RKMBs Forums .::Important::. off topic and offensive posts The Revenge of Frank Burns.

 How can rabies be prevented?

Make sure dogs, cats, and ferrets are vaccinated against rabies. Keep the vaccinations up to date.
Obey leash laws, and keep your pets supervised on your property to reduce the chance of exposure to rabies.
When traveling or visiting wilderness areas, avoid any direct contact with wild animals, especially bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes. Enjoy wild animals from a distance, even if they seem friendly. If you see an animal acting strangely, notify local health or animal control authorities. Do not try to catch the animal yourself.
Stay away from wildlife. If any contact occurs or is suspected, get medical advice as soon as possible. Some animal bites are small, and people can be bitten without realizing it (such as when they are asleep).
If your pet is attacked or bitten by another animal, report the attack to local health or animal control authorities. Be sure your vaccinated pet gets a booster vaccination.
If a person gets bitten, don't panic. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and lots of water. Get medical help immediately. The person might need preventive treatment. Rabies rarely occurs in humans if preventive treatment is started immediately. Alert animal control authorities so they can try to capture the animal.
Certain high-risk persons can be vaccinated against rabies. People who should consider being vaccinated include: veterinarians, persons who work with wildlife, laboratory staff who work with the rabies virus, and long-term travelers to areas where rabies is common.
 


Early Signs of Cat Illness

There are many different types of diseases you cat can suffer from, but there are some general indications that your might not be feeling well. We will describe these telltale signs for you in this section. Changes in your cat's behavior, though hard to detect, can be a sign of a serious problem. Changes in appetite or elimination are also a strong sing that your cat is coming down with something. Finally, changes in your cat's appearance are also a sign to look for.

How to Treat Cats With Asthma



A cat can be predisposed to asthma in the same way that humans are -- from allergies. And just like people with asthma, cats can also suffer asthma attacks. During an attack you cat will have trouble breathing and will be clearly struggling to catch her breath. If an attack is serious enough, it could be fatal for your cat. In this section, we will show you the steps you can take to ease your cat's asthma. Much like a human with asthma, you might have to asthma-proof your home for your cat.

How to Treat Cats With Cystitis



If your cat has frequent urinary or bladder problems, they might develop a highly problematic disease named cystitis. Symptoms of this condition include blood in the urine, frequent urination, or difficulty urinating. Your cat can even form something similar to kidney stones, which can be very painful. In this section, we will show how you can reduce your cat's risk for cystitis. First of all, what you feed your cat can have an enormous affect on whether or not your cat contracts cystitis. Also, stress can play a role in affecting your cat's health. 


How to Treat Cats With Diabetes



Much like in humans, an overweight cat has a significantly higher risk of contracting diabetes. Diabetes in cats works in the exact same way that it does in people -- the body's ability to produce insulin and process sugar is hampered. Diabetes is rare among cats, especially younger cats. However, a cat with diabetes can have very dire complications. In this section, we will show you how to diagnose cat diabetes and how to reduce your cat's chances of contracting the disease. We will also alert you to the signs that your cat could be falling into hypoglycemia

How to Treat Cats With Feline Immunodeficiency Virus



Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is sometimes referred to as feline AIDS, however, this is not entirely correct. There are some strong similarities between the two diseases, but the important distinction to make is that humans cannot, under any circumstances, catch the AIDS virus from a cat. This was a common misconception among pet owners that has lead to a lot of anxiety in the past. We will tell you how to get your cat tested for this virus and what to do if your cat has a positive reading. We will also show you how to treat your cat symptoms and how to work with your veterinarian. 


How to Treat Cats With Kidney Disease



Kidney disease can be a silent killer of cats. The major problem is that a cat with kidney disease will probably not show any outward signs of illness until the disease has progressed to a dangerous point. Kidney disease can eventually result in kidney failure, which is often fatal for cats. We will tell you what the signs of kidney disease are and how to spot them. 


How to Treat Cats With Liver Disease



Unlike kidney disease, liver disease will have outward symptoms that you will notice. The only problem is, the signs of liver disease are easily mistaken for other common illnesses. We will describe the warning signs of liver disease and show you how to tell them apart from other disorders. We will also show you how to work with your vet to treat your cat. 


How to Treat Cats With Tooth and Gum Disease



If plaque builds up on cat's teeth, your cat can develop gum disease. If left untreated, your cat's gum disease could result in pain and the loss of appetite. In this section, we will show you how to administer proper dental care to your cat. We will show you the proper ways to brush your cat's teeth and what foods with produce healthy teeth for your cat. 


How to Treat Cats With Upper Respiratory Disease



If you come down with a cold, you can probably assume that you have been exposed to a germ or virus. If your cat catches a cold, there are a small number of feline viruses that you can attribute the illness to. There are vaccines for theses viruses, but they do not guarantee that your cat will never catch a cold again. In this section, we will show how to prevent upper respiratory diseases and how to stop your cat from spreading them around the neighborhood.

Ulysses S. Grant

(born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America. Grant began his lifelong career as a soldier after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1843. Fighting in the Mexican American War, he was a close observer of the techniques of Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott. He resigned from the Army in 1854, then struggled to make a living in St. Louis and Galena, Illinois.

After the American Civil War began in April 1861, he joined the Union war effort, taking charge of training new regiments and then engaging the Confederacy near Cairo, Illinois. In 1862, he fought a series of major battles and captured a Confederate army, earning a reputation as an aggressive general who seized control of most of Kentucky and Tennessee at the Battle of Shiloh. In July 1863, after a long, complex campaign, he defeated five Confederate armies (capturing one of them) and seized Vicksburg. This famous victory gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, split the Confederacy, and opened the way for more Union victories and conquests. After another victory at the Battle of Chattanooga in late 1863, President Abraham Lincoln promoted him to the rank of lieutenant general and gave him charge of all of the Union Armies. As Commanding General of the United States Army from 1864 to 1865, Grant confronted Robert E. Lee in a series of very high casualty battles known as the Overland Campaign that ended in a stalemate siege at Petersburg. During the siege, Grant coordinated a series of devastating campaigns launched by William Tecumseh Sherman, Philip Sheridan, and George Thomas. Finally breaking through Lee's trenches at Petersburg, the Union Army captured Richmond, the Confederate capital, in April 1865. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. Soon after, the Confederacy collapsed and the Civil War ended.

During Reconstruction, Grant remained in command of the Army and implemented the Congressional plans to reoccupy the South and hold new elections in 1867 with black voters. This gave Republicans control of the Southern states. Enormously popular in the North after the Union's victory, he was elected to the presidency in 1868. Reelected in 1872, he became the first president to serve two full terms since Andrew Jackson did so forty years earlier. As president, he led Reconstruction by signing and enforcing civil rights laws and fighting Ku Klux Klan violence. He helped rebuild the Republican Party in the South, an effort that resulted in the election of African Americans to Congress and state governments for the first time. Despite these civil rights accomplishments, Grant's presidency was marred by economic turmoil and multiple scandals. His response to the Panic of 1873 and the severe depression that followed was heavily criticized. His low standards in Cabinet and federal appointments and lack of accountability generated corruption and bribery in seven government departments. In 1876, his reputation was severely damaged by the graft trials of the Whiskey Ring. In addition, his image as a war hero was tarnished by corruption scandals during his presidency. He left office at the low point of his popularity.

After leaving office, Grant embarked on a two-year world tour that was received favorably with many royal receptions. In 1880, he made an unsuccessful bid for a third presidential term. In 1884, broke and dying of cancer, he wrote his memoirs. Historians have ranked his Administration poorly due to tolerance of corruption. His presidential reputation has improved among scholars who are impressed by the Administration's support for civil rights for freed slaves.

Although a soldier by profession, I have never felt any sort of fondness for war, and I have never advocated it, except as a means of peace.
Ulysses S. Grant

Everyone has his superstitions. One of mine has always been when I started to go anywhere, accomplished.
Ulysses S. Grant

Hold fast to the Bible. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization and to this we must look as our guide in the future.
Ulysses S. Grant

I appreciate the fact, and am proud of it, that the attentions I am receiving are intended more for our country than for me personally.
Ulysses S. Grant

I have made it a rule of my life to trust a man long after other people gave him up, but I don't see how I can ever trust any human being again.
Ulysses S. Grant

I have never advocated war except as a means of peace.
Ulysses S. Grant

I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution.
Ulysses S. Grant

I know only two tunes: one of them is "Yankee Doodle," and the other isn't.
Ulysses S. Grant

I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.
Ulysses S. Grant

If men make war in slavish obedience to rules, they will fail.
Ulysses S. Grant

If you see the President, tell him from me that whatever happens there will be no turning back.
Ulysses S. Grant

In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins.
Ulysses S. Grant

It was my fortune, or misfortune, to be called to the office of Chief Executive without any previous political training.
Ulysses S. Grant

Labor disgraces no man; unfortunately, you occasionally find men who disgrace labor.
Ulysses S. Grant

Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate.
Ulysses S. Grant

My failures have been errors in judgment, not of intent.
Ulysses S. Grant

Nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions.
Ulysses S. Grant

No other terms than unconditional and immediate surrender. I propose to move immediately upon your works.
Ulysses S. Grant

   The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on.
Ulysses S. Grant

soccer

1. The Field of Play - The field of play is the surface on which the game of soccer is played on. This law regulates everything regarding line markings, soccer pitch dimensions and how to use them properly. For example, a soccer pitch must be between 90 and 120 meters long and 45 to 90 meters wide. However, it must also have a rectangular shape, so you can't have a square field with a length and width of 90 at the same time.

Other basic rules of soccer and field measurements are specified in this law, such as the dimensions of each goal (7.32 meters long and 2.44 meters high), the diameter of the centre circle (18.30 meters) or the distance between the penalty spot and the goal (11 meters, perpendicularly on the goal)

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2. The Ball - Throughout the time, the rules for soccer regarding the football remained the same, but the way in which they were applied was on a constant change. The rules state that the soccer bull must have a circumference between 68 and 70 centimeters and a weight between 410 and 450 grams but they also state that the ball can be made out of "leather or any similar material".

Well that "any similar material" bit constantly improved over time and nowadays soccer balls reached near-perfection. Almost each World Cup brought a new type of soccer ball, with improved characteristics, although all of them stayed inside the official soccer rules stated in the Laws.

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4. The Player's Equipment - Just like with the soccer ball, soccer equipment maintained most of the original rules in the Laws of the Game, but the way people interpret them today is quite different from how they did back in 1863. Basically the rules of soccer say that a player must wear a shirt or jersey, footwear, shin pads, shorts and socks and the two teams must have different equipment so that they can be differentiated on the pitch.

Back then however, a soccer jersey was a largely uncomfortable one and it was very simple, without too many details strapped on it. Today's jerseys are very light and comfortable and on many occasions they have the club's sponsors imprinted on them, they have the number of the player (and the name in some cases) on the back and the club's badge on the chest. These are not enforced by the soccer rules, but they have become common standards in today's game.

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5. The Referee - Well the man in black (or more recently phosphorus green) is probably the biggest "invention" that came with the initial soccer rules constitution and his role is to enforce these official rules of soccer "in connection to the match he has been appointed to".

The center referee is accompanied and helped by two assistant referees (one on each side of the pitch) and a fourth one that handles small issues like showing injury time duration, checking a substitute player's equipment and replacing one of the three main referees if they can't continue the game.

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6. The Assistant Referees - As I explained above, the assistant referees are placed on the sides of the pitch (one each) and their main role is to help the main referee with some decisions. Actually, the assistant referee has no decision power, he can only signal a game issue (an offside, a foul, handball and so forth) but it's up to the central ref if he's or she is going to take up the assistant's advice.

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7. The Duration of the Match - Standard adult games are limited by the official soccer rules to two halves of 45 minutes each, separated by a 15 minutes break. This is not the actual time of play, since this 90 minute clock ticks even when the ball is out of play, during substitutions and so forth. In order to try to balance this timing a bit, the end of each half also brings a few minutes of "injury time" on the table.

In some cases, when the match must have a winner (a knockout match for example), two extra mini-periods of 15 minutes each, with no break between them are added. If the match is tied at the end of extra time as well, the players go on for a penalty-shootout that will eventually decide the winner.

soccer


8. The Start and Restart of Play - There are 8 reasons for which the game can be stopped and similarly, 8 ways to restart it. Each period of time starts with a kick-off (1) and the game is also restarted with a kick-off if a team scores a goal. If the ball goes out on the side lines, the player who last touched the ball conceded a throw-in (2). The game is restarted with the other team throwing the ball back into play.


The goal kick (3) is awarded to the defending team, if the attacking team took the ball out of play on the defending team's goal line. The game is restarted with the goalkeeper kicking it from within the safety box. If the defending team touches the ball last and it goes over their own goal line, outside of the goal itself, then the opposing team earns a corner kick (4) and they will be required to restart the game from the corner nearest to where the ball went out.


An indirect free kick (5) is awarded when a team produces a non-penal foul (dangerous play or offside for example) and the game is restarted with a ground kick that cannot be taken towards goal (if a player scores directly from an indirect free kick, without another player touching the ball, the goal won't stand). A direct free kick (6) is caused by a foul or handball and unlike the indirect free kick it can be struck directly towards the goal.


A penalty kick (7) is similar to a direct free kick in that it is caused by a foul or handball, but the offence occurs inside the defending team's penalty area. The game is restarted with one of the attacking team's players shooting for goal from the penalty spot (11 meters, perpendicularly on goal), with nothing but a goalkeeper to beat.


The last of these eight soccer rules is rarer and it's called the dropped ball (8). The dropped ball occurs when the referee stops the game for a special reason (an injured player, ball becoming defective or the interference of an external factor) and the game is restarted with him dropping the ball from shoulder height in front of two players who will battle for possession (sort of how basketball matches decide initial possession).

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9. Ball In and Out of Play - According to the official soccer rules, the ball is in play all throughout the match duration, except when it passes a bounding line (goal lines and touch lines), when an offence occurs or when play is stopped by the referee. In these particular cases, the ball is out of play and the soccer players cannot score goals or interact with the ball. In addition, substitutions can only occur when the ball is out of play according to the rules for the game of soccer.

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10. The Methods of Scoring - As long as the ball is in play and no infringements of any soccer rules are being made, the players can score goals. A goal is considered when the ball crosses one of the goal areas with its entire circumference. Goals can be scored from action, from penalty spots and direct free kicks

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12. Fouls and Misconduct - There's a difference between fouls and misconduct that many people fail to understand. A foul can occur when a player tries to get the ball from his opponent and kicks him or pushes him away accidentally, whereas misconduct means that a player willfully targets his opponent and punches, kicks or pushes him away.

Fouls can only occur when the ball is in play, but misconduct can occur when it's out of play as well. Depending on the seriousness of the foul or misconduct, the referee can penalize it with a yellow or red card in addition to a free kick or penalty kick.

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13. Free Kicks - I've explained most of the soccer rules regarding free kicks in "Soccer Rule Number 8 – The Start and Restart of Play". One additional soccer rule worth mentioning is that players from the opposing team must be at least 9.15 meters away from the position where the free kick will be struck. Also, the player that kicks the ball initially on a free kick cannot touch it again until a teammate or opposing player touches it.

soccer

14. Penalty Kicks - Penalty kicks are conceded when a defended player fouls or commits handball inside the 18 yard box (commonly known as the penalty box). It's important to know that not all offences inside the penalty box are punished with a penalty kick. For example, if a player commits dangerous play inside his own penalty box, the referee will award an indirect free kick from the place that the offence occurred.

When the penalty kick is taken, the only two players in the 18 yard box are the penalty taker and the defending team's goalkeeper. Everyone else must sit outside the box and can only move towards the ball once it is kicked. So if the penalty is saved by the goalkeeper or strikes the bar, a player could run from the edge of the box and gain possession.

soccer

15. The Throw In - When the ball goes out of play on the side lines, the opponent of the player who last touched the ball will take a throw in. The throwing method has to follow some rather strict rules; otherwise the referee might dictate a throw in for the other team. The player taking the throw must keep his feet outside the side line, with the sole on the ground and the actual throw must be executed with the ball over the thrower's head.

soccer

16. The Goal Kick - The goal kick is a means of restarting play after the attacking team took the ball over the defending team's byline. The goal kick acts as a direct free kick, so if a player would kick the ball so hard that it would reach the opposing team's goal and score, the goal would count.

One extra soccer rule regarding the goal kick states that the kick must be powerful enough to pass the penalty area. So in case the goalkeeper executes the goal kick and passes the ball to a teammate in his own penalty box, the goal kick is re-taken.

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17. The Corner Kick - The last of the 17 rules of soccer refers to the corner kick, which occurs when the ball passes over the defending player's goal line, with a defender having touched the ball last. The corner kick acts as a direct free kick taken from the corner of the pitch (if the ball passes the line on the left of the goal, the corner is taken from the left corner and if it passes on the right, the corner is taken from the right corner).


The same rules as for a direct free kick apply, in that opposing players must be at least 9.15 meters away from the corner, the corner taker may score directly from the corner kick and the kicker can't play the ball a second time until it's touched by another player. The only additional rule is that the ball be placed in the corner arc.


Well that's pretty much all you need to know about soccer and soccer rules. Most of these rules seem harder than they actually are on paper and if you watch a couple of matches you'll soon get the hang of them naturally. The only one that requires some special attention is the offside soccer rule, which indeed can be harder to understand without the proper explanation, so check out the offside article on the site for a more detailed clarification on that.

The soccer ball

1. As legend has it, soccer started in a rather grim setting during the middle ages. In Europe and more specifically, in England, the first forms of "mob soccer" were played after public executions, when the head of the poor victim was thrown in the crowd and the mob started kicking it aggressively. With lot's of executions being performed during that period in England, it's easy to understand why the Brits took this sport as their own. Still, leaving legend aside, let's pass on to the fact-based history of soccer balls.

Since the history of the soccer game can be traced back to ancient times, it's quite clear that the soccer balls used back then were improvisations made out of daily used materials. The Aztecs used small, bouncy rubber balls in their basketball-soccer game of hoop kicking, whereas Chinese warriors would often enjoy a game of no-rules soccer using sewn up leather balls stuffed with light materials.

The soccer ball

2. However, leather soccer balls were a luxury those days (who would spare a fine piece of leather for some silly game, when it could have been used for clothing, making bags out of or using it in armors?).


The most common type of soccer ball in ancient times, at least in Europe and Asia, was made out of animal bladder. Since pigs were the most common source of food for winter sustenance, their bladders were often extracted, cleaned, inflated and kicked around.

The soccer ball

3.Although pig-bladder soccer balls were quite resistant, they were extremely light and could not have been used for more than a simple game of "hold the ball in the air", so calling them "soccer balls" is an overstatement at best.


Good thing THAT particular sport didn't evolve or we would still be playing soccer with balloons. When someone, somewhere had the idea to use stuffed leather in order to create a kicking object, we could very well state that it meant the start of a new era in the history of soccer balls and the soccer game.


Leather balls were harder, more controllable and more durable, although not as elastic as the rubber balls used in the Americas. However one of the biggest problems of that period's soccer balls, be they made of leather, rubber or bladder, was that they were highly irregular in shape and size, which made them less controllable.

The soccer ball

4. In 1836, Charles Goodyear did us all a favor and patented vulcanized rubber and although his invention was to be used in more important areas at that time, it also helped taking the history of soccer balls one step forward, with the introduction of the first vulcanized rubber soccer balls (which were also designed by Goodyear, reportedly a fan of the game) in 1855.


From 1855 until today, the history of the soccer game evolved tremendously and so did its "work object", which evolved more in a century than it did in the entire history of soccer balls prior to this period.


Modern technology and the exponentially rising popularity and financial strength of soccer all worked together in bringing state-of-the-art super soccer balls and taking the history of soccer balls one step further.