Sensible Info for everyone

Top 10 exercise bike benefits

2012-02-28T12:39:00.002-08:00

The top 10 reasons to buy an exercise bike

1. Weight loss and improved fitness.

Exercise Bikes have helped millions of people to achieve their weight loss and fitness goals and they may be able to help you too.

Cycling on an exercise bike can help you burn a lot of excess calories and can improve the strength and health of your heart and lungs.

Cycling at 15 kilometres per hour (9 miles per hour) burns nearly 12 kilojoules / 3 calories per kilo of body weight every half an hour. For a person weighing 100 kilos, that equates to 1200 kilojoules or 300 calories every 30 minutes.

Cycling on an exercise bike is also great for raising your heart rate into the zones most appropriate for weight loss and fitness.

2. Exercise Bikes can help prevent you from training too hard.

One of the most common mistakes people make when they first start exercising is to train too hard.

Training too hard in the beginning of your exercise program can lead to injuries and may encourage you to quit because you feel it's too hard and not worth all the effort.

By giving you the ability to regulate the speed at which you cycle, exercise bikes can help you avoid this common exercise mistake.

Some exercise bikes are even sophisticated enough to monitor your heart rate while you are exercising. What a great way to make sure you're always training in the right heart rate zone!

3. You can make small adjustments as your fitness improves.

Because the speed and resistance of most exercise bikes can be adjusted in very small increments, exercise bikes are perfect for training at increasingly higher intensities once you've built a base level of fitness.

Because cycling on an exercise bike can be made a little harder or a little easier with the touch of a button, they are also great for including interval training into your routine where you cycle at various speeds within the same workout.

4. An Exercise Bike can be used at anytime.

One of the greatest benefits of owning an exercise bike is that you can exercise when you want, day or night, hot or cold, sun or rain.

Many of us today lead hectic lives and find it hard to fit exercise into our busy schedules.

What we need is the ability to exercise when we want and for as long as we want.

Having an exercise bike at home can be better than joining a gym in this respect because we don't need to worry about gym opening and closing times and having to share our exercise bike with a hundred other time-poor exercisers.

5. Make maximum use of your time.

Owning an exercise bike allows you to get your daily exercise done while you're doing other things, like watching your favourite TV show or listening to your favourite music.

Watching TV while cycling on an exercise bike often makes your workout seem a lot shorter and even a little easier.

6. The whole family can use it to exercise.

One of the great things about having an exercise bike at home is that the whole family can use it to lose weight and get fitter.

Research shows that when the whole family has similar goals and is committed to losing weight together, each family member is more likely to succeed.

7. You can save money.

Buying your own exercise bike can be cheaper than paying gym fees, especially if more than one person in the family wants to exercise.

Gym fees can be expensive, and for some of us, that money may be better invested in a good quality exercise bike that will serve us well for many years.

Most exercise bikes today are very well built and come with good warrantees so we can be sure to get many years of exercise out of them.

8. Exercise Bikes can simulate cycling uphill.

Because you can adjust the resistance that exercise bikes provide, you effectively have the ability to simulate flat ground cycling and cycling up slight and steep inclines.

This means that with the touch of a button you can simulate cycling uphill which helps increase your heart rate and of course, burn more calories for every minute you exercise.

If you are training for a cycling event, it also means that you can simulate the undulating terrain you're likely to encounter on your ride.

9. Exercising in private.

Many people who want to lose weight are very self conscious and don't necessarily want to exercise in public.

Having your own exercise bike allows you to exercise in the privacy of your own home so you won't need to feel embarrassed working out at your own pace.

10. Shapely thighs, calves and a tight butt.

Let's face it girls and guys, many of us would kill for more shapely thighs and calves and a tighter tush.

Having an exercise bike at home, and using it, can help us achieve these things so we look great in shorts, skirts, pants and jeans.

references:

www.weightloss.com.au

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Rotator cuff pain- 4 home remedies you can apply
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The top 10 NASCAR stories of the decade

2012-02-25T19:47:00.001-08:00

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of stock car racing in the United States. The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. It also oversees NASCAR Local Racing, the Whelen Modified Tour, the Whelen All-American Series, and the NASCAR iRacing.com Series. NASCAR sanctions over 1500 races at over 100 tracks in 39 US states and Canada. NASCAR has presented exhibition races at the Suzuka and Motegi circuits in Japan, Mexico, and Calder Park Raceway in Australia.

NASCAR is one of the most viewed professional sports in terms of television ratings in the United States. In fact, professional football is the only sport in the United States to hold more viewers than NASCAR. Internationally, NASCAR races are broadcast in over 150 countries. NASCAR holds 17 of the top 20 attended single-day sporting events in the world,and claims 75 million fans who purchase over $3 billion in annual licensed product sales. Fortune 500 companies sponsor NASCAR more than any other motor sport, although this has been in decline since the early 2000s.

Here are the Top 10 News that directly affect NASCAR Racing Community

Video of Actual Dale Earnhardt Crash video

1. Death of Dale Earnhardt. It was almost Shakespearean in its drama and tragedy. On the very day NASCAR began its major new television deal, its most famous star died in the final lap of the Daytona 500, blocking for his son and teammate. Earnhardt's death and resultant outpouring of grief instantly transformed the sport, vaulting it to untouched heights of popularity and awareness. Sadly, you can now divide NASCAR into pre- and post-Daytona 2001.

What is the Chase of the NASCAR Sprint Cup?

2. The introduction of the Chase. Looking for a way to maximize end-of-season excitement, NASCAR rolled out the Chase for the Cup in 2004. And initially, it seemed brilliant; the Chase was in doubt until the final turn of the 2004 race in Homestead. But the points reset has caused controversy, as has the fact that one guy has been more successful at it than anyone else.

3. Jimmie Johnson's four-peat. Nobody in NASCAR history has ever won four titles in a row, and Johnson has done so in dominant fashion. Love him, hate him or disregard him, but Johnson is one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, and he's at the top of his game right now.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Leaves DEI news story

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaves DEI. The other shoe dropping from the passing of the Intimidator came six years later, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. packed up and left the company that bore his name following an ugly, protracted fight with his stepmother, Teresa. Going to Hendrick was supposed to mean Earnhardt would become a worldwide superstar with the best equipment in the sport. So far it hasn't worked out that way.

What is the Car of tomorrow?

5. The debut of the Car of Tomorrow. Earnhardt's death spurred a raft of safety improvements, including track barriers and in-car head restraint devices, but the most significant was the Car of Tomorrow. Rolled out as a safer alternative to previous vehicles, as well as a more cost-effective approach that narrowed the range of engineering tinkering, the Car debuted in 2007 and was formally introduced in 2008. Its blocky structure and narrow engineering possibilities led to complaints from both fans and drivers.

Toyota enters NASCAR

6. The arrival of Toyota in NASCAR. NASCAR has always been a uniquely American sport, so when Toyota entered the sport in the mid-2000s, starting with lower-level series, the howls of protest started. Never mind that much of Toyota's work is done in the United States, or that many "American" manufacturers do work overseas, or that other foreign manufacturers have been in NASCAR before; the perceived "invasion" of Toyota set many fans on edge. And when Joe Gibbs Racing switched from Chevy to Toyota and kept winning, that seemed both an assault and a betrayal. The foreign-car issue seems to be fading with all but the hardcores, but it's still out there.

7. The cresting of NASCAR's popularity? NASCAR exploded so quickly in popularity -- you've heard the "second-most-popular sport in America" factoid a thousand times -- that there had to be a pullback. The combination of a bad economy and gripes about the on-track product led to declining attendance at races, and thousands of "the sky is falling" articles. Is the worst over?

8. NASCAR's landmark television deal. Just two weeks before the turn of the millennium, NASCAR struck a six-year, $2.4 billion deal to put the sport on three separate networks. The centralized television deal brought the sport to more viewers than ever before, but also -- say it with me -- spurred controversy among longtime fans.

NASCAR hall of fame website

9. The debut of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. NASCAR's Hall of Fame, to open in Charlotte in 2010, will be a
landmark for the sport, a place where the history and grandeur of NASCAR can be formally celebrated. And naturally, its opening will come with controversy -- two Frances and no David Pearson in the inaugural class? Really? -- but if it didn't have people griping, it wouldn't be NASCAR.

10. Death of Adam Petty. At 19 years old, Adam Petty was NASCAR's next young hope, the fourth generation of Pettys to race in NASCAR. He was slated to run in the Winston Cup series in 2001. But in May 2000 during a practice session for the Busch series in New Hampshire, his throttle stuck and Petty hit the wall, dying instantly. It was a wrenching tragedy for the whole sport, and in Adam's honor his father, Kyle, has begun the Victory Junction Gang charity, one of NASCAR's best-known charities.

courtesy of sports.yahoo.com
wikipedia.com

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Biggest lobster in Maine returned to Atlantic Ocean

2012-02-24T20:02:00.003-08:00

The biggest lobster ever caught in Maine, a 27-pounder nicknamed "Rocky" with claws tough enough to snap a man's arm, was released on Thursday after being trapped in a shrimp net last week, marine officials said.

The 40-inch male crustacean, about the size of a 3-year-old child, was freed in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, said Elaine Jones, education director for the state's Department of Marine Resources.

"All the weight is in the claws," Jones said. "It would break your arm."

The lobster was caught near the seaside village of Cushing and brought to the Maine State Aquarium in West Boothbay. The state restricts fishermen from keeping lobsters that measure more than 5 inches from the eye to the start of the tail.

Because he became acclimated to the water near the aquarium, the lobster was released in West Boothbay rather than where he was caught.

Scientists are unable to accurately estimate the age of lobsters of this size, said Jones.

The marine lab has no record of a larger lobster being caught in the state, she said. The world's largest recorded lobster was a 44-pounder caught off Nova Scotia in 1977, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Maine lobstermen hauled in a record 100 million pounds of lobster last year, due in part to overfishing of predators such as haddock, cod and monkfish.

Video of Biggest Lobster in Maine

Courtesy of Msn.com and Cnn.com

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Danica Patrick Crash At Daytona 500 qualifying

2012-02-24T04:12:00.001-08:00

Former IndyCar star and current NASCAR racer Danica Patrick just had a huge crash on the last lap of the first Gatorade Duel at Daytona International Speedway.

Thankfully, she's ok.

It looks like Jamie McMurray and Aric Almirola touched, which sent Almirola's car into Patrick's.

She slid across the infield and hit the inside wall of the backstretch pretty hard. She's very lucky that the SAFER Barrier softwall was installed there.

2011 Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart, Danica's team owner, won the race.

Danica will have to move to a backup car for this weekend's Daytona 500.

businessinsider.com

Crash Video at Daytona

WIKIBIO

Danica Sue Patrick (born March 25, 1982) is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd place. She competed in the series from 2005 to 2011. She currently competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Starting in kart racing, she later raced Formula Ford in England before moving back to the US and moving up to IndyCars. Patrick was named theRookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season. With her win in the 2008 Indy Japan 300, Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy car race. She placed 3rd in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, which was both a personal best for her at the track, and the highest finish by a woman in the event's history. Patrick holds the IRL record for most consecutive races running at the finish. As of October 2, 2011, she has completed 50 consecutive races in the running (the next highest total in the record book is 32). During her time in IndyCar, Patrick drove for Rahal Letterman Racing from 2005–2006, and Andretti Autosport from 2007-2011.

In 2010, Patrick began racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, driving the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports part-time. She also has an equity stake in her #7 team. She had her best career finish of 4th in series on March 5, 2011 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway—the best finish by a woman in a NASCAR top-circuit.

Danika Patrick more Wiki Info

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Rotator cuff Pain- 4 home remedies you can apply

2012-02-23T02:43:00.001-08:00

Your rotator cuff is made up of the muscles and tendons in your shoulder. These muscles and tendons connect your upper arm bone with your shoulder blade. They also help hold the ball of your upper arm bone firmly in your shoulder socket. The combination results in the greatest range of motion of any joint in your body.

A rotator cuff injury includes any type of irritation or damage to your rotator cuff muscles or tendons. Causes of a rotator cuff injury may include falling, lifting and repetitive arm activities — especially those done overhead, such as throwing a baseball or placing items on overhead shelves.

But the real tell tale sign of a rotator cuff injury is shoulder pain at night. As the day goes on, rotator cuff sufferers report an increase in muscle weakness and tenderness in the shoulder combined with a cracking or grinding noise when they raise their arm out to the side or in front of them due to their rotator cuff tear. A rotator cuff injury rarely comes on all of a sudden. It’s usually a result of performing some sort of repetitive actions on a daily or weekly basis that involves excessive shoulder rotation or lifting heavy objects overhead.

Some of the more high risk activities and groups of people who may develop a rotator cuff injury include: weightlifters, tennis players, swimmers, skiers, any sport that involves throwing, rugby players, painters, postal workers, hairdressers, golfers, dentists, dental assistants, cashiers, construction workers, assembly line workers – just to name a few.

About half of the time, a rotator cuff injury can heal with self-care measures or exercise therapy.

Here are 4 effective home remedies for the relief of Rotator cuff pain

1. Rest your shoulder. Stop doing what caused the pain and try to avoid painful movements. Limit heavy lifting or overhead activity until your shoulder pain subsides.

2. Apply ice and heat. Putting ice on your shoulder helps reduce inflammation and pain. Use a cold pack, a bag of frozen vegetables or a towel filled with ice cubes for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Do this every couple of hours the first day or two. After about two or three days, when the pain and inflammation have improved, hot packs or a heating pad may help relax tightened and sore muscles.

Hot Pack At Amazon

Get this Cold Pack Available at Amazon

3. Take pain relievers. Over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen (Aleve), may help reduce pain. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) also may help relieve pain. Follow label directions and stop taking the drugs when the pain improves.

Aleve Liquid Gels-Pain Reliever Formula

Strength to last 12 hours

Doctors Best Glucosamine Chondroitin OptiMSM

Maintains Healthy Joints and connective tissues

4. Keep your muscles limber. Try to do some gentle range-of-motion exercises in a pain-free range to keep your shoulder muscles limber. Total inactivity can cause stiff joints. In addition, favoring your shoulder for a long period of time can lead to frozen shoulder, a condition in which your shoulder becomes so stiff you can barely move it. Once your injury heals and you have good range of motion in your shoulder, continue exercising. Daily shoulder stretches and a balanced shoulder-strengthening program can help prevent a recurrence of your injury.

sources. mayoclinic.com ,
http://www.rotatorcuffinjurytips.net

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6 Proven and effective soar throat treatment
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6 proven tips on how to cure sore throat

2012-02-17T16:59:00.000-08:00

A sore throat or throat pain is a common physical symptom usually caused by acute pharyngitis, or throat inflammation, though it also occurs in a number of other situations, such as post trauma and in diphtheria. It can cause mild to extreme pain.

Below are proven home remedies for sore throat

1. Gargle with warm salt water to help reduce swelling and relieve discomfort:

Gargle at least once each hour with 1 tsp (5 g) of salt dissolved in 8 fl oz (240 mL) of warm water.
If you have postnasal drip, gargle often to prevent more throat irritation.

2 Drink a lot of fluids

Fluids may help thin secretions and soothe an irritated throat. Hot fluids, such as tea or soup, may help decrease throat irritation. drinking lots of fluids is one of the best home remedy for sore throat

3. Use a vaporizer or humidifier in your bedroom.

Warm or cool mist may help you feel more comfortable by soothing the swollen air passages. It may also relieve hoarseness. But don't let your room become uncomfortably cold or very damp.

4. Do not smoke or use other tobacco products and avoid secondhand smoke
- smoking can cause severe sore throat

5. Consider taking nonprescription medicine for your symptoms.

Use nonprescription throat lozenges.

* Use a decongestant.

Decongestants helps sore throat by making breathing easier by shrinking swollen mucous membranes in the nose, allowing air to pass through. They also help relieve a runny nose and postnasal drip, which can cause a sore throat.

6. Try a nonprescription medicine to help treat your fever or pain:
* Acetaminophen such as Tylenol

* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Safety Tips

Carefully read and follow all directions on the medicine bottle and box.
Do not take more than the recommended dose.
Do not take a medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to it in the past.
If you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take it.
If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to.
Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20 unless your doctor tells you to.

sources: webmd.com

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7 Effective Tips to Lower your Blood Pressure

2012-02-17T01:57:00.000-08:00

About 1 in every 4 American adults has high blood pressure, also called hypertension, which is a major risk factor for heart and kidney diseases, stroke, and heart failure. High blood pressure is especially dangerous because it often gives no warning signs or symptoms. Fortunately, you can find out if you have one by having your blood pressure checked regularly. If it is high, you can take steps to lower it. Just as important, if your blood pressure is normal, you can learn how to keep it from becoming high. - Webmd.com

You can check for symptoms of High Blood Pressure by using this Gadgets available from Amazon. Handy and accurate and a must at any household

Omron Bp652 7 Series Blood Pressure Wrist Unit

Panasonic EW3109W Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (White)

1. Lose Weight

Your Blood Pressure is directly proportional to your weight. Being Overweight makes you more prone to Hypertension. Get Active and lose those excess pounds. People who are active have a lower risk -as much as 50% lower- of acquiring high blood pressure. You don't have to do marathon running. jogging, brisk walking, doing household chores at least 30 minutes daily can help maintain a normal pressure.

2. Reduce Sodium Consumption

Cut back on salt consumption. Minimize process foods. Reducing salt intake can help maintain a normal reading.

3. Stop Smoking

Smoking can cause hypertension as well as other major diseases. You should definitely quit if you want to regulate your blood pressure

4 Learn to Relax

Stress can get your heart pumping and your pressure rising. As stress raises your heart rate and blood pressure, hormones may make the coronary arteries constrict. The combination of reduced blood supply and greater demand for blood can lead to a heart attack.

5. Control Cholesterol Level

Read: How to lower cholesterol

Cholesterol is a major risk factor of hypertension. You should definitely control it

6. Reduce Alcohol Intake

Alcohol can elevate blood pressure. You should minimize it.

7. Take Supplements

If your reading is high you should definitely take supplements to help control your blood pressure

8 Reduce Fat Intake

Cut the Fat To lower the high blood pressure and get your cholesterol down.

Hottest Kate Upton Pics around the net

2012-02-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

Kate Upton (born June 10, 1992) is an American model and actress known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, first in 2011, when she was named Rookie of the Year, and again in 2012, when she was announced as the cover model.

KATE UPTON ON AMAZON

Kate Upton 24X36 Poster - Sexy Half Naked Hottie! #07

Kate Upton 24X36 Poster #02

Kate Upton 24X36 Poster - Hot Half Naked Hottie! #06

courtesy of http://gallery.anhmjn.com

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9 weirdest facebook related crimes

2012-02-13T03:52:00.000-08:00

Here are 9 weirdest facebook related crimes around the world. There are many anti-social elements that have made Facebook a breeding ground of terrorism, sheer fun and pleasure and scams among others. The complaints have been made on matters such as terrorism, deaths, scams, non-parliamentary offences, hate crimes and malicious messages that are related to the site.

9. The woman who was convicted for decapitating a mouse and posting the footage on Facebook

Naomi Anderson, 23, pleaded guilty to one charge of animal cruelty in the Caboolture Magistrates Court, north of Brisbane, in July 2011. The Caboolture woman had used a steak knife to cut off the mouse's head, filming the episode and later uploading it onto Facebook using an alias. The mouse took 40 seconds to die.

Anderson was ordered to served 180 hours of community service.

8 The man who got arrested for pretending to be a Moroccan prince on Facebook

In the U.S., pretending to be a celebrity online is something of a trend. There's a whole slew of fake celebrity blogs out there. Search Facebook or MySpace and you'll find dozens pages supposedly opened by Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes -- all fake.

The Moroccan government, though, apparently isn't quite hip with this trend, and in 2008 arrested a man for creating a Facebook profile under the guise of the brother of King Mohammed VI.

The man, 26-year-old Fouad Mourtada, was arrested and charged with "villainous practices," a very dire and vague sounding offense. At this point, it's unknown just what he said on the fake profile and whether his intents were malicious or satirical, but it's safe to say that whatever he was doing with the fake Facebook identity wasn't terribly amusing to the Moroccan government.

7 The emergency worker who got 4 years in jail for posting crime scene photos on Facebook

A former emergency medical technician from Staten Island is in hot water for taking a photo of a strangled murder victim in March and posting it on his Facebook page.

Mark Musarella, an emergency worker who posted photos on Facebook of a beaten and strangled woman called Caroline Wimme, was sentenced to 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to misdemeanor official misconduct and disorderly conduct.

6 Two preteen girls who were accused of cyberstalking after hacking into a classmate's Facebook page

Two preteen US girls accused of hacking into a classmate's Facebook page and posting sexually explicit photos and messages have been charged with cyberstalking and first-degree computer trespassing.

The girls, ages 11 and 12, have been under investigation since the alleged victim's family contacted Issaquah police. The two defendants used the victim's password information to post sexually explicit content on her Facebook page. They also posted messages that indicated the victim was willing to perform sex acts on people.

The case has resulted in criminal charges filed against the 2 girls

5 couple who was arrested for eating rare iguana on Facebook

Vanessa Starr Palm, 23, of Illinois and Alexander Daniel Rust, 24, of Indiana, were arrested last Monday after pictures of the two having an iguana feast in the islands were posted on the social networking website.

Police got hold of photos showing the suspects catching an iguana, parts of an iguana on a grill, two men eating the iguana pieces, and a man and a woman cleaning what appears to be undersized conch," according to police.

The iguanas are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

4 The woman who was arrested for ‘poking' someone on Facebook

Blurring the lines between virtual and reality, Shannon Jackson of Tennessee broke the law when she poked a contact on her Facebook list, by violating a restraining order.

The order prohibits communicating with the petitioner. Yes, that includes the harmless facebook poke. Violation of a restraining order in Tennessee is a class A misdemeanor, punishable up to 11 months and 29 days in jail, as well as a fine up to $2500

3. The PA teen who admitted to trying to hire a hitman on Facebook

Chester County teenager faces 11 to 22 years in prison after agreeing to a plea agreement on charges he used Facebook to try to hire a hit man to kill a woman who had accused him of rape.

Nineteen-year-old West Chester, Pa., resident Corey Christian Adams accepted the plea agreement Friday on charges of rape, criminal solicitation of murder and other counts.

In July, a 20-year-old woman who had accused Adams of raping her after a party called police to point out a posting on his Facebook page offering $500 for "a girls head." In a later posting, police say Adams said "he needed this girl knocked off right now."

2 Calls, texts and Facebook posts reveal girl's final hours

Ramazan Acar posted status updates on Facebook while stabbing his two-year-old daughter to death.

1. Facebook 'Unfriend' Led To 2 Shooting Deaths

Authorities say a father who was upset after a Tennessee couple deleted his adult daughter as a friend on Facebook has been charged with killing the couple.

Potter has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in last week's slayings of Billy Payne Jr. and his girlfriend, Billie Jean Hayworth. Their baby was found unharmed in Hayworth's arms.

Potter's friend, Jamie Curd, has also been charged in the killings. Police say he had romantic feelings for Potter's daughter.

Potter has not hired an attorney. Curd's public defender could not immediately be reached for comment.

5 best laptops under $500 for 2012

2012-02-12T18:51:00.000-08:00

The best laptop under $500 for the year 2012

The latest Windows based computer system that won't break the bank. All for less than $500

All 5 laptops are current Amazon Leaders and have excellent customer reviews around the web.

5 Toshiba Satellite L755-S5349 15.6-Inch LED Laptop - Fusion Finish in Matrix Silver

Price: $499.99

1.Comes with 4 GB DDR3 Memory and 640 GB Hard Drive

2. Get 15.6 inch HD Screen

3. Included Core i3 processor with 2.2GHz

4. With HDMI and USB 2.0 Ports

5. Built in 8x DVD drive and webcam

6. Includes Wi-Fi Support and stereo speakers

Pros:

-Excellent battery life: laptop can be used away from power source for long periods of time.
-Very quiet: cooling fan is the largest noise constituent.
-Sleek design: computer is aesthetically pleasing.

4 ASUS A53U-ES21 15.6-Inch Laptop (Brown)

Price $400.07

AMD E-Series Dual-Core E-450
4 GB DIMM
320 GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive
15.6-Inch LED Screen
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Processor, Memory, and Motherboard
Processor: 1.65 GHz E-Series Dual-Core E-450
RAM: 4 GBHard Drive
Size: 320 GB
Speed: 5400 rpmPorts and Connectivity
USB 2.0 Ports: 3
VGA Video Out Ports: 1
Size (LWH): 15.12 inches, 1.4 inches, 10.12 inches
Weight: 5.72 pounds
Wireless Type: 802.11bgn

3 HP g6-1d60us (15.6-Inch Screen) Laptop

Price $441.77

Specs:

AMD Dual-Core A4-3305M (1.9GHz)
15.6" LED-backlit (1366x768)
4GB DDR3 Memory
640GB Hard Drive
AMD Radeon HD 6480G
- HDMI
- VGA
SuperMulti DVD Burner
Webcam
WiFi N
Bluetooth
6-Cell Battery
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit

Pros:
1. Good laptop for under $500
2. 8 hours of battery life
3. Great picture clarity
4. HDMI port to connect to TV
5. Great sound for a laptop
6. Good size and weight
7. 4GB SDR AM and 640GB Hard Drive
8. 15.6 Inch Screen

- Enjoy wireless freedom with integrated Bluetooth^® on the HP Pavilion g6-1d60us Notebook PC. This laptop also has an HDMI port, so you can connect it to an HD TV to share your videos and slideshows. HP g6-1d60us Browse the web, edit photos, play music and more. Plus, get connected using integrated Wi-Fi and a webcam. The Pavilion g6 is an ENERGY STAR^® qualified product, so you’ll save power, too. Everyday value. Count on simple productivity and entertainment with the HP Pavilion g6-1d60us Notebook PC. Get it all done with or without wires. Watch your favorite DVDs in vivid color on the high-definition LED-backlit display. Plus, connect your laptop to an HD TV easily. The HP Imprint finish in charcoal gray also shows off your sense of style.

2 .Acer Aspire AS5349-2899 15.6-Inch Laptop (Gray)

Price $379.99

Key Features

15.6" HD Widescreen Ultrabright™ LED-backlit LCD Display: (1366x768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio)
Intel® Celeron® Processor B815(1.6GHz, 2MB L3 Cache)

Windows® 7 Home Premium
Microsoft® Office Starter 2010
320GB Hard Drive
2GB DDR3 Memory
Intel® HD Graphics with 128MB of dedicated system memory
8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive
2-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™
Built-in 0.3 Megapixel HD Webcam
10/100 Fast Ethernet LAN
High-Definition Audio Support
Two built-in stereo speakers
3- USB 2.0 Ports
1- HDMI™ Port
Media Control Function Keys
Multi-Gesture Touchpad
Dedicated Numeric Keypad
6-cell Li-ion Battery
5.29 lbs.| 2.4 kg(system unit only)

Simple, business-like design with built-in 320 GB memory makes this laptop as versatile as you are. Perfect for use at home, at school, and ready to be taken out for a cup of coffee, this Acer notebook may change the way you think of home computing. Running Windows 7 Home Premium with a webcam and multi-gesture touchpad mouse, at a low-cost means you may just need to buy one for every member of your family.

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10 Tips to lower cholesterol fast

2012-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Abnormal cholesterol levels such as high LDL cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol are a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Here are effective tips to prevent them

10 Use Olive Oil

Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol but leave your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day in place of other fats in your diet to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, you can saute vegetables in it, add it to a marinade, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat or as a dip for bread. Olive oil is high in calories, so don't eat more than the recommended amount.

9. Add Fish in your diet

Fish and Fish oil are great sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 have profound effect on cholesterol and triglycerides. The biggest heart benefits are attributed to it's use.

8. Do regular Exercise.

30 minutes of exercise a day has been shown to decrease total cholesterol and improve "good" HDL cholesterol levels. It exercises the heart, lowers your weight and improve your overall well-being. Being overweight tends to increase the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in your blood, the kind of lipoprotein that's been linked to heart disease.

7. Don't smoke or use tobacco in any form

Smoking is bad. It's the main source of lung disease and the main cause of high cholesterol and heart diseases. Raises bad cholesterol levels as well as lowers HDL(good cholesterol). There are approximately 200,000 smoking related deaths in the U.S. each year

Use nicotine gum to prevent cigarette cravings throughout the day

6. Practice Healthy Stress Management

Stress and hostility directly affects cholesterol. Study shows that people who are always angry have high cholesterol levels. Control your aggression and maintain a peace of mind. How many times have we heard of someone who suffered a stroke or heart attack after a heated argument?

5. Drink a glass of wine everyday

A glass of wine a day keep the doctors away. Red wine contains Resveratrol that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents blood clots. Antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. Just remember to drink only a glass a day.

4 Eliminate sweets and refined foods.
Desserts like cake, danishes and brownies are high in saturated fat -- and if the sweets are made with lard or vegetable shortening, they may also contain trans fat which increase triglycerides and cholesterol production. These foods are also addictive. Once you eliminate them, you'll find that fruits, vegetables and whole grains actually taste sweet.

3. Include Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods in your diet

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol.

Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber. To mix it up a little, try steel-cut oatmeal or cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran.

2. Avoid saturated fat to reduce cholesterol

Cut back on foods that are rich in saturated and trans fats, because these stimulate the liver to produce extra cholesterol. Saturated fat is not essential to your body. It is found mainly in animal products such as meat, poultry, and dairy.The liver usually produces about 1g of cholesterol a day, but this can be multiplied by the consumption of foods such as fatty cuts of meat, ready meals and other foods know to be high in cholesterol content.

1. Consider medication

If You really have high cholesterol level in your body or have a family history of heart disease and

stroke then it's better for you to consider medications that help lower cholesterol levels.

High cholesterol levels can cause:

Atherosclerosis - narrowing of the arteries.

Higher coronary heart disease risk - an abnormality of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart.

Heart attack - occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. This causes your heart muscle to die.

Angina - chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood.

Other cardiovascular conditions - diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Stroke and mini-stroke - occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or vein, interrupting the flow to an area of the brain. Can also occur when a blood vessel breaks.

references: mayoclinic.com , webmd.com

More: 7 effective tips to lower your blood pressure

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2012-02-12T14:39:00.001-08:00

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Fly with Hello Kitty Themed Jets - cutest airplane ever

2012-02-11T06:31:00.000-08:00

Taiwan's EVA Air unleashes Hello Kitty airplanes.

everything from the fuselage to the flight attendants to the food is hello kitty themed.

The new Taipei-based Hello Kitty jets -- called Apple Jet, Global Jet and Magic Jet -- will operate for at least a year on different routes originating from Taipei.

Magic Jet flies to Sapporo and Guam. Apple Jet flies to Seoul and Fukuoka. Global Jet serves Hong Kong and Tokyo.

The Hello Kitty journey starts with Hello Kitty boarding passes and baggage stickers. Then passengers make their way to a you-can't-miss-it gate dedicated to the Hello Kitty flyer.

The boarding gate in Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport is pink and features a Hello Kitty playground.

on board, more than 100 in-flight items are specially designed with the Hello Kitty motif -- including headrest covers, tissues, paper cups, utensils, milk bottles, snacks, soap dispensers, hand lotion, meals and ice cream.

Passengers can also purchase limited edition duty-free products, such as Hello Kitty-shaped pasta, from flight attendants wearing Hello Kitty aprons.

The Hello Kitty theme can be found on the carrier's new Airbus A330-300s. Each of the new aircraft provides 30 premium laurel class seats (EVA's business class) and 279 economy class seats.

cnngo.com, evaair.com

Top 10 Rediscovered Species

2012-02-10T12:29:00.001-08:00

Here are the top 10 Animals feared extinct but were again rediscovered by our generation.

10. Short-footed Luzon Tree Rat or Greater dwarf cloud rat

Last seen 112 years ago. It was recently rediscovered by a team if Filipino and American Scientist. The dwarf cloud rat was captured by Danilo Balete, Project Co-Leader and Research Associate of the Philippine National Museum, in a patch of mature mossy forest (also called cloud forest) high on Mt. Pulag, at about 2,350 meters above sea level. It was in the canopy of a large tree.

The greater dwarf cloud rat (Carpomys melanurus) has dense, soft reddish-brown fur, a black mask around large dark eyes, small rounded ears, a broad and blunt snout, and a long tail covered with dark hair. An adult weighs about 185 grams.

9. The Pygmy Tarsier

On a misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, scientists have observed one of the planet's smallest and rarest primates - 80 years after it was thought to have become extinct.

The pygmy tarsier is a mouse-sized big-eyed animal that weighs almost 60 grams. The last one spotted alive was in 1921 before the species went into hiding.

8 The Okapi

Presumed extinct last century. It was rediscovered last 1959. Today there are approximately 10,000–20,000 in the wild and as of 2011, 42 different institutions display them worldwide.

7. Takahe

Presumed extinct in the 18th century but was found alive last 1948 by Dr. Geoffrey Orbell in Lake Te Anau in the southwestern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The discovery stunned the world of ornithology and made front-page news across the globe.

6. Bermuda Petrel

Bermuda Petrel was thought extinct for almost three centuries. In 1951, 18 pairs were rediscovered breeding on sub-optimal rocky islets in Castle Harbour, Bermuda.

5. Arakan forest turtle

Believed extinct (last seen in 1908), but in 1994 was rediscovered when a few specimens turned up in Asian food markets. Extremely difficult to establish in captivity and status in the wild was still critical.

4 Terror Skink

known only from a single specimen, collected on the same island by Monsieur Balanza in about 1870. The terror skink was rediscovered in 2003 in New Caledonia. The skink measures around 50cm and has long sharp curved teeth – unusual for a skink as they are normally omnivores.

3. New Holland Mouse

It was first described by George Waterhouse in 1843. It vanished from view for over a century before its rediscovery in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park north of Sydney in 1967. It is found only in Australia, within the states of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.

2. The Woolly Flying Squirrel

MISSING since early in the century, the woolly flying squirrel was thought to have gone extinct, apparently having vanished from the Himalayas' frigid cliffs. But this giant among squirrels has resurfaced in northern Pakistan.

1 Coelecanth

thought to have gone extinct with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. But its discovery in 1938 by a South African museum curator on a local fishing trawler fascinated the world and ignited a debate about how this bizarre lobe-finned fish fits into the evolution of land animals.

More news:

The alleged woolly mammoth in Siberia was not included.

Alleged Wooly Mammoth Caught on Tape

2012-02-10T11:06:00.001-08:00

A prehistoric animal that become extinct 10000 years ago was allegedly recorded on video.

A government engineer, conducting a survey for a potential new road last summer, saw the beast in question in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug region of Siberia.

"Siberia is an enormous territory and much of it remains completely unexplored and untouched by humans. "

If surviving woolly mammoths were found in Siberia, it could run against Russia's plans to further develop and exploit the area's considerable resources.

"It would be potentially one of the greatest discoveries ever."

But viewers are divided on the nature of the animal seen in the video. Some have dismissed it as a hoax while others reckon it is an elephant lost in the Siberian wilderness. The third theory is the sighting shows a bear eating a huge fish. What do you think?

thesun.co.uk

More:
Top 10 Rediscovered Species

Neyo Covered strip club floor with cash

2012-02-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

Laced with $3,000-$5,000 in dollar bills and his fiancée/baby mama in tow, Ne-Yo took his talents to the popular Atlanta strip club Magic City this past weekend.

Ne-Yo was on a mission to redecorate the strip club and left the floor covered with singles. Patrons say Ne-Yo refrained for drinking and stayed in the VIP section for about two hours before heading home. - TMZ.com

more photos

SASHA GREY 'Anal Artists' Porn Co. Exploited Me & Read Across America

2012-02-08T13:38:00.016-08:00

Sasha Grey Tribeca Film Festival, a photo by Film-Book dot Com on Flickr.

Sasha Grey insists she had nothing to do with a "pathetic" porn company's attempt to donate proceeds from its new film "Anal Artists" to Read Across America -- telling TMZ, the company's trying "to capitalize on Read Across America, controversy, and my name."

Assence Films announced it was donating proceeds from the film to Reading Across America in support of Sasha's "recent efforts to expose children to the world of literature" -- but Sasha says she's never even heard of the company.

Sasha tells us, Assence is exploiting her by trying to "re-package and re-sell an outdated, previously-available scene by touting it as one of my last scenes."

But Sasha doesn't know what's worse ... "the fact that people are now misled to believe I’m personally selling this movie with salacious marketing, or the fact that the [National Education Association] won’t take donations from this pathetic company."

Sasha adds, "There’s little money for education in this beautiful country, and as a pro-education advocate, it’s heartbreaking to hear this."

TMZ broke the story ... Grey -- who once won a Best Oral Sex award for her role in "Throat: A Cautionary Tale" -- participated in Read Across America at Emerson Elementary School in Compton, CA back in November.

Sadly, Sasha says the program has since been shut down at the school "because of one lone disgruntled fan who harassed my parents, the school district, the media and me, for my involvement in such an important program."

from tmz.com

Sasha on Tyra Banks Show Part 1 antipornography.org

Sasha Part 2

Sasha Part 3

Sasha Grey WikiBio

courtesy of Film-Book dot Com

Sasha Grey (born Marina Ann Hantzis on March 14, 1988) is an American former pornographic actress, who has since turned to mainstream acting, modeling and music.^[ Later in her adult film career, she was profiled by several popular culture magazines and television programs. She won several AVN Awards between 2007 and 2010, and has also been featured in music videos and advertising campaigns.

After her feature film debut as the lead in Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience, she shifted her focus to acting, starring in the black comedy/horror film Smash Cut as April Carson, as well as having a supporting role in season 7 of HBO's Entourage. She has also appeared in independent films Quit, The Girl from the Naked Eye, Life, and Mark Pellington's I Melt With You. She is a member of aTelecine, an industrial noise band.

more Sasha Grey at Wikipedia

Buy Sasha's Mainstream Movie at Amazon

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Modern Toilet Restaurant

2012-02-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

Modern Toilet is a unique bathroom-themed restaurant chain with several locations located in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Everything in the 2,800-square-foot (260 m²), three-story restaurant is based on items from a bathroom. The checkered tile covered walls are adorned with showerheads, while plungers hang from the ceiling along with fæces-shaped lights. The chairs are actual unworking toilets, dishes are served on plastic miniature toilet bowls, and drinks in miniature urinals.

Owner Wang Zi-Wei, an ex-banker, stated that his inspiration for the bathroom themed restaurant came from a robot character from the Japanese cartoon Dr. Slump who loved to "play with poop and swirl it on a stick." From this cartoon inspiration, he started a successful ice cream shop selling swirled chocolate ice cream on top of paper squat toilets. The chain of Modern Toilets started in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and now has 12 restaurants in Taiwan, and Hong Kong with future locations planned in Macau and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Customers dine while sitting on acrylic toilets adorned with "roses, seashells or renaissance paintings." The tables that the meals are served on are bathroom sinks covered with glass tops. Meals are served in miniature toilet bowls and drinks are in miniature plastic urinals which the customers can take home with them as a souvenir. Dessert ice cream is served in a dish that resembles a squat toilet.

references: wikipedia.com

rgbpicture.com

Toilet Restaurant in Hongkong

More on Amazon

Green tea drinkers show less disability with age: study

2012-02-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

Elderly adults who regularly drink green tea may stay more agile and independent than their peers over time, a large study of Japanese adults suggests.

Green tea contains certain antioxidant chemicals -- particularly a compound known as EGCG -- that may help ward off the body-cell damage that can lead to disease. And researchers have been studying green tea's effects on everything from cholesterol to the risk of certain cancers -- with mixed results so far.

For the new study, Japanese researchers looked at a different question: Do green-tea drinkers have any lower risk of frailty and disability as they grow old?

Following nearly 14,000 adults age 65 and older, they found that people who drank the most green tea were the least likely to develop "functional disability" over the next three years.

Functional disability refers to problems with daily activities like going to the store or doing housework, or difficulty with more-basic needs like dressing and bathing.

In this study, almost 13 percent of adults who drank less than a cup of green tea per day became functionally disabled. That compared with just over 7 percent of people who drank at least five cups per day.

That alone does not prove that green tea keeps you spry into your golden years.

But the study, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, did account for a range of factors that could explain the connection.

Green-tea lovers generally had healthier diets -- more fish, vegetables and fruit -- as well as more education, lower smoking rates, fewer heart attacks and strokes and greater mental sharpness.

They also tended to be more socially active and have more friends and family to rely on. (Studies have found that older adults with more "social support" are less likely to become disabled.)

But even with those factors considered, green tea itself was tied to a lower disability risk, according to the researchers, led by Yasutake Tomata of Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.

People who drank at least five cups a day were one-third less likely to develop disabilities than those who had less than a cup a day. And people who averaged three or four cups a day had a 25 percent lower risk.

All of that hints at a real effect of green tea. But ultimately, Tomata's team writes, definitive proof can come only from clinical trials testing the effects of green tea, or green tea extracts, on disability risk.

If green tea does offer a buffer against disability, it's not clear how.

But one recent study found that green tea extracts seemed to boost leg muscle strength in older women, notes Tomata's team, who could not be reached for comment.

In general, green tea is considered safe in moderate amounts. But the tea and its extracts do contain caffeine, which some people may need to avoid.

Green tea also contains small amounts of vitamin K, which means it could interfere with drugs that prevent blood-clotting, like warfarin. Since many elderly people are on multiple medications, it's wise for them to talk with their doctors before using green tea as a health tonic.

references: www.yahoonews.com

Green Tea Fast Facts

Here are some great benefits, tips and cooking secrets when it comes to green tea:

The International Journal of Obesity mentions green tea as having poly phenols which produce extra heat in the body and burn calories

Green tea leaves contain Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which may be able to obliterate cancer cells without disturbing neighboring tissues

The University of Geneva showed some studies which prove that people on green tea diets are more likely to use up fats than people not using green tea

EGCD also helps with escalating the twenty four hour energy outflow of the body

Green tea reduces the risk of strokes

It also has a favorable effect on hypertension and LDL cholesterol

Green tea carries catechin polyphenols which can help delay the reaction of gastric and pancreatic lipases, which are enzymes responsible for converting calories into fats

Catechin also destroys the bacteria which can cause food poisoning. It also eradicates the toxins produced by these bacteria

Catechin may be able to stop cancer cells from further growth

Green tea contains caffeine in moderate quantity, which works as an appetite suppressant (high quantities of caffeine, for example in coffee, can cause medical problems including hyper tension and insomnia)

Green tea is also good for maintaining good oral hygiene. It contains fluorine, which prevents cavities. It also carries ingredients which suppress plaque formation and bacteria which cause bad breath

Polysaccharides and other ingredients in green tea help lower blood sugar

Green tea is rich in the anti oxidant Vitamin E, which slows the aging process

Cleveland’s Western Reserve conducted a study which shows that having four cups of green tea each day prevents the oncoming of rheumatoid arthritis and can also reduce symptoms in individuals who already have this medical condition

For four thousand years, Chinese people have been using green tea for treating headaches and even depression

While the other tea leaves are fermented, green tea leaves are steamed and they retrieve their original medicinal capabilities

Green tea is also good for your heart

It improves the function of your immune system

Green tea diets have certain compounds which promote thermogenesis in the body

These compounds increase your body’s regular metabolism and also suppress the appetite. This is why it is considered a great diet inclusion

It has been discovered that men receiving regular dosages of green tea diet support had a significant four percent raise in their 24-hour energy expenditure

They also found that green tea diet aid reduces the respiration quotient. This means that green tea diet aid causes more fats to burn

In another study, it was shown that men who were not given green tea diet aid showed only minimal increases in their metabolic rates and almost no reduction in their respiration quotient

Some substances in green tea modify how the body utilizes the hormone norepinephrine, which is responsible for escalating metabolism and hence leading to diet aid

These ingredients in green tea help increase the speed of fat and calorie burning and optimize diet aid

Mega-T Green Tea, another type of green tea, carries a high amount of Green Tea extract which helps curb your appetite.

This type of Green Tea also contains chromium

Chromium in Mega-T Green Tea helps reduce fats by increasing your metabolic rates. Hence, when you use Mega-T Green Tea, fat-burning happens more rapidly than usual

Another useful ingredient of Mega-T Green Tea is the herb Garcinia Cambogia. This herb in Mega-T Green Tea helps you overcome food cravings

When you use green tea, you do not need to worry about overeating, because Green Tea lets you know when your stomach has had enough. This basically means that you can always be sure to eat just the right amount of food. And we all know that lesser food intake means lesser fats storage in the body

Taking fewer calories usually means you have lower energy levels. This means you won’t have any energy to do your weight loss exercises. But green tea contains guarana, which is a well known energy booster

This way, green tea will give you the energy you need in order to exercise and lose some more pounds

Siberian Ginseng in green tea gives you a lot of stamina for hard work

More stamina means more work done

It boosts your energy

It also has diuretics which induce sweating, which causes your body perspire and lose liquid weight when you work out

Most green tea packages come with diet suggestions in the box which, are the original methods of weight loss

Green tea diet happens to be an excellent source of polycatechin polyphenols, a group of antioxidants which act on free radicals

Free radicals have harmful effects on the body, since they are the major causes of diseases and aging

The presence of polycatechin polyphenols in green tea diets gives individuals a better chance of circumventing disorders and keeping themselves healthy for a much longer period of time

The EGCG in green tea diet also acts with the famous compound caffeine. Interaction of these two compounds causes a green tea diet to encourage thermogenesis in the body

But no diet can work like a complete miracle. Green tea diets, like all other ones, work best together with additional work outs and diet consciousness from most individuals

Green tea diets require restraint and compassion to make any significant impact on your weight loss goals

Weight loss experts and dieticians all agree that weight loss supplements greatly help the dieter in his continuing battle for a toned body

Green tea extract is the most prominent of the major supplements available on the market

Green tea has been historically used as a remedy for indigestion, depression and headaches

It is considered an excellent organic alternative to weight loss supplements

A journal on the health benefits of plants called Phytomedicine conducted a recent study and published the results which said that people who take green tea extract as weight loss supplement ideally lose about two-and-a-half pounds a month

Green tea weight loss supplements come in standardized tablets or in capsule forms

You should always try to choose a green tea weight loss supplement which has ninety milligrams of EGCG and fifty milligrams of caffeine

Green tea weight loss supplements are normally taken three times a day before meals

Though green tea weight loss supplements have zero adverse side effects, it is still advised to talk with your doctor before taking them.

Get the healing benefits of Green Tea now

Cathay Pacific's 5 star lounge in hongkong

2012-02-03T05:10:00.000-08:00

The Wing - Cathay Pacific's 5 star lounge in Hongkong

Noodle Bar

Cathay Pacific's flagship lounge at Hong Kong International Airport reopened on January 31 after a major ongoing facelift.

Dubbed The Wing, the 14-year-old Cathay Pacific lounge has completed renovations for its business class section. Construction for the first class section will be complete by the end of the year.

Covering almost 3,000 square meters, the split-level space has been redesigned by London-based architects Foster + Partners. Everything is bigger, plusher and better-looking.

"When we first opened in 1998, it wasn't to universal acclaim," said Alex McGowan, head of products for Cathay Pacific.

"There was a water feature that passengers accidentally went paddling in and a noodle bar that was once described as a boarding school dining room. But over the years, The Wing became an old friend to frequent travelers and there was a real emotional attachment formed with the space. We want to retain the personality of the original -- to reinvent the old friend."

It's basically the same old familiar lounge, but looking much more hip and luxurious with dark granite walls, warm bamboo woods and slick white Italian marble. It feels like a trendy, exclusive hotel.

Cathay would not reveal the exact cost of renovations for The Wing, but said it is "hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars."

Whatever the price, McGowan said it is a necessary spend as a decent airport lounge is high on the list of a business class passengers' criteria for airline choice, after on-board seat quality.

Private Cubicles

The most dramatic feature of The Wing is the expanded noodle bar, a self-service restaurant that specializes in fresh dan dan mian and steamed Chinese buns.

"Hot food is number one -- you've got to get that right," said McGowan. "Lots of food and a lot of variety."

Just like in the Living Room

Glamorous toilets

Living Room Feel at the Wing

That need will also be catered to in the future revamped first class lounge at The Wing. Its restaurant, The Haven, will grow from 30 to 100 seats, with waiter service, premium food and a wine list.

New private cabanas are also a highly anticipated feature of the first class lounge. The five rooms will have a bathtub, daybed, desk, rainforest shower and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Wing is open to business and first class passengers of Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, Silver and above Marco Polo Club members, as well as Sapphire and above oneworld members.

The Wing is open daily, 5:30 a.m. till last departure. Located by Gate 2, Level 6 of Hong Kong International Airport.

www.cnn.com

www.cathaypacific.com

Cathay Pacific A340-200 Scale Model in your Desktop

Nano Robots... Amazing and real !

2012-02-02T22:34:00.000-08:00

University of Pennsylvania researchers have developed a system that enables nano quadrotors to fly in incredible, fear-inducing formation.

We humans have a peculiar relationship with robots. On the one hand, we create them, and they amaze us with their awesomeness. On the other, well, have you ever heard of a little thing called Terminator?

In few instances is our love-hate relationship with our mechanical brethren so fully realized as in this video (below) of a swarm of “nano qudrotors” performing advanced maneuvers. The whole thing is both amazing and chilling, all at once.

The tiny flying robots were developed by KMel Robotics, and the coordination system, which allows the 16 quodrotors to flip, spin, and gather into complex formations, was created by a team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) laboratory.

Of course, this is far from the first time we’ve seen similar robots doing amazing things. (A quadtrotor playing real-life Pong, anyone?) But it is the first time we’ve seen them moving in such a sophisticated, militaristic-like fashion.

references: digitaltrends.com

What is Breast Cancer

2012-02-02T02:01:00.000-08:00

Breast Cancer Facts:

most common cancer among American women.
One in every eight women in the United States develops breast cancer.
There are many types of breast cancer that differ in their capability of spreading (metastasize) to other body tissues.
The causes of breast cancer are not yet fully known although a number of risk factors have been identified.
There are many different types of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is diagnosed with physician and self-examination of the breasts, mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy.
Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage (the extent of spread in the body).

Over 200,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed each year.
Nearly 40,000 women will die of breast cancer in 2011.
There are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
A woman should have a baseline mammogram between the 35 and 40 years of age. Between 40 and 50 years of age, mammograms are recommended every other year. After 50 years of age, yearly mammograms are recommended.

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the tissues of the reast. There are two main types of breast cancer:

Ductal carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple. Most breast cancers are of this type.
Lobular carcinoma starts in the parts of the breast, called lobules, that produce milk.

In rare cases, breast cancer can start in other areas of the breast.

Breast cancer may be invasive or noninvasive. Invasive means it has spread from the milk duct or lobule to other tissues in the breast. Noninvasive means it has not yet invaded other breast tissue. Noninvasive breast cancer is called "in situ."

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), or intraductal carcinoma, is breast cancer in the lining of the milk ducts that has not yet invaded nearby tissues. It may progress to invasive cancer if untreated.

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a marker for an increased risk of invasive cancer in the same or both breasts.

Many breast cancers are sensitive to the hormone estrogen. This means that estrogen causes the breast cancer tumor to grow. Such cancers have estrogen receptors on the surface of their cells. They are called estrogen receptor-positive cancer or ER-positive cancer.

Some women have what's called HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2 refers to a gene that helps cells grow, divide, and repair themselves. When cells (including cancer cells) have too many copies of this gene, they grow faster. Experts think that women with HER2-positive breast cancer have a more aggressive disease and a higher risk that the disease will return (recur) than women who do not have this type.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

It is important to remember that most lumps found in the breast are not cancerous but are benign and that the symptoms and signs associated with breast cancer may be due to other causes. Some signs and symptoms include:

Mass or lump in the breast
Breast skin dimpling, reddening, or thickening
Nipple retraction
Breast swelling or pain
Nipple pain and/or discharge
Swelling or lumps in adjacent underarm lymph node

A rare form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), does not form a lump. Some of the symptoms of this condition can be similar to those of a breast infection, with warmth, tenderness, breast swelling, itching, and ridged thickened skin.

Breast Cancer Staging:

Information that helps determine your breast cancer stage

Your doctor determines your breast cancer stage by considering:

The size of your tumor
Whether cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes under your arm (axillary lymph nodes)
Whether cancer cells have spread to other parts of your body

Tests and procedures used to stage your breast cancer

To gather the necessary information, your doctor will ask questions about your medical history, do a careful physical examination, and review all the tests you've had. This also can include review of the results from the biopsy of the tumor or suspicious area. If you've already had surgery to remove your cancer and sample your lymph nodes for cancer cells, your doctor will use information from your pathology report.

Some additional tests may be needed, but most women with a new diagnosis of breast cancer don't need all the diagnostic tests available. Staging tests include:

Blood tests. Blood tests may give your doctor an idea of your overall health and clues about which other staging tests may be useful. Blood tests might include a complete blood count and a blood chemistry test, which assess your kidney and liver function. Blood tests known as tumor markers aren't used for staging breast cancer, since they haven't been proved to reliably show the presence or absence of breast cancer cells. Breast cancer tumor markers are used only in very specific circumstances. Another blood test called a circulating tumor cell assay is being developed but isn't yet routinely used.
Chest X-ray. A chest X-ray may reveal whether breast cancer cells have spread to your lungs.
Additional imaging tests. Additional imaging can be used to look for breast cancer cells that have spread to other areas of your body. Not everyone with breast cancer needs these tests, though, so ask your doctor what's best for you. Additional imaging tests include a bone scan, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET).

Breast cancer stages

Stage 0 Breast cancer stages range from 0 to IV, with many subcategories. Lower numbers indicate earlier stages of cancer, while higher numbers reflect late-stage cancers.

This stage describes noninvasive (in situ) breast cancer. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is an example of stage 0 cancer.

Stage I
This stage is an early stage of invasive breast cancer in which:

The tumor measures no more than 2 centimeters (cm) in diameter (3/4 inch)
No lymph nodes are involved — the cancer hasn't spread outside the breast

Stage II
This stage describes invasive breast cancers in which one of the following is true:

The tumor measures less than 2 cm (3/4 inch) but has spread to lymph nodes under the arm.
No tumor is found in the breast, but breast cancer cells are found in lymph nodes under the arm.
The tumor is between 2 and 5 cm (about 3/4 to 2 inches) and may or may not have spread to lymph nodes under the arm.
The tumor is larger than 5 cm (2 inches) but hasn't spread to any lymph nodes.

Stage III
Stage III breast cancers are subdivided into three categories — IIIA, IIIB and IIIC — based on a number of criteria. By definition, stage III cancers haven't spread to distant sites.

For example, a stage IIIA tumor is larger than 5 cm (2 inches) and has spread to one to three lymph nodes under the arm. Other stage IIIA tumors may be any size and have spread into multiple lymph nodes. The lymph nodes clump and attach to one another or to the surrounding tissue.

In stage IIIB breast cancer, a tumor of any size has spread to tissues near the breast — the skin and chest muscles — and may have spread to lymph nodes within the breast or under the arm. Stage IIIB also includes inflammatory breast cancer, an uncommon but aggressive type of breast cancer.

Stage IIIC cancer is a tumor of any size that has spread:

To 10 or more lymph nodes under the arm
To lymph nodes above or beneath the collarbone and near the neck
To lymph nodes within the breast itself and to lymph nodes under the arm

Stage IV
Stage IV breast cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, bones or brain.

Treatment

Patients with breast cancer have many treatment options. Most treatments are adjusted specifically to the type of cancer and the staging group. Treatment options should be discussed with your health-care team. Below you will find the basic treatment modalities used in the treatment of breast cancer.

Surgery

Most women with breast cancer will require surgery. Broadly, the surgical therapies for breast cancer can be divided into breast conserving surgery and mastectomy.

Breast-conserving surgery

This surgery will only remove part of the breast (sometimes referred to as partial mastectomy). The extent of the surgery is determined by the size and location of the tumor.

In a lumpectomy, only the breast lump and some surrounding tissue is removed. The surrounding tissue (margins) are inspected for cancer cells. If no cancer cells are found, this is called "negative" or "clear margins." Frequently, radiation therapy is given after lumpectomies.

Mastectomy

During a mastectomy (sometimes also referred to as a simple mastectomy), all the breast tissue is removed. If immediate reconstruction is considered, a skin-sparing mastectomy is sometimes performed. In this surgery, all the breast tissue is removed as well but the overlying skin is preserved.

Radical mastectomy

During this surgery, the surgeon removes the axillary lymph nodes as well as the chest wall muscle in addition to the breast. This procedure is done much less frequently than in the past, as in most cases a modified radical mastectomy is as effective.

more treatment options

What is the prognosis of breast cancer?

Survival rates are a way for health-care professionals to discuss the prognosis and outlook of a cancer diagnosis with their patients. You have to determine if you want to know this number or not and should let your health-care provider know.

The number most frequently discussed is five-year survival. It is the percentage of patients who live at least five years after they are diagnosed with cancer. Many of these patients live much longer, and some patients die earlier from causes other then breast cancer. With a constant change in therapies, these numbers also change. The current five-year survival statistic is based on patients who were diagnosed at least five years ago and may have received different therapies than are available today.

Stage	Five-year survival rate
0	93%
I	88%
IIA	81%
IIB	74%
IIIA	67%
IIIB	41%
IIIC	49%
IV	15%

What can I do to reduce my risk of breast cancer?

Breast cancer prevention begins with various factors you can control. For example:

Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol — including beer, wine or liquor — limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.
Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.
Get plenty of physical activity. Being physically active can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (think brisk walking or swimming) or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running), in addition to strength training exercises at least twice a week. If you're just starting a physical activity program, start slowly and build intensity gradually.

more prevention

References: www.Mayoclinic.com, www.emedicinenet.com

Breast Cancer Information on Amazon

DVD: Breast Cancer the path to wellness and healing

Sofia Vergara the hottest gal nearing 40

2012-02-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love Sofia Vergara?

Nearing 40 years old, she is beating women half her age for the sex symbol tag. The Colombian native is also a cancer survivor.

the 39-year-old has proven her acting chops as Gloria in the hit television series 'Modern Family', for which she has been nominated twice for Emmy Awards. She also has movie roles in 'The Smurfs', 'Happy Feet Two' and the latest romantic comedy, 'New Year's Eve'.

With all these milestones behind her, she also loves the 'sex symbol' tag.

“Of course I love it. I’m nearly 40 years old. I always joke with my publicist and my manager that I’m competing for the best ass with Kim Kardashian and she is 15 years younger than me. She must be so upset thinking: 'Why am I being compared to that old woman?'” - the New York Daily quoted her as telling Irish Independent.

“I'm always in these sexiest lists and I’m 20 years older than the others. I love it,” she said.

Everything you need to know about Sofia Vergara

Autographed posters from Amazon

Blake Griffin's Monster Dunk on Kendrick Perkins

2012-01-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

This Could be the best NBA Regular Season Game Dunk for the last 10 Years.

Latimes.com

Blake Griffin saw an open lane in the third quarter of the Clippers' game against Oklahoma City on Monday. He charged to the basket. Thunder center Kendrick Perkins responded, bravely putting his body in front of the oncoming freight train.

Griffin elevated, and Perkins' face was up pressed against Griffin's body like a child

sticking his face against a window.

DUNK.

Within moments, the Twitterverse was going crazy. So was the sold-out crowd at Staples Center. So were Griffin's teammates.

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan immediately hugged Griffin was such force that he practically knocked the wind out of his teammate. That was when Griffin said he knew something spectacular had occurred.

"By the crowd's reaction you can kind of gauge how it was," he said. "My second gauge is DJ's reaction.

"He came up and like arm-locked me. I couldn't breathe. I had to like pull him off."

Said Jordan: "I was shocked. I didn't know what to do, so I just grabbed him. ... I feel like I dunked it."

Said Clippers guard Chris Paul: "That's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen."

The only player who wasn't in awe was Perkins, who fouled Blake Griffin on the dunk. The Clippers star then went to the free-throw-line and converted the three-point play.

Sitting morosely by his locker after the Clippers' 112-100 win, Perkins acknowledged that Griffin got the better of him.

"It happens," he said. "At the end of the day, if you're a shot-blocker you're going to get dunked on. It was a great play he made. Obviously, I wish I wasn't in it."

-- Melissa Rohlin

The Monster Dunk Video

Get Blake Griffin on your Study Table

Best of the Nba Slam Dunk Contest

Trisomy 18

2012-01-29T17:06:00.000-08:00

abcnews.com

What Is Trisomy 18?

Trisomy 18, the genetic disorder that sent Rick Santorum’s daughter Bella to the hospital Saturday evening, kills about 90 percent of children before or during birth and those that do live past birth suffer serious symptoms.

Children with Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards syndrome, have an extra copy of chromosome 18, which causes symptoms like clenched hands, low birth weight, mental deficiency, small head and jaw and an unusual-shaped chest, according to the National Institutes of Health.

“Most children with Trisomy 18 die in the first three months of life, and only 10 to 20 percent survive past the first year,” said Dr. Robert Marion, Chief of Genetics and Developmental Medicine at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Tests can be done during pregnancy to determine if the child has Trisomy 18. Half of infants with this condition do not survive beyond the first week of life, and the few children who survive to the teenage years have serious medical and developmental problems, according to the National Institutes of Health.

“Those who survive are almost always girls,” said Marion. “The reason for this is that the condition is more lethal in boys, who die intrauterinely.”

Dr. Ronald Crystal, chair of genetic medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, said the disease is “invariably fatal,” with survival depending on the severity of symptoms and the quality of care. Bella Santorum, 3, is “already an exception,” he said.

What is Trisomy

2012-01-29T07:06:00.000-08:00

Trisomy 21

What is Trisomy ?

Trisomy is a condition when a baby is born with one more chromosome than normal. there may be three or more copies of the chromosome rather than the expected two copies. It is usually caused by the failure of a pair of homologous chromosomes to separate during meiosis, Can also be due to a translocation mutation.

Most organisms that reproduce sexually have pairs of chromosomes in each cell, with one chromosome inherited from each parent. In such organisms, a process called meiosis creates cells called gametes (eggs or sperm) that have only one set of chromosomes. The number of chromosomes is different for different species. Human beings have 46 chromosomes (i.e. 23 pairs of chromosomes). Human gametes have only 23 chromosomes.

If the chromosome pairs fail to separate properly during cell division the egg or sperm may have a second copy of one of the chromosomes. If such a gamete results in fertilization and an embryo, the resulting embryo may also have an entire copy of the extra chromosome.

The most common type of Trisomy

Trisomy 21 or Down's Syndrome - is a chromosomal condition characterized by the presence of an extra copy of genetic material on the 21st chromosome. The incidence of Down syndrome is estimated at 1 per 733 births.More common among older parents due to increased mutagenic exposures on their reproductive cells. Other factors may also play a role. Down syndrome occurs in all human populations regardless of race and location.

Risk factors:

Advancing maternal age. - increase with age because older eggs have a greater risk of improper chromosome division.

Having had one child with Down syndrome. Typically, a woman who has one child with Down syndrome has about a 1 percent chance of having another child with Down syndrome.

Being carriers of the genetic translocation for Down syndrome. Both men and women can pass the genetic translocation of the defect on to their children

Common Complications:

Heart defects. Approximately 50% develop some form of heart defect. Some may require heart surgery.

Leukemia. They have a higher chance of developing leukemia in later parts of their life.

Infectious diseases. Abnomalities to the immune system makes them susceptible to all kinds of infectious disease.

Dementia. Symptoms usually appear before 40 and have a higher rate of seizure.

Sleep apnea. soft tissue and skeletal alterations can sometimes obstruct airways making them at risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Obesity. higher chances of getting obese

Other problems. Down syndrome may also be associated with other health conditions, including gastrointestinal blockage, thyroid problems, early menopause, seizures, hearing loss, premature aging, skeletal problems and poor vision.

Life Expectancy: Depending on severity . Some have lived 50 and beyond

Treatment: There is no treatment for down's syndrome. Early intervention programs are available to stimulate motor, cognitive, and developmental skills to help the child cope up with his environment.

Coping and support

Find a team of trusted professionals. You'll need to make important decisions about your child's education and treatment. Build a team of doctors, teachers and therapists you trust. These professionals can help evaluate the resources in your area and help explain state and federal programs for children with disabilities.
Seek out other families who are dealing with the same issues. Most communities have support groups for parents of children with Down syndrome. You can also find Internet support groups.
Don't believe misinformation about Down syndrome. Some people believe that children with Down syndrome must be placed in segregated special education schools and that adults with Down syndrome usually live in institutions. Not true. Many of them live with their families or independently, go to mainstream schools, read and write, have jobs and live fulfilling lives

Down Syndrome Parenting on Amazon