UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Ancient circumcision rite under fire

NEW YORK, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has declined to ban an ancient Jewish circumcision rite although other officials want to stop one rabbi from doing it.

Bloomberg said he would not outlaw the little-known practice in which a rabbi draws blood with his mouth after a circumcision to clean out impurities.

The custom is thousands of years old, but this year health officials investigated Rabbi Yitzchok Fischer of Rockland County after an infant he circumcised that way died from herpes.

At the time, city lawyers called the practice "a threat to the public health," the New York Post said. But Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden says his department "has no intention of banning or regulating the practice of metzitzah b'peh."

The New York Daily News said, the health department has drawn up an order banning Fischer from performing the rite. The rabbi has until next week to respond.

One-fourth of British women want daily sex

LONDON, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- More than a quarter of British women questioned insist the most important thing in their lives is sex -- at least once a day, a new survey shows.

Twenty-seven percent of respondents say they need sex on a daily basis, compared with 18 percent in 1993, the survey says.

The male sex drive remains unchanged, however, with just less than one-third of British men wanting to make love every day, the London Daily Mail said.

The survey, carried out by an online dating-service, suggests women are becoming more demanding about sex. Women also are said to be leading happier, more confident sex lives, with 62 percent saying making love leaves them satisfied.

Hawaiian 'salute' angers brass

BAGHDAD, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The thumb-and-pinkie salute called the shaka, a symbol of pride, heritage and greeting in Hawaii, is a source of trouble for U.S. military in Iraq.

The shaka is the normal good-day sign for members of the Hawaii National Guard serving in Iraq. But, it has been banned at Camp Victory after a soldier mistakenly flashed the shaka at a superior officer instead of the traditional salute.

"Yeah, the story has gotten around. Kinda ridiculous," one Hawaii soldier told the Honolulu Advertiser. "The general is totally in the wrong by banning the shaka, when he should have smoked the soldier instead. A coupla hundred pushups would have been better than banning the shaka."

Lt. Col. Robert Whetstone, a public-affairs officer with Task Force Baghdad, said he was not sure who gave the order. But, added, "Whether it involves a lieutenant or a general, we all must render proper military courtesy."

'Metrotherapy' tackles fear of attack

LONDON, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- A course of meditation has been introduced to help commuters in London overcome their fear of terrorism after July's subway and bus attacks.

Metrotherapy, the brainchild of therapist Ashok Gupta, is a set of exercises to be practiced on crowded public transport.

Gupta, who runs a Harley Street stress management clinic, originally came up with the technique 18 months ago when clients complained their only free time was the journey to and from work.

This week he released an $18 CD to be listened to while traveling, with a 20-minute meditation based on ordinary noises of the train to prepare people for the day ahead and a "winding down from work" exercise for the journey home.

"I have found an increase in clients getting panic attacks on the trains or feeling a lot more claustrophobic on the tubes," he told the Guardian Thursday. "There is a sense of fear in London. I say to them that once you get on the train there is not a lot you can do about the terrorist threat. Using these techniques allows you to let go of those fears and enjoy the journey without worrying."

Gupta said Metrotherapy allows passengers to open their eyes briefly at each stop and check for suspect packages if they so desire. It also gives advice on ensuring handbags are secure before falling into a meditative trance.