By Moira E. McLaughlin

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON

Here's something different to do in buttoned-down Washington: Find out what it feels like to fly.

"I'm Mandy. Have you flown with us before?" the charming and enthusiastic trapeze instructor, Mandy Keithan, 31, asked a group of seven fliers on a recent Saturday morning.

It's thrilling. It's fun. It's an adrenaline rush. It's a confidence boost. It clears your head. That's how the fliers describe it.

"It's not like anything you get to do in your regular life," said Jessica Sun, 27, a government worker who started flying two years ago after her sister gave her a gift certificate to a class. Now she flies about twice a month.

The Trapeze School New York (TSNY), which opened here last summer, now has a new location near Nationals Park. It also has schools in Manhattan, Boston and Los Angeles at the Santa Monica pier.

The classes are a mix of new fliers and experienced ones, but the newbies get about 20 minutes links of london charms in the beginning of class for rules and instruction. It takes no time at all before you're flying through the air with the greatest of ease, sort of.

One student flies at a time, and class size is limited to 10, giving you about eight times on the trapeze during the two-hour session.

"Often we find that the main thing that limits people is what they think they can do," Keithan said. And the first thing you have to think you can do is climb up a ladder to about 23 feet off the ground.

The entire time, starting from the bottom of the ladder, you are hooked to safety belts. An instructor meets you on the platform in the air, hooks you up to another safety belt and instructs you: "Ready." And then "Hep," which means jump. Another instructor from the bottom calls out commands as you swing. "Legs up" and "Hands off" means you hang by your knees. "Tuck" and "let go" means flip backward and land in the net. It all goes very quickly.

After you do that about six times, you get a couple of times to do a "catch," meaning you grab a flying instructor's hands as you fly. It's then that you'll really feel as if you're in the circus.

Amateur trapeze flying has become more popular, said Meghan Bourke, 29, another instructor at the school. Most fliers are women.

Psychotherapist Jennifer Kane, 48, a has flown about a dozen times. "You won't need therapy," she said. "Just come here."

Everyone at the recent class was fairly fit and physically active in other ways. Some did yoga and rock climbing; a couple had a background in dance and gymnastics. Many instructors have a background in the circus.

Chances are, whoever you are, you'll feel a little sore the next day. But the school has no physical or age restrictions. (The school recommends calling ahead for a consultation for children ages 6 and under.)

The idea, Keithan said, is to get people a little outside their comfort zones but not so far out that it's not fun. "You don't have to be afraid of anything. If you are willing to jump off the platform, you have faced a demon," she said. p8 (delete one)

Paulton Rovers 3 Cinderford Town 1

Rovers deservedly won an ill-tempered affair despite playing most off the game with only 10 men.

The visitors also had six men booked as they struggled to cope with the pace and skills of Matt Cooper and Ben Lacey.

Town almost shocked their hosts in the second minute when Kane Ingram's free-kick was touched on by Pete Macklin and home keeper Kyle Phillips produced a marvellous reaction save to touch the ball over the bar.

The visitors went close again on 16 minutes when Kyle Bassett raced clear but steered his shot Thomas sabo charms across Phillips and wide of the far post.

Rovers went ahead on 20 minutes when Ben Lacey's right-wing cross was headed down by Charlie Rich for Matt Cooper to stab the ball home.

The game erupted into controversy in the 23rd minute when Jordan Rose sent in a shot which visiting keeper Ben John did well to save, only for players from both sides to start pushing and shoving.

After a couple of minutes, when the referee and his assistants were able to restore order, Rovers defender Ollie Price was sent off for throwing a punch, while Dan Harrison, who seemed to have committed a similar offence, escaped with a yellow card.

It failed to disrupt Rovers, whose lead was almost doubled on 36 minutes when a Dan Cleverley free-kick from the left saw Rose chest the ball down, spin and flash a shot that came back off the bar.

Then, right on half-time, Rich's right-wing free-kick picked out Alex Ball at the near post and his header was well saved by John.

Cinderford drew level two minutes into the second half when a long ball forward saw Bassett beat the advancing Phillips and shoot into the vacant net from 30 yards out.

However, the hard-working Rovers restored their lead on 58 minutes in controversial fashion when the referee overruled his flag- waving assistant as Rich's cross from the left was headed home at the back post by Josh Jeffries.

The visitors almost equalised on 68 minutes when Ingram's corner saw the unchallenged Simon Heal head over the bar.

Two minutes later, the home side were unlucky when Rich's corner was headed out to Cleverley on the penalty spot and his volley was cleared off the line.

Rovers' victory was secured in the 79th minute when Lacey did well on the right before picking out Phil Waters, who cut across the edge of the box before firing home.

The game was sponsored by Geoff Thomas & Son Limited of Braysdown Works, Peasedown, while the matchball sponsora were Somer Joinery Limited.

Paulton Reserves lost 3-1 at Brislington Reserves on Saturday with player/manager Gareth Wright not playing.

This weekend they host Mangotsfield Reserves.

The youth team lost 5-1 to league leaders Weston-super-Mare last week but battled well against an older and more physical side.

They are home to Bitton on Wednesday (7.30pm).

Meanwhile, Paulton's Sunday side beat Elm Tree 4-3 in a close encounter.

HINCKLEY UNITED 1 GLOUCESTER CITY 0 THE Tigers were unable to claw back a point against the 10 men of the Knitters.

A goal down after four minutes, Gloucester's defence down the right flank looked weak.

Alex Taylor bagged the winning goal with a low shot after Neil Mustoe allowed him to run free into the box.

Only Jack Harris looked strong going forward for Gloucester, but gifted a run on goal he fumbled and forgot the ball.

Minutes later he could only fire another effort straight at goalkeeper Chris MacKenzie.

With Tom Webb missing from the City midfield, James Palmer returned to the starting line-up alongside Matt Rose.

Rose worked hard to play the ball upfield to Ben Hunt and Mike Symons, but the pair could not find a way past Hinckley centre-half Paul Lister.

On 28 minutes Andre Gray collected the ball in his own half and ran through the City midfield before being stopped by Harris.

Gray slid in two-footed to try and retrieve the ball but collected Harris' legs with him. As the Hartpury student was helped from the pitch, Gray was sent off.

With Jack Pitcher on in Harris' place, Gloucester began to pressure MacKenzie in the Hinckley goal.

Marc Richards came the closest with two efforts forcing MacKenzie to punch the ball out.

After the break Gloucester continued to fight but an injury to Palmer forced manager Dave Mehew to make changes and bring in an experimental formation with Richards moving to centre midfield and Lee Molyneaux taking his place at the back.

Pitcher, playing in his preferred position up front, looked lively and linked up well with balls played in by Tom Hamblin.

But he failed to take shots, instead preferring to pass to Hunt and Symons.

His pace and touch will give Mehew confidence as the Tigers bid farewell to Ben Hunt, who returns to Bristol Rovers.

Andy Gooding and Chucki Eribenne remained dangerous for Hinckley but without an extra man they could not get past Tom Hamblin in the City defence.

Newcomer Ryan O'Hara added pace and hit the side-netting as Gloucester hunted for the equaliser.

Harris faces a fitness test ahead of tomorrow night's home tie with promotion contenders Southport, while Palmer could miss the rest of the season.

With Tom Webb unavailable for the visit of the Sandgrounders, manager Dave Mehew, who named himself as a substitute against Hinckley, has a hole to fill in midfield as Gloucester continue their battle against relegation. HINCKLEY UNITED: C MacKenzie, J Mace, C Franklin, D Dillon, P Lister, D Pitman, A Hall, A Gooding, C Eribenne, A Gray, A Taylor (D Newton 84). Subs:J Roberts, R Lavery, L Hamilton GLOUCESTER CITY: M replica tag heruer watches Green, G Lake, N Mustoe, T Hamblin, M Richards, M Rose, J Palmer (L Molyneaux 67) L Smith, B Hunt, M Symons (R O'Hara 70) J Harris (J Pitcher 32) Subs: W Morford, D Mehew.

ATTENDANCE: 491 REFEREE: Stuart Eagland (Lichfield ) STAR MAN: Tom Hamblin

PAULTON ROVERS 3 CINDERFORD TOWN 1 PAULTON Rovers overcame Cinderford Town despite playing with 10 men for three-quarters of links of london charms their Southern League Division One South & West clash.

The home side took the lead inside 20 minutes when Ben Lacey, who was a constant threat to the Cinderford defence, crossed from the right for Charlie Rich to head into the path of Matt Cooper, who scored from close range.

However, just two minutes later, Paulton centre-back Ollie Price was sent off for throwing a punch in a melee inside the penalty area.

Cinderford equalised two minutes into the second half, when Kyle Bassett raced clear to beat the advancing Kyle Phillips.

Paulton regained the lead in the 59th minute, when Rich's cross Clip on charms from the flank was headed in at the far post by Josh Jeffries.

Rovers clinched victory with a third goal in the 79th minute, when Phil Waters scored after a good run.

The victory keeps Paulton in third place in the table and on course for a place in the play-offs.

Tonight Rovers face second-in-the-table AFC Totton in a crucial home clash.

Somehow, despite a global meltdown and a local thaw, the hosts are ready. Vancouver is abuzz, and the stage is set for a Winter Olympics with dazzling settings and story lines.

Bring on Lindsey Vonn, skiing for a slew of gold medals, and the unpredictably intriguing Bode Miller. Anticipate the showdown between Asian figure skaters Kim Yu-na and Mao Asada. Root for, or against, a star-studded Canadian men's hockey team that knows anything less than gold will crush the home-country fans whose passion for a triumphant Olympics grows by the day.

Odds are high that it will rain at times in Vancouver during the Feb. 12-28 run of the games. On Cypress Mountain, in West Vancouver, crews are combatting unseasonably warm, wet weather by trucking in snow to cover the freestyle skiing/snowboarding venue.

But farther north, at the vast ski resort of Whistler, snow abounds on the Alpine courses, and the towering mountains there combine with high-rise, harborside Vancouver to offer perhaps the most stunning mix of scenery ever for a Winter Olympics.

Many of the venues have successfully hosted world-class events over the past few years; the new bobsled/luge track at Whistler has been described as perhaps the fastest in the world.

Canada's Olympic athletes have had full access to the venues for training, part of the Own the Podium initiative that has set the bold goal for the host country to win the most medals at the games. Germany and the United States, which finished 1-2 in Torino four years ago, would love to thwart that goal

Asked what would make these games special for visitors, the CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee, stressed the excitement and sense of unity that they are kindling among Canadians.

"Let the world see what good Canadians can do if they work hard and pull together," John Furlong said in a telephone interview. "It's really a coming out event for Canada."

Few if any other host cities have faced such an overwhelming and unexpected crisis as VANOC did the past two years in the form of the global recession.

"We never thought we'd be confronted with an economy that went over a cliff," Furlong said. "We took the company, turned it upside down, shook it, and everything that didn't matter we left out."

Despite staggering financial woes for some of the corporate sponsors, VANOC managed to keep its own budget in order. Ticket sales have been robust, with most events sold out; even the most- hard hit sponsors -- including General Motors of Canada -- kept their commitments; and the International Olympic Committee has promised to help cover any post-games deficit that might emerge.

One of the biggest victims of the meltdown may turn out to be NBC, which has the U.S. television rights to the games. It expects to lose an estimated $200 million, with advertising revenue not matching the high bid price of $820 million that it committed to in 2003.

The fiscal crisis forced VANOC to become more creative as it trimmed some staff and operational costs without scaling back on the events, festivities and amenities being offered to the Olympic family and the public.

"We had to pay attention to every single tiny thing we were doing," Furlong said. "We didn't lose anything that anyone else will notice."

Now, on the eve of the games, VANOC has declared itself ready to welcome 5,500 athletes and a projected 350,000 visit
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CANADA'S quest for a first Olympic gold medal on home soil has ended after Alexandre Thomas sabo charms Bilodeau won the men's moguls. The host nation had previously failed to capture gold at the 1976 Montreal Summer Games or the 1988 Calgary Winter Games. Bilodeau, replica hublot watches 22, finished ahead of Australia's reigning champion Dale Begg-Smith and American Bryon Wilson at the Cypress Mountain venue outside Vancouver.

His victory came a day after moguls team-mate Jennifer Heil failed to live up to expectations, and won only silver. Bilodeau completed his final run in 23.17 seconds.

Two extraordinary American men of letters died recently: J.D. Salinger and Howard Zinn.

Salinger was 91. He was the author of one of the most iconic novels of the post-war period, "Catcher in the Rye." A few years ago it was the most banned book in the public schools of the United States, as well as the second most often assigned book.

Zinn is best known for his monumental, "A People's History of the United States." He was 87. "A People's History" is not the kind of book you sit down and read through. It's an alternative history of America, focusing on the groups that are routinely ignored in standard histories, ideas that are suppressed in what might be called patriotic or triumphalist histories. Zinn wrote the kind of history that drives Glenn Beck and Lynne Cheney nuts.

I reread both books last week.

"Catcher in the Rye" is a novel about adolescent angst, alienation and disillusionment. It's also about the profound confusion of discovering one day - with an equal mix of fascination, shame and disgust - that sex drives and distorts everything, and you didn't understand that all this time and now - suddenly - you do, sort of. "Catcher in the Rye" is a first-person narrative by a teenager named Holden Caulfield, who has just been expelled from a private boy's academy for non-performance. It's a rambling account of his actions in the days immediately following expulsion, with a stream of consciousness monologue about the phoniness of almost everything and everyone, and an adolescent's search for authenticity.

My adolescence was not particularly defined by angst, but there was a significant measure of chaos in my family. I moved my bedroom down into the dank, damp, dreadful basement, where I painted every surface black and threw up black lights and posters, and listened to Abbey Road day and night for several years. I remember the precise moment when I decided all adults were humbug ("phonies" in Holden's vocabulary). It involved a cocktail party my parents were hosting. Their very drunk and Babbitt-like friend invaded my sanctuary to challenge me to a game of ping pong and to lecture me like the guy in "The Graduate" about what I should do with my life. He staggered around the ping pong table, paddle in one hand, highball in the other, slurring his words and pontificating about the glories of main street business.

As Holden Caulfield says, "That can get on your nerves after a while."

To escape from my family and probably myself, I went to work at the Dickinson Press when I was 15, more or less full-time, and as far as I can remember for the rest of my high school years I went home merely to eat and sleep, much to the consternation of my mother. I've been a sad workaholic ever since.

I don't remember when I first read "Catcher in the Rye," but it was at least 30 years ago. There was a time when the book brought on a lot of trouble for earnest English teachers, who assigned it because it was "relevant" and "daring," and then stood by like champions of the First Amendment as the principal and school board got blistered by ministers and outraged parents.

When I reread the novel as a tired middle-aged adult last weekend, more or less in one sitting, I made two somewhat distressing discoveries. First, it was an entirely new book to me. Here was one of the most familiar and epochal books of my lifetime, and it was as if I were reading it for the first time. I didn't remember that most of it took place in New York City, that Holden does a good deal of underage drinking in hotel bars and jazz clubs,
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