Milan’s very own hero

Leonardo da Vinci was born on the fifteenth of April, 1452, near the town of Vinci, not far from Florence. He was the son of a Florentine notary, Piero da Vinci, and a young woman named Caterina.
Leonardo spent most of his life in Florence and Milan.

In 1469 he was apprenticed to Andrea Verrocchio, a leading Renaissance master. Leonardo acquired a variety of skills while he remained at the workshop until 1476. He left Florence for Milan in about 1482 to work for Duke Lodovico Sforza.

He stayed in Milan for nearly eighteen years. During his time there he applied his knowledge of mechanics to his obligations as a civil and military engineer. He also took up study in anatomy, biology, mathematics, and physics.

During that time he completed his single most important painting, The Last Supper. Leonardo returned to Florence in 1500. Three years later, Leonardo began several rel="nofollow">a href="http://www.milanvisitor.com" target="_blank"> important artistic projects , including the Battle of Anghiari mural for the council chamber of the Town Hall, the portrait of Mona Lisa, and the lost Leda and the Swan. At the same time his interests in anatomy led him to perform dissections, and he organized a study of the flight of birds. Leonardo left Italy forever, in 1516 to become architectural advisor to King Francis I of France, who admired him greatly. Leonardo died at the age of 67 on May 2, 1519, at Cloux, near Amboise, France. Leonardo da Vinci was a true Renaissance man. He was a scholar, scientist, artist, and inventor. Some of his work includes, The Adoration of the Magi, Madonna of the Rocks, The Last Supper, and the Mona Lisa. Some of Leonardo's sketches resemble future inventions, such as a sketch of a windmill design, a helicopter with two revolving propellers, a tank and even a portable bridge.

Because none of Leonardo’s sculptural projects were brought to completion, his approach to three dimensional art can only be judged by his drawings. As a scientist he towered over his generation. His scientific theories were based on careful observation and precise documentation. His theories are contained in many notebooks, most of which were written in mirror script. Leonardo’s findings were not discovered in his own lifetime. If they had been published they would have revolutionized the science of the 6th century. Leonardo anticipated many discoveries of modern times. For instance he learned the effect of the moon on the tides.

He was a man ahead of his time.

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Test Your Canine Acumen
1. According to tests made at the Institute for the Study of Animal Problems in Washington, D.C., dogs and cats, just like people…
A. Worry about what they will wear to work in the morning.
B. Enjoy reading while eating breakfast.
C. Need a retirement plan.
D. Are either right-handed or left-handed-or rather favor either their right or left paws.

D. Are either right-handed or left-handed-or rather favor either their right or left paws.
TBD: Very, very, interesting, don't you think?

2. Jackals are different from dogs and wolves in what way?
A. They live on a different continent.
B. They are really alien life forms.
C. They are canids.
D. They have one more pair of chromosomes.

D. They have one more pair of chromosomes.
TBD: Even though they may look like alien life forms, they are Canids just like dogs and wolves.

3. Most dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with their ears. However, a few breeds have only about 10 expressions. Can you name those breeds?
A. Bulldogs and Pitbulls
B. Labrador and Golden retrievers
C. Poodles and Dachshunds
D. Beagles and Chihuahuas

A. Bulldogs and Pitbulls
TBD: Due to their breeding, dogs such as Bulldogs and Pitbulls have fewer facial expressions and so are often misinterpreted by other dogs which leads to fights. Poor misunderstood pooches.

4. The fear of dogs and/or rabies is called what?
A. Rabodogophobia
B. Dogophobia
C. Cynophobia
D. Canophobia

C. Cynophobia
TBD: Hey, don't blame us, that's what the research says!

5. Of the more than 300 breeds of dogs that exist worldwide, how many does the American Kennel Club recognize?
A. 300
B. 212
C. 145
D. 101

C. 145
TBD: Gee, I wonder why you would have answered 101?

6. Jack London wrote this story about a dog named Buck. Can you name it?
A. A Dog Named Buck
B. Buck's Marvelous Adventures
C. Don't Pass the Buck
D. Call of the Wild

D. Call of the Wild
TBD: Gosh, we tried to make it easy for those nonliterary types out there… After all, there is even a movie! We read the book, however.

7. The Dalmation was named for the place where the breed first originated, can you name it?
A. Mount Dalmation in Africa
B. Dalmation coast of Croatia
C. Dalmation Island in the Thousand Islands
D. The tiny country of Dalmatia

B. Dalmation coast of Croatia
TBD: The other places are only a figment of our imagination, so far as she knows anyway…

8. Can you name the dog featured in the Grinch Who Stole Christmas?
A. Who
B. Max
C. Rudi
D. Suzi

B. Max
TBD: Phllllbbbttt! To those who didn't know. It was Max who stole the show, don't ya think!

9. The English Romantic poet Lord Byron inscribed this passage on a gravestone "Beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man without his vices." Can you name the object of his tribute?
A. His beloved Newfoundland Boatswain.
B. His wife Anna Isabella.
C. His daughter Augusta Ada.
D. His granduncle William.

A. His beloved Newfoundland Boatswain.
TBD: Come on, be real! This is a quiz about dogs!

10. Can you name the dog who caused so many problems for Foghorn Leghorn in the Looney Tunes?

A. Rufus Wufus
B. Barnyard Dog
C. Just Dog
D. Spotted Dog

B. Barnyard Dog
TBD: That was news to us, too.

11. Which animal was first domesticated by humans?

A. Goat
B. Cat
C. Dog
D. Horse

C. Dog
TBD: Apparently some argument can be made that the goat might have come first in some areas, but the dog is Numero Uno for most evidence of early man!

12. Ralph and Sam, the Looney Tune wolf and sheepdog cartoon character adversaries, would engage in what activity between their bouts?

A. They would punch a time-clock.
B. They would have tea.
C. They would play bridge.
D. They would roller-skate.

A. They would punch a time-clock.
TBD: They would punch in at the beginning of each shift and out at the end as well as for their lunch break.

13. The Beatles son "Martha My Dear" was written by Paul McCartney about…

A. His sheepdog Martha
B. His mother Martha
C. His sister Martha
D. His veterinarian Martha

A. His sheepdog Martha
TBD: If you guess wrong, we sincerely hope you guessed "D" because this is a canine quiz after all.

14. Domestic dogs vary widely in appearance and size, but despite these differences all breeds of the domestic dog are essentially identical in anatomy. Which is NOT an anatomical characteristic of the dog?
A. An average of 321 bones in their skeleton.
B. Thirteen pairs of ribs in the rib cage.
C. A spine with seven cervical vertebrae, 13 thoracic vertebrae, seven lumbar vertebrae and three sacral vertebrae.
D. The presence of a dewclaw, an extra digit on the paw.

D. The presence of a dewclaw, an extra digit on the paw.
TBD: Apparently not all breeds have a dewclaw and this why the average number of bones in the skeleton varies!

15. Can you name the dog on the Cracker Jack box?
A. Jack
B. Bingo
C. Cracker
D. Prize

B. Bingo
TBD: Just think of all the knowledge we share to make your life more meaningful!

You can enjoy more trivia created by Deanna Mascle at Trivia By Dawggone and Fun Trivia Online..

Gas Prices Go
Recently, the price of gas has gone up approximately three or four times a day, depending on how energetic the person is who climbs up and changes the prices at your favorite filling station, until the only word for the skyrocketing astonishment is "gas-tronomical!”

President Bush took a bold stance on the issue, saying, ““Americans understand the price of crude oil is going up but they will not accept manipulation of the market. And neither will I!”

Proud words, perhaps evoked partly due to anxiety about how his credentials as an ex-oilman might weigh untowardly on his credibility and on his already in-the-well approval ratings.

In the same speech, perhaps not quite recognizing the astonishing similarity to manipulation, but in a consumer-friendly sense, he announced that he is increasing the supply of the suddenly pricey liquid by temporarily halting deposits to the U. S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Nevertheless, as a result of the dramatic revaluation of the ironically golden liquid, some surprising new players have entered the gasoline business. Tiffany has announced it plans to install a fuel pump next to the counter in which it displays its most extravagant diamonds. Cartier intends to retail the gaseous bauble in solid-gold thimbles. And DeBeers, the legendary diamond merchant, will promote its pricy petrol with a variation on its usual slogan, "A diamond is forever," with “A tankful is not forever."

On the other hand, Average Americans, in an effort to accommodate the daily dozen or so price rises, have adopted new ways to get to work. One, called deep carpooling, requires commuters to stuff themselves into cars until their arms and legs are sticking out the windows. Another is to hitch a half-dozen or so cars together, so they can all move along with only one engine burning the precious fuel.

Others have once again opted for the uncertainties of mass transportation and, as expected, are often arriving at work late en mass.

But Americans are a can do people, no matter how much a can of Middle Eastern oil attempts to grease the skids in their wallets.

Tom Attea, creator of Newslaugh.com, has had six shows produced Off-Broadway and has written comedy for TV. Critics have called his writing ""delightfully funny" and "witty" with "good, genuine laughs."

France Attacks Iran: U. S. And Britain Object
France, casting aside its usual insistence on diplomacy, even when it’s obvious to every person who happens to be alert that it can’t work, finally grew impatient with Iran’s centrifuge-rattling behavior and launched a unilateral attack on it.

As French mirage jets swooped down on Iran’s nuclear facilities and French troops launched a land assault from warships in the Persian Gulf, the United States and Britain voiced immediate objections.

President Bush said, “I just don’t understand why the French have gone ahead and attacked Iran without consulting us. It’s just not right to do things without having your allies on board.”

Tony Blair stated, “I would have thought President Chirac would have given more time for diplomacy to work. After all, we know it’s going to be at least a month or more before Iran has an atomic bomb.”

On the other hand, German Chancellor Merkel voiced support for the French attack, saying, “I actually felt it was time for a European leader to act as highhandedly as the Americans did in Iraq."

”Meanwhile, President Jacques Chirac dismissed allied concerns and vowed to continue his go-it-alone policies, stating, "I was at my cattle ranch in Bordeaux, when I realized Iran is even closer to France than it is to America. Of course, we usually wait for America to carry on a war we know is necessary for our own safety. It’s cheaper and a lot more popular with French voters. But I decided this is one war the French had to foot the bill for, even without American and British approval.”

The U. N. has not yet issued a comment on the preemptive French strike. At the time of this writing, Secretary General Kofi Annan had only recently finished his morning coffee, the beverage that has long been named after him, and he was just about to wander over to the General Assembly to see if any diplomats wanted to discuss the possibility of discussing the attack.

On the way, he commented, “You’d think Jacques would have at least given me us some advance notice. Although a lot of people have come to doubt it, the U. N. is still here.”

Tom Attea, creator of Newslaugh.com, has had six shows produced Off-Broadway and has written comedy for TV. Critics have called his writing ""delightfully funny" and "witty" with "good, genuine laughs."

Go for low-cholesterol diet
Question : I HAVE numbness in my hands especially the fingers. Could it be due to hypercholesterolemia? My total blood cholesterol is slightly above 200mg/dl and I just had my gall bladder removed last month. Please advise.

Answer : NUMBNESS is often associated with or preceded by abnormal pain-like sensations often described as pins and needles, prickling or burning sensations. Any numbness requires prompt medical advice as it could be a sign or symptom of other diseases. This condition may be caused by several factors, including lack of blood supply to the affected area, nerve injury and metabolic disturbances such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, alcoholism and malnutrition. Numbness can be a result of high cholesterol levels in blood. If plaque is blocking the flow of blood to your feet and legs, a fairly common condition called peripheral vascular disease will occur.

Since you have a high cholesterol level and had your gall bladder removed, you should cut down the intake of oil. A high-fat diet can stimulate bile acid secretion and this can irritate the gut. Additionally, a high intake of unsaturated fat can increase the cholesterol levels. Supplementing your diet with lecithin would be beneficial. Its main constituent, phosphatidyl choline, has the ability to increase the solubility of cholesterol and break down the fatty deposits in the bloodstream. This reduces the risk of cholesterol plaque formation.

You should incorporate cholesterol-lowering foods into your diet, such as oats, fish, vegetables and fruits. Although your diet should be free from oily foods, a small amount of essential fatty acids -- omega-3 and omega-6 -- are needed to maintain good health and normalise total blood cholesterol levels.

Increase your dietary fibre because it will combine with and deactivate excessive bile acids in the bowel. Herbs like red yeast rice and guggulipid may also be used to lower serum triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol.

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