Saint in Paradise

It's sport, not sex say pole dancer champs September 13, 2008, 10:07 pm AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - It was a busy time for pole dancers in Amsterdam at the weekend. While the red light district's troupe were gyrating as usual on Friday night, a host of girls from Albania to Spain flew in to compete for the European pole dance championship title. Wearing sportswear reminiscent of Olympic gymnasts rather than skimpy leotards, girls performed gravity-defying dance routines based around two 6-metre poles -- one rotating, one fixed. "Everything which we do requires so much strength. You train your legs and your muscles. It has nothing to do with eroticism. You have no time to think of that!" said Jeannine Wikering, the 26-year-old competitor for Germany who came third. "I think one day it should be an Olympic sport -- but that will take time. You would have to agree which moves on which to judge competitors, at the moment we all have such different routines," she added. Galina Troschenko, a 36-year-old representing Spain, won the event judged by a panel of five with a virtuoso performance full of acrobatic feats. "I've only been doing this for three years, but I suppose I have a background as a dancer," she said. Enthusiasts say pole dancing has taken off in recent years, with a rising number of classes set up to show women how to pole dance safely -- without pulling muscles or falling from the top of the pole. The 10 girls of different nationalities taking part had competed for the contest in their home countries and most donned tracksuits at the end, reinforcing the sporting image. Kenneth Tao was in an audience of several hundred watching the event in a central Amsterdam night-club. "I didn't see anything which I thought was erotic. It was gymnastic," he said. "I was watching their choreography in particular." Amsterdam is among many cities across Europe and the United States offering fitness classes incorporating pole dance inspired moves. Women attending such classes are often advised to wear full makeup to boost their self-confidence, and businesses selling poles say they are frequently installed in bedrooms, showing pole dancing has not quite shed its image of sex and seduction. (Additional reporting by Amsterdam bureau; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Where is Flossy and her pictures

The football authorities appear to me to only rule against much smaller clubs, they don't appear to have the guts to take on bigger clubs, something I hate to say about that lot down the M27

I notice Alpine was too modest to mention that he has also left Hampshire

Only slightly off topic but seeing how people have reacted to this CERN situation is a very good reason why alien encounters are kept as quiet as possible by all Govts.

Will the UK side with the US or Pakistan though ? Lots and lots of Pakistan people have lived for a long time in the UK.

At least everyone seems to think that Saints will still be around to celebrate 125 years THis makes a pleasant change from all the doom and gloom a few weeks ago re administration.

According to The Echo only 12 people turned up at a meeting called to discuss ways to fight the potential closure of the Ford factory. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/3668012.Ford_staff_meet_to_discuss_how_to_fight_for_the_future_of_plant/

Not quite true anymore I think, people now make sure that their faces are well covered so that the obvious cameras can't provide identification.

I agree and also would like to point out that a few months ago I asked Teddy Nutkins to post more of his Down the Dell stories and an Admin chap said he would organise it. No names, no pack drill

Hard to believe but true The list of things you can do with your USB memory stickmemory stick just keeps getting longer. The latest 2-in-one effort from TrekStor will ensure you don't get caught short at your next BBQ - the USB stick CO is a high-speed data storage device which doubles as a bottle opener. Housed in solid, brushed aluminumaluminum , the USB stick CO features data transferdata transfer of 25 MB/s (read) and 12 MB/s (write). It comes bootable, pre-formatted and ready for immediate use without a driver and is compatible with Windows 2000windows 2000 , XP, Vista, Mac OS X and Linux from Kernel 2.6.x. Sizes range from 1GB to 16GB of memory. The TrekStor USB stick CO will be available from October 2008 LINK :- http://www.gizmag.com/usb-stick-bottle-opener/9940/

That poor woman, that is even worse than this case here in NZ A judge has reserved his decision over whether an Iraqi refugee convicted of raping a schoolgirl should be deported. The man was released from prison in May last year after serving a sentence for raping the Lower Hutt girl. In the High Court in Wellington yesterday the lawyer for the Lower Hutt man said his life would be in danger if he returned to Iraq . But Immigration Department lawyer Ian Carter said the man's son had been sent back to Iraq to live. "Whatever the dangers in Iraq , the family evidently assessed them as less for the son than living in Naenae." Justice Ron Young said the conditions that had made the man a refugee had changed with the new Iraqi regime.

I am pleased to announce that the house passed inspection :D

Which end of my monitor should I lift and how high so I get an idea of how steep the hill is ? The one you mentioned on page 1 that is. :D

An interesting development or just a publicity stunt do you think ? http://www.blackbottom.com/watch.php?v=WdBJd9b9i8A Link might not last very long as another young man is claiming to be the father of the child that Palins daughter is expecting.

St K after reading your last 3 posts may I ask if you are somewhat intoxicated ?

Oh hell yes I have looked around twice and just finished putting the vac away

Hi all, well my 5 weeks holiday is just about over as management is returning from her holiday in the UK, sympathy would be welcome

Barton is so lucky compared with this young man on loan from Chelsea at Maclarens team in Holland. This chap got a One Year ban. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7600907.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/7599561.stm

I dislike hooped shirts and prefer blue to green

Perhaps it was done to show what you would see as it overtakes the vehicle you are in ?

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/051004_sea_glow.html Click on the link in the main script to see picture, it's way too long to post it

I couldn't say it better myself although I have never seen MLT in play live, only on TV

I hope that none of you who click onto that Pomey site now end up with a nasty trojan or keylog thing.