Many cities have interesting nicknames. New Orleans probably has more nicknames than any other American city. One web site lists its more than twenty nicknames. The most famous is “The Big Easy”. It shows the slow and easy-going way of life in New Orleans. 　　    So how did the city get this nickname? In the early 1900s there was a dance hall in New Orleans called “The Big Easy”. But the nickname did not become famous until the early 1970s. That was when a newspaper writer began calling New Orleans by this name. She compared the easy-going way of life there to the hurried pace of life in New York City. In 1970, James Conaway wrote a book called “The Big Easy”. The story was in New Orleans. In 1987, they made that book into a film. It made the nickname even more popular. 　　New Orleans has other nicknames. Another nickname is “The Birthplace of Jazz”, because that kind of music started in New Orleans. And, there is a nickname that uses the short way to write New Orleans and Louisiana. It you do not want to use the complete  name, you can call the city “NOLA.”

　    Forget humane removal. Scientists studying the giant Burmese pythons（蟒蛇） that invaded Florida have discovered the snakes can find their way home even when taken up to 20 miles away.   　The snakes homing ability is "previously undocumented for any snake species," said Shannon Pittman, a scientist at Davidson College in Davidson, N.C. 　　Researchers at Davidson and the U.S. Geological Survey caught six Burmese pythons in Florida and placed radio transmitters（发射器） in them. They then took them 13 to 20 miles away and released them. The snakes immediately headed back, taking "direct and striking" routes, instead of moving randomly across the wetlands, said Kristen Hart, a research ecologist with the USGS in Gainesville, Fla. It took the snakes 94 to 296 days to return but eventually they navigated to within 3 miles of their original capture locations in Everglades National Park. No one knew Burmese pythons were capable of homing. Researchers don't know how the snakes do it. It could be by sight or smell or even the Earth's magnetic field. 　　The research shows that moving the snakes won't work as a control strategy. "You can't move them. Quite honestly, they're going to move back to where they came from," Hart said. 　Burmese pythons are one of the world's largest snakes. They are hard to spot in the grass even when tracked with transmitters. Native to southern Asia, the snakes began to appear in south Florida in the late 1990s, probably released by pet owners. They have since colonized hundreds of square miles in southern Florida, including most of Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. 　　While more than 2,000 Burmese pythons have been removed from the area since 2002, the National Park Service estimates that represents only a small part of the total population. "There are records of snakes up nearly to Lake Okeechobee," said Michael Dorcas, a biology professor at Davidson College. "Most scientists agree that they are likely well north of Alligator Alley now." 　　The snakes are devastating invaders, eating a wide variety of animals including deer and even crocodiles. "They're eating through the food chain," Hart said.

　　 Andrea Esteban tried to smile with half her face, and her third-grade classmates laughed. Matthew Velez struggled to speak, “Luh, luh, uh, gronk,” and the kids burst into laughter. The funny faces and the strange speech were all part of a serious lesson to help kids learn the signs of a stroke. 　  The experimental health education program at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx is aimed at improving the survival rate. Each year, about 795,000 Americans have a stroke and about 130,000 die. Some are caused by bleeding in the brain, but the majority is caused by a clot（血栓） that blocks blood flow, starving brain cells. The drug TPA can dissolve those clots and reduce disability and deaths but only if it’s given within three to four hours of the first symptoms, and the sooner the better. Yet only about 5 percent of patients receive it, in part because many stroke sufferers don’t get to the hospital in time. The early warning signs include a droopy （下垂的）side of the face, slurred（发音含糊的） or strange speech, and the inability to keep arms raised.    Dr. Kathryn Kirchoff-Torres, who led the class from St. Ann’s School in the Bronx, said the kids are already “little message machines” bringing home from school what they learn about the benefits of exercise, not smoking and eating well.  　At the start of the stroke class last month at the hospital, the doctor asked, “Who knows what a stroke is?” 　“A heart attack?” one child offered. 　“Well, we like to call it a brain attack,” Kirchoff-Torres said. “It’s a problem with the brain.” She then taught the children to use the word “FAST” as a memory device. With cartoons and music bringing the point home, they learned “F” is for face, “A” is for arms, “S” is for speech and “T” is for time.  After the class, the children were presented with pens labeled “FAST” and with pencil erasers in the shape of human brains, which were very popular.

　　After living here nearly eight months, Daiki Yamaguchi says his favorite thing about the United States is garlic toast. “It is delicious. I’ve also tried a lot of other new things here,” said the 17-year-old Japanese student.  　       Yamaguchi is one of five foreign-exchange students attending Fort Atkinson High School for the 2013-2014 school year. He is joined by Fredrik Afzelius of Sweden, Joeri Bakkers of The Netherlands; Enes Kelekci of Switzerland and Lorenz Kupka of Austria. 　　Each student comes from a different educational system, with different expectations. “I like this school system better because it’s much freer. The teachers are there for you — and not only for your grades. They really care about your progress,” explained Bakkers. “At home, the school is not as big, and we do not have as many classes. You sit in the class, and the teachers change. But here it’s a little different, and in the beginning, it was a little confusing because I could not find my classes,” Kupka recalled. Afzelius explained how his year in the American school system will not count as a year in the Swedish system. “It’s like a break, a year off,” he explained. 　　The students explained some of the big differences between living here and in their homelands. “Only when you’re here do you realize how big America is. The Netherlands is four times as small as Wisconsin. It’s crazy,” said Bakkers. Yamaguchi listed several other differences. “The most different things here, I think are the people, how friendly they are; the language, and some customs,” he explained. “Our driver’s seat is on the right side; Japanese people drive on the right side. Here the driver’s seat is on the left side.” Having endured one of the coldest winters in recent memory, all five students say they are looking forward to the spring. “I heard about Wisconsin getting very cold, but not that cold. It’s pretty cold,” said Kelekci. 　　Regardless of a particularly tough winter, the students all agree that the experience has been a positive one, and not just the academic benefit of becoming fluent in a second language. “This is a fun, fun thing to do,” Afzelius said about visiting Fort Atkinson. “We want to thank everyone for this experience,” added Kelekci.

BUY TICKETS NOW!  Box Office 800-477-9505  BUY TICKETS NOW!  Box Office 800-477-9505  Mary Poppins  April 23 –June 21, 2014      MARY POPPINS, a classic musical（音乐剧）, tells a story of a magic nanny（保姆） who comes to work for a cold banker's unhappy family and brings joy to his children. The Fireside is proud to be the first professional theatre in Wisconsin to present a new production of this beloved Tony Award winning musical. The world’s favorite “practically perfect” nanny comes alive on the Fireside stage with delightful music, dancing, and laughter that will appeal to audiences of all ages. The Fireside’s production of MARY POPPINS features all the well-known popular songs, joyful dancing, and a treasure chest full of magic and fun! $50 Tickets for Mother's Day Weekend  　Celebrate the Fireside's 50th Anniversary Weekend with $50.00 adult theatre tickets on May 10 - 11, 2014 which is also Mother's Day Weekend! 4 for 3 Special - Thursday Evening and Sunday Midday  　For our Thursday Evening (5:15 p.m. arrival) and Sunday Midday (2:30 p.m. arrival), we offer a 4 for 3 Special. Purchase three adult theatre packages and get the fourth one free. Youth Packages  　Youth Packages for ages 14 and under are available for all performances for $ 38.70. Show Schedules Arrive Free Dinner Showtime Price Wednesday Matinee 10:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 1:30 p.m. $68.95 Thursday Matinee 10:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 1:30 p.m. $68.95 Evening 5:15 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 7:30 p.m. $68.95 Saturday Matinee 10:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 1:30 p.m. $68.95 Evening 4:45 p.m. 5:15 p.m. 7:30 p.m. $68.95 Sunday Matinee 10:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 1:15 p.m. $68.95 Midday 2:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. $68.95