ROME – The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is shrouded in mystery: How did he die? Are the remains buried in a French chateau really those of the Renaissance master? Was the "Mona Lisa" a self-portrait in disguise?A group of Italian scientists believes the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains — and they say they are seeking permission from French authorities to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing.If the skull is intact, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and the public for centuries: the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo's face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting, experts involved in the project told The Associated Press."We don't know what we'll find if the tomb is opened, we could even just find grains and dust," says Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. "But if the remains are well kept, they are a biological archive that registers events in a person's life, and sometimes in their death."The leader of the group, Silvano Vinceti, told the AP that he plans to press his case with the French officials in charge of the purported burial site at Amboise Castle early next week.But the Italian enthusiasm may be premature.In France, exhumation requires a long legal procedure, and precedent suggests it's likely to take even longer when it involves a person of great note such as Leonardo.Jean-Louis Sureau, director of the medieval-era castle located in France's Loire Valley, said that once a formal request is made, a commission of experts would be set up. Any such request would then be discussed with the French Ministry of Culture, Sureau said.Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him "first painter to the king." He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in Cloux, near the monarch's summer retreat of Amboise, in 1519 at age 67.The artist's original burial place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle.The tombstone says simply, "Leonardo da Vinci;" a notice at the site informs visitors they are the presumed remains of the artist, as do guidebooks."The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it's a big question mark," said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his Tuscan hometown of Vinci.Vezzosi, who is not involved in the project, said that investigating the tomb could help identify the artist's bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle turned him down.As for the latest Italian proposal, Vinceti says preliminary conversations took place several years ago and he plans to follow up with a request next week to set up a meeting to explain the project in detail. This would pave the way for a formal request, he said.The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of "solving the great enigmas of the past," said Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature.Arguably the world's most famous painting, the "Mona Lisa" hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting's subject for centuries, with speculation ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo's own mother.That Leonardo intended the "Mona Lisa" as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has intrigued and divided scholars. Theories have abounded: Some think that Leonardo's taste for pranks and riddles might have led him to conceal his own identity behind that baffling smile; others have speculated that, given Leonardo's presumed homosexuality, the painting hid an androgynous lover.Some have used digital analysis to superimpose Leonardo's bearded self-portrait over the "Mona Lisa" to show how the facial features perfectly aligned.If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a miniature camera and ground-penetrating radar — which produces images of an underground space using radar waves_ to confirm the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume the remains and attempt to date the bones with carbon testing.At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to ascertain whether the remains are actually Leonardo's, including with DNA testing.Vezzosi questions the feasibility of a DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants of Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist's close relatives.Gruppioni said DNA extracted from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have smudged colors on the canvas with his thumb, possibly using saliva, meaning DNA might be found on his paintings, though Gruppioni conceded this was a long shot.Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether the bones belonged to a man or woman, and whether the person died young or old."We can have various levels of probability in the attribution of the bones," Gruppioni said. "To have a very high probability, DNA testing is necessary."The experts would also look for any pathology or other evidence of the cause of death. Tuberculosis or syphilis, for example, would leave significant traces in the bone structure, said Vinceti.In the best-case scenario — that of a well-preserved skull — the group would take a CAT scan and reconstruct the face, said Francesco Mallegni, an anthropology professor who specializes in reconstructions and has recreated the faces of famous Italians, including Dante.Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the "Mona Lisa."Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one's features but a representation of one's spiritual identity may have resonated with Leonardo.Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as "baseless and senseless" the idea that the "Mona Lisa" could be a self-portrait of Leonardo.The painting is "like a mirror: Everybody starts from his own hypothesis or obsession and tries to find it there," Vezzosi said in a telephone interview.He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either a concubine of the artist's sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name "Mona Lisa" comes from the silk merchant's wife, as well as its Italian name: "La Gioconda."___Associated Press writer Deborah Seward in Paris and Ariel David in Rome contributed to this report.
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This was one of the earlier booklets written by Ahmed Deedat and one that is likely to become a priceless heirloom in your home. Mr Deedat says, "It was in 1939 when I was working as a shop assistant at Adams Mission near a Christian seminary by that name; producing preachers and priests that I and my fellow Muslim workers were the target of young aspiring men of the cloth. Not a day passed when these young Christians did not harass me or my brothers in faith, through insults which they piled on Islam, the Holy prophet and the Qur'an". It was during this period by chance that Ahmed Deedat picked up the book "Izharul Haq" which was the turning point in his life and subsequently this led him to stop the trainee missionaries DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS. In this particular booklet, Mr Deedat discusses the authenticity of a book which is believed to be inspired by 1.5 billion souls.He discusses the variants existing in the different versions of the Bible and proves that the usual charge of forgery attested to the Qur'an is essentially disingenuous in view of the fact that the yardstick under which Christians test the Qur'an can easily be used against the Bible with more devastating effects. Ahmed Deedat goes on to prove that the most popular King James Version used throughout the Christian world today is defective and fraudulent on the authority of 32 scholars of the highest eminence backed by 50 co-operating denominations who say in the preface of the revised version that the King James version has GRAVE DEFECTS. Verses which have in the past been the king-pin of Christian preaching such as the Trinity (1John 5:7), The Ascension (Mark 16:9-20 & Luke 24:51), The Prophecy of Jesus found in(Isaiah 7:14) and the incident of the women caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11), have now been discovered to be fabricated and unauthentic, therefore one finds that in the Revised Standard Version '52 they have been thrown out as "interpolations" and "pious frauds" by these modern Christian scholars.Plagiarism found in Isaiah 37 & 2 Kings 19 is exposed, where we find extracts attributed to authors living 1000 of years apart to be identical to the letter. The obvious indictment would be on God that he had absentmindedly dictated the same tale twice. Contradictions such as numerical variants in 2 Samuel 10:18 and 1 Chronicles 19:18, Dichotomy as in 2 Samuel 24:1 and 1 Chronicles 21:1 and downright foolishness as in 2 Chronicles 36:9 and 2 Kings 24:8 are expressly discussed. Furthermore, the immoral aspects of the Christian scud where descriptions of the genital organs occur in Ezekiel 23:19-20 as well as the unlawful relationships described in Genesis 19:30 and Genesis 38 is questioned as to how they could be found placed in a book whose "HOLINESS" is attributed to God.http://www.ahmed-deedat.co.za/frameset.aspRead more…
By BETSY TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer Betsy Taylor, Associated Press Writer – Tue Aug 4, 4:50 pm ETST. LOUIS – It's no secret that raising children can be expensive, but how about nearly a quarter of a million dollars expensive?A government report released Tuesday says a middle-income family with a child born last year will spend about $221,000 raising that child through age 17.The report by the USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion identified housing as the largest single expense, followed by food and child care/education costs. The $221,000 in expenses rises to about $292,000 when adjusted for inflation.USDA economist Mark Lino, who co-authored the report with Andrea Carlson, often hears people say children cost a lot when the annual findings are issued."I tell them children also have many benefits, so you have to keep that in mind," he said.Families with more income spend more money on child-related costs, the report said. A two-parent family that earns less than $57,000 annually will spend about $160,000 on a child from birth through high school. Those with an income between $57,000 and $99,000 spend about $221,000 and those with higher incomes are expected to spend roughly $367,000 through age 17.Most single-parent households in the U.S. make less than $57,000 and are expected to spend about 7 percent less on child-rearing costs compared to two-parent households in that same income group, according to the report.Costs of raising a child are highest in the urban northeast and lowest in the urban south and rural areas.The USDA report helps courts and states determine child-support guidelines and foster care payments. It does not address costs specifically related to childbearing and paying for college.One of the largest changes over time has been the increase in costs related to care for young children.The report was first issued in 1960, when such costs were largely negligible, but with more working families turning to outside help with child care, it has grown to be a significant expense for many families. The report does not give total costs related to early child care.A mother of three, Raben Andrews of St. Louis, said the government figures sounded right to her. "Well, that's not half of it," joked the 42-year-old public school teacher. "I still have to put the little buggers through college."____Expenditures on Children by Families report: http://www.cnpp.usda.govhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090804/ap_on_re_us/us_fea_parenting_costRead more…
PIERRE, S.D. – If this were a movie, nobody would believe it: A rancher struggling to eke out a living in one of the poorest corners of America claimed one of the biggest undivided jackpots in U.S. lottery history Friday — $232 million — after buying the ticket in a town by the name of Winner.Neal Wanless, 23, said he intends to buy himself more room to roam and repay the kindness other townspeople have shown his family."I want to thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity and blessing me with this great fortune. I will not squander it," he promised, wearing a big black cowboy hat and a huge grin.Wanless, who is single, lives with his mother and father on the family's 320-acre ranch near Mission, where they raise cattle, sheep and horses. They don't own a phone, a mobile home of theirs was repossessed last year, and records show they have fallen $3,552 behind in their property taxes.Wanless bought $15 worth of tickets to the May 27 30-state Powerball drawing at a convenience store in Winner during a trip to buy livestock feed. He will take home a lump sum of $88.5 million after taxes are deducted.The Wanless home stands in a grove of trees in Todd County, home to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. It was the nation's seventh-poorest county in 2007, according to the Census Bureau.Dave Assman, who owns farmland next to the Wanless ranch, said he is happy the family won't have to worry about money any more. "They've been real short on finances for a long time," Assman said. "They are from real meager means, I guess you'd say.""I hope they enjoy their money," said county assessor Cathy Vrbka, a family friend. "They work hard, backbreaking hard work."Wanless' father, Arlen Wanless, 54, has made a living in recent years mainly by buying and selling scrap metal, but his fortunes dropped with the price of iron, said Dan Clark, an auctioneer from Winner and a friend of more than two decades.The younger Wanless told lottery officials that he spent the last week working on the ranch and that he intends to continue that lifestyle, albeit on a larger piece of land. According to lottery officials, he recently told his horse, Eleanor, "It'd be nice if we go for a longer ride than usual on a bigger ranch of our own.""My family has been helped by the community, and I intend to repay that help many times over," Wanless said. He gave no details.An Oregon family turned $40 worth of tickets into $340 million Powerball prize in 2005, and at least four other winners collected larger jackpots than Wanless' prize.The store where Wanless bought the winning ticket will get a $50,000 bonus. Sharon Ulmer, manager of the store, said she is glad the Wanless family won."From what I understand they don't have a lot, so the money definitely went to a good place," Ulmer said. "I know it went to a good home. They can use it."___Associated Press writers Carson Walker in Pierre and Dirk Lammers in Sioux Falls contributed to this story.
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FERNANDO DE NORONHA, Brazil – Air France has told families of passengers on Flight 447 that the jetliner broke apart and they must abandon hope that anyone survived, a grief counselor said Thursday as Brazilian ships neared debris bobbing in the Atlantic.Air France's CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said at a private meeting with families that the plane disintegrated either in the air or when it slammed into the ocean and there were no survivors, according to Guillaume Denoix de Saint-Marc, who was asked by Paris prosecutors to help counsel relatives.The plane, carrying 228 people, disappeared after leaving Rio de Janeiro for Paris on Sunday night. It was Air France's deadliest plane crash and the world's worst commercial air accident since 2001.With the crucial black box voice and data recorders still missing, investigators were relying heavily on the plane's automated messages to help reconstruct what happened as the jet flew through towering thunderstorms.The messages detail a series of failures that end with its systems shutting down, suggesting the plane broke apart in the sky, according to an aviation industry official with knowledge of the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the crash."What is clear is that there was no landing. There's no chance the escape slides came out," said Denoix de Saint-Marc, who heads a victims' association for UTA Flight 772, which Libyan terrorists downed with a suitcase bomb in 1989.Seas were calm Thursday with periodic rain as ships converged on three debris sites to recover wreckage, but "extreme cloudiness" prevented U.S. satellites from helping, said French military spokesman Christophe Prazuck."The clock is ticking on finding debris before they spread out and before they sink or disappear," Prazuck said. "That's the priority now, the next step will be to look for the black boxes."French planes and a U.S. Navy P-3C Orion surveillance plane joined Brazil's Air Force, whose pilots guided Navy ships to debris areas across a search zone of 2,300 square miles (6,000 square kilometers), said Brazil Air Force Gen. Ramon Borges Cardoso. He said collection of debris could begin Thursday. No bodies or body parts were seen.Floating debris spotted so far includes a 23-foot (seven-meter) chunk of plane, an airline seat, an oil slick and several large brown and yellow pieces that Cardoso said probably came from inside the plane.A Navy spokesman denied French media reports Thursday morning that ships had already started recovering debris. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of department policy.Brazil's Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said debris had spread more than 140 miles (230 kilometers) apart in currents roughly 400 miles (640 kilometers) northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands off Brazil's northern coast, where the ocean floor drops as low as 22,950 feet (7,000 meters) below sea level.The Pourquoi Pas, a French sea research vessel carrying manned and unmanned submarines, is heading from the Azores and will be in the search zone by June 12, Prazuck said. The equipment includes the Nautile, a mini-sub used to explore the undersea wreckage of the Titanic, according to French marine institute Ifremer.But the lead French investigator has questioned whether the recorders will ever be found in such deep and rugged underwater terrain.While Brazil leads the search effort, France is in charge of the accident investigation, and has invited the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board to help. The U.S. team includes representatives from General Electric Aviation of Cincinnati, Ohio, which made the plane's engines, and Honeywell International Inc. of Morristown, N.J., which made major components of the plane's electronic systems.The mourning continues — more than 500 people packed the historic Candelaria church in the center of Rio de Janeiro Thursday for a Mass for the victims of crash. Some relatives quietly sobbed and others wore sunglasses to hide reddened eyes.Carlos Eduardo Esteves, a 22-year-old law school student, came to remember Air France crew member Lucas Gagliano, a Brazilian who was on his way back home to France after attending his father's funeral.His eyes tearing up, Esteves said they had been friends for years."This is a form of saying goodbye to him. I feel so much loss, the nation has lost so much."The pilot sent a manual signal at 11 p.m. local time Sunday saying he was flying through an area of black, electrically charged cumulonimbus clouds that come with violent winds and lightning. The automated messages that followed suggest the plane broke apart in the sky, according to the aviation industry official.At 11:10 pm, a cascade of problems began: the autopilot had disengaged, a key computer system switched to alternative power, and controls needed to keep the plane stable had been damaged. An alarm sounded indicating the deterioration of flight systems.Three minutes after that, systems for monitoring air speed, altitude and direction failed, and then controls over the main flight computer and wing spoilers failed as well.The last automatic message, at 11:14 p.m., signaled loss of cabin pressure and complete electrical failure — catastrophic events in a plane that was likely already plunging toward the ocean.Patrick Smith, a U.S. airline pilot and aviation analyst, said the failures could have begun with a loss of electrical power, possibly as the result of an extremely strong lightning bolt."What jumps out at me is the reported failure of both the primary and standby instruments," Smith said. "From that point the plane basically becomes unflyable.""If they lost control and started spiraling down into a storm cell, the plane would begin disintegrating, the engines and wings would start coming off, the cabin would begin falling apart," he said.The pilot of a Spanish airliner flying nearby at the time reported seeing a bright flash of white light plunging to the ocean, said Angel del Rio, spokesman for the Spanish airline Air Comet."Suddenly, off in the distance, we observed a strong and bright flash of white light that took a downward and vertical trajectory and vanished in six seconds," the pilot wrote in his report, del Rio told the AP.The pilot of the Spanish plane, en route from Lima, Peru to Madrid, said he heard no emergency calls.France's defense minister and the Pentagon have said there were no signs that terrorism was involved, and Jobim, the Brazilian defense minister, said "that possibility hasn't even been considered."___Keller reported from Paris. Associated Press writers Bradley Brooks in Rio de Janeiro; Alan Clendenning in Sao Paulo; Marco Sibaja in Brasilia; Slobodan Lekic in Brussels; Daniel Woolls in Madrid; and Angela Charlton and Emma Vandore in Paris also contributed to this report.(This version CORRECTS reference to UTA Flight 772 bombing and CORRECTS media reports to Thursday sted Wednesday) )news.yahoo.com
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Dear turkish speakers, friends how are you doing there?! What's new? And I'm doing well, I have news for you. :) I am learning Turkish language now, my english is normal and I would like to share my english who has problems with english. (Sorry, it's just for Turkish speakers, because I have problems with Turkish speaking..))) I have TOEFL full course if you need I can share with you guys (arkadaslar),,, so if you have any questions or suggestions come on in and write it down.. do not shy..Hugs,,Aziz Turkce hoparlorler, arkadaslar nasilsinyz?! Ne haber? Allaha sagol ben iyiyim, ve, ben bu gunlerde turkce ilim kazanma (veya ogrenmebi? ben biraz daha bilmiyor ki))) Eğer yazı ile hatalar vardı ozur dilerim. Eğer o bana yaptığı veya onun Türkçe beceri payı olabilir İngilizce ile Türkçe hoparlör yardım istiyorum. Eğer seninle paylaşmak gerek ben TOEFL tam ders var. Sanırım yakında sizden duymak umuyoruz... :)Iyi gunler! :)
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