You may have chosen our apartments in Birmingham, Alabama for their convenient location near businesses and universities, but The Hill is surprisingly close to many parks in the city as well.

Railroad Park is only about four miles away, right in the middle of downtown Birmingham. This park has 19 acres of trees, trails and scenery, with a lake and streams to boot, nestled along the railroad tracks near the Amtrak station.

Red Mountain Park straddles the mountain of the same name in southwest Birmingham, off of Lakeshore Parkway. This park has nearly ten miles of trails, overlooks of downtown Birmingham, and three old iron mining sites that are open to visitors.

Just a few miles south of town, Oak Mountain State Park is the largest park in the Alabama state park system. This park has facilities for hiking, picnicking, camping, swimming and fishing, as well as a golf course and a wildlife rehabilitation center.

The Civil War had many well-known cavalry leaders. JEB Stuart, Wade Hampton, Phil Sheridan and Nathan Bedford Forest were all household words by the war's end, and many others were almost as popular, especially in the South. One name that was very popular at the time but has since faded from the nation's memory is Turner Ashby.

Prior to the late 1850s, Ashby was a fairly wealthy businessman and planter. He was an accomplished horse rider, and in the mid 50s he organized a company of mounted volunteers to police the Manassas Gap rail line, and to keep the railway's workers from causing trouble. This irregular force was eventually absorbed into the Virginia state militia, and in 1859 Turner Ashby led it to Harper's Ferry to aid in the capture of John Brown's men. Two years later he would return to Harper's Ferry, attempting to capture the Federal stores and munitions there for the state of Virginia, the day before Virginia officially seceded.

Once serious fighting began, Ashby and his men were placed under the command of Stonewall Jackson, and they were responsible for guarding fords and bridges over the Potomac River. His troopers did not take part in the fighting at First Manassas, but their screening activities helped conceal Confederate troop movements and win the battle. Ashby was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th Virginia Cavalry two days after the battle.

Ashby played an important role during Jackson's Valley Campaign during the spring of 1862, though that role was sometimes controversial. At Kernstown in March, he informed Stonewall Jackson that he faced only about 3000 Union troops. In fact there were 9000 troops opposing Jackson, and the misinformation brought about one of Stonewall's few defeats. At other points in the campaign his men were either surprised by Union forces or were distracted from achieving their goals.

Ashby had no formal military training, and this may have been the source of his problems with superiors during the war, especially with West Point graduates like Jackson and Stuart. Jackson considered him undisciplined. At one point he tried to take away half of his command, and he opposed his promotion to brigadier general.

Teaching math can be difficult if the students are not motivated to learn and to practice. Students may lose interest if the new subject matter is too abstract, and they may avoid practicing new skills if they are deemed too difficult. By using games appropriately in the classroom, the teacher can focus the students' attention on the topic, and encourage them to exercise their skills.

Take Five is a simple game that encourages practice with operations. The teacher randomly chooses five numbers from one to ten, usually by picking cards with the numbers on them. The students try to manipulate the first four numbers to reach the fifth number, using the four operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. There are many ways this game can be adapted to different circumstances. The students can play the game individually or in teams. Exponents can be allowed if the students are familiar with them. Also, the teacher does not have to stick to the numbers one to ten. This game can be used to review operations before a test, or as a brain warmer exercise at the start of class.

In Brainiac Baseball, the students are divided into two teams. The first team chooses a level of difficulty from one to four, then are asked a math question matching that difficulty. If the students answer correctly, they get a single, double, triple or home run, depending upon the difficulty. If they are incorrect, the other team gets a chance to answer the question for an out. After three outs it is the other teams turn. This game can be adapted easily to any subject or any difficulty level. If baseball is not in season, the game can be turned into Brainiac Basketball, using free throws, field goals and three-pointers, or football, using safeties, field goals and touchdowns.

Memory Math is like the typical game of Memory, except that items that are uncovered are mathematical expressions instead of pictures. Students, in teams or as individuals, pick any two randomly placed cards and turn them over, then decide if the mathematical expressions on the card are equivalent. If the team correctly decides the expressions are equivalent, they keep the cards. The team with the most cards at the end of the game wins. If the team incorrectly states the expressions are equal then the cards go to the other team. The cards are simply turned back over if the team says that they are not equivalent. This game can be used for practice with simple operations, fractions, decimals or many other math concepts.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the urethra, bladder, ureters or kidneys. About 80-85 percent of urinary tract infections are caused by the bacteria E. coli. The remainder are caused by other bacteria and a few are caused by fungi or parasites.

The infection occurs when bacteria enters the opening of the urethra and works its way up the urinary tract. Normally the body flushes away the bacteria through urination, but if there is an overwhelming amount of bacteria or the urinary tract is not functioning properly then the bacteria can stay in the tract and grow. Usually this happens when bacteria manages to get to the urethral opening from the rectum, when there is blockage in the urinary tract such as a kidney stone or enlarged prostate, or when some part of the urinary tract is irritated. Conditions that impair the immune system, such as diabetes, may make a person more susceptible to urinary tract infections. Women are more likely than men to get a UTI, except among the elderly.

Symptoms of a urinary tract include pain or pressure in the lower abdomen, a burning sensation during urination, and urine that is cloudy, smelly or has traces of blood. A mild fever may be present. Not all of these symptoms may be present. If a urinary tract infection is suspected, the health care provider will confirm it by examining a urine sample for the presence of bacteria.

For a healthy person, the UTI in the lower tract may be successfully resisted by the body and go away after a few days or a couple of weeks. You should see a doctor as soon as possible though, so that it doesn't spread or get worse, and to make sure that symptoms are not caused by some other disorder. This is especially true if you are pregnant, since a UTI can cause complications. In most cases urinary tract infections are easily treated with antibiotics, though the exact regimen may vary according to the seriousness of the infection and what bacteria is causing it. Follow the doctor's orders regarding the antibiotic so that the infection doesn't return.