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Welcome to the Classroom Astrobiology Lessons Package for High School Grades (9th-12th grade).
Thank you for your interest in the exciting, engaging Classroom Astrobiology packet to bring science and STEM education alive in your classroom!
Please read the lesson overview and history pages. When you are ready to dig in to lesson content, you can download and use the lessons below. If you read, pilot, or adopt any of the lesson activities, please fill out this survey or leave a comment below and tell me what you think!
The Classroom Astrobiology lesson package has the potential to increase the number of students gaining exposure to NASA programs and STEM careers. It integrates science, engineering, and technology around a unifying theme, making science more memorable, applicable, and relevant to students.
This classroom lesson package is narrated around the exciting story of how scientists "hunt" for habitable worlds, organized around the theme, "Are we alone in the universe? And how do we know?"
This will provide a hook to bring hard-hitting science and engineering standards into your classroom in an engaging way that improves students' science literacy. Each lesson features:
How to navigate lessons
Below, you will find a document for each that describes activities suitable for a particular elementary grade level, specified at the start of each activity. At the beginning of each lesson, appropriate grade levels, preparation time, lesson time, learning outcomes, and supplemental material, if any, are specified. Some lessons have activities for mixed grade levels. Lessons are part of the Scientific and Engineering Practices Framework that teaches the process of good scientific thinking and methods in the science classroom and in everyday life, too. Lessons are written for educators with narration and instructions provided for facilitation.
Teachers are encouraged to adapt and tailor lessons to their learners' needs and educational settings.
The Drake Equation
So, dig in, starting with the Introductory Lesson, to introduce astrobiology and the Drake Equation! This package will follow the structure of the Drake Equation in the following lessons. The Drake Equation is a string of 7 terms that provide a framework for astrobiologists to organize their estimates of the number of potentially detectable civilizations in our galaxy, or "N."
Classroom Astrobiology is organized around one lesson topic per term with an 8th introductory lesson.
The Drake Equation is:
N = R* fp ne fl fi fc L where:
N is the number of communicating civilizations in the galaxy;
R* is the rate of formation of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy;
fp is the fraction of stars that have planets around them;
ne is the number of planets per star that are capable of sustaining life;
fl is the fraction of planets in ne where life evolves;
fi is the fraction of fl where intelligent life evolves;
fc is the fraction of fi that develop a communicating civilization; and L the lifetime of a communicating civilization.
Please enjoy these materials. And remember, NASA wants to know what you think of these lessons! Please fill out this quick online survey with for your valued feedback if you read or pilot any material with your learners.
Lesson 1: Introduction
Click here to download the lesson, "Introduction to the Drake Equation"
Lesson 2: R*
Click here to download the lesson, "Formation of Stars Nuclear Processes: What Makes a Star Shine?"
Learning outcomes: The goal of this lesson is to provide an introduction to the stellar lifecycle, and in particular, the nuclear processes that fuel a star throughout its life and how it is relevant to life in the universe.
Lesson 3: Fp
Planets and Habitable Zones
Currently under construction. Coming soon!
Lesson 4: Ne
Click here to download the lesson, "Water: Its Properties, and Its Roles in Earth's Surface Processes"
Lesson 5: Fl
Extreme Organisms
Currently under construction. Coming soon!
Lesson 6: Fi
Intelligence: Artificial, Social, and Human
Currently under construction. Coming soon!
Lesson 7: Fc
Communication among Civilizations
Currently under construction. Coming soon!
Lesson 8: L
Civilizations and ET Detection: Lifetimes
Currently under construction. Coming soon!
© 2019 Blue Marble Space, a non-profit organization committed to science and science outreach. Powered by


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Savor SB during epicure.sb
Santa Barbara's epicure.sb, the delectable month-long celebration of Santa Barbara's culinary scene, will be held from Oct. 1–31. Now in its 7th year, epicure.sb showcases the bounty of Santa Barbara's cuisine, libations and culture through exclusive culinary-themed experiences and special offers at restaurants, hotels, wineries and other venues. It also ties together our region's capstone food festivals, including the Santa Barbara Vinters' Celebration of Harvest, Oct. 9–12; the Santa Barbara Harbor & Seafood Festival, Oct. 17; and the Santa Barbara Beer Festival, Oct. 17.
This year's signature events include a "Quickfire Cooking Challenge with Cat Cora" (from The Iron Chef) on Oct. 8, and a winemaker dinner with Bacara Resort & Spa's new executive chef, Vincent Lesage on Oct. 24, both at the Santa Barbara Public Market, 38 W. Victoria St. In the Quickfire Cooking Challenge, 5:30–7:30 p.m., three contestants will face off using ingredients from the Market's purveyors to create up to three dishes, which will be judged by the renowned chef. Space is limited for the event, and tickets are $95 and include kitchen seating, appetizers and wine. Please call 805/770-7702 to purchase tickets.
This year's epicure.sb theme is "The Perfect Pairing," and more than 55 participating businesses have created unique offerings that feature paired components. Highlight include:
Food Anthropology: The History of Santa Barbara as Told Through Food & Art – On Oct. 23, enjoy a four-course candle-lit meal, prepared by Montecito Country Club's Michael Blackwell, in historic Santa Barbara County Courthouse's newly restored Mural Room while learning about four pivotal moments in Santa Barbara history depicted on its walls. ($185)
Tamales and Tequila Tasting: "Secrets of a Tamale Chef"– In this special class held downtown on Oct. 25, Chef-Owner Richard Lambert of Santa Barbara Tamales To-Go teaches the techniques he uses to make his award-winning tamales and salsas. Attendees are served three samples, each paired with a variety of Tequila Alquimia, a cognac-like sipping tequila. ($30)
On Edge Performance Festival: Artist (Pool) Party & Brunch – On Oct. 17, join the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara in celebrating the artists of the On Edge Festival poolside at the Goodland Hotel in Goleta. Take part in a puppetry workshop, enjoy great music by a DJ and indulge in delicious brunch bites by The Outpost's Chef Derek Simcik. ($25)
Corks n' Kernels – Get ready for a rare flavor combination that really pops as Grassini Family Vineyards pairs its Bordeaux-style wines with Santa Barbara Popcorn Co.'s popcorns at its downtown tasting room, every Fri.–Sun. in Oct. ($15)
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Farmers Market and Wine Tasting Tour – Every Sat. in Oct., Santa Barbara Adventure Co. combines wine tasting in the Funk Zone's Urban Wine Trail with a trip to the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. Learn about the varieties and vintages of some of the county's finest wines, along with local trivia and history. Along the way, you'll visit the farmers market, where your guides will pick up fresh produce for a picnic lunch at the waterfront. ($129)
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Wine pours take flight, celebration fills the streets and special flavors dance across plates as the community comes together to highlight Santa Barbara's highest notes during this collective effort. For a complete list of events & offerings, prix-fixe menus & tasting flights, and lodging packages, please visit www.epicuresb.com
–Michelle Jarrard
« Local Lowdown: On the Bookshelf epicure.sb »


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Less than two years ago, the South Carolina Supreme Court, in Webb v. Sowell, 387 S.C. 328, 692 S.E.2d 543 (2010), overruled Risinger v. Risinger, 273 S.C. 36, 253 S.E.2d 652 (1979) and its progeny, and held that South Carolina case law allowing the family court to require divorced or unmarried parents to contribute college support to be an unconstitutional violation of equal protection. I'm not claiming clairvoyance but when I blogged on Webb, I concluded:
I note the Supreme Court's 3-2 decision was with recently retired Justice John Waller in the majority and with new Justice Kaye Hearn not participating. Given Justice Hearn's extensive family law practice prior to her elevation to the appellate court, it would be interesting to know if she would have ruled with the majority. Depending upon Justice Hearn's views and the strength of this Court's commitment to stare decisis, it may be that Webb itself is reconsidered or overruled at some point, and that the Supreme Court finds requiring divorced or unmarried parents to provide college support for their children does not violate equal protection.
Less than two years later, in the March 7, 2012 decision of McLeod v. Starnes, 396 S.C. 647, 723 S.E.2d 198 (2012), the South Carolina Supreme Court answers that issue and reinstates the South Carolina family court's authority to require college support contributions from unmarried or divorced parents. The four justices who remain from the Webb panel held the same way that they'd held in Webb. It was the replacement of Waller for Hearn, who wrote McLeod's majority opinion, that led to this 180 degree different result which concluded:
Risinger does not violate the Equal Protection Clause because there is a rational basis to support any disparate treatment Risinger and its progeny created. In fact, the case before us particularly demonstrates the need for a rule permitting an award of college expenses in certain circumstances in order to ensure children of divorce have the benefit of the college education they would have received had their parents remained together. Accordingly, we reverse the order of the family court and remand this matter for a determination of whether and in what amount Father is required to contribute to Collin's college education under the law as it existed prior to Webb.
Emphasis added.
In finding there was a rational basis to require unmarried or divorced parents to contribute college support, when there was no such requirement for married parents to do so, the majority noted:
This State has a strong interest in the outcome of disputes where the welfare of our young citizens is at stake. As can hardly be contested, the State also has a strong interest in ensuring that our youth are educated such that they can become more productive members of our society. It is entirely possible that most parents who remain married to each other support their children through college years. On the other hand, even well-intentioned parents, when deprived of the custody of their children, sometimes react by refusing to support them as they would if the family unit had been preserved. Therefore, it may very well be that Risinger sought to alleviate this harm by minimizing any economic and educational disadvantages to children of divorced parents. There is no absolute right to a college education, and section 63-3-530(A)(17), as interpreted by Risinger and its progeny, does not impose a moral obligation on all divorced parents with children. Instead, the factors identified by Risinger and expounded upon in later cases seek to identify those children whose parents would otherwise have paid for their college education, but for the divorce, and provide them with that benefit.
Citations omitted.
The final sentence of that section seems to read a requirement into Risinger and its progeny that college support can only be ordered for "those children whose parents would otherwise have paid for their college education, but for the divorce." My recollection of pre-Webb jurisprudence is that this requirement was routinely rejected by the family courts, who wouldn't consider a divorced parent's good-faith reasons (the child's a spendthrift, lazy, or disrespectful) for refusing college support.
In overruling Webb, the Supreme Court seemed minimally concerned with stare decisis, even reaching the constitutional issue when it didn't need to do so:
We are not unmindful of Mother's alternate argument that Father separately agreed to pay for Collin's college expenses. Although we are cognizant of our hesitancy to reach constitutional questions when it is not necessary, there is no cogent reason to let the error in Webb persist.
The Supreme Court also found that Father was not entitled to a retroactive adjustment in his child support, as it found the figures used by the court in setting temporary support had been the proper figures at that time. If further remanded the matter for reconsideration on Mother's request for attorney's fees based upon the changed results on appeal.
I can't claim surprise from the McLeod decision, as most states that have considered the issue of whether requiring divorced or unmarried parents to provide college support for their children violates equal protection have found that it doesn't. However, I consider it poor jurisprudence to require any post-majority support, as such support confuses legal obligations with moral obligations. It is interesting that Judge Beatty dissent focuses on this concern:
In my opinion, this was in error as a parent's only financial responsibility for a child's college expenses emanates from a moral obligation.
In reaching its decision, the majority seizes upon this moral obligation. A moral obligation, however, cannot substantiate the imposition of a legal obligation. Although I am cognizant of the deleterious financial and emotional effects of divorce, these alone do not justify disparate treatment of children of divorced families and children of intact families. The children are similarly situated in that they are over the age of eighteen and desire parental financial support for college education.
While the majority in McLeod left open the issue of whether Risinger was incorrectly decided on statutory construction grounds, the opinion offers little hope for such a challenge:
Over thirty years ago, Risinger held the predecessor to section 63-3-530(A)(17) permits a family court to award college expenses if certain criteria are met. Since Risinger, the statutes conferring jurisdiction on the family court have been amended repeatedly, yet the General Assembly never limited Risinger's application. The Legislature is presumed to be aware of this Court's interpretation of its statutes. When the General Assembly failed to amend this section over the course of three decades, its inaction is evidence it agrees with this Court's interpretation. At this juncture, we are therefore unwilling to agree with the dissent's sua sponte conclusion that the General Assembly never intended to give the family court jurisdiction to order the payment of college tuition as an incident of child support. Due to the General Assembly's tacit approval of Risinger for over thirty years and the fact its construction has never been challenged, not even in this case, reaffirming this principle does not amount to legislating from the bench or a cavalier disregard of the Legislature's express limitations on the family court's jurisdiction as the dissent suggests. If the dissent's assessment of legislative intent were correct, we are confident the General Assembly would have amended the jurisdictional statutes accordingly since 1979.
Citations omitted.
For now, it appears that South Carolina authorizes the family court to require unmarried or divorced parents to contribute college support for their children, even private school support (see footnote 8 of McLeod). It remains to be seen how much and how strongly the family court upholds McLeod's apparent requirement of a showing that, but for the divorce, the parent would have provided college support. However, I suspect that this aspect of McLeod's majority opinion will be overlooked, just as it was apparently overlooked prior to Webb.


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Gerald Clarke
"It's a voice from the grave talking to you. It's strong stuff."
interviewed by Ron Hogan
"After I finished my previous book on Truman Capote," Gerald Clarke explains as we sit in a quiet corner of the bar at Seattle's Alexis Hotel, "I searched for a subject of equal interest-- which, to my mind, meant a life of achievement on one hand and drama on the other. Someone had suggested Judy Garland to me and it clicked, but I did not want to write a book about her if the definitive book had already been written. I would not want to write a book about Henry James, for example, because Leon Edel has done it very well, or about Proust after George Painter, and so on. So, I sat down and I read the biographies that had already been written and came up with no real impression of Judy. I had a lot of facts, but I didn't, as a reader, get a clear picture of who she was. She didn't come alive for me. There was a disconnect between the woman who emerged from the pages and the woman I saw in the movies and heard on the records. So, at that point, I knew I had a book. I knew that the book had not yet been written." Get Happy, which takes its name from one of Garland's most famous songs, is the compelling result.
RH: How long did you spend all together on Get Happy?
GC: Ten years. I didn't plan on spending that, but I did. The trouble is you get into something like this and you don't know how it's going to end. Once you're on the trail, you don't know where it's going to end and how long it's going to take. At least I don't.
David McCullough took ten years to write about Harry Truman. Most people would say, "Well, Judy Garland is just a movie star. You can do her in a year or two." But I don't agree. I think people are people, and Judy Garland is just as complicated as Harry Truman was. She didn't order the dropping of the atomic bomb or order troops into Korea; she didn't do lots of things. But in her own way, in a totally different sphere, her influence is lasting, and there's no difference in my mind, from the biographer's point of view, in writing about it. So I get a little annoyed when people, including publishers think, "Well, movie star. Why aren't you done yet? Churn it out. Get it out."
RH: And you need to set the historical context. If you really want to write about Judy Garland, for example, you have to be prepared to write about the Hollywood studio system in the '30's.
GC: I don't think that it would make much sense to write about Judy without really getting some background about MGM. It was such a special place, and I don't think readers now, or then either, really know that much about it. I'm sure that most readers have heard of MGM, but I don't think they really know about the extent of its power and the influence it had on its stars. And I don't think Judy makes much sense without this. It would be like painting a portrait with a black background. You have to know where the person was sitting.
RH: Now, in doing the research, you hit upon a number of lucky finds, including her attempt at an autobiography and some tapes she'd made discussing her life.
GC: Well, they are two distinct things. The tapes were made in the mid-'60s and had been circulating for some time in the Garland underground. I got a hold of them, and they were very helpful. It wasn't so much that they brought new information, but they show the depth of her emotion when you listen to them. It's a voice from the grave talking to you. It's strong stuff.
But a few years before that, she had actually written, with a ghost writer, 68 pages of an autobiography. A little bit of it had been in McCall's magazine and in newspapers, but the real meat of it had never been published, had been put in a file and remained unseen for forty years. She wrote it while she was recovering from an almost fatal attack of hepatitis; she'd been told she would never sing again and that she only had a few years to live. Well, she did sing again, of course, and once her career got going again, she lost interest and didn't have time... There were surprising things in there, one of which . . . I had found this only two years ago, really, as I was approaching the end of my book, and I had done many, many hundreds of interviews and talked to lots of people at MGM who knew her very well. And I think that they would all be surprised, but she talks about one sexual molestation at MGM, starting at the age of 16, when she was making The Wizard of Oz.
RH: She experienced a lot of sexual harassment at MGM when she was starting out, right?
GC: You've got to remember, she was a teenage girl then: pigtails, gingham dress, the picture of innocence--and here all these executives at MGM were putting the make on her. This is an exact quote [from her papers], "Don't think they all didn't try." There was one man, one of Mayer's lieutenants, who called her in, as he had done to many, many women there, and demanded that she have sex with him. As she described it, there was no chit-chat, no small talk, you just had sex with him. The same way he would say to a secretary, "Go get me coffee," or something like that. And she said, "No." He started screaming at her, told her she'd be fired. And she said, "No, you'll be out before I will be." And he was, but they fired him, not because of this, or anything else he had done to the women, just because the head of the studio thought the guy was conniving for his job.
I find equally chilling, in a different kind of way, the story of her abortion during her first marriage, to David Rose. I had heard rumors about it, but never had any proof until I read this. Judy describes it in great detail. The studio had been against the marriage in the first place; they wanted to keep her as a teenager who had never been kissed except for a peck on the cheek, and they felt that if she married, it would ruin her image. And, my God, if she had a baby...
David Rose was a cold fish, and you get some idea of the nature of their relationship by the fact that she didn't tell him herself that she was pregnant. She had her mother tell him. Her mother came back from his study and said, "Judy, you can't have this baby." Judy wanted the baby. She was desperate; one of the reasons she got married, perhaps even the chief reason, was to have children. She said, "Why not? It's mine. I've got to have it." And her mother very condescendingly said, "No, Judy. At the right time, you can have all the babies you want, but not now." In other words, she agreed with the studio. Then she said, "And David agrees with me." So, Judy gave in and the next day, the three of them drove to a place outside L.A., and there the pregnancy was terminated. And though it lasted on paper for some time after that, that was effectively the end of their marriage.
RH: You also made extensive discoveries about the background of her father, Frank Gumm.
GC: As far as I can tell, nobody else who had written about Judy ever bothered to go to the places she had lived, that were important to her history. So, I went down to Tennessee, which is where Frank Gumm came from, and someone steered me to a courthouse where I discovered a thick packet of documents, court records from civil court that had not been opened in ninety years that laid out the financial problems in Frank Gumm's family.
Then I went to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Judy was born, and to Superior, Wisconsin, where her parents had been married in 1914. And there, a lot of things happened pretty fast. Someone said, "Oh, you ought to go see Maude Holman." So I went to see this 99 year- old woman in the nursing home where she lived, and it turned out she sang duets with Frank Gumm before the First World War, and knew both Frank and his wife, Ethel, very, very well. She confirmed the rumors about Frank being bisexual and about his getting into trouble for having sex with young men or teenage boys. For years, everybody had repeated these rumors as accepted fact, but nobody proved anything. Maude gave me some specifics, including how he had been run out of a specific nearby town. I subsequently found out all kinds of information that corroborated this; I actually talked with the guys that were propositioned by him. But her's was the first real information I had and it was invaluable to me.
All of this takes a lot of digging, and sometimes you go to a lot of trouble. These were lucky events, but you don't have luck unless you're there. Sometimes you don't have luck. I went to a lot of places, took a lot of trouble, spent a lot of money, extended a lot of energy...and nothing turned out. That happens all the time. You've got to do that before you find the good stuff.
RH: People who want to write about that heyday of the studio era are at a critical point in time. The window of opportunity to talk to the primary sources, the people who were there, who can give you the eyewitness reports, is closing very rapidly.
GC: It's almost gone. There are very few of them left . . . many of the people I talked to are now dead. We do have some of the archives which are very important. It doesn't sound very sexy, but the production notes for most of Judy's movies are in the USC library. They detail the filming of each movie minute by minute. Time was so important to them that if they lost five minutes it meant money to them. So an assistant director was assigned to write down what happened and why... Armed with this information, I could then go to people and refresh their memories during the interviews.
I actually spent several weeks at USC with a laptop computer just writing all this stuff down. I don't see how you can write a book about somebody like Judy without [such material]. Just going on interviews alone, valuable as they are, is not enough. You've really got to have documented information. You've got to get dates and really firm it up.
RH: I'm usually loathe to propose easy psychoanalytical explanations for people's lives, but from what we learn about Garland's early background, even I have to wonder about her later subsequent relationships with, or attempts to form relationships with, so many men who turned out to be bisexual or, ultimately, predominately gay.
GC: Well, there is a lot of that, but at the same time, she had many relationships with men who were not gay or bisexual. So you can't say she was only attracted to bisexual or gay men because it's not true. Everybody from Mickey Rooney and Artie Shaw, who she did not have an affair with but she would have loved to if she could have, as well as Joe Mankiewicz and Sid Luft and Frank Sinatra. It's a little too easy to overlook these men when you talk about the others. And she stoutly denied that her father was gay. She had heard the rumors but she denied them. Just as Liza Minelli denies it about her father, Vincente [Garland's second husband].
RH: And just as, for years, Judy had denied it about Vincente.
GC: Well, Judy . . . a lot of it is denial, I think. She certainly had warning about Vincent. If anybody was sending out signals, it was Vincente Minelli, wearing makeup and mascara. People did say to her, "Be careful." And she said, "Oh, it's just his artistic temperament." But she found out better.
RH: I was fascinated by the extent to which her psychological damage and even her addictions had been shaped by the studio, but before that, her own mother, who started her out on diet pills.
GC: Her mother had her and her sisters, the Gumm Sisters act, hooked on diet pills when Judy was nine or ten. She gave them amphetamines in the morning to rev them up and then sleeping pills at night. Judy was the only one who was really hooked, because the two sisters got out of the business after a while and were not subjected to this. How do you get over such an addiction, starting that young? It's your lifetime. It's what you've grown up with. It must have been very hard. And during Judy's lifetime, I don't think there were any really good drug rehabilitation programs.
RH: And when your mother and the studio are actively collaborating by your late teens, tying in the pill use to problems you already have with your self-image and your physical appearance . . .
GC: It's a daunting combination, a formidable combination for anybody to overcome. The amazing thing is that she did overcome so much despite all this and then went on and on and on and had huge successes.
© 2006 Gerald Clarke
Designed by Catografix


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OLYMPIC BUSKING. Beijing silver medal fencers Tim Morehouse and Jason Rogers at Coney Island on July 22, 2009. VF.com photographs by Justin Bishop.
The first time fencers Tim Morehouse and Jason Rogers were photographed on the New York City social circuit conspicuously sporting their 2008 Beijing Olympic silver medals was last October at a Bowlmore Lanes party hosted by Michael Phelps. Days later, at a charity event at the Top of the Rock, the paparazzi shot the Olympic champs with their medals again—but this time with starlet Lindsay Lohan sandwiched between them. Soon Morehouse and Rogers had been snapped on red carpets all over town—at the New York Public Library, Guggenheim, Lincoln Center, even backstage at a Calvin Klein fashion show—always with their Beijing bling.
Were these guys for real?
As it turns out, their silver-medal shtick was just a clever act—and a ploy the friends hope will help them win gold in the 2012 London Olympics.The Bronx-raised Morehouse, 31, and the Los Angeles-bred Rogers, 26, two of the top fencers in the world, have been playing with sabers since they were teenagers, but it wasn't until they traveled to Beijing last summer that they became aware of just how removed United States fencers are from the perks that some athletes enjoy. At the Olympics, corporate sponsors hosted lunches and dinners, and paid certain sportsmen tidy sums to show up and mingle. "We were so out of the loop that we didn't know that was possible," Rogers says. "At that point, I think we both realized that we needed to get an agent."
On paper, acquiring representation and sponsorship funding seemed like it would be a no-brainer: Their silver-medal finish, which they accomplished with teammates Keeth Smart and James Williams, was the best U.S. men's Olympic fencing result since 1948, the only other time American men placed so high in the global competition. (No U.S. men's fencing team has won gold.) Plus, Morehouse, who fenced at Brandeis University, and Rogers, who was on the varsity team at Ohio State University, fell just short of a medal in the 2004 Athens games, and they have both accumulated trophy cases full of championship titles over the course of their careers.
But no agents wanted to sign them in Beijing.
"They were like, 'Fencers? What do we do with fencers?'" Morehouse says.
It was a frustrating dilemma for the two friends, who, after coming in second in China, made it their mission not only to step on the top podium in 2012 Olympics but also to go into the games as the favorites to win. They had been pegged as underdogs in Beijing; it's not that they lacked talent, but they lacked resources—a curious quandary considering that fencing was once a pastime for wealthy European nobility, and is only one of four competitions that's been featured at every modern Olympics.
"U.S. fencing had a historic Olympics in China. The whole team won six medals, which was three times more than ever before—and more than half the team was working or in school while training," says Morehouse, who held down a rigorous full-time job for Teach for America, in New York City, during the last two Olympic cycles. "Yet we were beating professionals from all over the world who are fully-funded and all they do is train. When you put it in that perspective, it was really amazing what happened in Beijing."
Morehouse and Rogers departed from China with their silver medals in tow, and came back to New York City, where they train in Midtown at the Manhattan Fencing Center, one of the most prestigious facilities in the U.S. Realizing that larger-sport athletes have expansive, not to mention expensive, machines working for them—agents, managers, publicists (and coaches and medical staffs, too)—the fencers decided they would try to create their own buzz.
"The first big epiphany for us was when we went to that event at Bowlmore Lanes," Morehouse recalls. "We had to walk the red carpet. There were, like, 50 photographers taking pictures and screaming for you to look their way. We were like deer in the headlights."
Once inside the event they were shuffled into the V.I.P. area. "We were chatting with people and people were inviting us to other events—business owners, journalists. We were kind of like, 'Hmm, I wonder if there is other stuff like this?'"
The next morning their pictures were all over the tabloids.
PARTY PICTURES. Top, from left: The fencers with Lindsay Lohan on October 14, 2008, and with 30 Rock actress Jane Krakowski on October 15, 2008. Bottom from left: Morehouse and Rogers on November 13, 2008; February 15, 2009; and November 16, 2008. From PatrickMcMullan.com.
"Then we went to a breast cancer event, and we ended up on the red carpet with Lindsay Lohan somehow. We were both like, 'What?'" Morehouse says. "We were even bigger deer in the headlights that night."
But that was their light-bulb moment: Maybe there was a way to get the word out about fencing by being on the social scene. After all, unlike many of their fellow Olympians, who train at centers in Lake Placid, New York, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, Morehouse and Rogers are based in New York City, where it's easy to turn oneself into a brand through party pictures. Paris Hilton did it. Tinsley Mortimer and Olivia Palermo did it, too. And silver medals are the equivalent of a social calling card. Who was going to turn down an Olympian at the door?
It worked. Before long they became party-circuit regulars, and were photographed at the same events as Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Pfeiffer, Bradley Cooper, and Julianne Moore; fashion designers Diane von Furstenberg, Jason Wu, and Phillip Lim; and social fixtures Daphne Guinness, Lydia Hearst, Euan Rellie, and Lauren Santo Domingo. Heck, Morehouse even wrangled social shutterbug Patrick McMullan himself to shoot his recent birthday party.
Their first big victory came about five months in, when Wilhelmina Models took them on as clients. "Actually one of Lindsay's [Lohan] friends got us the meeting with Wilhelmina," Morehouse says. They've been with the agency for about six months.
While the party invites keep pouring in, however, the money hasn't materialized yet.
"The big push for this upcoming year is to really try to get a sponsor," Rogers said. "We didn't make a lot of money last year, but we laid the foundation through networking and making contacts."
Their plight—and presentation (handsome looks, upbeat attitudes)—isn't that different from that of Nacho Figueras, one of the world's best and most famous polo players, who doubles as the face of Polo Ralph Lauren. "A mission in my life is to bring polo to the world a little more," Figueras told VF.com earlier this summer, before playing a match with Prince Harry that the Argentine organized to raise awareness for his sport. But the difference is that polo is a mega-money operation with a built-in following—for example, Cartier International Polo, which takes place every summer in London, is one of the biggest events on the British social calendar, attracting Bransons, Jaggers, Delevignes, and even Churchills to the polo field.
Similar to Figueras's "if it's glamourous, fans will come" approach, Morehouse and Rogers recently arranged fencing clinics for socialites, where Liam McMullan (Patrick's son) and party reporter Derek Blasberg, among other scene fixtures, suited up in fencing jackets, trousers, gloves, and masks, and learned fancy footwork and how to parry. "If we could push the envelope with fencing, I think there's a lot of good that it can do," Morehouse says. "It's more than a sport—it's a lifestyle. It's about pursuing excellence. And having honor and chivalry." Touché.
Sure, they've got a ways to go before they achieve a Nacho-like global following, but Morehouse and Rogers are already standouts in the Olympic world, where most athletes usually fade away after the games. "We just realized it can be pretty powerful if you're out there being nice and are passionate about what you are doing," Morehouse says. "There are a lot of great people out there who can support you."
Meanwhile, fencing, not flashbulb frenzies, remains their top priority: Last month at El Salvador's Pan American Championships, one of the most important competitions in the fencing world, Rogers captured the gold in the individual men's saber event, and Morehouse, who is now the No. 1 ranked fencer in the U.S., took home the bronze. And almost as soon as their plane touched down back in Manhattan, the fencers hit the Cinema Society screening of 500 Day of Summer, where they were photographed without their silver medals.
They dropped their red carpet theatrics long ago.
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I recently spend two days try to figure out why Quick Parts in my Word document were failing to connect, update or communicate with the SharePoint Server. Were they had been working perfect for days they were now silently ignoring all changes I made to 'Shared Columns' inside my custom Document Set.
The reason was perplexedly simple: there was an (accidental) space in internal name of a column.
This innocuous little space caused the whole Document Set to become silently estranged from SharePoint to Quick Parts interactive. Even removing the offending 'share' did not resolve the issue.


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- Study protocol
- Open Access
- Open Peer Review
The combination effects of body acupuncture and auricular acupressure compared to sham acupuncture for body weight control: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
© Zhong et al. 2016
- Received: 11 January 2016
- Accepted: 29 June 2016
- Published: 25 July 2016
Obesity is an increasingly prevalent chronic condition that is associated with serious morbidity and mortality. Excess body weight is a risk factor contributing to diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, gall bladder disease, and some types of cancer. Almost all the Western anti-obesity drugs have adverse effects or body weight is regained upon cessation of therapy. Recent studies have found that acupuncture had a similar efficacy as the Western anti-obesity drugs with fewer reported adverse effects. However, these conclusions were limited due to the small sample size and low quality of methodologies of these studies. Therefore, we design this study to explore the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture on weight control.
This is a pilot single-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled trial on acupuncture for body weight control. Seventy-two participants are randomly assigned to the acupuncture group or the control group. Tianshu (ST-25), Daheng (SP-15), Daimai (GB-26), Qihai (CV-6), Zhongwan (CV-12), Zusanli (ST-36), Fenglong (ST-40), and Sanyinjiao (SP-6) are selected as acupuncture points. For the acupuncture group, disposable acupuncture needles will be inserted at a depth of 10–25 mm into the points and electrical stimulation with dense-disperse waves at 50 Hz and 10 V will be applied on the abdominal points. The bodily needles will be retained for 30 minutes. For subjects assigned to the control group, Streitberger's non-invasive acupuncture needles will be applied to serve as the sham control at the same acupoints with the same stimulation modality, except that the needles are only adhered to the skin instead of inserted. The duration of the treatment is 8 weeks with two sessions per week, and the follow-up period is 8 weeks. The primary outcome is the change in body weight before and after treatment. The secondary outcomes include changes in body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, and body fat percentage during the treatment and follow-up period.
The study will compare the efficacy and safety of acupuncture with sham acupuncture on weight control, in the hope of obtaining evidence for utilizing acupuncture for body weight control.
Trial registration
NCT02516878. Registered on 30 July 2015.
- Orlistat
- Chinese Herbal Medicine
- Gall Bladder Disease
- Acupuncture Group
- Acupuncture Point
Obesity is an increasingly prevalent chronic condition that is associated with serious morbidity and mortality [1]. According to the statistical data of the Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong SAR in 2013, 36.6 % of the population aged 18–64 were classified as overweight or obese (body mass index, BMI ≥ 23), including 18.8 % as obese (BMI ≥ 25) among all the population. Excess body weight is the sixth most important risk factor contributing to the overall burden of disease worldwide, such as hypertension, heart disease, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, gall bladder disease, and some types of cancer [2, 3]. Obesity is becoming a global epidemic and common health problem. The weight control treatments commonly used nowadays include behavioural intervention, dietary intervention and physical activity, which require a higher level of self-discipline and take up to 6 months or longer to achieve significant weight change [4]; surgery like the duodenal–jejunal bypass liner, which may cause surgical complications [5]; and anti-obesity medications.
Currently, most of the Western anti-obesity drugs have adverse effects like oily discharge followed by flatus and faecal incontinence for orlistat [6]; headache, nausea and dizziness for lorcaserin [7] or body weight regaining upon cessation of therapy [8]. More people would like to seek help from Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and/or acupuncture for body weight control, especially from acupuncture because it is safe and does not involve the intake of drugs [9].
Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials have shown the beneficial effects of acupuncture, including body acupuncture and auricular acupressure [9, 10]. Acupuncture compared with placebo or lifestyle modification had more effectiveness in lowering body weight, BMI and waist circumference and it had a similar efficacy as the Western anti-obesity drugs with fewer reported adverse effects of insomnia, headache or gastrointestinal reactions [10, 11]. Auricular acupressure has been summarized as having the effect of appetite suppression on overweight patients [12], and its efficacy on weight control is higher when combined with body acupuncture [13].
However, these conclusions are limited due to the small sample size and low quality of the methodologies of these studies. Also, there is no restricted research to investigate the combination effects of body acupuncture and auricular acupressure compared to sham acupuncture for body weight control among Hong Kong's Chinese population. Therefore, we design this single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial to explore the effectiveness, efficacy and safety of body acupuncture and auricular acupressure on weight control in Hong Kong.
The aim of the study is to assess the efficacy and safety of body acupuncture and auricular acupressure compared to sham acupuncture on body weight control through a pilot randomized controlled study.
Study design
Checklist for items in STRICTA 2010*
1. Acupuncture rationale
1a) Style of acupuncture:
According to systematic reviews and clinical experiences of our principal investigator and co-investigators. Manual and electro-acupuncture based on traditional Chinese medicine theory
1b) Reasoning for treatment provided, based on historical context, literature sources, and/or consensus methods, with references where appropriate
1c) Extent to which treatment was varied:
Standard treatment is used. No variation of treatment among patients
2. Details of needling
2a) Number of needle insertions per subject per session (mean and range where relevant):
14 needles
2b) Names (or location if no standard name) of points used (uni/bilateral)
Tianshu (ST-25), Daheng (SP-15), Daimai (GB-26),
Zusanli (ST-36), Fenglong (ST-40), Sanyinjiao (SP-6)
Qihai (CV-6), Zhongwan (CV-12)
2c) Depth of insertion, based on a specified unit of measurement or on a particular tissue level:
10–25 mm
2d) Response sought (e.g. de qi or muscle twitch response):
De qi
2e) Needle stimulation (e.g. manual, electrical):
Manual and electrical — dense-disperse waves at 50 Hz and 10 V
2f) Needle retention time:
30 min
2g) Needle type (diameter, length and manufacturer or material):
Disposable acupuncture needles (verum acupuncture needles asia-med Special No. 16 with 0.30 × 0.30 mm matching the Streitberger sham needles)
3. Treatment regimen
3a) Number of treatment sessions: 16 sessions
3b) Frequency and duration of treatment sessions:
2/week for 8 consecutive weeks
4. Other components of treatment
4a) Details of other interventions administered to the acupuncture group (e.g. moxibustion, cupping, herbs, exercises, lifestyle advice):
Auricular acupressure with Semen Vaccariae embedded adhesive tape.
Unilateral auricular points: Hunger, Shen men, Spleen and Stomach
4b) Setting and context of treatment, including instructions to practitioners, and information and explanations to patients:
University Clinics
Participants will be informed about acupuncture treatment in the study as follows: "In this study, acupoints for weight control will be used based on related reports and clinical experience of our investigators."
5. Practitioner background
5) Description of participating acupuncturists (qualification or professional affiliation, years in acupuncture practice, other relevant experience):
Hong Kong registered Chinese medicine practitioners having at least 3 years of clinical experience, who have undergone training and are able to provide identical acupuncture treatment in accordance with a predefined protocol
6. Control or comparator interventions
6a) Rationale for the control or comparator in the context of the research question, with sources that justify this choice:
To assess the efficacy and safety of body acupuncture and auricular acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture
6b) Precise description of the control or comparator. If sham acupuncture or any other type of acupuncture-like control is used, provide details as for items 1 to 3 above
- Style of acupuncture:
Sham acupuncture + Semen Vaccariae embedded tape pressure on non-acupoints at auricular helix
- Number of needle insertions per subject per session:
14 sham needles at the same acupoints as the treatment group, and 4 auricular helix points with embedded tape pressure
- Depth of insertion:
Needles are only adhered to the skin.
- Needle retention time:
30 min
- Needle type
Streitberger's non-invasive acupuncture needles (Gauge 8 × 1.2"/0.30 × 30 mm)
- Number of treatment sessions:
16 sessions
- Frequency and duration of treatment sessions:
2/week for 8 consecutive weeks
The study is conducted in the research and clinical centres, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University.
Inclusion criteria
Patients who meet all of the following criteria will be eligible for the study: men or women aged between 18 and 65 years old; with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2; who have not received any other weight control measures or any medical and/or drug history within the last 3 months.
Exclusion criteria
Patients who meet any of the following criteria will be excluded from the study: those with endocrine disease, for example, thyroid disorder, pituitary disorder or sex gland disorder; those with heart disease, for example, arrhythmia, heart failure, myocardial infarction or patients with pacemakers; those with allergy and immunology disease; those having a bleeding tendency; pregnant or lactating women; those having impaired hepatic or renal function; those who have had a stroke or are otherwise unable to exercise.
Body acupuncture treatment
Acupoints of the body and their functions
Classical effects of stimulation
Tianshu (ST-25)
Restoring and harmonizing the flow of energy in the intestines; regulating the Qi; breaking up blocks
Daheng (SP-15)
Expelling cold in digestive system; regulating gastrointestinal functions
Daimai (GB-26)
Directing the Qi down into the lower body; stabilizing and harmonizing the lower tri-energizer (lower Jiao), thus draining dampness
Qihai (CV-6)
Supplementing and regulating Qi and Yang; stabilizing and nourishing the kidneys
Zhongwan (CV-12)
Regulating the stomach meridian, harmonizing stomach Qi; draining fluids
Zusanli (ST-36)
Stabilizing and regulating the stomach meridian, harmonizing Qi and the blood
Fenglong (ST-40)
Transforming body fluids; expelling phlegm
Sanyinjiao (SP-6)
Regulating the spleen, liver and kidney meridian; intensifying and dynamizing fluids circulation
Disposable acupuncture needles (verum acupuncture needles asia-med Special No. 16 0.30 × 30 mm matching the Streitberger sham needles) will be inserted at a depth of 10–25 mm into the points. As electro-acupuncture has been reviewed as having a higher efficiency in weight loss treatment [14], we will deliver electrical stimulation with dense-disperse waves at 50 Hz and 10 V through the electrical acupuncture stimulation instrument (ES-160 6-Channel Programmable Electro-acupuncture) to the abdominal points. The bodily needles will be retained for 30 minutes.
Auricular acupressure
Sham acupuncture
For subjects assigned to the control group, Streitberger's non-invasive acupuncture needles (Gauge 8 × 1.2"/0.30 × 30 mm) will be applied to serve as a sham control at the same acupoints with the same stimulation modality, except that the needles are only adhered to the skin instead of being inserted [16]. The validity and credibility of this system has been well demonstrated [17, 18].
Sham auricular acupressure
The Semen Vaccariae embedded tape used in the treatment group will be applied on four non-acupoints at the helix unilaterally and retained for 24 hours, and then the alternate ear will be used at the next visit (Fig. 2). The helix region was suggested to be used as a control in auricular needling and was applied in previous clinical trials [19, 20].
All subjects will be advised to have a regular number of meals daily and not to have any snacks. Meals comprise one bowl of rice (210 g) for subjects > 70 kg and two-thirds of a bowl of rice (140 g) for those < 70 kg, with instructions to eat side dishes balanced with the rice. Also, subjects will be instructed not to perform any exercise other than that required for their daily work.
Outcome measures
The primary outcome is the change in body weight before and after treatment. The secondary outcomes include changes in BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and body fat percentage during the treatment and follow-up period. Besides at baseline (0 week), the numbers will be measured every 2 weeks. Both the body weight and body fat percentage will be measured with the Omron Karada Scan HBF-701.
Adverse events will be noted throughout the study, based on participant reports and laboratory tests (whole blood counts, renal and liver functions) if needed. All clinical adverse events will be recorded according to terms of intensity (mild, moderate or severe), duration, outcome and relationship to the study.
Randomization assignment
Subjects of both groups will be randomly assigned to receive acupuncture (body and auricular acupressure) or control (sham) treatment. For randomization, simple, complete non-sequential random numbers will be generated in advance by a computer program in a block of four, and kept by the principal investigator (PI, ZXB). After a patient's eligibility is confirmed, a randomization number which corresponds to the group allocation will be provided to the acupuncturist by the PI. This arrangement will ensure that the clinical assessor and participants are blinded to the allocation.
Sample size
The sample size was calculated based on the primary endpoint of changes in body weight. A systematic review on acupuncture for obesity has shown that acupuncture significantly reduced the body weight with average weight loss (MD = 1.56 kg, 95 % CI = 0.74–2.38) [6]. Therefore, a sample size of 60 should be provided to achieve a significance level of α = 0.05 with a power (1 – β) of 90 % using a two-sample t test. The number of subjects increases to 72 when estimated 20 % dropouts are considered.
Data processing and analysis
All efficacy and safety analyses will be conducted according to the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle. Missing values will be imputed by the last-observation-carried-forward method. The statistical analysis will be performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows version 21.0. The statistical significance is defined as two-sided P value of < 0.05. Baseline characteristics will be reported as mean (SD). Baseline differences between the groups will be assessed with the use of Student's t test for normally distributed continuous variables and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test for non-normally distributed variables. For categorical variables, the chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test will be used. Comparisons between groups will be conducted by using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with baseline as covariate. All items and subscales will be compared between groups every 4 weeks using ANCOVA, with treatment group as a factor in the model and baseline as the covariate. The changes from baseline to endpoint of treatment in scores will be tested with a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Within-group differences will be assessed with a paired t test for normally distributed data and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test for non-normally distributed data.
This single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on body weight control in Hong Kong. It will be the first such study on the Hong Kong population and will obtain evidence for utilizing acupuncture in obesity treatment especially for patients with Hong Kong diet patterns and health conditions. In order to achieve a higher therapeutic efficacy, we will integrate electro-acupuncture with auricular acupressure. Except for acupuncture point stimulation on the body and ears, we will not apply any interventions such as CHM, diet or physical activities to the subjects. Therefore, the effects of acupuncture alone will be observed. The outcome measures will include the change in body weight and body fat percentage, which will provide data to us on analysis of the treatment's potential benefit on body fat mass.
So far there is no study of this kind in Hong Kong. This pilot study will provide evidence for large-scaled research such as combined therapy on overweight subjects with CHM, diet control, physical training or behavioural intervention. Further research on the changes in hormones, the nervous system or psychological conditions can also be developed to specifically target the Hong Kong population, as there have only been overseas studies up to the present.
In this clinical trial, the selection of body and auricular points is standardized and utilized for every subject. This may be helpful for easier utilization of the treatment over different individuals, but the limitation is that the selection of acupuncture points is not based on syndrome differentiation, which is the main concern in traditional Chinese acupuncture. Another limitation is the small sample size, as the trial was proposed to be a pilot study for a later large-scaled clinical trial.
In conclusion, in this pilot study, a single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness, efficacy and safety of acupuncture on weight control in Hong Kong. This study will obtain the solid evidence for Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs) to utilize acupuncture for obesity and will also provide a platform to offer research training opportunities for junior CMPs.
Trial status
The participants are currently being recruited for the present study.
ANCOVA, analysis of covariance; ANOVA, analysis of variance; BMI, body mass index; CHM, Chinese herbal medicine; CMP, Chinese medicine practitioner; ITT, intention-to-treat
This research was financially supported by Hong Kong Hospital Authority Research Project: Acupuncture for Body Weight Control: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (Ref Code: HA 33-14-112-542-130).
Written informed consent was obtained from the patient(s) for publication of this manuscript and accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal.
Authors' contributions
ZXB is the corresponding author and also designed the study. LLDZ drafted the manuscript. WK and TFL enroll the participants. SPZ, JJY and TFL revised the manuscript. TCZ and BN provided critical advice. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
Authors' Affiliations
- Lehnert T, et al. Health burden and costs of obesity and overweight in Germany: an update. Eur J Health Econ. 2015;16(9):957–67.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
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Things To Know Before You Buy Steroids
In some places, steroids are considered to be taboo and it appears that buyers are rare as well. But in reality, there are so many people who buy such supplements. Anabolic steroids are totally from the other kinds of drugs that you can find in the market. Not only the fact that they have a different purpose than general pharmaceuticals, they also follow a different process of supply and purchase.
There are lots of bodybuilders who make use of anabolic steroids but they're completely different from those who buy common drugs because users of pharmaceuticals are not aware of the full effects of the drugs that they're consuming. People who are buying anabolic steroids buy them for a specific purpose and for that, have a good knowledge on its side effects and effects. Before you delve to more details of where and how to buy steroids, it is extremely important that you know what these anabolic steroids are.
Anabolic steroids at
are also known as Anabolic Androgenic Steroids or AAS are basically supplementary drugs or supplements intended to have the same effects on body as hormone testosterone. These manmade substances are creating biochemical reaction in the body in the same way that a male sex hormone does. There are various sues for anabolic steroids similar to treating hormonal dysfunction in men like muscle loss post serious disease or even late puberty.
There are many other reasons why people buy steroids. Without a doubt, among the common reasons is to help people to build their body. The effects of this drug on the other hand exceeds in improving the muscles. When anabolic steroids are taken in proper quantities and supplemented with well maintained as well as sufficient diet, they can help in improving body weight and helping users to build high muscular strength compared to what the body could have acquired using diet as well as exercise. For more facts about steroids, visit this website at
It's in the 1930s when these drugs were introduced first in the market. Today, they are being used as therapy to various problems that people face. Anabolic steroids are also used in treating people who suffer from chronic wasting or a disorder to which the patient can't retain the nutrients supplied by their diet. These drugs additionally help in inducing puberty in men who suffer from otherwise delayed puberty. Anabolic androgenic steroids are being used as well in medications to be able to act as catalyst for bone growth and to create increased appetite in those who are taking it,
get steroids at getanabolics.net


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The beaches around the Algarve's city of Faro are "ilhas" (sandspits) that form the outer edge of the Ria Formosa marshlands and lagoons. "Praia de Faro" (Faro Beach) is the only one that has a roadway connection, the others are reached by ferry boats. The boat trip itself is fun and the ilhas are idyllic.
Many Algarve beaches are now classified as 'Accessible Beaches' meaning that not only do they provide ramps, footpaths and walkways directly to the sand but also meet certain criteria for restaurant tables, bar and counter heights. They also have first aid posts and disabled toilets and should be equipped with wheelchairs, walking aids and other equipment capable of being used in the sea as well as on the beach. We include which beaches have been awarded the 'Accessible Beach' flag , although depending on individual abilities you may just want to know that you can park nearby or that there are no steps involved.
We also indicate which beaches have lifeguards during the season (normally April to the end of September) and as a reminder for you: a green flag - swimming permitted; yellow flag - swimming forbidden; red flag - swimming and entering the water forbidden; blue and white chequered flag - beach temporarily unattended.
Faro beach ("Praia de Faro") is just near to the airport and the turning for the beach is sign posted from the roundabout in front of the airport. The road passes pine forests on one side as it skirts around the airport before arriving at the single lane road bridge to Praia de Faro. From the beginning of June to the end of September a ferry also runs to the beach from the town at Porta Nova pier - just around the corner from the fire station near the marina.
Faro beach is also sometimes called Faro-Mar or Ilha de Faro and is on the Ancão Peninsula - confusing isn't it?! It is hard to believe that it is an island though, because there is so much squashed on to it; there are shops, bars, restaurants and accommodation all packed on to the narrow island.
Being an island, Praia de Faro obviously has two sides, the lagoon side and the seafaring side. The lagoon side is really attractive, with colourful boats bobbing on the water and moored on the slipways. The water is safe for swimming in the lagoon, but it is also a very popular area for various water sports - jetskis in particular.
The beach on the seaward side is a magnificent long stretch of golden sand. It is flat and easily accessible from the paved promenade that runs behind the beach. There are all sorts of watersports available at Praia de Faro like windsurfing, sailing and jetski and plenty of room to give it a go!
There is a lot of parking directly behind the beach, but in summer, particularly at weekends when everyone likes to go to the beach it can be difficult to find space.
Praia de Faro is supervised during the 'beach season' and is also classed as an 'Accessible Beach'.
Ilha da Barreta (also called Ilha Deserta) and Ilha da Culatra are the sandspit island beaches around Faro. They are only accessible by ferry, but there are regular trips departing from the town and they are well worth a visit.
The ferries to Farol (which is the western end of Culatra) and Deserta run from Porta Nova Pier in Faro. The pier is just to the east of the marina, round the corner past the fire station - follow the railway line and you can't miss it.
Ilha Deserta is an uninhabited ilha with just one very popular restaurant on it ("Restaurante O Estaminé" offering traditional flavours from the Atlantic and Ria Formosa; Tel: 917811856) - if you want to lunch here we would suggest you book a table before or as soon as you arrive on the ilha! The beach on the seaward side is a beautiful sandy bay, just a couple of minutes walk from the quay.
There is a small area of sunbeds for hire, but most people seem to take their own sunshades and their own refreshments to enjoy a quiet few hours on this very peaceful ilha.
The ferry to Ilha Deserta runs daily throughout the year but with less frequent crossings during the quieter months. The trip takes about 30 to 35 minutes and is a very enjoyable journey through the Ria Formosa nature reserve. The cost of a return ticket is around 10€.
Ilha da Culatra is the next ilha to the east and the lighthouse at Farol is easily spotted. The ferry from Faro to Farol only runs during the summer (June to end September) but it can be reached from Olhão all year round. It has a small, permanent all year round, population which increases to around 3000 in the summer season. It's a lovely seaside community of mostly single storey houses; with oleanders lining the sandy pathways and bouganvileas climbing over the verandas. There are several restaurants and cafés dotted along the pathways from the quay.
The beach on the seaward side is another beautiful sandy bay and obviously popular both with the residents and people just visiting for a few hours.
The ferry to Farol runs more often than to Deserta and there are also several places on Farol offering 24 hour water taxi services. The trip takes the same time (30 to 35 minutes) as the trip to Ilha Deserta and the return ticket costs around 5€
If you want a very quiet, relaxed day on the beach and nothing else, then Deserta is just the place; if you like to wander around and explore and have a choice of places to eat and drink, as well as having a beautiful beach, then Ilha da Culatra is the place for you.
Something we found rather frustrating was that the ferries don't go from one ilha to the next! The quays at Farol and Deserta are virtually opposite each other across a narrow stretch of water, but no connecting ferry! We would suggest that if you want to see both in one day, you are probably best to start at Farol and to get a water taxi across to Deserta, then get the ferry back from Deserta to Faro. If you try this, don't get the return tickets as the ferries are run by two separate companies!
The beaches at Ilha Deserta and Praia do Farol are supervised during the 'beach season'.
Faro Holidays
Flights to Portugal
Algarve Car Hire
Faro Reviews
Question about Faro?
Algarve | Albufeira | Alcoutim | Algarve Golden Triangle | Aljezur | Alte | Alvor | Armacao de Pera | Burgau | Cabanas | Carvoeiro | Castro Marim | Ferragudo | Lagos | Loule | Monchique | Monte Gordo | Olhao | Portimao | Praia da Luz | Praia da Rocha | Quarteira | Sagres | Sao Bartolomeu de Messines | Sao Bras de Alportel | Silves | Tavira | Vila do Bispo | Vilamoura | Vila Real de Santo Antonio | West Coast Algarve


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Sid Danesh, M.D., FAAD
Diseases of the Skin, Hair, and Nails
Dermatologic Surgery
Diplomate of American Board of Dermatology and Internal Medicine
Dr. Sid Danesh is a successful and respected dermatologist practicing and residing in Beverly Hills, California with additional offices in San Gabriel. Dr. Danesh did his training in internal and dermatology at Wayne State University in Michigan. He became board certified in both specialties.
Dr. Danesh chose dermatology because he believes it is a field of medicine that allows for innovative discovery. It is a field of practice that does not limit itself to one demographic or condition. People of all ages, ethnicity and gender seek dermatologic aid for their specific individual needs.
Being a skin doctor in sunny southern California provides a large client base of those who enjoy the weather too much in this age conscious Beverly Hills community. Patients seek him out to remedy the sun causes and to help those who are uncomfortable with their damaged skin and with the aging process that causes telltale wrinkles. Adjunct to his practice is also the treatment of acne, undesired body hair, and varicose veins. To counteract these conditions, Dr. Danesh utilizes a wide variety of methods often incorporating cutting edge procedures such as IPL (intense pulse light) fillers such as Radiesse, Juvederm, and Restylane, and laser hair removal, laser resurfacing techniques and Botox. To Dr. Danesh, dermatology offers a continuing learning experience with many challenges beyond maintaining a youthful appearance. Currently, he is a clinical assistant professor with the University of Southern California, University of California Irvine, Lomo Linda University and Touro University. Dr. Danesh has trained many medical students and residents from these universities in his office. He is a member of both the American Society of Dermatology surgery and the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr. Danesh shares a practice with his wife, Dr. Gina Danesh, who has interest in laser surgery and cosmetic dermatology.
Read more Dr. Danesh's services here.
Gina Danesh, D.O.
Laser Surgery
Cosmetic Dermatology
Dr. Gina Danesh grew up in Santa Monica, CA with dreams of bringing support to people in need by becoming a physician. Dr. Gina Danesh specializes in laser surgery along with her husband, Dr. Sid Danesh, whom runs a thriving dermatology practice in Beverly Hills and San Gabriel, California.
Gina takes pride in personalized service, as she and her nurses care for each patient individually. For easiest convenience to her clients, she is available for calls or texts seven days a week.
She gives back to her community by doing pro bono work and contributes to Looking Beyond, an organization that assists special needs children, as well as many other institutions.
Gina says, "Power is having control of what you want in life and being able to impact other people's lives in positive ways. Don't let anyone tell you that you are not strong enough to follow your dreams."
Read more about Laser Hair Removal here.


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Udon Noodle Salad with Hard Cider Sesame Dressing
Big squishy noodles, I was craving big squishy, satisfying noodles and a use for my Hard Cider Sesame Dressing. It was a good choice. I had a hard time deciding on a noodle but udon was the most available fresh noodle at the store. Fresh noodles have a completely different texture than dried noodles when cooked. They turn out much more tender and fat.
I boiled the noodles according to the directions, using the seasoning packet. Noodles have more flavor when cooked in broth. I was hungry so I didn't let the noodles cool but combined them with the veg immediately. I liked the way it slightly wilted the greens. Cold noodles are good to though. Continue reading →
Brew BQ – A Pacific Northwest BBQ Joint
Meat, I wanted meat…and alcohol. It had been a very long stressful week. Most of my meals had been vegetarian or veg with token pieces of chicken or seafood. Don't get me wrong, I like going vegetarian but after a while I need meat, particularly when stressed. So when my coworker suggested dinner out on a Friday night I had two requirements: alcohol and meat; chicken, fish, seafood, or hamburger need not apply, only chunks of meat carved from a large animal.
Luckily my coworker enjoys meat and drink as well. We spent quite a bit of time trying to think of a place that would fit the bill but not let us overspend or over eat. At least Brew BQ is fairly inexpensive.
Brew BQ is a hole in the wall place next to Flattail Brewery. It's easy to miss if you're not looking for it. I'm not sure how to describe the decor, but I'll go with upscale Southern shack or maybe upscale redneck shack. Lampshades and chandeliers are from pint beer glasses (with various logos) and 22 oz. bottles. There's an image of the "mud flap girl" made of bottle caps on one wall and across from her there is a matching image of a truck driver (complete with belly and cap) in the same pose. Continue reading →
Hard Cider Sesame Dressing
This is a tribute to the Portland Cider Summit going on this weekend. Luckily, it turned out tasty!
It's nice to see that America's original beverage is coming into its own. I became a fan a few years ago. My friend and I attended The Oregon Garden Brewfest for a couple years, I even volunteered one year (I recommend either going or volunteering, either way you'll have a good time), sadly I couldn't make it this year. The funny thing is I usually spent most of my tickets on cider instead of beer. Oregon brewers tend to ignore lagers and are heavy on IPAs and ales. Good ciders are available though and not just apple cider, there's pear, cherry, and blackberry. So, when Wandering Angus posted on Facebook that the Cider Summit was going on in Portland again I messaged my friend immediately!
Cider has a range of flavors that differs from sweet to richly fermented. Each cider house has several takes on their idea of cider. Each season makes a difference as well, much like wine. The sweetness of the fruit making a big difference to each year's pressing.
I don't know why I decided on this combination but it worked. The sesame brings out the taste of fermented apple. It's pretty pungent on its own but blends beautifully on a salad. I found the ginger paste at an Asian market. It doesn't give much ginger flavor to the dressing but it definitely adds something. I have not tried fresh ginger, I think it would be a completely different flavor and might overpower the hard cider. If you can't find ginger paste, I would use powdered ginger. Continue reading →
Double Rainbow Sorbet
Coconut is one of my favorite flavors. Coconut cream pie, coconut latte, coconut Italian soda, I'm a little coco-nuts! Ha ha! So one day at the co-op I wanted some ice cream but not all the fat and dairy. They have all kinds of frozen treats made with coconut but not that many coconut flavors. It may seem a slight distinction but it makes a taste difference. So the Coconut Sorbet from Double Rainbow really stood out to me.
Rosemary Balsamic Dressing
There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember. – William Shakespeare
Rosemary has been on my mind lately. Perhaps it's Memorial Day that brought it up. Rosemary has long been associated with memory and improving memory and it has a wide range of uses, you can find more information here. There is a quite sadness around rosemary for me, she is so often associated with death that it's hard to remember her role in other more festive occasions (such as weddings).
There is nothing sad about the taste of rosemary though. Its strong resinous flavor will wake you right up. It's best to make this dressing a few hours or several days before use so that they herbs can infuse the vinegar and oil. The dressing also makes a great marinade and dip for bread. The salmon in the photo was marinated for about an hour before being grilled and it was awesome.
So, make this tasty dressing today to improve your memory and avoid the plague! Continue reading →
Eggs in a…with a Blanket
There are many names for this dish. So far I've heard Eggs in a Cradle, Egg in a Hole, Toad in a Hole (I don't know where that comes from!), Eggs in a Basket, Hens in a Basket, and, "I didn't know it had a name." I think my introduction to this dish came from Moonstruck. Rose is in the kitchen making this when Loretta comes home from her first night with Ronny. I came across the recipe again in a kid's cookbook, Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook for Young Readers and Eaters
. I couldn't remember if I had ever had this dish, so of course I had to fix it right away. The idea of the blanket came from this book as well.
This recipe is simple and infinitely changeable. At its very core you need bread, eggs, and butter; from there you can add anything.
Cut a hole in the bread, butter each side and put in a preheated frying pan over medium heat. Break an egg into the hole (I break it into a small bowl and then pour, it's easier). Flip the bread once the white is set (as you would with a fried egg).
Strawberry Asparagus Salad
Spring in a bowl, that's what we got here. As a kid, asparagus season was met with dread. Maybe Mom should have tried serving it raw instead over cooked. I had no idea you could eat asparagus raw until I was an adult, well into my 30's. Wasted time, I tell ya. Raw asparagus has a sweet gentle taste compared to its cooked form (of course, I like the cooked for now as well, as long as it's not overcooked).
The dressing will work just fine if you only heat it enough to incorporate the honey. The picture shows it that way, I was too hungry to wait for it to reduce. It's much better if you can reduce it some, but it's tasty either way. Continue reading →
Savory Oatmeal
So one day I wanted something comforting but wasn't sure what I had at home that would fit the bill. Oatmeal had the right texture and filling capacity but I did not want something sweet (I know, shocked me to. I don't know what was up). Eureka! Savory Oatmeal. I'm pretty sure I am not the first person to think of it (my Scottish ancestors eat a lot of oatmeal I'm sure), but I don't remember seeing it before. Topped off with a fried egg and served with some vegetable juice it fit the bill just fine.
I used Italian seasoning and of course garlic but you could use just about any combination that tickles your fancy. Continue reading →
Butternut Squash Fondue/Soup
This is an odd yet yummy recipe. Depending on the size of the squash you use (and its moisture content I'm betting) it's either think, creamy soup or fondue. The first time I made it, it was a little too thick and cheesy to be soup. So I broke out the bread cubes and called it fondue. Since there is only so much fondue one person can eat by themselves I took it to work so that my guinea pigs coworkers could tell me what they thought. Everyone gave it the thumbs up and agreed that it should be a fondue instead of a soup.
The weather has taken a quick turn to winter again it seems and I had a squash hanging out on the counter asking when I was going to use it (food doesn't talk to you? Hmm, you should have that looked into).
To be quite honest, I like this squashy fondue better than traditional fondue. Plus, you have the added benefit of the nutritional veggie base. You can keep it vegetarian by using vegetable broth and you can keep it low fat by using nonfat broth and Neufchatel cheese.
The hot sauce and paprika don't make the dish hot or even spicy but they definitely add depth to the flavor, that something you can't quite put your tongue on. It will still be good if you leave it out, they weren't in the first version. Continue reading →
Salad Topper: Chive Blossoms
Here's something pretty to throw on your salad. Mid spring or early summer chives send up a woody stock that blossoms out into a lovely purple flower. Chives are part of the onion family and while their flavor is mild their blossoms are not. They seem to concentrate all their power into one fluffy flower! These are fairly hot. I usually throw them into a tossed green salad served with a creamy dressing like ranch. The dressing helps counteract the assertiveness of the chive blossom. You could certainly use them in other salads. You could also serve them on a crudite platter as is.
Toss the salad gently as chive blossoms can fall apart. They are compound flower, rather l a dandelion seed head and fall apart easily. Their color can range from crayon purple to lilac. I think mine need to
be repotted and are blooming a bit lighter than usual this year.
Chives are an easy plant to grow. Give them a decent size pot, good soil, and a spot in the sun and they will be quite happy on your porch or balcony.
Have you used chive blossoms before? How did you use them? I've been considering battering and frying them. Has anyone had them that way?


text: I transported a Christmas tree home today and wondered - how will the MX that's going to replace my old Highlander be able to haul a tree? I would assume that the falcon wing doors preclude having any sort of roof rack. The accessory hitch is probably not suitable for that purpose. What options are there?