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Post by FWS on Sept 6, 2014 12:13:59 GMT -6
I get out plenty and the only long term committed relationship I want or need is with a German short-haired pointer and/or a lab.
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Post by FWS on Sept 6, 2014 10:41:56 GMT -6
How Fishing Makes You A Better Person (According To Science)By Abigail Wise The Huffington Post 09/06/2014 Fishing is one of the most accessible outdoor sports. Nearly anyone, no matter age, income level or even fitness ability, can easily participate. And the sport is no longer the boys' club it was once thought of either. Of the 46 million Americans who fish today, over one third of them are women, according to a new report released by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and the Outdoor Foundation. There's also growing age and ethnic diversity within the sport. Whether they grew up heading out onto the lake every Sunday with Grandpa or are one of the millions trying the sport for the first time every year, those who fish have a direct connection to health and well-being. Here's how fishing can help you lead a happier, healthier life. Fishing can keep you physically fit. While fishing itself isn't necessarily going to get your heart rate up, many of the best fishing spots require a bit of paddling, biking or hiking to reach, all of which have proven cardiovascular benefits. "You can make your fishing excursion as physical as you want," Janna Superstein, president of fly fishing company Superfly International Inc., tells The Huffington Post. She stresses, however, that you don't need to be incredibly active to participate. "Even just getting out there, you'll still get the benefits of the outdoors and maybe that's the beginning of a new fit, healthy lifestyle," she says. Of course, just spending time outside is good for your body and your brain. The outdoors gives us plenty of vitamin D (but don't forget the SPF!), makes us happier and helps us age gracefully. Fly fishing -- a specific type of fishing that incorporates artificial "flies" and a weighted line -- may also help women with breast cancer recover. Groups like Casting for Recovery combine breast cancer education with the sport as a form of support, therapy and exercise. Casting for Recovery's site says that the gentle motion of fly casting resembles exercises often prescribed after surgery or radiation to promote soft tissue stretching. The group is designed for women of all ages in all stages of treatment and recovery. Fish are an excellent source of nutrition. fish dish While not all who fish keep what they catch, those who do may be in for some bonus benefits. Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may decrease blood pressure and lower the risk of stroke and heart failure. They could also reduce irregular heartbeats and improve brain function in children, according to the Mayo Clinic. In addition to heart and brain health, research shows that eating fish can save your eyesight, decrease the risk of asthma, protect your skin from UV-rays and cut your chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis in half. Some research suggests that eating a fish-heavy diet could even help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Eating fish could help you live longer. All of that healthy eating pays off. Some credit the long lifespan of the Japanese to a fish- and veggie-heavy diet. Japanese women have the longest life expectancy in the world, at 87 years, according to the World Health Organization. And while men in Japan aren't quite as lucky, they do live to an average age of 80. Fishing may reduce stress. Many fishermen (and women!) would agree that the gentle lapping of waves and tug on a fishing line is enough to push any stress far from the mind. "Just doing the activity relieves pressure and creates sense of excitement," Frank Peterson, president and CEO of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, tells The Huffington Post. Of the nine percent of Americans currently considering taking up the sport, 38 percent of them are interested in it as a means of relieving stress, according to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and the Outdoor Foundation report. In a country where 80 percent of us report feeling even more stressed or equally stressed each year and only 37 percent of us actually think we're doing a good job at managing it, finding a way to relax is vital to our mental and physical health. For many, a day of casting line is the answer because research shows that focusing on any one activity at hand can be a fast track to stress reduction. "When you're fishing, you have to be mindful," Superstein says. "You have to be present in order to observe what's happening with the fish and catch them." The sport may decrease symptoms of PTSD. The combination of mental relaxation and an easy form of exercise could also help those who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. A 2009 study shows that fishing can lower PTSD symptoms and increase the mood of those who suffer from the disorder. After three days of fly fishing, participants reported a 32 percent reduction in guilt and a 43 percent decrease in feelings of hostility. The feeling of fear was also reduced by 30 percent, and sadness dropped by 36 percent. A portion of these positive effects remained even a full month after the fishing retreat. Plus, it helps you unplug. Some of the mental benefits of fishing may be thanks to the opportunity it offers for us to unplug from our digital lives and enjoy nature. Sure, many love to snap shots of their big catches for various forms of social media or to print off and frame the old-fashioned way -- "Before there were selfies, there were 'fishies'," says Peterson. And 50 percent of us use technology -- whether for music, pictures or GPS -- when participating in outdoor activities, according to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and the Outdoor Foundation. But overall, fishing offers a way to cut back on screen time. "It gives us a chance to unplug from daily lives and plug into something completely natural," Superstein says. "We can then recharge our batteries in a natural way." Interested in taking up the sport yourself? So you're ready to feast on a fresh catch. Luckily, it's easier to start fishing than you may think. We talked to an expert to find the best tips for beginner fly fishers: First, get rid of the misconceptions. Contrary to popular belief, fly fishing isn't only done for trout in mountain streams. According to Superstein, you can actually do it in saltwater, lakes, ponds and rivers. Invest in a starter kit. If you're a total newbie, look into buying a starter kit that includes a rod, reel, line and flies. Some even come with the necessary knots already tied. And don't feel like you have to spend a fortune, Superstein says. "Spending more money on gear doesn't necessarily mean you're going to catch more fish." Ask the experts. From weather to season to type of fish, there are so many variables to take into account that Superstein cautions against sticking to any hard and fast rules for catching more. Instead, check with people who know the area. Ask fellow boaters, workers at the bait shop or members of local fishing clubs for the best spots to fish and the best type of bait or fly to use. Explore the waters close to home. There's no need to venture into the depths of the woods or up a mountain to a small trout stream. Fishing is likely more accessible than you think. You can fish in the heart of downtown Chicago or on the Hudson River in New York City and still get the benefits of nature while living in an urban setting, Superstein says. Go whenever you can. While some only fish in the early morning and others swear by the first thaw of spring, Superstein warns against letting these restrictions hold you back. If you want to fish, go fish. "To quote my father," she says. "'The best time to fish is whenever you can,' because for the most part, it's not about the fish, it's about getting out on the water."
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Post by FWS on Sept 5, 2014 10:34:54 GMT -6
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Post by FWS on Sept 4, 2014 14:43:40 GMT -6
How do families with concussion concerns pick sports?Laine Higgins, USA TODAY September 4, 2014 When Generation X athletes were taking their first steps onto America's fields, courts and gyms in the 1970s, talk of concussion prevention was nonexistent in youth sports. Fast forward to 2014. Baseline concussion testing and research initiatives, such as the Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit hosted by President Obama in May, are informing coaches and parents about the consequences of concussions and preventive measures to take. Recently, for example, participation in youth football has taken a hit. Enrollment in Pop Warner, the largest youth football program in the country, has decreased by nearly 9.6% since 2010. Some experts attribute this drop to the increased awareness of the consequences of concussions. A 2012 study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) found that football players sustain the most concussions of all high school-aged athletes, with 11.2 concussions reported per 10,000 athletic exposures. Gymnastics, in the last decade, saw a sharp uptick in concussion frequency. From 1998-2004, the average rate of concussion per 10,000 athletic exposures was 1.6, according to Clinics in Sports Medicine. From 2004-11, that rate for gymnastics spiked to 7 concussions per 10,000 athletic exposures, according to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. Soccer is the highest risk sport of concussions for girls, with 6.7 reported injuries per 10,000 athletic exposures, according to the 2012 NAS study. In swimming, the incidence of concussions is only 1 out of every 100,000 athletic exposures, according to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2011. Lacrosse trails only football in terms of concussion risk, with 6.9 reported for every 10,000 athletic exposures, according to the 2012 NAS study Basketball is the second-highest concussion risk sport for girls, with 5.6 reported for every 10,000 athletic exposures, the 2012 NAS study showed. That's double the rate for boys basketball. . With the influx of data on concussions, how do families sort through the statistics and decide what sports they will allow their children to play? Take a look at how these families made their decisions. FOOTBALL Jared Morson, 13, is obsessed with football. The Olney, Md., native fell in love with Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions at a young age, and it didn't take long for him to start tossing the pigskin with his father, Jeff. "He is the epitome of a 13-year-old football junkie," his father says. "He just loves the game." Morson started playing tackle football at 7 for the Howard County (Md.) Terps. He began at center but got tired of blocking for everybody, his father said. Morson now plays quarterback and recently was invited to the National Underclassmen Elite 100 Camp at the University of Oklahoma in Norman as one of the nation's top 100 developing players. The family believes Morson, at 11, did suffer a concussion, but not from football. His father says Morson and another child were on the playground and banged heads. The nurse sent them home, concerned they both might have had concussions. "He was fine the next day," Jeff Morson says of his son. But Morson is prone to migraines, which makes it difficult for his parents to determine the extent of his injuries after he gets hit in football. Despite that, and the new information that has come to light about concussions, Morson's parents agree they would never dare take their son out of a sport that he loves so dearly. "Every play makes me nervous, though," says his mother, Michelle, "because you never know." 2014-09-03-aleka-frazier GYMNASTICS Aleka Frazier, 10, of Bethesda, Md., got her first exposure to gymnastics in the backyard. After learning how to do a cartwheel from her mother, Marie, a former cheerleader, Frazier was hooked. She has delved into tumbling now that other sports she plays are on hiatus for the summer. Frazier says she owes much of her passion for gymnastics to Gabby Douglas'gold medal performance in the all-around event at the 2012 London Summer Games. Before long, Frazier was cartwheeling through the house. She is now getting her first exposure to some of the sport's trickier apparatus, such as the beam and vault. "I like the vault because I get to run fast and then I get to fly in the air," she says. "But sometimes I'm wondering, 'Oh, what happens if I don't land this?'" So far, it's nothing more than bumps and bruises — except when she was learning back handsprings. "I've landed on my head and on multiple parts of my body. But I've been able to recover," she says. Her parents, naturally, worry about her safety. "Hopefully (Aleka) doesn't end up with a concussion," Her mother says. "But I'm not God. I don't know what could happen ahead of time." SOCCER The Willings of Arlington, Va., are a soccer family. Both girls, Nicole, 15, and Danielle, 13, play for DC Stoddert Soccer, the largest youth sports organization in Washington, D.C. Their mother, Joy, a former high school player, plays for two women's recreational leagues. Nicole got into the sport first when she started kicking the ball around on school and neighborhood teams at 5. Many experts attribute concussions in soccer to improper technique when heading the ball and poor neck strength. To reduce injury, DC Stoddert Soccer doesn't teach heading until ages 11-12. Critics of the sport say heading should be eliminated altogether. Joy Willing, DC Stoddert Soccer's girls' travel commissioner and a recreational youth soccer coach, disagrees. "It is a necessary thing to know for the game," she says. "And if you don't teach it, the kids are going to do it anyway." When it comes to her girls getting injured, Joy doesn't fret over headers, noting her girls' strength and the quality of DC Stoddert Soccer's coaches. Instead, she worries about their knees. "Just from crashes, collisions, falling, you worry about that with girls a lot," she says. Danielle "plays through pain and we are still trying to figure that out," says her mother. "We've come to the conclusion that she has a fairly high pain threshold." SWIMMING The Seliskar family of Arlington, Va., lives a chlorinated life. Stephen, 20, swims for Purdue University. Andrew, 17, a rising high school senior, is one of the most sought-after swimmers in the nation — recruiting website collegeswimming.com ranks him third for the class of 2015. The brothers' first exposure to sports, though, came from soccer. Both began playing at 6. "Soccer is great for fitness at the sandlot level. But at 14 and above ... it becomes scary rough as a parent," says their dad, Dan. "I can recall one (14-and-under) game where a parent of the opposing team was screaming at his child to 'take out' my son when he was on a breakaway." Both his sons picked swimming as their primary sport when they were 13 or 14. "I am so glad my kids chose swimming," Dad says. 2014-09-03-isaac-aronson Isaac Aronson, 12, sustained a concussion while playing lacrosse in 2012 and had to miss a month of school.(Photo: H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Sports) LACROSSE Isaac Aronson, 12, is a sports connoisseur. The Bethesda, Md., native has tried everything from jazz dancing to baseball, karate and soccer. But lacrosse is his passion. Aronson started lacrosse in kindergarten for a recreational league aimed at teaching basic stick-handling. When he got to second grade, his lacrosse coaches started to introduce checking. He was hooked. "He's a hitter," said his dad, Lou. "He loves the physical contact." The parents understand that hitting is a necessary component of lacrosse. "You just know that somebody is going to get his bell rung," says Lou. In 2012, Aronson had his first concussion. While he was bending down to scoop up the ball, an opponent illegally crosschecked him across the crown of his head. Aronson slammed backwards into the turf field and lost consciousness. The family spent the rest of the afternoon in the emergency room. "That night I spent about two or three hours learning everything I needed to know about concussions that I was too afraid to ask," Lou says. The parents pulled their son out of school for a month. "I spent most of my time sitting in a chair in the dark," Aronson says. When he finally got clearance to return to lacrosse three months later, he was noticeably cautious on the field, according to his parents. But within a couple of games, he returned to his truculent playing style. "I put myself in a situation to help the team," he says, "so if it's taking a hit, it's taking a hit." GOLF The Caldwell children of Pineville, Ky., practically grew up on the golf course. Their father, Donnie, has been the resident PGA Professional at the local Wasioto Winds golf course for 13 years. As a veteran of the cut-throat environment of junior golf, Donnie turned to the First Tee, an international youth organization that promotes life skills and leadership through golf. The Caldwells enrolled their eldest son, Austin, 18, at First Tee of Pine Mountain in 2000. "I just jumped right in," he says. But he was never a single sport athlete. At 5 he began playing tackle football. In Kentucky, high school golf and football are played during the same season. As a freshman, Austin opted for football. Not long after, he sustained his first concussion when he was knocked down during a game. "Definitely the parent button goes off and you're extremely hopeful they're okay," Donnie says. Then, just one year later, Austin had his second concussion, after taking a particularly forceful hit to the helmet. He insisted on playing but was benched by the coaches for the rest of the game. During his junior season of football, Austin suffered a torn shoulder labrum, requiring surgery and an extensive recovery process. The football injury bled over into his golf game, forcing him to reconstruct his swing. As senior year approaches, Austin is hoping to earn a golf scholarship. "We love watching him under the Friday night lights," his dad says, "but we also understand that he needs to have wellness for life." 2014-09-03-emily-durkee BASKETBALL Emily Durkee, 11, of Elk Ridge, Md., has been playing basketball since joining a co-ed league at 4. Her mother, Carol, is a former basketball player at Wayne State College. In third grade, Emily started playing for an all-girls travel league. By sixth grade she had quit travel soccer to focus exclusively on basketball. "I really want to play for a good high school and hopefully get drafted into the WNBA," says Emily, who just broke 5 feet tall. As her coach the past four years, her mom has noticed the dynamic on the court change as girls hit their growth spurts. "The game has gotten pretty physical," she says, "even at the sixth, seventh and eighth grade level."
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Post by FWS on Sept 4, 2014 14:26:16 GMT -6
Fried & Gone To HeavenFried Sriracha Balls, Deep-Fried Breakfast For Dinner Top 2014 State Fair of Texas Food List. By Pete on Monday, August 18, 2014 at 12:23 PM Turns out, it's not illegal to pick bluebonnets in the State of Texas. Nor is it illegal to pretend to deep-fry the state flower, either, it seems. And, yes, someone is pretending to do just that this year at the State Fair of Texas. Earlier today, the State Fair announced its finalists for its 2014 Big Tex Choice Awards -- or, in other words, the new, mostly obnoxious and over-the-top food items that are being introduced for purchase at this year's fair season, which kicks off on September 26. Rather than actual bluebonnets, this year's "Deep-Fried Texas Bluebonnet" offering really just a deep-fried blueberry muffin that's been stuff with cream cheese and white chocolate. Pretty exciting stuff -- although not nearly as exciting as the Fried Sriracha Balls, which we suppose at least one North Texas-based politician is excited about, and a Funnel Cake Ale. But, wait, there more! Check out the below list, complete with photos and descriptions, courtesy of the State Fair itself. • Chicken-Fried Loaded Baked Potato. "The creamy and moist insides of a baked potato, loaded with generous amounts of butter, bacon, and cheddar cheese, are coated and battered with a delectable blend of spices and flour that create a perfect combination of fried crispy crust and delicious, creamy loaded baked potato. Served with a ranch dipping sauce." • Deep-Fried Breakfast For Dinner. "This is a 10″ flour tortilla stuffed with eight favorite breakfast items — scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, bacon, potatoes, ham, onion, cheddar cheese and gooey cinnamon roll bits — that are deep fried until golden brown and served with a creamy country gravy, salsa and a pico-queso dip." • Deep-Fried Texas Bluebonnet. "A blueberry muffin, scone-style batter that is stuffed with cream cheese, blueberries and sweet morsels of white chocolate. It is baked and deep fried to a perfect golden brown. This mountain of flavor is topped off with whipped cream, chopped white chocolate morsels, powdered sugar, blueberries, and a delicious blueberry glaze." • Fried Gulf Shrimp Boil. "Everything you would expect in a shrimp boil rolled into a ball, dusted with fish fry, and fried to a golden brown! Baby gulf shrimp, diced red potatoes, onion, lemon, and seasoning are formed around a cocktail shrimp, dusted and fried with the tail sticking out for a handle. Served with a remoulade sauce." • Fried Sriracha Balls. "A lip-smacking combination of shredded chicken, corn, green chilies, tomatoes, and Sriracha hot sauce, formed into balls and coated with crispy tortilla chips. It is then flash-fried until golden brown. For those who like their food higher on the Scoville Scale, extra Sriracha Sauce is available." • Fried Sweet Texas. "Traveling across Texas to try the best and most popular desserts gave inspiration for this fried treat. Fried Sweet Texas starts with fresh pie dough filled with crunchy pecan pie, juicy peach cobbler and creamy buttermilk pie. It is then deep fried until the crust is golden brown and flaky, and then served up with a side of Texas’ own Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream. A real tribute to Texans and their amazing sweet treats!" • Original State Fair Brew (Funnel Cake Ale). "A light and delicious ale brewed to be reminiscent of one of the telltale flavors of the State Fair – FUNNEL CAKE! This refreshing English style summer ale has been brewed to be ready and crisp, with just the right amount of toastiness and sweetness, finishing with delicate notes of natural vanilla; all great flavors you find in a perfectly executed funnel cake. For those whose taste buds call for a sweeter finish, take advantage of the option to have the rim of your cup coated with powdered sugar. Must be 21 years of age." • Twisted Texas Tacos. "What do you get when you combine the four major food groups of Texas? Chicken Fried, Barbecue, Tex-Mex, and Chili – Twisted Texas Tacos! This taco starts off with tender, juicy hickory smoked Texas beef brisket, double-dipped in a barbecue spiced buttermilk batter and deep fried until it is robust and beefy. It is served in a warm flour tortilla, generously layered with a Mexican cheese blend, crispy fried okra, and a sweet and crunchy tri-color slaw, accented with zesty poblano and sweet pepper corn. Served with a creamy country gravy, spicy Texas Chili and a miniature salute from the Lone Star flag."
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Post by FWS on Sept 4, 2014 14:14:42 GMT -6
A Call for a Low-Carb Diet That Embraces FatBy ANAHAD O’CONNOR New York Times SEPT. 1, 2014 People who avoid carbohydrates and eat more fat, even saturated fat, lose more body fat and have fewer cardiovascular risks than people who follow the low-fat diet that health authorities have favored for decades, a major new study shows. The findings are unlikely to be the final salvo in what has been a long and often contentious debate about what foods are best to eat for weight loss and overall health. The notion that dietary fat is harmful, particularly saturated fat, arose decades ago from comparisons of disease rates among large national populations. But more recent clinical studies in which individuals and their diets were assessed over time have produced a more complex picture. Some have provided strong evidence that people can sharply reduce their heart disease risk by eating fewer carbohydrates and more dietary fat, with the exception of trans fats. The new findings suggest that this strategy more effectively reduces body fat and also lowers overall weight. The new study was financed by the National Institutes of Health and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It included a racially diverse group of 150 men and women — a rarity in clinical nutrition studies — who were assigned to follow diets for one year that limited either the amount of carbs or fat that they could eat, but not overall calories. “To my knowledge, this is one of the first long-term trials that’s given these diets without calorie restrictions,” said Dariush Mozaffarian, the dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, who was not involved in the new study. “It shows that in a free-living setting, cutting your carbs helps you lose weight without focusing on calories. And that’s really important because someone can change what they eat more easily than trying to cut down on their calories.” Diets low in carbohydrates and higher in fat and protein have been commonly used for weight loss since Dr. Robert Atkins popularized the approach in the 1970s. Among the longstanding criticisms is that these diets cause people to lose weight in the form of water instead of body fat, and that cholesterol and other heart disease risk factors climb because dieters invariably raise their intake of saturated fat by eating more meat and dairy. Many nutritionists and health authorities have “actively advised against” low-carbohydrate diets, said the lead author of the new study, Dr. Lydia A. Bazzano of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. “It’s been thought that your saturated fat is, of course, going to increase, and then your cholesterol is going to go up,” she said. “And then bad things will happen in general.” The new study showed that was not the case. By the end of the yearlong trial, people in the low-carbohydrate group had lost about eight pounds more on average than those in the low-fat group. They had significantly greater reductions in body fat than the low-fat group, and improvements in lean muscle mass — even though neither group changed their levels of physical activity. While the low-fat group did lose weight, they appeared to lose more muscle than fat. “They actually lost lean muscle mass, which is a bad thing,” Dr. Mozaffarian said. “Your balance of lean mass versus fat mass is much more important than weight. And that’s a very important finding that shows why the low-carb, high-fat group did so metabolically well.” The high-fat group followed something of a modified Atkins diet. They were told to eat mostly protein and fat, and to choose foods with primarily unsaturated fats, like fish, olive oil and nuts. But they were allowed to eat foods higher in saturated fat as well, including cheese and red meat. A typical day’s diet was not onerous: It might consist of eggs for breakfast, tuna salad for lunch, and some kind of protein for dinner — like red meat, chicken, fish, pork or tofu — along with vegetables. Low-carb participants were encouraged to cook with olive and canola oils, but butter was allowed, too. Robots may already think faster than we do, but they are just starting to be able to move like us; one researcher has set out to prove an 84-year-old hypothesis about how trees move nutrients around; a lower-carb, higher-fat diet may be better for you than a low-fat diet. David Corcoran, Michael Mason, Joshua A. Krisch and Jeffery DelViscio Over all, they took in a little more than 13 percent of their daily calories from saturated fat, more than double the 5 to 6 percent limit recommended by the American Heart Association. The majority of their fat intake, however, was unsaturated fats. The low-fat group included more grains, cereals and starches in their diet. They reduced their total fat intake to less than 30 percent of their daily calories, which is in line with the federal government’s dietary guidelines. The other group increased their total fat intake to more than 40 percent of daily calories. Both groups were encouraged to eat vegetables, and the low-carbohydrate group was told that eating some beans and fresh fruit was fine as well. In the end, people in the low-carbohydrate group saw markers of inflammation and triglycerides — a type of fat that circulates in the blood — plunge. Their HDL, the so-called good cholesterol, rose more sharply than it did for people in the low-fat group. The decrease in risk on the low-carbohydrate diet “should translate into a substantial benefit,” said Dr. Allan Sniderman, a professor of cardiology at McGill University in Montreal. One important predictor of heart disease that the study did not assess, Dr. Sniderman said, was the relative size and number of LDL particles in the bloodstream. Two people can have the same overall LDL concentration, but very different levels of risk depending on whether they have a lot of small, dense LDL particles or a small number of large and fluffy particles. Eating refined carbohydrates tends to raise the overall number of LDL particles and shift them toward the small, dense variety, which contributes to atherosclerosis. Saturated fat tends to make LDL particles larger, more buoyant and less likely to clog arteries, at least when carbohydrate intake is not high, said Dr. Ronald M. Krauss, the former chairman of the American Heart Association’s dietary guidelines committee. Small, dense LDL is the kind typically found in heart patients and in people who have high triglycerides, central obesity and other aspects of the so-called metabolic syndrome, said Dr. Krauss, who is also the director of atherosclerosis research at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute. “I’ve been a strong advocate of moving saturated fat down the list of priorities in dietary recommendations for one reason: because of the increasing importance of metabolic syndrome and the role that carbohydrates play,” Dr. Krauss said. Dr. Mozaffarian said the research suggested that health authorities should pivot away from fat restrictions and encourage people to eat fewer processed foods, particularly those with refined carbohydrates. The average person may not pay much attention to the federal dietary guidelines, but their influence can be seen, for example, in school lunch programs, which is why many schools forbid whole milk but serve their students fat-free chocolate milk loaded with sugar, Dr. Mozaffarian said.
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Post by FWS on Sept 4, 2014 14:08:43 GMT -6
10 Cultural Contrasts between US & Japanese CompaniesBy: Reina Hashimoto Btrax.com As I have reflected back on the last 6 months I have spent working in the U.S., there are some cultural contrasts as well as commonality in the work environment. After graduating college, I came to the US to work briefly and spent 4 years in a traditionally, big company in Japan. I followed the dream of most Japanese working for a big company. Now here, working in a fast paced company and surrounded by the equally fast paced SF tech community, here are my thoughts on the two business cultures. Characteristic Speed vs. Consistency Generally U.S. company’s decision making is quick. Superiors give some great leeway to subordinates so that they can decide and make decisions quickly. Unfortunately there are some errors that can come because of that. Japanese company’s decision making is in stages along their corporate hierarchy. Their decisions are very cautious and conservative and sometimes slower than U.S. companies. These stages are backed by plenty of meetings and documentation. This minimizes error and brings consistency at all levels. Roles & Responsibilities for Individual vs. Group The U.S. company’s roles are very individualized. Contribution of individual is very important as linked to company goals. Japanese companies require individual contribution to the whole group but recognize that the whole group must succeed otherwise the individual’s contribution has no meaning. ROI of Revenues vs. ROI of Relationships US Companies focus on Return On Investment (ROI) or the end result. They don’t concern themselves on how it is achieved. US companies spend less time establishing their process. Japanese also focus on ROI, however, they emphasize the process on how to get there. For example, they evaluate how to create the process for the project so that they regard the cost including the value of establishing the process in total. Risk Takers vs. Risk Adverse cultures If we ask something to achieve for them, they’ll say “We can do it” even they thought they can do it 50-70% probabilities. After they accepted, they try to achieve as close to 100%. If the Japanese feel that it’s possible to achieve most likely 100%, they don’t say “Yes”. Their agreement is careful because they want to be accurate. They make sure it is exactly 100%What the Japanese say is important. If they are not right it will reflect bad on them. Heterogeneous vs. Homogeneous cultures Since U.S. is multicultural, the company is consisted of a plenty of nationalities, which means there are so many different way to think. Almost the all situations, they don’t progress without say anything. Basically a Japanese company is organized by Japanese. Almost everyone has same background to realize the situation so some of the understanding is in unspoken words. This is one of the important communication skills in Japan. Time Spent Collaborating vs. Collaborating Time Spent US companies aim to do meetings efficiently as much as they can. The meetings are fewer and less time. If meetings are too plenty the people seem to resist them. Meetings are very common in large companies. They value the process to agree with everyone who is related to their project, so they have many meetings and spend a lot of time in meetings. Remote vs. Face-to-Face communications Contacting clients by email or on the phone seems to be more natural in conducting business relationships. They respect meeting each other face to face. It is important to them for conducting business relationships. Loose vs Structured Working Styles Basically the working style is almost the same as Japan. It is very flexible, where working from home is very normal. They have a cubicles for each employee which focuses on a persons independence-high walls, isolation, and spaciousness. Most Japanese companies work regular office hours and they don’t permit working at home. The work environment is set like a school class where the head of the department is at the top of a row of desks. There are group oriented- no walls, no cubicles and closeness. Self-Sponsored vs. Company-Sponsored Retirement Rewards The 401k is entirely sponsored by employee salary with the exception of matching funding by companies. This system is one of the things that does not encourage people to stay with companies. One exception is the pension systems in the US. Japanese are encouraged to stay in one company by the monetary rewards. These are company sponsored payments independent of the person’s salary. The longer they stay the higher the company sponsored payout is to them. Personal Life vs. Professional Life Family and personal time is the priority in the US. Work-Life balance is a must. There is some socializing outside of work but not as a group. In Japan, priority is on the work life. It is given work is the center of life. There are many traditions that re-enforce this. A newcomer to the company, hold the place for Hanami to enjoy the cherry blossom in Spring for drinking with co-workers. Also a common after-work event is Nomikai (drinking party) and is used as a very important opportunity to communicate with each other for work.
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Post by FWS on Sept 3, 2014 16:49:27 GMT -6
Sure looks like a lot of suppliers are offering exactly that as well as grass fed, heritage breeds, etc, for competition use.
Looks similar with the pork and chicken too....................
Again, they're using it in competitions where there is prize money involved so no surprise.
Which the market for the higher quality meats bears out apparently.
Neither term denotes how it was raised, the feed, breed, etc.
I just prefer the natural grass fed beef we get here over the feedlot commodity beef. I can taste the difference.
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Post by FWS on Sept 2, 2014 17:22:21 GMT -6
I'd take the Texan's word over yours, they grew up with that style of BBQ. Good for you to admit that Texas BBQ preceded Missouri, but as I pointed out it is more like a couple centuries than 8 years, since it can't be disputed that domestic cattle were introduced into TX at least a couple hundred years before they appeared in MO and that the inhabitants of the region were cooking it low and slow over smoke for that long as well. I never used the terms 'prime' or 'choice', just that the natural, grass fed, and wagyu seem to be the preferred competition meats. Which doesn't surprise me since they do taste better than the feedlot cattle.
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Post by FWS on Sept 1, 2014 9:25:54 GMT -6
So is 100% Missouri centered around processed foods ?
Not really since were talking about quality here, just as we were talking about quality on other foods.
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Post by FWS on Aug 31, 2014 20:18:57 GMT -6
No it's been adulterated so it can't be labeled as cheese, so it's a pasteurized prepared cheese product. It's just the St. Louis version of livermush, which is popular in some towns in North Carolina but outside that area nobody eats it. I like real cheeses, like Brie, Had a pizaa made in a wood fired oven that had fresh spinach leaves and slices of brie melted on it. I copy that at home on my grill now.
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Post by FWS on Aug 31, 2014 15:23:15 GMT -6
Gonna be a wide variety of tastes between cheeses of even the same type, fresh made mozzarella is generally better than the supermarket stuff. Lot of interesting reading at Cheese.comNo, they didn't forget. It's probably just that they were testing what was legally cheese, you know, what the FDA recognizes as real cheese, not the ultra processed cheese like products such as Provel.
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Post by FWS on Aug 31, 2014 13:27:52 GMT -6
Wild pigeons are a blast to hunt, the band-tailed pigeons here are a tough gamebird,
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Post by FWS on Aug 31, 2014 13:23:47 GMT -6
Last passenger pigeon Martha died 100 years ago on Sept 1: Time to resurrect it?By James Maynard, Tech Times | August 31 Passenger pigeons went extinct a century ago, and now, some biologists want to bring the species back to life. What role can Martha play?Passenger pigeons went extinct a century ago when the last member of the species passed away on 1 September 1914. Martha, the last member of her species, died at the Cincinnati Zoo just before her 29th birthday. The bird was named after Martha Washington, wife to the first president of the United States. Passenger Pigeons once filled the skies of North America, with populations estimated to be between three and five billion animals. During the 18th Century, they may have been the most common bird on the planet. The species developed in eastern regions of North America and migrated west in search of hard nut fruits called mast. "The number of these birds... was far beyond the power of human calculation. for hours they darkened the sky like a pall of thunder clouds; and that they broke down, by their weight, the limbs of the forest whenever an entire flock lighted in search of food," Philip Bruce, a 17th century historian, wrote. Along with the dodo, the passenger pigeon is one of the animals being considered for a return from extinction. For the first time, biologists have the technology to bring an extinct species back to existence. Using DNA, researchers would be able to bring back any recently-extinct species, such as passenger pigeons, dodos, or woolly mammoths. De-extinction is a controversial idea among both scientists and the general public. While some critics are wary of a return of species such as the saber-toothed tiger, the technology also serves another purpose. At current rates of population loss, elephants, zebras and giraffes could all disappear in the near future. Development of the animal's genetic code could preserve the species. "Techniques being developed for de-extinction will also be directly applicable to living species that are close to extinction. Tiny populations can have their genetic variability restored. A species with a genetic Achilles' heel might be totally cured with an adjustment introduced through cloning," Stewart Brand, creator of the Whole Earth Catalog, said. Passenger Pigeons were so successful when found in nature, they could prosper following a return from extinction. This trait could also make the birds the ultimate invasive species. With rapid population growth and the ability to thrive across North America, passenger pigeons might radically alter the environment over the entire continent, if they are able to survive. "Yes, the set of plants alive a century or so ago when the passenger pigeon went extinct are probably still here. Is the pigeon's habitat intact? Surely not: The land use changes since then have been far too extensive," Stuart Pimm of Duke University, said. The genetic code of animals decays over time, placing a limit on the amount of time a species can be extinct before being brought back through de-extinction. This means dinosaurs will not be walking the Earth again anytime soon.
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Post by FWS on Aug 31, 2014 13:19:57 GMT -6
Armageddon: Yellowstone supervolcano eruption to bring winter in summersNorthern Voices News August 31, 2014 Armageddon: Yellowstone supervolcano eruption to bring winter in summers. There is no denying the fact that it is real scary. Yellowstone supervolcano eruption may spread blanket of ash across the North America. Researchers have concluded that while in areas like Rocky Mountains the level of ash will be substantially higher compared to other areas. Scientists and seismologists are of the view that in Rocky Mountains the level of ash caused by Yellowstone supervolcano eruption may be as much as one meter throughout the region while in other areas it may be one inch or even thicker blanket of ash. Yellowstone eruption But this will not be the only consequence of Yellowstone supervolcano eruption. Researchers claim that it may be able to change the weather completely, turning a hot sizzling summer into very cold winter. In the meantime researchers have worked to understand as to what is under Yellowstone. Seismologists at the University of Utah and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology undertook a study to image the Yellowstone magma reservoir through a technique called seismic tomography. Using improved methods and data from thousands of earthquakes; they discovered that the magma reservoir is much larger than inferred in previous studies. The results from this new approach are published in the Journal Geophysical Research Letters. Researchers used high tech gadgets to actually understand the subject. To create an “image” of the magma storage region (reservoir), the research team used data from the Yellowstone Seismic Network from 1984-2011 including 4,520 earthquakes and a total of 48,622 individual travel time measurements. They then mapped how fast the P-waves (the fastest type of earthquake wave) moved through different parts of the subsurface beneath Yellowstone. The resulting model reveals a very large region where P-waves move more slowly, interpreted to be due to the presence of warm, partially melted rock; that is the crustal magma storage region that has fueled Yellowstone’s past volcanic activity. The inferred magma body is 90 km long, extends from 5 km to 17 km depth, and is 2.5 times larger than imaged in a previous study. The latest study actually tries to understand the implications of Yellowstone eruption. U.S. Geological Survey has worked hard to gauge Yellowstone eruption. U.S. Geological Survey researchers discovered that during very large volcanic eruptions, ash transport is dominated by a rapidly expanding umbrella cloud that results in significant distribution of ash upwind from the volcanic vent. “In essence, the eruption makes its own winds that can overcome the prevailing westerlies that normally dominate weather patterns in the United States,” explained USGS geologist Larry Mastin, first author on the manuscript and co-developer of the computer model. “This helps explain the distribution from large Yellowstone eruptions of the past, where considerable amounts of ash reached the west coast.” The authors also note that a fraction of an inch or less of ash is likely to be deposited at distances further than 1500 miles, such as on the east and west coasts of the United States. Map of projected ashfall.
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Post by FWS on Aug 31, 2014 13:02:56 GMT -6
I can just imagine my dog giving me the 'What the Hell is up with this dude " look if I tried strapping this on him.
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Post by FWS on Aug 31, 2014 12:56:08 GMT -6
When Did We Get So Old?By MICHELE WILLENS New York Times AUG. 30, 2014 JOHNATHAN RODGERS, who is 68, knew that it was time to step down as president and chief executive of the cable channel TV One when he looked around the conference table. “I had almost always been the youngest through most of my career,” says the former media executive. “Now I was the oldest, and it caused great discomfort.” Robert Krulwich knows the feeling. As co-host of WNYC’s popular science series “Radiolab,” he works with people many years his junior. “I try to be aware that whenever I think of myself as a peer, I mentally catch myself,” says Mr. Krulwich, who is in his 60s. “There is business to be done between us, but always from two different places. I used to forget it, but they never do.” Yes, my generation, born between 1946 and 1964, has physical concerns: Friends are dying, joints are aching, and memories are failing. There are financial issues, with forced retirement and unemployment, children needing money and possibly a bed, and dependent parents. But for many of us, it is a psychological quandary that is causing the most unpleasantness: looking around and suddenly being the oldest. Every generation gets old, but for those who were told we’d be forever young, it just seems more painful. “It’s a huge issue,” says Dr. Anna Fels, a psychiatrist in New York. “I see so many who are trying to adjust their lives to this new phase, which for some reason none of us really pictured ourselves going through.” Why didn’t we? We knew that eventually more people around us would be younger rather than older. But it still rankles. The image of a room filled with younger people is the perfect symbol. “It’s an important marker for this generation because it reminds them that they are now the ones closest to obsolescence, the ones the world can do without,” says Dr. Roger Gould, a psychiatrist and the author of “Transformations,” a book about age-related adult problems. “I think the wake-up call for many was when Obama was elected,” says Joan Entmacher, vice president for Family Economic Security at the National Women’s Law Center in Washington. “Now, they were older than the president! Even pre-retirement, boomers realize they are no longer cutting edge.” Misery loves company. We can take comfort in knowing there are around 77 million boomers, the largest generation in the United States population. Someone turns 50 every seven seconds. It seems the sufferers eventually settle into one of two groups. The first are those who prefer being around younger people, even moving to college communities or hip neighborhoods. In this category, I would include my friend Robin, who, at 67, frequents SoulCycle, eats at noisy restaurants and avoids Wednesday matinees. “I am not trying to deny aging,” she insists, “but my husband and I choose not to be surrounded by it.” Instead of making her feel insecure, being the oldest in the room keeps her feeling vital. Then there are those who prefer the places where they are on the younger end. I — as of this moment a fit 65 — do my lifting and stretching at the 92nd Street Y, where they still lament that Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis broke up. This is one of the last places I am considered a kid. My 90-year-old aunt accuses me of showing up at her assisted living facility so often because I am far and away the youngest person on the premises. Continue reading the main story Continue reading the main story Continue reading the main story Why some of us cope better with the troubling transition may be based on how we measure our self-esteem. “If a person bases his or her pride of self on having won a tournament at 18, they are very vulnerable later on,” says Dr. Gould. “There’s money, there are houses, there are face-lifts. They all help a little, but none matters enough unless your sense of self is not directly related to age.” Even deciding whether or not to color our hair, not to mention take advantage of cosmetic procedures, presents a boomer dilemma: Can we stay true to our feminism while ceding to our narcissism? In her memoir, Hillary Rodham Clinton writes about being the toughest in the rooms where war and peace were discussed. Still, she is already seeing that her health, fatigue-factor, and even becoming a grandmother may yet speak unspoken volumes. It won’t be much fun being the oldest in the race. The uh-oh moments, of course, do not come only when we look around that proverbial room and find that everyone else looks like they just attended their bar or bat mitzvah. But the ones that tend to gnaw are when someone gets up to offer you a seat, calls you ma’am, asks if you have grandchildren. Desperately seeking compliments can become a full-time job. Rather than going gently into mentor mode I have now entered the Extreme Sport of the Boomer Challenge, returning to college after 40 gap years. Sitting in Columbia University classrooms, where I am the oldest and dumbest, I see the eyes rolling, For example, among my three assigned partners with whom I would be doing a 20-page report on Coney Island. But I saw them soften when they learned that I had a car and connections, and could edit. It’s a daily challenge — but how many have both student and senior IDs? And I am learning some lessons of another kind. For example, never start a sentence with, “When I was your age...” or “In my day...” Do not attempt to show that while you may look old, you’re still 22 inside. Even if you know who Schoolboy Q is, don’t brag, because you’ll get something wrong eventually. Like too many cosmetic procedures, rather than youthenizing us, they only make us seem older. Berkeley Blatz, 65, who has been teaching in the Santa Monica, Calif., schools for more than 30 years, says being the oldest in the room actually became easier once his own acceptance kicked in and he acknowledged he was one of us and not one of them. “Interestingly, the older I get, the more connectivity I have with the students,” he says. “They tolerate more from me, and I from them.” I get it. When I was asked in a sociology class what music I listened to, I hesitantly named Sam Cooke, thinking I would be stared at with stumped pity. In fact, many voices shouted out, “Love Sam Cooke!” My relief is understood by a buoyant Johnathan Rodgers, who has retired from his cable TV jobs and is finding life these days to be liberating. “I used to color my hair, now I don’t,” says Mr. Rodgers, who is serving on some boards. “Yes, being the youngest person in the room was more exciting and empowering. This is not the same, but it’s the new reality.” Michele Willens is a journalist who writes for The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post and The Atlantic.
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Post by FWS on Aug 30, 2014 22:45:59 GMT -6
Lawsuit filed to stop upcoming Nevada trapping seasonJeff DeLong Reno Gazette Journal August 30, 2014 Insisting thousands of animals are suffering needlessly in traps and that Nevada wildlife officials have failed to respond to the problem, two Northern Nevada men have sued in effort to force change and block the coming trapping season. Mark Smith and Donald Molde filed suit against the Nevada Wildlife Commission Thursday in District Court in Reno, stating that the governor-appointed panel has "failed to carry out its statutory obligations to preserve, protect, manage and restore wildlife" put in harm's way by trapping. Jeremy Drew, vice chairman of the wildlife commission, said he had not reviewed the suit and could not comment in detail but is "confident in our public process and consideration of our mission." Joel Blakeslee, president of the Nevada Trappers Association, said in his opinion the lawsuit lacks any merit but declined further comment. The lawsuit's filing follows an Aug. 16 decision by commissioners to keep in place rules requiring trappers to visit their traps once every four days across most of the state – a span the suit said is the longest in the nation except for Montana and Alaska. Trapping critics had sought to significantly shorten that period. Trappers most frequently are targeting bobcats but "unintended victims of such traps or snares number in the thousands, ranging from pack rats, rabbits, golden eagles and domestic dogs and cats to mountain lions," the lawsuit states. Further, the suit states the wildlife commission has "placed the convenience of trappers over consideration of a need to protect wildlife and domestic animals from unnecessary harm, injury, suffering and death." The 2013 Legislature passed a bill requiring the wildlife commission to review trapping regulations, including the 96-hour visitation requirement. A committee reviewed the issue over much of the last year and ultimately recommended keeping the visitation period unchanged across most of Nevada, lowering the span of time trappers are required to check their traps to two days in congested areas of Reno and Las Vegas. Those rules were finalized by the full commission Aug. 16. "At the end of it all, the commission essentially voted to leave everything unchanged. They basically did nothing," Molde said. The Reno man has pushed to amend Nevada's trapping rules for decades. "We had no choice but to do this," Molde said. Smith agreed. "It's clear that the wildlife commission has been 'captured' by trappers and their sportsmen supporters to the detriment of wildlife and ignoring the concerns of the public about animal well-being and protection," the Incline Village resident said. "Hopefully the court will be receptive to our concerns and help get wildlife and domestic animals the protection so desperately needed." The suit seeks an order requiring the commission to take action to prevent "grievous and unnecessary suffering" by animals caught in traps, including by shortening the visitation period. It seeks an injunction postponing the trapping season – which begins in October for most fur-bearing animals and in December for bobcats – until needed changes are made. Citing information collected by the Nevada Department of Wildlife over an eight-year period, the suit says thousands of "non-target species" including pets have been caught in traps. Because that information is based on reports filed by trappers, the suit alleges those numbers are probably the "tip of the iceberg."
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Post by FWS on Aug 30, 2014 11:20:06 GMT -6
No, and it can be clarified further with legislation designed to do so and eliminate any potential misuse.
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Post by FWS on Aug 30, 2014 11:16:24 GMT -6
Sounds like a master, Joe has won more than 300 barbecue championships, including the Jack Daniel’s World Championship, the American Royal World Championship, the Great Pork Barbeqlossal, the Head-to-Head World Championship, the World Brisket Open Championship, the Canadian Salmon Grand Championship, the Rib Championship at the San Antonio Rodeo and BBQ Championship, the Memphis in May World BBQ Championship, and numerous state and regional titles.
He has won for beef, pork, fish, chicken, game, vegetables, sides, sauces, rubs, and marinades. He has won across the regional divides of great barbecue—in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, the Carolinas, Missouri, Tennessee, and the Pacific Northwest. At the 2009 Memphis in May Championship, Joe set a contest record, winning in five categories (Wings, Beans, Poultry, Vinegar BBQ, and Ribs).
Sure, and before that Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, reason why is as I already pointed out, domestic cattle were introduced there centuries before they were in MO, KS, OK, etc. And the style of smoking meats low and slow was in use there before European contact. Centuries is more accurate...................... You'll find anything here that you'll find in KC or Texas, though most of the paces seem to label themselves as 'Texas stle BBQ' if they're doing brisket, using the same smoker ovens built in TX, woods from that region, etc. There's a place in Gualala, on Highway 1 on the Mendocino County coast that does brisket as well as anyone, it was recommended to me by a couple Texans who stop there on their way to and from the ranch they lease for hunting black-tails, black bear, mountain quail, grouse, etc. Might even be better since they use Mendocino grass fed beef. If you didn't know, the meats used in those BBQ competitions is NOT what they serve in their restaurants, it is much, much higher quality. With a lot of it being grass fed, heritage breeds, or if they really want to win they use wagyu beef. Like with the example trappnman provided from MN, you'll find BBQ places everywhere now because there's a market for it. The UK, France, Ireland, Norway, Japan, Korea, China.................... And in CA you'll find places doing smoked and/or grilled meats from all over the world. I have a particular liking for the South African braai, which is ore a mixed grill, had several friends who were South African and Rhodesian ex patriates who moved to CA who did this. Great stuff, unique seasonings, great fresh sausages, etc. So yeah, I'm quite happy with the variety here.
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