If you are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, a trip to New York, accessible by flights to the USA, or even direct routes to New York, might seem like a voyage into a cavern of indulgent temptations. Almost every second restaurant is a fast-food joint selling greasy fat-laden treats and it is easy to jump in a cab to wherever you need to go. It’s no wonder obesity is an epidemic in America!

Can you experience the culture of New York City without adding pounds to your waistline? Of course you can! There is a healthy side to this city and enjoying a bite of the Organic Big Apple is lots of fun and better for you as well. Here are a few ideas of healthy things that you can do on a day out in New York City:

Walk It Off

While you are in New York you will want to see all of the popular tourist sights of this great city, but why do that while sitting on a crowded tour bus when you could be burning calories on a walking tour? Taking a walking tour instead of a bus tour is a great way to get some exercise while you are sightseeing, and see New York up close. You will have a huge variety of walking tours to choose from, as there are dozens of tour companies offering them in downtown New York City.

You could take the New York City PhotoTrek Walking Tour which encompasses some of the most iconic landmarks of the city and includes photos of you in front of them. If you are interested in history you might enjoy the Revolutionary Era Historical Walking Tour from Patriot Tours. There is also a tour which takes you through the locations in Central Park where famous movie scenes have been shot, delivered by a company called “On Location”. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a bottle of water!

Healthy Eats

After all of that exercise you will probably be hungry, but instead of gorging on fat and greasy New York street food why not check out some of the excellent healthy fare that this dynamic city has to offer? There are many deliciously healthy places to eat in New York City, such as the Organic Grill on First Avenue which uses locally grown produce to make its hearty and flavourful dishes. You could also do some grocery shopping at one of the many natural marketplaces in New York City such as Westerly Natural Market on 8^th Avenue which offers only organic produce and meat which is free from antibiotics and hormones.

Relaxation

We all know that being stressed out is bad for your health, so why not take some time out of your holidays in New York City to treat yourself to some peaceful relaxation time? It might seem like strange to seek tranquility in this fast-paced city but there are many ways that you can find a moment of calm here in New York. You can participate in free meditative yoga classes at the Integral Yoga Institute in the Meatpacking District on Fridays at 5pm. If gazing upon beautiful works of art is what lowers your blood pressure, take a slow meander around the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, or the Metropolitan. There are also many spas in the city to choose from where you can treat yourself to a massage, such as the Exhale Spa in the Upper East Side or Dorit Baxter Spa in mid-town.

Enjoy your healthy day out in New York City!

Their “RoboCupSoccer” focus is around the game of football, where all the robots are fully autonomous and are literally designed to play a game of football. The humanoid league in RoboCupSoccer requires that the robots be fully autonomous with a human-styled body plan, and human-like senses to play football against each other. For example visual perception of not just the ball, but other players, the field, the goal, but also distinquishing friend from foe on the field. Let alone actually having to be able to walk, run, or kick the ball while maintaing balance, let alone aiming it well.

Another league in the RoboCupSoccer is the Soccer Standard Platform League which supplies Aldebaran’s Nao humanoid robots in which the challenge is the complete focus on developing the software for the robots. Having the robots be able to decide whether its looking at the ball, looking at the goal, working out where it is on the pitch etc. The robots are also having to attempt to communicate with each other and use strategy and plan things. For instance being able to communicate to his teammate robots that he’d block for his teammate who currently has the ball.

Britain’s team for the RoboCup sadly lost in the group stages, the four-strong team from Edinburgh University. The team coach has claimed that they will return next year with a vastly improved side, “we learned that our core technology is not that bad even though we have not been very successful.”

“Almost all the bugs that stopped us were because we were not match ready.” Dr Subramanian Ramamoorthy, Head coach of Edinferno.

The British team did compete in the Standard Platform League using the Nao robots, so atleast they do not have to work worry about the hardware, they can focus soley on the programming. The British side feels that one of the main problems with the performance of the British side was due to the lack of competition within the UK, so there is nobody for the team to hone their skills against and work out all the bugs.

MultiChoice is committed to partnering with local entrepreneurs, governments and broadcasters in Africa, tailoring its operations to suit local needs while maintaining the highest levels of service and product quality.

MultiChoice Africa’s success grows its local partnerships, which have enabled the company to operate with an understanding of, and respect for, the many different cultures found on this diverse continent.

This has been taken from the MultiChoice Nigeria about page on DStvafrica.com.

Sounds good, eh?

Contrary to the MultiChoice Nigeria, operators of DStv’s claim that the return of English Premier League (EPL) to the platform last year would not mean an upward increase of subscription price, the international PayTV network is set to renege on that promise as new subscription price increase comes into effect in 1 April 2011.

The company is disputing claims that it has turned it’s back on customers by saying that they will offer a discount much like the sort of thing you’d expect from a phone contractor, a “first few months free” type deal.

This initiative is being undertaken to relieve the pressure of the price increase to our loyal DStv Premium subscribers, stated the company.

Managing director of MultiChoice Nigeria; Mr.  Joseph Hundah said that the company has only had one price increase which was 18 months previous. Despite arrangements with a number of organisations, including the EPL, and a sharp rise in inflation the company has managed to ensure that the price increase was the only one in the past 5 years of trading. The current raise in price has managed to stay below the average inflation rate with a 5 – 8% increase on the “DStv Premium bouquet”. Sceptics are convinced it’s due to the inclusion of the prem in the Nigerian providers line up.

The company also threw a number of other sticking points into the pot – they’ve invested in a number of different technologies with special concern for sports events – HD coverage and OB vans. Outside broadcast vans like the Volkswagen one featured allow the station to feed live events from a remote location.

With everything from tennis to golf to speeding camels, Abu Dhabi has a lot to offer when it comes to sporting events.

Every weekend from October to March crowds form outside Al Wathba, a futuristic stadium just outside Abu Dhabi. Camel racing is an important part of the culture here, and the camels are actually faster than they look! The animals are spurred on by electronic “jockey” devices strapped to their backs. Locals drive their 4×4 vehicles madly through the herds of racing camels, screaming at them to make them go faster. This high energy sport is definitely not to be missed!

Getting to Abu Dhabi

Etihad operate direct flights to the UAE are scheduled from both Manchester and London in the UK.

Where to stay in Abu Dhabi

The Park Inn Hotel Abu Dhabi has an 82% score on Tripadviser Google map

Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi Hotel see map  Google map of Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi

Pitching you into familiar scenes from all the Pirates films (including the fourth, On Stranger Tides, which is out on Wednesday), the latest game boasts beautiful graphics and, crucially, gets Jack Sparrow just right — brilliantly converting Johnny Depp’s peculiar rum-addled gestures and camp running gait into blocky form.

Minor niggles aside (for example, there’s no option to save a game mid-level; the game crashed on me twice), Pirates eliminates some of the frustratingly illogical trial-and-error puzzle-solving of previous Lego games with new icons and floating indicator arrows, while the two-player option makes it a splendidly madcap game to play with kids. Yaar!

The sponsor – Ulsterbank is better known for it’s financial services – financial investments, instant access savings accounts and the like, but it’s been reaching out over the past few years to put some money back into events. This is a prime example of it.

It’s not exactly a short trip to the training ground if you’re having to fly from Australia to Ireland, but that’s the call that is going out for the Australian rules footy tournament. Aussie rules is a game in it’s infancy by comparison to other ball-based sports. From a strictly professional point of view the only players of the game to date have been male Australian citizens.

“The Irish squad will feature former North Melbourne rookie Conor Meredith, while selectors are also keen to secure the services of ex-Carlton big man Aisake O’hAilpin.” [Above]

It was during this year that the first International tournament began and was named simply; International Cup. The cup is designed to spread the word of the Australian game and as such does not see the Aussie side take part on account of their likelihood to win with very little competition. Ireland took the cup in 2002 when it began, and it seems they’ve been harboring a taste for it ever since.

In a bid to repeat their performance of 9 years ago the Irish team-members are looking for compatriots based in Australia. The ruling passed to suit this tactic states that it’s “probably okay” [paraphrased, of course].

The only rule is that the players must have resided in Ireland for a large portion of their life, particularly between the ages of 10-16.

Players are having to look for their own flights to and from the country as the whole thing is self-funded – this is the reason behind the call-out for Aussie residents with Celtic blood to sign up for the national side. It’s not like there’s a shortage of people that would like to play, however:

The Australian Rules Football League of Ireland, footy’s governing body in Ireland, started in 2001 with two teams based in Dublin and Belfast.

Auskick has also been introduced in Ireland, with clubs running the popular junior program in primary schools.

Such is the growth that Ireland was recently selected to host the Eurocup in October.

The cup’s played every 3 years, so the next one is lined up for later this year. It all starts in August with local teams competing purely for entertainment purposes.

You can read more here: Team to be shored up.

I’ve got a recurrent ankle injury myself, but if I can run on it I’ll always dig in and play the game. If I were to do anything more serious I would definitely try and find help, but what does that actually involve? Well you lucky people can thank me for digging around on the internet and smashing my findings together with my own experience to plan the most appropriate course of action.This is a matter of opinion, these tips have not been checked, much less approved, by anyone with a medical stature.

Sit down. Shut up. This might sound like a bit of a harsh thing to tell someone that’s just had a serious injury, but it’s to be said with the most concerned of tones. The first couple of times I took a nasty knock in a Saturday league game I was waving my arms around and calling for a substitution in the first couple of minutes. With your ankle on fire you assume it’s all over, and you don’t want the team to be down a player for 10 minutes. The best course of action is to sit down.. let the pain subside and try it out again 5 minutes later. If it’s a horrible one you’ll know before you kick a ball again, if it’s not you’ll have saved yourself the embarrassment and the time you’d have saved wailing for a sub would still have been taken by him warming up.

Keep the boot on. Football injuries are, more often than not, pressure wounds. You’re not going to have any deep cuts (unless it’s something a bit more severe than a stamp or a scrape) and you’re probably going to be looking at some swelling. If you keep your boot/shin pads on you’ll help to keep the local area from swelling – this is worth remembering as initial reactions are often to shed the gear as quickly as possible. In fact, let’s put the swelling into context…

RICE. To keep the swelling down and allow your injury to heal better – remember this little acronym (this is common knowledge, and although I refuse to endorse this as medically approved (in case I get in any trouble) it’s as near as dammit.).

Rest – Stop stressing the injury. Over time you’ll do well to start using it as regularly as possible to rehabilitate, but straight off the mark you need to simmer down and let your natural defences work their magic.

Ice – Keeping the area as cold as possible is essential in keeping swelling to a minimum.

Compression – Similarly; this is a very effective way to keep your swelling in check

Elevation – If your ankle/shoulder/wrist/other affected area is kept above your heart the blood will be pumping up hill, so you won’t experience as much discomfort.

Doctor. This should probably be a little bit higher on the list, but getting medical help is definitely worth doing. Even if you just get given a small pamphlet that tells you to RICE it you’ll have the injury on record. When/if you come to visiting the doctor later down the line (fingers crossed this isn’t the case) s/he’ll be able to look at your past instances and factor them into future treatments.

Legal Advice. Sometimes you my experience a serious injury. If you’re playing in an official league you’ll be covered by the insurance of the league or at least the team – in this case you’ll be in good hands. when you’re playing jumpers-for-goal posts you might find the proceedings a little more difficult, but in any case you should follow up with some professional help. Personal injury solicitors – like Access Legal – are worth approaching to ask questions about cases in which you may have a claim: they have delegated teams to deal with sports injury claims. It might seem like a difficult process to go through, but getting some professional help is bound to help things at least go through the proper channels.

Here’s a perfect example of how such an injury would occur thanks to Man Utd’s Rafael during their spanking earlier this week:

The easiest way to avoid injury is to avoid contact sport all together, but I for one would prefer to sustain an injury playing footy than not play at all. What do you reckon?

]]> http://shotgunbagsy.com/football-injuries/feed/ 0 http://shotgunbagsy.com/7ft-damage-control/ http://shotgunbagsy.com/7ft-damage-control/#comments Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:52:19 +0000 shotgunbagsy http://shotgunbagsy.com/?p=864 »]]> How much damage can one player do to a football team with 7ft of space? A goal? Two perhaps?

Durk Kuyt is the oft-unsung hero of LFC.. yes he works hard, which he is credited for, but it’s more the fact that he insists on scoring goals with ludicrous body parts that has the Mr Joe. Average dismissing him as a bit of a donkey (this includes me, by the way). We’ve been thrown into Champions League play-offs because of his right shin, almost conceded own goals because of the back of his head and seldom seen him executing a classy finish with his favoured right boot. I’d be willing to bet that the Dirk has scored more goals with any parts other than his feet.

This week, against a much praised Manchester Utd side – our very own Dirk Kuyt managed to squeeze out a hat-trick. The first goal was downright theft as Luis Suarez weaved and “deaved” his way through the United 6 yard box to poke the ball passed an out-stretched Van Der Sar. The ball had all but crossed the line as Dirk steamed in to finish his dinner – to be fair he couldn’t have known if there were defenders any where near by but – it was the Merriam Webster definition of poached. His next was a header on the back of Nani’s “miscalculation” and the third was stolen from under the nose of a now distraught MUFC number 1 as he spilled the fizzed effort of Suarez’ free kick.

It was, according to the pundits on MotD, the shortest hat-trick in premier league history.

Well in, Dirk. You big Dirk.

You know the first acronym well.. who doesn’t? In this case it refers to the often-hailed “Queen of the WAGs” Mrs Victoria Beckham; wife to one of the most famous names in pop-culture, mother to multiple names that will usurp their idolized father and inadvertent devotee to the world of football.

The second is a bit of an improvisation. It stands for “That Silly Bint That Doesn’t Give Up” aka; Katie Price aka; “Jordan”. Famous for dropping her kit, divorcing at all available opportunities and paying lip service to any plastic surgeon on the planet that could be convinced to add their “two cents” to her ever increasing breast size. There is a degree of bitterness saved especially for the type of character set that Ms (Mrs? Miss? I can’t keep up nowadays) Price represents. She is an A* star student from the class of those that have risen to fame and fortune through no particularly purposive means who’s members still feel they have the right to share their opinions with the world through television shows, repeat autobiography releases and generally splashing their “bare naked truths” in the media.

They’ve had fallings out in the past and things heated up again at the end of last month – Victoria and Jordan were planned to be on the same flight to LA until Mrs Beckham re-booked for half an hour later. Good move to avoid a cat fight from which the plastic surgeons play thing would likely have drawn several 000′s from “inside scoops” and “baring alls”.

Well, there’s no more depth to my rant than that, really. Here’s the source.

Cheers for taking part.