European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 07, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday november 7, 1993 we blk the stars and stripes Pago 13 ,�.�.t study of superstition death assailed London a chinese americans with traditional beliefs who suffered illnesses foreshadowed by their astrological signs were More Likely to feel Hope less and die sooner according to a new study. The study s authors claim their research lends Cre Dence to speculation that severely ill patients who feel hopeless Are More Likely to die sooner than optimistic patients. Other experts were not convinced by the findings and criticized the study s assumptions about chinese americans. The results Are published in the nov.6 Issue of the lancet a British medical journal. The current study suggests people can affect their longevity by much More than weeks perhaps one to five years said or. David Phillips one of the researcher Sand a professor of sociology at the University of califor Nia san Diego. This is More important than earlier studies showing people move their death dates by a Day or two to reach a special . Joke Burtung associate professor of ambulatory care and prevention at Harvard medical school said the investigators did not take into account lifestyle factors such As diet or the Type of medical care  is certainly an interesting hypothesis but this study does not get us any further in terms of knowing How important psychological factors Are Buring said. The current study suggest people can affect their longevity by much More than weeks perhaps one to five years or. Of avid Phllips or. Barrie Cassileth an authority on psychosocial aspects of disease called the study silly and misleading Cassileth an adjunct professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill criticized the authors assumptions that chinese americans would feel hopeless when stricken with a disease linked to their astrological  to chinese astrology every year is linked to one of five elements Earth fire Metal water or  element is linked to the likelihood of getting a cer Tain disease. For instance fire is tied to heart ailments and Earth with tutors Phillips said. The researchers examined death certificates from28,169 chinese americans and 412,632 White Ameri cans. They divided subjects into 15 categories according to cause of death. In each disease category Phillips com pared the. Age of death of chinese americans born under the appropriate astrological sign to the age of death of chinese americans born under other signs. Redid the same for the White americans. He assumed chinese americans born in China adhered to traditional beliefs. He said he also assumed chinese who refused autopsies were from traditional families be cause traditional chinese do not permit autopsies. Among chinese americans who died or leukaemia or Lymphoma which Phillips said arc linked to Earth the average age of death of 124 patients born in Earth year was 3.86 years younger than that of 468 chinese Ameri cans born in no Earth  chinese americans who died of heart attacks linked to fire the average age of death of 595 patient born in fire years was 1.22 years younger than that of 2,545 patients born in no firc  chinese americans who died of bronchitis or emphysema the average age of death among 85 patient born in Metal years tied to lung diseases was 4.99 years younger than 334 patients born in non Metal years. In All categories there was Little difference in the age of death of White american patients born in the ill fated astrological sign compared to patients born in other years. This shows that it was t astrology but the patients beliefs in astrology that influenced their life Span Phillips said. A. Hotel uses hard cell to its Benefit Prague czech Republic a booming tourist Industry a shortage of hotel rooms arid Prague s wide open capitalism have conjured up a Funky new attraction spending the night in a secret police interrogation cell. The prison turned pension can even boast that president Vaclav Havel slept Here but not by Choice. Building no. 9oh gloomy Bartolome ska Street in downtown Prague is enough to Send Shivers through any Ordinary czech. The building became a Francisca Convent in the 1850s, but it was taken Over by the St secret police when the communists seized Power in 1948. Its underground detention cells were use to interrogate Many opponents of the  most notable was Havel the dissident playwright who became president after the communists were thrown out of Power four years  franciscan nuns who survived 40 years of religious persecution got the building Back in 1990. But it needs to be renovated and that takes  the nuns about 150 of them Many in their 80s decided to rent out the ground floor and the underground cells in 1992 to a tourist  went into this out of necessity More than anything else said Jiri Vidimo owner of Jvn pensions noting the building s downtown location an Prague s Lack of affordable hotel space. The fact that Havel was jailed Here Isan interesting Story but not a marketing strategy he  the strategy it seems to be working. All 110 Beds Are booked. Andcell no. 6 on the underground floor has an English language plaque on its steel door saying that president Havel was jailed Here the 7-Square-Yard cell Fea Tures four bunks a sink and a steel lad Der leading up to the courtyard  bars Are gone but for the equivalent of $30 a night guests can expect few  were painted White Ana left As they were. The steel doors have massive Felike handles on the outside and Little windows that allowed jailers to serve Foo to inmates without opening the door. I had no idea this place had such reputation said Fraser gee. 31, an English Bora Kader of a group of danish Fraser gee 31. Sits la a room at Prague hotel that was a prison under the com Maist Over meat gee s room. No. To once housed Victor Havel a former Diss debt and now president of the czech Republic. Students who stayed at the hotel. Of course i knew Havel was jailed by the communists but who would think i Getto sleep in his  gee said the room was liable de spite dampness and erratic heating. He said he was surprised the 3-foot-thickwalls were not enough to Block noise from adjacent rooms and corridors. As always when going to jail no Cash is needed. There s a sign at the reception desk we take  Joy of cooking plays key. Role in pageant phenom penh Cambodia a you won t find giggling and wriggling i skimpy swimsuits or glittering gowns at the miss Cambodia contest today. Judges say the Winner of the Beauty pageant Cambodia s first in two decades will probably be demure and soft spoken and know How to Cook and keep House. The pageant is seen As another sign of the country s recovery from years of War and upheaval. But some say the contest s standards arc too old fashioned. Contestants will be judged on How Well they perform traditional cambodian dances and their modelling of four outfits a Royal costume classical evening dress modern evening dress and a wraparound Sarong considered the cambodian Bath ing suit. Judges will also ask the contestant questions such As How to prepare cambo Dian sour soup or what color dress should traditionally be worn to the Temple on sundays. It s not important for women to know these things anymore said Chhour Chhay a 32-year-old policeman. We should choose a woman who has a High education to represent the cambodian women. I would be very embarrassed if someone said the no. 1 cambodian woman could Only  with More women pursuing careers an higher education some Saia the contest should reflect their new aspirations. I Don t think an excellent Cook can bring Fame to the country. But a woman with High education can bring the country Fame said 29-year-old Chucy Sam Ang a teacher. Many Western pageants Are moving to put More emphasis on contestants educational background and interest in social is sues. But Elk Serey Wath vice chairmen of the organizing committee defended the contest criteria. We have to keep our traditions and customs Elk said. Too westernized is not Good for  the 22 contestants Are from the coun try s 21 provinces As Well As the City of Kep in the southernmost tip of Cambodia. Organizers say Cambodia is too poor to enter the Winner in the miss universe pageant but might try to raise the Money for next year. The Winner will receive a Crown and a Silver chalice from the government. Air France will give her a round trip ticket to Paris