2012 T20 World Cup Venues in Sri Lanka

In this edition of 2012 T20 World Cup, we discuss the possible cricket stadiums to host the T20 WC  in Sri Lanka, which are given as follows

• Colombo –  R Premadasa  Stadium
• Kandy       -   Pallekelle International  stadium
• Galle          -  Galle International  stadium
• Hambanthota -  Sooriyawewa  International  stadium
• Dambulla   - Dambulla International  stadium
• Colombo     - Sinhala Sports Club Cricket Stadium

Sri Lanka Cricket introduced 2 new cricket stadiums in the forms of Pallekelle and Sooriyawewa which made their debuts in the 2011 World Cup, we also saw the R Premadasa Stadium being completely renovated from the pitch surfaces itself.

   The Ranasinghe Premadasa Cricket Stadium (Colombo)
One of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most famous cricket stadium in Sri Lanka, has the capability to stage Day-Night matches with now a seating capacity close to around 35,000.During the 2011 WC it was jam packed and even buying a ticket to watch a match in this stadium was a near-impossible task. The pitch ideal for ODI cricket has produced high scores in both ODI and T20Is.It will be the main venue to host the T20 WC which is scheduled to begin next year.

   The Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium (Kandy)
Situated in the Hills of Kandy in a remote area in Pallekelle, this stadium has the makings of Super Sport Park in South Africa. Surrounded by cinematic mountains and divine greenery, this stadium is a true gift of nature. It is set to host 2 T20Is vs. Australia on 6th and 8th of August ,and last night we saw a run fest with plenty of entertainment from Dilshan scoring his maiden T20I century. This stadium offers a batting friendly track where as the last 2 ODIs teams batted first have scored more than 300 runs and in the 1st T20 vs Australia, Sri Lanka scored 198-3 and Aussies replied with 163 which means this stadium is able to offer a run fest which will be ideal for T20 cricket  which the spectators will enjoy big time.

         Galle International Stadium (Galle)
 The Galle Fort at the stadium’s background, if you are spectator at the stadium it will be a truly breathtaking atmosphere also with the beach behind the stadium. However in 2004 December 26, this magnificent Stadium was demolished by the terror waves of the tsunami, but later on in 2007 the stadium was re-built in to a very modern structure but since then it has only hosted test matches along with a few domestic league the early 2000s.Nevertheless we hope that Sri Lanka Cricket Board could provide games. It is very depressing sight to see this stadium not hosting at least 1 ODI since the stadium with at least 2 T20I matches in the 2012 T20 World Cup.

News from - http://www.islandcricket.lk/blogs/srilankacricket/roar-of-lanka/2012-t20-world-cup-venues-in-sri-lanka

10 Surprising Facts About Headaches

Did you know that sex can give you a bad headache? How about that three gene variations linked to migraines have been discovered? And that most sinus headaches are really migraines?

Research is zeroing in on a source of pain we’ve all felt at one time or another, whether it’s a dull aching pain or a tension headache, the throbbing of a migraine or a pounding hangover headache after a big night out. Here’s the rundown of 10 things you may not know about headaches - and how to avoid them:

Explore the head in 3D and learn where headaches affect you.

1. Sinus Headaches Are Rare: Nasal and sinus congestion, facial pain and pressure, and a headache usually don’t add up to a sinus headache. Headache specialists say that “true” sinus headaches are rare. In a study with almost 3,000 patients who had at least six “sinus headaches” in the previous six months, medical evaluations showed that 88 percent actually had migraines. In another study, 45 percent of migraine patients had either nasal congestion or watery eyes. Tipoff: it’s probably migraine if in addition to “sinus” symptoms, you’re nauseous, sensitive to light or noise and if the headache throbs and worsens with activity.

2. Processing 3D Images Causes Brain Strain: A Northwestern University ophthalmology professor warns that a large segment of the population may develop a headache and nausea while watching 3D movies. This is due to the brain strain involved with processing the three dimensional images - the more an image jumps out at you, the more effort your brain must make to fuse the pictures together, says Northwestern University's Michael A. Rosenberg, MD.

3. Take-Off and Landing Lead to Headaches: No, this has nothing to do with the aggravation of cancelled flights or long delays. Instead, sudden, severe, stabbing headaches during a plane’s ascent or descent are being reported. Doctors haven’t figured out yet what causes them. Luckily, the pain lasts only about 20 minutes.

4. Bug Spray Prompts Headaches: It’s not the bugs but exposure to insecticides used to kill them that causes these headaches (plus dizziness, trouble breathing, nausea and vomiting). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most cases required no medical treatment, but one death has been reported and 18 percent of those exposed to the insecticides required medical attention.  

5. High Cholesterol Causes Headaches: You may not have to worry unless you’re in your late 60s or older and have migraines with aura (the flashing lights, tingling and other signs of a headache’s approach that about one-third of migraine patients report). A recent study found a link between migraine with aura and high cholesterol in seniors. Migraine with aura has also been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

6. Headaches Might Be Genetic: Researchers have pinpointed three genetic variations linked to an increased risk of migraines. One is involved in sensing cold and pain, another is linked to several processes including signaling in nerve cells (neurons). The role of the third isn’t yet known. Each of the gene variations identified alters the risk for migraines by 10 to 15 percent.

7. Alcohol, As a Trigger, Is Overstated: Research from Italy suggests that the role of alcohol and some foods in triggering migraines has been overstated. Instead, the investigators found that stress, fatigue and in women, menstruation are most often the culprits. They suggested that migraine patients who want to drink alcohol could try small amounts of specific types to see what they can tolerate.

8. Botox Can Treat Headaches: Best known as a wrinkle remover, Botox also can put the brakes on chronic migraines (those that occur 15 days per month or more). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Botox for migraine prevention. Injections seem to cut down on headaches, although studies suggest that Botox doesn’t work as well as some prescription drugs.  Researchers still haven’t figured out how Botox staves off the headaches, but they do know that effects last only about three months before patients have to be re-injected.

9. The Battlefield Has Created a New Type of Headache: About one third of the soldiers returning from Iraq are bringing with them a new type of chronic migraine caused by nerve damage or the pressure from bomb blast waves. While these headaches are still being studied, treatments include rest, avoiding migraine triggers, stress management and changes of diet.

10. Sex Causes Headaches: Here’s a surprise: men are more likely to get these types of headaches than women. According to the American Headache Society, two types of headaches are related to sexual activity: a dull ache that develops as the sex act increases or a severe one that strikes as orgasm nears. Experts say it’s best to check with your doctor the first time you get one of these headaches. Hint: performance-enhancing drugs can bring on headaches in men who have migraines

News from - http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/10-surprising-facts-about-headaches

The Barack Obama-Mahatma Gandhi connection

If the world’s most powerful man looks upon someone as a hero, think the power that hero has on the minds of people. That’s the power of Gandhi. And President Barack Obama is a self-confessed fan.

Obama is such a fan that he prefers Gandhi's company to his other hero, another former American President, Abraham Lincoln.

In 2009, when Obama was visiting the Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, a ninth grader had asked him a tricky question. The student, named Lily had asked the president: "And if you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?"

Obama chuckled and answered: "Well, you know, dead or alive, that's a pretty big list. You know, I think that it might be Gandhi, who is a real hero of mine."

The President went on to say: "Now, it would probably be a really small meal because, he didn't eat a lot. But he's somebody who I find a lot of inspiration in. He inspired Dr. (Martin Luther) King, so if it hadn't been for the non-violent movement in India, you might not have seen the same non-violent movement for civil rights here in the United States."

The Obama-Gandhi connection goes back a long way. When he was contesting for the post of the US president, Obama's slogan, that won him votes as well as hearts, was "Be the change." It was inspired by one of Gandhi's most famous quotes, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

Obama makes it a point to invoke Gandhi on numerous occasions. When praising the people of Egypt last year for their peaceful protests and welcoming the end of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year-rule, he said, "While the sights and sounds that we heard were entirely Egyptian, we can't help but hear the echoes of history: echoes from Germans tearing down a wall, Indonesian students taking to the streets, Gandhi leading his people down the path of justice."

At his old Senate office, there were three framed photographs behind him - Martin Luther King Jr, Abraham Lincoln, and of course, Gandhi. "The impression on the Indian side is every time you meet him, he talks about Gandhi," the editor of an Indian newspaper had once remarked rather unkindly.

A large part of his visit to India was dedicated to exploring Gandhi. "He is a hero not just to India, but to the world," the president wrote in a guest book when he visited Gandhi's modest former home in Mumbai, now the Mani Bhavan museum. He also remarked that it was a "great book" because he read out the entry made by another one of his heroes, King, when the latter had visited Mani Bhavan in 1959. Unlike Obama's more presonalised remark, however, King's entry was a general, "Pretty cool." Obama had also visited Rajghat during his stay in India.

Even during his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Obama had invoked Gandhi, calling himself the "living testimony to the moral force" of the nonviolent movement embodied by Dr. King and Gandhi.

Even during his campaign, in one of his most memorable speeches, the US President had said, "Gandhi helped those who thought they had no power realise that they had power and then helped people who had a lot of power realise that if all they're doing is oppressing people, then that's not a really good exercise of power".

Well, there's one powerful fan of the Father of our Nation.

News from - http://news.in.msn.com/gandhi/Features_article.aspx?cp-documentid=5284408&page=0

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