Tigers New Nike Ad Do You Love It or Hate It?

Tiger Woods" all-new Nike ad, declared "Earl and Tiger," debuted Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN and The Golf Channel.After examination the commercial, do you love it or hatred it? Give us your thoughts in the comments below, afterwards take the check to discuss it us: What side are you on?

S&P surges past 1200

Upbeat forecasts from Intel and JPMorgan Chase & Co. propelled the batch marketplace higher for a fifth day.

The gains Wednesday pushed the Standard & Poors 500 index over the 1,200 symbol for the initial time in a year and a half. It sealed at 1,210.65.

The Dow Jones industrial normal rose 104 points and changed to 11,123.11. The Nasdaq rose 38.87, or 1.6 percent, to 2,504.86. It hasnt been on top of 2,500 given Jun 2008.

The marketplace done a extended allege on a range of signs that the economy is recovering.

JPMorgan Chase reported a better-than-expected distinction for the January-March quarter. The bank is still confronting big waste from souring consumer loans, but CEO Jamie Dimon pronounced there have been transparent improvements in the economy.

Chipmaker Intel posted gain and income after the shutting bell Tuesday that surfaced analysts" expectations. The association additionally lifted the 2010 forecast. Intels opinion increased the technology-dominated Nasdaq combination index.

Michael Binger, portfolio physical education instructor at Thrivent Investment Management in Minneapolis, pronounced the clever formula from leaders of the promissory note and record industries are signs that the liberation is on track.

"It diminishes the possibility that we go behind in to a double-dip recession," he said. "It lends faith that the monetary industry is recuperating and the tech industry is over recuperating and is you do really well."

The Commerce Departments inform that sell sales rose again in Mar combined to expectations that consumers are starting to outlay more.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress" Joint Economic Committee that the liberation should hold but that high bill deficits contingency be addressed to equivocate big jumps in seductiveness rates.

Bernanke cautioned that stagnation will sojourn an barrier for the economy. He additionally steady that seductiveness rates will stay low for an "extended period." Some traders had speculated that Bernanke would vigilance a change in seductiveness rate process right away that the economy appears to be strengthening. Low rates have helped expostulate resources such as bonds higher for the past thirteen months.

The marketplace has been rising usually for dual months on enlivening signs of growth. Some analysts have warned that batch prices have climbed as well high, but the ultimate distinction reports eased concerns that prices are stretched.

Britains mercantile expansion revised up to 0.4%

Gary Parkinson and Grainne Gilmore & ,}

The UK emerged from the 18-month retrogression at the finish of last year some-more strongly than formerly thought.

In the third guess of GDP expansion the Office for National Statistics pronounced today that the economy grew by 0.4 per cent in between Oct and December, unexpectedly light the prior guess of expansion of 0.3 per cent and beating the expectations of economists that the figure would be unchanged.

The ONS had creatively estimated 0.1 per cent growth. It pronounced that the second rider was shabby by stronger outlay from the building a whole and use industries and from agriculture.

The economy still shrank by a jot down 4.9 per cent last year, the ONS said, and the tumble in outlay during the retrogression remained at 6.2 per cent, the biggest given allied annals began.

Related LinksCOMMENT: Riding but stabilisers1.8 million watch Ask the Chancellors UK liberation gains traction on services boost

Economists pronounced that concerns remained about the infirmity of the economy, despite the revised figures. They warned that the expansion was increased by government spending that will decrease as the nation tackles the debt crisis. Activity had additionally been bolstered by the register cycle companies who ran down their bonds during the tallness of the retrogression and had proposed to sequence some-more products but that this was is a proxy effect.

Speaking to MPs this sunrise Alistair Darling took a little of the credit for the stronger than approaching figure but concurred that the economy was operating with impulse measures.

Its scold that a little of the impulse not each measure, but a little of the measures that I voiced in Nov 2008 at the pre-Budget inform are being withdrawn," he said. "The greatest singular impulse was a VAT cut. And I said categorically that was going to run for thirteen months and I hold that my decision was right. Part of the [upward revision] was due to the actuality that expenditure was brought brazen in to 2009, that is what I longed for to do. Had that run on serve than that, not usually would have there been a loss to the revenues, but it wouldnt have had the same effect."

Charles Davis, comparison economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said: "There are still concerns on the sustainability of the recovery as expansion was mostly driven by consumer and supervision spending as well as the register cycle factors that are expected to wear off by 2010. "

Howard Archer, arch UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said: "[The upward revision] does not essentially change the perspective that liberation is likely to be rough and gradual.

"Significantly, the economy was reception a lot of assistance in the fourth quarter of 2009 from financial and mercantile impulse and these props are starting to be removed. Growth might well have moderated in the initial entertain of 2010 due to the poignant weather-related strike to wake up at the begin of the year."

Economists additionally refused to order out the possibility of a double-dip recession.

Ross Walker, an economist at RBS, said: The risks of a stand in drop are sincerely modest, but I think there are still a little poignant headwinds."

The ONS will tell the initial guess of GDP expansion in the initial entertain of this year on Apr 23, only weeks prior to the expected choosing date of May 6.

Workers condense pensions contributions in recession

Staff at a entertain of British companies have cut or dangling grant contributions during the retrogression melancholy to intensify the countrys retirement-funding crisis.

Punter Southall, the grant expert and administrator, will currently tell an annual inform in to the state of early retirement sustenance in the United Kingdom. It says workers have reacted to drawn out compensate cuts and compensate freezes by suspending grant saving.

And the organisation warned that most might never have up for the lost contributions. Damian Stancombe, head of corporate tangible grant pensions, said: "People have selected to concentration on vital in the benefaction that is distinct enough. What they are forgetful is that employers customarily compare contributions, so they are losing out on a poignant good by you do this. It will additionally positively have this countrys grant appropriation predicament worse."

The investigate drew responses from 330 UK employers, together with twenty-four FTSE 100 companies, with workplace grant provision. The fieldwork was conducted in between Dec and January.

The investigate additionally found that whilst 9 out of ten employers hold that there will be a shift in supervision after the stirring election, some-more than half of them (57 per cent) hold this will have small or no disproportion to grant policy.

Mr Stancombe pronounced there was "a noted disenchantment" with all parties" grant policies. He highlighted a respondent who urged supervision to "stop mucking about with pensions legislation", whilst an additional complained that "they cannot leave pensions alone".

"Politicians on all sides have obviously unsuccessful to remonstrate UK plc that they have sufficient addressed the hurdles confronting the grant system," he said.

Greece ups stakes in query for EU assistance

Marcin Grajewski and Paul Hoskins BRUSSELS/ATHENS Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:58pm EDT Related Video Greece wants EU help Thu, Mar eighteen 2010 < 1 / 4 >

BRUSSELS/ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece lifted the stakes on Thursday in the query for EU assistance to plunge into the debt crisis, observant it cannot grasp betrothed necessity cuts if the borrowing costs sojourn so high and competence have to call in the IMF.

But Athens discharged a inform that it was formulation to spin to the tellurian lender as shortly as early Apr if European Union leaders do not determine on a rescue plan subsequent week, job IMF assist a last review and observant all options were still open.

Market concerns that it competence infer unfit to erect a euro section financial reserve net for the banking area"s majority heavily gladdened part of due to German hostility sent the euro revoke and strike Greek bank shares and bonds.

In the ultimate signs of tragedy in the euro zone, Spain urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel to equivocate speak of presumably expelling associate members from the singular currency, observant such comments could be misconstrued.

"What we have to do is coordinate mercantile policies and not send messages that could be misunderstood," Economy Minister Elena Salgado, who chairs the legislature of EU financial ministers, told Europa Press headlines organisation in Madrid.

And former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, right away personality of the magnanimous organisation in the European Parliament, pronounced he found Merkel"s speak of exclusion "very disturbing" and "frankly shocking."

"Obviously Merkel no longer wants European solutions," he pronounced in a debate in Paris distributed by his office.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou pronounced draconian purgation measures and plans for constructional remodel showed joining to the fortitude of the euro but that high borrowing costs would have it formidable for Greece to encounter bill goals.

"We will have it, supposing that the nation can steal on in accord with terms," he told a cupboard meeting. "Based on those conditions, the nation is not looking and will not find financial aid, possibly from the European partners or from the IMF, that would be the last resort."

Papandreou progressing told the European Parliament that simply releasing some-more item on the inlet of a European await resource for heavily gladdened countries could be sufficient to revoke borrowing costs and advise off speculators.

The reward investors assign for holding Greek debt rather than benchmark German holds rose as high as 319 basement points, definition Athens would have to compensate about 6.30 percent to steal on markets, by far the top produce in the euro zone.

Economists contend such rates would devalue Greece"s problems in a year when it has to lift 53 billion euros ($72.4 billion), twenty billion of it in refinancing in between Apr twenty and finish May.

IMF PAIN WITHOUT MONEY

Papandreou pronounced Greece longed for a preference at an EU limit subsequent week on a resource to yield financial await if needed.

He pronounced a perceivable EU await resource could force marketplace rates down and have it nonessential for Greece to go to the IMF.

"We have taken currently measures that the IMF would have asked us to take. In fact, we are underneath an IMF program. However, we don"t have the comforts that the IMF could give," he said.

Greece did not wish to be in "a incident when we have the misfortune of the IMF and nothing of the advantages of the euro zone."

Nomura strategist Sean Malony pronounced play on words over an EU rescue plan was tantalizing predestine in the markets.

"It"s similar to fluttering a red broom at a bull... it seems similar to a have a difference of time prior to the markets will exam them out," he said.

Figures expelled on Thursday showed stagnation staged the greatest burst in at slightest eleven years, highlighting the onslaught Athens faces to block big holes in the bill as spending cuts and taxation rises bluster to serve criticise a timorous economy.

The jobless rate rose to 10.3 percent in the last entertain of 2009 from 7.9 percent a year earlier.

Analysts pronounced that raising the ghost of the initial IMF involvement in the euro section was often a tactic to enlarge vigour for agreement on a European rescue mechanism.

Merkel, confronting large open antithesis to bailing out Greece forward of a consequential informal choosing in May, has taken the hardest line opposite any rescue arrangement.

"A discerning action of oneness is really not the right answer," she told council in Berlin on Wednesday, job for in advance changes to the EU covenant to have it probable to ban a sequence necessity delinquent from the euro zone.

After primarily incompatible any chance to the International Monetary Fund inside the banking bloc, German supervision sources have started this week to contend Berlin competence not conflict a Greek chance to the Washington-based tellurian lender.

EU diplomats pronounced this reflected often made at home domestic and authorised pressures opposite a euro section rescue for Greece but maybe additionally an try to opposite Greek strategy by suggesting the IMF label was not such a "nuclear option."

But the EU is divided. While the Netherlands and Italy have pronounced the IMF should not be ruled out, leaders of France, the Eurogroup of financial ministers and the European Central Bank have pronounced it would be a blow to mercantile and financial kinship if a part of were to go elsewhere for a bailout.

($1=.7321 Euro)

(Additional stating by George Georgiopoulos, Angeliki Koutantou and Lefteris Papadimas in Athens, Timothy Heritage in Brussels and William James in London, Nigel Davies in Madrid; essay by Paul Taylor; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)

Stan Hey 6-5 AgainstRacing Sport

He will roughly be means to hold them, wakeful of the captivate to movement that they paint as the worlds tip golfers come in "Tiger country", initial for the stream Honda Classic at Palm Beach, afterwards for subsequent weeks WGC- CA Championship in Miami, Tiger Woods continues scheming his lapse to combat.

Nobody knows when the Bay Hill Invitational (25-28 March) in his home locale Orlando is probable (no hotels!), generally with the Masters at Augusta only a month afar and Jack Nicklaus sure that Woods will fool around it. As for the subsequent majors the US Open at Pebble Beach, the Open Championship at St Andrews both underline courses that Woods cherishes for most prior victories.

In Woods" absence, the 2010 PGA Tour has yielded prize opportunities to the likes of Ryan Palmer, Ben Crane, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson and WGC Match Play favourite Ian Poulter, who eventually learnt that actions verbalise louder than his trousers.

But the CA Championship is won by critical sorts Woods has 6 out of 10 renewals, with Mike Weir, Ernie Els, Geoff Ogilvy and Phil Mickelson one each. And the TPC Blue Monster at Doral is a mans course, prolonged and pitted with H2O hazards. One of the big names should win I"ll take Mickelson, Camilo Villegas and Padraig Harrington. But they"ll all be examination for Tiger to come out of the harm locker.

*We were right about Manchester City going for a outcome at Chelsea last weekend, only wrong about the result. And Aston Villa could have finished with Wayne Rooney staying on the dais .

Bailout stenting successful diagnosis for infants with constricted aortas

Aortic coarctation is a usual inborn condition characterized by a squeezing of the aorta, a vital red red red blood vessel withdrawal the heart. The narrowed heart vessel reduces red red red blood upsurge to the reduce extremities and causes heart disaster in infants. The condition might be diagnosed at bieing born or in early childhood, at that time it can be prepared by surgery, however surgical scold is intensely unsure in beforehand babies. Prostaglandin E1 distillate is the customary diagnosis to redeem or say systemic upsurge in a neonate (infant) with vicious coarctation prior to to elective surgical repair. However, this diagnosis might not revive enough red red red blood upsurge in time and can be compared with substantial side goods when since for a enlarged time.

A investigate organisation led by Marc Gewillig, M.D., Ph.D., evaluated the reserve and efficiency of stenting a coarcted aortic physical condition in critically ill neonates in sequence to hold off visual surgery until the infants had stabilized and gained weight. Dr. Gewillig explained, Significant physical condition deterrent in critically ill infants now requires a surgical intervention, but how and when to ensue with the surgery is consequential to successful outcomes. Our idea of stenting the coarctation was to yield the surgeon with a bigger and improved studious for surgery to scold the physical condition obstruction.

The investigate lonesome fifteen infants less than 2 months of age in in between Jan 1, 1998 and Mar 30, 2009. The infants were in in between 30-41 weeks of gestation; 8 out of fifteen were beforehand (<37 weeks of gestation). At cardiac catheterization, the normal weight of the patients was 2.5 kg and their meant age was twelve days. One organisation of patients had a local coarctation where surgery was not deliberate the most appropriate choice at that time (very low-birth-weight, critically ill neonates not responding to healing treatment, formidable cardiac, and noncardiac disease); a second organisation consisted of patients with poignant early restenosis after first surgical coarctectomy or physical condition repair.

Stent removal and physical condition reformation has been achieved in twelve patients. One studious is still available last repair. In patients with elementary stented coarctation, the stent was private after 2.8 months. In formidable cardiac malformation, stents were private after 3.0 months. The preference when to remove the stent was done for each studious individually: criteria were hemodynamic fortitude after the cardiogenic shock, competent physique weight to safely perform coarctectomy, or when one more surgery was planned. Most patients with elementary coarctation could simply be weaned from understanding care as systemic outlay had sufficient resumed. Two deaths occurred prior to stent removal and were nonprocedure related.

Commenting on the surgery, Dr. Gewillig said, The surgeon felt the procession was not difficult by the participation of the stent and the surgery was simpler to perform as all structures had grown, with a little catch-up expansion of the distal arch.

This investigate shows that early stenting (of both local coarctation or early recoarctation post surgical coarctectomy) in critically ill infants followed by after coarctectomy can be achieved safely and with great results, he concluded.

Virtual colonoscopy allows showing of unsuspected cancers over colon



OAK BROOK, Ill. -- A new, large-scale investigate of some-more than 10,000 adults found that some-more than one in each 200 asymptomatic people screened with CT colonography, or practical colonoscopy, had clinically unsuspected virulent cancer and some-more than half of the cancers were located outward the colon. The commentary were published in the Apr issue of the biography Radiology.

"We are anticipating that practical colonoscopy screening radically identifies some-more unsuspected cancers outward of the colon than inside of it," pronounced lead writer Perry J. Pickhardt, M.D., highbrow of radiology and arch of GI Imaging, at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health. "As with asymptomatic colorectal cancers identified by practical colonoscopy screening, these cancers are mostly rescued at an early, curable stage."

Colorectal cancer stays the second heading means of cancer genocide in the U.S., and the National Cancer Institute estimated that there would be 146,970 new cases diagnosed in 2009 and 49,920 deaths. The disease is mostly preventable by screening for colon polyps, that are soft growths that might rise in to cancer if not removed. The American Cancer Society recommends that people at normal risk for colorectal cancer proceed unchanging colorectal cancer screening at age 50, but stream correspondence with this letter of reference is next 50 percent. Many people conflict screening since of the annoy and nuisance caused by the required visual colonoscopy test.

Virtual colonoscopy is less invasive than visual colonoscopy and produces accurate and minute "fly-through" images of the complete colon"s interior but carrying to insert a scope. With practical colonoscopy screening, there is radically no risk of draining or of perforating the colon. There is no need for intravenous sedation, and the procession is less dear than required visual colonoscopy. It additionally is some-more convenient, typically receiving 10 mins or less.

Virtual colonoscopy additionally allows for singular comment of structures outward the colon (extracolonic), together with the abdomen, pelvis and portions of the lungs. Additional evidence tests for unsuspected extracolonic commentary are achieved in about 6 percent of cases, scarcely half of that in conclusion infer to be clinically relevant.

"Optical colonoscopy cannot yield for any comment over the colon itself, since practical colonoscopy can acknowledge a far-reaching form of unsuspected extracolonic diseases, majority particularly cancers and aortic aneurysms," Dr. Pickhardt said.

For the study, Dr. Pickhardt and colleagues set out to establish the showing rate and clinical result of unsuspected malignancies rescued with practical colonoscopy in an asymptomatic screening population. The researchers retrospectively reviewed the healing annals of 10,286 adults (5,388 men and 4,898 women) with a meant age of 59.8 years who were evaluated at possibly the University of Wisconsin or National Naval Medical Center. All of the adults had undergone colorectal cancer screening with practical colonoscopy at the dual centers in between Apr 2004 and Mar 2008. The meant time for follow-up was 30.2 months.

Unsuspected cancer was reliable in 58 patients, together with 33 women and twenty-five men. Invasive colorectal cancer was found in twenty-two patients, and extracolonic cancer was found in 36 patients. Cancers in 31 patients (53.4 percent) were theatre 1 or localized cancers.

"To the knowledge, nothing of the patients who presented with theatre 1, theatre 2 or localized disease at diagnosis has progressed to a higher stage," Dr. Pickhardt said. "The actuality that so most of the cancers in the investigate were localized or rescued at an early theatre appears to have definitely influenced survival."

Extracolonic malignancies, that outnumbered cases of invasive colorectal cancer, enclosed renal cell carcinoma, lung cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, between others.

"Although extracolonic analysis at screening CT colonography does lift a little disadvantages, such as studious anxiety, inconvenience, or the intensity for soft biopsy, the formula indicate that early showing of asymptomatic extracolonic cancer represents an one some-more good of screening CT colonography that is not accessible with visual colonoscopy," Dr. Pickhardt said.

"Virtual colonoscopy is an accurate, protected and available screening exam that could potentially be a life-saving examination," he added.

"Colorectal and Extracolonic Cancers Detected at Screening CT Colonography in 10,286 Asymptomatic Adults." Collaborating on this paper with Dr. Pickhardt were David H. Kim, M.D., Ryan J. Meiners, M.D., Kimberly S. Wyatt, M.D., Meghan E. Hanson, M.D., Duncan S. Barlow, M.D., Priscilla A. Cullen, R.N., Rahim A. Remtulla, M.D., and Brooks D. Cash, M.D.

Disclosures: Drs. Pickhardt and Kim have consulted for Viatronix and Medicsight and are co-founders of VirtuoCTC. Dr. Pickhardt has additionally consulted for Covidien and Philips.

Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/)

RSNA is an organisation of some-more than 44,000 radiologists, deviation oncologists, healing physicists and associated scientists committed to value in studious caring by preparation and research. (RSNA.org)

For patient-friendly report on practical colonoscopy, revisit RadiologyInfo.org.

&

http://www.rsna.org

Bit Defender

VIDEO OF THE DAY � Laptop snowboard

VIDEO OF THE DAY � Laptop snowboard One laptop crash that can"t be fixed with "ctrl, alt, delete" Embed 3 March 2010 12:00 GMTIan Hughes

As the Winter Olympics fades into the collective memory once more, us Brits celebrate our lone gold medal.

Maybe this is one reason we dont do better on the snow were just not trying hard enough.

This is great idea for getting rid of all those old laptops too. I wonder if you can call tech support if you crash though…?

Take to the slopes people.

If you"ve seen a video online that you want to tell us about email us via the feedback form.

News Images (1 0

Sierra Leone apportion denies cave fall

Christo Johnson FREETOWN Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:20pm EDT Factbox Factbox: Some of the world"s worst mining accidentsFri, Mar 19 2010

FREETOWN (Reuters) - Sierra Leone"s minister of mineral resources denied on Friday that at least 200 people were killed in the collapse of a gold mine, causing confusion after his own ministry had reported the disaster.

World

The ministry said more than 200 miners died when a trench collapsed at an unofficial gold mine in the southern Bo district, about 290 km (180 miles) from the capital Freetown.

The minister, Alpha Kanu, said later the reports were untrue. "Not even a chicken has died, not even a cow is sick," he told Reuters, saying he had visited the area. "There is no mine collapse, it was all just rumor."

A Mineral Resources Ministry spokesman said earlier the walls of a trench dug by the miners caved in, burying many of those working in it, and police also reported a disaster.

The reason for the confusion was not clear.

"A forty feet (12-meter) pit was dug out to mine gold," a senior police source said. "Hundreds of (miners) entered the pit, and when it collapsed it trapped them."

Children as young as 13 were working in the mine when it caved in, police said, adding that about 20 people escaped.

Unofficial gold mining is common in Africa where miners usually have no professional training or equipment and often dig by hand.

(Additional reporting by Katrina Manson; Editing by Daniel Magnowski and Andrew Dobbie)

World

Black Forest breaks: German cars at the Mercedes-Bemz Museum in Stuttgart and Michelin-starred food in Baiersbronn

Bath time: Carolyn enjoys the views as she bathes outside in a hollowed-out log filled with bubble bath

"You like to get in?" asked Der Bader, or "the bathman", as he gestured towards a huge log filled with snow.

It was raining slightly and rather cold but I"d never had a bath in a tree before so I said "Ja".

As Der Bader had originally chopped the tree down and dragged it to this garden, defrosting and filling it with warm water and bubbles didn"t faze him. He"s even been known to tow his tree-tubs into the forest so cleanliness can be enjoyed with woodliness.Bathing is a serious matter in Germany, and never more so than in Baiersbronn, a municipality of the northern Black Forest (or Schwarzwald) where most hotels offer large - if not vast - "wellness" spas. It"s an area also renowned for verdant beauty and outdoor activities, where the local tourist board even has a programme called Wanderhimmel or "hiking heaven".

A cosy mountain hut with fresh food and pure German beer is never far away, but what makes it all even more like "himmel" is that after a day of marvelling at gurgling streams and breathing pine-scented air, there are three establishments on offer that boast international recognition.

Baiersbronn comprises ninevillages and just 16,000 inhabitants but it is also home to no less than seven Michelin-starred restaurants. Not that you have to save the stars forthe evening - I sent my palate to another, better dimension oneafternoon at Schwarzwaldstube, one of the most popular.

Part of the Hotel Traube Tonbach - itself a five-star thicket of indulgence that even has a "chill-out lounge" for sulky adolescents - it is regarded as one of the best restaurants in Germany. The cuisine is French in character though produce is sourced locally and in France, which is only an hour away. Chef Harald Wohlfahrt is consistently rated as the nation"s best chef and last year Schwarzwaldstube was voted 23rd in the world"s 50 top restaurants. Even the head of Germany"s Hells Angels has dined there.

The region is awash with Michelin-starred restaurants but should you require something more rustic, there are plenty of wooden huts offering solace from the snow...

My meal was nine courses of culinary joy. The Impeccable service and exquisite food - even the butter was grand cru put me in a good mood, if only because everyone else at the family-run Traube Tonbach seemed so happy too. My waiter David tells me he "had to" take a job in the Schwarzwaldstube "because it"s perfect". But then the family Finkbeiner have been polishing their hosting skills since 1789.

While more food that day was firmlyoff the agenda, memories of milk-fed baby lamb, Valrhonachocolate and incredible cheese recommended by the restaurant"s specialistaffineur - not to mention delicious French and German wine- needed to be savoured. And lying in a piece of the Black Forestseemed a fitting place to do it.

Der Bader, real name ReinhardBosch, offers a range of tree experiences including massage and mudtreatments at the Hotel Tanne, a 142-year-old family-run property a few metres from the Traube Tonbach.

Brooming marvellous: Carolyn inspects her car-themed room at the V8 hotel

"Hospitalityis a big thing here," says J�rg M�hrle, the hotel"s chef and owner, asbeverages are fetched. "We also have wonderful nature and the forest isopen to everyone."

Wood,naturally enough, is important - once it fuelled a thriving glassindustry and a quarter of Amsterdam was built on Black Forest stumps,but when logging ceased to be a commercial prospect the attraction oftrees in their natural state - along with good food - became the area"smain draw.

Wearing the supplied linen outfit, including a hat that made me look like I should be baking something, I climbed into the prepared log. Bosch knows his baths - the temperature was perfect, the water fragrant with soothing oils and he placed boards across the top to conserve the heat and provide a place to put champagne and candles. I was surrounded by foam and snow and it was blissful.

There was more superb food in store before I left Baiersbronn during a leisurely evening at Restaurant Schlossberg where chef J�rg Sackmann is thought to be aiming for his second Michelin star. His salmon with lentils and truffles was rich and sweet, and a dish that translated as "little pig" took pork to a sublime level.

Open spaces: Stuttgart"s Schlossplatz is an enjoyable central square, perfect for walking off lunch

Traditional Hotel Sackmann perches atop a modern spa where wellness can take place either on waterbeds, in saunas with views of the River Murg or during Ayurvedic treatments that reflect Sackmann"s interest in the healing power of herbs and aromas.

Leaving Baiersbronn, I caught the train to Stuttgart, capital of the state of Baden-W�rttemberg and sixth-largest city in Germany. It is exceptionally clean and organised, with a "culture mile", diverse architecture and 300 annual festivals, including a late September beer festival second in size only to Munich"s Oktoberfest.

The car"s the star...