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(Almost) Everything You Need To Know About Caffeine and Sports Performance
Caffeine is one of humankind's oldest drugs - and the most widely used. While coffee consumption is not believed to have begun in earnest until the 15th century, researchers believe caffeine itself may have been consumed as early as 700,000 years ago. Prehistoric humans got their caffeine fix, not by firing up their Mr Coffee® espresso machines, but by chewing on the seeds, leaves and bark of caffeine-containing plants.
Some 90% of adults in the United States consume caffeine daily, in the form of coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks. US adults ingest an average of 3 mg/kg (225 mg for a 75 kg person) of caffeine daily.
One of the reasons caffeine-containing beverages and foods have enjoyed such enduring popularity is because of caffeine's stimulant effects. These properties have not gone unnoticed by the athletic community, and caffeine has enjoyed a long history of use as an ergogenic aid.
Despite this long history, confusion reigns when it comes to caffeine and sports performance. How much caffeine is necessary to produce performance-enhancing effects? Exactly when should you take caffeine to enjoy a performance boost? Do the ergogenic effects of caffeine diminish with regular use? Will caffeine boost your maximum strength, or only your endurance?
I recently sat down and poured through some interesting studies and reviews on the topic of caffeine and athletic performance and figured I'd share the key findings with my readers. Before I do that though, there's something we need to clear up.
Coffee versus Caffeine
While coffee and caffeine have become nearly synonymous in common parlance, it goes without saying the two are not the same thing. Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is just one of many compounds found in coffee. Most of the research examining the effects of caffeine on sports performance has employed isolated caffeine in the form of anhydrous caffeine capsules; caffeine gums, gels, and caffeine-containing energy drinks have also been studied. Despite its universal consumption, few studies have examined the ergogenic effect of actual coffee.
Whether coffee offers the same ergogenic benefits as caffeine is a point of contention. I was in Borders the other day browsing through a popular US bodybuilding magazine when I came across an article flatly inisting coffee offered none of the ergogenic benefit imparted by caffeine. The author's evidence for this claim appeared to be a single Canadian study published in 1998. Let's take a look at this study, then the other studies involving coffee and athletic performance.
Is Coffee an Ergogenic Dud?
Graham et al from University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, compared the effects of coffee versus caffeine in a double-blind fashion in nine young adults who were active endurance runners[1]. On five separate occasions, the subjects consume either a placebo capsule with water, a caffeine capsule with water, decaffeinated coffee, decaffeinated with added caffeine, or regular coffee.
In all three caffeine trials, the caffeine dose was 4.45 mg/kg body weight (i.e., 334 mg for a 75 kg person) and the volume of liquid was identical. One hour after consuming the caffeine/coffee/placebo, the subjects jumped on a treadmill and ran at 85% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) until voluntary exhaustion. The subjects were instructed to abstain from all caffeine-containing foods and beverages for 48 hours prior to each treadmill trial, to prepare as they would for an athletic competition (i.e., well rested, consuming a high-carbohydrate diet) and to prepare for each trial in an identical fashion.
Plasma concentrations of caffeine and paraxanthine (the major metabolite of caffeine) were similar in all three caffeine trials 60 minutes prior to, at the start of, and at the completion of exercise. Despite this, only ingestion of the caffeine capsules resulted in a significant increase in time-to-exhaustion (7.5-10 minutes compared with with the other four trials). There was no difference in time-to-exhaustion between the placebo, decaf, decaf+caffeine capsule, and regular coffee trials. These observations led the researchers to speculate that one or more of the numeorus compounds found in coffee may counter the ergogenic effect of caffeine.
However, the findings of Graham et al have not been replicated by other researchers.
McLellan and Bell, for example, took thirteen physically active subjects and had them consume on separate occasions:
The subjects consumed the beverages 90 minutes prior to exercise testing. The capsules were consumed 30 minutes after the beverages, 60 minutes prior to the tests. The study was performed in double-blind fashion. Times to exhaustion were significantly greater for all trials with caffeine versus placebo. Mean exercise times (in minutes) were, in the same order as above:
McLellan and Bell, in other words, found no inhibitory effect of coffee on the performance-enhancing action of caffeine[2].
Nor did Wiles et al, who examined the effect of coffee on 1500 meter treadmill running. On separate occasions, eighteen male athletes were given 3 grams of coffee (containing approximately 150-200mg caffeine) or 3 grams of decaf 60 minutes prior to three different exercise trials[3]. These trials tested the following outcomes:
The results showed that ingestion of caffeinated coffee decreased the time taken to run 1500 m, increased the speed of the 'finishing burst', and increased VO2 during the high-intensity 1500-m run. The average mean time to complete the run was 4.2 s faster following the ingestion of caffeinated coffee, with 14 of the 18 subjects experiencing faster mean times after the ingestion of caffeinated coffee. All ten of the subjects performing the second trial recorded faster speeds (mean speed increase = 0.6 km/h) during the final minute of their run after ingesting caffeinated coffee. In the third test, all six participating subjects produced a higher mean VO2 during the caffeinated coffee runs.
The celebrated exercise physiologist David Costill and co-workers also examined this issue way back in the 1970s[4]. They took nine competitive cyclists (two females and seven males) into the lab, and made them ride until exhaustion on a bicycle ergometer at 80% of VO2 max. One trial was performed an hour after ingesting decaf coffee, the other was performed one hour after consuming coffee containing 330 mg of caffeine. After taking the caffeinated coffee, the subjects were able to perform an average of 90.2 minutes of cycling as compared to an average of 75.5 minutes in the decaf trial.
The results of Graham et al, therefore, appear to be an anamoly. One posited explanation is that coffee beans from different regions and producers may vary widely in their content of non-caffeine components, and that the coffee used in the Canadian study may have featured an unusually large amount of substance/s with the potential to impair the actions of caffeine. In cell culture studies, de Paulis et al found certain derivatives of chlorogenic acid produced during the roasting of coffee interfered with the binding of caffeine to adenosine receptors. When high doses of these compounds were given to mice, the poor little buggers subsequently exhibited less activity and movement when placed in an open field box [5]. In earlier research, Tse isolated a cholinergic compound from both regular and decaffeinated coffee, purified it, and observed that injecting it into rats produced an abrupt decrease in blood pressure and heart rate[6].
Exactly what this all means in humans is unclear. Three of the four studies I could find examining regular coffee have found a performing enhancing effect. However, if you are using caffeine to boost performance before an important competitive event, and want to maximize the chances of experiencing such an ergogenic effect, the use of caffeine (i.e. NoDoz) rather than coffee would be wise.
Caffeine Study Results: Wide Variability
Another important point to keep in mind as we review the ergogenic effects of caffeine on performance is that research results in this area are subject to annoyingly wide variation, which makes it difficult to impart blanket recommendations.
For example, the research in its entirety supports ergogenic caffeine doses of 3-6 mg/kg, with dosages of 9 mg/kg typically showing no extra benefit. In fact, in some users the latter amount may impair performance due to negative effects such as confusion, light-headedness and an impaired ability to concentrate. But on an individual level, responses can vary widely. A study by the aforementioned University of Guelph team examined 3, 6 and 9 mg/kg doses of caffeine in non-users, low-users and regular consumers of caffeine and found no relationship between habitual use and effective dosage. The subjects, all well-trained distance runners, were instructed to abstain from caffeine for 48 hours prior to running to exhaustion at 85% VO2max.
Overall, the best results were seen with doses of 3-6 mg/kg, with 9 mg/kg delivering a lower mean improvement that was not statistically significant from placebo. However, these were the mean results of the group as a whole; individually, the data were not so clear cut. Two subjects, both caffeine users, had their best result with 9 mg/kg of caffeine, whereas three subjects actually ran longer with placebo than with 9 mg/kg of caffeine. The heaviest caffeine user had his longest run after 3 mg/kg of caffeine but the two nonusers in the study exhibited the greatest endurance with 6 mg/kg of caffeine. One subject had been previously tested in the same laboratory and had run a whopping 25.2 minutes longer with 9 mg/kg of caffeine than with placebo. Two years later he ran 21.15 min longer at the same power output. Some subjects, especially the lightest users and nonusers, complained of mental confusion and an inability to focus with the highest dose[7]. Given the results on this and numerous other studies, most folks should stick with doses of 3-6 mg/kg.
Several factors could contribute to the wide variation in caffeine/athletic performance research results, which we will discuss later. Those interested in using caffeine as an ergogenic aid are advised to read what follows remembering that it is a generalized summary, consult the cited research, then experiment with caffeine in their training to arrive at a protocol that works for them on contest day.
I would also like to emphasize that the information that follows is intended for healthy adults only. Athletic children and teenagers should focus on developing healthy nutrition habits (namely, a diet primarily of nutrient- and antioxidant-rich whole foods containing sufficient calories, protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids and appropriate non- stimulant supplements) and developing the skills and physical and psychological qualities necessary for optimal performance in their chosen sport.
Caffeine and Endurance
The first review I'll summarize was published in the January 2009 issue of Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research[8]. Ganio et al sought to determine the effect of caffeine on sports endurance performance. Rather than gather up every single study they could find, they specifically sought out studies involving time trial formats rather than time-to- exhaustion tests. Many studies involving caffeine and endurance involved subjects given caffeine or a placebo then instructed to perform at a set pace or %VO2max for as long as possible. While this kind of test can indeed help to identify ergogenic effects, it bears little resemblance to real life sport activities, most of which are conducted over a set distance or within a set time frame. Ganio and colleagues, therefore, scoured the literature for studies examining the effect of caffeine on time-trial endurance (equal to or greater than 5 minutes). Their literature search revealed 21 eligible studies containing 33 trials.
Thirty of the 33 trials showed positive improvements in performance with caffeine, but only 15 were statistically significant (p 0.05 or less). The mean improvement in performance with caffeine ingestion was 3.2%; however, this improvement was highly variable between studies (-0.3 to +17.3%), possibly due to such factors as ingestion timing, ingestion mode, and subject habituation. The largest mean improvement (4.4%) was observed in studies involving stationary cycling, but again this may have been due to the much larger number of studies employing this mode of exercise compared to running, rowing, skiing and swimming.
The ingestion of caffeine was similarly ergogenic regardless of whether it was ingested around 60 minutes before or during exercise. The mean improvement was slightly greater when caffeine was ingested both before and during exercise (4.3%) compared with only before exercise (2.3%), but again this may be attributable to a greater number of trials examining the latter condition and/or wide variability.
The amount of caffeine commonly shown to improve endurance performance is between 3 and 6 mg/kg body mass; these amounts are equally effective when combined with a carbohydrate/electrolyte solution or water. Performance improvements with caffeine are maximized with amounts up to 6 mg/kg and are not generally improved with 9 mg/kg.
Early research suggested that the ergogenic effect of caffeine was due to increased fat oxidation and subsequent sparing of muscle glycogen. However, more recent research suggests that caffeine affects endurance performance largely through its antagonist effect on adenosine receptors in the brain. Acting through this mechanism, caffeine may modulate central fatigue and influence ratings of perceived exertion, perceived pain, and levels of vigor, all of which may lead to performance improvements. Caffeine is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and is a powerful antagonist of adenosine receptors in the central nervous system. As a result, caffeine counteracts the inhibitory effects of adenosine on neuroexcitability, neurotransmitter release, and arousal.
Chronic caffeine consumption in animal models results in upregulation of the number and an increase in the affinity of adenosine receptors within the central nervous system. This may result in an increased amount of caffeine needed to have the same antagonist activity on the receptors (termed ''caffeine habituation''). It is possible that the varied degree of improvements observed between studies may be attributable to lack of control over subject habituation.
The ergogenic effects of caffeine may be more pronounced in those who do not or rarely consume caffeine, whilst habitual users may require stronger doses to get an ergogenic effect. Bell and McLellan compared the effect of 5 mg/kg caffeine at 1, 3 and 6 hours prior to rides to exhaustion (in all the trials, Gatorade was also consumed 1 hour prior) and found that increases were greater for caffeine non-users (<50 mg caffeine per day) vs. users (>300 mg caffeine per day). Furthermore, the effect of caffeine in the nonusers was still evident 6 hours after ingestion of the drug, whereas in the users this was not the case[9].
It is not known how many days an endurance athlete should abstain from caffeine to maximize its ergogenic effects. Animal studies show increases in adenosine receptor number and affinity are maximized in seven days. Therefore, researchers recommend athletes abstain from caffeine ingestion for at least 7 days before competition. This should allow forwithdrawal symptoms (which may negatively affect performance) to subside and allow sufficient time for adenosine receptor downregulation to occur.
Caffeine in Power, Strength and Team Sports
The ergogenic effect of caffeine on endurance performance is well-known and widely accepted, but whether caffeine benefits power and strength-type activities is another story. While caffeine routinely enhances time-to-exhaustion and time trial performance in bouts lasting over 5 minutes, a performance-enhancing effect on shorter duration activities, or on repeated intermittent sprint activities is more elusive.
Does Caffeine Boost Strength?
If you're hoping a couple of pre-workout espressos will help you set a new PR on the bench or squat, you're bound to be disappointed. Yours truly found three studies examining the effect of caffeine on 1RM during dynamic weight training (the kind you and I perform in the gym with free weights and plate-loaded machines, as opposed to aeronautical-looking EMG-equipped laboratory apparatus).
Astorino and Rohman tested the effect of caffeine (6 mg/kg, 60 minutes prior to exercise) on one-repetition maximum in the bench press and leg press. The subjects were resistance trained men with a mean daily coffee consumption of 110 mg. No difference in bench press or leg press 1RM strength was observed; eleven men lifted at least 10 kg more weight with caffeine, yet 8 lifted more with placebo, and 3 showed no difference between treatments[10].
Beck et al found that a supplement containing numerous ingredients (guarana, green/black tea extract, various herbs, vitamin C, B vitamins, cinnamon) including caffeine at a dose of 2.4 mg/kg taken 60 minutes preexercise increased bench press 1RM by a mean 2.1 kg in men regularly participating in strength training. However, no change was observed in leg extension 1RM nor mean and peak power from the Wingate test. Two minutes after testing for their 1RM on the bench and leg extension, each subject performed a set to failure with 80% of their 1RM. Caffeine had no effect on the total volume of weight lifted (80%RM x repetitions achieved) in the leg extension, but resulted in a small and statistically non- significant 5% increase in bench press total volume[11].
While the tiny 2.5 kg increase in bench press 1RM met the mathematical criteria for "significance", seasoned lifters would hardly consider a 2.5 kg gain significant; natural strength can easily vary from day to day by this amount. Furthermore, the study design precludes embracing these results as proof of caffeine's ergogenic effect. Because of their short duration, it is feasible (and common) for caffeine studies to be performed in "crossover" fashion, i.e. each subject undergoes placebo and caffeine treatments on separate occasions. This study, however, used a protocol in which all subjects underwent initial testing, then 48 hours later were randomized to either a placebo or caffeine group. Hence, the 2.5 kg gain in the bench press could easily have been due to a "learning" effect in some individuals from having performed a 1RM in the bench only 2 days earlier.
When the same researchers later tested a similar supplement, this time using a crossover protocol (so that all subjects were tested in both the placebo and caffeine conditions), they found no differences in bench press 1RM (nor running time to exhaustion)[12]. For some reason, the researchers used untrained subjects in their second study, introducing a new variable (lack of regular training) that may or may not have confounded the results. Nevertheless, the evidence for any claim that caffeine may increase maximal strength must be considered extremely weak.
Caffeine may however increase performance in later bouts of higher intensity activities. To address this issue, Astorino et al recently reviewed caffeine studies involving resistance training, team sports (which often feature intermittent bursts of intense activity) and power-based activities[13].
Eleven of 17 eligible studies revealed significant improvements in team sports exercise and power-based sports with caffeine, but the effects were more common in elite athletes who did not regularly ingest caffeine. Mean improvement in these studies was 6.5%.
As for resistance training, six of 11 studies revealed significant caffeine-induced improvements, usually in the form of increased number of repetitions or higher EMG-measured torque.
Caffeine dosages used in the positive studies ranged from 110 mg to 7mg/kg body weight.
Again, there was considerable variability across studies, suggesting only some individuals may experience improved performance with acute caffeine intake.
One potential explanation for the equivocal data regarding caffeine's ability to alter high-intensity exercise may be differences in subjects' training status. Of the studies revealing a significant improvement in short-term high-intensity exercise performance, many included trained athletes and not untrained, recreationally active, or weight training college students. It is likely that athletes have greater motivation to perform fatiguing exercise and can provide more consistent performance day-to-day , which may reduce variability and thus increase statistical power. In some studies, subjects were low-caffeine consumers (<100 mg per day) which may have potentiated the ergogenic effect of the drug compared with subjects tolerant to the effects of caffeine.
Also, most of the research with caffeine is conducted in free-living subjects who are instructed to refrain from caffeine for a set period prior to the start of the experiment and to maintain their usual dietary and lifestyle habits prior to each experimental trial. However, as the subjects are not living in a closely monitored ward situation, their exact compliance with these requirements is not known.
An additional explanation is that genetic variation may at least partially explain differences between individuals in their response to caffeine. Research suggests that variations in genotype may alter caffeine metabolism and possibly the magnitude of performance in response to caffeine. Caffeine is metabolized in the liver by cytochrome P450 1A2, which shows marked variation between individuals. A single substitution in the gene causes some persons to be "slow" caffeine metabolizers, whereas those who are homozygous for the allele metabolize caffeine more rapidly. The elucidation of exactly what influence genetic factors have upon the individual performance response to caffeine requires further research.
Further Considerations for the Athlete
Caffeine Abstinence Before Competition
As a strategy, if the athlete decides to stop consuming caffeine before competition to optimize its benefits during competition, he or she should reduce caffeine consumption at least 1 week before competition to be completely free from withdrawal effects. To avoid negative effects on training, the dose should be gradually reduced over 3 or 4 days, instead of quitting abruptly. Resuming caffeine on the day of competition will again provide the desired ergogenic effects, as it would for a nonuser.
Caffeine Effects and Hydration Status
The common belief that a diuretic effect of caffeine leads to dehydration and causes impaired athletic performance has been disproved by numerous studies[14]. A recent study examined body fluid, temperature regulation or electrolyte indices during twelve days of controlled caffeine ingestion (3 mg/kg caffeine daily for the first 6 days, and either 0, 3 or 6 mg/kg on days 7-12). On day 12, the subjects walked for 90 minutes on a 5% gradient in 37.7C heat. No changes were noted in the aforementioned indices[15,16].
Caffeine and Post-Workout Recovery
A recent study by researchers at RMIT University over the border in my old home Victoria, examined the effect of consuming caffeine, not pre-workout, but post-workout[17]. The aim of the study was to see what effect this had on glycogen replenishment after exhaustive exercise. On the evening prior to the experiment, seven endurance-trained cyclists and triathletes performed high intensity intermittent cycling and then consumed a low-carbohydrate meal to induce a glycogen-depleted state. The following morning subjects reported back to the lab and rode until volitional fatigue.
Upon completion of this ride subjects consumed either carbohydrate or the same amount of carbohydrate plus caffeine during four hours of passive recovery. A total of 4 g/kg of carbohydrate was consumed within 5 minutes of stopping exercise and again after 60, 120 and 180 minutes. During the caffeine trial, the same carbohydrate ingestion regimen was followed along with a total of 8 mg/kg caffeine administered in two equal doses immediately post exercise and after 2 hours of recovery. Muscle biopsies and blood samples were taken at regular intervals throughout recovery. Muscle glycogen levels were similar at exhaustion and increased by a similar amount (~80%) after 1 h of recovery. After 4 hours of recovery, however, the carbohydrate + caffeine treatment resulted in higher glycogen accumulation (313 vs. 234 mmol.kg-1 d.w., P<0.001). The overall hourly rate of re-synthesis for the 4 hour recovery period was 66% higher with the caffeine treatment.
So should you start chugging down coffee and NoDoz after glycogen-depleting exercise? That depends on how sensitive you are to caffeine, and whether you prefer to spend your evenings sleeping soundly or staring wide-eyed at the ceiling. According to the researchers, several of the athletes in the study reported difficulty sleeping the night after the trial, hardly surprising seeing they'd consumed the equivalent of 5-6 cups of strong coffee. Several of the others, however, fell asleep during the recovery period and reported no adverse effects. As one of the researchers noted, the next logical step is to repeat the study using a lower dosage of caffeine and see if enhanced glycogen resynthesis still occurs[18].
Unless you are going to be performing a second bout of intense exercise later in the day, my advice would be to reserve caffeine for pre-event use (and peri- in the case of longer events).
Caffeine and Creatine
Creatine has become one of the most popular supplements among strength athletes and recreational weight trainers. In early studies showing ergogenic effects of creatine, the powdered creatine was often mixed into warm drinks such as tea (which contains caffeine, albeit at much lower amounts than coffee) to increase solubility. So it was rather surprising when a couple of subsequent papers claimed caffeine impaired the absorption/actions of creatine.
The first of these studies was published in 1996[19]. Nine recreationally active males were studied before and after 6 days of placebo, creatine (0.5 g/kg daily), or the same dose of creatine plus caffeine (5 mg/kg daily). The subjects were then tested on an isokinetic leg extension dynamometer; testing consisted of three consecutive maximal isometric contractions and three interval bouts of 90, 80, and 50 maximal voluntary contractions performed with a rest interval of 2 minutes between bouts.
Muscle ATP concentration remained constant over the three experimental conditions, while creatine and creatine + caffeine increased muscle phosphocreatine concentration by 4-6%. Dynamic torque production was increased by 10-23% by creatine but was not changed by creatine + caffeine. Torque improvement during creatine was most prominent immediately after the 2-minute rest between the exercise bouts. According to the researchers, who initially expected that caffeine would enhance the effects of creatine, "The data show that [creatine] supplementation elevates muscle [phosphocreatine] concentration and markedly improves performance during intense intermittent exercise. This ergogenic effect, however, is completely eliminated by caffeine intake."
In order to understand why caffeine would impair the effect of creatine supplementation, the researchers conducted another study[20]. Ten students were assigned in random crossover fashion to five experimental protocols, each lasting 8 days and separated by a washout period of 5 weeks (muscle creatine levels return to baseline around 4-5 weeks after cessation of supplementation). Exercise tests were performed before and after creatine supplementation (4 × 5 g/daily for 4 days), short-term caffeine intake (5 mg/kg daily for 3 days), creatine supplementation + short-term caffeine intake, acute caffeine intake (5 mg/kg) or placebo.
Maximal torque, contraction time from 0.25 to 0.75 of maximal torque, and relaxation time from 0.75 to 0.25 of maximal torque were measured during an exercise test consisting of 30 intermittent quadriceps contractions (2 seconds stimulation, 2 seconds rest) induced by electrical stimulation. Compared with placebo, creatine shortened relaxation time by 5%; in contrast, caffeine increased relaxation time by 10%. When caffeine was combined with creatine, relaxation time increased by 7%.
Skeletal muscle relaxation after a contraction is initiated by a reduction in sarcoplasmic calcium ion concentrations, and the researchers speculated that caffeine may interfere with this process in a detrimental manner. Relaxation time increases as a muscle fatigues, and in this study caffeine amplified the effect of fatigue on relaxation time. As the researchers point out, theoretically muscle relaxation rate is important to power production during sprint-type exercise. During fast repetitive concentric muscle contractions, recovery time from the previous contraction is critical to maximal force output during the next contraction.
However, this study involved subjects whose muscles were wired up and given electrical stimulation to induce contraction. Neither this nor the previous study measured power output or performance during a "real life" activity such as cycling, running, or dynamic weight lifting. If these results held, then performance in subsequent bouts of maximal sprint exercise would be expected to be impaired by caffeine. While one oft-quoted study did indeed show a statistically significant reduction (7%) in peak power output on the last of 4 x 30 second "Wingate" sprints following caffeine ingestion[21], numerous other studies involving Wingate protocols have shown no difference; some have even found benefit.
Vanakoski et al studied seven trained athletes in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover fashion[22]. The treatments were: placebo, a single oral dose (7 mg/kg) of caffeine, repeated oral doses (3 x 100 mg/kg daily) of creatine for 3 days, or the combination of caffeine and creatine before physical exercise. Supplement administration was followed 70 minutes later by 3 repetitive 1-minute exercise bouts on a stationary bike at maximal speed. This was followed by 45 minutes of cycling at a constant speed and workload. Neither creatine nor caffeine, alone or in combination, improved maximal pedaling speed, maintenance of maximal speed or total work output during the 1 -minute bouts, when compared with placebo.
Contrasting results were obtained by British researchers who had fourteen trained male subjects perform treadmill running to exhaustion at an exercise intensity equivalent to 125% VO2max. Three trials were performed, one before 6 days of creatine loading (0.3 g/kg daily), and two further trials after the loading period. One hour before the post-loading trials, caffeine (5 mg/kg daily) or placebo was ingested in cross-over, double-blind fashion. The mean time to exhaustion was significantly longer in the caffeine trial (222.1 seconds) than both baseline (200.8 s) and placebo (198.3 s) trials[23].
It's probably safe to assume that the vast majority of individuals taking creatine are doing so, not for performance enhancement, but for aesthetic bodybuilding purposes. The aforementioned studies were of short duration and tell us nothing about what sort of muscle gain or body composition changes may occur with longer term creatine use.
One study, from the University of Oklahoma, did run for a longer duration, but it involved a supplement containing, not just caffeine and creatine, but several other ingredients[24]. It also did not examine the effects of creatine and caffeine separately. This single-blinded, placebo-controlled study examined the effects of a pre-workout supplement known as Game Time® or placebo combined with three weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on aerobic and anaerobic running performance, training volume, and body composition[23].
Twenty-four moderately-trained recreational athletes were assigned to either Game Time® (which contains Cordyceps sinensis, Arginine AKG, Kre-Alkalyn, Citrulline AKG, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Taurine, Leucine, Rhodiola Rosea, Sodium Chloride, Valine, Isoleucine, Caffeine, Whey Protein Concentrate) or placebo. The supplement/placebo powders were consumed thirty minutes prior to all testing and training sessions. Training comprised of a three-week HIIT program three days per week, and testing was conducted before and after the training. Each training session consisted of five sets of two-minute running bouts with one minute of rest between each bout.
Both the Game Time® and placebo groups demonstrated significant increases in VO2max from pre- to post-training resulting in a 10.3% and 2.9% improvement, respectively. Critical velocity (maximal running velocity that can be maintained for an extended period of time using only aerobic energy stores) increased for the supplement group by 2.9%, but remained unchanged in the placebo group. Anaerobic running capacity increased for the placebo group by 22.9% and for the Game Time® group by 10.6%. Training volume was 11.6% higher for the supplement versus placebo group. As for body composition changes, bodyfat decreased from 19.3% to 16.1% for the Game Time group and decreased from 18.0% to 16.8% in the placebo group. Lean body mass increased from 54.2 kg to 55.4 kg for the Game Time® group and decreased from 52.9 kg to 52.4 kg in the placebo group (p = 0.694).
Again, it must be noted that this study involved numerous other ingredients and did not separately examine the effects of caffeine and creatine. Also, Game Time® contains 100 mg of caffeine, a much lower dose than what is typically used for ergogenic purposes.
While commentators on both sides of the fence of confidently assert that caffeine "does/does not/does too!" impair the actions of creatine, the research so far is equivocal. More research is required to determine for sure if, and under what conditions, caffeine anatagonizes the actions of creatine.
Summary of Key Points
Anthony Colpo is an independent researcher, physical conditioning specialist, and author of the groundbreaking books The Fat Loss Bible and The Great Cholesterol Con. For more information, visit TheFatLossBible.net or TheGreatCholesterolCon.com
Copyright © Anthony Colpo.
Disclaimer: All content on this web site is provided for information and education purposes only. Individuals wishing to make changes to their dietary, lifestyle, exercise or medication regimens should do so in conjunction with a competent, knowledgeable and empathetic medical professional. Anyone who chooses to apply the information on this web site does so of their own volition and their own risk. The owner and contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm, real or imagined, from the use or dissemination of information contained on this site. If these conditions are not agreeable to the reader, he/she is advised to leave this site immediately.


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green poo?
does green poo mean a parasite? the appetite is still excellent though
i dont think so...i think the color of the poopy depends on the color of the food they are eating...when mine eat pink food, they have pink poop...lol...i think its only a parasite when its white, and long and stringy.
Green feces should not be a problem as long as you know you have been feeding something green.
White stringy feces is usually a sign of parasite or intestinal problems.
When I feed my plecos green beans or cucumber their poo likes miniatures of both. Should be just fine. Just don't watch the other fish eat it. :roll:
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
You might be a better shot than chef, but don't let that stop you from trying some creative and tasty ways to cook your venison.
While there's nothing wrong with your processor's deer sausage, long-time venison cooks say going the extra mile and cooking it yourself has its rewards. So now that the main part of deer season is over and much of the meat has been processed, its time to fire up your pans, grills, ovens and slow-cookers.
"I really like it better than beef steaks sometimes," said Evelyn Dudenhoeffer.
The Osage County resident has cooked deer meat for some 30 years. For her, cooking and eating deer meat wasn't something she ever intended to do.
"I married a hunter," she said with a chuckle. "That kind of did it."
It took a couple years, but she acquired a taste for venison and has been cooking it since.
The Missouri Department of Conservation offers venison recipes ranging from stir fry to kabobs and pizza to pot pies. It can be found at http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/how/cooking/venison-recipes-0.
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text: Do you care if the world as mapped is all there is? You could get the straight lat/Lon on the inside of a ring world, only a reasonable e-w would be manymany times the n-s dimension. If e doesnt have to wrap back around to w then most of your ring could be off-map with any number of reasons for warmer/cooler zones.Unless it was a habitat rather than a 50-80 million mile ribbon... A cylinder with the star outside can be a more reasonable 2:1-ish proportion. Say the habitat was different reflectivities on one side than the other for more or less heat coming up from beneath.


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And the drive is how deep ...?
9.5mm? 12.5mm? Something else entirely?
Fujitsu has become the latest hard drive maker to spin up a 2.5in laptop hard drive capable of holding up to half a terabyte of data. Fujitsu MHZ2 BT Fujitsu's MHZ2 BT: half a terabyte in laptop-friendly form Its MHZ2 BT family connects to the host over a 3Gb/s SATA link. Each drive has 8MB of cache on board, and consumes …
9.5mm? 12.5mm? Something else entirely?
If memory serves Seagate haven't announced a 500GB 2.5" drive yet. It's Hitachi and Samsung who've announced 500GB devices. Both are 5400rpm.


text:
PIA05298: Complex Wind Streaks
Target Name:
Is a satellite of:
Sol (our sun)
Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter
Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
Product Size:
671 x 1007 pixels (w x h)
Produced By:
Malin Space Science Systems
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Full-Res TIFF:
(676.6 kB)
Full-Res JPEG:
(108.3 kB)
Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)
Original Caption Released with Image:
16 February 2004
Northeastern Tharsis is known for its complicated patterns of wind streaks. Wind streaks are formed by sediment transport and deposition by wind. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows a pattern of crisscrossing streaks indicating winds that generally blow from the southwest (lower left) toward northeast (upper right), but vary over time. The image is located near 27.6°N, 98.9°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left; the image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide.
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NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
Image Addition Date:


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Even zodat het gemeld is, ik ben van 10 t/m 19 juli naar Duitsland. Wat gebeurt er eigenlijk als de Komkommer hierdoor verhinderd wordt? | Lars863 | 18:19, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
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Ik heb je gehypnotiseerd. Jij laat mij bij de Komkommer winnen...
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Is this a good deal?
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Is this a good deal?
Is this a good deal?
I've been looking for a saltwater setup for quite some time now, with little luck. I am going to have to buy one that's used, becuase I have a budget of about $500 to get started. And as everyone who has a saltwater tank knows... that's not very much. So I found a 65 gallon tank on craigslist, but I'm not sure if I need everything that comes with it, and I don't want to spend what little money I have on things that aren't necessary. I am starting with only fish and some inverts, and if I ever get the chance, and the money, I may add some corals and such. But for now, I don't want to buy everything I would need for corals, just the fish. Here's a list of the stuff that the tank comes with. What could I do without, and is there anything else I would need?
That is a 65 gallon glass aquarium with corner overflow with stand-$250 Marine life aquatics AWD 150 wet-dry undertank-$150
Natureef dosing pump with a 90% full bottle of chemicals to keep the calcium up-$175
dual 400 watt MH pfo ballast (HQI) with mogul socket, pendant, and bulb-$175
175 watt MH ballast with mogul socket and bulb-$90
4 pc lights-$35
22 gallon refugium-$35
2 mag drive pumps
and heater-$80.
The prices I listed are the prices she wants if she sells everything seperate. She'll take 20% off, which is $650, if someone wants the whole deal.
So I guess it doesn't come with a skimmer, and I would really like that...
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Re: Is this a good deal?
I'm going to go through your list and put answers in bold type for you so I don't miss anything.
Originally Posted by
I've been looking for a saltwater setup for quite some time now, with little luck. I am going to have to buy one that's used, becuase I have a budget of about $500 to get started. And as everyone who has a saltwater tank knows... that's not very much. So I found a 65 gallon tank on craigslist, but I'm not sure if I need everything that comes with it, and I don't want to spend what little money I have on things that aren't necessary. I am starting with only fish and some inverts, and if I ever get the chance, and the money, I may add some corals and such. But for now, I don't want to buy everything I would need for corals, just the fish. Here's a list of the stuff that the tank comes with. What could I do without, and is there anything else I would need?
That is a 65 gallon glass aquarium with corner overflow with stand-$250
That is about average price for a new one. If this is a used tank/stand, I would say its not worth that much! Here's a link for the tank w/overflow brand new... and what kind of stand is she offering you? If it's metal you don't want it. Saltwater will rust a metal stand, causing the joints to give out over time, which means everything ends up on the floor.
Marine life aquatics AWD 150 wet-dry undertank-$150
I wasn't able to find a price for this new online, but the value will depend on how elaborate of a set up it is. Can you find out the dimensions and what is all included with it? If it's an elaborate set up, yes, it could be worth $150 used, but if it's just a bare bones filtration unit, again, you'd be able to get a new one for about the same price.
Natureef dosing pump with a 90% full bottle of chemicals to keep the calcium up-$175
I call this a waste of money if you're on a budget. There is no way to know that your tank will need additives, and if so, what and how much... not until its set up and you find out where your water params are at. Every tank is different, will have different needs. Not every tank needs a calcium suppliment, and there are many other less expensive ways to do that if it is needed. If you're wanting something to help keep calcium up, you could spend about that same amount of money, get a calcium reactor and a bag of crushed coral. The crushed coral is broken down by the CO2 going into it, and over time you would simply add more crushed coral and eventually a new canister of CO2. Your expense long term would be much less than having to buy those bottles of chemicals, and the effect is the same if not better. With a calcium reactor you have the ability to adjust the flow much better than on a "dosing pump" which will usually have a specific manufacturer set regulator. Again, with all tanks being different... it's more fool proof to go with a reactor instead.
dual 400 watt MH pfo ballast (HQI) with mogul socket, pendant, and bulb-$175
If you're wanting to keep this inexpensive, MH is not the way to do it. In a 65 gallon tank, a T5 fixutre will run about the same price and give just as much light output for anything reef, and at the same time, save on your electric bills! MH is also going to produce a lot of heat that can cause issues. The heat can be enough to raise the water temp to an extreme, even with a pendant, which would then require a chiller to keep animals alive. The best way to say it is that MH for what you're describing you want would be overkill. T5 would be a much better and safer bet!
Also, HQI is not a mogul socket... its double ended.
175 watt MH ballast with mogul socket and bulb-$90
Again, overkill and not worth the money!
4 pc lights-$35
???? pc lights? For what?
22 gallon refugium-$35
Again, you can get a new 22 gallon tank for about that same price. The only difference would be if that 22 gallon tank is already drilled or not. Did she provide you with that information?
2 mag drive pumps
and heater-$80.
What size mag drive pumps? A heater can be purchased for about $25 - $30 and be suitable for a 65 gallon tank. Mag drive pumps come in many different sizes... and price will depend on the size. See if you can find out the model numbers on the pumps.
The prices I listed are the prices she wants if she sells everything seperate. She'll take 20% off, which is $650, if someone wants the whole deal.
It sounds to me like she is trying to get almost what she paid for it... and personally, I think you'd be better off piecing this stuff together yourself and work with new if you're going to spend that kind of money.
One thing a lot of people forget when buying a used tank for saltwater... unless it's up and running and already healthy, there is no way to know what someone else put in there. If, for example, they used a copper based medication which wiped out their tank... then sell the tank... it would be useless to anyone wanting to keep inverts in it from that time forward. I would suggest being very cautious if buying anything used that will eventually hold reef animals.
So I guess it doesn't come with a skimmer, and I would really like that...
A skimmer is giong to be very important. I would suggest searching for one of those, also.
All in all, I don't see this to be such a good deal. $500 budget for something like a 65 gallon saltwater tank set up isn't going to take you very far, used or otherwise, if you want it set up properly. The sand alone for that size of a tank is going to run you between $50 - $100, and live rock, which you
have to have
averages about $6 -$10/lb, and in 65 gallons you are looking at 65 - 80 lbs worth. This stuff will be needed for a fish only tank as much as for a reef situation. To properly set up a saltwater tank of that size, expect to need between $1500 - $2000 to do it right and not waste your money.
My suggestion would be to take your budget, buy one piece at a time, new and for sure what you need. Collect it over time as you have the money. Once you have it all and the budget for the salt, sand, rock, etc... then set it up. I also didn't notice any powerheads listed in that set up, something else that is a MUST. If you want us to help you sort out what you do need, and some good places to get each thing, let us know.
Hope this helps!
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That's kind of what I was thinking about the tank and hardware. I know I will need a skimmer and powerheads also, so I'll either have to find a tank that's being sold with those things, or save money for them.
My budget is not going up, or at least not much. I might be able to get $600 if I'm lucky. I'm only in highschool, and I don't have a job, so my parents are paying for it. I've been keeping freshwater aquariums for some time, and I'm taking a marine biology course this year, so that's why I've finally decided to start a saltwater. I'm just looking for any size tank, not necessarily 65 gallons. Something over 30 would be best though, so I hope I can find something cheap. I definatly cannot buy it all new... I just think that my money would be gone long before I could get around to LR and fish. I don't mind saving up money over time and adding to the tank, but due to my lack of income, that might take me an eternity.
So I guess I'll continue searching....
My other option would be to turn my 28 gallon freshwater into a saltwater. It has pretty good lighting, but I would still need a skimmer and powerhead/s. It would save me money, but I don't know If I really want to get rid of my freshwater fish. I've been trying to get that tank planted for ever, and it's finally ready, so I don't think I want to quit on it now.
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As long as you are to this point, there are a few things that you should prepare for:
Once you have your hardware and tank, there will be other expenses that you and your parents should know about up front. Saltwater needs to be premixed, a good thing for this is a rubbermaid tub with 1 - 2 powerheads in it. Salt is not cheap, and depending on what you are keeping in the tank, weekly water changes may be needed. The cost of salt for this can add up fast, and there is no way around it.
Another thing to prep for would be additives... things like Iodine suppliments, calcium suppliments, etc. This will also require water tests. Relying on a LFS for water testing, especially in saltwater, is very dangerous. Add to your list of supplies: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and calcium test kits. You may find as things get set up that you may need a few others, too.
Don't forget a hydrometer or refractometer. You can't even start setting up until you have that. This will measure the amount of salt in the water, and again, something you can't get along without.
You'll also want to find a good supply of RO or DI water. Tap water contains phosphates and other chemicals added to make it safe for drinking. These things can cause a lot of harm in a saltwater tank. This is something again that will have to be supplied regularly. If you decide to try using tap water, things like phosphate remover, etc should be considered and added to your mixing vat with a filtration unit. Once that stuff gets into your tank.... it's very difficult to get it under control and very difficult to keep your tank healthy and thriving.
If you decide to work with a smaller tank, the first thing you should do is to start thinking about what animals you wish to keep. The smaller the tank the smaller the selection of possible inhabitants, including corals. If working with reef animals there will be special supplimental foods that they require, which also can get expensive.
There's a lot to think about here, so please... don't rush into anything. It is very likely that you won't be able to afford this tank until you have a job. Most parents, even generous ones, simply can't afford to foot the bill for not just the initial set-up and animals, but the maintenance this type of thing will require. You might want to share this thread with them so they are also better prepared on what to expect.
There is no cheap way to set up and maintain a saltwater tank... no matter what size it is.
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They are prepared for maintenance cost. We're not at all rushing into it - we've been talking about it for 6 months or so by now. We're installing a RO system in the kitchen, will this function the same as one made for an aquarium? Even if it does, I would have to figure out some way to get water from the kitchen to the basement, which may be impossible.
I've been working on a stock list for a while, but since I'm buying it used, I won't know what size tank I'll have to work with until I actually get it. I will be getting a job soon, hopefully this summer, so that will help.
What's the average monthly maintenance cost for a 30, 55, and 75 gallon saltwater tank with fish and inverts only? Any ideas??
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Because every tank is different, unique in its own right, there is no way to accurately estimate mainteance costs ahead of time.
You could set up 3 tanks of the same size, same contents, same equip, everything about them identical, and they're all going to be different. They will cycle at their own pace, they will need water changes at different rates, and the water params will differ. This is one of the unique things about keeping an aquarium.
The best you can do is price the "expected" items and work with a rough estimate from there. Salt, additives such as I mentioned (liquid calcium, iodine, trace elements, etc) water, water conditioner, etc. It could cost less to run a 55 than a 30... it will all be dependent on the animals and the environment itself and how well it balances once you put it all together.
Like I said before, to work with a saltwater tank of 30 - 75 gallons or more, a good estimated cost to start out with will be $1500 - $2000 by the time everything is said and done, (the bigger the tank the higher the cost) and this won't include the animals. Chances are slim it can be done for less unless you are getting some of your equipment & supplies for free.
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May 4, 2016
News Release: City of Tallahassee
The City of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Affairs Department knows the best way to stay warm this winter is to stay active! For adults, there are two great options planned for the winter months, and registration is currently open for both.
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If you're looking to get out of the weather and off the bench, then sign up for the Adult Winter Basketball League. PRNA is currently accepting team registration for the 8-week, 16-game season. Play begins the week of January 6, 2014, with games held in City recreation center gymnasiums.
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Typsy Panthre's Allison Labonne talks Korda Records and tastes holiday cocktails at Gather
There's a bit of a chill outside as Gimme Noise meets up with Korda Records' Allison Labonne outside the Walker Art Center.
We'll be drinking buddies at the Walker's Gather restaurant for the afternoon, and we'll discuss the multiple musical projects Allison and her friends are currently working on with their recently founded label.
See Also:
De Stijl's Clint Simonson talks music and rates cocktails at Icehouse
Local label Soft Abuse shares new music and rates cocktails at Gather
Moon Glyph talks music, rates cocktails at Bryant Lake Bowl
With a big smile on his face Gather bartender, Josh Reigert pours us something for Winter, something blue: "Usually with this one I put in a rock candy garnish."
Allison takes a sip of what is aptly called Anti-Freeze and speaks contemplatively of the blue curaçao, vodka and pear cider delight: "This goes down real easy. It's a complex flavor though. Has some sort of botanical taste."
Reigert nods, "When I first came up with it I thought 'vodka and pear cider?!' Then I thought, 'Why not!?'"
After another sip Labonne elaborates, "It tastes like nighttime to me. Maybe it's the blue color."
It's musical equivalent: "Hmmm, It really feels electronic. I keep thinking of the Stranglers Feline." she says sounding satisfied.
Being part of the local electronic duo Typsy Panthre with the ever elusive musical mastermind of John Crozier, Allison sings and also stars in all the videos for the handful of songs featured on the pair's debut self-titled release that just came out on Korda Records this Fall.
"It was so cold when we filmed that we almost cancelled the shoot. We were all there so we went for it. Phil Harder had the idea of filming straight up or straight down. You don't see too much of the landscape." Allison explains. "Phil thought of animating it. Someone called the cops when we were out there and they came down to get us off the but then the cop car got stuck on the ice."
With a unique style for a Twin Cities band, Typsy Panthre's sound mixes an almost-European electronic pop sound that's cute and clever on some tracks, and dark and morose on others. Filled with strummed guitars, electronic ambiance and plenty of cooed vocals, Typsy Panthre's record works as a perfect vehicle in building on a lineage of musical projects under Crozier's belt that continues to mystify and promises more of a audio and visual approach than a typical bar band has to offer. "Live performances will be rare if not non-existent" Labonne offers.
"That's white chocolate!" Reigert tells us as he slides a couple more cold weather cocktails towards the two of us at the bar.
Of the Stoli Ohranj, Baileys, cold pressed coffee and yes, white chocolate sauce we both marvel at the results of Reigert's Snow Day cocktail: With a bit of a bitter taste I wince, "This definitely tastes like coffee, I hope this is decaf?!"
Allison interposes with a musical equivalent: "It is kind of a morning drink because of the coffee. Like Belle and Sebastian. You know like that really big record of theirs. What's it called? Why can't I remember?"
"Which one?"
"The one with the girl on it." Labonne insists.
"That's like all of them," I shudder.
"You know, red cover. If You're Feeling Sinister!"
Of Reigert's next drink, Santa's Little Helper: "This is like drinking a candy cane!"
The musical equivalent: "My favorite Christmas song is 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' by Judy Garland. Johnny Mathis of course. I really love that Pretenders Christmas song '2000 Miles.'" she says thinking back and taking a repeat sip of the Stoli Strasberi, White Creme de Menthe and Cranberry juice drink.
"How is the infamous Legendary Jim Ruiz band these days?" I ask Allison while taking a look at the new CD called Mount Curve Avenue she'd sent me. "You are called the Jim Ruiz Set now?"
"Yeah! It was all recorded here in this house on Mount Curve Avenue. That's the title and there it is on the cover." she points out. "It was a magical time. Crazy getting a record done that quickly. Allen Clapp came to town and set up the studio. Everyone came in to do their part. It came together naturally. It is like 14 years of Jim's songs. It's a really good batch of songs. So great to have him active again."
Pushing an empty martini glass toward Reigert, I agree, "It seems long overdue but perhaps like a fine wine these songs have now matured and sound really rich and tasty. Not totally unlike these wonderful cocktails."
"He's got a different flare for the '80s which is really apparent in his music. Jim was into new wave. We saw eye to eye on Aztec Camera. I didn't know Jazz Butcher or Everything But the Girl until I met him."
"He kind of goes for that really wholesome '80s kind of sound, right?" I remember.
"Jim?! wholesome?! He has a punk aesthetic but he's pure in the best way. He's such a total nerd. There's nothing "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" about Jim Ruiz."
Labonne analyzes the process of the new records, "We're completely fulfilled with how everything came together. We put a thing on Facebook about where could we record and someone came forward. It was really unlabored but everyone had the expertise with their instruments. It really combines virtuoso quality and then some natural approach. It straddles Jim's two interests and honors his songs. He's a brilliant songwriter and is able to embody that. The record is an accurate representation of where he's at."
The Jim Ruiz Set
Next up is a red wine, homemade apple cider with Rye, maple syrup and ginger ale or the Harvest Grog: Allison looks semi-elated, "Really rereshing... for a Grog."
Reigert chimes in, "Technically a Grog is a hot beverage."
"Tastes like youth to me." she reacts.
It's musical equivalent:"How you mean? What was the first record you ever got?", I ask her.
With hesitation Allison thinks back, "Blondie. Oh man, I can picture it. The one she has the white dress on."
"Oh sure, Parallel Lines!" I conclude. "So tell me more about Korda records. How did come to be?"
"Well we're all friends and follow each other's music. Everyone was finishing up projects at the same time so it came about because we had four records." Labonne explains. "The Ocean Blue are going to headline for a Korda Records showcase we are going to have January 12 in the Seventh Street Entry. It will be kind of like everyone's release show!"
With a close knit community of friends and musicians Korda Records follows a compact approach to putting out each other's music and helping each other out.
"That's really cool as I know many of you all play in each other's bands and support one another." I acknowledge.
"David Scheizel from the Ocean Blue first brought it up months ago. We never imagined we'd be starting a record label. But it seemed right to pool together our resources getting things done the best way we can. Our goal is to release these records and banding together and getting behind each other." she says with pride. "It's a pure extension of where we're at with music. The vision has matured. Maturity to know no one is going to make this happen for us. There's a strength in friendship and delighting in each other's success. All the bands lift each other."
The Jim Ruiz Set will be performing in the Seventh Street Entry as part of the Prissy Clerks release show this Saturday, 12/8 with Alpha Consumer and Nallo also on the bill. 8pm. 18+ $8
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misc. mods
ive got a few questions, how hard is it to install a new shifter on 5speed 95 2.5 yj? Plus what is the best chevy engine to swap into a 95 yj and how hard and time consuming would it be to do it?
Your asking for a lot on the engine swap. Keep in mind- motor mounts, driveline, axles, tc's, etc.
if/when you do the swap...dont tell the insurance company theres a 8 in it...insurance is ALOT cheaper :)
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Twin Valley Rider's Motorcycle Awareness Project was featured on WSLS Channel 10 News this past Thursday, January 24. Twin Valley Riders partnered with Frontline Eurosports, Star City Powersports and Lawrence Transportation Systems to produce a rolling billboard on one of Lawrence's vans. The billboard encourages motorists to Look Twice – Save a Life and features a photograph of four motorcycles traveling directly toward the viewer. The motorcycles, along with riders in full protective gear, were provided by Frontline and Star City. The image and design were produced by John Tice Photography. TVR member, Mark Carter conceived the project, brought the partnership and funding together and managed the project to completion. Funding was supplied equally by Twin Valley Riders, Frontline Eurosports and Star City Powersports. Lawrence Transportations Systems saw this as an opportunity to promote highway safety and worked out a program that would fit our budget. The truck is used locally and will be made available for special events.
Continue below the video for details on how the project evolved.
How It All Started
Early in 2012, after the club's second successful Twin Valley Rally was in the can, members began discussing ways of giving back to the community. Ideas came and went but none seemed to be an exact fit. Then Mark Carter, who works at Lawrence Transportation, seeded the idea of a motorcycle safety awareness project. He felt that Lawrence would be willing so he pulled some estimates together and presented it to the club in the June. The club was preoccupied at that time with organizing the 2012 Twin Valley Rally, but the decision was made to pursue the project immediately following the rally in September. Mark sent letters to the prospective partners, who readily agreed, and the club appropriated funds in October. One week later a preliminary design was approved.
An early November warm spell presented the perfect opportunity for the photo shoot. Frontline and Star City each sent two bikes with riders in full gear––an adventure tourer, a dual sport, a sport bike and a cruiser. The Explore Park spur off the Blue Ridge Parkway just north of Roanoke, had already been selected and scouted. The riders made a dozen or more passes, adjusting order and spacing as requested each time. Mark and John chose the best of a handful of selects from more than a hundred images shot that morning.
One Final Detail
The design was now ready to be comped and presented to the partners for final approval––well, almost. A good number of message ideas had been submitted by club members, each having its strengths. We needed a final decision for the headline. Would it be one of the submissions or a combination, or was more input needed? There were copyright concerns because some of the ideas were either similar to or exactly the same as phrases that had been published previously. Mark and John decided that the most succinct, direct message being considered was Look Twice – Save a Life, which had been published, and they didn't know if they would be able to get permission.
The Problem has Names
It was soon discovered that Diane Pearson is actively distributing bumper stickers, securing billboards and seeking new ways of distributing this message in memory of her son Gene Pearson, who was killed in Florida in May 2005 when a car pulled out in front of his motorcycle. Diane is working in concert with Kathy and Patrick Malone who lost their son, Lance, to a collision involving a negligent right of way violation in 1995. John left messages for both Diane Pearson and Kathy Malone and soon received a call from Diane. She not only gave us permission––she was ecstatic that we wanted to use it in our project. She sent a good supply of bumper stickers for us to distribute as well.
The Problem has Numbers
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 4,502 motorcycle fatalities in the US in 2010. Approximately sixty percent of these were due to collisions and approximately one-third of these collisions were due to motorists turning into the path of a motorcycle, presumably because they didn't see it or severely misjudged speed and distance. That's potentially a thousand lives that could be saved each year if every motorist would make it a habit to Look Twice. This scenario, typically a left-turn across the lane or pulling out from a side road, is recognized by experienced motorcyclists as the most significant risk that cannot be greatly mitigated by a safety conscious motorcyclist's own behaviors. Let's make it a habit ourselves, and teach our children, to always Look Twice – Save a Life.
For those curious about the size of the image, it is 271 inches wide at 75 ppi, or 20,325 pixels. The final image is CMYK and 632MB, but it grew to a GB and a half while editing. Resolution (or the perception of) is relative to viewing distance, so from two or three feet it will appear similar in quality to a computer screen. From about ten feet it's comparable to a high quality digital inkjet print or typical offset printing. Color fidelity is a function of the inks and base material, which in this case uses the same color profile as standard web offset and so will appear similar to direct mail catalogs you might receive in the mail. The image was sharpened some, but only one area had significant retouching. Can you spot it comparing the production photo above with the installation photos?


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Who will continue to use their blogs?
Rye Alumni
Mr. Gianforte came to our school today to talk about exoplanets. Exoplanets are planets that are out of our solar system. He told us some of the methods that astronomers use to find planets outside of our solar system. Some planets are big and are easy to spot. Some are small and so therefore we can't see them next to their sun's light. He said that one way astronomers spot planets is that some astonomers have things that detect changes in elements over time. They look at a star and if it has changes in elements and/or light it means a planet is currently blocking those elements from being detected. Therefore, there must be a planet there. He also said that there is about 500 discovered exoplanets. Unfortunately, none of them can have our kind of life on them. There is one planet that they found MIGHT be able to, but its so far away, we can't send a robot to study it.
Astronomers are still looking for that planet that's just right, that goldilocks planet. (not too hot, not too cold.) Mr. Gianforte said that looking for planets that can support life was called astrobiology.
The computer you are commenting from has an id number. It is 126.96.36.199!


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Get ready! Cost of college is going up
By Lucy
Lazarony Bankrate.com
The cost of State U. keeps going up.
Blame it on the slumping economy.
Budget shortfalls in many states have prompted state
universities and colleges all over the country to hike tuition.
"State economies are in really, really bad shape,"
says Carl Krueger, policy analyst at the Education Commission of
the States. "When state economies aren't doing well, one of
the first services that gets cut is funding for higher education."
If you attend a public college or university, there's
a good chance you'll be paying more for your classes this fall.
It was a similar story last fall, but this year's tuition increases
look to be even steeper.
Last year, tuition at state universities shot up 9.6
percent or about $350, according to Travis Reindl, director of state
policy at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
This fall, tuition at state colleges is expected to
increase by at least 12 percent or $500. And some schools are socking
students with much higher increases.
The University of Missouri is boosting its tuition
by 19.8 percent. At Kansas State University, last year's 25.1 percent
tuition increase just wasn't enough. KSU is hiking tuition by another
20.3 percent this fall.
After heavy increases last year, students at state
colleges and universities in New York and California may be forced
to swallow tuition increases of 20 to 25 percent and higher this
"The increases we're seeing this year are clearly
abnormal," Reindl says. "They're much higher than they
would normally be. And we can blame it on a sluggish economy. We're
in for a couple of tough years."
If you think you'll be spared from tuition hikes because
your son or daughter attends a private college or university, think
again. Tuition at private colleges and universities is expected
to increase 5.8 percent in the 2003-2004 school year. And since
the cost of attending a private college is $18,273, a measly 5.8
percent tuition hike adds up to an extra $1,060 a year.
"A single-year increase of $1,000 -- that's going
to hurt too," Reindl says.
Not sure how your family will be able to cope with
soaring college tuition costs? These articles from Bankrate.com
may help:
for college by installment plan
Why not pay by installment plan? A hefty
tuition bill won't seem so insurmountable once it's broken into
pieces. An installment plan lets you pay for a son or daughter's
tuition with several payments over the course of a school year.
Many plans allow monthly payments. Others allow up to three payments
each semester.
for college in hard times
Was it going to be a struggle to pay tuition
at a state university even before tuition shot way up? Has a layoff,
divorce or accident in 2003 sent your family's finances into a tailspin?
Your best bet is to contact the
university's financial aid department as soon as possible. Many
schools have emergency loans and grants available. A drop in family
income may make a student eligible for additional financial aid.
Parents may be eligible for additional loans as well.
You won't know what a college or
university can do to help your family, until you make that call.
Don't put it off.
loan rates reach record lows
And now for some good news. Interest rates on
Stafford loans, the largest source of student loan funds in the
country, and Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) loans,
a popular loan program for parents, are at record lows.
On July 1, the interest rate on
federal Stafford loans dropped from 4.06 percent to 3.42 percent
and the interest rate on federal PLUS loans dropped from 4.86 percent
to 4.22 percent. These rates remain in effect through June 30, 2004.
So even if your family ends up borrowing more money
to pay for college this fall, at least you'll catch a break on interest
money-management tips for college students
With times so tight, college students will want
to do everything they can to rein in personal spending. Wallet-sucking,
high-interest credit card bills are not the way to go. Your best
defense against credit card debt? Organize your financial life.
Bankrate.com's money management tips will show you how.
offbeat ways to pay for college
The news on college costs is mighty grim, but
there are plenty of creative ways to keep your college dream on
track. Dwindling state and federal aid, lower endowments and drops
in fund raising have forced many colleges and universities to raise
tuition prices and cut back on financial aid programs.
What's a cash-strapped student
to do? Get real and then get creative.
-- Updated: July 22, 2003


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Moncler V Wool Jacket With Down Jacket Liner
Just released at Union (storeguide) is one of our favorite Moncler V pieces thus far. This 2-in-1 jacket features a wool outer shell with a traditional Moncler Down jacket on the inside. Each of the two pieces can be worn solo making for a great looking, highly versatile jacket. Comes in black or navy.
More images follow after the click.


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How a Local Murder Has Put My Mind At EaseCody
Early in my career as a lawyer, I took on one of those cases that seemed to involve several shady characters and all kinds of complicated legal issues. In other words, it seemed like the perfect case for a young lawyer, full of learning experiences. Several months later, I found myself regretting this decision for more than one reason.
Without getting too specific, the case involved a man who was a convicted child molester and was quite open that he planned on molesting children again in the future. This man wasn't a party in the case, but he was the main reason the case even existed in the first place.
After the trial, but before the judge had made a verdict, my client called me to tell me that the convicted sex offender had started to leave threats on his voicemail; threats about death and future child molestation. Eventually those threats were no longer being directed solely at my client. Some of them were now directed at me and they involved references to my children.
I had never really been threatened before. There were times in high school where other guys made threats about fights and stupid things like younger males do. Those threats were never taken seriously. If two guys are going to end up in a fist fight in high school, they were just going to fist fight right then and there. Threats just meant that both kids knew they'd be in big trouble if their mothers found out that they wanted to fight on the school playground.
This case was the first time that I faced a real threat and it really bothered me. After I spent the day wondering whether I should tell Casey that her child had been threatened, I decided that she needed to know. I explained some of the generalities of the case so as not to break confidentiality requirements and I asked Casey to make sure to pay close attention to when Addie was playing in the cul da sac. It seemed obvious to me that if this guy was going to follow through on his threats, his only chance at Addie would be while she was out playing in the circle.
We spent the next month closely watching our daughter. Then a few months passed and our concern lessened. I'm not sure how long we worried about the threat until we chalked it up as nothing more than a bitter man making threats that he had no intent of acting on.
Deep down, however, I feared this man. I had learned things about him that made me want to bypass the justice system and lock him up for good before someone died. This man loved violence. He loved to watch violence and he loved to commit violence. I heard from children who had been around this man that he loved to smack dogs on the side of the head with a bat just to watch them die. Someone like that is seriously deranged, and I figured it would only be a matter of time before he killed a human being.
One day while I was in criminal court on another case, this man showed up to court for a hearing on a fine. As he sat at the hearing table and talked to the judge, I leaned over to an attorney acquaintance and told him that I guaranteed that the man talking to the judge would eventually kill someone. In my mind, it was as sure as paying taxes. It was just something that would absolutely happen in the future.
I'm sad to say that my guarantee came true. My guarantee wasn't even a year old before this man killed one of his friends. He was arrested for murder and he now sits in jail awaiting his trial. Hopefully once his trial is over he will sit in one of Indiana's prisons where he will hopefully remain for the rest of his life.
While I'm glad that I now know Addie is safe from this person, I hate that another person had to lose his life for it to happen.
Photo Credit: Flickr
Read more about my family on Moosh in Indy or follow me on Twitter!
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More on Babble Dad:
My 20 Favorite Photos of Vivi From 2012
My 20 Favorite Photos of Addie From 2012
Addie: An 8 Year-Old Going on 18-Years-Old
Proof that Daughters are Better than Sons? Maybe


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Supreme Court Inevitable after Prop 8 Upset?
Supreme Court Inevitable after Prop 8 Upset?
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text:
The markets advanced during the midday with the Dow gaining 57 points to 14,859 as jobless claims tumbled more than expected. Nasdaq held steady at 3297.
On the upside
Shares of Chimerix (Nasdaq: CMRX) soared in its market debut.
Ross Stores (Nasdaq: ROST) reported an unexpected 2% gain in March same store sales.
March same store sales climbed 2.1% for Zumiez (Nasdaq: ZUMZ).
On the downside
Synergy Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: SGYP) priced its public offering of 16.375 million common shares at the discounted price of $5.50 per share.
Rumors circulated that Chicago Bridge & Iron (NYSE: CBI) client Woodside Petroleum may change its plans for a $45 billion Browse liquefied natural gas project.
A Seeking Alpha contributor suggested that OCZ Technology (Nasdaq: OCZ) may file for bankruptcy protection within six months.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of more than 5 to 3 on the NYSE and by more than 10 to 9 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 index added 5 points to 1593.


text:
- RwandaFoodFunding via VisionFund Rwanda
Aburukundo ...RwandaClothingFunding via VisionFund Rwanda
Abadahemuka...RwandaClothingFunding via VisionFund Rwanda
Dufatanye Bategarugori Group
Update on Dufatanye Bategarugori GroupDative is a member of the Dufatanye Bategarugori solidarity group, which grows corn. She is 54 years old, not legally married and has 6 children, the eldest of whom is 29 years old and the youngest, 12. Four of her children go to school and she is responsible for no other people. She was born in Rwanda. She started working with ACB Ltd in 2008 and is on her 4th loan cycle. The previous loans have been properly repaid.
With this current loan, she will rent a field, buy seeds and pay the labourers. She does not expect any difficulties in repaying this loan. Her strategy to increase her agricultural output is to modernise her farming techniques by using chemical fertilizers. Her business ambition is to become a professional farmer. As far as her family is concerned, she will see that her children get an education and continue to ensure the well-being of her family.
Elle a commencé de collaborer avec ACB Ltd en 2008 et est au 4ème cycle de crédit. Les cycle antérieurs sont bien remboursés.
Avec le présent crédit, elle va louer le champ, acheter la semence et payer la main d'œuvre. Elle n'attend aucune difficulté de non remboursement de ce prêt.
Pour accroitre son agriculture, elle a la stratégie de moderniser son agriculture en utilisant les engrais chimiques.
L'ambition pour son activité agricole est de devenir l'agricultrice professionnelle. Pour sa famille, elle va éduquer ses enfants et continuera d'assurer le bien être de sa famille.
Previous Loan DetailsRachel is a farmer. She is a member of the group Dufatanye Bategarugori. She is married and 40 years of age. She has four children between six and 22 years of age, and three of her children attend school. Rachel was born in Rwanda. She finished six years of primary school. This is her second lo... More from Dufatanye Bategarugori Group's previous loan »
Additional Information
More information about this loan
This loan is part of Amasezerano Community Banking's Ezukame ("agriculture") program, designed to provide capital to poor farmers in rural Rwanda. ACB invests a higher percentage of its portfolio in agriculture than any other Kiva Field Partner, and is strongly committed to serving the needs of rural borrowers. This type of loan has terms ranging from one to 36 months, with the option to repay in full at the end of the term or in monthly installments.
This flexibility is critical in Rwanda where 85% of the population is employed in agriculture, but many formal financial institutions consider the sector to be too risky to invest. By funding this loan, you are expanding opportunity to farmers with limited options.
About Amasezerano Community Banking, S.A.Amasezerano Community Banking, S.A., is a for-profit microfinance institution founded in 2005 by the Rwandan NGO African Evangelist Enterprises-Rwanda and 61 individual shareholders, and has been a Kiva partner since June 2010. The mission of Amasezerano Community Bank (ACB) is to have a holistic, positive impact on the lives of poor people by providing quality financial services. ACB's client base is composed primarily of farmers, small-business owners, women entrepreneurs and low-wage private-sector salaried workers. Credit offerings are tailored to meet client needs, and include group solidarity loans, agricultural loans, loans for women entrepreneurs, small-business loans, and loans for salaried workers. ACB also offers mobile money transfers, currency exchange and life insurance services to its borrowers.
Concurrent and Successive Loans
Our Field Partners often work with borrowers over a series of loans as the borrowers build credit, take out bigger loans, and expand their businesses. In order to make it easier for our Field Partners to post loans for borrowers who have been listed on Kiva before, we allow them to post successive and concurrent loans for their Kiva borrowers. This means that our Field Partners are able to post a borrower's second, third, etc., loan on Kiva without having to re-enter all of the borrower's information.
This borrower has been listed on Kiva before, so you'll see an updated loan description, as well as excerpts of the original descriptions from earlier loans. Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Field Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These "add-on" loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. Because Field Partners can now post loans as successive and concurrent loans, you will be able to track borrower progress over time and see the various ways a borrower is working with our Field Partners through funds from Kiva's lenders.
This is a Group Loan
In a group loan, each member of the group receives an individual loan but is part of a larger group of individuals. The group is there to provide support to the members and to provide a system of peer pressure, but groups may or may not be formally bound by a group guarantee. In cases where there is a group guarantee, members of the group are responsible for paying back the loans of their fellow group members in the case of delinquency or default.
Kiva's Field Partners typically feature one borrower from a group. The loan description, sector, and other attributes for a group loan profile are determined by the featured borrower's loan. The other members of the group are not required to use their loans for the same purpose.
About Rwanda
37View loans »
Success!! The loan was 100% repaid
- Repayment Term
- 8 months (Additional Information)
- Repayment Schedule
- At end of term
- Pre-Disbursed:
- Jan 19, 2013
- Listed
- Feb 19, 2013
- Currency Exchange Loss:
- Possible
- Ended:
- Aug 31, 2013


text:
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota House committee has recommended that students in all South Dakota public school classrooms should recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily.
The State Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve a measure that would require each public school district to give students the chance to recite the pledge each day. A student could choose not to take part, but would be required to maintain a respectful silence while others recited the pledge.
The issue became a hot topic in the state after the Sioux Falls School Board decided not to extend the daily pledge recitation to high schools. That led to a barrage of criticism, and the school board later reversed course and asked high school students to recite the pledge daily.


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|Graffiti....seen on a wall in Austin
March 1, 2012
Feeling The Love In Texas....
9 comments:
Oh how I love Austin and TEXAS ! So glad you got to celebrate there. I understand...I got old last year!ReplyDelete
Hi Janet... so happy you had a nice time for your birthday!... I love Texas too and have not been there in some time... I am anxious to return one day soon... did you buy any of those fabulous boots???... xoxo Julie MarieReplyDelete
awww fufu looks like you all had a great time & what better way to celebrate than with family! my husband has been in houston on business for the past two weeks & when he goes back I plan on joining him for a week. he says I will love it! Just like you! happy birthday from your older than dirt also friend tutts...xoxo beautiful pics of the fufu clan~ReplyDelete
A very Happy Birthday to you...celebrate your entire year! Time with family in a beautiful place is the best. Joyful birthday year...ReplyDelete
joyeux anniversaire,je t'envoie , mille bisous, a bientôt, isa lisaReplyDelete
looks like a wonderful birthday to me! I've been old for a long time, and loving every minute of it.ReplyDelete
came over to see your blog from another blog....love it!
Hi Janet!!! You are not older than dirt girly!! Hope you had a wonderful BD..I love Texas too..my sis is in Ft. Worth..& the shopping is awesome!!!! So glad you were with all your family hon:) May you have many more birthdays!ReplyDelete
Deb:) xoxo
Happy belated birthday Janet!! And what a lovely trip!!~ReplyDelete
So glad you had such a wonderful time.
Hope you have a beautiful day.
You had a great time in Texas !!!ReplyDelete


text:
Husband's anxiety may push wife over the edge
Dear Abby: I have been married to my best friend, "Blake," for two years. A year ago he started having panic attacks, so I made an appointment for him with his doctor. After checking him for everything, including heart failure, the doctor diagnosed him with anxiety.
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text:
2013-08-22 / General
28th Annual Senior Games Begin Tuesday, August 27
The 2013 Senior Games, sponsored by the Area 10 Agency on Aging, are just around the corner! More than 40 games are planned for this much anticipated and exciting annual event. Games begin August 27 and run through September 16.
The full version of this story is only available to online subscribers.
© 2009-2016 Spencer Evening World, Inc.
No commercial reproduction without written consent.
Electronic reproduction of any kind forbidden without written consent.


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About This Camp
Turkey Creek Golf Club offers many different opportunities to begin and progress in the game of golf. We have price points and instruction styles to fit anyone, and strive to increase the population of golfers in our area. If you have not visited our course, please do so. We are a public facility with customer service levels that are unsurpassed even by private golf course standards. Our restaurant quality in food and staff, coupled with breathtaking views from our outdoor patio make Turkey Creek not only a great place to play golf, but also to spend the day!
* Private Discounted Golf Lessons: Sign up or get details ------>
Turkey Creek Golf Club Lessons
Get Golf Ready Ladies Only
Apr 08, 2014 - May 06, 2014 | Lincoln, CA


text: For the past few years, a guy on YouTube named Greg Benson has posted Black Friday prank videos, where he goes to a store with a list of items that don't exist . . . and tries to get employees to help find them anyway. He doesn't actually do it ON Black Friday, because it would be IMPOSSIBLE to get someone to help him. But this year, he had people suggest items ONLINE. Then his wife compiled the best ones, so he wouldn't see them until he got to the store.


text:
Texas Senate OKs raising cap on charters
Legislation boosts numbers by 2019, tightens performance criteriaApril 11, 2013 Updated: April 11, 2013 10:58pm
AUSTIN — Texas could have 100 more charter schools by 2019, and state officials could more easily close them if they perform poorly, under legislation adopted Thursday with broad bipartisan support by the Texas Senate.
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