer hot dogs. What is it about frankfurters? There was the nitrite scare. Then the grilling-creates-carcinogens alarm. And then, when those menaces ebbed, the weenie warriors fell back on that old reliable villain: saturated fat.

But now even saturated fat isn’t looking so bad, thanks to a rigorous experiment in Israel reported this month. The people on a low-carb, unrestricted-calorie diet consumed more saturated fat than another group forced to cut back on both fat and calories, but those fatophiles lost more weight and ended up with a better cholesterol profile. And this was just the latest in a series of studies contradicting the medical establishment’s predictions about saturated fat.

If you must worry, focus on the carbs in the bun. But when it comes to the fatty frank — or the fatty anything else on vacation — I’d relax.

2. Your car’s planet-destroying A/C. No matter how guilty you feel about your carbon footprint, you don’t have to swelter on the highway to the beach. After doing tests at 65 miles per hour, the mileage experts at edmunds.com report that the aerodynamic drag from opening the windows cancels out any fuel savings from turning off the air-conditioner.

3. Forbidden fruits from afar. Do you dare to eat a kiwi? Sure, because more “food miles” do not equal more greenhouse emissions. Food from other countries is often produced and shipped much more efficiently than domestic food, particularly if the local producers are hauling their wares around in small trucks. One study showed that apples shipped from New Zealand to Britain had a smaller carbon footprint than apples grown and sold in Britain.

4. Carcinogenic cellphones. Some prominent brain surgeons made news on Larry King’s show this year with their fears of cellphones, thereby establishing once and for all that epidemiology is not brain surgery — it’s more complicated.

As my colleague Tara Parker-Pope has noted, there is no known biological mechanism for the phones’ non-ionizing radiation to cause cancer, and epidemiological studies have failed to find consistent links between cancer and cellphones.

It’s always possible today’s worried doctors will be vindicated, but I’d bet they’ll be remembered more like the promoters of the old cancer-from-power-lines menace — or like James Thurber’s grandmother, who covered up her wall outlets to stop electricity from leaking.

Driving while talking on a phone is a definite risk, but you’re better off worrying about other cars rather than cancer.

5. Evil plastic bags. Take it from the Environmental Protection Agency : paper bags are not better for the environment than plastic bags. If anything, the evidence from life-cycle analyses favors plastic bags. They require much less energy — and greenhouse emissions — to manufacture, ship and recycle. They generate less air and water pollution. And they take up much less space in landfills.

6. Toxic plastic bottles. For years panels of experts repeatedly approved the use of bisphenol-a, or BPA, which is used in polycarbonate bottles and many other plastic products. Yes, it could be harmful if given in huge doses to rodents, but so can the natural chemicals in countless foods we eat every day. Dose makes the poison.

But this year, after a campaign by a few researchers and activists, one federal panel expressed some concern about BPA in baby bottles. Panic ensued. Even though there was zero evidence of harm to humans, Wal-Mart pulled BPA-containing products from its shelves, and politicians began talking about BPA bans. Some experts fear product recalls that could make this the most expensive health scare in history.

Nalgene has already announced that it will take BPA out of its wonderfully sturdy water bottles. Given the publicity, the company probably had no choice. But my old blue-capped Nalgene bottle, the one with BPA that survived glaciers, jungles and deserts, is still sitting right next to me, filled with drinking water. If they ever try recalling it, they’ll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers.

7. Deadly sharks. Throughout the world last year, there was a grand total of one fatal shark attack (in the South Pacific), according to the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida.

8. The Arctic’s missing ice. The meltdown in the Arctic last summer was bad enough, but this spring there was worse news. A majority of experts expected even more melting this year, and some scientists created a media sensation by predicting that even the North Pole would be ice-free by the end of summer.

So far, though, there’s more ice than at this time last summer, and most experts are no longer expecting a new record. You can still fret about long-term trends in the Arctic, but you can set aside one worry: This summer it looks as if Santa can still have his drinks on the rocks.

9. The universe’s missing mass. Even if the fate of the universe — steady expansion or cataclysmic collapse — depends on the amount of dark matter that is out there somewhere, you can rest assured that no one blames you for losing it. And most experts doubt this collapse will occur during your vacation.

10. Unmarked wormholes. Could your vacation be interrupted by a sudden plunge into a wormhole? From my limited analysis of space-time theory and the movie “Jumper,” I would have to say that the possibility cannot be eliminated. I would also concede that if the wormhole led to an alternate universe, there’s a good chance your luggage would be lost in transit.

But I still wouldn’t worry about it, In an alternate universe, you might not have to spend the rest of the year fretting about either dark matter or sickly rodents. You might even be able to buy one of those Nalgene bottles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07...itial ]]> Soapbox Gateway 2008-07-29T09:39:50-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3589 Welcome everyone! Feel free to introduce yourselves! ]]> Sex Gateway 2008-07-22T14:53:57-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3588


]]> Chevrolet Gateway 2008-07-18T09:14:00-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3587 http://www.dailymotion.com/vid...croon http://www.dailymotion.com/vid...croon

]]> Soapbox Gateway 2008-07-10T14:36:05-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3586 My husband's video game addiction was driving me crazy. Then we found an obsession we could share.By Rachel ShukertMay 27, 2008 The summer after I graduated from high school, I went on tour with my then boyfriend's rock band. He was the drummer for an outfit that would eventually become disconcertingly well known, and since I was leaving for college in the fall, probably never to return, I was loath to leave him to the freedom of the road and the ministrations of wan indie rock groupies. It was very hot, one of the worst summers on record. The van was filthy -- crammed with equipment, sleeping bags and unwashed bodies. My boyfriend was sweet and wonderful, but his bandmates (not unfairly) resented my presence, and when tensions between the frontman and me flared into full-scale conflict, causing him to permanently revoke my in-transit bathroom privileges, my parents arranged a plane ticket home. All in all, not the most enjoyable experience, but chock-full of valuable lessons: how to assemble and disassemble a drum kit in record time, that it was possible to survive on a diet of gummy worms and beer, and that sad boys who write sad songs about love are often total jackasses. Still, it was a real-life rock 'n' roll tour. I was living the rock lifestyle, and I felt certain that it presaged the adventures to come -- new and glamorous escapades in my new and glamorous life. Ten years later, I am slumped at my computer, reading an Internet recap of a 2-year-old episode of "Top Chef" that I have seen six times. I have not put on hard pants -- that is, pants with a zipper or pockets -- for four days. The man I married is on the couch in the living room, his eyes glassy as he diddles the control on the Xbox, blowing to smithereens shadowy figures lurching across the screen. We haven't spoken in several hours. "Ben" I say. No answer. "Ben Ben" I repeat his name over and over again, with increasing desperation, finally culminating in a single, furious shriek. "BEEEEEENNN!" We live in a two-room apartment. Next door, the neighbor bangs on the shared kitchen wall, the pounding muffled by drywall. "Quiet!" Finally, Ben looks up. "Sorry, baby. It's the noise-canceling headphones." Ah yes, the noise-canceling headphones. You could lock Rush Limbaugh, Phyllis Schlafly and Mullah Omar in a room together with a stack of Hustlers and 10 ounces of meth, and they couldn't come up with anything more misogynist. I storm back to my desk and type the phrases "my husband" "addicted" "video games" "HELP" into the search engine. Hundreds of links appear. I click on the first one, a Christian counseling Web site, where a desperate woman named Tiffany, whose husband plays video games nine to 11 hours a day, is reminded by the nonaccredited Christian counselor that man is master of her dominion and tells her to pray to Jesus to restore her husband's love. This isn't going to work for me. Besides, I have already prayed to the Jewish God for guidance, and the Jewish God, as he has done for millions of Jewish wives since time immemorial, advised me to rip my husband's headphones off his head and scream at him for never putting his leftovers back in the fridge. This tactic proved less effective than I hoped. I click on another page, where a forum of concerned women instruct me to regain Ben's attention by walking around the house dressed in skimpy outfits and waggling my hips provocatively. One enterprising poster, aptly named Cyberhottie69, even suggests draping one's naked breasts somewhere impossible to miss -- like the coffee table, or on his head, like a doughy, undulating hat. The angle Ben is sitting at makes this impossible, but I sit beside him on the couch, unzip my hoodie to reveal the lacy top of my bra, and press my breasts firmly against his bicep. "Baby!" he swats me away. "I'm killing Nazis here! I'm saving our people!" His eyes are alight with righteous anger. "No, you're not!" I want to scream. "You're not killing anything! You are pointing a piece of plastic at another piece of plastic and pretending something happens! You are not a fearless teenage hero of the Warsaw ghetto uprising! You are a copywriter on the Upper East Side and you are over 30 years old!" The most depressing thing about getting older isn't really the reminders of inevitable physical decay -- the gray hairs that pop up in unexpected places, the faint lines beginning to etch themselves permanently in the corner of each eye, the mornings when you wake up with a hangover, even though you haven't been drinking -- but the gradual winnowing of options, as your personal limitations become more and more obvious and eventually start beating you about the head and neck with brutal force. The chasm between who you planned to be and who you are grows wider and impossible to traverse. We try to make ourselves more interesting. We might take up salsa dancing, or become obsessed with cheeses, or begin to wear a fez in public. When this fails, we begin to take out our hostility on the person we feel trapped us in our inescapable little shell of mediocrity. Whether this hostility is expressed by retreat into a fantasy world in which one is a gun-slinging super-fighter saving the world from totalitarian evil (him) or a plunge into unforeseen depths of pathetic, whining neediness (me), the result is the same. You start to fake-hate each other, and if you're not careful, the fake-hate festers into real hate, and suddenly, ladies at synagogue are clucking their tongues at your mother. "It's such a shame! They seemed like such a nice young couple." "If you don't stop playing that game right now, I'm filing for divorce!" I holler. He can't hear me. You know, the headphones. For those of you who haven't yet experienced the unmitigated joy of the must-have video game of Christmas 2007, I will explain. Like Guitar Hero for people with social skills, Rock Band is a game in which you pretend you can play instruments: a plastic guitar with color-coded buttons, a microphone and a set of "drums" consisting of four round motion-sensitive pads. A motley collection of preselected, pre-licensed songs from a variety of artists -- Weezer, Deep Purple, Metallica, Radiohead -- have been translated into a series of blinking colored bars that appear on the screen and serve as notes. Hit them, and you are rewarded with stars, fans and new, more challenging songs; meanwhile, sloppy, incompetent playing earns surprisingly real (and traumatizing) jeers of contempt from the tattooed, pierced and computer-generated audience. Ben bought the game over the holidays, lugging the huge box home on foot through the New York winter slush. I knelt beside it on the floor, brushing the beads of oily precipitation from the damp lid. "I thought we should have something to do, while we're stuck at home with no one else around," he said. "Together" "Yeah." He forced a tight smile. "You'll like it." I had my doubts. Apart from an episode of Tetris-induced mania in 1992 that went on for weeks and could have cost thousands of lives, I have stayed away from video games. I'm not good with technology in general -- my iPod has stayed dormant for years, so terrified am I of unplugging the charger from the computer at the wrong time and accidentally erasing all I hold dear -- and the Xbox and I have been engaged for some time in a cold war based on the doctrine of mutually assured destruction: If I touch it, I'll break it, and then Ben will kill me. "What should I do" I ask, fingering the Xbox control gingerly. I half expected it to explode into a million pieces at my touch. "You like to sing," he says, slinging the nylon guitar strap around his neck and stroking the keys. "So sing." Singing along to a video game isn't like singing in any recognizable way -- that is, in a way people would want to listen to. No points are given for tone, expression, emotion or the ability to actually carry a tune. All that is required is to make a sound of the correct frequency, for the proscribed amount of time, and you can howl like a German shepherd with a bladder stone. But try to bring a little variation, a little soul to the table, and you get the net. "Why don't you try the drums" says Ben, after I am booed off the stage for the fourth time for my rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter." "I don't know," I say, discouraged. Can't I ever be good at anything "I've never done any drumming before. It looks hard. I don't want to mess it up for you." "Just give it a shot," he says. "It'll be fun." I often fantasize about sitting down in front of a musical instrument and magically being able to play it, but I have accepted that this would probably require some kind of unusual brain injury, like that episode of "House" in which Dave Matthews gets into a bus accident and becomes a piano prodigy. So I'm not sure what happened, if I had a small stroke or what, but when I sit down at those fake drums something transforms in me. All my fake-hate melts away. I am more than adequate -- I am good. Really good. It's as if all of those nights standing patiently in the corner at gigs, wondering if I was ever going to get to take a shower again, had taught me how to play the drums through osmosis. I know instinctively what to do, and miraculously, so does Ben. Note after blinking colored note on the screen explodes with our rock. The fake crowd roars. I fake drum faster. Our fake band, Sex Baby, embarks on a fake world tour on our fake jet, playing fake stadiums in all the fake capitals of Europe. Our fake selves grace the covers of fake magazines, and our fake fans number in the millions. When our fake manager calls to tell us we've been invited to play the fake Hall of Fame showcase in fake Stockholm, my real husband turns toward me, and smiles. "So what do you think" he asks. "I love it," I say, tired but exuberant. "My hands are killing me." Still smiling, he reaches for me, and gently kisses my blistered palm. "Let's take a break." "No!" I cry. "I need more practice on 'Enter Sandman'!" Ben ****s his eyebrow. "Well, I'm going to bed. I guess you can borrow my headphones if you want." Life is filled with unpleasant realities. We have to watch what we eat and go to the dentist; we have to control our spending and unplug our electrical devices at night, lest we become obese and toothless, drowning in a sea of consumer debt and glacial melt. None of us can stay 18, and very few of us will ever be rock stars. It's important to acknowledge this; it's healthy. But sometimes we need to escape into a daydream in order to face what we've become, and what we will be. And if once in a while you can escape with someone else, then that's about the best you can do. I figured Metallica could wait until tomorrow. For the first time in a long time, I had a real live husband who was taking his headphones off. I wasn't going to be the one to put them back on. http://www.salon.com/mwt/featu...bf1=1

My husband's video game addiction was driving me crazy. Then we found an obsession we could share.

By Rachel Shukert

May 27, 2008

The summer after I graduated from high school, I went on tour with my then boyfriend's rock band. He was the drummer for an outfit that would eventually become disconcertingly well known, and since I was leaving for college in the fall, probably never to return, I was loath to leave him to the freedom of the road and the ministrations of wan indie rock groupies.

It was very hot, one of the worst summers on record. The van was filthy -- crammed with equipment, sleeping bags and unwashed bodies. My boyfriend was sweet and wonderful, but his bandmates (not unfairly) resented my presence, and when tensions between the frontman and me flared into full-scale conflict, causing him to permanently revoke my in-transit bathroom privileges, my parents arranged a plane ticket home. All in all, not the most enjoyable experience, but chock-full of valuable lessons: how to assemble and disassemble a drum kit in record time, that it was possible to survive on a diet of gummy worms and beer, and that sad boys who write sad songs about love are often total jackasses.

Still, it was a real-life rock 'n' roll tour. I was living the rock lifestyle, and I felt certain that it presaged the adventures to come -- new and glamorous escapades in my new and glamorous life.

Ten years later, I am slumped at my computer, reading an Internet recap of a 2-year-old episode of "Top Chef" that I have seen six times. I have not put on hard pants -- that is, pants with a zipper or pockets -- for four days. The man I married is on the couch in the living room, his eyes glassy as he diddles the control on the Xbox, blowing to smithereens shadowy figures lurching across the screen. We haven't spoken in several hours.

"Ben?" I say. No answer. "Ben? Ben?" I repeat his name over and over again, with increasing desperation, finally culminating in a single, furious shriek. "BEEEEEENNN!"

We live in a two-room apartment. Next door, the neighbor bangs on the shared kitchen wall, the pounding muffled by drywall. "Quiet!"

Finally, Ben looks up. "Sorry, baby. It's the noise-canceling headphones."

Ah yes, the noise-canceling headphones. You could lock Rush Limbaugh, Phyllis Schlafly and Mullah Omar in a room together with a stack of Hustlers and 10 ounces of meth, and they couldn't come up with anything more misogynist. I storm back to my desk and type the phrases "my husband" "addicted" "video games" "HELP" into the search engine. Hundreds of links appear.

I click on the first one, a Christian counseling Web site, where a desperate woman named Tiffany, whose husband plays video games nine to 11 hours a day, is reminded by the nonaccredited Christian counselor that man is master of her dominion and tells her to pray to Jesus to restore her husband's love.

This isn't going to work for me. Besides, I have already prayed to the Jewish God for guidance, and the Jewish God, as he has done for millions of Jewish wives since time immemorial, advised me to rip my husband's headphones off his head and scream at him for never putting his leftovers back in the fridge. This tactic proved less effective than I hoped.

I click on another page, where a forum of concerned women instruct me to regain Ben's attention by walking around the house dressed in skimpy outfits and waggling my hips provocatively. One enterprising poster, aptly named Cyberhottie69, even suggests draping one's naked breasts somewhere impossible to miss -- like the coffee table, or on his head, like a doughy, undulating hat.

The angle Ben is sitting at makes this impossible, but I sit beside him on the couch, unzip my hoodie to reveal the lacy top of my bra, and press my breasts firmly against his bicep.

"Baby!" he swats me away. "I'm killing Nazis here! I'm saving our people!" His eyes are alight with righteous anger.

"No, you're not!" I want to scream. "You're not killing anything! You are pointing a piece of plastic at another piece of plastic and pretending something happens! You are not a fearless teenage hero of the Warsaw ghetto uprising! You are a copywriter on the Upper East Side and you are over 30 years old!"

The most depressing thing about getting older isn't really the reminders of inevitable physical decay -- the gray hairs that pop up in unexpected places, the faint lines beginning to etch themselves permanently in the corner of each eye, the mornings when you wake up with a hangover, even though you haven't been drinking -- but the gradual winnowing of options, as your personal limitations become more and more obvious and eventually start beating you about the head and neck with brutal force. The chasm between who you planned to be and who you are grows wider and impossible to traverse.

We try to make ourselves more interesting. We might take up salsa dancing, or become obsessed with cheeses, or begin to wear a fez in public. When this fails, we begin to take out our hostility on the person we feel trapped us in our inescapable little shell of mediocrity. Whether this hostility is expressed by retreat into a fantasy world in which one is a gun-slinging super-fighter saving the world from totalitarian evil (him) or a plunge into unforeseen depths of pathetic, whining neediness (me), the result is the same. You start to fake-hate each other, and if you're not careful, the fake-hate festers into real hate, and suddenly, ladies at synagogue are clucking their tongues at your mother. "It's such a shame! They seemed like such a nice young couple."

"If you don't stop playing that game right now, I'm filing for divorce!" I holler. He can't hear me. You know, the headphones.

For those of you who haven't yet experienced the unmitigated joy of the must-have video game of Christmas 2007, I will explain. Like Guitar Hero for people with social skills, Rock Band is a game in which you pretend you can play instruments: a plastic guitar with color-coded buttons, a microphone and a set of "drums" consisting of four round motion-sensitive pads. A motley collection of preselected, pre-licensed songs from a variety of artists -- Weezer, Deep Purple, Metallica, Radiohead -- have been translated into a series of blinking colored bars that appear on the screen and serve as notes. Hit them, and you are rewarded with stars, fans and new, more challenging songs; meanwhile, sloppy, incompetent playing earns surprisingly real (and traumatizing) jeers of contempt from the tattooed, pierced and computer-generated audience.

Ben bought the game over the holidays, lugging the huge box home on foot through the New York winter slush. I knelt beside it on the floor, brushing the beads of oily precipitation from the damp lid.

"I thought we should have something to do, while we're stuck at home with no one else around," he said.

"Together?"

"Yeah." He forced a tight smile. "You'll like it."

I had my doubts. Apart from an episode of Tetris-induced mania in 1992 that went on for weeks and could have cost thousands of lives, I have stayed away from video games. I'm not good with technology in general -- my iPod has stayed dormant for years, so terrified am I of unplugging the charger from the computer at the wrong time and accidentally erasing all I hold dear -- and the Xbox and I have been engaged for some time in a cold war based on the doctrine of mutually assured destruction: If I touch it, I'll break it, and then Ben will kill me.

"What should I do?" I ask, fingering the Xbox control gingerly. I half expected it to explode into a million pieces at my touch.

"You like to sing," he says, slinging the nylon guitar strap around his neck and stroking the keys. "So sing."

Singing along to a video game isn't like singing in any recognizable way -- that is, in a way people would want to listen to. No points are given for tone, expression, emotion or the ability to actually carry a tune. All that is required is to make a sound of the correct frequency, for the proscribed amount of time, and you can howl like a German shepherd with a bladder stone. But try to bring a little variation, a little soul to the table, and you get the net.

"Why don't you try the drums?" says Ben, after I am booed off the stage for the fourth time for my rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter."

"I don't know," I say, discouraged. Can't I ever be good at anything? "I've never done any drumming before. It looks hard. I don't want to mess it up for you."

"Just give it a shot," he says. "It'll be fun."

I often fantasize about sitting down in front of a musical instrument and magically being able to play it, but I have accepted that this would probably require some kind of unusual brain injury, like that episode of "House" in which Dave Matthews gets into a bus accident and becomes a piano prodigy. So I'm not sure what happened, if I had a small stroke or what, but when I sit down at those fake drums something transforms in me. All my fake-hate melts away. I am more than adequate -- I am good. Really good. It's as if all of those nights standing patiently in the corner at gigs, wondering if I was ever going to get to take a shower again, had taught me how to play the drums through osmosis. I know instinctively what to do, and miraculously, so does Ben. Note after blinking colored note on the screen explodes with our rock. The fake crowd roars. I fake drum faster. Our fake band, Sex Baby, embarks on a fake world tour on our fake jet, playing fake stadiums in all the fake capitals of Europe. Our fake selves grace the covers of fake magazines, and our fake fans number in the millions. When our fake manager calls to tell us we've been invited to play the fake Hall of Fame showcase in fake Stockholm, my real husband turns toward me, and smiles.

"So what do you think?" he asks.

"I love it," I say, tired but exuberant. "My hands are killing me." Still smiling, he reaches for me, and gently kisses my blistered palm. "Let's take a break."

"No!" I cry. "I need more practice on 'Enter Sandman'!"

Ben ****s his eyebrow. "Well, I'm going to bed. I guess you can borrow my headphones if you want."

Life is filled with unpleasant realities. We have to watch what we eat and go to the dentist; we have to control our spending and unplug our electrical devices at night, lest we become obese and toothless, drowning in a sea of consumer debt and glacial melt. None of us can stay 18, and very few of us will ever be rock stars. It's important to acknowledge this; it's healthy. But sometimes we need to escape into a daydream in order to face what we've become, and what we will be. And if once in a while you can escape with someone else, then that's about the best you can do.

I figured Metallica could wait until tomorrow. For the first time in a long time, I had a real live husband who was taking his headphones off. I wasn't going to be the one to put them back on.

http://www.salon.com/mwt/featu...bf1=1 ]]> Video Game Lounge Gateway 2008-05-27T08:56:00-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3585 By Ahmed BilalGuest BloggerAs a fellow geek, you may wholeheartedly agree with this article. If you are a non-geek (do they really exist), you might take offense. Regardless how you feel about the matter is largely irrelevant the truth is that a geek probably will steal your girlfriend this year (or steal away the girl you may have designs on), and while we hate to be the ones to break it to you, its simply a friendly forewarning. Without further ado, here are 12 reasons why a geek will steal your girlfriend this year:1. Geeks make more money than you.Claiming that women value money over everything else is not going to fly. Instead, you must consider the more practical angle - when all other things are considered equal, the guy with more money is simply the better option.That raises two questions - do geeks have more money, and how does a geek match up at everything else For the former, heres a thought:Remember that pimply faced, awkward, AD&D player who everyone made fun of in high school Chances are he has come up with the concept for the latest gadget the masses have been drooling over ( Steve Jobs with iPhone), a social networking site that has taken the world by storm ( Kevin Rose with Digg) or created the coolest cartoon in history (Trey Parker and Mark Stone with South Park).2. Geeks are smarter than you.They might not have a players social skills and graces but they do hold degrees in anything from literature to nuclear physics. And even those without a degree (think Bill Gates) can converse about more then how much they earn, what kind of car they drive and the latest football scores.Stimulating conversation goes a long way towards winning her heart and compared to the average guy, a geek has far more to talk about and is undeniably far more interesting.3. Geeks pay attention.Men in general cannot multitask. That is why when you are on a date, your eyes glaze over while you stare at womans cleavage and all you hear is bla,bla,bla (to be fair youre probably not missing much, but thats not the point here).So how do geeks differ It is not that geeks do not appreciate breasts (they are men after all) but whats almost universally common in geeks is the presence of old-fashioned chivalry and plain old good manners. Youd be surprised at how far that can get you with a girl (as long as you dont roll over and play dead).Given the choice between breasts and listening to the bla bla of their new lady friend, odds are that the geek will be discreet in his stares and learn to multitask (see #2). Hey, you cant avoid great cleavage4. Geeks remember what matters.Im not talking about when Chicago Bulls won the championship for the third time in the row or how many times Jessica Alba was in Maxim magazine. Geeks have super powers they can remember birthdays and anniversaries and all other little nuances women love so much.In itself, having a good (nay, excellent) memory is just a regular trait (and can be annoying if you feel the overwhelming urge to correct others), but combined with #5, it is an overwhelming advantage for the geek.5. Geeks pick out the best gifts.Not only will geeks remember when its her birthday, they will remember what her likes and dislikes (and if she hasnt told him, see #6 for the kicker). With all this information at their disposal, geeks will also come up with perfect gift. It really does take minimum effort, regardless of what men might think.And lets face it: when was the last time you remembered your girlfriends birthday in time, let alone found a gift that has made her squeal with delight6. Geeks put in the extra effort.Missed her favorite show Cant find that obscure Indian movie her friends have been telling her about Interested in a new underground band that could be the next big thing Leave it to the geek to find it for her.And if they havent been together for long, you can trust the geek to ask her the right questions and find out what she wants and doesnt want - and then give that to her.You dont have to obey her every wish - giving her what she truly needs is often the key to a successful relationship, and not only are geeks ahead of the curve in finding out what she needs, but theyre also ahead in terms of putting in the extra yards to ensure that she gets it.7. Geeks are better lovers.Before you laughactually, go ahead, laugh this one out. Ill wait.Once youre done claiming your superiority, heres the harsh truth - men are, on average, unsatisfying. Experience doesnt do much for a guy if all hes doing is trying to hold it in as long as possible - yea, practice makes perfect but youre only going to go so far when your limit is 3 minutes.Notice that I didnt say geeks were better endowed or lasted longer - but that geeks were better lovers. Compared to an average guy, a geek is going to be better prepared, knows exactly how to please a lady in bed and will actually pay attention to her needs instead of trying to catch the early train back home.8. Geeks get the best gadgets.Lets face it: diamonds and pearls went out fashion a while back. Now its all about the latest gadgets - iPods and smartphones, iConnect pillows and singing yoga mats. And who has the finger on the pulse of what is hot and what is not in the electronics world The geek of course. Not only she will be hip and cool with her latest gadget, shell also be the envy of her girlfriends.And that, my non-geeks friends, holds one of the biggest secrets to a relationship - make a woman look good, and she will go through a lot of trouble (like dumping her current boyfriend) to be with you.9. Geeks will nurture the child within.What man will not run screaming if she wants to play dress up, admire that doll in the window or suggests an outing to the latest amusement park All these things are normal and accepted in a geeks world.10. Geeks are the new handymen - except that theyre good at what they do.Geeks can upgrade, maintain, upload or fix anything that is plugged into a wall. You want your computer to be fast as the speed of light, want the best sound system, TiVo playing , want your tea kettle to whistle a tune while brewing your coffee Ok that last one might be an exaggeration, but you get my drift. Anything technically related is something geeks can do and if it is not their area of expertise, they have friends who can handle it.11. Geeks are trustworthyTrust is a funny thing. If a guy is too loyal, he might be seen as clingy and just another burden. If the same guy plays around and cant keep his toungue in his mouth (so to speak), its going to magnify a lot of other problems that a girl would usually compromise over.But if you get it right - if a girl can be secure in her relationship while retaining her freedom, shes going to be on the moon (and that means more fun for the geek).If she fancies a night out with the girls, she knows that her geek can be left unattended without any worries. She knows that the geek is into her for more than just the sex, and is loyal to her (ok, thats what she thinks, but you cant fault us geeks for playing that card, can you).Remove the source of a womens insecurity and she becomes a much more fun person to be with - as geeks know.12. Geeks are a refreshing and attractive change from the regular stockThey are caring. They are NOT desperate for sex. They love sports, but wont lose sanity if their team loses. And not only do they make the effort to take her out to a nice place, they also take her to places that shes probably never been (all that research and attention comes in handy).In short, geeks are unlike the majority of the men the girl will know in her life - in fact, theyre probably much better than the guys she knows, at least according to how she rates guys.If thats not an advantage, I dont know what is. Guest Blogger

As a fellow geek, you may wholeheartedly agree with this article. If you are a non-geek (do they really exist?), you might take offense. Regardless… how you feel about the matter is largely irrelevant – the truth is that a geek probably will steal your girlfriend this year (or steal away the girl you may have designs on), and while we hate to be the ones to break it to you, it’s simply a friendly forewarning. Without further ado, here are 12 reasons why a geek will steal your girlfriend this year:

1. Geeks make more money than you.

Claiming that women value money over everything else is not going to fly. Instead, you must consider the more practical angle - when all other things are considered equal, the guy with more money is simply the better option.

That raises two questions - do geeks have more money, and how does a geek match up at everything else? For the former, here’s a thought:

Remember that pimply faced, awkward, AD&D player who everyone made fun of in high school? Chances are he has come up with the concept for the latest gadget the masses have been drooling over ( Steve Jobs with iPhone), a social networking site that has taken the world by storm ( Kevin Rose with Digg) or created the coolest cartoon in history (Trey Parker and Mark Stone with South Park).

2. Geeks are smarter than you.

They might not have a player’s social skills and graces but they do hold degrees in anything from literature to nuclear physics. And even those without a degree (think Bill Gates) can converse about more then how much they earn, what kind of car they drive and the latest football scores.

Stimulating conversation goes a long way towards winning her heart – and compared to the average guy, a geek has far more to talk about and is undeniably far more interesting.

3. Geeks pay attention.

Men in general cannot multitask. That is why when you are on a date, your eyes glaze over while you stare at woman’s cleavage and all you hear is bla,bla,bla (to be fair you’re probably not missing much, but that’s not the point here).

So how do geeks differ? It is not that geeks do not appreciate breasts (they are men after all) but what’s almost universally common in geeks is the presence of old-fashioned chivalry and plain old good manners. You’d be surprised at how far that can get you with a girl (as long as you don’t roll over and play dead).

Given the choice between breasts and listening to the bla bla of their new lady friend, odds are that the geek will be discreet in his stares and learn to multitask (see #2). Hey, you can’t avoid great cleavage…

4. Geeks remember what matters.

I’m not talking about when Chicago Bulls won the championship for the third time in the row or how many times Jessica Alba was in Maxim magazine. Geeks have super powers – they can remember birthdays and anniversaries and all other little nuances women love so much.

In itself, having a good (nay, excellent) memory is just a regular trait (and can be annoying if you feel the overwhelming urge to correct others), but combined with #5, it is an overwhelming advantage for the geek.

5. Geeks pick out the best gifts.

Not only will geeks remember when it’s her birthday, they will remember what her likes and dislikes (and if she hasn’t told him, see #6 for the kicker). With all this information at their disposal, geeks will also come up with perfect gift. It really does take minimum effort, regardless of what men might think.

And let’s face it: when was the last time you remembered your girlfriend’s birthday in time, let alone found a gift that has made her squeal with delight?

6. Geeks put in the extra effort.

Missed her favorite show? Can’t find that obscure Indian movie her friends have been telling her about? Interested in a new underground band that could be the next big thing? Leave it to the geek to find it for her.

And if they haven’t been together for long, you can trust the geek to ask her the right questions and find out what she wants and doesn’t want - and then give that to her.

You don’t have to obey her every wish - giving her what she truly needs is often the key to a successful relationship, and not only are geeks ahead of the curve in finding out what she needs, but they’re also ahead in terms of putting in the extra yards to ensure that she gets it.

7. Geeks are better lovers.

Before you laugh…actually, go ahead, laugh this one out. I’ll wait.

Once you’re done claiming your superiority, here’s the harsh truth - men are, on average, unsatisfying. Experience doesn’t do much for a guy if all he’s doing is trying to hold it in as long as possible - yea, practice makes perfect but you’re only going to go so far when your limit is 3 minutes.

Notice that I didn’t say geeks were better endowed or lasted longer - but that geeks were better lovers. Compared to an average guy, a geek is going to be better prepared, knows exactly how to please a lady in bed and will actually pay attention to her needs instead of trying to catch the early train back home.

8. Geeks get the best gadgets.

Lets face it: diamonds and pearls went out fashion a while back. Now it’s all about the latest gadgets - iPods and smartphones, iConnect pillows and singing yoga mats. And who has the finger on the pulse of what is hot and what is not in the electronics world? The geek of course. Not only she will be hip and cool with her latest gadget, she’ll also be the envy of her girlfriends.

And that, my non-geeks friends, holds one of the biggest secrets to a relationship - make a woman look good, and she will go through a lot of trouble (like dumping her current boyfriend) to be with you.

9. Geeks will nurture the child within.

What man will not run screaming if she wants to play dress up, admire that doll in the window or suggests an outing to the latest amusement park? All these things are normal and accepted in a geek’s world.

10. Geeks are the new handymen - except that they’re good at what they do.

Geeks can upgrade, maintain, upload or fix anything that is plugged into a wall. You want your computer to be fast as the speed of light, want the best sound system, TiVo playing , want your tea kettle to whistle a tune while brewing your coffee? Ok that last one might be an exaggeration, but you get my drift. Anything technically related is something geeks can do and if it is not their area of expertise, they have friends who can handle it.

11. Geeks are trustworthy

Trust is a funny thing. If a guy is too loyal, he might be seen as clingy and just another burden. If the same guy plays around and can’t keep his toungue in his mouth (so to speak), it’s going to magnify a lot of other problems that a girl would usually compromise over.

But if you get it right - if a girl can be secure in her relationship while retaining her freedom, she’s going to be on the moon (and that means more fun for the geek).

If she fancies a night out with the girls, she knows that her geek can be left unattended without any worries. She knows that the geek is into her for more than just the sex, and is loyal to her (ok, thats what she thinks, but you can’t fault us geeks for playing that card, can you?).

Remove the source of a women’s insecurity and she becomes a much more fun person to be with - as geeks know.

12. Geeks are a refreshing and attractive change from the regular stock

They are caring. They are NOT desperate for sex. They love sports, but won’t lose sanity if their team loses. And not only do they make the effort to take her out to a nice place, they also take her to places that she’s probably never been (all that research and attention comes in handy).

In short, geeks are unlike the majority of the men the girl will know in her life - in fact, they’re probably much better than the guys she knows, at least according to how she rates guys.

If that’s not an advantage, I don’t know what is. ]]> Dating Gateway 2008-04-23T14:52:51-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3584 - 1993 LS400- Every option- 190,000 miles- One owner- White/Tan- Owner was asking $5500, but I ended up talking him down to $2500 - Every option
- 190,000 miles
- One owner
- White/Tan
- Owner was asking $5500, but I ended up talking him down to $2500

]]> Car Lounge Gateway 2008-07-01T23:47:39-08:00 3 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3583 From the VMG forums:Quote, originally posted by Dawg Dee-Lux As if there wasn't enough **** going on in the world http://www.rp-online.de/public...47612http://www.nwzonline.de/index_...21615

Quote, originally posted by Dawg Dee-Lux

As if there wasn't enough **** going on in the world http://www.rp-online.de/public...47612 http://www.nwzonline.de/index_...21615

]]> Car Lounge Gateway 2008-07-01T23:46:33-08:00 2 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3581 Quote The G8 sport truck boasts the same 361 HP 6.0-liter V8 found under the hood of the Pontiac G8 GT. Plus, the sport truck will lose much of the rear weight we've been told hampers the true tire-squealing abilities of this born-down-under import so we expect once behind the wheel, we'll in no time be bathed in the glorious clouds of tire smoke billowing from beneath the six-foot cargo box. Pontiac even claims a 5.4 second 0-to-60 time and unlike it's crude Malibu-based forefather, the latest pickup car will sport a modern independent suspension and fat rubber all around. Getting sideways will still be the most fun way through a corner, but we're betting it will be a lot less suicidal now with this new Pontiac G8 El Camino. http://jalopnik.com/366699/201...-back Quote

The G8 sport truck boasts the same 361 HP 6.0-liter V8 found under the hood of the Pontiac G8 GT. Plus, the sport truck will lose much of the rear weight we've been told hampers the true tire-squealing abilities of this born-down-under import so we expect once behind the wheel, we'll in no time be bathed in the glorious clouds of tire smoke billowing from beneath the six-foot cargo box. Pontiac even claims a 5.4 second 0-to-60 time and unlike it's crude Malibu-based forefather, the latest pickup car will sport a modern independent suspension and fat rubber all around. Getting sideways will still be the most fun way through a corner, but we're betting it will be a lot less suicidal now with this new Pontiac G8 El Camino.

http://jalopnik.com/366699/201...-back
]]> Pontiac Gateway 2008-03-16T07:48:02-08:00 1 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3580 CHICAGO - At least one in four teenage American girls has a sexually transmitted disease, suggests a first-of-its-kind federal study that startled some adolescent-health experts. Some doctors said the numbers might be a reflection of both abstinence-only sex education and teens' own sense of invulnerabilty. Because some sexually transmitted infections can cause infertility and cancer, U.S. health officials called for better screening, vaccination and prevention.Only about half of the girls in the study acknowledged having sex. Some teens define sex as only intercourse, yet other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some diseases.Among those who admitted having sex, the rate was even more disturbing 40 percent had an STD."This is pretty shocking," said Dr. Elizabeth Alderman, an adolescent medicine specialist at Montefiore Medical Center's Children's Hospital in New York."To talk about abstinence is not a bad thing," but teen girls and boys too need to be informed about how to protect themselves if they do have sex, Alderman said.The overall STD rate among the 838 girls in the study was 26 percent, which translates to more than 3 million girls nationwide, researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. They released the results Tuesday at an STD prevention conference in Chicago."Those numbers are certainly alarming," said sex education expert Nora Gelperin, who works with a teen-written Web site called sexetc.org. She said they reflect "the sad state of sex education in our country.""Sexuality is still a very taboo subject in our society," she said. "Teens tell us that they can't make decisions in the dark and that adults aren't properly preparing them to make responsible decisions."Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the study shows that "the national policy of promoting abstinence-only programs is a $1.5 billion failure, and teenage girls are paying the real price."Similar claims were made last year when the government announced the teen birth rate rose between 2005 and 2006, the first increase in 15 years.The new study by CDC researcher Dr. Sara Forhan relied on slightly older data. It is an analysis of nationally representative records on girls ages 14 to 19 who participated in a 2003-04 government health survey.The teens were tested for four infections: human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer and affected 18 percent of girls studied; chlamydia, which affected 4 percent; trichomoniasis, 2.5 percent; and genital herpes, 2 percent.Dr. John Douglas, director of the CDC's division of STD prevention, said the results are the first to examine the combined national prevalence of common sexually transmitted diseases among adolescent girls. He said the data, now a few years old, likely reflect current prevalence rates.Disease rates were significantly higher among black girls nearly half had at least one STD, versus 20 percent among both whites and Mexican-Americans.HPV, the cancer-causing virus, can also cause genital warts but often has no symptoms. A vaccine targeting several HPV strains recently became available, but Douglas said it probably hasn't yet had much impact on HPV prevalence rates in teen girls.The CDC recommends the three-dose HPV vaccine for girls ages 11-12 and catch-up shots for ages 13-26.Chlamydia, which often has no symptoms but can lead to infertility, can be treated with antibiotics. The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under age 25. Trichomoniasis, also treatable with antibiotics, can cause abnormal discharge and painful urination. Genital herpes can cause blisters but often has no symptoms. It's not curable but medicine can help. The CDC's Dr. Kevin Fenton said given the dangers of some STDs, "screening, vaccination and other prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities." Douglas said screening tests are underused in part because many teens don't think they're at risk, but also, some doctors mistakenly think: "Sexually transmitted diseases don't happen to the kinds of patients I see." Teens need to hear the dual message that STDs can be prevented by abstinence and condoms, said Dr. Ellen Kruger, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. "You've got to hammer at them," with appropriate information at each stage of teen development to make sure it sinks in, she said. She said there are a lot of myths out there, too many sexually active teens think the withdrawal method will protect them, or that douching with Coca-Cola will kill STD germs. Dr. Margaret Blythe, an adolescent medicine specialist at Indiana University School of Medicine, said some doctors hesitate to discuss STDs with teen patients or offer screening because of confidentiality concerns, knowing parents would have to be told of the results. Blythe, who heads an American Academy of Pediatrics committee on adolescence, noted that the academy supports confidential teen screening. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200..._stds

CHICAGO - At least one in four teenage American girls has a sexually transmitted disease, suggests a first-of-its-kind federal study that startled some adolescent-health experts.

Some doctors said the numbers might be a reflection of both abstinence-only sex education and teens' own sense of invulnerabilty. Because some sexually transmitted infections can cause infertility and cancer, U.S. health officials called for better screening, vaccination and prevention.

Only about half of the girls in the study acknowledged having sex. Some teens define sex as only intercourse, yet other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some diseases.

Among those who admitted having sex, the rate was even more disturbing — 40 percent had an STD.

"This is pretty shocking," said Dr. Elizabeth Alderman, an adolescent medicine specialist at Montefiore Medical Center's Children's Hospital in New York.

"To talk about abstinence is not a bad thing," but teen girls — and boys too — need to be informed about how to protect themselves if they do have sex, Alderman said.

The overall STD rate among the 838 girls in the study was 26 percent, which translates to more than 3 million girls nationwide, researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. They released the results Tuesday at an STD prevention conference in Chicago.

"Those numbers are certainly alarming," said sex education expert Nora Gelperin, who works with a teen-written Web site called sexetc.org. She said they reflect "the sad state of sex education in our country."

"Sexuality is still a very taboo subject in our society," she said. "Teens tell us that they can't make decisions in the dark and that adults aren't properly preparing them to make responsible decisions."

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the study shows that "the national policy of promoting abstinence-only programs is a $1.5 billion failure, and teenage girls are paying the real price."

Similar claims were made last year when the government announced the teen birth rate rose between 2005 and 2006, the first increase in 15 years.

The new study by CDC researcher Dr. Sara Forhan relied on slightly older data. It is an analysis of nationally representative records on girls ages 14 to 19 who participated in a 2003-04 government health survey.

The teens were tested for four infections: human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer and affected 18 percent of girls studied; chlamydia, which affected 4 percent; trichomoniasis, 2.5 percent; and genital herpes, 2 percent.

Dr. John Douglas, director of the CDC's division of STD prevention, said the results are the first to examine the combined national prevalence of common sexually transmitted diseases among adolescent girls. He said the data, now a few years old, likely reflect current prevalence rates.

Disease rates were significantly higher among black girls — nearly half had at least one STD, versus 20 percent among both whites and Mexican-Americans.

HPV, the cancer-causing virus, can also cause genital warts but often has no symptoms. A vaccine targeting several HPV strains recently became available, but Douglas said it probably hasn't yet had much impact on HPV prevalence rates in teen girls.

The CDC recommends the three-dose HPV vaccine for girls ages 11-12 and catch-up shots for ages 13-26.

Chlamydia, which often has no symptoms but can lead to infertility, can be treated with antibiotics. The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under age 25. Trichomoniasis, also treatable with antibiotics, can cause abnormal discharge and painful urination. Genital herpes can cause blisters but often has no symptoms. It's not curable but medicine can help.

The CDC's Dr. Kevin Fenton said given the dangers of some STDs, "screening, vaccination and other prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities."

Douglas said screening tests are underused in part because many teens don't think they're at risk, but also, some doctors mistakenly think: "Sexually transmitted diseases don't happen to the kinds of patients I see."

Teens need to hear the dual message that STDs can be prevented by abstinence and condoms, said Dr. Ellen Kruger, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans.

"You've got to hammer at them," with appropriate information at each stage of teen development to make sure it sinks in, she said.

She said there are a lot of myths out there, too — many sexually active teens think the withdrawal method will protect them, or that douching with Coca-Cola will kill STD germs.

Dr. Margaret Blythe, an adolescent medicine specialist at Indiana University School of Medicine, said some doctors hesitate to discuss STDs with teen patients or offer screening because of confidentiality concerns, knowing parents would have to be told of the results.

Blythe, who heads an American Academy of Pediatrics committee on adolescence, noted that the academy supports confidential teen screening.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200..._stds ]]> Health Lounge Gateway 2008-03-11T10:19:15-08:00 2 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3578 So I finaly took the plunge, me and my wife have talked about leaving the US for a few years now. I decided on Paraguay, sence I lived there when I was young. I sold my place in Hawaii and am in the process of selling my house in Anchorage. I think I will keep my place in Girdwood sence it is small and would be nice to come back and snowboard every winter.I found a little more than 12000 acres in Chaco Paraguayo located on the Paraguay River. Its remote, which I find a huge plus. I am traveling there next weds to take a look. It cost less than a 4 bedroom house in California.Here is the picture from the real estate listing I found a little more than 12000 acres in Chaco Paraguayo located on the Paraguay River. Its remote, which I find a huge plus. I am traveling there next weds to take a look. It cost less than a 4 bedroom house in California.

Here is the picture from the real estate listing

]]> Real Estate Lounge Ak sy 2008-03-04T15:27:16-08:00 6 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3577 http://www.971freefm.com/pages/1247.phpScroll down to:How Say YouFans in attendance ask the Ace Man various questions. http://www.971freefm.com/pages/1247.php

Scroll down to:

How Say You?
Fans in attendance ask the Ace Man various questions.

]]> Car Lounge Gateway 2008-03-03T11:01:00-08:00 5 http://www.nugateway.com/zerothread?id=3576 What Works:Fast, nimble and comfortable, and an awesome value besides; Pontiac builds the poor man's 5 Series.What Needs Work:Soft brake pedal; no redline on the tach; exhaust is too quiet.Bottom Line:This is the Pontiac we've all been waiting for. Quote And so we're smitten. Won over. The Australian-built 2008 Pontiac G8 GT is the best Pontiac since John Z. invented the GTO. No, not that GTO. The first GTO in 1964. You know, the one Ronny and the Daytonas immortalized in song. The one that started the whole muscle car thing. The Tiger.No, we're not kidding.The G8 GT is better than the 6000 STE, the Bonneville SSEi, the Grand Prix GTP, the G6 GXP and the Aztek UGLY. It even makes the Solstice feel like a half-*** effort. When it hits dealers in early March, the 40,000 examples of the G8 being shipped in from Down Under will reinvent Pontiac along the way."http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...el..1.*

What Works:
Fast, nimble and comfortable, and an awesome value besides; Pontiac builds the poor man's 5 Series.

What Needs Work:
Soft brake pedal; no redline on the tach; exhaust is too quiet.

Bottom Line:
This is the Pontiac we've all been waiting for.

Quote »
And so we're smitten. Won over. The Australian-built 2008 Pontiac G8 GT is the best Pontiac since John Z. invented the GTO. No, not that GTO. The first GTO in 1964. You know, the one Ronny and the Daytonas immortalized in song. The one that started the whole muscle car thing. The Tiger.
No, we're not kidding.

The G8 GT is better than the 6000 STE, the Bonneville SSEi, the Grand Prix GTP, the G6 GXP and the Aztek UGLY. It even makes the Solstice feel like a half-*** effort. When it hits dealers in early March, the 40,000 examples of the G8 being shipped in from Down Under will reinvent Pontiac along the way."

http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...el..1.* ]]> Pontiac Gateway 2008-02-23T05:54:35-08:00 2