European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 stars and stripes thursday april 19 accused Soldier released to her unit by Steve Mraz stars and stripes Kaiserslautern i Ger Many the army specialist who was detained by German authorities on suspicion of manslaughter earlier this month has been released to her unit and has not been charged by the military in the death of her husband the authorities transported pc Latasha Ricks of the 1st personnel command to the confinement facility on Cole Man Barrack sin Mannheim and released her to Theus army on april 3 Ricks is no being held at the facility As the army investigation continues at this time the command has determined that lesser forms of restraint Are Ade quate said Elke Herberger uis army Europe spokeswoman on april 3 German prosecutors turned Over Ricks Case to the us army German authorities arrested her on april 2 for allegedly stabbing her Hus band to death during a domes tic dispute the incident took place at the couples of Post House in sul Bachtal a Village about nine Miles North of Kaiserslautern Ricks is 25 and her Hus band an american civilian was 29 according to a Kaiserslautern police news release the victim was stabbed Sev eral times in the belly and heart according to German Media reports on april 2 a few minutes past Midnight German police found Ricks next to the victim trying to Stop his bleeding with a Towel according to reports in the German newspaper die Rhei Pfalz the emergency physician arrived but resuscitation was not successful Ger Man Media reported during interrogation by a German judge Ricks said that she was trying to protect her self from her husband Ger Man Media reported her Hus band had hit her several times in the past particularly when he was drunk according to the Media when she spoke of separating on the evening of april 1 he again threatened violence according to the Media after a Long fight she pulled some knives from a knife Box and de fended herself local Media re ported neighbors called the police who also found two children in the apartment according to German news reports a 5yearold girl and 6yearold boy were asleep when the police entered the apartment German Media reported email Steve Mraz at if there Happy would they know it some americans find Italy Low ranking laughable by Sandra Jontz and Ben Murray stars and stripes with some of the worlds Best cuisine beaches Beautiful people and panoramic vistas whats not to like something apparently ital ians portuguese and greeks Are among the unhappiest people in Europe according to Cambridge University researchers if that the Case then add great acting to italians Long list of accomplishments said Short term resident Geoff Mcgar Rigle who let out a Guffaw wednesday after learning a sur vey found italians Are the unhappiest people in Europe if the people Here Are unhappy they fooled me said the us computer support contractor in Naples for a two week stint italians seem to be the Happi est in Europe bar none even the language is Happy All the regos grades Buona Seras they Are so kind said Mcgarrigle who has visited the Southern med Terrar Nean country a half dozen times who happiest the Danes Denmark citizens ranked the happiest in Europe according to data culled in part from the Annu Al european social Survey and an Al Zed by a Cambridge team led by Luisa Corrado the results confirmed beliefs held by social researchers that Money Doest necessarily buy happiness and Sunshine int a Universal cure for the blues Cor Rado said respondents ranked factors thought crucial for individual Hap piness such As reliability of friends relations with neighbors Job Security and satisfaction and Faith in institutions like the government and police Corrado said Michael and stripes people enjoy the Sun and cuisine on Lake Garda at a restaurant on the old port in the medieval town of Malc sine Italy according to Cambridge University researchers italians Are the least Happy people in Europe Denmark ranked High because respondents generally were Well off with Good Job Security Strong social networks and Trust in the institutional bodies such As the government an area where Italy scored Low Corrado said italians grapple with govern ments regularly near collapse smog problems that Force traffic blackouts in major cities High unemployment and a Large illegal immigrant population All of which Lead to a general distrust in the government Public services and Law enforcement agencies in spite of All that Antonio Fon Tana a groundskeeper at the us army base in Vicenza expressed Surprise by the Survey results Hes a Southern med kind of Guy and if he didst live in Italy hed select the equally Lofrank ing nations of Spain and Greece i dont like the North he said people in the North Arent very Friendly a Factor common to highs or ing countries on the list was a Gen eral acceptance of cultural diver sity Corrado said Northern european countries were seen to have More open ideas about diversity than South Ern european countries do Lead ing to More general Trust of their neighbors where Italy did score High the highest in Europe in fact was in strength of family Bonds National average happiness rankings country rank scale of 1 to 10 denmark8311952 finland8056492 ireland7981235 sweden7841779 netherlands7784688 luxembourg7749727 belgium7745915 austria7591915 United kingdom7469677 spain7325727 france7315082 germany7065542 greece6798426 italy6275015 source Cambridge University Corrado Saipan important fac Tor but not enough to lift it off the Bottom of the list being at the Bottom was also relative Corrado said though Italy was the worst ated of the 15 it still scored 627 out of 10 on the happiness scale in the end however the Happi est person in Europe Corrado said was Likely to be a Young Northern european either mar ried or with a Lon term partner and Strong family connections plus reasonable financial Security Trust in the government and general optimism the moral Sun and Money Are great but May not make you Happy reporter Kent Harris contributed to this report email Ben Murray at email Sandra Jontz at for i Fuu Coli Lei Dobers Ber maps of Germany and stat showing filling statics that accept fuel coupons Road signs explained emergency services Contact information the Road guide is available for free at vehicle registration offices Afes  care centers and shopping facilities throughout Germany pick yours up today