text:
(CNN) -- A cancer treatment that comes in a pill is as effective as the standard chemotherapy for lung patients who had previously been treated for their cancer, according to a study released Thursday.

The intravenous chemotherapy treatment had more severe side effects than the pill in this study.

Results of a large clinical trial were published in the British medical journal The Lancet.

The trial was designed to compare Iressa, a daily pill, to Taxotere, an IV-chemotherapy drug that's administered every three weeks.

This international study included more than 1,400 patients for whom standard chemotherapy had been ineffective.

"Iressa and Taxotere have same survival outcomes," according to Dr. Edward Kim, lead author of the study and assistant professor in M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology in Houston, Texas.

The study was paid for by the maker of Iressa, AstraZeneca. Kim says the Food and Drug Administration mandated that the pharmaceutical company conduct this clinical trial.

In the study, patients taking Iressa had an average survival of 7.6 months, and 32 percent survived one year, compared with patients getting the chemotherapy drug Taxotere. Their survival was an average of eight months; 34 percent of patients survived one year.

Kim says this is the largest study in lung cancer comparing an oral therapy with chemotherapy.

Dr. Bruce Johnson, a lung cancer specialist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, who was not involved in this research, says, "this study did what it intended to do in showing equivalency. I can't imagine any clearer evidence."

One significant difference between the two drugs is in side effects. Patients taking Iressa mainly experienced skin rashes and/or mild diarrhea. Patients on Taxotere had many more severe side effects, including hair loss, numbness in hands and feet, severe diarrhea, a drop in blood cells and nausea.

Given the difference, "the single pill trumps chemotherapy," said Dr. Paul Bunn, who heads the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Research and also was not involved in the clinical trial.

Johnson says that 5 to 10 percent of patients taking Taxotere will drop out every three weeks because of side effects. Kim points out that if the two treatments have the same survival benefit but one has fewer side effects and is easier to take, doctors want their patients to have the option for this treatment.

Currently, no new lung cancer patients can get Iressa, because doctors are no longer allowed to prescribe it.

In 2003, Iressa got fast-track FDA approval as a treatment for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, specifically for patients in whom standard chemotherapy had failed. The approval was based on two small phase II clinical trials that showed Iressa was able to shrink tumors by about 10 percent, which led the FDA to believe that the drug would lead to a "positive effect on survival or benefits." More on Iressa from the FDA

When the FDA gives a drug accelerated approval, it requires that the manufacturer continue testing it to determine whether there's a clinical benefit to the patient. If further studies can't show this type of benefit, the FDA has the power to withdraw that drug from the market.

But a year later, results were revealed from a larger, phase III clinical trial that compared Iressa with placebo in patients for whom chemotherapy was ineffective.

"Iressa was better but not statistically significant," said Bunn, who also directs the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

Given this information and because another lung cancer pill -- Tarceva -- had shown a survival benefit, the FDA decided that " it is not reasonable to start new patients on Iressa."

Since 2005, the FDA allows only those already getting Iressa prescribed or those enrolled in clinical trials that were under way at the time to continue taking Iressa.

All three lung cancer experts CNN spoke with regularly see patients and have treated them with Iressa or the other available lung cancer drugs. All said they couldn't predict whether the FDA would allow new patients to be treated with Iressa based on this and other recent studies.

Kim believes that based on this data, Iressa "is a valid treatment option for patients with pretreated non-small lung cancer."

Both Bunn and Johnson say that more choices in treatment will always benefit the patients.

text: CNN

text: A

text: cancer

text: treatment

text: that

text: comes

text: in

text: a

text: pill

text: is

text: as

text: effective

text: as

text: the

text: standard

text: chemotherapy

text: for

text: lung

text: patients

text: who

text: had

text: previously

text: been

text: treated

text: for

text: their

text: cancer

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: study

text: released

text: Thursday

text: The

text: intravenous

text: chemotherapy

text: treatment

text: had

text: more

text: severe

text: side

text: effects

text: than

text: the

text: pill

text: in

text: this

text: study

text: Results

text: of

text: a

text: large

text: clinical

text: trial

text: were

text: published

text: in

text: the

text: British

text: medical

text: journal

text: The

text: Lancet

text: The

text: trial

text: was

text: designed

text: to

text: compare

text: Iressa

text: a

text: daily

text: pill

text: to

text: Taxotere

text: an

text: IV

text: chemotherapy

text: drug

text: that

text: 's

text: administered

text: every

text: three

text: weeks

text: This

text: international

text: study

text: included

text: more

text: than

text: patients

text: for

text: whom

text: standard

text: chemotherapy

text: had

text: been

text: ineffective

text: Iressa

text: and

text: Taxotere

text: have

text: same

text: survival

text: outcomes

text: according

text: to

text: Dr.

text: Edward

text: Kim

text: lead

text: author

text: of

text: the

text: study

text: and

text: assistant

text: professor

text: in

text: M.D.

text: Anderson

text: Cancer

text: Center

text: 's

text: Department

text: of

text: Thoracic

text: Head

text: and

text: Neck

text: Medical

text: Oncology

text: in

text: Houston

text: Texas

text: The

text: study

text: was

text: paid

text: for

text: by

text: the

text: maker

text: of

text: Iressa

text: AstraZeneca

text: Kim

text: says

text: the

text: Food

text: and

text: Drug

text: Administration

text: mandated

text: that

text: the

text: pharmaceutical

text: company

text: conduct

text: this

text: clinical

text: trial

text: In

text: the

text: study

text: patients

text: taking

text: Iressa

text: had

text: an

text: average

text: survival

text: of

text: months

text: and

text: percent

text: survived

text: one

text: year

text: compared

text: with

text: patients

text: getting

text: the

text: chemotherapy

text: drug

text: Taxotere

text: Their

text: survival

text: was

text: an

text: average

text: of

text: eight

text: months

text: percent

text: of

text: patients

text: survived

text: one

text: year

text: Kim

text: says

text: this

text: is

text: the

text: largest

text: study

text: in

text: lung

text: cancer

text: comparing

text: an

text: oral

text: therapy

text: with

text: chemotherapy

text: Dr.

text: Bruce

text: Johnson

text: a

text: lung

text: cancer

text: specialist

text: at

text: the

text: Dana

text: Farber

text: Cancer

text: Institute

text: in

text: Boston

text: Massachusetts

text: who

text: was

text: not

text: involved

text: in

text: this

text: research

text: says

text: this

text: study

text: did

text: what

text: it

text: intended

text: to

text: do

text: in

text: showing

text: equivalency

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: imagine

text: any

text: clearer

text: evidence

text: One

text: significant

text: difference

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: drugs

text: is

text: in

text: side

text: effects

text: Patients

text: taking

text: Iressa

text: mainly

text: experienced

text: skin

text: rashes

text: and/or

text: mild

text: diarrhea

text: Patients

text: on

text: Taxotere

text: had

text: many

text: more

text: severe

text: side

text: effects

text: including

text: hair

text: loss

text: numbness

text: in

text: hands

text: and

text: feet

text: severe

text: diarrhea

text: a

text: drop

text: in

text: blood

text: cells

text: and

text: nausea

text: Given

text: the

text: difference

text: the

text: single

text: pill

text: trumps

text: chemotherapy

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Paul

text: Bunn

text: who

text: heads

text: the

text: International

text: Association

text: for

text: the

text: Study

text: of

text: Lung

text: Cancer

text: Research

text: and

text: also

text: was

text: not

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: clinical

text: trial

text: Johnson

text: says

text: that

text: to

text: percent

text: of

text: patients

text: taking

text: Taxotere

text: will

text: drop

text: out

text: every

text: three

text: weeks

text: because

text: of

text: side

text: effects

text: Kim

text: points

text: out

text: that

text: if

text: the

text: two

text: treatments

text: have

text: the

text: same

text: survival

text: benefit

text: but

text: one

text: has

text: fewer

text: side

text: effects

text: and

text: is

text: easier

text: to

text: take

text: doctors

text: want

text: their

text: patients

text: to

text: have

text: the

text: option

text: for

text: this

text: treatment

text: Currently

text: no

text: new

text: lung

text: cancer

text: patients

text: can

text: get

text: Iressa

text: because

text: doctors

text: are

text: no

text: longer

text: allowed

text: to

text: prescribe

text: it

text: In

text: Iressa

text: got

text: fast

text: track

text: FDA

text: approval

text: as

text: a

text: treatment

text: for

text: patients

text: with

text: non

text: small

text: cell

text: lung

text: cancer

text: specifically

text: for

text: patients

text: in

text: whom

text: standard

text: chemotherapy

text: had

text: failed

text: The

text: approval

text: was

text: based

text: on

text: two

text: small

text: phase

text: II

text: clinical

text: trials

text: that

text: showed

text: Iressa

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: shrink

text: tumors

text: by

text: about

text: percent

text: which

text: led

text: the

text: FDA

text: to

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: drug

text: would

text: lead

text: to

text: a

text: positive

text: effect

text: on

text: survival

text: or

text: benefits

text: More

text: on

text: Iressa

text: from

text: the

text: FDA

text: When

text: the

text: FDA

text: gives

text: a

text: drug

text: accelerated

text: approval

text: it

text: requires

text: that

text: the

text: manufacturer

text: continue

text: testing

text: it

text: to

text: determine

text: whether

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: clinical

text: benefit

text: to

text: the

text: patient

text: If

text: further

text: studies

text: ca

text: n't

text: show

text: this

text: type

text: of

text: benefit

text: the

text: FDA

text: has

text: the

text: power

text: to

text: withdraw

text: that

text: drug

text: from

text: the

text: market

text: But

text: a

text: year

text: later

text: results

text: were

text: revealed

text: from

text: a

text: larger

text: phase

text: III

text: clinical

text: trial

text: that

text: compared

text: Iressa

text: with

text: placebo

text: in

text: patients

text: for

text: whom

text: chemotherapy

text: was

text: ineffective

text: Iressa

text: was

text: better

text: but

text: not

text: statistically

text: significant

text: said

text: Bunn

text: who

text: also

text: directs

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Colorado

text: Cancer

text: Center

text: Given

text: this

text: information

text: and

text: because

text: another

text: lung

text: cancer

text: pill

text: Tarceva

text: had

text: shown

text: a

text: survival

text: benefit

text: the

text: FDA

text: decided

text: that

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: reasonable

text: to

text: start

text: new

text: patients

text: on

text: Iressa

text: Since

text: the

text: FDA

text: allows

text: only

text: those

text: already

text: getting

text: Iressa

text: prescribed

text: or

text: those

text: enrolled

text: in

text: clinical

text: trials

text: that

text: were

text: under

text: way

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: continue

text: taking

text: Iressa

text: All

text: three

text: lung

text: cancer

text: experts

text: CNN

text: spoke

text: with

text: regularly

text: see

text: patients

text: and

text: have

text: treated

text: them

text: with

text: Iressa

text: or

text: the

text: other

text: available

text: lung

text: cancer

text: drugs

text: All

text: said

text: they

text: could

text: n't

text: predict

text: whether

text: the

text: FDA

text: would

text: allow

text: new

text: patients

text: to

text: be

text: treated

text: with

text: Iressa

text: based

text: on

text: this

text: and

text: other

text: recent

text: studies

text: Kim

text: believes

text: that

text: based

text: on

text: this

text: data

text: Iressa

text: is

text: a

text: valid

text: treatment

text: option

text: for

text: patients

text: with

text: pretreated

text: non

text: small

text: lung

text: cancer

text: Both

text: Bunn

text: and

text: Johnson

text: say

text: that

text: more

text: choices

text: in

text: treatment

text: will

text: always

text: benefit

text: the

text: patients

question: Is one of the side effects of Taxotere, hair loss?

answer: including

text: including

question: Will FDA allow new patients to be treated with Iressa?

answer: no

text: no

question: Which IV-chemotherapy drug did the study compare to pill Iressa?

answer: Taxotere,

text: Taxotere,

question: Patients on Taxotere have what side effects?

answer: including hair loss, numbness in hands and feet, severe diarrhea, a drop in blood cells and nausea.

text: including hair loss, numbness in hands and feet, severe diarrhea, a drop in blood cells and nausea.

question: What drug may cause hair loss?

answer: Taxotere

text: Taxotere

question: What might be experienced by patients using Iressa?

answer: skin rashes and/or mild diarrhea.

text: skin rashes and/or mild diarrhea.

question: Patients taking iressa experience what?

answer: skin rashes and/or mild diarrhea.

text: skin rashes and/or mild diarrhea.

question: Can patients taking Iressa expience skin rashes and/or mild diarrhea?

answer: mainly experienced

text: mainly experienced


text:
(CNN) -- Before middle-aged men started singing "Viva Viagra" in TV ads, before former Sen. Bob Dole appeared in its commercials in the '90s, before the blue pill with a funny name entered the public lexicon, impotence was hush-hush.

Viagra entered the market 10 years ago, bringing once taboo subjects like erectile dysfunction out in the open.

Now there's no getting away from it.

In-boxes are clogged daily with spam mail promising cheap and instant manliness delivered fast and in bulk. Couples exchange amorous, come-hither looks followed by a lengthy recitation of side effects on TV ads. The pill helped more than 25 million men get their groove back and blasted the topic of erectile dysfunction into the open.

"It's like the nuclear explosion," said Dr. Irwin Goldstein, director of Sexual Medicine at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, California. "It created sexual medicine. It allowed the taboo to be broken."

Since the diamond-shaped blue pill debuted 10 years ago, it has become embedded in the public psyche, late-night television jokes and urologists' offices.

"It is one of the revolutionary steps in sexual health," said Dr. Ira Sharlip, spokesman for the American Urological Association. "It ranks with the changes in cultural attitudes about sexuality that were started by [Sigmund] Freud, continued by [William] Masters and [Virginia] Johnson, the two researchers in the '60s, and the work that [Alfred] Kinsey did in the '40s.

"These were the huge steps in the development of our understanding of human sexuality and cultural attitudes of sex."

Men seldom talked about their bedroom troubles before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra as the first oral medication for erectile dysfunction in 1998.

"We lamented the fact that the men had so much shame about erectile dysfunction, how rarely anyone came for medical attention," said Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, an associate clinical professor of urology at Harvard Medical School.

Penis injections and vacuum pumps were available, but these treatments weren't appealing. Men with medical conditions such as diabetes, prostate cancer, hyper cholesterol, endocrinological and cardiovascular problems weren't able to enjoy sex, Goldstein said.

"People who couldn't enjoy intimacy before have been given a second life...." he said.  "We have had a better life because of it."

Viagra increases blood flow to the penis, enabling a man to have an erection. The drug does not induce desire and works when the man is sexually aroused, according to Pfizer, the makers of Viagra.

Urologists heard from patients who had tried the pill that Viagra made them feel as if they were 20-year-olds again. Anti-impotence drugs Levitra and Cialis have come along since.

"Along with the birth control pill in the '60s, this pill really changed people, society and medicine," Goldstein said.  "It changed the patient-physician relationship. You can walk in and ask about sexual functions. It was a major taboo at some point."

Dr. Gerald Melchiode, a Texas psychiatrist, agreed that the pill has helped men open up about their sexual health, but finds the commercials a bit much.

"I've never run across men singing about their impotency," he said.

Since Viagra's appearance on the market, the dialogue about sexual dysfunctions has helped doctors identify other health problems in their patients, doctors say.

"You always hear someone drops dead,"said Dr. Chris Steidle, a urologist who wrote the book "Sex and the Heart." "It's not sudden death if you couldn't get an erection. It's a symptom of a heart condition. You wouldn't ignore a stroke, but you would ignore erectile dysfunction -- it's a significant symptom."

The man's penis is like "the tip of the iceberg" or "the canary in the mines," which serve as an indicator of overall health, Morgentaler said.

"There's now good evidence that shows that men with ED who have no other symptoms of anything are at increased risk for heart attacks and strokes," he said.

Thousands of studies have been conducted on Viagra. "The pill that thrills" is also being studied to see whether it gives athletes an edge in competition. It's been studied to see whether it helps women with their sexual health. Despite the deluge of attention, Viagra doesn't work for about 25 percent to 35 percent of men with erectile dysfunction.

For others, it has revitalized and strained marriages. Experts say Viagra gave a window into the psyche of men and women.

Some complain that sex should be spontaneous and that popping a pill ruins the romance. Eating food decreases the potency of Viagra, and some say the pill forces them to go on a schedule. Another complaint: Having to use Viagra makes a spouse or partner feel undesirable.

"Sometimes their spouse personalizes it," said Melchiode. "Why does he have to take this pill? Aren't I attractive enough? Aren't I sexy enough for him? That's not unusual for the partner."

Even when Viagra is effective, some men realize that it's not the magic bullet that solves their problems with intimacy, doctors said.  Only about half refill their prescription.

"One has to think beyond just giving a pill to cure sexual problems," Melchiode said. "A typical example is a couple where there's been problems over the years and they can't deal with the problems on a verbal level, so they start withdrawing from one another. They build up a resentment and anger, they have trouble being close to one another and having sex with each other. Just giving them a pill isn't going to touch on all the problems of the resentment and anger."

Sex, it turns out, is part of a bigger web of relationship issues.

Morgentaler, author of "The Viagra Myth," said: "It's unrealistic that there's a pill that fixes all of these things."

text: CNN

text: Before

text: middle

text: aged

text: men

text: started

text: singing

text: Viva

text: Viagra

text: in

text: TV

text: ads

text: before

text: former

text: Sen.

text: Bob

text: Dole

text: appeared

text: in

text: its

text: commercials

text: in

text: the

text: before

text: the

text: blue

text: pill

text: with

text: a

text: funny

text: name

text: entered

text: the

text: public

text: lexicon

text: impotence

text: was

text: hush

text: hush

text: Viagra

text: entered

text: the

text: market

text: years

text: ago

text: bringing

text: once

text: taboo

text: subjects

text: like

text: erectile

text: dysfunction

text: out

text: in

text: the

text: open

text: Now

text: there

text: 's

text: no

text: getting

text: away

text: from

text: it

text: In

text: boxes

text: are

text: clogged

text: daily

text: with

text: spam

text: mail

text: promising

text: cheap

text: and

text: instant

text: manliness

text: delivered

text: fast

text: and

text: in

text: bulk

text: Couples

text: exchange

text: amorous

text: come

text: hither

text: looks

text: followed

text: by

text: a

text: lengthy

text: recitation

text: of

text: side

text: effects

text: on

text: TV

text: ads

text: The

text: pill

text: helped

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: men

text: get

text: their

text: groove

text: back

text: and

text: blasted

text: the

text: topic

text: of

text: erectile

text: dysfunction

text: into

text: the

text: open

text: It

text: 's

text: like

text: the

text: nuclear

text: explosion

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Irwin

text: Goldstein

text: director

text: of

text: Sexual

text: Medicine

text: at

text: Alvarado

text: Hospital

text: in

text: San

text: Diego

text: California

text: It

text: created

text: sexual

text: medicine

text: It

text: allowed

text: the

text: taboo

text: to

text: be

text: broken

text: Since

text: the

text: diamond

text: shaped

text: blue

text: pill

text: debuted

text: years

text: ago

text: it

text: has

text: become

text: embedded

text: in

text: the

text: public

text: psyche

text: late

text: night

text: television

text: jokes

text: and

text: urologists

text: offices

text: It

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: revolutionary

text: steps

text: in

text: sexual

text: health

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Ira

text: Sharlip

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: American

text: Urological

text: Association

text: It

text: ranks

text: with

text: the

text: changes

text: in

text: cultural

text: attitudes

text: about

text: sexuality

text: that

text: were

text: started

text: by

text: Sigmund

text: Freud

text: continued

text: by

text: William

text: Masters

text: and

text: Virginia

text: Johnson

text: the

text: two

text: researchers

text: in

text: the

text: and

text: the

text: work

text: that

text: Alfred

text: Kinsey

text: did

text: in

text: the

text: These

text: were

text: the

text: huge

text: steps

text: in

text: the

text: development

text: of

text: our

text: understanding

text: of

text: human

text: sexuality

text: and

text: cultural

text: attitudes

text: of

text: sex

text: Men

text: seldom

text: talked

text: about

text: their

text: bedroom

text: troubles

text: before

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Food

text: and

text: Drug

text: Administration

text: approved

text: Viagra

text: as

text: the

text: first

text: oral

text: medication

text: for

text: erectile

text: dysfunction

text: in

text: We

text: lamented

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: the

text: men

text: had

text: so

text: much

text: shame

text: about

text: erectile

text: dysfunction

text: how

text: rarely

text: anyone

text: came

text: for

text: medical

text: attention

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Abraham

text: Morgentaler

text: an

text: associate

text: clinical

text: professor

text: of

text: urology

text: at

text: Harvard

text: Medical

text: School

text: Penis

text: injections

text: and

text: vacuum

text: pumps

text: were

text: available

text: but

text: these

text: treatments

text: were

text: n't

text: appealing

text: Men

text: with

text: medical

text: conditions

text: such

text: as

text: diabetes

text: prostate

text: cancer

text: hyper

text: cholesterol

text: endocrinological

text: and

text: cardiovascular

text: problems

text: were

text: n't

text: able

text: to

text: enjoy

text: sex

text: Goldstein

text: said

text: People

text: who

text: could

text: n't

text: enjoy

text: intimacy

text: before

text: have

text: been

text: given

text: a

text: second

text: life

text: he

text: said

text: We

text: have

text: had

text: a

text: better

text: life

text: because

text: of

text: it

text: Viagra

text: increases

text: blood

text: flow

text: to

text: the

text: penis

text: enabling

text: a

text: man

text: to

text: have

text: an

text: erection

text: The

text: drug

text: does

text: not

text: induce

text: desire

text: and

text: works

text: when

text: the

text: man

text: is

text: sexually

text: aroused

text: according

text: to

text: Pfizer

text: the

text: makers

text: of

text: Viagra

text: Urologists

text: heard

text: from

text: patients

text: who

text: had

text: tried

text: the

text: pill

text: that

text: Viagra

text: made

text: them

text: feel

text: as

text: if

text: they

text: were

text: olds

text: again

text: Anti

text: impotence

text: drugs

text: Levitra

text: and

text: Cialis

text: have

text: come

text: along

text: since

text: Along

text: with

text: the

text: birth

text: control

text: pill

text: in

text: the

text: this

text: pill

text: really

text: changed

text: people

text: society

text: and

text: medicine

text: Goldstein

text: said

text: It

text: changed

text: the

text: patient

text: physician

text: relationship

text: You

text: can

text: walk

text: in

text: and

text: ask

text: about

text: sexual

text: functions

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: major

text: taboo

text: at

text: some

text: point

text: Dr.

text: Gerald

text: Melchiode

text: a

text: Texas

text: psychiatrist

text: agreed

text: that

text: the

text: pill

text: has

text: helped

text: men

text: open

text: up

text: about

text: their

text: sexual

text: health

text: but

text: finds

text: the

text: commercials

text: a

text: bit

text: much

text: I

text: 've

text: never

text: run

text: across

text: men

text: singing

text: about

text: their

text: impotency

text: he

text: said

text: Since

text: Viagra

text: 's

text: appearance

text: on

text: the

text: market

text: the

text: dialogue

text: about

text: sexual

text: dysfunctions

text: has

text: helped

text: doctors

text: identify

text: other

text: health

text: problems

text: in

text: their

text: patients

text: doctors

text: say

text: You

text: always

text: hear

text: someone

text: drops

text: dead,"said

text: Dr.

text: Chris

text: Steidle

text: a

text: urologist

text: who

text: wrote

text: the

text: book

text: Sex

text: and

text: the

text: Heart

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: sudden

text: death

text: if

text: you

text: could

text: n't

text: get

text: an

text: erection

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: symptom

text: of

text: a

text: heart

text: condition

text: You

text: would

text: n't

text: ignore

text: a

text: stroke

text: but

text: you

text: would

text: ignore

text: erectile

text: dysfunction

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: significant

text: symptom

text: The

text: man

text: 's

text: penis

text: is

text: like

text: the

text: tip

text: of

text: the

text: iceberg

text: or

text: the

text: canary

text: in

text: the

text: mines

text: which

text: serve

text: as

text: an

text: indicator

text: of

text: overall

text: health

text: Morgentaler

text: said

text: There

text: 's

text: now

text: good

text: evidence

text: that

text: shows

text: that

text: men

text: with

text: ED

text: who

text: have

text: no

text: other

text: symptoms

text: of

text: anything

text: are

text: at

text: increased

text: risk

text: for

text: heart

text: attacks

text: and

text: strokes

text: he

text: said

text: Thousands

text: of

text: studies

text: have

text: been

text: conducted

text: on

text: Viagra

text: The

text: pill

text: that

text: thrills

text: is

text: also

text: being

text: studied

text: to

text: see

text: whether

text: it

text: gives

text: athletes

text: an

text: edge

text: in

text: competition

text: It

text: 's

text: been

text: studied

text: to

text: see

text: whether

text: it

text: helps

text: women

text: with

text: their

text: sexual

text: health

text: Despite

text: the

text: deluge

text: of

text: attention

text: Viagra

text: does

text: n't

text: work

text: for

text: about

text: percent

text: to

text: percent

text: of

text: men

text: with

text: erectile

text: dysfunction

text: For

text: others

text: it

text: has

text: revitalized

text: and

text: strained

text: marriages

text: Experts

text: say

text: Viagra

text: gave

text: a

text: window

text: into

text: the

text: psyche

text: of

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: Some

text: complain

text: that

text: sex

text: should

text: be

text: spontaneous

text: and

text: that

text: popping

text: a

text: pill

text: ruins

text: the

text: romance

text: Eating

text: food

text: decreases

text: the

text: potency

text: of

text: Viagra

text: and

text: some

text: say

text: the

text: pill

text: forces

text: them

text: to

text: go

text: on

text: a

text: schedule

text: Another

text: complaint

text: Having

text: to

text: use

text: Viagra

text: makes

text: a

text: spouse

text: or

text: partner

text: feel

text: undesirable

text: Sometimes

text: their

text: spouse

text: personalizes

text: it

text: said

text: Melchiode

text: Why

text: does

text: he

text: have

text: to

text: take

text: this

text: pill

text: Are

text: n't

text: I

text: attractive

text: enough

text: Are

text: n't

text: I

text: sexy

text: enough

text: for

text: him

text: That

text: 's

text: not

text: unusual

text: for

text: the

text: partner

text: Even

text: when

text: Viagra

text: is

text: effective

text: some

text: men

text: realize

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: the

text: magic

text: bullet

text: that

text: solves

text: their

text: problems

text: with

text: intimacy

text: doctors

text: said

text: Only

text: about

text: half

text: refill

text: their

text: prescription

text: One

text: has

text: to

text: think

text: beyond

text: just

text: giving

text: a

text: pill

text: to

text: cure

text: sexual

text: problems

text: Melchiode

text: said

text: A

text: typical

text: example

text: is

text: a

text: couple

text: where

text: there

text: 's

text: been

text: problems

text: over

text: the

text: years

text: and

text: they

text: ca

text: n't

text: deal

text: with

text: the

text: problems

text: on

text: a

text: verbal

text: level

text: so

text: they

text: start

text: withdrawing

text: from

text: one

text: another

text: They

text: build

text: up

text: a

text: resentment

text: and

text: anger

text: they

text: have

text: trouble

text: being

text: close

text: to

text: one

text: another

text: and

text: having

text: sex

text: with

text: each

text: other

text: Just

text: giving

text: them

text: a

text: pill

text: is

text: n't

text: going

text: to

text: touch

text: on

text: all

text: the

text: problems

text: of

text: the

text: resentment

text: and

text: anger

text: Sex

text: it

text: turns

text: out

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: bigger

text: web

text: of

text: relationship

text: issues

text: Morgentaler

text: author

text: of

text: The

text: Viagra

text: Myth

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: unrealistic

text: that

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: pill

text: that

text: fixes

text: all

text: of

text: these

text: things

question: Number of men Viagra helped?

answer: more than 25 million

text: more than 25 million

question: what color is Viagra?

answer: blue

text: blue

question: What color is a Viagra pill?

answer: blue

text: blue

question: What could ED indicate?

answer: are at increased risk for heart attacks and strokes,"

text: are at increased risk for heart attacks and strokes,"

question: How does Viagra help?

answer: increases blood flow to the penis, enabling a man to have an erection.

text: increases blood flow to the penis, enabling a man to have an erection.

question: How many men have been helped by Viagra?

answer: more than 25 million

text: more than 25 million

question: What does ED indicate?

answer: erectile dysfunction

text: erectile dysfunction

question: What health issues does Viagra help with?

answer: erectile dysfunction

text: erectile dysfunction

question: What pill is used to treat ED?

answer: Viagra

text: Viagra


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's 2020. You get home from work, kick off your shoes and relax -- on your very own tropical island. That night, your friends teleport over with other glamorous guests, all nipped, tucked and primped to perfection, for a hedonistic cocktail party at your five-star beach house, decked out in expensively understated chrome, crystal and fine Italian furniture.

Experts say the use of virtual worlds like Second Life may be widespread by 2020

But this is no billionaire way of life. If virtual worlds become the next Facebook phenomenon, experts predict that logging on to a luxury lifestyle could be attainable for all of us -- and we might even spend more money on our online homes than on our real-life surroundings.

With over 30 million users worldwide, 8.5 million photos uploaded each day and 15 billion page views a month, Facebook is undoubtedly the Internet's flavor of the month. But by 2020, virtual worlds may have surpassed social networking sites as the place to spend time online. Experts believe that the draw of 3-D spaces where our avatars can hang out with our friends -- and meet new ones -- may tempt away even the most ardent Facebook addict.

David Knighton, a 35-year-old Second Life user from Jacksonville, Florida, is one of many netizens exploring virtual worlds. He's been visiting the site for over a year and told CNN that he enjoys its social dimension. "I've met several good friends in Second Life, who are still friends to this day in the 'real world'" he said.

At times, David has spent six hours a day, seven days a week on Second Life. But what is the draw of a virtual world? Are they only attractive to tech-heads? David doesn't think so. He says, "Experience plays a role in acceptance to be sure, but Second Life takes hold more on a social and creative level. Someone who signs in and recognizes those aspects of Second Life will immediately be hooked."

This is backed up by blogger and writer Caleb Booker, who has tracked virtual worlds from phone "party lines" through the first one-player text-based computer adventures to the two- and three-dimensional Internet worlds that are burgeoning today.

Booker believes that, in a society that's increasingly mobile, virtual worlds help us hold our far-flung social networks together. He cites the example of his mother-in-law, who recently moved to a new city and uses Facebook to stay in touch with her three daughters. "They're all busy, so virtual world technologies and Web 2.0 apps are the best and most convenient ways to keep up," he told CNN.

Booker says that virtual worlds take this interaction to a more sophisticated level. "I don't even have to worry about cab fare if I want to have a little get-together with my friends from the UK and the US tonight," he said.

And he thinks that it's only a matter of time before virtual worlds follow Facebook and explode in popularity. "Bottom line: if people are using email for social interaction, they'll probably be interested in other ways to be social online."

Life-like avatars

Interaction on Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites is mainly limited to text, with the ability for users to add photos and video. But in a virtual world, people are represented by avatars: computer-generated figures which can look uncannily like ourselves -- if we choose. They can walk like us, they'll soon talk like us and they can interact with each other.

As 3-D technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, Booker says that photo-realistic avatars are just around the corner, and will become increasingly convincing.

"Eye movement, breathing, and realistic expressions will be the easy part," he revealed. "The hard part will come with things like synching mouth movements with voice recognition. That's something we might not quite have nailed by 2020, but there will definitely be some kind of engine that attempts it by then."

Holographic projections of 3-D objects are in development, but it will be some time before virtual reality offers us experiences akin to Star Trek's holodecks: touching and tasting virtual matter is still some way off.

"We're a long, long way away from having a completely immersive Matrix-like world," he told CNN. "But then again, technology can surprise you. I remember joking with a friend about a guy who bought a brand-new VGA monitor. It could display 256 colors at once -- who could honestly need something like that?"

Spartan life offline, exotic life online

The authors of the "Metaverse Roadmap," a briefing document that explores the possible development of virtual worlds over the next 20 years, agree that a boom within a decade is likely. Their research has indicated that by 2016, half of us will have interactive avatars, with those aged between 13 and 30 spending around 10 hours a week socializing in 3-D visual environments.

And the draw of virtual worlds may encourage some of us to forsake our mundane real-life surroundings for a luxury life online.

The Metaverse Roadmap points to the millions of youths who already use worlds like Habbo Hotel and Playdo, and suggests that "Youth raised in such conditions might live increasingly Spartan lives in the physical world, and rich, exotic lives in virtual space." It makes a certain kind of sense: why cripple yourself with huge mortgage payments on "real" real-estate when on Second Life you can buy an entire island for $1,600 and $300/month maintenance?

The uses for virtual worlds don't stop at socializing. Virtual environments are already being built for education, like Edward Castronova's "Arden" project at Indiana University, which will transport users into a Shakespearean world. The applications for interior designers are clear, while a team at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, Maryland have used the virtual shoot-em-up "Duke Nukem" to diagnose depression in players.

Business collaboration

Booker believes that virtual worlds will be used increasingly as business tools. "They're very well suited to collaborative work," he explained. "We're not sure why yet, but there's something about seeing everybody's avatar in the room with yours that makes the whole experience far more effective than if you were to simply have a conference call. It creates a real shared experience."

And with the launch of Sony's PlayStation Home -- an online world for the games console -- this autumn, it seems the big players in the entertainment world are banking on virtual realms being part of the future, too.

"The common feeling is that by 2020 virtual worlds will be as widespread as the World Wide Web is now," states Booker.

With that popularity comes opportunity -- and not only for Internet land barons like self-proclaimed Second Life millionaire Anshe Chung, but also virtual builders, landscapers and interior decorators, designers of avatar clothing and accessories, and even community moderators and governors. "A significant percentage of the world's population will be able to make a living working in virtual worlds," says Booker.

And he thinks that this potential is just around the corner. "The truth is that, as far as virtual worlds go, we're living in the flash point at the beginning of the explosion."

........................

What future do you think virtual worlds hold? Would you give up Facebook to hang out in a virtual space with your friends? Share your views and read others' thoughts in the Just Imagine forum. E-mail to a friend

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: It

text: 's

text: You

text: get

text: home

text: from

text: work

text: kick

text: off

text: your

text: shoes

text: and

text: relax

text: on

text: your

text: very

text: own

text: tropical

text: island

text: That

text: night

text: your

text: friends

text: teleport

text: over

text: with

text: other

text: glamorous

text: guests

text: all

text: nipped

text: tucked

text: and

text: primped

text: to

text: perfection

text: for

text: a

text: hedonistic

text: cocktail

text: party

text: at

text: your

text: five

text: star

text: beach

text: house

text: decked

text: out

text: in

text: expensively

text: understated

text: chrome

text: crystal

text: and

text: fine

text: Italian

text: furniture

text: Experts

text: say

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: like

text: Second

text: Life

text: may

text: be

text: widespread

text: by

text: But

text: this

text: is

text: no

text: billionaire

text: way

text: of

text: life

text: If

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: become

text: the

text: next

text: Facebook

text: phenomenon

text: experts

text: predict

text: that

text: logging

text: on

text: to

text: a

text: luxury

text: lifestyle

text: could

text: be

text: attainable

text: for

text: all

text: of

text: us

text: and

text: we

text: might

text: even

text: spend

text: more

text: money

text: on

text: our

text: online

text: homes

text: than

text: on

text: our

text: real

text: life

text: surroundings

text: With

text: over

text: million

text: users

text: worldwide

text: million

text: photos

text: uploaded

text: each

text: day

text: and

text: billion

text: page

text: views

text: a

text: month

text: Facebook

text: is

text: undoubtedly

text: the

text: Internet

text: 's

text: flavor

text: of

text: the

text: month

text: But

text: by

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: may

text: have

text: surpassed

text: social

text: networking

text: sites

text: as

text: the

text: place

text: to

text: spend

text: time

text: online

text: Experts

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: draw

text: of

text: spaces

text: where

text: our

text: avatars

text: can

text: hang

text: out

text: with

text: our

text: friends

text: and

text: meet

text: new

text: ones

text: may

text: tempt

text: away

text: even

text: the

text: most

text: ardent

text: Facebook

text: addict

text: David

text: Knighton

text: a

text: old

text: Second

text: Life

text: user

text: from

text: Jacksonville

text: Florida

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: many

text: netizens

text: exploring

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: He

text: 's

text: been

text: visiting

text: the

text: site

text: for

text: over

text: a

text: year

text: and

text: told

text: CNN

text: that

text: he

text: enjoys

text: its

text: social

text: dimension

text: I

text: 've

text: met

text: several

text: good

text: friends

text: in

text: Second

text: Life

text: who

text: are

text: still

text: friends

text: to

text: this

text: day

text: in

text: the

text: real

text: world

text: he

text: said

text: At

text: times

text: David

text: has

text: spent

text: six

text: hours

text: a

text: day

text: seven

text: days

text: a

text: week

text: on

text: Second

text: Life

text: But

text: what

text: is

text: the

text: draw

text: of

text: a

text: virtual

text: world

text: Are

text: they

text: only

text: attractive

text: to

text: tech

text: heads

text: David

text: does

text: n't

text: think

text: so

text: He

text: says

text: Experience

text: plays

text: a

text: role

text: in

text: acceptance

text: to

text: be

text: sure

text: but

text: Second

text: Life

text: takes

text: hold

text: more

text: on

text: a

text: social

text: and

text: creative

text: level

text: Someone

text: who

text: signs

text: in

text: and

text: recognizes

text: those

text: aspects

text: of

text: Second

text: Life

text: will

text: immediately

text: be

text: hooked

text: This

text: is

text: backed

text: up

text: by

text: blogger

text: and

text: writer

text: Caleb

text: Booker

text: who

text: has

text: tracked

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: from

text: phone

text: party

text: lines

text: through

text: the

text: first

text: one

text: player

text: text

text: based

text: computer

text: adventures

text: to

text: the

text: two-

text: and

text: three

text: dimensional

text: Internet

text: worlds

text: that

text: are

text: burgeoning

text: today

text: Booker

text: believes

text: that

text: in

text: a

text: society

text: that

text: 's

text: increasingly

text: mobile

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: help

text: us

text: hold

text: our

text: far

text: flung

text: social

text: networks

text: together

text: He

text: cites

text: the

text: example

text: of

text: his

text: mother

text: in

text: law

text: who

text: recently

text: moved

text: to

text: a

text: new

text: city

text: and

text: uses

text: Facebook

text: to

text: stay

text: in

text: touch

text: with

text: her

text: three

text: daughters

text: They

text: 're

text: all

text: busy

text: so

text: virtual

text: world

text: technologies

text: and

text: Web

text: apps

text: are

text: the

text: best

text: and

text: most

text: convenient

text: ways

text: to

text: keep

text: up

text: he

text: told

text: CNN

text: Booker

text: says

text: that

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: take

text: this

text: interaction

text: to

text: a

text: more

text: sophisticated

text: level

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: even

text: have

text: to

text: worry

text: about

text: cab

text: fare

text: if

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: have

text: a

text: little

text: get

text: together

text: with

text: my

text: friends

text: from

text: the

text: UK

text: and

text: the

text: US

text: tonight

text: he

text: said

text: And

text: he

text: thinks

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: only

text: a

text: matter

text: of

text: time

text: before

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: follow

text: Facebook

text: and

text: explode

text: in

text: popularity

text: Bottom

text: line

text: if

text: people

text: are

text: using

text: email

text: for

text: social

text: interaction

text: they

text: 'll

text: probably

text: be

text: interested

text: in

text: other

text: ways

text: to

text: be

text: social

text: online

text: Life

text: like

text: avatars

text: Interaction

text: on

text: Facebook

text: MySpace

text: and

text: other

text: social

text: networking

text: sites

text: is

text: mainly

text: limited

text: to

text: text

text: with

text: the

text: ability

text: for

text: users

text: to

text: add

text: photos

text: and

text: video

text: But

text: in

text: a

text: virtual

text: world

text: people

text: are

text: represented

text: by

text: avatars

text: computer

text: generated

text: figures

text: which

text: can

text: look

text: uncannily

text: like

text: ourselves

text: if

text: we

text: choose

text: They

text: can

text: walk

text: like

text: us

text: they

text: 'll

text: soon

text: talk

text: like

text: us

text: and

text: they

text: can

text: interact

text: with

text: each

text: other

text: As

text: technology

text: becomes

text: increasingly

text: sophisticated

text: Booker

text: says

text: that

text: photo

text: realistic

text: avatars

text: are

text: just

text: around

text: the

text: corner

text: and

text: will

text: become

text: increasingly

text: convincing

text: Eye

text: movement

text: breathing

text: and

text: realistic

text: expressions

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: easy

text: part

text: he

text: revealed

text: The

text: hard

text: part

text: will

text: come

text: with

text: things

text: like

text: synching

text: mouth

text: movements

text: with

text: voice

text: recognition

text: That

text: 's

text: something

text: we

text: might

text: not

text: quite

text: have

text: nailed

text: by

text: but

text: there

text: will

text: definitely

text: be

text: some

text: kind

text: of

text: engine

text: that

text: attempts

text: it

text: by

text: then

text: Holographic

text: projections

text: of

text: objects

text: are

text: in

text: development

text: but

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: some

text: time

text: before

text: virtual

text: reality

text: offers

text: us

text: experiences

text: akin

text: to

text: Star

text: Trek

text: 's

text: holodecks

text: touching

text: and

text: tasting

text: virtual

text: matter

text: is

text: still

text: some

text: way

text: off

text: We

text: 're

text: a

text: long

text: long

text: way

text: away

text: from

text: having

text: a

text: completely

text: immersive

text: Matrix

text: like

text: world

text: he

text: told

text: CNN

text: But

text: then

text: again

text: technology

text: can

text: surprise

text: you

text: I

text: remember

text: joking

text: with

text: a

text: friend

text: about

text: a

text: guy

text: who

text: bought

text: a

text: brand

text: new

text: VGA

text: monitor

text: It

text: could

text: display

text: colors

text: at

text: once

text: who

text: could

text: honestly

text: need

text: something

text: like

text: that

text: Spartan

text: life

text: offline

text: exotic

text: life

text: online

text: The

text: authors

text: of

text: the

text: Metaverse

text: Roadmap

text: a

text: briefing

text: document

text: that

text: explores

text: the

text: possible

text: development

text: of

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: over

text: the

text: next

text: years

text: agree

text: that

text: a

text: boom

text: within

text: a

text: decade

text: is

text: likely

text: Their

text: research

text: has

text: indicated

text: that

text: by

text: half

text: of

text: us

text: will

text: have

text: interactive

text: avatars

text: with

text: those

text: aged

text: between

text: and

text: spending

text: around

text: hours

text: a

text: week

text: socializing

text: in

text: visual

text: environments

text: And

text: the

text: draw

text: of

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: may

text: encourage

text: some

text: of

text: us

text: to

text: forsake

text: our

text: mundane

text: real

text: life

text: surroundings

text: for

text: a

text: luxury

text: life

text: online

text: The

text: Metaverse

text: Roadmap

text: points

text: to

text: the

text: millions

text: of

text: youths

text: who

text: already

text: use

text: worlds

text: like

text: Habbo

text: Hotel

text: and

text: Playdo

text: and

text: suggests

text: that

text: Youth

text: raised

text: in

text: such

text: conditions

text: might

text: live

text: increasingly

text: Spartan

text: lives

text: in

text: the

text: physical

text: world

text: and

text: rich

text: exotic

text: lives

text: in

text: virtual

text: space

text: It

text: makes

text: a

text: certain

text: kind

text: of

text: sense

text: why

text: cripple

text: yourself

text: with

text: huge

text: mortgage

text: payments

text: on

text: real

text: real

text: estate

text: when

text: on

text: Second

text: Life

text: you

text: can

text: buy

text: an

text: entire

text: island

text: for

text: and

text: maintenance

text: The

text: uses

text: for

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: do

text: n't

text: stop

text: at

text: socializing

text: Virtual

text: environments

text: are

text: already

text: being

text: built

text: for

text: education

text: like

text: Edward

text: Castronova

text: 's

text: Arden

text: project

text: at

text: Indiana

text: University

text: which

text: will

text: transport

text: users

text: into

text: a

text: Shakespearean

text: world

text: The

text: applications

text: for

text: interior

text: designers

text: are

text: clear

text: while

text: a

text: team

text: at

text: the

text: U.S.

text: National

text: Institute

text: of

text: Mental

text: Health

text: NIMH

text: in

text: Bethesda

text: Maryland

text: have

text: used

text: the

text: virtual

text: shoot

text: em

text: up

text: Duke

text: Nukem

text: to

text: diagnose

text: depression

text: in

text: players

text: Business

text: collaboration

text: Booker

text: believes

text: that

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: will

text: be

text: used

text: increasingly

text: as

text: business

text: tools

text: They

text: 're

text: very

text: well

text: suited

text: to

text: collaborative

text: work

text: he

text: explained

text: We

text: 're

text: not

text: sure

text: why

text: yet

text: but

text: there

text: 's

text: something

text: about

text: seeing

text: everybody

text: 's

text: avatar

text: in

text: the

text: room

text: with

text: yours

text: that

text: makes

text: the

text: whole

text: experience

text: far

text: more

text: effective

text: than

text: if

text: you

text: were

text: to

text: simply

text: have

text: a

text: conference

text: call

text: It

text: creates

text: a

text: real

text: shared

text: experience

text: And

text: with

text: the

text: launch

text: of

text: Sony

text: 's

text: PlayStation

text: Home

text: an

text: online

text: world

text: for

text: the

text: games

text: console

text: this

text: autumn

text: it

text: seems

text: the

text: big

text: players

text: in

text: the

text: entertainment

text: world

text: are

text: banking

text: on

text: virtual

text: realms

text: being

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: future

text: too

text: The

text: common

text: feeling

text: is

text: that

text: by

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: will

text: be

text: as

text: widespread

text: as

text: the

text: World

text: Wide

text: Web

text: is

text: now

text: states

text: Booker

text: With

text: that

text: popularity

text: comes

text: opportunity

text: and

text: not

text: only

text: for

text: Internet

text: land

text: barons

text: like

text: self

text: proclaimed

text: Second

text: Life

text: millionaire

text: Anshe

text: Chung

text: but

text: also

text: virtual

text: builders

text: landscapers

text: and

text: interior

text: decorators

text: designers

text: of

text: avatar

text: clothing

text: and

text: accessories

text: and

text: even

text: community

text: moderators

text: and

text: governors

text: A

text: significant

text: percentage

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: population

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: living

text: working

text: in

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: says

text: Booker

text: And

text: he

text: thinks

text: that

text: this

text: potential

text: is

text: just

text: around

text: the

text: corner

text: The

text: truth

text: is

text: that

text: as

text: far

text: as

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: go

text: we

text: 're

text: living

text: in

text: the

text: flash

text: point

text: at

text: the

text: beginning

text: of

text: the

text: explosion

text: What

text: future

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: virtual

text: worlds

text: hold

text: Would

text: you

text: give

text: up

text: Facebook

text: to

text: hang

text: out

text: in

text: a

text: virtual

text: space

text: with

text: your

text: friends

text: Share

text: your

text: views

text: and

text: read

text: others

text: thoughts

text: in

text: the

text: Just

text: Imagine

text: forum

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: what virtual worlds

answer: like Second Life

text: like Second Life

question: what does the experts say about the young users?

answer: predict that logging on to a luxury lifestyle could be attainable for all of us

text: predict that logging on to a luxury lifestyle could be attainable for all of us

question: Experts believe what will be widespread by 2020?

answer: use of virtual worlds

text: use of virtual worlds

question: Experts say what about young users?

answer: "Youth raised in such conditions might live increasingly Spartan lives in the physical world,

text: "Youth raised in such conditions might live increasingly Spartan lives in the physical world,

question: Online worlds could replace what site?

answer: social networking

text: social networking

question: On what year experts believe virtual worlds will be widespread?

answer: 2020

question: what could replace facebook as most popular internet phenomenon?

answer: virtual worlds

text: virtual worlds


text:
(CNN) -- Known for lederhosen, weisswurst and its beer festival, Munich is a city that counters these brassy cliches with a mix of art, history and style.

From onion domes to beer halls, the city of Munich also has more than its fair share to entrance culture vultures.

Don't be fooled by the chocolate box architecture in parts of the Altstadt (old town): Munich is the biggest city in the state of Bavaria with an ego to match -- no other state in Germany boasts its own "national museum." Yet the city manages to mix regional traditions with a slice of urban savvy and sophistication.

Visitors can take their pick from the cultural attractions and blend a little low and high culture together for a flying visit.

The Altstadt is walkable and the place to begin a day with its mix of baroque and gothic architecture. The green onion domes of the Frauenkirche remain visible over the low-rise city center.

Mostly destroyed during the Second World War, the Frauenkirche was rebuilt from its rubble and is worth a quick look inside for the peculiar windowless nave -- so designed after the architect made a pact with the devil, apparently. Nearby is Marienplatz and the fine gothic architecture of the new town hall with its ever-so-twee glockenspiel and animated chiming clock.

From the Karlsplatz U-Bahn station to Marienplatz you'll find some "any-town, anywhere" shopping options, but push on towards Maximilianstrasse and you'll discover where the Munich money goes to splash the cash, although gaudy ostentation isn't a very Muenchner trait.

For more down-to-earth shopping a few steps from Marienplatz is the Viktualienmarkt and Schrannenhalle, the former offering food and drink from across Europe and the re-built Schrannenhalle housing a buzzy mix of shops and places to grab a bite to eat. Alternatively the city is dotted with snack bars where you can grab a wÃ¼rst and hope for the best.

From the boutiques and brands to the beer cellers. The city becomes a beer-lover magnet every autumn, when international boozers stagger into the city for the annual Oktoberfest beer festival. Things can get messy, but you can get a taste of the beer hall experience any time of year.

There are a number of beer halls around the city, one on Marienplatz itself, although the most famous is the Hofbrauhaus a few minutes to the north. But if a darkened, boozy room with an oompah band and the sight of some ill-fitting lederhosen isn't your preferred choice for lunch, there are many cafes and restaurants around the Altstadt to cater for all tastes.

Away from the traditional aspects of the city, Munich is a hub for high tech, high art and high rollers. BMW has its HQ here -- auto fans should motor over to its museum. The city also has more than its fair share of world-class cultural attractions. The Residence Museum, National Theater and Museum of Egyptian Art are just a few to be found between Marienplatz and the Hofgarten.

Just to the north is one of Europe's largest city parks, the Englischer Garten, scene of the German tradition of the post-prandial walk. The park stretches about 5 km away from the city center.  View photos of the Englischer Garten and more of Munich Â»

As you're walking through you can duck off to the west and you'll be close to Munich's cultural big hitters, the Pinakothek museums. The Pinakothek triumvirate have enough art and history to span hundreds of years, and take almost as long to see in their entirety. If you've only got a few hours it's a better idea to pick one.

The latest edition is the Pinakothek der Moderne, which opened in 2002 and houses an impressive collection of 20th century and contemporary art in an almost equally impressive interior.

If you've had your fill of art, take a short walk north and you'll hit the formerly bohemian residential area of Schwabing. Now more well-to-do, the area retains a bit of cultural mix, with the nearby university providing some youthful energy. Independent shops, cafes and bars are dotted around the streets, some catering for student budgets, others for those who paid off their student loans long ago.

It's a fine area to stop for some afternoon coffee and cake -- The News Bar has a mix of the local demographic and Cafe Zeitgeist on Turkenstrasse is another choice spot.

Further afield, there's the vast, but staid, Deutsches Museum on its own island in the middle of the River Iser, while to the west of the city is Olympic park. It's home to the Tollwood summer and winter festivals, but year round you can get a great view from the tower of the Olympic Stadium of the city and the former home to the city's two football clubs. The Allianz Arena, a huge swirl of a stadium that opened in 2005, is now the home of Bayern and lowly 1860 Munich. Football fans can visit the stadium with daily tours.

From the masses to regal splendor, the Nymphenburg Palace was the summer residence of the Wittelbach dynasty that ruled Bavaria for over 700 years until 1919. The grand rooms should sate anyone's need for gold gilt and eighteenth-century grandeur.

When evening comes, the city can accommodate those with a hunger for cosmopolitan dining as well as more traditional cuisine. For entertainment, theaters and the city's opera house provide more refined fare, while those in search of some more late-night, grungy fun can head to the complex of bars and clubs of the Kultfabrik -- a former industrial site now offering late-night kicks on an industrial scale.

Better than Berlin? What do you think of Munich? Send in your travel tips for the Bavarian city using the Sound Off box below.

text: CNN

text: Known

text: for

text: lederhosen

text: weisswurst

text: and

text: its

text: beer

text: festival

text: Munich

text: is

text: a

text: city

text: that

text: counters

text: these

text: brassy

text: cliches

text: with

text: a

text: mix

text: of

text: art

text: history

text: and

text: style

text: From

text: onion

text: domes

text: to

text: beer

text: halls

text: the

text: city

text: of

text: Munich

text: also

text: has

text: more

text: than

text: its

text: fair

text: share

text: to

text: entrance

text: culture

text: vultures

text: Do

text: n't

text: be

text: fooled

text: by

text: the

text: chocolate

text: box

text: architecture

text: in

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: Altstadt

text: old

text: town

text: Munich

text: is

text: the

text: biggest

text: city

text: in

text: the

text: state

text: of

text: Bavaria

text: with

text: an

text: ego

text: to

text: match

text: no

text: other

text: state

text: in

text: Germany

text: boasts

text: its

text: own

text: national

text: museum

text: Yet

text: the

text: city

text: manages

text: to

text: mix

text: regional

text: traditions

text: with

text: a

text: slice

text: of

text: urban

text: savvy

text: and

text: sophistication

text: Visitors

text: can

text: take

text: their

text: pick

text: from

text: the

text: cultural

text: attractions

text: and

text: blend

text: a

text: little

text: low

text: and

text: high

text: culture

text: together

text: for

text: a

text: flying

text: visit

text: The

text: Altstadt

text: is

text: walkable

text: and

text: the

text: place

text: to

text: begin

text: a

text: day

text: with

text: its

text: mix

text: of

text: baroque

text: and

text: gothic

text: architecture

text: The

text: green

text: onion

text: domes

text: of

text: the

text: Frauenkirche

text: remain

text: visible

text: over

text: the

text: low

text: rise

text: city

text: center

text: Mostly

text: destroyed

text: during

text: the

text: Second

text: World

text: War

text: the

text: Frauenkirche

text: was

text: rebuilt

text: from

text: its

text: rubble

text: and

text: is

text: worth

text: a

text: quick

text: look

text: inside

text: for

text: the

text: peculiar

text: windowless

text: nave

text: so

text: designed

text: after

text: the

text: architect

text: made

text: a

text: pact

text: with

text: the

text: devil

text: apparently

text: Nearby

text: is

text: Marienplatz

text: and

text: the

text: fine

text: gothic

text: architecture

text: of

text: the

text: new

text: town

text: hall

text: with

text: its

text: ever

text: so

text: twee

text: glockenspiel

text: and

text: animated

text: chiming

text: clock

text: From

text: the

text: Karlsplatz

text: U

text: Bahn

text: station

text: to

text: Marienplatz

text: you

text: 'll

text: find

text: some

text: any

text: town

text: anywhere

text: shopping

text: options

text: but

text: push

text: on

text: towards

text: Maximilianstrasse

text: and

text: you

text: 'll

text: discover

text: where

text: the

text: Munich

text: money

text: goes

text: to

text: splash

text: the

text: cash

text: although

text: gaudy

text: ostentation

text: is

text: n't

text: a

text: very

text: Muenchner

text: trait

text: For

text: more

text: down

text: to

text: earth

text: shopping

text: a

text: few

text: steps

text: from

text: Marienplatz

text: is

text: the

text: Viktualienmarkt

text: and

text: Schrannenhalle

text: the

text: former

text: offering

text: food

text: and

text: drink

text: from

text: across

text: Europe

text: and

text: the

text: re

text: built

text: Schrannenhalle

text: housing

text: a

text: buzzy

text: mix

text: of

text: shops

text: and

text: places

text: to

text: grab

text: a

text: bite

text: to

text: eat

text: Alternatively

text: the

text: city

text: is

text: dotted

text: with

text: snack

text: bars

text: where

text: you

text: can

text: grab

text: a

text: wÃ¼rst

text: and

text: hope

text: for

text: the

text: best

text: From

text: the

text: boutiques

text: and

text: brands

text: to

text: the

text: beer

text: cellers

text: The

text: city

text: becomes

text: a

text: beer

text: lover

text: magnet

text: every

text: autumn

text: when

text: international

text: boozers

text: stagger

text: into

text: the

text: city

text: for

text: the

text: annual

text: Oktoberfest

text: beer

text: festival

text: Things

text: can

text: get

text: messy

text: but

text: you

text: can

text: get

text: a

text: taste

text: of

text: the

text: beer

text: hall

text: experience

text: any

text: time

text: of

text: year

text: There

text: are

text: a

text: number

text: of

text: beer

text: halls

text: around

text: the

text: city

text: one

text: on

text: Marienplatz

text: itself

text: although

text: the

text: most

text: famous

text: is

text: the

text: Hofbrauhaus

text: a

text: few

text: minutes

text: to

text: the

text: north

text: But

text: if

text: a

text: darkened

text: boozy

text: room

text: with

text: an

text: oompah

text: band

text: and

text: the

text: sight

text: of

text: some

text: ill

text: fitting

text: lederhosen

text: is

text: n't

text: your

text: preferred

text: choice

text: for

text: lunch

text: there

text: are

text: many

text: cafes

text: and

text: restaurants

text: around

text: the

text: Altstadt

text: to

text: cater

text: for

text: all

text: tastes

text: Away

text: from

text: the

text: traditional

text: aspects

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: Munich

text: is

text: a

text: hub

text: for

text: high

text: tech

text: high

text: art

text: and

text: high

text: rollers

text: BMW

text: has

text: its

text: HQ

text: here

text: auto

text: fans

text: should

text: motor

text: over

text: to

text: its

text: museum

text: The

text: city

text: also

text: has

text: more

text: than

text: its

text: fair

text: share

text: of

text: world

text: class

text: cultural

text: attractions

text: The

text: Residence

text: Museum

text: National

text: Theater

text: and

text: Museum

text: of

text: Egyptian

text: Art

text: are

text: just

text: a

text: few

text: to

text: be

text: found

text: between

text: Marienplatz

text: and

text: the

text: Hofgarten

text: Just

text: to

text: the

text: north

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: Europe

text: 's

text: largest

text: city

text: parks

text: the

text: Englischer

text: Garten

text: scene

text: of

text: the

text: German

text: tradition

text: of

text: the

text: post

text: prandial

text: walk

text: The

text: park

text: stretches

text: about

text: km

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: city

text: center

text: View

text: photos

text: of

text: the

text: Englischer

text: Garten

text: and

text: more

text: of

text: Munich

text: Â

text: As

text: you

text: 're

text: walking

text: through

text: you

text: can

text: duck

text: off

text: to

text: the

text: west

text: and

text: you

text: 'll

text: be

text: close

text: to

text: Munich

text: 's

text: cultural

text: big

text: hitters

text: the

text: Pinakothek

text: museums

text: The

text: Pinakothek

text: triumvirate

text: have

text: enough

text: art

text: and

text: history

text: to

text: span

text: hundreds

text: of

text: years

text: and

text: take

text: almost

text: as

text: long

text: to

text: see

text: in

text: their

text: entirety

text: If

text: you

text: 've

text: only

text: got

text: a

text: few

text: hours

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: better

text: idea

text: to

text: pick

text: one

text: The

text: latest

text: edition

text: is

text: the

text: Pinakothek

text: der

text: Moderne

text: which

text: opened

text: in

text: and

text: houses

text: an

text: impressive

text: collection

text: of

text: century

text: and

text: contemporary

text: art

text: in

text: an

text: almost

text: equally

text: impressive

text: interior

text: If

text: you

text: 've

text: had

text: your

text: fill

text: of

text: art

text: take

text: a

text: short

text: walk

text: north

text: and

text: you

text: 'll

text: hit

text: the

text: formerly

text: bohemian

text: residential

text: area

text: of

text: Schwabing

text: Now

text: more

text: well

text: to

text: do

text: the

text: area

text: retains

text: a

text: bit

text: of

text: cultural

text: mix

text: with

text: the

text: nearby

text: university

text: providing

text: some

text: youthful

text: energy

text: Independent

text: shops

text: cafes

text: and

text: bars

text: are

text: dotted

text: around

text: the

text: streets

text: some

text: catering

text: for

text: student

text: budgets

text: others

text: for

text: those

text: who

text: paid

text: off

text: their

text: student

text: loans

text: long

text: ago

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: fine

text: area

text: to

text: stop

text: for

text: some

text: afternoon

text: coffee

text: and

text: cake

text: The

text: News

text: Bar

text: has

text: a

text: mix

text: of

text: the

text: local

text: demographic

text: and

text: Cafe

text: Zeitgeist

text: on

text: Turkenstrasse

text: is

text: another

text: choice

text: spot

text: Further

text: afield

text: there

text: 's

text: the

text: vast

text: but

text: staid

text: Deutsches

text: Museum

text: on

text: its

text: own

text: island

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: the

text: River

text: Iser

text: while

text: to

text: the

text: west

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: is

text: Olympic

text: park

text: It

text: 's

text: home

text: to

text: the

text: Tollwood

text: summer

text: and

text: winter

text: festivals

text: but

text: year

text: round

text: you

text: can

text: get

text: a

text: great

text: view

text: from

text: the

text: tower

text: of

text: the

text: Olympic

text: Stadium

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: and

text: the

text: former

text: home

text: to

text: the

text: city

text: 's

text: two

text: football

text: clubs

text: The

text: Allianz

text: Arena

text: a

text: huge

text: swirl

text: of

text: a

text: stadium

text: that

text: opened

text: in

text: is

text: now

text: the

text: home

text: of

text: Bayern

text: and

text: lowly

text: Munich

text: Football

text: fans

text: can

text: visit

text: the

text: stadium

text: with

text: daily

text: tours

text: From

text: the

text: masses

text: to

text: regal

text: splendor

text: the

text: Nymphenburg

text: Palace

text: was

text: the

text: summer

text: residence

text: of

text: the

text: Wittelbach

text: dynasty

text: that

text: ruled

text: Bavaria

text: for

text: over

text: years

text: until

text: The

text: grand

text: rooms

text: should

text: sate

text: anyone

text: 's

text: need

text: for

text: gold

text: gilt

text: and

text: eighteenth

text: century

text: grandeur

text: When

text: evening

text: comes

text: the

text: city

text: can

text: accommodate

text: those

text: with

text: a

text: hunger

text: for

text: cosmopolitan

text: dining

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: more

text: traditional

text: cuisine

text: For

text: entertainment

text: theaters

text: and

text: the

text: city

text: 's

text: opera

text: house

text: provide

text: more

text: refined

text: fare

text: while

text: those

text: in

text: search

text: of

text: some

text: more

text: late

text: night

text: grungy

text: fun

text: can

text: head

text: to

text: the

text: complex

text: of

text: bars

text: and

text: clubs

text: of

text: the

text: Kultfabrik

text: a

text: former

text: industrial

text: site

text: now

text: offering

text: late

text: night

text: kicks

text: on

text: an

text: industrial

text: scale

text: Better

text: than

text: Berlin

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: of

text: Munich

text: Send

text: in

text: your

text: travel

text: tips

text: for

text: the

text: Bavarian

text: city

text: using

text: the

text: Sound

text: Off

text: box

text: below

question: What is the main characteristics of Bavaria?

answer: for lederhosen, weisswurst and its beer festival,

text: for lederhosen, weisswurst and its beer festival,

question: Which city in Germany?

answer: Munich

text: Munich

question: Is this the biggest city in Bavaria?

answer: Munich is the

text: Munich is the

question: What is unique characteristic for city of Bavaria?

answer: no other state in Germany boasts its own "national museum."

text: no other state in Germany boasts its own "national museum."

question: When do tourists come?

answer: every autumn,

text: every autumn,


text:
BEIJING, China (CNN)  -- The Chinese women's gymnastics team did not use underage competitors during this year's Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, the International Gymnastics Federation said Wednesday.

Widespread reports claimed that gold medal winner  He Kexin was only 14 years old.

The federation said it has concluded its inquiry into the matter after it confirmed the gymnasts' ages through official documents that the Chinese Gymnasts Association provided. The documents included passports, identity cards and household registers.

However, the organization intends to further investigate the ages of two gymnasts, Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun, who participated in the 2000 summer games in Sydney, Australia. The federation said it did not consider  the explanations and evidence that Chinese authorities provided in regard to those athletes as satisfactory.

The International Olympic Committee had asked gymnastics officials to clarify the situation after numerous commentators, bloggers and others questioned whether about half the members of China's team were old enough to compete.  Watch tiny gymnasts work out Â»

Athletes must be at least 16 in the year the games take place. In women's gymnastics, younger girls can have an advantage over older competitors on account of their often smaller, lighter and more agile bodies.

The Chinese women's gymnastics team won a gold medal in a team competition at the Beijing games, and five members won individual medals.

One of the challenges came from a blogger known as "Stryde Hax." The blogger claimed to have uncovered proof that Chinese gymnast He Kexin is only 14.

In Internet searches, "Stryde Hax" allegedly uncovered Web pages showing lists complied by China's General Administration of Sport that show a 1994 date of birth for He.

CNN was not been able to independently verify the information, but snapshots of the Web pages appeared to back up the claim. Other bloggers joined the search and reported similar results.

The New York Times conducted its own investigation, producing similar results that seem to implicate He and two other members of the team. The Times uncovered a 2006 biography on He that lists her birthday as January 1, 1994.

The International Gymnastics Federation, however, has said that those gymnasts were eligible and that the ages on their passports were correct.

Chinese gymnastics coaches also defended their team.

"Asians have different figures than people from the West, so that's what caused their suspicion," said Huang Yubin, head coach of the men's and women's teams, referring to media inquiries. "They shouldn't be suspicious."

text: BEIJING

text: China

text: CNN

text: The

text: Chinese

text: women

text: 's

text: gymnastics

text: team

text: did

text: not

text: use

text: underage

text: competitors

text: during

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: Summer

text: Olympic

text: Games

text: in

text: Beijing

text: the

text: International

text: Gymnastics

text: Federation

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: Widespread

text: reports

text: claimed

text: that

text: gold

text: medal

text: winner

text: He

text: Kexin

text: was

text: only

text: years

text: old

text: The

text: federation

text: said

text: it

text: has

text: concluded

text: its

text: inquiry

text: into

text: the

text: matter

text: after

text: it

text: confirmed

text: the

text: gymnasts

text: ages

text: through

text: official

text: documents

text: that

text: the

text: Chinese

text: Gymnasts

text: Association

text: provided

text: The

text: documents

text: included

text: passports

text: identity

text: cards

text: and

text: household

text: registers

text: However

text: the

text: organization

text: intends

text: to

text: further

text: investigate

text: the

text: ages

text: of

text: two

text: gymnasts

text: Dong

text: Fangxiao

text: and

text: Yang

text: Yun

text: who

text: participated

text: in

text: the

text: summer

text: games

text: in

text: Sydney

text: Australia

text: The

text: federation

text: said

text: it

text: did

text: not

text: consider

text: the

text: explanations

text: and

text: evidence

text: that

text: Chinese

text: authorities

text: provided

text: in

text: regard

text: to

text: those

text: athletes

text: as

text: satisfactory

text: The

text: International

text: Olympic

text: Committee

text: had

text: asked

text: gymnastics

text: officials

text: to

text: clarify

text: the

text: situation

text: after

text: numerous

text: commentators

text: bloggers

text: and

text: others

text: questioned

text: whether

text: about

text: half

text: the

text: members

text: of

text: China

text: 's

text: team

text: were

text: old

text: enough

text: to

text: compete

text: Watch

text: tiny

text: gymnasts

text: work

text: out

text: Â

text: Athletes

text: must

text: be

text: at

text: least

text: in

text: the

text: year

text: the

text: games

text: take

text: place

text: In

text: women

text: 's

text: gymnastics

text: younger

text: girls

text: can

text: have

text: an

text: advantage

text: over

text: older

text: competitors

text: on

text: account

text: of

text: their

text: often

text: smaller

text: lighter

text: and

text: more

text: agile

text: bodies

text: The

text: Chinese

text: women

text: 's

text: gymnastics

text: team

text: won

text: a

text: gold

text: medal

text: in

text: a

text: team

text: competition

text: at

text: the

text: Beijing

text: games

text: and

text: five

text: members

text: won

text: individual

text: medals

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: challenges

text: came

text: from

text: a

text: blogger

text: known

text: as

text: Stryde

text: Hax

text: The

text: blogger

text: claimed

text: to

text: have

text: uncovered

text: proof

text: that

text: Chinese

text: gymnast

text: He

text: Kexin

text: is

text: only

text: In

text: Internet

text: searches

text: Stryde

text: Hax

text: allegedly

text: uncovered

text: Web

text: pages

text: showing

text: lists

text: complied

text: by

text: China

text: 's

text: General

text: Administration

text: of

text: Sport

text: that

text: show

text: a

text: date

text: of

text: birth

text: for

text: He

text: CNN

text: was

text: not

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: independently

text: verify

text: the

text: information

text: but

text: snapshots

text: of

text: the

text: Web

text: pages

text: appeared

text: to

text: back

text: up

text: the

text: claim

text: Other

text: bloggers

text: joined

text: the

text: search

text: and

text: reported

text: similar

text: results

text: The

text: New

text: York

text: Times

text: conducted

text: its

text: own

text: investigation

text: producing

text: similar

text: results

text: that

text: seem

text: to

text: implicate

text: He

text: and

text: two

text: other

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: team

text: The

text: Times

text: uncovered

text: a

text: biography

text: on

text: He

text: that

text: lists

text: her

text: birthday

text: as

text: January

text: The

text: International

text: Gymnastics

text: Federation

text: however

text: has

text: said

text: that

text: those

text: gymnasts

text: were

text: eligible

text: and

text: that

text: the

text: ages

text: on

text: their

text: passports

text: were

text: correct

text: Chinese

text: gymnastics

text: coaches

text: also

text: defended

text: their

text: team

text: Asians

text: have

text: different

text: figures

text: than

text: people

text: from

text: the

text: West

text: so

text: that

text: 's

text: what

text: caused

text: their

text: suspicion

text: said

text: Huang

text: Yubin

text: head

text: coach

text: of

text: the

text: men

text: 's

text: and

text: women

text: 's

text: teams

text: referring

text: to

text: media

text: inquiries

text: They

text: should

text: n't

text: be

text: suspicious

question: Who suspected that some girls were under age according to the rules?

answer: The International Olympic Committee

text: The International Olympic Committee

question: What things were examined?

answer: official documents

text: official documents

question: The team from China won gold for what sport?

answer: women's gymnastics

text: women's gymnastics

question: What requirements did the athletes meet?

answer: must be at least 16

text: must be at least 16

question: What medal did the Chinese team win?

answer: gold

text: gold

question: Who won a gold medal at Bejiing?

answer: He Kexin

text: He Kexin

question: What documents were examined?

answer: passports, identity cards and household registers.

text: passports, identity cards and household registers.

question: Where were the Summer Olympics held?

answer: Beijing,

text: Beijing,

question: Who won the gold medal?

answer: He Kexin

text: He Kexin


text:
(CNN) -- Australian hurdler Jana Rawlinson has had her breast implants removed to boost her chances of winning a medal for her country at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The 27-year-old Rawlinson, whose private life has often made headlines in Australia, said she enjoyed having larger breasts but did not want to "short-change Australia".

"I absolutely loved having bigger boobs, but finally I've grown up enough to know myself -- to be honest about who I am when I look in the mirror," Rawlinson told the Woman's Day magazine.

"I don't want to short-change Australia either -- I want to feel the most athletic I can, to know that I'm standing on the track in London the fittest I can be."

The double 400 meter hurdles world champion, who reportedly plans to remarry her estranged British  husband and fellow-athlete Chris Rawlinson, told the magazine she had the implants because she was unhappy with her athletic figure.

"When I looked in the mirror I just saw muscled arms, broad shoulders and big, strong legs," she said. "These are assets I need to run well, but they didn't make me feel like an attractive woman.

"There are a couple of girls -- who I won't name -- in world athletics who are Olympic champions, but they look like men and I don't want to be like that."

Rawlinson won the 400m hurdles at the 2003 Paris world championships and four years later in Osaka, Japan.

text: CNN

text: Australian

text: hurdler

text: Jana

text: Rawlinson

text: has

text: had

text: her

text: breast

text: implants

text: removed

text: to

text: boost

text: her

text: chances

text: of

text: winning

text: a

text: medal

text: for

text: her

text: country

text: at

text: the

text: Olympic

text: Games

text: in

text: London

text: The

text: old

text: Rawlinson

text: whose

text: private

text: life

text: has

text: often

text: made

text: headlines

text: in

text: Australia

text: said

text: she

text: enjoyed

text: having

text: larger

text: breasts

text: but

text: did

text: not

text: want

text: to

text: short

text: change

text: Australia

text: I

text: absolutely

text: loved

text: having

text: bigger

text: boobs

text: but

text: finally

text: I

text: 've

text: grown

text: up

text: enough

text: to

text: know

text: myself

text: to

text: be

text: honest

text: about

text: who

text: I

text: am

text: when

text: I

text: look

text: in

text: the

text: mirror

text: Rawlinson

text: told

text: the

text: Woman

text: 's

text: Day

text: magazine

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: short

text: change

text: Australia

text: either

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: feel

text: the

text: most

text: athletic

text: I

text: can

text: to

text: know

text: that

text: I

text: 'm

text: standing

text: on

text: the

text: track

text: in

text: London

text: the

text: fittest

text: I

text: can

text: be

text: The

text: double

text: meter

text: hurdles

text: world

text: champion

text: who

text: reportedly

text: plans

text: to

text: remarry

text: her

text: estranged

text: British

text: husband

text: and

text: fellow

text: athlete

text: Chris

text: Rawlinson

text: told

text: the

text: magazine

text: she

text: had

text: the

text: implants

text: because

text: she

text: was

text: unhappy

text: with

text: her

text: athletic

text: figure

text: When

text: I

text: looked

text: in

text: the

text: mirror

text: I

text: just

text: saw

text: muscled

text: arms

text: broad

text: shoulders

text: and

text: big

text: strong

text: legs

text: she

text: said

text: These

text: are

text: assets

text: I

text: need

text: to

text: run

text: well

text: but

text: they

text: did

text: n't

text: make

text: me

text: feel

text: like

text: an

text: attractive

text: woman

text: There

text: are

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: girls

text: who

text: I

text: wo

text: n't

text: name

text: in

text: world

text: athletics

text: who

text: are

text: Olympic

text: champions

text: but

text: they

text: look

text: like

text: men

text: and

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: like

text: that

text: Rawlinson

text: won

text: the

text: m

text: hurdles

text: at

text: the

text: Paris

text: world

text: championships

text: and

text: four

text: years

text: later

text: in

text: Osaka

text: Japan

question: Which championship did the athlete win at?

answer: 400 meter hurdles

text: 400 meter hurdles

question: Who has had her breast implants removed?

answer: Jana Rawlinson

text: Jana Rawlinson

question: Who won the 400m hurdles?

answer: Rawlinson

text: Rawlinson

question: What does the 27-year-old hope to do?

answer: winning a medal for her country at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

text: winning a medal for her country at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

question: Who is Jana Rawlinson?

answer: hurdler

text: hurdler

question: Who had her breast implants removed?

answer: Jana Rawlinson

text: Jana Rawlinson

question: What did Rawlinson do?

answer: had her breast implants removed

text: had her breast implants removed

question: What reason were the implants removed?

answer: of winning a medal

text: of winning a medal

question: Where in the world is Osaka?

answer: Japan.

text: Japan.


text:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan election officials on Monday disqualified opposition party leader and former former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from participating in January parliamentary elections.

Election officials say Nawaz Sharif's previous convictions bar him from standing for reelection.

A spokesman for Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League told CNN Monday that Sharif had been barred by the election commission because of a previous criminal conviction.

Sharif filed paperwork for his candidacy last week, although he had left open the possibility that he would boycott the election in protest of a state of emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf.

Sharif, an outspoken critic of Musharraf, who ousted him from power in 1999, had said he wanted to keep all options open.

Sharif returned to Pakistan last month, ending seven years in exile in Saudi Arabia. He had first returned in September, but Pakistani authorities deported him within hours of his arrival.

Sharif was convicted of terrorism, hijacking and tax evasion after Musharraf seized power in 1999.

He was released in 2000 in exchange for agreeing to 10 years of exile in Saudi Arabia. He retained his Pakistani citizenship, but has not been allowed to travel to Pakistan or directly take part in Pakistani politics.

Musharraf, who quit as military leader and took office for a third term last week, has pledged to lift the state of emergency by December 16.

He was criticized of using the emergency to crack down on political rivals and to purge the judiciary of those likely to block the approval of his reappointment as leader. E-mail to a friend

-- CNN's Zein Basravi contributed to this report.

text: ISLAMABAD

text: Pakistan

text: CNN

text: Pakistan

text: election

text: officials

text: on

text: Monday

text: disqualified

text: opposition

text: party

text: leader

text: and

text: former

text: former

text: prime

text: minister

text: Nawaz

text: Sharif

text: from

text: participating

text: in

text: January

text: parliamentary

text: elections

text: Election

text: officials

text: say

text: Nawaz

text: Sharif

text: 's

text: previous

text: convictions

text: bar

text: him

text: from

text: standing

text: for

text: reelection

text: A

text: spokesman

text: for

text: Sharif

text: 's

text: Pakistan

text: Muslim

text: League

text: told

text: CNN

text: Monday

text: that

text: Sharif

text: had

text: been

text: barred

text: by

text: the

text: election

text: commission

text: because

text: of

text: a

text: previous

text: criminal

text: conviction

text: Sharif

text: filed

text: paperwork

text: for

text: his

text: candidacy

text: last

text: week

text: although

text: he

text: had

text: left

text: open

text: the

text: possibility

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: boycott

text: the

text: election

text: in

text: protest

text: of

text: a

text: state

text: of

text: emergency

text: imposed

text: by

text: President

text: Pervez

text: Musharraf

text: Sharif

text: an

text: outspoken

text: critic

text: of

text: Musharraf

text: who

text: ousted

text: him

text: from

text: power

text: in

text: had

text: said

text: he

text: wanted

text: to

text: keep

text: all

text: options

text: open

text: Sharif

text: returned

text: to

text: Pakistan

text: last

text: month

text: ending

text: seven

text: years

text: in

text: exile

text: in

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: He

text: had

text: first

text: returned

text: in

text: September

text: but

text: Pakistani

text: authorities

text: deported

text: him

text: within

text: hours

text: of

text: his

text: arrival

text: Sharif

text: was

text: convicted

text: of

text: terrorism

text: hijacking

text: and

text: tax

text: evasion

text: after

text: Musharraf

text: seized

text: power

text: in

text: He

text: was

text: released

text: in

text: in

text: exchange

text: for

text: agreeing

text: to

text: years

text: of

text: exile

text: in

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: He

text: retained

text: his

text: Pakistani

text: citizenship

text: but

text: has

text: not

text: been

text: allowed

text: to

text: travel

text: to

text: Pakistan

text: or

text: directly

text: take

text: part

text: in

text: Pakistani

text: politics

text: Musharraf

text: who

text: quit

text: as

text: military

text: leader

text: and

text: took

text: office

text: for

text: a

text: third

text: term

text: last

text: week

text: has

text: pledged

text: to

text: lift

text: the

text: state

text: of

text: emergency

text: by

text: December

text: He

text: was

text: criticized

text: of

text: using

text: the

text: emergency

text: to

text: crack

text: down

text: on

text: political

text: rivals

text: and

text: to

text: purge

text: the

text: judiciary

text: of

text: those

text: likely

text: to

text: block

text: the

text: approval

text: of

text: his

text: reappointment

text: as

text: leader

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Zein

text: Basravi

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Where was the returning officer?

answer: Saudi Arabia.

text: Saudi Arabia.

question: Name the former Pakistani PM?

answer: Nawaz Sharif

text: Nawaz Sharif

question: who was rejected

answer: Nawaz Sharif

text: Nawaz Sharif

question: who was upheld

answer: Nawaz Sharif

text: Nawaz Sharif

question: Who is a former PM of Pakistan?

answer: Nawaz Sharif

text: Nawaz Sharif

question: who submitted papers for the elections

answer: Sharif

text: Sharif

question: What was he submitting papers for?

answer: his candidacy

text: his candidacy