Body Language

Sam Turnbull used to walk around Hagerstown City Park every morning before dawn, but he changed his route recently after a stray German shepherd bit him. About 300 people are bitten by dogs every year in Washington County. In many cases, the victims could have been spared if they had a better understanding of dog behavior, officials said. "Dogs survive and dogs communicate the majority of the time with body language," said Keller Haden, animal control supervisor at the Washington County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Use your eyes, ears and heart Communication boils down to listening with three organs - the eyes, the ears and the heart, according to Mike Harsh, associate professor of speech, theater and English at Hagerstown Junior College. Harsh says flirting can be fun to watch. "You can tell who's hot for whom in a college class," he says. But the skills involved in flirting have broader applications. Body language is vitally important during an job interview, Harsh says.

"The body says what words cannot," said 20th-century American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham. Graham has been called the mother of modern dance. Her influence on the art form was huge. But you don't have to be a dancer to express thoughts, feelings or meanings with your body. Sometimes, you can't help it. Some expressions, gestures, positions and postures are involuntary - part of nonverbal communication or body language. Take the shoulder shrug, for example.

MONT ALTO, Pa. -- John McCain rolling his eyes in the last presidential debate. The candidates bickering over "Joe the Plumber. " Late-night comedy shows and unsponsored advertising. Penn State Mont Alto professor Alfred G. Mueller II has a list of distractions he perceives as pulling voters' attention away from true messages in the presidential race between McCain and Barack Obama. "When you're dealing with distractions, you have to do a reality check every once in a while.

charlestown@herald-mail.com CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - An assistant Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney said Thursday the Jefferson County commission has no authority to reprimand or admonish a member of the commission. Brandon Sims' comments came after Jefferson County Commission member Greg Corliss said he wanted to examine what government bodies can do to control disruptive behavior during meetings after an Oct. 18 Jefferson County Development Authority meeting where Commission member Jim Surkamp argued with officials.

With a few days left until Valentine's Day, most teens' thoughts drift toward loved ones or plans for that day. For those in relationships, Valentine's Day can serve as a time to analyze problems or attempt to fix them. Communication is often a hidden obstacle in a relationship. Area high school students interviewed for this story agreed that communication was a key component of a relationship. Communication allows for understanding and growth. Communication allows for conflicts to be resolved.

The first clue that someone might be trying to pull one over on you this Saturday is to keep in mind it's April Fool's Day. With some people, it's soooo obvious when they try to pull a prank or tell a lie. They just can't keep a straight face. But there are people who are just good liars. The best way to figure out if someone is lying is to know how that person normally behaves, experts say. It's the changes in habit that will tip you off that something is afoot, say Maryann Karinch, co-author of "How to Spot a Liar," and Larry Stouter, director of Catoctin Counseling Center in Hagerstown.

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is a scary concept. I'm not talking about the plot (although I guess the idea aggressive, super-intelligent apes taking over the planet is kind of scary), I'm talking about the idea of the movie itself.   Nobody was asking for a prequel of the 1968 Charlton Heston classic and unnecessary updates are all too common these days. To make matters worse, many viewers still have a bad taste in their mouth from Tim Burton's disastrous 2001 remake (with its infamous Ape Lincoln finale)

Most look forward to holiday parties Your office holiday party is probably approaching. Are you excited? Many of us worker bees are, according to a survey by Quill, an office supply firm based in Lincolnshire, Ill. Only 3 percent of employees polled said they dread the thought of going, while 75 percent said they look forward to this annual event. Nearly half, 49 percent, said they prefer a formal affair with spouses and significant others, while about a third prefer an employee-only casual event.

It's interesting to watch children participating in summer programs. There's definitely a different group dynamic than is present in most classrooms. For one thing, many summer programs only last a week. The children often don't know each other or the instructor well. The instructor might not have classroom experience. Yet organized summer programs for children are good for several reasons. They give children something productive to do. No parent wants to hear a child talk about how bored he or she is. Summer programs also can expose children to experiences that they wouldn't have the time or the occasion for throughout the school year.

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is a scary concept. I'm not talking about the plot (although I guess the idea aggressive, super-intelligent apes taking over the planet is kind of scary), I'm talking about the idea of the movie itself.   Nobody was asking for a prequel of the 1968 Charlton Heston classic and unnecessary updates are all too common these days. To make matters worse, many viewers still have a bad taste in their mouth from Tim Burton's disastrous 2001 remake (with its infamous Ape Lincoln finale)

MONT ALTO, Pa. -- John McCain rolling his eyes in the last presidential debate. The candidates bickering over "Joe the Plumber. " Late-night comedy shows and unsponsored advertising. Penn State Mont Alto professor Alfred G. Mueller II has a list of distractions he perceives as pulling voters' attention away from true messages in the presidential race between McCain and Barack Obama. "When you're dealing with distractions, you have to do a reality check every once in a while.

It's interesting to watch children participating in summer programs. There's definitely a different group dynamic than is present in most classrooms. For one thing, many summer programs only last a week. The children often don't know each other or the instructor well. The instructor might not have classroom experience. Yet organized summer programs for children are good for several reasons. They give children something productive to do. No parent wants to hear a child talk about how bored he or she is. Summer programs also can expose children to experiences that they wouldn't have the time or the occasion for throughout the school year.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - D.C. "Carol" Gallant's first play, "Breathing Hard," vents her frustration with people who dismiss her era as a time of frivolous hippies. "I don't want to be pedantic, I don't want to be moralistic, but by giving voice to these issues, someone watching might not feel as alone," said Gallant, a fiction writer from Harpers Ferry, W.Va. "Breathing Hard" premieres Friday at the New Voice Play Festival, a one-act play festival at Old Opera House. The festival opens Friday and will run through Sunday, June 22. New Voice debuts original, never-before-seen plays.

HAGERSTOWN - A Hagerstown city councilwoman said a recent traffic stop in which she was pulled over by an officer after allegedly speeding could be construed as evidence that she is the subject of a vendetta for questioning the necessity of a long-running city program. Councilwoman Kelly S. Cromer said she believes some city officials, including members of the police department, want to harass her because she is trying to limit the number of city-owned vehicles that municipal employees are allowed to drive home from work.

HAGERSTOWN -- A Hagerstown councilwoman said a recent traffic stop in which she was pulled over by an officer for allegedly speeding could be construed as evidence that she is the subject of a vendetta for questioning the necessity of a long-running city program. Councilwoman Kelly S. Cromer said she believes some city officials, including members of the police department, want to harass her because she is trying to limit the number of city-owned vehicles that municipal employees are allowed to drive home from work.

With a few days left until Valentine's Day, most teens' thoughts drift toward loved ones or plans for that day. For those in relationships, Valentine's Day can serve as a time to analyze problems or attempt to fix them. Communication is often a hidden obstacle in a relationship. Area high school students interviewed for this story agreed that communication was a key component of a relationship. Communication allows for understanding and growth. Communication allows for conflicts to be resolved.

My son frequently reminds me that he is almost a teenager. He'll be in seventh grade this fall, he's already in the teen group at church, and the other boys on sports teams he's facing seem to get bigger with every game. When I'm doing laundry, I can't tell the difference between his socks and his father's. Their shoe sizes are about the same. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was having my little boy fitted for a white pair of Stride Rites with bells on them? It's not that I'm lamenting my son's growing up. I've enjoyed every stage so far, and I plan to enjoy every minute to come.

I've been sitting on the sidelines for about seven years now, watching my kids and their friends play various sports. I truly enjoy juvenile athletics, especially the joy on a child's face after a good performance. With childhood obesity rates increasing at an alarming rate, we should all do our part to encourage children to play actively. Most of us do, in our own way. At any given sporting event, there is a wide variety of fans. It's interesting to listen as comments are being made, whether they be spoken quietly or yelled loudly enough to hear across the field.

The first clue that someone might be trying to pull one over on you this Saturday is to keep in mind it's April Fool's Day. With some people, it's soooo obvious when they try to pull a prank or tell a lie. They just can't keep a straight face. But there are people who are just good liars. The best way to figure out if someone is lying is to know how that person normally behaves, experts say. It's the changes in habit that will tip you off that something is afoot, say Maryann Karinch, co-author of "How to Spot a Liar," and Larry Stouter, director of Catoctin Counseling Center in Hagerstown.