Assateague Ponies Swim

Ponies make their way across the Assateague Channel in Chincoteague, Va., Wednesday morning July 27, 2005, during the annual pony swim. The pony swim is part of the Chincoteague Volunteer Firemen's Carnival. The ponies were then herded through town to a corral on the carnival grounds, where they are sold at auction
Ponies make their way across the Assateague Channel in Chincoteague, Va., Wednesday morning July 27, 2005, during the annual pony swim. The pony swim is part of the Chincoteague Volunteer Firemen's Carnival. The ponies were then herded through town to a corral on the carnival grounds, where they are sold at auction.

Old Rolling Stones to Tour

 
The Rolling Stones announced that their upcoming tour and album will bear the alliterative title, which they came up with last year, "reflecting their fascination with the scientific theory about the origin of the universe," according to a statement. "
A Bigger Bang" will be released in the United States on Sept. 6 via Virgin Records. The North American leg of their trek, which had provisionally been dubbed the "Onstage" tour, begins on Aug. 21 at Boston's Fenway Park.
The album marks the band's first since 1997's "Bridges to Babylon," ending the longest recording break of their 43-year career. It boasts 16 tracks, two less then their expansive 1972 tour de force "Exile on Main Street."

Lance Goes Out on Top

Lance Armstrong closed out his amazing career with a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory Sunday, and did it a little earlier than expected. Because of wet conditions, race organizers stopped the clock as Armstrong and the main pack entered Paris.
Although riders were still racing, with eight laps of the Champs-Elysees to complete, organizers said that Armstrong had officially won. The stage started as it has done for the past six years, with Armstrong celebrating and wearing the race leader's yellow jersey.
One hand on his handlebars, the other holding a flute of champagne, Armstrong toasted his teammates as he pedaled into Paris to collect his crown. He held up seven fingers, one for each win, and a piece of paper with the number 7 on it.
In retiring, the 33-year-old will manage a rare feat in sports--going out on the top of his game. Armstrong has said that his decision was final and that he was walking away with "absolutely no regrets."

Maria Sharapova at ESPY Awards

Russian professional tennis player Maria Sharapova poses as she arrives at the 13th annual ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood July 13, 2005.

The taped program which honors excellence in sports performance will air on ESPN on July 17, 2005.

Michelangelo Code?

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Two Brazilian doctors and amateur art lovers believe they have uncovered a secret lesson on human anatomy hidden by Renaissance artist Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel's ceiling. Completed nearly 500 years ago, the brightly colored frescoes painted on the Vatican's famous sanctuary are considered some of the world's greatest works of art.

They depict Biblical scenes such as the "Creation of Adam" in which God reaches out to touch Adam's finger.
But Gilson Barreto and Marcelo de Oliveira believe Michelangelo also scattered his detailed knowledge of internal anatomy across 34 of the ceiling's 38 panels. The way they see it, a tree trunk is not just a tree trunk, but also a bronchial tube. And a green bag in one scene is really a human heart.

The key to finding the numerous organs, bones and other human insides is to first crack a "code" they believe was left behind by the Florentine artist. Essentially, it is a set of sometimes subtle, sometimes overt clues, like the way a figure is pointing. "Why wasn't this ever seen before? First, because very few people have the sufficient anatomical knowledge to see these pieces like this. I do because that's my profession," said Barreto, who is a surgeon in the Brazilian city of Campinas.

Eventually Barreto and Oliveira came to believe Michelangelo had left behind coded messages in each panel to help viewers find the hidden body part.

Their proposals, he said, "stretch the visual evidence far beyond Michelangelo's own specific vocabulary of poses, gestures and symbolic relationships."

Indeed, why would Michelangelo hide drawings of human organs in the Sistine Chapel? Barreto and Oliveira say they aren't sure, but it is well known that Michelangelo and other Renaissance artists were obsessed with human anatomy and the human body. There are also other examples of artists "hiding" objects in their paintings, images that can only be seen from a certain perspective.

Still, the two doctors have sent their book to art historians and anatomical specialists in Portugal to get their opinion, and plan to eventually get the Vatican's opinion too.

"We're not here to play around. We believe this is a great discovery for the arts," Barreto said. "The only thing we want to do is spread this knowledge."

Washington Nats in First on July 4th

The Washington Nationals did not let Chad Cordero's blown save affect them. Brian Schneider hit a solo homer in the 12th inning, and the Nationals overcame Cordero's first blown save in more than two months to complete a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with a 5-4 victory Sunday.
The Nationals have won six straight to reach 50 wins faster than any season in franchise history. It was the first three-game sweep at Wrigley Field for the club since the Montreal Expos did it June 3-5, 1994.
At the halfway point of the season, the Nationals(50-31) are in first place with a six game lead over the Atlanta Braves. Cordero's blown save was one of two by in the late innings by Washington pitchers, who also could not hold a two-run lead in the 11th. ``Nobody gets down. The only cry was 'Let's pick Chief up,''' said Nationals manager Frank Robinson, referring to Cordero.
Brad Wilkerson hit a two-run double in the 11th inning, and after the Cubs tied it again, Schneider hit his sixth homer with two outs in the 12th and pitcher ``You've got to give credit to our team,'' Schneider said. ``Chad gave up the save but he's picked us up all year long, so it was our turn to pick him up.'' Joey Eischen held the Cubs in the bottom of the 12th to get the win.
Washington led 2-0 in the ninth before Aramis Ramirez hit his 18th homer, a two-run shot off Cordero that ended the closer's streak of 26 consecutive saves. It was Cordero's first blown save since April 21 at Atlanta, and third of the season. ``It was a little weird, but it was bound to happen sometime. It's better that it happens now rather than later,'' Cordero said.

Happy Birthday America