Friday, April 13, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Dolphins doomed? They're sure taking a hit
Several mass deaths of dolphins have occurred over the past few years and while experts are worried about the die-off they say we are not witnessing a global population crash.
But what is behind the recent mass strandings and deaths is complicated and, inevitably, involves humans.
For example, the bottlenose dolphin die-off in Gulf of Mexico started in early 2010, even before BP's massive oil spill in April 2010. Disease was linked to some of the hundreds of Gulf dolphin deaths, but not all of them. The ultimate cause remains mysterious.
"There is no evidence at this time to indicate that such a worldwide, multi-species crash is occurring," Randall Wells, director of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program said. ?The large-scale mortality events and mass strandings that have made the news in the past two years appear to be unrelated.?
Nonetheless, the past two years have been rough for several species of dolphins, but not all of the nearly 40 species of dolphins are in hot water.
NEWS: Thousands of Dolphins Dying in Gulf Waters
?There is not a large-scale die-off of dolphins across the globe or throughout ocean basins,? said Connie Barclay, spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s National Marine Fisheries Service.
?What we do see are localized areas where strandings and deaths have increased,? Barcaly said. "Scientists have seen unusually high rates of illness and death in specific populations of bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, long-beaked common dolphins along the beaches of Peru and short-beaked common dolphins along the shores of Cape Cod."
And only certain populations of the effected species have been hit hard.
?While bottlenose dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico are dying at higher-than-average rates, elsewhere in the Gulf of Mexico bottlenose dolphin populations are doing fine,? Wells, a former chair of NOAA's Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events , said.
One population that suffered a serious dolphin disaster swam in the Pacific off the coast of Peru. Discovery News recently reported on the thousands of dolphin corpses washing up on the tropical beaches.
?The Peru mass stranding is the largest ever reported in the (Western Hemisphere) and the biggest since the mass stranding in Europe during the '90s,? Carlos Yaipen-Llanos, president and science director forOrganization for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals (ORCA).
The causes of the dolphin strandings and deaths seem to be varied as well. Unlike the fungus decimating multiple North American bat species, no single reason has been found for the dolphins' dilemma.
?No common infectious disease has been identified in any of the current dolphin stranding events,? said Barclay. ?Scientists are still working to understand the local and global effects of changing environmental conditions on marine mammal populations.?
When these mass deaths occur, whole family groups can be wiped out, said Yaipen-Llanos. The effect on the future of the species when whole generations of dolphins are wiped out is a serious concern to dolphin research and conservationists.
Ocean-going dolphins are not the only ones suffering. The Chinese river dolphin, or baiji, was declared functionally extinct in 2006 after a study couldn't find a single individual.
The baiji was probably done in by a combination of problems caused by humans, including accidental deaths by getting trapped in fishing gear, vessel strikes, underwater explosions, excessive noise and depletion of prey species, according to Tim Ragen, executive director of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission.
?Broadly similar threats face marine dolphins,? said Ragen.
Other possible accomplices in the dolphins' demise were abnormal weather, toxic algae blooms, parasites, pollution exposure, loss of prey leading to starvation, disorientation due to loud noises from ships and oil exploration and physical injury.
?In many cases, the cause of stranding is unknown and difficult to discern,? said Barclay.
What isn't in doubt is that human impacts on the ocean are hurting dolphins around the world.
?People should recognize that the dolphins need the waters to survive ? that we are visitors to their homes,? said Wells. ?As visitors, we should be good stewards, and respect the needs of these animals as they try to make a living in the aquatic environment.?
Everyday choices can affect the fate of the dolphins. Dolphin experts have some suggestions for how to lead a dolphin-friendly life.
?No matter where you live, reducing pollution can help these animals, as chemicals such as PCBs can be transported by air for thousands of miles before being deposited into the marine environment,? said Wells.
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Wells also warned against the illegal but popular practice of feeding wild dolphins . The practice brings dolphins closer to the dangers of being struck by boats or tangled in fishing lines and disrupts the animals' social groups.
NEWS: Why Are Dolphins Beaching Themselves?
?When voting or otherwise participating in the political process, insist on transparent and environmentally responsible decision-making,? said Ragen. ?Inform your political leaders that you support fisheries and other human activities in the marine environment that are seeking to minimize their impacts and promote better ecosystem health, such as reductions or elimination of gillnet fisheries with bycatch problems.?
Ragen noted that reducing consumption in general is good for dolphins and other sea life. A major cause of habitat degradation is the increasing volume of shipping traffic which fills the sea with the thunder of engines and churning water.
?The overall picture for dolphins and other marine and aquatic wildlife is not very promising ? witness the massive over-exploitation of fish stocks, the huge expansion of larger, faster and louder ships, the rush to develop offshore oil and gas, and the apparently intractable problems of climate disruption and ocean acidification,? Ragen said.
? 2012 Discovery Channel
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Saturday, April 7, 2012
Seeking Partner(s) for Historical/Realistic Roleplays
RolePlayGateway is proudly powered by obscene amounts of caffeine, duct tape, Wordpress, Moodle, phpBB, AJAX Chat, Mantis, support from Mary Bedard (biochemist, photographer, and adventurer!). and the efforts of many dedicated writers and roleplayers. It operates under a "don't like it, suggest an improvement" platform, and we gladly take suggestions for improvements or changes.
The custom-built "roleplay" system was designed and implemented by Eric Martindale as of July 2009. All attempts to replicate or otherwise emulate this system and its method of organizing roleplay are strictly prohibited without his express written and contractual permission; violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
? RolePlayGateway, LLC
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Hidden Deck Fasteners Will Make Your Deck Look Immaculate | The ...
in Patio Deck
as Deck, Fasteners, Hidden, Immaculate, Look
Many people choose to not use deck fasteners because they feel that the traditional way of screwing in decking is cheaper. An unfortunate consequence of that decision is those people who want to build a deck cheaply most often end up with it looking cheap. Sure, buying hidden deck fasteners does come with a price. But, have you considered what saving a few bucks could mean in the long run? By the end of this article, you?ll understand why buying deck fasteners is one of the best things you could do to ensure the long term sustainability of your deck and increase your overall return on investment.
It?s important to know that deck fasteners were invented for a reason. When people started having problems with nails popping up, or boards warping because the screw broke, they had no viable solution except to either replace the decking, or reinstall the deck board by screwing it in again.
Needless to say, this could lead to an unsightly and very unattractive looking surface. Moreover, this is also dangerous because people are walk around barefoot, especially children. The thought of someone getting injured due to them falling because of a warped board or stepping on a popped up nail is bad enough. When you realize that, because we live in a litigious society, you could also get sued if a visitor or a visitor?s child got injured on your property should make you realize that building a deck the right way the first time is vital.
While making sure that your patio is always safe is critical, let?s face it; no one will even want to go onto your deck if it?s looks bad, or is in bad condition. Again, using hidden deck fasteners to ensure that your deck/patio looks great from day one to year twenty is an investment that makes sense.
But, are all deck fasteners created equal? Like anything else, you have to do your research. So, how do you tell whether or not the deck fasteners that you want to buy are perfect for your decking material?
Because there are so many different types of materials out there, you need to be sure that the deck fastening system you choose works best with your choice of decking. This is a critical point to remember because there are a lot of companies that sell one single type of deck fastener. For instance, if you are looking for composite decking fasteners and settle for fasteners made from cheap plastic, you may be in for a surprise as those fasteners end up breaking during installation. If you?re using hardwood decking, you will need to buy wood decking fasteners that are durable and, yet still flexible enough to allow the wood to expand and contract as the weather changes and as it ages.
Here are some additional questions to ask when buying hidden deck fasteners:
1) Does the deck fasteners I am buying work best with air-dried wood, kiln-dried, wood or composite decking?
2) Does the hidden deck fastener company sell deck fastening systems with stainless steel inserts to make the fastener have maximum holding power and nearly unbreakable?
3) Can these fasteners come in different colors to match my specific decking choice?
4) Do the hidden deck fasteners come with a warranty?
Ultimately, building an outdoor living space is a venture that cannot be taken lightly. Buying from a reputable deck fastener company that sells high-quality deck clips and deck hardware at a great price will make building your deck much easier. Whether you are building a composite deck, or a wood deck, using the right hidden deck fasteners is critical. Best of all, when your new home addition is finally finished, you can rest easy knowing that years from now your deck will look just as good as it did when it was first completed.
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Advantages of Exercising To the Coronary heart ? DSLRINSPIRED ...
Everybody knows frequent exercise will last one?s body. right now sauna new research picks up benefits of working out for the center can assist you steer clear of heart related illnesses regardless if you will be possessing extra fat as compared to outstanding.
Fitness level might, actually, become crucial compared to the quantity in regards to the variety. Nobody will be stating that the constant maintenance about fat gain is not actually even now essential to conserving your individual cardiovascular system healthy, yet so is preserving conditioning using the analysis copy writers.
Doctors have got reported for years which will staying significant as well as lazy includes a powerful impact your present cardiovascular disease threat. This specific the majority of up-to-date take a look at will be inspects how modifications to the actual level of fitness, extra fat, or maybe equally affects the introduction of illness risk factors at a later date. The research authors permitted to maintain match diploma as well as weight being transformed for each various other another thing not necessarily integrated in parcels of investigation.
Your research integrated going after Three,148 healthy grown-up subjects who had been at present going to yet another review who had previously been granted about three health care exams relating to the many years Nineteen seventy nine that you can 2005.
They will wanted a couple of cardiovascular health risks factors ? high blood pressure levels, high cholesterol levels as well as metabolic illness (a small group of signs or symptoms that up your chance intended for diabetes mellitus along with heart problems).
The level of fitness with the investigation subject areas has become computed having a health and fitness home trainer evaluation; excess weight may be assessed utilizing Body mass index together with pores and skin crimp assessment.
When the review deducted, 752 subject theme ended up being informed they?ve got high blood pressure, 426 reached the factors pertaining to metabolic condition and also the other 597 have been being affected by high-cholesterol.
Those who perhaps preserved (or even superior) his / her fitness level were built with a reduced chance of getting among the About three historical gold prices dangers. Your own members whom kept his or her fitness level precisely the same a 24% diminished chance of blood pressure, your 38% lowered possibility of metabolic condition, and also a 25% less chance of getting high-cholesterol. Those who obtained improved his / her physical fitness and health amounts seen the exact same rewards, or maybe more.
Subject material whom experienced acquired extra fat ended up very likely to possess one of the risks instead of sportsmen subject theme which dropped unwanted fat. Which include excess fat fit men and women which has a 24% the top probabilities with regards to high blood pressure levels, 52% better risk of metabolic signs and symptoms and also a 41% greater risk of high cholesterol.
In the event you had the oppertunity to be able to support or perhaps improve their physical fitness, these folks were capable of adjust, however, not eliminate, the greater probability of the extra body fat. Dropping extra fat seemed to well-balanced away many of the elevated potential for not really since fit when you used to be.
The top situation may be to shed the pounds and grow fitter. This unique gives the most affordable danger for those three probable troublemakers. Specialists consent that dentist salary nation wide should you be puffy you would best always be in form. If you fail to be aware of the 2 healthful life style options : at the very least uncover.
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A Modern Guide to Fun, Happiness, and Self Improvement for a ...
When sharing food, always offer the last bite to the other person.
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Friday, April 6, 2012
US growth of distant suburbs falls to historic low
Chart shows metropolitan areas with largest population growth
Chart shows metropolitan areas with largest population growth
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Stung by high gasoline costs, outlying suburbs that sprouted in the heady 2000s are now seeing their growth fizzle to historic lows, halting American city dwellers' decades-long exodus to sprawling homes in distant towns.
New census estimates as of July 2011 highlight a shift in population trends following an extended housing bust and renewed spike in oil prices. Two years after the recession technically ended, and despite faint signs of a rebound, Americans again are shunning moves at record levels and staying put in big cities.
That is posing longer-term consequences for residential "exurbs" on the edge of metropolitan areas.
Construction of gleaming new schools and mega-malls built in anticipation of a continued population boom is cutting back. Spacious McMansions offering the promise of homeownership to middle-class families sit abandoned or half-built. Once an escape from urban problems, suburban regions hit by foreclosures are posting bigger jumps in poverty than cities.
The result: The annual rate of growth in American cities and surrounding urban areas has now surpassed that of exurbs for the first time in at least 20 years, spanning the modern era of sprawling suburban development.
"The heyday of exurbs may well be behind us," Yale University economist Robert J. Shiller said. Shiller, co-creator of a Standard & Poor's housing index, is perhaps best known for identifying the risks of a U.S. housing bubble before it actually burst in 2006-2007. Examining the current market, Shiller believes America is now at a turning point, shifting away from faraway suburbs in the long term amid persistently high gasoline prices.
Demographic changes also play a role: They include young singles increasingly delaying marriage and childbirth and thus more apt to rent and a graying population that in its golden years may prefer closer-in, walkable urban centers.
"Suburban housing prices may not recover in our lifetime," Shiller said, calling the development of suburbs since 1950 "unusual" and enabled only by the rise of the automobile and the nation's highway system. "With the bursting of the bubble, we may be discovering the pleasures of the city and the advantages of renting, investing our money not in a single house but in a diversified portfolio."
The signs of longer-term bust are evident in places such as Kendall County, Ill., an outlying suburb of 116,000 people located about 50 miles southwest of Chicago. The nation's No. 1 fastest-growing county from 2000 to 2010, Kendall was part of an exurban wave that more than doubled Kendall's population and helped lift GOP presidential candidate George W. Bush to victory in 2004, offering Republicans the hope of a new era of conservative voters sprouting on the rural-urban edge.
By the late 2000s, however, Kendall County's growth began to wane amid recession and rising gasoline costs. The county, like many other exurbs, eventually turned to Illinois Democrat Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential race for economic answers. By 2011, Kendall County's annual growth had stalled further at 1 percent, dropping its county growth-rate rank to 236th.
Things were especially turbulent over the past 10 years for real estate agent George Richter, who has worked in Kendall County for more than two decades.
"New home construction couldn't be built fast enough," he said. "A lot of us in the industry were very, very nervous about how fast and large the annual growth rate and property value were. We knew there's no way that something could continue on." Now, he said, there's little new construction.
Jeff Wehrli, a longtime Kendall County board member who runs an excavating company, said the signs of the slowdown are most apparent from devalued homes, foreclosures and a general uncertainty among residents.
"It's going to take a while," he said, speaking of a local recovery that he acknowledges will never reach the same levels as last decade. "Our economy has got to get back to the point where people can confidently sign off on a 40-year mortgage."
About 10.6 million Americans reside in the nation's exurbs, just 5 percent of the number in large metropolitan areas. That number represents annual growth of just 0.4 percent from 2010, smaller than the 0.8 percent growth rate for cities and their surrounding urban areas. It also represents the largest one-year growth drop for exurbs in at least 20 years.
By comparison, in 2006 exurban communities grew at an annual rate of 2.1 percent, compared with a population loss of 0.2 percent for inner cities.
In all, 99 of the 100 fastest-growing exurbs and outer suburbs saw slower or no growth in 2011 compared with the mid-decade housing peak ? the exception being Spotsylvania County, Va., located on the outskirts of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, which has boomed even in the downturn. Nearly three-fourths of the top 100 outer suburban areas also saw slower growth compared with 2010, hurt by $3-a-gallon gasoline last year that has since climbed $1 higher.
Other areas showing big slowdowns are Pinal County outside Phoenix; Barrow, Paulding and Pike counties near Atlanta; Union and York counties outside Charlotte, N.C.; and Sandoval County near Albuquerque, N.M.
"The sting of this experience may very well put the damper on the long-held view among young families and new immigrants that building a home in the outer suburbs is a quick way to achieve the American dream," said William H. Frey, a Brookings Institution demographer who analyzed the census data.
Over the past decade, the number of poor people living in the suburbs of major metro areas grew 53 percent, compared with 23 percent in cities. Suburbs were also home to roughly one-third of the nation's poor population, outranking cities and rural areas.
The latest census data come amid an overall U.S. growth rate in 2011 of 0.9 percent, the lowest since the mid-1940s, due to fewer births and less immigration following the recent recession.
Fewer people are also moving around within the nation's borders ? just 11.6 percent of the nation's population moved to a new home, the lowest since the government began tracking such information in 1948. That means fewer Americans are migrating to residential hot spots in the suburbs or Sun Belt metro areas such as Las Vegas, Phoenix and Atlanta, upending several of the population trends of the 2000s.
Metro areas showing renewed growth or slower losses last year included Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle and Detroit, where steep population drops in the downturn have largely bottomed out.
Other findings:
?Rural counties just beyond the edge of metropolitan areas saw growth drop sharply last year, hurt by the slowing of outward sprawl. From 2010-2011, these counties increased by 30,000 people on average, compared with annual growth of 174,000 in the 2000-2010 period, according to Kenneth Johnson, sociology professor at the University of New Hampshire.
As a whole, nonmetropolitan areas last year grew 0.1 percent, compared with 0.9 percent for large metro areas and 0.6 percent for small metropolitan areas.
?Charlton, Ga., led the nation last year as the fastest-growing county, followed by St. Bernard Parish, La., both increasing more than 10 percent. That is in contrast to the 2010 census, when St. Bernard Parish ranked last in percentage growth, due primarily to the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
?Texas had four of the nation's fastest-growing large metropolitan areas: Austin, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.
?Los Angeles was the most populous county, with 9.9 million residents.
The census estimates used local records of births and deaths, Internal Revenue Service records of people moving within the United States and census statistics on immigrants. The estimates were for both counties and metropolitan areas, which include cities and surrounding suburbs.
___
Associated Press writer Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.
___
Online:
http://www.census.gov
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Thursday, April 5, 2012
Trucker harassment class-action suit backfires
A March 12, 2012, photo shows trucks parked outside the headquarters of CRST Van Expedited, Inc., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dozens of female employees at CRST, one of the nation?s largest trucking companies, say they experienced aggressive sexual harassment by male drivers during training rides, but their legal claims have been dismissed because of missteps by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigators. (AP Photo/Ryan J. Foley)
A March 12, 2012, photo shows trucks parked outside the headquarters of CRST Van Expedited, Inc., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dozens of female employees at CRST, one of the nation?s largest trucking companies, say they experienced aggressive sexual harassment by male drivers during training rides, but their legal claims have been dismissed because of missteps by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigators. (AP Photo/Ryan J. Foley)
A March 12, 2012, photo shows the training center for the trucking company CRST Van Expedited, Inc., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dozens of female employees at CRST, one of the nation?s largest trucking companies, say they experienced aggressive sexual harassment by male drivers during training rides, but their legal claims have been dismissed because of missteps by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigators. (AP Photo/Ryan J. Foley)
A March 12, 2012, photo shows the headquarters of CRST Van Expedited, Inc., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dozens of female employees at CRST, on of the nation?s largest trucking companies, say they experienced aggressive sexual harassment by male drivers during training rides, but their legal claims have been dismissed because of missteps by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigators. (AP Photo/Ryan J. Foley)
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) ? They were learning to become truck drivers but wound up in a nightmare. In detailed accounts to a federal agency, dozens of female employees of one of the nation's largest trucking companies told of being propositioned, groped and even assaulted by male drivers during cross-country training rides.
"I was beaten, I was fondled, I was humiliated and I was taught nothing," one trainee, Ramona Villareal, said in a deposition.
But rather than leading to a workplace discrimination judgment, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's sexual harassment lawsuit against Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based CRST Van Expedited Inc., has backfired and put the agency on trial. The agency is coping with a court ruling that could make it harder and more expensive to pursue large discrimination cases against companies in the Midwest, if not nationwide.
And dozens of women who described an ordeal of unwanted and aggressive sexual conduct may receive no compensation for lost wages or emotional distress because of judicial criticism of the agency's investigation.
A February ruling in the case sets a new standard for workplace class-action lawsuits in the federal court district that includes Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas. Before filing a lawsuit on behalf of employees alleging similar discrimination, the agency will first have to investigate the merits of every worker's claim and attempt to reach settlements. If the agency doesn't, EEOC risks having the case dismissed.
The agency has argued that such a standard is impractical in cases involving hundreds or thousands of potential victims. At a minimum, the agency says, investigations would take longer and delay relief compared to other regions, where class-action cases can be filed with a lower standard. EEOC has a deadline next week to determine whether to appeal.
"We are an agency with limited resources already, and this is something that, if it stands, would make it even more challenging for us to address and vindicate discriminatory violations in the 8th Circuit," EEOC general counsel P. David Lopez told The Associated Press.
But businesses say the ruling could stop unfair legal tactics and prevent unnecessary and expensive litigation.
"It's incredibly significant," said Chicago lawyer Gerald Maatman Jr., who represents companies sued by the EEOC. "It is a signal by the federal courts that the tactics the EEOC has been using over the last several years may be improper."
The ruling came as the agency has made systemic discrimination cases ? those involving many employees ? a larger enforcement priority. EEOC investigates 100,000 complaints of workplace discrimination annually, and recovered more than $450 million for employees last year.
The agency's tactics have rattled the business community, which says lawsuits can cost millions of dollars and destroy reputations. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the CRST case denouncing EEOC's tactics and calling for the agency to be more cooperative with industry.
The trucking company case was prompted by a December 2005 complaint from driver Monika Starke, of Azle, Texas, who alleged she was paired with a driver who constantly made crude sexual remarks and advances. After she escaped his truck, she said, she was paired with another driver who demanded sex in exchange for a passing grade.
After failing to reach a settlement for Starke, EEOC filed a lawsuit in 2007 on behalf of all female drivers subjected to "a sexually hostile and offensive work environment." After the company sent letters to thousands of female employees, about 150 gave depositions in which they described being alone for weeks in trucks with male drivers.
One woman said her trainer asked for oral sex every morning and told her if she slept with him she'd certainly pass. Another testified that her trainer put on pornographic movies daily and told her he wanted her to perform similar acts. "And he never let me go a day without telling me that he controlled me passing or failing," Yvonne Fortner testified.
But some of their claims were barred for a variety of legal reasons. And EEOC's tactics infuriated Judge Linda Reade, who said the agency used "a 'sue first, ask questions later' litigation strategy." She dismissed the case and ordered the agency to pay CRST an unprecedented $4.4 million in attorney's fees, acknowledging "dozens of potentially meritorious sexual harassment claims may now never see the inside of a courtroom."
The appeals court largely sided with her in a 2-1 ruling, but threw out the fee award and reinstated two claims: Starke's and one filed by a woman who said her trainer repeatedly entered the cab wearing only his underwear. The court ruled that EEOC should have done more investigation and informal mediation before filing suit.
CRST is expected to renew its request for compensation for legal fees. The company said it took disciplinary action such as banning offenders from riding with females.
"We think it was a very favorable decision," said CRST General Counsel Eric Baker. "We certainly believe in all instances we took those matters seriously. We do believe that we will be exonerated."
But one case that reached a jury ? a California woman who opted out of the EEOC process and filed her own lawsuit ? resulted in a $1.5 million verdict against the company.
"It's a tragedy what happened," said Cedar Rapids attorney Matt Reilly, who has represented women in the case. "The sad thing about this is, the merits haven't been an issue for so long. The appeal was about technicalities."
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Keys to Optmizing Lean Muscle Development ? High ... - 9Kid Fitness
I recently wrote on 9 Kid Fitness about the myth of ?developing? long, lean muscles.? Shortly afterward I received an email from trusted sports physical therapist Alan Tyson about ?optimizing? lean muscle development ( a subtle, yet much more accurate way to say it).? Instead of explaining in my own inadequate words, I decided to reprint the entire article here.? Of special interest was when Tyson said to avoid ALL sugar and fruit juices two hours after exercise.? Most of us are familiar with High Intensity Training HIT (or High Intensity Interval Training) and Tyson explains it further here?
Keys to Optmizing Lean Muscle Development ? High Intensity Training
(How to Use Cardio Training to Develop Strength)
?Alan Tyson PT, ATC
mybodsquad.com
Should I do cardio, lift weights,? a combination?? What is the best method for me to develop lean muscle which helps increase my metabolism and either lose weight or keep my weight manageable?? The answer is high intensity training or HIT training. Let?s discuss the reason for this.? To fully grasp the benefits of peak fitness exercises, you first need to understand that you have three different types of muscle fibers:
1. Slow
2. Fast
3. Super-fast
We now know that in order to naturally increase your body?s production of human growth hormone (HGH), you must engage your super-fast muscle fibers. HGH is a vital hormone that is key for physical strength, health and longevity. Neither traditionally performed aerobic cardio nor conventional strength training will work anything but your slow muscle fibers, and hence has no impact on production of HGH. On the contrary, it has the unfortunate effect of actually causing the super fast fibers to decrease or atrophy, further impeding natural HGH production. Power training, or plyometrics burst types of exercises will engage your fast muscle fibers, but only high-intensity burst cardio,will engage your super fast fibers and promote HGH.
It would be best to AVOID all sugar and fruit juice for two hours after your workout, otherwise you will obliterate the growth hormone response and ruin the major benefit of the workout, which is to increase your growth hormone level. Remember that after age 35, your growth hormone levels radically decrease.? The reason why restricting these carbs after exercise works is that they will prevent the production of the hormone somatostatin. One of the primary purposes of this hormone is to inhibit the production of human growth hormone.
Virtually all exercises, certainly nearly all cardio or standard aerobics, fail miserably when it comes to increasing growth hormone. So if you decide to use the only type of exercise that will increase growth hormone, then it would be a shame to make a post workout food choice that would diminish the benefit from doing this amazing type of exercise. When you break your exercise session into intervals like this ? short segments that alternate high intensity with a rest period in-between ? you can dramatically improve your cardiovascular fitness and fat-burning capabilities in a fraction of the time.
This makes logical sense when you consider that, historically, long-duration exercise isn?t ?natural.? Our ancient ancestors never ran for mile after mile without rest or recovery. Their exercise was primarily hunting ? short bursts of exertion, followed by periods of rest. By exercising in short bursts, followed by periods of recovery, you recreate exactly what your body needs for optimum health, and that includes both the production of growth hormones and the burning of excess body fat. Please understand that the sugar and juice restriction are really intended for nearly everyone reading this whose primary purpose is to increase human growth hormone naturally, through exercise, to improve their health.
There is a very small group of elite and professional athletes who are actively competing, where increasing growth hormone is not their primary goal. For these athletes, consuming some carbs, preferably dextrose-based, in the recovery period is probably a good idea to improve their recovery time, as they are competing and not so concerned about long-term growth hormone levels. It is also important to understand that the two hour post workout sugar restriction is for high intensity exercises NOT for strength training or, if you chose to, aerobic exercises. Since neither of these exercises increases growth hormone, there is not an issue with the sugar restriction within the bounds of replacing needs generated from thexercise.
Fast Recovery vs Growth Hormone Release
To expound on this issue further, Phil Campbell provided the following information:
??When I train young athletes in speed ? www.40speed.com ? I explain to them that the research shows 20 to 25 grams of protein (within 30 minutes of training) with a 4 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein, starts the recovery process quicker. ?This advice is given to everyone as general advice in most fitness magazines today and is mostly based on research led by Dr John Ivey on young cyclists who have to perform several days in a row, and a quick recovery during competition is extremely important. Clearly, young athletes more concerned with fast recovery than maximizing HGH release should use this strategy. ?However, if you are middle-aged, or in a non-competitive phase of training, and keeping HGH circulating as long as possible is your goal, then protein intake (20 to 25 grams after training) is a great strategy, but you need to monitor the glycemic rating of carbs because of the variable impact of carbs on insulin, which in turn impacts the HGH release process. There are a couple of variables that come into play that can change the rules for adults wanting to maximize human growth hormone from exercise. ?Research shows that a spike of insulin after training increases somatostatin (thehormone that shuts down HGH).
?So, here?s where this issue gets complicated, because it?s difficult to estimate theglycemic rating of food on different people with different muscle to body fat ratios. And what makes this issue very complicated is that the insulin producing process is variable for every adult to some degree. ?It depends on where you are on the Metabolic Syndrome scale. Metabolic Syndrome just became an official medical condition in 2001, and the research shows that even a few carbs can spike insulin for some people with insulin resistance.
?If you are lean and do not need to drop a lot of body fat, then you can probably eat some carbs without spiking insulin ? and maybe even some refined sugar depending on the interaction of the carbs with an intake of post-training protein, which will somewhat negate the impact of the carbs on the insulin response ? as opposed to an intake of carbs on an empty stomach. ?So, as you can see, there are many variables that come into play. ?In short, carbs with the protein can be good after training as long as the glycemic response doesn?t spike your insulin.
?Research shows that the insulin response of an individual is lessened with youthand/or lean body weight (muscle vs. body fat), and that?s another reason why it?s so important to maintain muscle throughout life. ?From a performance training strategy perspective for runners, I would suggestconsider training with the strategy of maximizing HGH release (except on really hot days or on the one-long-run-a-week day) because this strategy should build muscle to make you faster, and reduce body fat so you have less to carry. ?For competitions, and those hot, long-training days, I?d suggest using the quickrecovery strategy of 1 to 4 ratio of protein to carbs, because in this instance, your body does not care what the quality of glucose is; it just needs glucose.?
A recumbent bicycle or regular indoor bike for the High Instensity exercise is a great start, although you certainly can use an elliptical machine, a treadmill, or anywhere outdoors for that matter. However, unless you are already a strong athlete, I would strongly advise against sprinting outdoors again based on the intensity you will have to achieve for optimal results . Just warm up for three to five minutes and then go all out as hard as you can for 30 seconds. In the warm up you typically get your heart rate around 60 to 70% of its maximum (220-your age). So if you are 50 your max heart rate would be170 and your warm up heart rate would be 102-119. The first repetition is usually pretty easy as your starting heart rate is low and you can do the entire 30 seconds without stress.
Since you only recover for 90 seconds your heart rate gradually continues to climb after every repetition so hopefully by the time you finish your last repetition it is at or above your maximum heart rate. Remember to cool down for a few minutes after your 8th repetition. Unless you work out regularly you will likely need to work your way up to 8 cycles. You can start with 2-4 and gradually increase to 8, but ideally, you should get to 8 cycles. The magic really starts to happen around repetition number 7 and 8.
Here are the principles:
1. Warm up for three minutes
2. Then, go all out, as hard as you can for 30 seconds
3. Recover for 90 seconds
4. Repeat 7 more times, for a total of 8 repetitions
5. Cool down for a few minutes afterwards by cutting down your intensity by 50-80%.
If you have a history of heart disease or any concern please get clearance from your health care professional to start this. Most people of average fitness will be able to do this, it is only a matter of how much time it will take you to build up to the full 8 reps.? The beautiful thing about this approach is that if you are out of shape you simply will be unable to train very hard as the lactic acid will build up in your muscles quickly and prevent you from stressing your heart very much.? Start slowly, build up, and enjoy the fact that you are working to develop lean muscle mass which is one of the main keys to aging well.
?
?**Remember to
1. Always plan ahead for what you are going to eat
2. Obtain adequate amounts of protein
3. Work on Flexibility
4. Supplement your diet with a fish oil and multi-vitamin
?
?
?
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Health and Fitness: Arthritis And Rheumatism
The satisfaction in knowing that you control your Arthritis instead of your condition controlling you
So many people suffer 'Needlessly' with Rheumatoid Arthritis. They follow their doctors advice, & they take the medication, but nothing works, at least not in the way you hoped it would.
The steroids may help but only for as long as you keep using them, in fact almost every arthritis
Read more ...
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Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Clickatell Touts New Mobile Marketing Platform for SMBs | Mobile ...
Clickatell announced Wednesday that its introducing the new Clickatell Mobile Campaign Manager.
So what?s the new offering all about? According to the company behind the new platform, it?s a social mobile solution optimized to give small and medium businesses the short message service tools needed for mobile marketing campaigns that ?engage new customers and deepen existing customer relationships.?
Although standing out in an increasingly crowded space is never easy, Clickatell appears poised to handle itself pretty well amidst heavy competition from rival mobile marketing platforms.
The CMCM platform can be accessed from any web browser and provides simple, straightforward setup and operation, Clickatell says.
?With 85 percent of the American population owning a cell phone, mobile marketing is the best way for small and medium businesses to reach today?s on-the-move customer,? asserts Bill Wolfe, Clickatell CTO. ?Clickatell?s Mobile Campaign Manager brings the universality, immediacy and flexibility of SMS to every regional business in an easy to use customizable package.?
CMCM uses a 5-digit U.S. short code origination address to send text messages to U.S. mobile phone numbers. SMS and mobile marketing guideline compliance is built into the product, with systematic safeguards against spamming, including a double opt-in feature, help and managed stop features.
The platform is available now with a promotional price of $199 for the first three months with SMS beginning at $0.02 per outbound message.
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Vanilla & Spice: What I Ate in Thailand
In the short time that we were there, I was able to try a pretty good mix of drinks, desserts, restaurant meals and street food. I actually found the vegetarian options to be better in Chiang Mai compared to Singapore, so I never had to worry about finding something to eat!
Since it was always so hot during the days, we loved to cool off with refreshing drinks and ice cream. On our first day, we found a great indoor cafe (with air conditioning!), where I enjoyed an amazing creamy coconut ice cream and a delicious Thai iced coffee frappe.?
There were also lots of street stalls selling "Ancient ice cream", which came as a block on a popsicle stick. I chose the pandan flavor, which was quite different from any other flavor of ice cream I've tried, but I liked it!
Another really good way to refresh during the hot weather was by drinking coconut water. We saw a lot of stands selling fresh coconuts that they would just crack open and stick a straw in for you to drink the water inside. If you're not a fan of the taste of coconut water, then you might find it disgusting (as I did the very first time I tried it in India a couple years ago), but I now I love it, and I feel much better about drinking the real thing than the bottled kind!
On our last day, I wanted one more chance to try an authentic Thai iced coffee, so I ordered one with my lunch at the hotel, which was also so good!
And of course, we had to enjoy a couple of tropical cocktails by the pool, since we were on vacation! I tried a mai tai and a banana daiquiri, which were equally delicious!
As I mentioned, there's a good variety of street food available in Chiang Mai, especially at the night markets. ?Here are a couple of shots of some of the snacks being prepared:
I definitely did not try the fried crickets, but I did get an amazing little snack that was a mixture of coconut and peanuts wrapped in a banana leaf and served on a skewer. ?I wish I had have bought more of those!
Nat and I also shared a serving of small Thai pancakes, which are made from coconut milk and sprinkled with sugar. ?They had a gooey texture in the middle that was a bit weird at first, but overall I really liked them!
Another snack we tried from our hotel that was really simple but also really good was these mini rice cakes that are dipped in honey and then black and white sesame seeds - crispy and sweet and a nice accompaniment to tea!
Whenever we went to restaurants, it was hard for me to choose something because I was never too sure what the dish would end up being based on the description. ?Here's one that didn't really meet my expectations - it was described as flat noodles with tofu and vegetables on a bed of lettuce, but the actual dish turned out to be a bit bland.
Another dish that I was a bit disappointed in was my tofu satays. ?I really wanted to try an authentic peanut sauce, but the sauce wasn't great and I wasn't crazy about the fried tofu either. ?At least the setting of the restaurant was really cool - I got to sit in a comfy basket chair with lots of pillows!
One that did turn out really well was a panang curry that I ordered at a vegetarian restaurant. It came with tofu and vegetables with some Thai basil and peanuts, and a very spicy broth! And I liked how the rice came served in the shape of a heart.
Another restaurant dish that I loved was this papaya salad. ?I had wanted to try a mango salad in Thailand, but the papaya version seemed to be more common, and I was glad that I tried it!?
Our hotel also served a pretty good lunch buffet that we got twice when we didn't want to go out. ?One of the options was a made-to-order pad thai that was so fresh and flavorful.
I also tried a make-your-own miso soup, but I must have added too many chilis because it kind of destroyed my taste buds after I ate it!
From the dessert bar, I tried a mix of coloured glass noodles, sweet pumpkin, sago and fresh coconut in a cold coconut milk soup. I wasn't crazy about the jellies or the pumpkin, but I loved the coconut part!
Another great meal where I got to try some local sweets was on the day that we visited an elephant farm and they provided a picnic lunch served on banana leaves.?
The vegetarian options included a lot of sticky rice and sweets, but I didn't mind! ?I tried three kinds of sticky rice - one plain, one with a sweet custard, and a black rice with pieces of coconut.?
I didn't have much room left in my stomach to try all of the desserts, but I did try a few - my favourites were the fried banana (not pictured), and the coconut patty (the flat round one pictured below).
Finally, I couldn't end this post without sharing the biggest highlight of my trip to Chiang Mai - the chance to become an "elephant owner for a day"! ?It was such an amazing experience being able to interact with a mother and her baby elephant and riding the mother bareback through the farm trails and hills. Here's my favourite picture of me riding my elephant with the baby tagging along.?
Now that I've shared my travelling experiences, next time I'll be back with another recipe!In the meantime, you can also check out my sister's recaps of the food she ate in Singapore ( parts?one and two)?and Thailand (parts one and two).
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Tuesday, April 3, 2012
RolePlayGateway?
Anyway, this took me a long time to make, they say hard work pays off and I would appreciate it if you guys check out this roleplay
Link to Roleplay: http://www.roleplaygateway.com/roleplay/grimm-2-0/
OOC to Grimm 2.0: http://www.roleplaygateway.com/grimm-t69718.html
Grimm 2.0
Simply take a character from an existing fairy tale and give them a DARK twist! All of the characters must have a dark fantasy twist and a futuristic theme. It's not supposed to end happily ever after for the characters. If you do not like the dark futuristic influence in the roles then bring your own dark influence to this game
Prologue:
A long time ago, there was a land at the time named Marchenia (derived from the word Marchen), There were green, lush forests brimming of colorful fauna and flora containing river streams that were crystal clear. There were creatures one might usually see from fairy-tales or stories. In this land, every tale or stories are always 100% reality.
There were also princes, princesses, fair-skinned damsels-in distress, trolls, ogres, goblins, demons, faeries, dwarves, and talking plants and animals. All of these exist but most of these stories don't end pretty
One certain day, the king and queen of Marchenia had a problem, the queen gave birth to mostly girls and the king wanted to find a male heir so that someday the heir could take over the king. At the time, the king didn't like his daughters due to that fact that he only favored male children. The maid serving both the king and queen happened to eavesdrop the conversation between him and his closest friend. The maid then relayed the conversation to the queen. Fearful and Hysteric, the queen called for the most powerful being that is well-known throughout the land. However, she was unaware that her desire would turn into anarchy that spreads throughout the whole land.
A witch came into the palace, she had the solution that the Queen desperately sought. The witch had a small vial containing a blood-red concoction with a light-blue seed. She said that the queen that this light-blue seed would give her the heir that king desperately needed. Desperately, the queen took the vial and sent off the witch. Even though, she didn't know what was going to happen later, the seed was extremely supernatural and was far from normal.
In just a short period of time, the queen became rotund and pudgy with her unborn male child. The king was extremely joyous and all of Marchenia extravagantly celebrated from galas to parties.
As the days turned to weeks, to the king's horror, the queen grew at a extremely fast rate and would not stop growing. Both the king and queen were now insane and in mass hysteria. The condition of the queen was kept in extreme secrecy. Anyone that dare speak about her condition was murdered, jailed or supposedly "disappeared"
One night, the king found his lovely queen lying in a pool of blood with her abdomen exploded to mere rips of flesh and splatters of blood. The king then committed suicide after seeing this horrible abomination. The throne was now open and the witch quickly seized power. All of the inhabitants of the land were now left with ignorance. Rumors say that the queen gave birth to an abomination that seemed to be male but it was mostly monstrous that was controlled by the new queen. Whatever the situation was, it's clear that Marchenia will never be the same again until many years had passed
Story:
After more than three thousand years of tyrannical rule, the witch was now growing old after years of being youthful from feeding on young boys. She would not give up her power. An unknown man codenamed "Icarus" with his father codenamed "Daedalus" saw the horrors of the land of Marchenia. The once beautiful land that was teeming with nature and castles was now a land of industry, steam. The forests were now railroads. The beautiful flowers and fauna and the crystal-clear rivers were now factories, buildings made with steel and the inhabitants and animals from storybooks and fairytales were wearing cybernetic implements with Victorian-era like clothing.
Daedalus and his son Icarus started a rebellion against the witch. Many inhabitants quickly joined in and the witch quickly hid the abomination (born from the old queen years ago). The inhabitants originally wanted to plan a rebellion but they had no real leader of the rebellion to inspire them to do so. In mere weeks, Daedalus, Icarus and the rebels stormed into the witch's (New Queen's) Castle and quickly took out her guards, allies and minions. By the time the witch tried to flee, it was too late, she was quickly slain to pieces to flesh by Icarus and Daedalus. However, the abomination that the witch hid earlier went amok in a different section of Marchenia.
Daedalus took over the throne with his son, Icarus as his heir. Daedalus ordered that Marchenia should be rebuilt and renovated. The witch's steampunk era was over. Daedalus' architectural innovation with the help of Icarus' technological advances turned Marchenia into a futuristic city. Now, Marchenia is lined with buildings, bars, artificial fauna and plants, restaurants and extremely innovative homes for the inhabitants. Daedalus then ordered that the city should be renamed to Marchenia City and that the city should have a central government. However, even though Daedalus made the city peaceful and advanced (ahead of its time), he did not give any credit to his Icarus who helped him accomplish what he wanted. Enraged, Icarus met with Mother Goose, the vice-rebellion leader from the time they rebelled against the witch. He told her that his father should die.
Mother Goose accepted through Icarus' persuasive appeals. She slipped poison in Daedalus' drink and Daedalus died the moment he sipped the poison. Icarus then took over the throne but Mother Goose betrayed him minutes later and decapitated him. She then took over the throne and brought back the abomination that the witch hid years ago. It was now her secret weapon. She set very harsh utopian-like rules for the city and anyone that dares to speak out will be killed instantly by Mother Goose's guards.
Marchenia City may seem beautiful but the city has now turned into a scene of anarchy and disorder with Mother Goose ruling with an iron wing (no pun intended)
The Main Plot ? The Run Down
There are three main factions that exist in this roleplay, the first is the Red Faction (A.K.A The Reformed Rebellion), the second is called Nero (named after a tyrannical Roman emperor) (A.K.A Mother Goose's Legion) and finally, the Marchenia City Police (the city's police force) You will plot your character?s story around those factions. As for neutrals, I am only allowing four neutral slots in order to avoid there being more neutral characters than there are characters in either faction. the four neutral slots are first-come first-serve and the characters that wish to be neutral must have profiles that pass the profile process. If they don?t, then the slots will be open.
The actions of your character will determine if the roleplay ends happily ever after or not. Please understand that your characters will make some serious mistakes and might create an advantage for the other faction(s). Understand that this is just a game, and you shouldn't hate the players that are against you. We're all here to have fun.
Characters
The only kinds of characters permitted in this game are characters from: Grimm Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Andersen, and Nursery Rhymes. No other characters are allowed. You can Google these fairy tales to get ideas for a character that is not currently listed. The characters listed below must be role played as their gender. I will not allow for there to be a male red riding hood. If they were female in the fairy tales, then they must be female. If they were male in the fairy tales, then they must be male. If the character's sex is undetermined, then choose a gender for him or her. Some of the characters below have set jobs and positions already, so any characters that aren?t listed below that you decide to make, you must run their job by me.
You are allowed to portray the characters however way you like. Characters that are animals do not have to appear anthropomorphic or straight up quadruped. They can be human with animal features. Go crazy with the background history, but to enhance interaction, try to form histories around enemies or other characters. Please avoid dictating another character?s life. If you Rp a character that originally was paired in a fairy tale with another, if a player ever decides to join as that character, I doubt he or she will want to RP what you dictated happened to them. So please write a history focused ONLY on the character you?re playing. That way if another character joins that is related to the fairytale your character is from, THEN you can rewrite the background to fit them in.
Yes, you are allowed to role play a character that will eventually become good or a character that will eventually become bad.
If someone chooses the role that you wanted, you are allowed to compete against them for the slot. If you post a much more creative profile than the person who currently plays the role you desire, then chances are you'll get that role.
Mother Goose's Legion-Nero.
???????-[played by Trickster132]-Mother Goose's secret weapon, formerly served the Witch and was born from the previous queen.
***Mother Goose- (Leader)-The creator of all Nursery Rhymes, the tyrannical queen of Marchenia City don't let her looks fool you, she may be beautiful but she is deviant and crafty. Also, she is extremely proficient in Magic
***Big Bad Wolf-(Elite/Vice Leader)- A cunning trickster and an intelligent master of disguise, In charge of things when Mother Goose is gone, works with the Marchenia City government
Humpty Dumpty-(Strategist/Elite)- A former bad egg, looks like you'll be a rotten egg when you cross paths with him, has an IQ of 280
Three Blind Mice-(Elite/Informants)- These three blind mice seek revenge from being eaten by a snake and they spy and gather information to relay to Mother Goose
Goldilocks-(Elite)- She hates bears. She talks with animals and enslaves them, that's all you need to know about her...
Little Boy Blue-(Commander/Official)- Commander of Goldilocks Anthropomorphic Animal Army. He leads campaigns and crush those who rebel against Mother Goose
Evil NPCs
Pinocchio- This puppet who wanted to become a real boy runs a counterfeit shop that sells counterfeit items, his shop is located in the shady part of the city, Works under the Wolf and has the Three Little Pigs under his wing
Three Little Pigs- Wannabe smugglers but they help out Pinocchio in the shop, making counterfeit items to sell at the black market.
Brunhilde- She is the woman who lived in the shoe, Mother Goose created her and treats her like a daughter. She still lives in a shoe and is on welfare. Child Services had to take all of her many children because she attempted to sell one of them on the black market. She is deranged and crazy
Trolls, Goblins, Gargoyles, Demons and Gnomes ? They are the typical henchmen of the queen. They can be found as soldiers, scouts, guards, etc.
Marchenia City Police-Logo
***Devlynn Muffet- (Police Chief)- She is formerly Little Miss Muffet, she's afraid of Spiders but she's not afraid to dish out justice, Best friends with Little Red Hood (Red)
***Rose Red- (Sergeant/Lieutenant)- Sister of Snow White, Has red hair and red eyes, in charge of covert operations and cases
Gingerbread Man- (Head Detective/Interrogator)- Escaped from the Muffin Man's oven, even though he's diminutive, he's observant and quick on his feet.
Gretel (Detective/Forensic Specialist)- Sister of Hansel, She helped free his brother from the witch's clutches
The Rebellion-Red Faction
****Red- (Leader)- Her name is Red, no one knows her real name, She isn't "Little" Red Riding Hood anymore, Formerly friends with the Big Bad Wolf until he betrayed her. Creator and Leader of Red Faction. Currently in a relationship with someone in the rebellion named Jack
****Jack- (played by Tricster132) (Second in Command)- Brother of Jill and has met Red when he was 4 years old. By the time he was in middle school, he developed romantic feelings towards her. In High School, he asked Red out and she said Yes and they have been in a relationship ever since. He is in charge of the Red Faction when Red is sick or on leave
Jill- (Warrior/Strategist)- Sister of Jack, Jack and her have a rocky relationship since day one when their father died from an unknown illness, Currently, she fights for the rebellion and is in charge of military plans
Hansel- (Warrior)- Brother of Gretel, Thanks to Gretel's quick thinking, she helped free him from the witch's clutches
The Shoemaker- (Informant and Weapons Supplier)- No one knows his real name, he is codenamed "The Shoemaker
Chicken Little- (Interrogator)- This small chick may believe that the sky is falling but he interrogates members of Nero with strict purposes
NPC Allies of the Rebellion
Talking Animals ? These fable creatures are usually enslaved. Animals used to talk, but ever since the rise of the new queen, they have become afraid to. The animals aren?t stupid. They are smart and hear better than you think.
The Elves- These elves are the helpers of the Shoemaker, they help design and manufacture futuristic weapons for the Red Faction, They also serve as soldiers for the Rebel Army
These are just a list of characters you can choose from out-right. There are still many characters you can think up to be either apart of the Red Faction, Nero or the Marchenia City Police.
Neutrals
(4 Neutral Slots Only)
Aladdin- He leads a group of Assassins codenamed "Djinns" Ruthless and Cruel, he will only pursue his goals and he sometimes helps out the Rebellion
Snow White- She is the second in command of Aladdin's group "Djinns", She is the best assassin within the group and has a small crush on Hansel
Rapunzel- This woman with long, long hair is devoid with love, she is a wanderer and is looking for a purpose in life
Little Mermaid- She runs a small flower shop in the city and has the power to heal by singing with her soothing voice
*=Any role marked with asterisks are important roles for characters
Character Sheet
- Code: Select all
? ? [b]Name[/b]:? ? [b]Alias[/b]: (as in what fairy tale character)
? ?
? ? [b]Age[/b]:? (if applicable)
? ?
? ? [b]Gender[/b]:
? ?
? ? [b]Height[/b]:
? ?
? ? [b]Weight[/b]:
? ?
? ? [b]Basic Appearance[/b]: (pic and brief description if pic doesn't summarize)
? ?
? ? [b]Personality[/b]:
? ?
? ? [b]Likes[/b]:
? ?
? ? [b]Dislikes[/b]:
? ?
? ? [b]Psychological Disorder(s)[/b]: (any quirks or disorders go here)
? ?
? ? [b]Background[/b]: (I expect a brief dark story here lol)
? ?
? ? [b]Partner[/b]: (if your character comes from a story where he or she is usually with another or whoever you choose as a partner can go here. If no one, then no one.)
? ?
? ? [b]Current Story[/b]: (What is he or she doing now or where is he or she?)
? ?
? ? [b]Weaponry[/b]: (If he or she carries anything and it can also be natural weaponry such as teeth or claws)
? ?
? ? [b]Powers[/b] (I?ll be checking these. I want everyone to at least be sensible with their powers. You can have as many as you think is logical for your character.)
? ?
Active Characters
Any Character submitted for this roleplay will go here
Inactive Characters
This section is only for characters who have been dropped from the game for whatever reasons
Current Places
*-Under Construction
Marchenia City
Nero HQ
Mother Goose's Palace
Red Faction HQ
Credits
I would like to give credit to Sonata for his Dark Tale Roleplay, I love Dark Fantasy and this is my 1st Fantasy Roleplay
I would also like to give credit to Izoi for his Earth 2020 roleplay, The cyberpunk roleplay is very interesting and I love the somewhat dystopian setting
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Business News : The Gremlin ? Daily online newspaper for the ...
Sars to get tough on wealthy South Africans and their trusts
Its compliance programme will focus on seven key areas including the construction industry.
JOHANNESBURG ? On Sunday the South African Revenue Service (Sars) revealed that it will focus more of its attention on the construction industry, transfer pricing by large business, abuse of trusts by wealthy South Africans, tax practitioners and trade intermediaries as part of its plans for the next five years to further grow the levels of compliance with tax and customs legislation.
?By focusing on these issues we believe we can make a significant impact on increasing the fairness of the tax system and on protecting our economy and society from unwanted, harmful or illegal goods?, said Sars Commissioner Oupa? Magashula.
In a statement, Sars said research it had conducted identified that:
?The construction industry has significantly lower levels of compliance than other sectors in the economy. The industry receives a significant portion of public infrastructure spending from the fiscus, which makes compliance in this industry even more critical. It intends to conduct extensive compliance checks and integrated audits in this industry with a particular focus on individuals and entities that are awarded government tenders. Filing, declaration and payment behaviour will be a focus for corporate income tax, VAT and PAYE. There will be particular focus on contractors and the various levels of sub-contractors involved in paving, decorating, plumbing, heating and ventilation, and ceilings and floors.
?26% of corporate income tax (CIT) returns are outstanding, VAT audits have shown up to 60% reporting inaccuracy, 38% of CIT payments are either late or outstanding, and audits on transfer pricing have yielded around R2.3 billion. Transfer pricing by large business will thus come under the spotlight with a comprehensive international review of the practice, up-skilling of Sars?s staff and greater cooperation with other revenue administrations. Apart from transfer pricing, it will also continue to focus on international tax compliance as well as follow-ups on under-declaration of provisional tax (paragraph 19(3))1 activities to ensure accurate and on time provisional tax payments.
?A potentially significant number of wealthy individuals are not registered taxpayers thus Sars will use third party data including information from financial institutions, credit bureaux and other sources of data (such as residential and holiday homes, aircraft, vehicle and boat sales) to identify such individuals for registration. Offshore accounts in tax havens that are used by individuals to avoid tax will be given priority attention using international cooperation agreements. Trusts by wealthy South Africans can expect substantially more compliance checks and integrated audits ? but also more opportunities for upfront engagement and pre-filing agreements.
?Noncompliant tax practitioners have 18 401 personal tax returns outstanding ? many of them long outstanding ? and have accumulated debt of R260m. Thus regulation of tax practitioners and trade intermediaries will be pursued to ensure that tax practitioners are all persons of good standing and members of a professional body. Sars will develop a rigorous risk profiling system to identify high risk practitioners. Tax practitioners represent around 3m taxpayers.
?The trade in and consumption of illicit cigarettes is detrimental to the fiscus and to the health of South Africans. Sars will continue to focus on clamping down on cigarettes smuggled via warehouses as well the diversion of cigarettes destined for export back into the local market. It also plans to modernise the warehousing management and acquittal system.
?Undervalued imports pose a significant risk not only to the fiscus but to local industry and job creation. Sars will continue to work together with other government agencies and industry stakeholders to clamp down on this practice including through the establishment and frequent revision of a reference pricing database to detect undervaluation, increasing inspections as well as supporting an integrated border management model.
?Small businesses registration is low. Sars will be conducting registration drives in conjunction with other government agencies in which businesses will be inspected and, where necessary, registered on site. Abuse of VAT (including withholding VAT but failing to pay it over and abuse of VAT refunds) will be a key focus area.
Details here
?Ratings agencies should reward SA? ? Gordhan
The ratings agencies should reward SA for its balanced approach which combined support for growth with fiscal consolidation over the medium term, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan says.
Gordhan was speaking to BusinessLIVE after he unveiled better-than-expected government revenue growth of 10.2% in the tax year ended March 31 2012.
As government spending was R4 billion less than forecast at R968.5 billion, the estimated budget deficit to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio fell to 4.5% from a forecast 4.8% in the 2012 Budget and 5.5% forecast in the October 2011 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).
The Treasury has forecast that the primary fiscal balance will be in surplus of 0.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014/15 from a deficit of 1.9% in 2012/13.
The primary balance is revenue minus non-interest spending. If it is in deficit, then debt will increase. As SA has had a primary deficit for several years, the government debt has grown by R1-trillion since 2008.
Prior to 2008, SA used to run a primary balance surplus, which reduced debt and the associated debt servicing costs, so SA was well-placed to weather the 2009 global Great Recession.
Earlier this week ratings agency Standard and Poor?s (S&P) changed its outlook on SA from stable to negative implying a one in three chance that SA?s rating would be downgraded over the next 18 months.
?Ratings agencies are focusing on factors extraneous to good economic management and our ability to repay debt. In our case they are also ignoring the historic legacy of large inequalities in housing, health, education and economic infrastructure. All these factors are being addressed in a fiscally sustainable manner,? he said.
On Friday the 13th January 2012 the importance of rating agencies was once again highlighted as mere rumours of probable downgrades of eurozone countries at 16:17 SA time sent the euro plummeting to a 16-month low against the US dollar.
After European equity markets closed, Standard and Poor?s (S&P) confirmed that the rumours were true as it lowered the long-term sovereign ratings on nine Eurozone countries and changed the outlook for 14 out of the 17 members to negative from stable.
S&P downgraded the ratings ofCyprus,Italy,Portugal, andSpainby two notches; lowered the long-term sovereign ratings onAustria,France,Malta,Slovakia, andSlovenia, by one notch; and affirmed the long-term sovereign ratings onBelgium,Estonia,Finland,Germany,Ireland,Luxembourg, and theNetherlands.
It changed the outlooks on the long-term ratings onAustria,Belgium,Cyprus,Estonia,Finland,France,Ireland,Italy,Luxembourg,Malta, theNetherlands,Portugal,Slovenia, andSpainto negative. The negative outlook reflects S&P?s belief that there is at least a one-in-three chance that these ratings will be lowered in 2012 or 2013. The outlooks on the long-term ratings onGermanyandSlovakiaremained at stable.
At 16:26 SA time Fitch Ratings issued a media release stating that it changed its outlook on SA from stable to negative, which sent the rand more than 1% weaker against the US dollar in thin Friday afternoon trade. Moody?s Investors Service had made a similar change in November 2011, but Moody?s rates SA one notch higher than S&P and Fitch, so its outlook change had less of an impact than Fitch.
The Treasury said a countercyclical fiscal stance remained a strategic intervention tool for SA to counter the adverse effects of structurally integrated global economy. Within the context of maintaining a good track record despite the underlying uncertain macroeconomic environment, SA remained committed to the prudent execution of growth and employment supportive economic policies.
On the youth employment subsidy, Gordhan said it was being held up in the tripartite NEDLAC forum where government, organised business and organised labour were represented.
?Organised labour has raised concerns about the substitution effect of a youth employment subsidy, but my hope is that it will be implemented sooner rather than later, as this will take unemployed youth off the streets,? he said.
Five steps to your personal monthly budget toolkit
Nigel Willmott says financial freedom starts with getting the basics right.
Getting started and getting organised can be daunting. Making a start to work towards personal financial discipline takes a bold step in the right direction. Getting your personal budget and spending plan in order is the first step in the right direction.
Financial freedom starts with getting the basics right ? getting your personal budget right.
It isn?t difficult or time consuming to get the basics together. Here is what you will need;
?budget planner
?notebook
?envelope
?your monthly bank statement
?30 minutes a month
1.????? Budget Planner
You can set up your own budget planner using Excel or you can sift through the internet for a format or system that works for you. There are many ?free to download? examples available.
Tip: When you set up your expenses think of Fixed, Variable and Discretionary. When you begin to ?shed? expenses to get your budget to balance you must work backwards to cut. Account for ALL expenses ? no matter how arbitrary or trivial ? it all adds up. Don?t park anything in the denial space.
2.????? Notebook ? ?money diary?
When you are starting out a handy way to get into the financial discipline rhythm is to create a ?money diary?. Keep a notebook of all your expenditure. Make a few simple columns;
?Date
?Expense description
?Amount
At the end of the month you are going to track each entry back to your initial budget to begin to compare accuracy and identify where there is wastage spend. This will ensure that you accurately account for each bit of expenditure during the course of the month. You will quickly identify negative trends and bad habits.
3.????? Envelope
Keep an envelope in your ?money diary?. During the month keep all your slips ? ATM withdrawals and till slips. Write a short description on each slip which will identify the spend type.
4.????? Monthly bank statement
On the last day of the month draw a bank statement for the month that has passed.
5.????? 30 minutes ? directions for use
?At the beginning of the month set up your budget
?During the month record all expenditure in your money diary
?Every week clear out your wallet or purse and deposit the slips into your envelope
?At the end of the month draw a bank statement for the month that was
?Reconcile the entries in your money diary and your slips to your budget that you set at the beginning of the month
?Reconcile your bank statement to your budget. Make sure that all transactions are accounted for
?Outcome ? did you achieve your budget? Reset for the coming month.
?Repeat the process
Financial education is the key to financial freedom. keep yourself financially capable and adopt a healthy attitude to your personal money management.
*Nigel Willmott is the managing director of motivate | today, an independent holistic financial life skills company focused on the financial education? needs of employer groups, universities and schools. For further details go to www.motivatetoday.co.za
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