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[size=large]The Virtual Bench Press Seminar[/size]
Of the major lifts, the bench press and the press are always the last to mature. A lifter can enjoy five or more years of steady gains in the squat, power clean, and deadlift but still suffer numerous setbacks, plateaus, and frustration in the pressing game. This is the natural order of the lifting world, especially for those that aren't physically gifted in the bench press.
Using myself as an example, I didn't press much for the first 10 years of training – most of my training was dedicated to squatting, cleans, running, and jumping.
Upper-body work was definitely low on the priority list; like many people who are dedicated to athletics, performance on game day takes precedence over trying to impress others in the weight room.
While I did bench press, I didn't give it much thought. In hindsight, I probably should've, but I'm glad I put my effort where I believed it was needed.
It did, however, take me seven years of training to go from 300 to a 400-pound bench press. That's a very long time – too long.
But after I pressed 400, it only took me three months to get to 455. I credit this to simply taking a step back and making my upper body stronger with simple, basic methods.
Those seven years taught me if you want to lift big, you have to be strong. And you have to be strong everywhere, which is something gimmicks fail to provide you.
Like life, success comes to those who persevere, not those who complain and give up. Here are some tips I've learned along the way that may help you.
[size=medium]The Set-up[/size]
Like anything in training, the key is to learn from the best and once you have adequate experience, tweak things to fit your own technique and style. But don't try something once and disregard it or start tinkering right away, especially if you don't have adequate experience.
Years ago I had the privilege of attending a seminar taught by Mike Miller of Nazareth Barbell and Bill Crawford of the Metal Militia.
These guys are both great pressers and had a very unique and disciplined way of setting up for the bench press. And if you learn from either of them, you'll develop a deeper understanding of just what being "tight" is all about. It's beyond uncomfortable, but it works extremely well, even for raw pressers.
Here's a modified version of what I was taught and still use today. Do this on every set, especially the warm-ups. This will help reinforce the set-up, allow you to get used to the position, and get you ready for your heavier sets.
Begin with your head off the bench press.
- Tuck your feet underneath you.
- Grab the bar with an underhand grip (it's much easier to pull yourself up and under the bar with an underhand grip), lift your body off the bench, and push yourself towards your feet. Do not let your feet move when you do this.
- Make sure you push yourself towards your feet until your eyes are under the bar.
- This is a very uncomfortable position; get used to it!
- Your lower and upper back should be arched hard and you should feel very solid and strong.
[size=medium]The Grip[/size]
Much has been said about the proper grip width for the bench press. Some favor a wider, 32-inch grip, which is considered maximum for competition.
While this shortens the distance of the press, it also puts a tremendous amount of stress on the shoulders and pecs. Also, if you're slower and weaker off the bottom, it could severely limit your bottom end strength.
A narrow grip (index fingers about 17" apart), lengthens the pressing motion but is much more shoulder and pec friendly. Any number in between (usually index fingers about 25" apart) is considered a medium grip.
Whatever grip you take, realize that there will be a significant difference in how you tuck your elbows, where the bar touches, and the bar path on the concentric portion.
Basically the wider your grip, the more your elbows should be tucked, the lower on your chest the bar will touch, and more pronounced the bar path will be (the bar will travel in a greater arc towards your face).
If you take a close grip, your elbows will be much more flared on the way down, the bar will touch higher on your chest and travel back in a straighter line (but still towards your face).
Younger lifters usually want to take a wider grip – they lift more weight this way and don't have the injuries that make this grip unusable by an older, more experienced lifter.
This is fine – I did this and many others have as well. Just realize that there's nothing wrong with taking a closer grip and having the patience to make it work in the long run.
[size=medium]The Lift Off[/size]
- The most important factor when taking the bar off is to take it off strong. Squeeze the bar hard and take it off the rack like you own it.
- Before lifting the bar off the rack, take a huge breath and hold it.
- Make sure your shoulder blades are pinched together.
- As you press the barbell off the rack, drive your heels into the ground and your upper back into the bench.
- Take the bar off the rack with your elbows out, not tucked. The weight should and must be supported by your shoulders, chest, and upper back. Don't put the weight in your arms and elbows; put the weight on the strongest muscles.
I prefer to never use a lift off from a partner – this is a point of pride for me. I believe that if I can't move the barbell a couple inches off the pins, then I have no business lifting it.
It's like the people that want you to hand them dumbbells to do presses with. Go hire a trainer to count your reps as I'm not here to lift the weight for you.
[size=medium]The Descent[/size]
There are two mistakes people make during the eccentric portion of the bench press: they descend way too slow or way too fast.
Going too slow makes good magazine and article fodder, but does little to help your bench press. All you're going to do is tire yourself out for the lift.
Going too fast sounds great in theory, but you'll just lose tightness and the bar will get out of position.
The key is finding the happy medium, and one of the best ways to do this is with your grip – not the width of the grip but squeezing the hell out of the barbell.
When you squeeze the barbell (notice I didn't say "pull the bar apart," just squeeze the barbell like you would the neck of your oppressor), your body will remain tight and more importantly, you can lower the barbell with the correct speed.
You can't drop the barbell when your hands are squeezing it and controlling the barbell on the way down builds confidence.
I like to watch the barbell on the way down, which allows me to control the speed with my eyes. This might sound corny but it helps me lower the barbell with the correct speed.
Some people like to focus on a single point on the ceiling – I find this to be way too distracting and limiting. Every gym and meet is going to have a different focal point, but a power bar is a power bar.
Be sure during the descent that you keep your air in and "get thick." Don't let your arch fail or sag under the weight of the barbell and the movement of the descent. This is a sure sign that the backside of your body isn't strong enough to maintain the position. Solution: build your backside.
[size=medium]The Ascent[/size]
Once the bar touches your chest, it's time to explode. You must be ready to fire every part of your body into the barbell. This is where leg drive comes into play.
There's no secret to leg drive other than recognizing that the bench press, like the squat (you better be using your arms when you squat), is a total body lift. People have asked me repeatedly how to get leg drive in the bench press. The answer is simple: do it.
Once the bar touches your chest, think about "squatting the weight up." This doesn't mean pushing your feet into the ground and sliding across the bench – the force you push with your legs has to be directed into the barbell.
There's a big difference. One is an action; the other is an action with a concentrated purpose. Every muscle and every movement that you make must be directed into the barbell with the sole purpose of driving it up.
There should be no wasted energy; your head shouldn't be moving side to side or your butt wiggling. You're on the damn bench with a barbell in your hands so stay focused.
[size=medium]The Training[/size]
There are a million different training programs out there, and the best program to help your bench press is the program you believe in. Nothing can beat belief, not science or any drug. Belief in what you're doing can cure even the dumbest program.
I'll give some general advice that you can apply to any program, though:
When training the lift, either hit a rep record or do 3-5 heavy singles after the main work sets. The former lets you walk away from the workout feeling successful and confident.
For me, setting personal records, no matter how small, is why I love lifting weights. I could give two shits about "the pump" or what some shallow woman thinks of me when I take my shirt off. What I do care about is getting better. And setting a personal record is me getting better.
If I don't feel like I can get a PR or if I do set one, I always like to hit some singles after my 5/3/1 work sets. No, the PR won't get you too tired for singles (unless you're horribly out of shape and weak or have extremely low expectations for yourself).
I use my training max as a guideline. All singles will be at my training max or above. This ensures that I hit 90% of my max every time I bench press. The volume of the bench press is kept fairly low but the intensity high, always hitting singles but never missing.
The assistance lifts are done for much higher reps; I like to take a full range movement and perform 5 sets of 10-20 reps.
Think of it this way: powerlift the big lift, bodybuild the assistance work. Some good choices are any kind of dumbbell presses, incline presses, dips, weighted push-ups, and log or football bar pressing.
After the pressing movements, move to prevention movements. These are the exercises that work the back of your body and keep your shoulders healthy. Again, these are done for higher reps (10-30) and for multiple sets (3-8).
These include any kind of exercise for your lats, upper back, rear delts, and biceps. I rarely even record these in my training log, but they're still important.
One of the best things I ever did for my bench press was to improve my grip. Grip work is like squats – every sport and athlete needs it. Besides Kroc rows, using a thick rope and rowing a weighted sled hand-over-hand has done wonders for my grip, arms, and upper back.
Also, with one surgically repaired shoulder and the other torn to hell, this always makes my shoulders feel great. It's highly recommended if you can get your hands on one.
My rope is 112 feet long, 2" thick, and I just load the sled up and pull it towards me. Simple as hell and effective. If you don't have access to a rope, start doing rope or towel chins.
I also highly recommend learning to press and make it a priority in your training. I credit the press as the main reason why my bench press jumped from 400 to 455 in such a short period of time.
When my press goes up, so does my bench press. For some, this may not be the case but I believe that one has to devote more than a few months or workouts before passing judgment. You need strong shoulders to bench press and nothing fits the bill like the press.
[size=medium]Bench Press FAQ[/size]
Question: I have a bad shoulder. How can I work around or through this?
Answer: This is something most veteran lifters have gone through. Rest is the obvious answer (as is an MRI and a good doctor, and I'll assume these steps have already been taken). Here are a few more tips:
- Start squatting with a buffalo bar.
- Eliminate any kind of pressing from your training other than the main lifts. Keep all assistance to pulling movements.
- Pause all your reps at the bottom.
- Make sure you warm-up thoroughly.
- If you've had shoulder issues in the past, don't stop the rehab. It should always be done as part of your training program. You don't stop fucking once you get married, and you shouldn't stop shoulder love once it's healed.
- Make band pull-aparts a steady part of your training. Do 100 reps every day.
Question: I have sore elbows and can't press without pain. What can I do?
Answer: I had some awful elbow pain and one of the best things I did was take a few weeks off and let the inflammation die down. After I felt better, I eliminated all direct triceps work, especially extensions. Using a wider grip while squatting also helped, as did stretching my shoulders before squatting. Using a buffalo bar would also help greatly.
Question: I've heard board presses work well for increasing the bench press. What are your thoughts?
Answer: Board pressing can definitely help but the one problem that always rears its head is that people become great board pressers and not necessarily better bench pressers. They simply learn how to use the board and heave the weight off it. If you have the discipline to use boards correctly, i.e., not heaving or sinking into the board, they can be beneficial.
Question: How do I keep my butt on the bench?
Answer: This is simple – just do it. People lift their butt for one reason – to lift more weight. Keeping your butt on the bench is nothing more than having the discipline to do so.
Doctors have successfully replaced a human heart with a pig's heart. I think it's more than reasonable to expect you to keep your ass on a flat surface while pressing a barbell.
Get On It!
Much has been written about improving the bench press, and certainly if there were a "magic" system that worked for everyone I'd be a very rich man. Sadly, there isn't, but there's still much you can do to reinvigorate your flailing bench.
Start by learning these tips and practicing them repeatedly. Make it as automatic as breathing or checking out a girl's assets. With time and perseverance, you'll soar above the gym mediocrity to where the truly strong benchers live.
miguel wrote:@sir braso naibaba ko po yun g bar sa chest.. pero ano po kaya maissuggest nyo para mag add ng poundages sa bench.. medyo nastuck ako sa 110lbs.. hehe
miguel wrote:^yung iba nga na nakikita ko nakataas din paa sa bench..kasi masmalakas daw yung puwersa nila pag nakataas yung paa..
ako nakababa pero tanong lang sir braso, pag execution na kase binababa ko yung bar sa baba ng nipples ko.. tama po ba yun? o san dapat po ibaba ang bar para tamang form?
Mighty_Oak wrote:
Paano kaya nila nasabi na mas malakas ang pwersa nila if they don't have a solid base since their feet is on the bench?
Mighty_Oak wrote:^Malamang yung iba kasi may nakitang pic o vid ng isang sikat na BB'er doing it that way (feet on the bench) that's why they adopted that set up.
19PreDaTor68 wrote:bad habbit ba yung pag nag bebench e na ngi-nginig yung paa pag pataas na??gets niu ba??di ko ma explain e lalo na pag paa angat na di ako maiwasn yung paa ko e lalo na pag medyo heavy na hehehe.. salamat
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Annual Stakeholders Meeting
November 10, 2009
2:00 to 3:30 pm Tour of Fayetteville West Side Treatment Plant and Woolsey Wet Prairie
4:00 pm. Tour of Fayetteville Sam's Club
5:30 pm Hors d'oeuvres at Arvest Ballpark, Springdale
6:00 pm Sponsor Recognition and Golden Paddle Awards Reception
7:00 pm. Annual Membership and Board Meeting
Thank you for your dedicated efforts and support
to preserve, protect and restore the Illinois River Watershed.
To see evidence of the need for protection, please click on image to ENLARGE example of construction-site erosion in the Illinois River Watershed.
|From Northwest Arkansas environment central

subset: commoncrawl


text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Gallery/Finished Work View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME" g.owenmemberMember #Joined: 18 Dec 2006Posts: 50Location: USA Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:27 pm Here is my pencil drawing of Jesus Christ touched up with B&W digital painting. It's part of a three-in-one picture project I am working on. This is only one of the three pictures. It will be at a blogspot where I talk about my inspiration for the piece. Feedback from other artists and those that enjoy art helps me. This part is done but I am working on the other parts. I have not decided if I am going to paint or not. www.leadethme.blogspot.com Feedback would be greatly appreciated. PEACE_________________I HEAR THUNDER IN THE DESERT. www.deadcameforth.blogspot.com Back to top nanshumemberMember #Joined: 01 Mar 2008Posts: 71 Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:47 pm wow!!! I love it! , I love your Light and shadow wtih his face._________________P.S. I'm not good in English , If I made any mistakes, please forgive me. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Gallery/Finished Work All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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|Have you forgotten your Dell Hard Drive Password ? We Can Help You Unlock your Dell HDD, we offer BIOS and
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Eight Hope College students have received Bultman Summer Research Awards from the college to conduct research at Hope in the natural and applied sciences this summer.
The students being honored with the awards are Lauren Bedard, Mike Bischak, Jacob Bonnema, Eric Greve, Nick Haugen, Minchul Kim, Audrey LaRoche and B.J. Schulz.
Presented by the division of natural and applied sciences, the awards provide stipends to conduct summer research at the college collaboratively with members of the faculty for 10 weeks. A recipient was named for each department within the division.
Considerations for the $4,000 awards include interest in science, promise of research and scientific accomplishment, academic standing and departmental endorsement. The recipients are also eligible for a subsidy for summer housing on campus.
The awards are named in honor of President James Bultman, who is retiring at the end of the current school year.
The eight competitively selected recipients are among more than 125 students conducting research at the college this summer supported from endowed funds at the college as well as through external grants received by Hope and individual faculty members. The students include Hope students, students from other colleges and universities, and high school students; area high school teachers are also among the researchers. A total of 36 Hope faculty in the natural and applied sciences division will be engaged in research this summer.
Bedard is a junior from Holland and will be conducting research in biology. She will be working on "Molecular Recognition of Fatty Acid Species" with Dr. Virginia McDonough, associate professor of biology.
Bischak is a sophomore from Sammamish, Wash., and will be conducting research in physics. He will be working on "Effect of Carrier Doping on Nonlinear Distortion of Signals by Superconducting Thin Films" with Dr. Stephen Remillard, associate professor of physics and chairperson of the department.
Bonnema is a junior from Kalamazoo and will be conducting research in nursing. He will be working on "The Lived Experience of a Nursing Dean" with Dr. Melissa Bouws, assistant professor of nursing.
Greve is a junior from Park Ridge, Ill., and will be conducting research in chemistry. He will be working on "A Study of the Environmental Chemistry of Lake Macatawa Sediments" with Dr. Graham Peaslee, who is the Elmer E. Hartgerink Professor of Chemistry and a professor of geology/environmental science.
Haugen is a senior from Kalamazoo and will be conducting research in mathematics. He will be working on "The Effect of PBL Pedagogy on Secondary Mathematics Students," "Big Ideas Math: Common Core Curriculum Alignment Assessment" and "Watershed Project Assessment" with Dr. Vicki-Lynn Holmes, assistant professor of mathematics and education.
Kim is a sophomore from Seoul, South Korea, and will be conducting research in engineering. He will be working on "Responsive Materials and Devices: Design and Fabrication" with Dr. Matthew Smith, assistant professor of engineering.
LaRoche is a sophomore from Hudsonville and will be conducting research in the geological and environmental sciences. She will be working on "The Effect of Climate Change on Lake Michigan Coastal Dunes: Perspective from Goshorn Lake" with Dr. Edward Hansen, professor of geology and environmental science.
Schulz is a freshman from Midland and will be conducting research in computer science. He will be working on "Applying Software Methodologies to Android Application Development" with Dr. Michael Jipping, professor of computer science.


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Fictional renaissance kingdoms and fantastical steam-punk adventures provide the themes for two new board games: "Courtier" from AEG, and "011" from ElfinWerks.
In "Courtier," two to four players attempt to influence government ministers in the hopes of winning the queen's favor. The game board is a made up of 24 courtiers, including the admiral, the banker and the king. They are divided into eight coteries, such as military, commerce and the royal family, etc.
The goal of the game is to fulfill petitions by controlling various courtiers who have the ear of the queen on certain issues. For instance, one petition may require you to control the minister, the jeweler and the bishop to complete it.
On your turn you may play an influence card, which allows you to place influence markers (wooden cubes) beside a courtier. Players may also play power cards, which allow you to move already placed cubes around the board, and generally allow you to play dirty tricks on your opponents.
After a petition is completed a fashion card is drawn, which affects the board in different ways. The game ends when a fashion card states that the queen has been arrested. Players total up the point value of completed petitions and any other points they may have earned. The player with the highest score wins.
"Courtier" is a fun and intense game that forces you to be on your toes. At its heart, this is an area control and card game that is fast paced and quite engaging. I love how controlling the different coteries can give you certain advantages, and just how easy it can be to throw a monkey wrench into an opponent's plans with a well-placed cube. I really like the theme and artwork here as well, which effectively draws players into a world of palace intrigue.
"Courtier" plays in about an hour and is recommended for ages 10 and up.
"011" from ElfinWerks is an interesting steam-punk/fantasy board game for three to six players in which the Norse god Fenrir is returning to earth to inaugurate Ragnorok, the fabled end of the world.
Players have just 11 hours (or, 11 turns) to accomplish three tasks before they can stave off Fenrir and save the earth. As they move about a steam-punk version of Turin, Italy, players must locate which of the eight characters is the chosen one who can stop Fenrir. Second, they must search for pieces of music that must be played. And finally, they must locate a mystical organ whose music can avert the coming disaster. The first player to do all three, and maneuver the chosen one to the organ, wins the game.
There is a traitor mechanic here, however, as one of the players secretly becomes an agent of Fenrir on game turn five, and must meet his own victory conditions to win.
"011" is a very unusual game, both thematically and mechanically. For instance, players select a different character to play every turn, and a series of moving gears on the board determines which actions might be taken and movement points allowed. There is a lot to like here, and the mechanic for searching for the chosen one plays out a lot like in the board game "Clue," though with a some significant twists.
On the whole, however, this is generally a slow game that forces players to interact with the board far more than with each other. There is a lot of downtime between turns, and players must also bid for turn order at the start of every turn, really slowing the action down. The way in which the organ is located is really neat, as are some of the other actions players can take, but generally the game didn't thrill me.
As one of my friends said while playing it, "I wonder if the real Ragnorok would be this bureaucratic?"
"011" plays in about two hours and is recommended for ages 10 and up.
Cody K. Carlson holds a master's degree in history from the University of Utah and currently teaches at Salt Lake Community College. He is also the co-developer of the popular History Challenge iPhone/iPad apps. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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So here's the harvest of several plants from the patch. Not much pest damage, and a lovely green colour it is.
While out in the backyard I picked some shallots (spring onions), as they're required in the recipe, too. These are rapidly becoming one of my favourite food plants to grow in the garden. They last for ages, are easy to grow and are so versatile in the kitchen, too. I've got to the stage where I have a constant supply, or at least try to.
This 'Modern Greek' cookbook, by Andy Harris, which I bought last year has numerous really good recipes, including the spinach pie one I'm following this time round.
Then blanch the spinach in a steamer for a few minutes, until it wilts. Let it drain well, then squeeze out more moisture and let it keep on draining. Spinach can hold a lot of liquid, so make sure it's not too gluggy.
The weigh-in. The recipe called for 250g of spinach, and I've got 400g here. No worries, I'm sure I can toss in more cheese and shallots to compensate.
Combine the feta cheese and ricotta cheese well in a bowl. I use Greek Dodoni feta, which is made from a blend of pasteurised sheep's and goat's milk. It has a wonderful tang.
Finely chop two tablespoons of fresh dill. (This isn't home-grown, but this being a Greek neighbourhood it's always plentiful in the shops. It's one of the staples of authentic Greek flavour.)
As a very mediocre pastry chef there's no way I'd attempt to make my own filo pastry. So it's the shop-bought stuff, as thin as tissue paper.
Cut eat sheet into a three-inch (10cm) wide strip of pastry and brush with melted butter. Place a dollop of filling on one end and fold to form a triangle shape.
Make sure the final fold includes a good smear of melted butter, then wrap up and keep on making more triangles. As usual, your last few triangles are really good, while the first few are a bit rough.


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Valve is pretty popular. So too are MOBA games like League of Legends. So I guess that explains why there's now over 150,000 people playing Valve's DOTA 2 at any given time before the game's even out.
As those without access are aware of, you can only get the game if you're invited, as Valve continues one of the longest and most public betas since Gmail. Sure, those invites aren't exactly hard to come by lately, but still, there's a big difference between something that's restricted and something that anyone can download at any time for free.
Under those conditions, the concurrent player base for DOTA 2 has now hit 180,000. That means there are 180,000 playing it at once.
Imagine how many will be playing when the game's actually out.
Dota 2 hits new high with 180k concurrent players [PC Gamer]


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Demi Lovato Confirms She's Not in Rehab
Despite rumors to the contrary, Demi Lovato did not miss the Grammys because she checked back into rehab. A rep for Lovato claims she was never scheduled to appear on the awards show and says the singer is on a personal retreat, as she told her fans earlier this week.
On Sunday, the 'Skyscraper' singer tweeted, "Away on a mind and body cleansing retreat!! This is exciting.. Won't be tweeting much this week but I love you my sweet lovatics!" The message apparently convinced some that she was heading back to rehab, where she spent a few months for personal issues starting in November 2010.
Lovato's rep tells MTV the retreat was planned long ago: "Demi had a week off between work commitments and made the personal decision to spend the week with the professional support team she assembled to help her with her ongoing physical and emotional issues."
The rep adds that Lovato's struggles and recovery, which she sang about on her last album 'Unbroken,' are always at the front of her mind: "Demi's recovery is an ongoing battle. She understands that there will be ups and downs, but is fully committed to working with her team every single day towards a healthy future."
Lovato also faced rehab rumors last month, but fortunately, those were false as well.


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An Early Warning System for Parents
- Learn about an early warning system for parents that "applies to children of all ages and contains three basic components: (1) reading and talking about the Book of Mormon with your children, (2) bearing testimony of gospel truths spontaneously with your children, and (3) inviting children as gospel learners to act and not merely be acted upon. Parents who do these things faithfully will be blessed to recognize early signals of spiritual growth in or challenges with their children and be better prepared to receive inspiration to strengthen and help those children" (David A. Bednar, "Watching with All Perseverance," April 2010 general conference).
Children Who Have Strayed
- "If a child is not listening, don't despair. Time and truth are on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven itself. Your testimony will never leave your children" (Neil L. Andersen, "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," April 2010 general conference).
Family Dinner Table
- "Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time. They know that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world. The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find common roots in the teaching of children in the home" (L. Tom Perry, "Mothers Teaching Children in the Home, April 2010 general conference).
Mothers' Teachings to Daughters
- "If the mothers are thrifty, so are their daughters. If the mothers are modest, so are the girls. If the mothers wear flip-flops and other casual clothing to sacrament meeting, so do their daughters. Mothers, your example is extremely important to your daughters—even if they don't acknowledge it" (M. Russell Ballard, "Mothers and Daughters," April 2010 general conference).
- "Let me assure you that even when you think your daughter is not listening to a thing you say, she is still learning from you as she watches you to see if your actions match your words. As Ralph Waldo Emerson is believed to have said, 'What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say' (see Ralph Keyes, The Quote Verifier [2006], 56)" ("Mothers and Daughters").
- "Mothers, teach your daughters that a faithful daughter of God avoids the temptation to gossip or judge one another. In a sermon to the Relief Society of Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph counseled, 'The tongue is an unruly member—hold your tongues about things of no moment' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 455)" ("Mothers and Daughters").
- "Mothers, teach your daughters the importance of making covenants, and then show them how to keep those covenants in such a way that they will desire to live worthy to go to the temple. In today's world this means talking to your daughters about sexual matters. . . . Immodest, unchaste women are glamorized and all too often celebrated and emulated. . . . You need to have frequent, open discussions during which you teach your daughter's the truth about these issues" ("Mothers and Daughters").
- "[Your daughters] need to understand that when they wear clothing that is too tight, too short, or too low cut, they not only can send the wrong message to young men with whom they associate, but they also perpetuate in their own minds the fallacy that a woman's value is dependent solely upon her sensual appeal. This never has been nor will it ever be within the righteous definition of a faithful daughter of God. They need to hear this—clearly and repeatedly—from your lips, and they need to see it modeled correctly and consistently in your own personal standards of dress, grooming, and modest living" ("Mothers and Daughters").
- "A mother-daughter relationship is where a daughter learns how to nurture by being nurtured" (M. Russell Ballard, "Mothers and Daughters," April 2010 general conference).
Single Mothers
- "After her husband passed away, Sister Stella Oaks raised her three young children (including Elder Dallin H. Oaks) as a single mother. She once said: 'I was given to know that the Lord loved me and that I would be made equal to my mission. I felt an encircling love . . . [and knew] he [would sustain us] through the opposition that [would] arise' " (Neil L. Andersen, "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," April 2010 general conference).
Talking with Our Children
- "Mothers and fathers, as you drive or walk children to school or their various activities, do you use the time to talk with them about their hopes and dreams and fears and joys? Do you take the time to have them take the earplugs from their MP3 players and all the other devices so that they can hear you and feel of your love?" (Robert D. Hales, "Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the Rising Generation," April 2010 general conference).
- "It is impossible to overestimate the influence of parents who understand the hearts of their children. Research shows that during the most important transitions of life—including those periods when youth are most likely to drift away from the Church—the greatest influence does not come from an interview with the bishop or some other leader but from the regular, warm, friendly, caring interaction with parents" ("Our Duty to God").
- "When we have a family home evening, a family council, or a meaningful gospel conversation with our children, we have the opportunity to look into their eyes and tell them that we love them and that Heavenly Father loves them. . . . In every interaction we share, we demonstrate the principles and blessings of the gospel" ("Our Duty to God").
Teaching Children
- "The family has an advantage in the first eight years of a child's life. In those protected years, because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Satan's use of the mists of darkness to hide the path to return home is blocked" (Henry B. Eyring, "Help Them on Their Way Home," April 2010 general conference).
- "Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today's world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility. While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to 'train up a child in the way he [or she] should go' (Proverbs 22:6), ultimately this responsibility rests with parents" (L. Tom Perry, "Mothers Teaching Children in the Home," April 2010 general conference).
Teaching Our Children about Jesus Christ
- "We are the angels that Heavenly Father has sent today to bless the children, and we can help them to one day see the face of the Savior as we teach the principles of the gospel and fill our homes with the joy of living them. Together we can come to know Him" (Cheryl C. Lant, "That Our Children Might See the Face of the Savior," April 2010 general conference).
- "The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.' The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?" (Neil L. Andersen, "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," April 2010 general conference).
- "Are the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embedded in the minds and souls of our children? Do they think about the Savior's life when they wonder what to do in their own lives? This will be more and more important in the years ahead. . . . My counsel is to speak more frequently about Jesus Christ. . . . As you do your best, the testimony of Jesus will gently distill upon your children's hearts. They will go to their Heavenly Father in humble prayer and feel His influence through the power of the Holy Ghost. A stronger personal faith in Jesus Christ will prepare them for the challenges they will most surely face" ("Tell Me the Stories of Jesus").
Teaching Our Children to Have Their Own Testimonies
- "The spiritual understanding you and I have been blessed to receive, and which has been confirmed as true in our hearts, simply cannot be given to our children. The tuition of diligence and of learning by study and also by faith must be paid to obtain and personally 'own' such knowledge. Only in this way can what is known in the mind also be felt in the heart. Only in this way can a child move beyond relying upon the spiritual knowledge and experiences of parents and adults and claim those blessings for himself or herself. Only in this way can our children be prepared spiritually for the challenges of mortality" (David A. Bednar, "Watching with All Perseverance," April 2010 general conference).
- "It is our imperative duty to help youth understand and believe the gospel in a deeply personal way. We can teach them to walk in the light, but that light cannot be borrowed. They must earn it for themselves. They must obtain their own light of testimony directly from the source of spiritual light—God Himself—through prayer and study and pondering. They must understand who they are and who Heavenly Father wants them to become" (Robert D. Hales, "Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the Rising Generation," April 2010 general conference).
The Greatest Work We Will Ever Do
- "The greatest missionary work we will ever do will be in our homes. . . . Our children and grandchildren are our most important investigators" (Robert D. Hales, "Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the Rising Generation," April 2010 general conference).
- "The greatest family history work that we will do will be within our own homes. It is the spiritual preparation of our children in the rising generation that will, through their obedience, ensure the eternal preservation and perpetuation of our families for the coming generations" ("Our Duty to God").
- "The greatest rescue, the greatest activation will be in our homes. If someone in your family is wandering in strange paths, you are a rescuer, engaged in the greatest rescue effort the Church has ever known. I testify from personal experience: There is no failure except in giving up. It is never too early or too late to begin. Do not worry about what has happened in the past. Pick up the phone. Write a note. Make a visit. Extend the invitation to come home. Don't be afraid or embarrassed. Your child is Heavenly Father's child. You are about His work. He has promised to gather His children, and He is with you" ("Our Duty to God").
- "The greatest faith we have will be within our homes as we remain strong in the trials and tribulations of parenthood. To a small group of mothers, President Monson recently said, 'Sometimes we are too quick to judge the effect of our successes and failures.' May I add, don't look at today's trials as eternal. Heavenly Father does His work in the long term. 'There is much which lieth in futurity,' the Prophet Joseph Smith said. 'Therefore, . . . let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed' (D&C 123:15, 17)" ("Our Duty to God").


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When I first started this blog it was a major time of change for me. I had just finished graduate school, which in itself was the first time I had some sort of "career path" in mind. I had just moved back to DC (which I dislike less every day, but can't yet say I like) from New York (which has been the home of my imagination since I put up a calendar when I was thirteen counting down the days until I would attend NYU–which I never did). I moved in with my boyfriend, who I knew at that point I would spend the rest of my life with if I was lucky. Just having a serious boyfriend was a first for me, and yet, upon reflection, neither of those things made me as nervous as they maybe should have. I started a job I was unsure about and let myself get convinced to take against my better judgment. I then quit it a day and a half later. After a week or so, I began a different job I was less unsure about. (I've been there ever since.) This sounds very simple in words, but it all felt so enormous and difficult at the time. Like I was making a decision that would affect the whole world.
It's been a few years and I find myself in another period of intense change. I'm at that point in my career where if you were dating you would need to decide whether to get married or break up. Does this really feel right? Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life…or at least for a long time? Can I do better? But there are so many things I like here…will I really have those things somewhere else? Sure I've invested a lot in this (enough student loans to make me physically ill), but didn't I always want something else? Like to be a fashion designer or a filmmaker or JK Rowling. Shouldn't I pursue my dream (of the day)? Did I mention I'm maddeningly fickle? After blowing through five seasons of Bones in just a few weeks, I actually looked up forensic anthropology at the Smithsonian because I was convinced that was really what I needed to be doing. After Ugly Betty, I had to fight the urge to look at writing jobs. I have a feeling that if there were a television show made about my job I would either a) stop questioning my choices; or b) realize that television shows obviously do not portray jobs accurately and not everyone is hot in any non-Hollywood job…b/c let's be real here, it makes a difference (not really).
Part of my struggle is being ok with the fact that I probably cannot be both happy and in one place forever. There's a lot of judgment in our culture toward people that don't follow this forward linear structure. They're flighty, unreliable, weak-minded. While I wish I could say that I was completely comfortable forging my own path and not conforming, I'm not. I need validation, respect, and all that other mumbo jumbo. And on top of all of that, I'm not at all sure what I want, because when it really comes down to it, I want to do everything. all at once. right now.
And so that's where I find myself right now. Trying to decide between what's comfortable and safe and something else. Something that could be exciting and challenging–but maybe still not quite right. Yet is probably better than being just comfortable, moving forward in slow motion because it's the safest way to get ahead, which of course is what I'm supposed to do to prove I'm at least a little smart.
Thank you for letting me vent my issues. I remembered this space as a place for me to be when change is happening–and when I should let it happen. Because in the end, even if I make the wrong choice, I can make another change and another until I can't. And I should probably be making changes until then.


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Compared to people in other advanced countries, Americans have a startlingly high likelihood of dying before 50. But if they reach their retirement years, their odds of living to a ripe old age improve considerably. That's the cyclone-with-a-silver-lining news conveyed by a report on American life expectancy and mortality released this week by the federally sponsored National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine.
An American male's life expectancy at birth is a little under 76 years; a women's life expectancy is just under 81 years. That's impressive compared to two generations ago, but looks less so when compared to the populations of Western Europe, Australia and Japan – in fact, of the 17 countries in the study, the U.S. ranks dead last in life expectancy, trailing 4 to 5 years behind the leaders. The factors behind our laggard status are familiar ones: Compared to the rest of the world, the U.S. has poorer eating habits, more gun violence, and above all, a far higher proportion of the population without health insurance.
But for Americans who can stay out of trouble, lay off the chili dogs and stay healthy, the picture definitely brightens later in life – when America's high-tech medical system starts working in their favor. Compared to the rest of the First World, the U.S. enjoys lower death rates from cancer and stroke, and it's easier for Americans to control of blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The report doesn't say so in so many words, but it's worth noting that it's easier to take advantage of the treatments and medications that make those advantages possible once you qualify for Medicare, at age 65. The result, the authors conclude, is that "Americans who reach age 75 can expect to live longer than people in the peer countries."


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Fear of Self
Myself, arch-traitor to myself; My hollowest friend, my deadliest foe, My clog whatever road I go. Christina Rossetti, in her poem "Who Shall Deliver Me," writhes in her imagination as she grasps for some means to save herself from her …Read More
The Mission to Slovakia
"We, the Slovak People, bearing in mind the political and cultural heritage of our predecessors…mindful of the spiritual bequest of Cyril and Methodius…adopted this constitution." Slovakia, lying at the crossroads of East and West in secular Europe, after being …Read More
With Malice Aforethought
When Genevieve told Liz she was wearing her blouse inside-out, Liz was mortified. The verb mortify comes from a Latin word for death, so it fits Liz: she wanted to die. Nowadays we rarely use the word in any other …Read More
Kris Lundgaard
Rev. Kris Lundgaard is a missionary with Mission to the World, an agency of the Presbyterian Church in America, currently serving in Slovakia. He is author of the book The Enemy Within.


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Holiday Inn Cleveland-Strongsville (Arpt)
Holiday Inn Cleveland-Strongsville (Arpt)
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Welcome to Holiday Inn Cleveland-Strongsville (Arpt)
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The Holiday Inn® Strongsville, a full-service hotel near the Cleveland Airport, offers business travelers a quiet, convenient location near many local and national businesses and corporate headquarters. Perks for our business guests include 13,000 square feet of meeting space, 24-hour business center, and complimentary, hotel-wide Wi-Fi.
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Indoor swimming pool, pool table and air hockey located in the hotel.OBM Ice Land USA for ice skating located across hotel's parking lot to include onsite game room and restaurant.SouthPark Mall only half a mile away, which has indoor miniature golf and pottery painting.
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Credit Cards
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Provided by Hotel


text:
فراخوان به تظاهرات در سالگرد مرگ خمینی در تورنتو!
زمان :یکشنبه ۲ جون ۲۰۱۳ در ساعت ۵ بعد از ظهر
محل: مرکز اسلامی الهدی واقع در شماره ۹۷۵ خیابان کندی در تورنتو (کندی، یک بلوک جنوب لارنس)
"جامعه مسلمانان کلانشهر تورنتو" به مناسبت ۲۴ مین سالگرد مرگ روح الله خمینی، مراسم بزرگداشتی در تورنتو ترتیب داده است. در پوستر تبلیغی، موضوع برنامه بطور طعنه آمیزی "مبارزه امام خمینی برای عدالت برای مظلومان" عنوان شده است.
این جالب است که خمینی یک دیکتاتور اسلامی وحشی بود که انقلاب ایران در سال ۱۹۷۹ را ربود و "مقام معظم رهبری" یک دیکتاتوری اسلامی بود که نه تنها مردم خود را در۳۴ سال گذشته سرکوب میکرده، بلکه بسیار درگیر در تروریسم بین المللی در سراسر جهان هم بوده است.
Sayeh Hassan is an Iranian Canadian Lawyer, blogger and Pro-Democracy Activist
Call to Pickett Ruhollah Khomeini's Anniversary Event in Toronto!0 comments - published on Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Call to Pickett Ruhollah Khomeini's Anniversary Event in Toronto!
Date: June 2nd 2013
Time: 5:00pm
Place: 975 Kennedy Road, Toronto, Ontario-Al Huda Islamic Centre
An event has been organized by the "Muslim Community of GTA" to mark the 24th death anniversary of Ruhollah Khomeini in Toronto. Ironically the theme of this event as identified on the flyer is "Imam Khomeini's Struggle For Justice of the Oppressed."
This is ironic as Khomeini was the brutal Islamic dictator who high-jacked the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and was the "Supreme Leader" of an Islamic dictatorship that not only has been oppressing its own people for the past 34 years, but is also very much involved in international terrorism worldwide.
Khomeini is a widely hated figure in Iran and is seen by many as the Iranian "Hitler". He is responsible for the arrest, torture, rape and imprisonment of thousands of Iranian political dissidents after the revolution.
After the revolution millions of Iranians were forced to flee Iran in order to save their own lives or the lives of those they loved. Over the past 34 years many Iranians have come to Canada to escape for that type of Islamic extremism and have embraced the Canadian values of freedom, democracy and secularism.
It is unfortunate that Canada which is a safe haven for many Iranians who have escaped from Islamic extremism and terrorism has become a breeding ground for Islamic extremists who view Islamic dictators as heroes to be celebrated and worshiped.
Canada is a free country and while these individuals may have the right to hold such events on private property we also have the right to picket such events and voice our concern over these types of events which serve to disseminate Islamic extremism and hateful propaganda throughout Canada.
Hope to see everyone there!
Sayeh Hassan is an Iranian Canadian lawyer, blogger and pro-democracy activist
Open Letter-"GLOBAL DIALOGUE" or "REFORMISTS" DIAL-UP0 comments - published on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
"GLOBAL DIALOGUE" or "REFORMISTS" DIAL-UP
A Lost Opportunity For: A Real"GLOBAL DIALOGUE ON THE FUTURE OF IRAN"
May 15, 2013
Ms. Janice Stein Director Munk School of Global Affairs email@example.com
Ms. Janice Stein,
As Canadian-Iranian activists, deeply involved in struggle for a free, democratic and secular Iran, we would like to praise the Munk School of Global Affairs for facilitating an "International Dialogue" about the future of Iran.
However, we are deeply concerned that only, for the benefit of window-dressing, an insignificant number of invitees were from the opposition which are closely linked to the struggle for democratic movement in Iran.
It is extremely disappointing to see that Munk School, for an unknown reason/s, chose to exclude the opposition groups instead inviting the pro-regime "Reformists".
As you may be aware there are opposition groups, with divers political perspectives, who have been deeply involved in the struggle to end the tyranny of Islamic regime - in order to bring about a form of freely and democratically elected governance that respects freedom, Human Rights and the will of people. We truly believe that the insight of these organizations, which have supporters in Iran and representatives in Canada and in other Western countries, would have been extremely beneficial in any type of dialogue dealing with the future of Iran.
As the Islamic regime's "Presidential [s]election" fast approaches, it would have been not only important but very relevant for the Munk School of Global Affairs, to provide a venue to the Iranian opposition. It is extremely concerning and disappointing that this opportunity was not granted.
It is our great concern that many invitees in the, so called, "Global Dialogue on the Future of Iran" were individuals who either have been part of the Islamic regime (i.e. Mojtaba Vahedi) or the pro-regime "reformists" chapter (i.e. Mehrangiz Kar), or "cultural attaché" (i.e. Mehrdad Aiannejad) and of course "academic elites" (i.e. Ramin Jahanbegloo) in favour of "Dialogue" with the regime.
We were particularly disgusted with the presentation of Bahman Kalbasi and Mehrangiz Kar under the pretext of "moderators" with agenda in promoting the Islamic regime and its anti-Human Rights "Constitution".
Sadly, the only person, Ms. Shiva Mahboubi, who really alluded to the subject of ending the Islamic dictatorship, was subjected to gagging by the moderator/dominator, pro-regime reformist, Ms. Mehrangiz Kar.
It should be noted that the "Future" begins today; unfortunately, there was no discussion on how to overcome the obstacle of today - Islamic dictatorship - and to arrive at the presumed "Future". In addition, during the two-day sessions, none of the selected topics or questions dealt with the subject of facilitation of ending the tyranny of "Islamic Republic" in Iran – with a free democratic secular government.
Please note that in the eyes of the Iranian people, neither the Islamic regime, the regime of: rape, torture and execution, has any legitimacy nor do individuals who persistently insist to promote a different version of Islam in an attempt to salvage the "Islamic Republic".
Unfortunately, this was a lost opportunity to have a real "GLOBAL DIALOGUE ON THE FUTURE OF IRAN" - a dialogue which includes Iranian opposition, individuals, and groups opposing the totality of the Islamic regime in Iran. However, we are hopeful that the Munk School of Global Affairs will be more inclusive in its future events; and in addition, more transparent in demonstrating its stance with and its support for the people of Iran in their struggle for freedom.
In conclusion, we would like to inform you that for the people of Iran, one of the significant factors in their struggle - for ending the Islamic dictatorship and quest for freedom and democracy - is "memory and remembrance".
Yours truly,
Sayeh Hassan Canadian-Iranian lawyer, pro-democracy activist and blogger firstname.lastname@example.com, shiro-khorshid-forever.blogspot.com
Faramarz Shiravand Canadian-Iranian investigative reporter and political activist email@example.com
CC: John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs
In Memory of Farzad Kamangar and all other Iranian Freedom Fighters0 comments - published on Thursday, May 09, 2013
In memory of Farhad Vakili, Shirin Alam Hooli, Farzad Kamangar, Mehdi Islamian and Ali Heydari who were executed by the Islamic Regime in Iran on May 9th 2010. Three years later we still Honour their memory and the memory of all brave Iranians who have been executed at the hands of this Regime for fighting for freedom and democracy. As the Presidential [S]Elections of June approaches, I hope we will keep the memories of these brave freedom fighters alive and say No To Executions, No to Torture and NO TO ISLAMIC REGIME IN IRAN!


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and 14 others
Welcome to the Seattle Photography Group!Our mission is to reveal the huge number of hidden or inaccessible photography activities that can be so hard to find, and to consolidate local photography activities and resources helping our members push their limits and expand their skills both through practice and working with other aspiring photographers.Our group provides value by offering activities which might be difficult for a lone photographer to set up, such as fashion shoots with aspiring models, studio rentals, car-pooled field trips, fashion shows, night walks, photo-critiques, knowledge sharing, etc. The group also provides motivation to its members to get outside and take pictures.Our top secret strategy is to provide a diverse set of activities by recruiting and empowering exceptionally talented and broadly skilled assistant organizers. To become an assistant organizer one needs to have a passion to organize events which relate in some way to photography.The Seattle Photography Group is open to amateurs and professionals alike, but will cater mostly to advanced amateurs with a passion to take it to the next level. We welcome new members!
Heston Visual Arts Studio
Needs a location


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The quest to trim waistlines using artificial sweeteners could be backfiring, as researchers found artificially sweetened drinks like diet soda can increase a person's likelihood of stroke and dementia.
A study published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke found a daily diet soda puts a person at three times the risk of dementia and stroke compared to someone who drinks less than one a week.
It's another blow to diet soda, which has been the subject of recent unflattering studies. Purdue University found in 2013 it doesn't actually help us lose weight. Another 2007 study discovered those who drink diet soda are no less at risk of heart disease than those who drink regular soda.
In fact, the Stroke study found drinking sugary drinks such as soda and fruit juice, doesn't increase a person's risk of stroke and dementia. Researchers caution that's not a call to go buy sugary drinks, which Harvard has linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
"Although we did not find an association between stroke or dementia and the consumption of sugary drinks, this certainly does not mean they are a healthy option," explained Dr. Matthew Pase, study author and a senior fellow at the Boston University School of Medicine. "We recommend that people drink water on a regular basis instead of sugary or artificially sweetened beverages."
Over seven years, researchers studied thousands of people over the age of 45 from the area of Framingham, Mass., on their drinking and eating habits. Researchers followed-up a decade later to see who had experienced a stroke or dementia. The data was adjusted for a number of factors, including age, sex and caloric intake.
The study only tracked the trend between artificial sweetener consumers, dementia and stroke, but was unable to prove that drinking artificial drinks was the cause of the diseases.
Pase added the overall risk for dementia and stroke isn't staggering.
"Even if someone is three times as likely to develop stroke or dementia, it is by no means a certain fate," he said. "In our study, 3% of the people had a new stroke and 5% developed dementia, so we're still talking about a small number of people developing stroke or dementia."


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When you're a fan of a movie star, you tend not to notice when they become so remarkably egotistical that their heads are more disproportionate than Stewie's on "Family Guy."
When you're a fan of a movie star, you tend not to notice when they become so remarkably egotistical that their heads are more disproportionate than Stewie's on "Family Guy."
Say hello to our two latest offenders — Ryan Reynolds and Will Smith, two of my favorite actors who decided to take at least a brief trip off the reservation this week with some quotes:
What he's done: The most underrated TV sitcom of the '90s, "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place"; "Fifteen," the model for which all Canadian teen soap operas should be based; the criminally underrated "Adventureland" and the very bad "Green Lantern."
What he said: In a podcast with British movie magazine Empire (courtesy of entertainment website Alpha Male of the Group), he was asked about reprising his role as Hal Jordan in the planned "Justice League" movie: "Working on 'Green Lantern,' I saw how difficult it is to make that concept palatable, and how confused it all can be when you don't really know exactly where you're going with it or you don't really know how to access that world properly — that world comic book fans have been accessing for decades and falling in love with. So at this point I have very little interest in joining that kind of world. But, you know, a great script and a good director can always turn that around."
Analysis: "Green Lantern" is putrid. While not all of this is the fault of Reynolds, he shoulders some of the blame, right? Instead, he throws the entire production team directly under the back wheel of the bus, gets behind the wheel and punches down on the gas pedal.
Which is fine if you're cool never working again for Warner Bros., which produced "Green Lantern." But not one sentence later, he says he'll do it again if there's a good script and director!
"You stink, your movie stunk, it probably will stink if you do it again ... but call me when you get Scorsese, OK?"
That's not even the worst part! The movie bombed so badly Warners had to scrap plans for a potential franchise and lost tens of millions of dollars in production and marketing costs.
I don't remember studios ever taking the blame for bombs, but I sure do remember 50 million other instances where they blamed the actor. So, who here thinks they'd even consider bringing Reynolds back for a sequel, let alone a "Justice League" movie, potentially the biggest movie the studio will ever make?
No one? No one thinks that?
Sorry, Ryan. You're alone on this one.
What he's done: Had an uncredited cameo in Kevin Smith's "Jersey Girl." Has he done anything else?
What he said: According to Entertainment Weekly, on why he dropped out of playing Django in "Django Unchained": "Django wasn't the lead, so it was like, I need to be the lead. The other character was the lead!" And also (SPOILER ALERT!): "I was like, 'No, Quentin, please, I need to kill the bad guy!'"
Analysis: Holy crow, Big Willie! You thought it was cool to tell an Academy Award-winning writer and likely the most respected scribe in Hollywood this side of William Goldman how to write his movie? And you dropped out of it because of that?
The absolute best part of this is Jamie Foxx — who replaced the Fresh Prince as Django — was promoted as the lead actor and Christoph Waltz as the supporting actor. Waltz won his second Tarantino-penned Oscar.
So either Smith missed the point and intention of the whole script, or he is just too involved in his own stardom to notice that Django was the star of the movie — despite not killing the bad guy.
You know who didn't think the script needed to be changed? THE ACADEMY AWARDS, that's who, which gave Tarantino the best original screenplay Oscar.
Maybe we'll find out next year how he turned down Spielberg over not enough creamer in the caterer's coffee.
Michael Sadowski is a Pocono Record writer and author of PopRox, a local entertainment and pop culture blog found at blogs.thepoconos.com/pop-rox. A longer version of this appears there. Contact him at email@example.com.


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Vecmap tracks the Asian bush mosquito
Under the watchful eye of ESA's Vecmap initiative, the Asian bush mosquito is about to get bitten in Belgium. First observed in Belgium in 2002, the Asian bush mosquito can spread viruses such as Chikungunya, Dengue, and West Nile.
Vecmap tests the accurate mapping of mosquitoes in Europe and in particular, mosquitoes carrying diseases.
Diseases carried by mosquitoes or ticks are an increasing public health concern in Europe. However, predicting where mosquitoes will flourish and spread infections is difficult. The conditions, location and timing of mosquito hatching vary widely between species.
Vecmap provides a one-shop-stop that simplifies the entire mosquito mapping process by defining key habitats based on field data and delivers risk maps for a wide range of users.
It consists of both software and supporting services, combining inputs from measurements taken during field work as well as data from Earth observation satellites. Data such as vegetation type, land temperature and soil moisture are used.
Field measurements are entered by inspectors into a smart phone, which pinpoints their location using satnav. Data is then transferred to a central database.
Depending on the user's needs, a variety of graphs and interactive research can be made through this database.
Avia-GIS was asked to coordinate a programme to eradicate the Asian bush mosquito from Belgium after authorities reviewed a risk assessment made by the Scientific Institute of Public Health with experts from Belguim´s Modirisk project.
Avia-GIS is working with ESA to develop Vecmap and will be using the system for the surveying requirements of the Belgian eradication programme.
Mosquitoes will continue to be tracked until the end of the season and the project may continue in March 2013.
For more information see the links in the column to the right.


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That traitor can go retire. Just glad he lost the Super Bowl
I was bored and looking up stats.
Shaun Ellis (72.5) is only 1.5 sacks behind Mark Gastineau (74) for the Jets All-Time Sack Leader.
As a Jets fan, just hypothetically speaking, would you want to re-sign him for a vet's minimum and see him get 2 sacks to surpass #99's tainted stats and ugly exit (Despite reconciliation) from the team? Just curious on thoughts.
I LOVE Shaun Ellis. He was a consistent Jet and as much as I'm a Gastineau fan, I think #92 would be more deserving of that crown. I'd like to see him at least get the opportunity for the record.
That traitor can go retire. Just glad he lost the Super Bowl
No. We have two young guns in Wilkerson and Coples. You don't set the defense as a team back, in order to (attempt to) allow Shaun Ellis tie or break a franchise record.
Ellis has been on a steep decline. I made it known heading into last season, that Ellis was on a decline, and would be lucky to put up anything more than 20 tackles and 2 sacks with NE. I was right, but, he was even worse and/or more washed up than expected/imagined.
2008: 60 tackles, 8.5 sacks.
2009: 53 tackles, 6.5 sacks.
2010: 36 tackles, 4.5 sacks.
2011: 14 tackles, 1.0 sacks.
He's completely done as an NFL football player, and may not have two sacks left in his ability. How long would you expect to wait for Ellis to record those two sacks? Two years? He's done.
Only sign him for a day contract so he can retire as a JET
You can't blame Ellis for signing with NE, they gave him a ridiculous contract. They overpaid him by 3 million dollars. I would let him sign to retire a Jet, but not to actually play.
It'd be nice if he could play one game get a couple sacks and then retire but that ain't gonna happen. He was good while he was a Jet, he should retire one.
Glad he lost the SB... Now he can retire like most other Jets have...
He left the Jets. He went to the hated rival. He doesn't deserve that level of loyalty.
He would be stupid to not take the extra 3M dollars. That I don't begrudge him of. But when it comes to loyalty, he showed none. Why should the Jets show him any? Let him retire with the enemy for that matter. This is professional sports and he showed ZERO loyalty with his move.
This is like when Glavin signed with the Mets. We booed his ass all day in ATL. Once he retired and some time went by he's been accepted back by the fans. But they still wont forget how he ended his career. Some people don't care about their legacy, instead going for the money. Pretty sad that loyalty, legacy, and integrity can be bought out.
Nope. Gaston ray is the best pass rusher the jets ever had. Ellis doesn't come close plus he went to the Pats. F-that lazy, pothead sellout.
Nah, let him try to break NE's record.
In football where real stats are unimportant and this is far from a real stat?
Considering that they didn't count sacks the first 3 years of Gastineau's career?
We have people badmouthing Ellis in this thread and praising Gastineu?
The same guy who in the prime of his career left us high and dry to go bang that she-hulk Bridget Nielsen?
Gastineu can suck a bag of dicks as far as I'm concerned.
Ellis wanted to continue playing and I can't blame him for leaving or signing with the Pats for that matter. We offered him the vet minimum after he was voted to the pro-bowl and almost single handedly dismantled the Pats offense in a playoff win. He took it as a slap in the face and I don't blame him.
Absolutely not.
His time is over. It's time for young players to play and show what they can do. Ellis can sign a one day contract and retire a Jet if he'd like, but no skin off our nose if he doesn't care to do so.
I'd only do it to then subsequently bring back Gastineau to take the record back right back.
Hell, let's sign every washed up old traitor defensive lineman we can think of.
For those that are hating on Shaun Ellis you are forgetting his last gift to the Jets ... sucking up 3 million of the Patriot's salary cap and being a non-factor all season long.
That's what I call a friend


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French Riviera Lighting
Whatever is happening today in Cannes, it's producing beautiful photographs, goddamn. Not that it's a challenge to shoot Jon Hamm, of course not. But an extra beautiful Jon Hamm is nothing to complain about. And look what this French Riviera lighting is doing for Elisabeth Moss. Her skin, it's radiant.
And remember, they've been on the move the last few days. Travelling in luxury, sure, but travelling nonetheless, it takes its toll. For regular folk it becomes the ashy dull cloud that settles over your complexion. But this light... even regular folk might look special in this light.
Anyway, Jon and Elisabeth are there to promote Mad Men at MIPCOM, being nice to all the money people who buy and distribute content. Very curious to know if he gets a part of that action, though it seems unlikely considering he was pretty much nobody when he signed on as Don Draper. And, um, at $100K an episode, which seems a lot to you and me, that's actually considerably LESS than Kate Gosselin who earns $250K per. And that kid from Two and a Half Men? Yeah, he's making more than Jon Hamm too.
Hate. People.
Photos from Wenn.com


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A wheelchair-bound boy helps to reunite an earthbound alien with its extraterrestrial family in this shameless rip-off of Steven Spielberg's E.T.. Separated from his parents shortly after arriving on planet Earth, a Mysterious Alien Creature (MAC) quickly strikes up a friendship with lonely Eric Cruise (former Easter Seals spokesman Jade Calegory). New to town and in need of a pal after losing his father, Eric discovers just how amazing the universe can be when mischievous MAC takes him on the adventure...more
OK for kids 7+
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