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Possible variations on the game include a free-for all in which the individual riders comprise one-man teams, and "darya-yi-Buzkashi" which is played in the middle of a river or stream. There are, however, two rules which apply to every Buzkashi contest. A rider may never hit an opponent intentionally with his whip, and he may never deliberately knock an opponent |
off his horse. Buzkashi literally means "goat dragging," but a decapitated calf is now used because it is stronger and heavier, and therefore able to withstand the punishment of the game. The carcass is soaked in water overnight to toughen the hide. The Olympic Federation's rules require the field to be a square, the outer boundary of which is 400 |
metres on a side and the inner boundary, or warning line, 350 metres on each side. Two circles are drawn on the playing field. The game begins at the starting circle with the penalty lines (the inner boundary) used only when the mounted referee has called a foul. The object of the game is to drop the calf into the |
scoring circle. Two points are scored for each goal. At one end of the field stands a line of flags marking the minimum distance the calf must be carried before returning to the scoring circle to make a goal. A team crossing the line of flags receives one point. For championship Buzkashi in Kabul, teams are limited to ten riders |
each. Five players take the field during the first 45 minutes of play; the other five compete during the second period. A field master presides over the match and has the authority to prolong the game and grant permission for a change of riders or horses. The halftime break lasts for 15 minutes. At the referee's whistle, the teams approach |
the headless carcass which has been placed in the starting circle. Snorting and rearing back wildly, the horses try to gain an advantageous position so their player can pick up the calf. The chapandaz wear high leather boots to protect themselves from the flying hooves. The boots have extremely high heels which will be locked into the stirrups to prevent |
falls. To the observer, the game appears to be absolute chaos. The simplicity of the rules is lost in the furious action of the contest, but the highpoint in the game for comes when one chapandaz has bested the rest and gallops to the scoring circle alone. |
Most U.S. farms include two or three generations, according to a recent Farm Journal Pulse. Farming is a family affair, and many family farms involve multiple generations. A recent Farm Journal Pulse, a text message survey of farmers and ranchers, asked: How many generations are actively involved in your farming operation? Here’s a breakdown of the results: - 1 generation: 19% - 2 generations: |
47% - 3 generations: 27% - 4 generations: 4% - 5 generations: 2% Almost half of the 1,900 respondents reported two generation being actively involved in their operation. Another 500 or so respondents said 3 generations are involved. Click the map below to see how people responded: Add Your Vote You're invited to be part of the heartbeat of our new national producer panel |
that speaks up and speaks out. Participating is as easy as answering two quick poll questions per month via text message from your mobile phone By partnering with Commodity Update , the leading provider of agricultural information to mobile phones, Farm Journal sends you the question via a text message on the first and third Wednesday of each month. |
Osteoporosis: Evaluate Your Risk Osteoporosis is a disease that causes rapid thinning of bones. Over time, this weakens the bones and can make them more likely to break. About 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and 80 percent of them are women, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) says. About 34 million more have below-normal bone density that hasn't reached the level |
of osteoporosis. Women are more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, in part because men have larger, stronger bones. Both men and women older than age 50 are at the greatest risk for developing osteoporosis, the NOF says. One in two women and one in four men in this age group will fracture a bone because of osteoporosis. Ethnic group |
also plays a role: People who are white or Asian are more likely to develop osteoporosis than people who are Hispanic or African-American. Besides older age and ethnic background, these are risks factors that may increase your chances for developing osteoporosis: Small bone structure Family history of osteoporosis Previous facture, especially after age 50 Not getting an adequate amount of |
calcium and vitamin D Certain medications, including glucocorticoids, thyroid hormone replacement, and epilepsy drugs Many people are unaware they have osteoporosis until they have advanced symptoms, which may include a broken hip or wrist, low back pain, or a hunched back. If your health care provider suspects that you have osteoporosis, a simple, painless test to measure bone mineral density |
can confirm it. The test is called bone densitometry or bone density test. If you're diagnosed with osteoporosis, a number of medications are available to treat it, including bisphosphonates and calcitonin. Talk to your health care provider about the type of treatment that's best for you. To help prevent osteoporosis: © 2000-2013 Krames StayWell, 780 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA |
19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions. Do regular weight-bearing exercise. The best exercise for your bones is weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, dancing, jogging, stair-climbing, playing racquet sports, and hiking. If you've been sedentary, be sure to check with your health care provider before |
beginning any exercise program. Take calcium and vitamin D. People older than age 50 should get 1,200 mg of calcium per day. If you have difficulty getting enough calcium from foods, take a supplement to make up the difference. Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium. A daily intake of 800–1000 IUs is recommended by the NOF. |
Victoria’s Prevention Community Model (PCM) aims to improve people’s health in selected communities by addressing the underlying causes of chronic preventable disease. It aims to improve people’s health where they live, learn, work and play. The PCM recognises that local governments not only have a legislated responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their community, but they are also ideally placed to influence many |
determinants of health, including transport, land use planning, recreation and culture. As such, the Department of Health and participating Local Government Authorities and community health organisations are working together to deliver the PCM. The PCM is operating in Hume, Wyndham, Knox, Whittlesea, Dandenong, Cardinia, Mildura, Bendigo, Wodonga, Latrobe, Geelong, Ararat, Pyrenees and Central Goldfields, with further initiatives underway across the state. Landmark Study of |
Victorian’s Health The largest ever investigation into Victoria’s health has delivered a groundbreaking insight into the growing rate of chronic disease and its link to unhealthy lifestyles. This investigation saw more than 3,600 adult Victorians recruited from 50 neighbourhoods in metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria to undertake a survey and provide blood samples, as well as height, weight and blood pressure measurements. “This is |
the most significant research ever undertaken into Victoria’s health and will guide our plans to address the rising prevalence of lifestyle related chronic disease,” Minister for Health David Davis said. [Read more..] |
An extract from Sunset in Palestine by Basel Almisshal 2004 courtesy of baselonline.co.uk While Islam acted as a unifying factor for the dispersed and disparate rural and urban communities of |
Arabia, the vision of a singular state was never achieved. Rifts, in-fighting, the Crusades and the push of the Mongol horde undermined hopes of solidifying the Arabs into a cohesive |
nation. However, this has not stopped efforts by iconic figures in Arab history from continuing to call for the ideal of Arab unity to be realised. While the Prophet Muhammad |
brought the tribes of the hijaz together, it was Saladin al-Ayoubi, the legendary Kurdish military leader, who pushed for political reform within the Arab nation as he battled the foreign |
Crusader armies. But Saladin died young, and by 1258, when the Mongols sacked Baghdad, the Arab state had been torn apart by corruption and complacence. The principles of unity would |
lie dormant until the early 19th century as Europe once again pushed against the borders of the Ottoman-occupied Arab nations. Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah The early years Muhammad ibn Abdullah, |
the final prophet of Islam, was born in the trading city of Mecca, Arabia, in c AD 570, to the ruling clan of Banu Hashim. His early childhood was spent |
in the desert, as per the tradition of the time, where he learnt to speak the pure Arabic tongue and was raised in an uncorrupted environment away from the luxuries |
and distractions of the city. Orphaned in his early years, he spent the rest of his childhood in the care of his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, and after that his uncle, |
Abu Talib, who also initiated the young Muhammad into the trading profession by taking him on his expeditions. |Calligraphy of the name Muhammad| It was through this trade that Muhammad |
met his wife, Khadija bint Khuwailid, a widow who was several years his elder. She was impressed by his widespread reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Khadija and Muhammad married when |
he was approximately 25 years old, and she was to prove a pillar of strength and support to him during the early years of Islam. Muhammad developed a habit of |
retreating from the hustle and bustle of Mecca to the surrounding mountains and their caves, as a form of spiritual solace and meditation. On one occasion, when he was 40-years |
old, he experienced something which was to change the course of his life, indeed the course of history for the whole of Arabia and arguably, the world. Muhammad received the |
first revelation from the Archangel Gabriel, whose first and most persistent words to him were the imperative "read!" Illiterate Muhammad was deeply shaken by the force of this experience, but |
gradually came to terms with the weight of the responsibility he now held. He accepted his role as prophet, and his mission to communicate God's message - "read" - an |
inspiration for humans to this day to think, learn, rationalise, criticise and innovate. During the early years of Islam, Muhammad's followers were few - notably Khadija and his best friend |
Abu Bakr. Many of the early Muslims were socially weak - both in terms of their wealth and in their all-important tribal status. A number of them were slaves, such |
as Bilal ibn Rabah, the Abyssinian. The reaction of the Meccan leaders was to persecute these "heretics" - torturing them, abusing them and eventually imposing a social and economic boycott. |
In AD 620, Muhammad experienced a miraculous night journey with the Archangel Gabriel. In the first part, the Isra, he travelled from Mecca to "the farthest mosque" (in Arabic: masjid |
al-aqsa), in Jerusalem. In the second, the Miraj, Muhammad visited heaven and hell, and spoke with earlier prophets, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Soon after this event, Muhammad and the |
Muslims received an invitation from tribal leaders in the town of Yathrib where fighting between Arab and Jewish tribes had been going on for a century. The people of Yathrib |
had heard of Muhammad's reputation as a just and trustworthy character, and requested that he act as arbitrator in their disputes, offering him and his followers sanctuary. Muhammad's followers began |
to emigrate, and by 622, Muhammad, accompanied by Abu Bakr, made the journey himself. Welcomed by those who were awaiting him, Yathrib was renamed Madinat ul-Nabi (City of the Prophet) |
in his honour. Today it is known as Medina for short. In Medina, Muhammad is recorded as having established peace among the tribes, notably through the Sahifa - what was |
roughly a constitution for Medina. In the ensuing years, Medina was forced to turn its attention towards battle with external enemies, in the form of Mecca and her allies. Most |
prominent among these being the Battle of Badr - a victory for Muhammad and his followers, and the Battle of Uhud, initiated by the Meccans in the form of revenge |
for Badr and where complacency and a lack of discipline after initially gaining the upper hand, eventually led to a defeat for the Muslims. Truce of Hudaybiya and the conquest |
of Mecca In 628, Muhammad and his followers began a journey towards Mecca as pilgrims. There was still enmity between them and the Quraysh of Mecca and the pilgrims were |
stopped. Just outside Mecca, at Hudaybiya, talks took place and an agreement was reached. Muhammad and his followers did not perform their pilgrimage, but came back with a form of |
truce and the promise of passage for pilgrimage the following year. Two years later, the leaders of Mecca were considered to have broken the truce by assisting another tribe in |
an attack against a Muslim. Muhammad mobilised to enter Mecca and, in a historic manner, was able to do so without shedding a drop of blood, while offering amnesty to |
all in the city who did not choose to accept Islam. Muhammad died in 632 in Medina where he is buried. Today, more than one billion people across the world |
profess to the faith of Islam and hold Muhammad in reverence as a unique, powerful yet very human personal role model. Further outstanding figures in the Arab heritage: Sati' al-Husari: |
A brilliant scholar, educationalist and mentor for pan-Arab parties. Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi: Imprisoned and exiled for his views on the Ottoman empire, the journalist fought for Arab nationalism. Saladin: A |
towering military figure remembered for his success in repelling the Crusader forces. Nasif al-Yaziji: The writer formed the Arab world's first literary society in 1847. His son, Ibrahim, simplified the |
Many cases of Alzheimer's disease could potentially be prevented by certain lifestyle measures like quitting smoking and getting more exercise, according to a new report. The findings suggest, but do not prove, that people can take steps to reduce their risk of Alzheimer's, a disease that affects more than 33 million people worldwide. "Given the current absence of disease-modifying treatments, as well as increasing |
awareness that symptoms develop over many years or even decades, there has been growing interest in identification of effective strategies for prevention of Alzheimer's disease," explained authors of the report, from the University of California, San Francisco. The findings were published online in The Lancet Neurology, a British medical journal. For the study, the authors examined the medical literature and identified seven lifestyle factors |
that may influence the risk of developing Alzheimer's. They looked at stopping smoking, increasing physical activity and mental stimulation, controlling blood pressure and diabetes, and managing obesity and depression. Reducing all seven of these risk factors could prevent as many as 3 million cases of Alzheimer's worldwide, they estimated. It is uncertain whether any of these lifestyle factors actually promote the development of Alzheimer's. |
Advancing age and genetics remain the most important risk factors for the disease. But numerous population studies suggest that all may play a role in Alzheimer's onset. Here's what they found. Diabetes: Having diabetes has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia in several studies. More than 10 percent of older Americans have diabetes, so it is important |
to manage the condition properly, and to take steps to avoid getting diabetes in the first place. Lack of exercise and weight gain can both contribute to diabetes onset. High blood pressure: Many studies suggest a link between heart health and brain health. Hypertension in middle age, for example, has consistently been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia |
in old age. (In old age, on the other hand, low blood pressure has been linked to increased Alzheimer's risk.) People who get treated for high blood pressure have also been shown to be less likely to have cognitive problems down the road. Obesity: Being overweight in midlife is associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's in old age, numerous studies have shown. (In old |
age, on the other hand, low body weight is associated with increased dementia risk.) Obesity is a particular problem in the United States. Depression: People with a history of depression have a two-fold increased risk of dementia compared to those who are not depressed. Getting good medical treatment for depression may improve cognitive function in some people. People who are depressed also tend to |
be socially withdrawn, and social connection has been shown to lower the risk of Alzheimer's among seniors. Being sedentary: Physical inactivity has consistently been shown to be linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. And staying active, whether it's walking, jogging or ballroom dancing, may lower dementia risk. Healthy but sedentary older people who begin exercise programs show improvements in thinking skills. Smoking: |
Recent studies report that smoking increases the risk of Alzheimer's. Quitting smoking, in other reports, has been shown to lower the risk of developing dementia. Low education levels and lack of mental stimulation: There's good evidence that few years of formal education may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Mental stimulation – whether it's doing crossword puzzles, learning a new language or playing a |
musical instrument – may help lower Alzheimer's risk, It's possible that mental stimulation may enhance connections between brain cells and build up so-called brain reserve. As a result, if some brain cells are destroyed by Alzheimer's, enough remain to delay the onset of symptoms. The authors found that these seven risk factors may contribute to as many as half of Alzheimer's disease cases worldwide. |
Lack of exercise remained the most important risk factor in the United States. The findings are suggestive of lifestyle and health factors that may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Anything that may prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's in old age could have a dramatic impact on the lives of millions of people and their families. Source: Deborah E. Barnes, Kristine Yaffe: "The Projected |
U.S. researchers say they have found an association between increasing levels of indoor air pollution and the severity of asthma symptoms among children. The researchers tracked 150 asthmatic children in Baltimore ages 2 to 6 for six months. Environmental monitoring |
equipment was used to measure the air in the child's bedroom for over three three-day intervals. Air measurements were taken at the beginning of the study, after 3 months and again after 6 months. Ninety-one percent of the children who |
participated in the study were African-American, from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and spent most of their time indoors. "We found that substantial increases in asthma symptoms were associated both with higher indoor concentrations of fine particles and with higher indoor concentrations |
of coarse particles," lead author Dr. Meredith C. McCormack said in a statement. Particulate matter is an airborne mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets. The solid particles come in numerous shapes and sizes and may be composed of different |
chemical components. Fine particles measure 2.5 microns or less in size -- approximately 1/30th the diameter of a human hair -- and can penetrate deep into the body's respiratory system, the study said. The findings are published in the journal |
Yesterday, I posted a story from the Associated Press on a document discovered by the IAEA inspectors that purported to show that Tehran was modelling the potential yields of a |
nuclear weapon. Today, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has published a rebuttal: This week the Associated Press reported that unnamed officials "from a country critical of Iran's nuclear program" leaked |
an illustration to demonstrate that "Iranian scientists have run computer simulations for a nuclear weapon that would produce more than triple the explosive force of the World War II bomb |
that destroyed Hiroshima." The article stated that these officials provided the undated diagram "to bolster their arguments that Iran's nuclear program must be halted." The graphic has not yet been |
authenticated; however, even if authentic, it would not qualify as proof of a nuclear weapons program. Besides the issue of authenticity, the diagram features quite a massive error, which is |
unlikely to have been made by research scientists working at a national level. The image released to the Associated Press shows two curves: one that plots the energy versus time, |
and another that plots the power output versus time, presumably from a fission device. But these two curves do not correspond: If the energy curve is correct, then the peak |
power should be much lower -- around 300 million ( 3x108) kt per second, instead of the currently stated 17 trillion (1.7 x1013) kt per second. As is, the diagram |
features a nearly million-fold error. This diagram does nothing more than indicate either slipshod analysis or an amateurish hoax. In any case, the level of scientific sophistication needed to produce |
such a graph corresponds to that typically found in graduate- or advanced undergraduate-level nuclear physics courses. While such a graphic, if authentic, may be a concern, it is not a |
cause for alarm. And it certainly is not something proscribed by the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran, nor any other international agreements to which |
Iran is a party. No secrets are needed to produce the plot of the explosive force of a nuclear weapon -- just straightforward nuclear physics. Who might have the capability |
of producing such a graph? Though the image does not imply that computer simulations were actually run, even if they were, this is the type of project a student could |
present in a nuclear-science course. The diagram simply shows that the bulk of the nuclear fission yield is produced in a short, 0.1 microsecond, pulse. Since the 1950s, it has |
been standard knowledge that, in a fission device, the last few generations of neutron multiplication yield the bulk of the energy output. It is neither a secret, nor indicative of |
a nuclear weapons program. I have no reason to question this analysis - nor do I have the expertise. As far as the source, the BAS is a highly respected |
scientific organization not known for partisan or biased reporting, (although some have accused the group of politicizing their "doomsday clock" which some critics claim is more PR than science.). I |
have found through the years that reporting on Iran's nuclear program can be sensationalized by the mainstream press which is why it's good to get other views of what is |
going on with the mullahs and their veiled program of nuclear research. (Another good source of opposing views on Iran can be found at Arms Control Wonks). The Iranians are |
no doubt being secretive about certain aspects of the program; even the former head of the IAEA Mohammed ElBaradei scolded them for that. And the preponderance of evidence would indicate |
a military component to their research. They have been caught red handed doing research on warheads to fit their medium range missiles, and they failed to disclose a secret nuclear |
enrichment facility outside of Qom. Prudent policy makers simply can't ignore this - especially when put together with the violent, eliminationist rhetoric of the regime toward Israel. This graph may |
or may not be a hoax, or a crude effort made by students to gauge the yield on a potential Iranian bomb. But those who see a catastrophe if Iran |
Drako Family History Drako Surname History The last name Drako is an old heredity that has migrated all across the world for many generations, and as the Drako family has spread, it has evolved making its etymology challenging to uncover. This Drako history and genealogy page contains the contributed history of the Drako family name made up of user-contributed content |
from other AncientFaces users. Drako family history has a complex evolution of which the particulars have been accumulated over the years by Drako family members. No content has been submitted here about Drako. The following is speculative information about Drako. You can submit your information by clicking Edit. The evolution of Drako begins at it's earliest origins. Even in the |
early generations of a name there are variations in that single name simply because family names were infrequently written down back when few people could write. Drako family members have moved around the world all throughout history. It was common for a family name to change as it enters a new country or language. As Drako families emigrated between countries |
and languages, the Drako name may have changed with them. Drako country of origin No content has been submitted about the Drako country of origin. The following is speculative information about Drako. You can submit your information by clicking Edit. The nationality of Drako is often very difficult to determine because country boundaries change over time, making the original nationality |
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