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Top area golf pro Tom Moore is retiring on Jan. 1.

Top area golf pro Tom Moore is retiring on Jan. 1.

AIKEN ? At 8:30 on most mornings for more than three decades, Tom Moore has been pulling into the Palmetto Golf Club parking lot to begin another day as the club?s head pro and general manager.

He?s been arriving at that exact time at the famed Aiken private club off Whiskey Road since May 1982, most weeks working six days and untold hours.

Monday will be different for the dean of area golf pros. It will be his last one working at the club.

Moore, 63, is retiring while his health and energy are strong in order to devote more time to his wife, Kathy, their daughter, Jennifer, and his many friends.

?I think this is the next progression I need to do with my life,? Moore said.

?I?ve been telling people for years that I?m going to come see you and play golf,? Moore said. ?I don?t want to wake up and drop over dead one day or get to where my health is bad and think, ?Gosh, I wish I?d done that.? I want Kathy and Jennifer and I to do things that I didn?t do when I was younger because I was so intent on making this work.?

BY THIS, HE MEANS Palmetto Golf Club.

The 120-year club was in poor shape when Moore was hired as the head pro in May 1982. In fact, the condition of the club and the course was one reason Moore got the job. In his interview, he was candid about the state of the club and impressed upon the board that he was the man to bring it back to its glory.

?When I got here, we didn?t have a whole lot of members and what we did have were old and they weren?t playing golf, and the place had gotten run down,? Moore said. ?Steve Melnyk (a former Masters Tournament participant) remembers when he first started playing here, it was always a great golf course with a great layout but in terrible condition. Now it?s a great golf course, great clubhouse and it?s in great condition.?

Moore, who has served under 11 club presidents at Palmetto, said it ?wasn?t long? after he started the job that he began to believe the course was on its way.

?I had a vision of the place, how it would be,? he said. ?With the leadership of a lot of boards and club presidents, we finally got it that point. Not that it?s perfect now, but it?s not far off.?

That?s why the membership roll is full ? there are 300 in-town members and 200 national members, including former Masters participant and Walker Cup player and captain Jim Holtgrieve, of St. Louis.

THE MEMBERS CREDIT Moore for the turnaround, which has helped Palmetto become nationally known starting in the late 1980s through golf course rankings and word of mouth.

Moore even gave up playing golf to focus on the club.

?He was that type of guy,? said current member Bill Hardy, who was a member before Moore started. ?He was here seven days a week. Always, Palmetto was the first thing on his mind. Coming to Palmetto, he just quit playing golf and dedicated himself to this club and the membership. His love for this golf course, it showed to all of the members. He just loved Palmetto. He made it what it is.?

?He?s going to be sorely missed as the head professional at Palmetto,? said Dale Haas, another member.

?This has been my life,? Moore said. ?Tom Matthews, the current president of the club, asked me if there was one thing I?m most proud of from the day I got here to now and I said, ?everything.? He said, ?well, you can?t pick out one thing?? and I said, ?no, it?s everything.? Everything is so much better and it?s to where it?s supposed to be.?

Which is another reason Moore feels like this is the right time to step aside.

BROOKS BLACKBURN, WHO took over as Palmetto?s head pro in 2008 when Moore became director of golf, said Moore knows the names of not only the members, but their wives and children.

?That?s more important to them than the golf,? Blackburn said. ?He really cares about them.?

That concern worked well at Palmetto, along with Moore?s personality.

?I was amazed that he could be as smooth as he was with the mix of people we had,? former Palmetto president Joe Womack said. ?There were years we had guys who couldn?t rub two nickels together playing golf with millionaires.?

IT DIDN?T TAKE long for word to spread about the job Moore was doing at Palmetto. Starting in the late 1980s, he was offered jobs at much bigger clubs, including East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta and Atlanta Athletic Club, and turned them down. By that time, he was happily entrenched at Palmetto.

?I never thought I?d be here past three years,? Moore said. ?This was my first head job. I wanted to come here and show I could do the job and go somewhere else. I got here and got into some of this and just fell in love with the golf course.?

That?s why Moore didn?t mind putting in the extra hours.

?Some members figured it up and it was like working 42 years here for a normal person,? Blackburn said.

?Not too many people do with their lives just exactly what they want to do,? Palmetto member Kenny Wiland said. ?But Tom is one of them, for sure.?

?I don?t consider working here a job; it?s more of a love,? Moore said.

Blackburn said Moore became so associated with Palmetto that he can?t go to another club without someone asking him how Moore is doing.

?He is Palmetto,? Blackburn said.

AS THE YEARS flew by, Moore and his wife, who also works at the club, became friends with the members.

?With Kathy, all the time we spend here, all our friends are here,? Moore said. ?We do have other friends, but all the people we have contact with all the time are here.?

?The bottom line for me is he?s just been a great friend,? said member Berry Crain, who worked closely with Moore to help make the Palmetto Amateur one of the top amateur tournaments in the country. ?He was always the go-to guy you talked to if you had an idea. He was the first guy you bounced it off.?

The members/friends like Crain honored Moore on Dec. 7 at Palmetto with a retirement party. The outdoor party drew more than 300 members and friends and lasted three hours, with more than 30 minutes of that dedicated to tributes to Moore and the job he did.

The night deeply touched Moore.

?The two best days of my life were the day they hired me and that Tuesday (the retirement party) when I got all the acknowledgment of the members,? he said. ?It was awful nice of the members. It?s embarrassing, but it?s a big honor that they thought enough of me to throw a party.They gave me a nice gift. That they thought enough of me to do something like that, it was great.?

?It was love, just pure love,? said Moore?s wife, Kathy. ?So much love was coming from all the members, and we felt it. We felt very honored.?

MORE THAN FOUR years ago, Moore was on the six-member committee that chose Blackburn, a former USC Aiken All-American golfer and Midland Valley head pro to be his eventual successor.

But it wasn?t until ?about a year ago,? Kathy Moore said, that her husband started talking seriously about retiring.

?They were grooming him,? Hardy, the longtime Palmetto member, said of Blackburn, who is now 43. ?They knew Tom was going to retire so they brought in Brooks to get ready. I talked to Brooks when he was at Midland Valley about coming here and that Tom was going to be retiring. He said about possibily coming to Palmetto, ?Man, that?s living the dream, isn?t it?? ?

?It?s worked out good,? Moore said of the transition. ?Brooks is a good young man. He?s got a great personality. I wanted to get Brooks involved. I want Brooks to be there a long time.?

Moore will still be around Palmetto. The club has created an office for him upstairs in the clubhouse, and starting Tuesday, he?ll become the club?s pro emeritus. He even plans to start playing golf again.

?Right now, I can sit back and appreciate and play golf with these people on a personal level,? he said of the members.

He also plans to be around to help Blackburn if needed, especially during Masters Week.

?We have worked hard all this time, and now it?s time for us to enjoy it,? Moore said. ?And let the younger guys like Brooks, let it be their time.?

And what will Moore do on New Year?s Day, his first day of retirement? He?ll still come to Palmetto, but not at his usual time.

?I may wait until 9 a.m.,? he said.

Source: http://m.chronicle.augusta.com/sports/golf/2012-12-30/top-area-golf-pro-tom-moore-retiring-jan-1

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Torii Hunter, Detroit Tigers Right Fielder, Says Gay Teammate Would Make Him 'Uncomfortable'

  • Brendon Ayanbadejo

    Baltimore Raven linebacker, Brendon Ayanbadejo, has been a vocal long-time supporter of marriage equality. The football player <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brendon-ayanbadejo/same-sex-marriages-whats_b_190591.html">blogged about same-sex marriages</a> for The Huffington Post in 2009, made a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/07/brendon-ayanbadejo-ravens-emmett-burns-marriage_n_1863488.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay%20Voices">video for Marylanders for Marriage Equality</a>, and donated Ravens tickets to the cause, which drew <a href="http://www.wbaltv.com/news/politics/Delegate-unhappy-with-Ravens-player-s-support-of-same-sex-marriage/-/9379266/16487740/-/mro08gz/-/index.html?absolute=true">criticism from Baltimore County Delegate Emmett Burns Jr. in late August</a>.

  • Chris Kluwe

    Chris Kluwe, Minnesota Vikings punter, lashed out <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kluwe/an-open-letter-to-emmett-burns_b_1866216.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices">at Baltimore County Delegate Emmett Burns Jr.</a> in a letter of his own. Kluwe asked in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/sports/football/players-support-of-gay-marriage-alters-nfl-image.html">his letter</a>, ?How does gay marriage, in any way, shape or form, affect your life??

  • Hudson Taylor

    Hudson Taylor, a three-time all-American wrestler from the University of Maryland, <a href="http://www.advocate.com/sports/2012/09/06/hudson-taylor-takes-his-training-road"> (and HuffPost Gay Voices <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hudson-taylor/">blogger</a>) started his foundation, Athlete Ally</a>, which encourages ?all individuals involved in sports to respect every member of their communities, regardless of perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression,? in January 2011. Athlete Ally teamed up with GLAAD and they recently announced that the NBA is the first major sports league that will receive sensitivity training from Taylor?s organization.

  • Sean Avery

    Retired New York Ranger Sean Avery caused a splash last year when he became, what?s believed, the first pro athlete to voice <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/sports/hockey/08avery.html?_r=0">support for gay marriage</a> in New York. Since then, Avery teamed up with fellow ally, Hudson Taylor, <a href="http://www.athleteally.com/blog/entry/former-new-york-ranger-sean-avery-joins-athlete-ally-board1">joining in Athlete Ally?s message</a> of combating homophobia in sports.

  • David Pocock

    Australian rugby player David Pocock says he will not marry until <a href="http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2012/08/21/aussie-rugby-player-david-pocock-schools-politician-on-gay-marriage/">gay marriage is made legal Down Under</a>. ?We?ve moved forward on so many issues and this is the next progression,? Pocock said while appearing on the Australian Broadcasting Company TV show ?Q&A" in August.

  • Michael Irvin

    Michael Irvin, former Dallas Cowboy and NFL Hall of Famer, appeared on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/12/michael-irvin-out-magazine-cover_n_896468.html">Out magazine?s cover</a> last July. Irvin spoke out for LGBT rights and marriage equality, citing his late gay brother?s passing. He also said he would <a href="http://www.out.com/entertainment/sports/2011/07/10/michael-irvin-playmaker-preaches">support any athlete</a> in the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB who comes out.

  • Donte Stallworth

    Donte Stallworth, former Baltimore Raven and teammate of Brendon Ayanbadejo, showed his support on Twitter, tweeting a string of <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2011/05/nfl-player-dont?-stallworth-tweets-against-anti-gay-hate-in-favor-of-marriage-equality.html">messages for marriage equality and LGBT rights</a>.

  • Floyd Mayweather Jr.

    Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/17/floyd-mayweather-gay-marriage-pacquiao-obama_n_1524155.html">tweeted his support for gay marriage</a>, backing up the President after Obama made his own endorsement announcement in May. On the other hand, Mayweather?s rival, Manny Pacquiao, said <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/manny-pacquiao-gay-marriage-leviticus-examiner_n_1521747.html">he believes marriage is between a man and a woman</a>.

  • Sergio Martinez

    Argentinian boxer Sergio Martinez <a href="http://www.itgetsbetter.org/video/entry/3272/">made a video</a> for the ?It Gets Better Project? last March. The 37-year-old Martinez was <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/story/2012-03-13/boxing-martinez/53540206/1">bullied himself growing up</a> and helps others who have been the victims of bullying.

  • Charles Barkley

    In true Charles Barkley fashion, the NBA Hall of Famer has been a long-time supporter of gay marriage and gay rights, making tongue-in-cheek (yet admirable) comments as <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2566899">early as 2006</a>. Barkley <a href="http://www.advocate.com/news/daily-news/2011/01/18/charles-barkley-loves-gay-people">said on-air last year</a>, ?God bless the gay people. They are great people.? And in response to Sean Avery?s advocacy, Barkley added he?d have <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/05/media-watch-charles-barkley-on-gay-athletes----we-dont-care/1#.UFCet0JAsu9">no problem playing with an openly gay teammate</a>.

  • Steve Nash

    When Phoenix Suns president and CEO <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/sports/basketball/nba-executive-says-he-is-gay.html?pagewanted=all">Rick Welts came out</a> to NBA all-star Steve Nash, he said he?d support Welts. Soon after, Nash <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/steve-nash-supports-marriage-equality_n_865429.html">made a video</a> for HRC?s New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign, saying he?s proud to be a part of a growing group of athletes speaking out for gay marriage.

  • Rick Fox

    Although he hasn?t explicitly said anything about gay rights, retired three-time NBA champion Rick Fox, appeared as a guest judge on <a href="http://www.logotv.com/video/episode-2-season-4-wtf-wrestlings-trashiest-fighters/1678533/playlist.jhtml#vid=721347">?RuPaul?s Drag Race? season four</a>. Plus, his former ex, Vanessa Williams (gay icon, at least to Raja, Drag Race season three winner) was also on the show the season before. If this isn?t a sign of LGBT support, what is?

  • John Salley

    ?Let [gay people] go through what [straight people] go through,? said John Salley, former Detroit Piston bad boy, who made light of his support for gay marriage on <a href="http://www.myfoxla.com/video?clipId=7251666&autostart=true">Good Day LA back in 2010</a>. Recently, Salley appeared alongside fellow former NBA player Rick Fox on <a href="http://www.logotv.com/video/episode-2-season-4-wtf-wrestlings-trashiest-fighters/1678533/playlist.jhtml#vid=721347">RuPaul?s Drag Race? season four</a>, another reason to love the charismatic b-ball player.

  • Manu Ginobili

    When Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage two years ago, homegrown NBA star Manu Ginobili <a href="http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2010/07/16/manu-ginobli-supports-gay-marriage/">threw in his support.</a>

  • Michael Strahan

    Michael Strahan, retired New York Giant and new co-host of ?LIVE! with Kelly and Michael,? <a href="http://www.hrc.org/videos/videos-michael-strahan-for-hrcs-nyers-for-marriage-equality#.UFC8s0JAsu8">made a video</a> for HRC?s New Yorkers for Marriage campaign. <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/michael-strahan-fun-facts-newest-live-host/story?id=17147911#.UFC9pUJAsu8">He said</a>, ?I feel it's unfair to keep committed couples from being married."

  • Scott Fujita

    Cleveland Browns player Scott Fujita first voiced his support for gay marriage in 2009, reacting and <a href="http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2009/10/01/new-orleans-saint-scott-fujita-supports-marriage/">agreeing with fellow NFL colleague Brendon Ayanbadejo</a>. Two years later, Fujita continued his LGBT advocacy, <a href="http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/scott-fujita-joins-hrcs-americans-for-marriage-equality">taping a PSA</a> for the HRC?s Americans for Marriage Equality initiative.

  • Ben Cohen

    One very active <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/sports/two-straight-athletes-combat-homophobia.html?pagewanted=all">straight ally is Ben Cohen</a>, an English rugby world cup champion, who retired to start <a href="http://www.standupfoundation.com/">The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation</a>, which ?supports organizations, programs and people that advance equality for the LGBT community and help for at-risk youth by standing up against bullying.? Cohen recently stripped down to his underwear to benefit his organization and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/ben-cohen-strips-for-equa_n_1747838.html">spoke with Huffington. in August</a>. He said, ?No one should have to tolerate that [bullying], no matter what your sexual orientation, the color of your skin, your size or the color of your hair is.?

  • Cristiano Ronaldo

    Popular soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo said, ?We must respect the choices made by anyone, because, after all, all citizens should have the exact same rights and responsibilities,? when asked about the passage of <a href="http://www.advocate.com/news/daily-news/2010/06/02/cristiano-ronaldo-supports-gay-marriage">gay marriage in his home country of Portugal</a> in 2010.

  • Jesse Ventura

    The sports-entertainment world of wrestling has had its fair share of homophobic culture in the news. Though there have been anti-gay remarks made by <a href="http://www.cagesideseats.com/2011/3/25/2071241/glaad-forces-wwe-and-john-cena-to-knock-off-the-homophobic-jokes">John Cena</a>, <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2011/07/04/cm-punk-wwe-wrestler-wrestling-homo-homophobic-slur-australia/">CM Punk</a> and <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2011/03/wwe-commentator-.html">Michael Cole</a>, Jesse Ventura, former Minnesota governor and wrestler, has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/jesse-ventura-vote-no-minnesota-governor-pro-wrestler-same-sex-marriage-antigay-amendment_n_1884626.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices">lent his support for gay marriage</a>. Ventura, who appears alongside his wife, Terry, in a video for "<a href="http://mnunited.org">Minnesotans United for All Families</a>," an initiative asking voters to say no to a 2012 constitutional amendment that says marriage is between a man and a woman. Ventura said, "Government should not be telling people who to fall in love with."

  • Various Athletes Pose For NOH8

    Former NBA star, Isiah Thomas, poses with his son for NOH8, a campaign that advocates gay marriage and LGBT rights. Other pro athletes who've participated: football players <a href="http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2011/05/11/carolina-panthers-linebacker-nic-harris-does-portrait-for-the-noh8-campaign/">Nic Harris, Antonio Cromartie and Isaac Keys</a>, all-American wrestler <a href="http://www.noh8campaign.com/photo-gallery/familiar-faces-part-2/photo/12954">Hudson Taylor</a>, and soccer player <a href="http://www.noh8campaign.com/photo-gallery/familiar-faces-part-2/photo/15572">Mike Chabala</a>.

  • Grant Hill And Jared Dudley

    Last May, NBA players Grant Hill and Jared Dudley made a PSA announcement for the <a href="http://thinkb4youspeak.com">?Think B4 You Speak? campaign</a>, where the athletes denounce using the word gay to mean "dumb" or "stupid." The video was a three-way partnership among the NBA, GLSEN and the Ad Council.

  • Teams And Athletes Join The It Gets Better Project

    The San Francisco 49ers became the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/24/san-francisco-49ers-it-gets-better-campaign-_n_1828488.html">first NFL team to make a video</a> for the "It Gets Better Project," in August. Other sports teams who have made videos include L.A. Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and the San Francisco Giants.

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/torii-hunter-detroit-tiger-gay-teammate-uncomfortable_n_2387575.html

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    Video: Obama?s Second-term priorities

    A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

    Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/50321519#50321519

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    Pagano returns as Indianapolis beats Texans 28-16

    Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is greeted by family members after walking onto the field before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. Pagano is back as coach after nearly three months of treatments for leukemia. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

    Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is greeted by family members after walking onto the field before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. Pagano is back as coach after nearly three months of treatments for leukemia. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

    Indianapolis Colts' T.Y. Hilton (13) reacts following a 70-yard touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

    Houston Texans' Andre Johnson (80) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts' Jerrell Freeman (50), Vontae Davis (23) and Joe Lefeged (35) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

    Indianapolis Colts' T.Y. Hilton (13) makes a 70-yard touchdown reception against Houston Texans' Johnathan Joseph (24) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

    Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano talks to Robert Mathis (98) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

    (AP) ? Chuck Pagano put on his dancing shoes and savored every moment of Sunday's postgame celebration.

    He took his customary linebacker stance on the sideline, hands on bended knees. He signaled touchdowns when the Colts scored, patted Deji Karim on the helmet after a 101-yard kickoff return for a game-changing touchdown, and gestured for penalty flags to be thrown.

    And after Indianapolis beat AFC South champion Houston 28-16, Pagano even tossed aside the stodgy image of an NFL coach and began jumping around with players, assistant coaches and even team owner Jim Irsay like he was a kid again.

    Why not?

    "There was a lot of high-fiving, a lot of dancing, a lot of hugging going on and a lot of celebrating," an emotional Pagano said. "There's a lot to celebrate right now."

    It started with Pagano's return.

    He took an indefinite leave Sept. 26 to begin the first of three rounds of chemotherapy for leukemia Sept. 26 and didn't make it back to the sideline until Sunday when the cancer was in complete remission.

    When he left the field, he hugged everybody in sight ? assistant coaches, Colts players, even Texans players and coaches ? before moving the postgame party to the locker room, where Irsay presented him with a game ball and they did a do-si-do together.

    "What a day, what a day," he said.

    For everyone on the Colts.

    "Guys really did not want to lose in his first game back and heading into the playoffs," rookie quarterback Andrew Luck said. "To get a win, I think means the world to him."

    Luck, as usual, had a big hand in the victory. He was 14 of 28 for 191 yards with two more touchdowns and no interceptions.

    He wasn't alone, though.

    Karim swung the game with the kickoff return just seconds after the Texans took their only lead, and when Luck converted on third-and-23 with the 70-yard TD pass early in the fourth quarter, the crowd was in a frenzy.

    The Colts (11-5) will play at Baltimore in the wild-card round next weekend. The slumping Texans (12-4) have lost three of their last four and won't know their AFC seeding until after Denver and New England finish later Sunday.

    "We had a great opportunity the last two weeks, but we won't feel sorry for ourselves," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said after giving Pagano a hug and whispering in his ear after the game. "We'll focus on keeping our confidence up, even if we have to play next week."

    Indy did everything it needed to Sunday.

    The Colts prevented J.J. Watt from getting too close to Luck ? or any closer to Michael Strahan's NFL sacks record (22?). Watt finished with 20?.

    "We didn't win, so I could care less about the record. It's about winning," Watt said.

    Luck broke Peyton Manning's franchise record for completions by a rookie but fell 15 short of Sam Bradford's NFL mark. Luck also moved into third all-time among rookies with 22 TD passes.

    And Indy completed the second greatest turnaround in league history ? winning nine more games than it did in 2011.

    "Man, this has been a great year, a storybook ending," Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne said. "Let's keep it going. Hopefully we can continue to write this movie."

    It didn't take long for the Colts to assert themselves in this emotional environment ? or to turn the game when the Texans took their only lead. Shayne Graham made a 37-yard field goal with 5:22 left in the third quarter, a lead that lasted all of 12 seconds.

    Karim fielded the ensuing kickoff a yard deep in the end zone, found a seam in the middle of the field and never slowed until he reached the opposite end zone to make it 21-16. Pagano patted him on the helmet after the longest kickoff return since the Colts moved to Indy in 1984.

    Then, facing third-and-23 from the 30, Luck threw a perfect strike through a narrow opening, hitting Hilton in stride for a 70-yard TD to make it 28-16.

    On a day the Texans mostly settled for field goals, that's all the Colts needed.

    Luck masterfully led the Colts to a 14-6 halftime lead.

    Houston made it 14-13 when Arian Foster broke through a hole for a 13-yard TD run and saluted Pagano by tapping the (hash)Chuckstrong sign hanging on the wall behind the end zone instead of doing his trademark bow. Foster ran 16 times for 96 yards.

    Graham's 37-yard field goal gave Houston the lead with 5:22 to go in the third quarter, but Karim's long TD return set off a celebration that didn't end until after Pagano had done his dance.

    "It's like a dream come true again," Pagano said. "It's the greatest feeling in the world to be down there."

    Schaub finished 24 of 36 for 275 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. Foster ran 16 times for 96 yards.

    NOTES: Andre Johnson caught 12 passes for 141 yards and became the second player in league history with three seasons of 100 or more catches and 1,500 or more yards. The other: Former Colt Marvin Harrison. ... Manning had 326 completions, Luck finished the season with 339. ... Watt had a shared sack taken away in the first half when the officials erased a sack-fumble of Luck because of the Tuck Rule. ... The Colts lost starting guard Joe Reitz in the first half with a head injury. ... Houston linebacker Daryl Sharpton left the game with a hip injury. Linebacker Tim Dobbins left in the second half with what Kubiak thought was a shoulder injury.

    ___

    Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

    Associated Press

    Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-30-Texans-Colts/id-d3844358ee3d43ad89408e98791b1229

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    রবিবার, ৩০ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২

    California Democrats signal they want to reform Proposition 13

    SACRAMENTO -- The third rail of California politics may not be as deadly as once thought.

    Three and a half decades after the passage of Proposition 13 shook the political landscape in California and sparked a taxpayer revolt across America, voters appear to be warming up to the idea of reforming the initiative as long as protections for homeowners stay intact.

    And the apparent sea change in public attitudes, combined with the two-thirds majorities Democrats now hold in both chambers of the Legislature, has emboldened some politicians to take aim at the iconic measure.

    "It is time for a fix, because Proposition 13 is broken," said Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, who plans to introduce a bill next year aimed at forcing businesses to pay higher property taxes.

    The landmark 1978 measure rolled back property taxes and capped yearly increases until a property is sold, but critics say one of its unintended consequences was shifting more of the Golden State's property tax burden from businesses to homeowners.

    In addition to Ammiano's bill, two constitutional amendments heading to the Legislature would allow voters to approve local parcel taxes for schools and libraries on a 55 percent vote, rather than the 66.7 percent now required.

    In a recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California, 58 percent of registered voters said they favored a "split roll" property tax, in which commercial properties would be

    reassessed annually or semiannually according to their market value, while taxes on residential properties would continue to be capped at 2 percent annual increases. And since Democrats took full control of the Legislature in last month's election, some legislators have suggested that it's time for a so-called "split roll."

    Proposition 13 has held a central place in California's political discourse since voters approved it with nearly 65 percent of the vote in June 1978. It's credited with fomenting the rise of the anti-government, anti-tax movement that swept Ronald Reagan into the White House.

    "It really has symbolized an unwillingness to permit Sacramento to raise general taxes," said Max Neiman, a fellow at UC Berkeley's Institute for the Study of Government. "It's suggested a kind of decline from the time California was a leader in an array of public services."

    But voters in the Golden State now seem to have a "nuanced understanding that we simply aren't going to cut our way out of the fiscal deficit, and some kind of tax increases will have to take place," Neiman said. He pointed to the passage of Gov. Jerry Brown's tax measure, Proposition 30, as evidence that voters believe more revenues are needed, especially if they come largely from the wealthy.

    A ballot box battle over amending Proposition 13, however, won't happen before November 2014. And it may come even later since Brown probably isn't eager to share the ballot with an issue that could blow up in his face if, as is expected, he runs for re-election.

    Still, two Democratic lawmakers, Sens. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, and Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, next year will try to lower the Proposition 13 threshold for parcel taxes -- a move that would need voter approval. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, called it a "sound idea" to give local governments the ability to "affect their own destiny," he said. "I think the public will get behind 55 percent."

    The threshold for passing local school bonds is already 55 percent.

    Steinberg, however, has balked at rushing through the constitutional amendments. And he said it's not yet time to take on an overhaul of Proposition 13 by creating a split-roll tax.

    But Ammiano plans to introduce legislation early next year to close a loophole that allows corporations to sidestep reassessments on properties they purchase.

    Ownership of a property isn't considered transferred unless 50 percent or more is sold. Critics say corporations find ingenious ways to avoid triggering reassessments.

    In one of many similar cases, the wine company E&J Gallo averted a higher reassessment 10 years ago after buying the prime 1,765-acre Louis M. Martini vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, when 12 Gallo family members bought individual shares -- none greater than 50 percent. The move costs Napa County as much as $700,000 a year in taxes.

    "Why should these multibillion-dollar corporations get these breaks at the expense of regular folks?" Ammiano asked.

    Ammiano said he hopes the Legislature will act on his bill before the end of spring. It would not require voter approval because it would only be a statutory change.

    But it's expected to kick up a firestorm of opposition from businesses.

    "You'll see them feeling like they're targeted. And when that happens, you'll see them stand up and fight," said Allan Zaremberg, president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce.

    A key finding in the PPIC poll that should give Democrats pause is that 60 percent of voters still support Proposition 13, said Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a group founded by the measure's co-author.

    "Proposition 13 is more popular today than when it passed," Vosburgh said. "We are definitely for enforcement when we know there are documented cases of efforts to get around legitimate change of ownership. But we don't see it as an overall problem. It's all about the state trying to get more money."

    Larry Stone, Santa Clara County's assessor, said even if voters approve a split roll, county assessors won't be able to carry it out without vastly expanding their staffs.

    "I don't have the staff or skill set to reassess all business, commercial and industrial property every two or three years," Stone said.

    Simply raising the tax rate above the base 1 percent for commercial properties would be an easier way to get more revenues, though "it doesn't avoid the inequities of Proposition 13," Stone said. "You couldn't devise a more unfair property tax system if you tried than the one we have in California."

    The turning point for reformers could come when homeowners begin to realize they're carrying most of the load for property taxes, proponents say. In 55 of 58 counties, residential homeowners are paying more property taxes than businesses, after businesses had taken up much of the burden before Proposition 13, according to a study compiled by Lenny Goldberg, president of the California Tax Reform Association.

    In Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties, just before the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, residential homes and all other properties shared the tax burden evenly -- 50-50. But now homeowners are responsible for 70 percent of their counties' assessed value, the study said.

    "Nobody can defend the way we assess commercial property," said Goldberg, who is working with Democrats on Proposition 13 changes. "Commercial property is the biggest hole in our tax system, and we avert our eyes at the hole in the middle of the system because it's not politic to discuss this."

    Contact Steven Harmon at 916-441-2101. Follow him at Twitter.com/ssharmon. Read the Political Blotter at IBAbuzz.com/politics.

    Facts about PROPOSITION 13
    Approved in June 1978 with 64.8 percent of the vote.
    What it did: Rolled back property values for tax purposes to 1975-76 levels and created a base tax rate of 1 percent, with annual tax increases limited to the inflation rate or 2 percent, whichever is lower. When a property is sold, it is reassessed based on the selling price.
    Declared constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1992.
    Other requirements: A two-thirds majority of the Legislature must approve all new taxes. A two-thirds vote is also required if local governments want to raise a tax for a specific purpose.
    Past changes: Voters have approved four measures to amend Proposition 13, most strengthening it. In November 1978, Proposition 8 permitted a reassessment of property values in the wake of a disaster or a declining market; Proposition 60 in 1986 allowed homeowners 55 and older to transfer the assessed value of their present home to a replacement home; Proposition 39 in 2000 lowered the required supermajority necessary for voters to pass school bonds from two-thirds to 55 percent; and Proposition 218, in 1996, gave the people the right to vote on all local taxes and required taxpayer approval of assessments and property-related fees.

    Source: http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_22277586/california-democrats-signal-they-want-reform-proposition-13?source=rss_emailed

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    শনিবার, ২৯ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২

    'Django Unchained': The 'Despicable' Inside Story Of Samuel L. Jackson's Role

    Actor shares his experience of being one-half of a 'two-headed monster' in Quentin Tarantino's latest.
    By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


    Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington in "Django Unchained"
    Photo: The Weinstein Company

    Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699457/django-unchained-samuel-jackson.jhtml

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    5 Tips for Not Messing Things Up Online

    BufferPin It

    This is a guest post by Lewis Edward, who is an office space to rent at ?The Office Providers.

    Online security is a topic that has been getting plenty of attention in recent years, but it seems that start-ups and small businesses either take it way too seriously or do not care about it at all. Well, it is clear that both approaches are quite unnecessary, as it really isn?t that hard to secure your small business from online threats these days. Here are five tips that everyone can use as solid guidelines for not messing things up online.

    Get a Firewall

    First and foremost, make sure that every single computer your company has is equipped with a solid firewall. By having a firewall running in the background, you will be able to avoid so many possible problems that your employees might ? unknowingly ? get you into that there are simply no other choices than to set that piece of software up on each computer from day one. One thing that you have to keep in mind, however, is that your employees shouldn?t be able to access the settings on their own.

    Do a Few Checks Here and There

    With a strong firewall, you are not going to need too many other programs, but it is certainly a good idea to run an anti-virus and an anti-spyware program on all of your company?s computers from time to time. It is a time-consuming activity, so do it over the weekend or whenever your company gets empty for public holidays. That way, you will be able to solve any issues that may arise without interfering with your day-to-day operations.

    Filter those E-mails

    Spam filters can do a lot for your e-mails, but it would be ridiculous to think that they can solve the entire problem. When it comes to e-mails, the best way to deal with any unwanted ones is to simply delete them before even looking at them. A brief look through your full inbox should be enough for you to know which e-mails are worth it and which can do you no good. The point is to just delete those from the latter category. After a while, the entire process is going to be a breeze and you will be able not only to stay safe from all those scams, but also to not waste any time by going through those unwanted messages.

    Educate Your Employees

    Unless you have an IT-related business, it is quite likely that most of your employees will have virtually no idea about what online security means. If you don?t have your own IT department, you will have to get them on the right note yourself. It shouldn?t take a lot of time ? one meeting should be more than enough ? and it can go a long way in avoiding all those glaring mistakes that can potential case you a lot of trouble. Make sure that they all know about everything you are trying to do in that department and inform them about any changes that you are going to make in the near future.

    Use Common Sense

    Finally, start using common sense! Online hackers and scammers are here to stay and it is clear that they will find new ways to attack your operations. Therefore, it is always important to stay vigilant and up-to-date with the latest developments. Also, do not forget to update your software regularly ? not only the operating systems, but also the firewalls, anti-viruses, and e-mail clients. Only then will you be able to say that your small business or start-up is safe from all kinds of online threats that are out there.

    Photo credit:?http://www.flickr.com/photos/stars6/4921491397/

    Buffer

    Source: http://www.extremejohn.com/5-tips-for-not-messing-things-up-online/

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    We were unable to forward you to the advertisement you clicked on.

    The likely cause for this is that your browser, feed reader, or email application is configured to not accept cookies, or your reader may launch an external browser to view links without sharing cookies.

    • If you're using Internet Explorer, make sure your privacy setting is at medium or below.
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    Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG) Buys Heiser Insurance Agency In Morton ...

    (By Balaseshan) Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), which provides insurance brokerage and third-party claims settlement, said it has purchased Heiser Insurance Agency Inc. in Morton, Illinois for an undisclosed sum.

    Heiser Insurance Agency Inc. (HIA) is a retail insurance broker providing retail property/casualty, employee benefits and risk management insurance services for their commercial clients throughout the Midwestern United States. They specialize in both the transportation and manufacturing industries.

    Sam Parrott and his team will continue to operate in their current location under the direction of Thomas Gallagher, head of Gallagher's Midwest retail property/casualty brokerage operations.

    On December 26, Arthur J. Gallagher said it has purchased Ahrold Fay Rosenberg (AFR) in Des Moines, Iowa for an undisclosed sum. AFR is a retail insurance broker providing retail property/casualty, employee benefits and risk management insurance services for their commercial clients throughout the Midwestern U.S.

    On December 13, the company said it has acquired a 21.3% interest in Casanueva Perez S.A.P. de C.V. (Grupo CP), headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico for an undisclosed sum. Grupo CP is an insurance broker and risk management company.

    On December 12, Arthur J. Gallagher said it has purchased Western Benefit Solutions, LLC headquartered in Boise, Idaho for undisclosed terms. Founded in 1997, Western Benefit Solutions, LLC (WBS) provides a wide range of employee benefit insurance brokerage and consultation services.

    On December 11, the company announced the acquisition of Charter Lakes Marine Insurance Agency, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1986, Charter Lakes operates as a retail property/casualty insurance broker, program administrator and managing general agency specializing exclusively in commercial and personal marine insurance products and services.

    ?

    On December 4, Arthur J. Gallagher said it has bought Brendis & Brendis Inc. located in Omaha, Nebraska for undisclosed terms. Founded in 1989, Brendis & Brendis provides a wide range of employee benefit program consulting services for their employer group clients throughout the Midwest.

    AJG is trading down 0.43% at $34.68 on Thursday. The stock has been trading between $32.01 and $38.24 for the past 52 weeks.

    Source: http://www.istockanalyst.com/finance/story/6211241/arthur-j-gallagher-ajg-buys-heiser-insurance-agency-in-morton-illinois

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    albertehalle: Education & Reference 2016: Petal the Owl Colours ...

    Buy on the merchant's online shopping and browse reviews. If you're attempting to search out Petal the Owl Colours with special deals. This is the simplest price for you. Where you'll find these item is by online looking stores? Read the review on Petal the Owl Colours Now, it's the simplest value. Therefore do not lose it.

    Petal the
    Petal the Owl Colours
    Joy Findlay (Author)
    4.0 out of 5 stars(3)

    Download: $1.99 (as of 12/25/2012 14:14 PST)

    Education & Reference

    Petal the Owl Colours is a sweet little ebook following Petal the nature owl, as she learns about colours around her. It is a great little first reader ebook for young ones learning their basics. Colours cover Brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink and white. Ages 3-6.

    • Rank: #1521 in eBooks
    • Published on: 2012-05-04
    • Released on: 2012-05-04
    • Format: Kindle eBook
    • Number of items: 1

    Source: http://educationreference234.blogspot.com/2012/12/petal-owl-colours.html

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    Source: http://gyvupori.posterous.com/education-reference-2016-petal-the-owl-colour

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    Source: http://albertehalle.blogspot.com/2012/12/education-reference-2016-petal-owl.html

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    শুক্রবার, ২৮ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২

    Food Republic&#39;s Top 25 Recipes Of 2012 | Food Republic

    Food Republic's Top 25 Recipes Of 2012+ ENLARGE

    ?

    One of the best parts of the year for a recipe editor is rounding up the top 25 most clicked-on recipes and assessing potential trends. Once more, I see none, save for the fact that you?really?seem to like delicious food that's not too hard to make and which sounds (and looks) appetizing. Who would have thought that'd be the case? So I'm just going to keep posting the good stuff, the hearty chilis and comforting chicken recipes, all manners of pasta, potatoes, eggs and pancakes and everything else that doesn't involve painting a stripe of gastrique over a?M?bius plate.?

    2013 is going to be a great year to cook. Especially if the trend I'm trying to start takes off: injecting vegetables with meat. Right?

    25.?All-American Cheeseburger

    24.?Quick Fried Rice

    23.?Marcus Samuelsson's Swedish Meatballs

    22.?Simple Grilled Whole Lobster

    21.?Beef and Guiness Stew

    20.?Spinach Artichoke Balls

    19.?Vodka Red Bull Jello Shots

    18.?Whole Head Roasted Cauliflower

    17.?Jackson Street Baked Hot Wings

    16.?Slow-Cooker Chili Recipe

    15.?How To Caramelize Onions

    14.?Chipotle Popcorn Chicken

    13.?Roast Chicken With Garlic Sauce

    12.?Easy Avocado Fries

    11.?Basque-Style Baked Eggs

    10.?Daily Detox Juice

    9.?Beer Can Chicken

    8.?How To Make Burger Patties

    7.?Homemade Ranch Dressing

    6.?Easiest Mashed Potatoes Recipe

    5.?Tennessee White Chili

    4.?Classic Patty Melt

    3.?Sweet Potato Gnocchi

    2.?Avocado Cream Pasta Sauce

    1.?Easy Banana Pancakes

    Source: http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/12/27/food-republics-top-25-recipes-2012

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    Weird Science 2012: Sex, drugs and doomsday

    Videos from the University of California at San Francisco show how researchers studied the alcohol consumption habits of lovelorn fruit flies in one of 2012's weirdest experiments.

    By Alan Boyle

    Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll and the Apocalypse: 2012 had it all. But only 10 stories about the past year's strangest scientific research can make it into our Weird Science hall of fame???so we're going to need your help.


    Past winners of the Weird Science Awards include glow-in-the-dark kittens and puppies, a 2,700-year-old marijuana stash, meth-crazy fruit flies, reattached rabbit penises and the corpse-dissolving machine. The Maya apocalypse came in for honorable mention last year?and the year before, but this could be an even bigger year for end-of-the-world weirdness.

    There are lots of other contenders from 2012, however. It's hard to beat the story about the sex-starved flies who drowned their sorrows in alcohol while researchers watched. That covers sex and drugs. It also can make you feel sorry for the scientists who had to watch all that fly-sized heartbreak. (They might want to compare notes with the researchers who studied why alcohol makes people feel good.)

    The sixth annual Weird Science Award competition follows the precedent we've set in past years: We offer up 30 nominees from the past year, and it's up to you to pick the top 10. We've included a couple of studies that have won?Ig Nobel awards ? which are given annually to recognize?"research that makes people laugh ? and then think." That's a fine criterion for the Weirdies as well. Or you can go with research that makes you laugh ? and then makes you wonder, "What on earth were they thinking?"

    Write-in votes and second-guessing are encouraged; you can register them in your comments. If a write-in vote gets enough support from commenters, the research in question will be added to the ballot.

    The 10 nominees that get the most votes as of noon ET Jan. 2 will be the 2013 winners of the Weirdy Awards. Later that day, we'll discuss this year's crop of weird science with Ig Nobel?creator Marc Abrahams?on "Virtually Speaking Science," a talk show that plays out on the Web and in the Second Life virtual world. Tune in at 9 p.m. ET Jan. 2.

    Johan Ordonez / AFP - Getty Images

    Maya shamans take part in a ceremony on Dec. 21, celebrating the end of the calendar cycle known as Baktun 13 - and the end of the hype over a 2012 doomsday. Click on the image to watch a video about the phenomenon.

    Here are the nominees, in chronological order. May the oddest science stories be ever in your favor!

    Source: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/26/16169611-from-sex-starved-flies-to-murderous-chimps-vote-for-the-weirdest-science?lite

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    The Death of the Grown-Up | Diana West > Home - Year-Ender ...


    Below is an extraordinary, heart-stopping and historic letter. It is a letter SSG Matthew Sitton sent to U.S. Rep. C.W. "Bill"?Young after his commanders in Afghanistan told him to "quit whining" about orders to lead patrols without objective "through,? for lack of a better term, basically a mine field on a daily basis," as Sitton wrote. Twice daily basis, in fact. On August 2, 2012, Sitton and another US soldier were killed in one the IED-riddled field he spoke of. Eighty-one-year-old Rep. Young, who attends the same church in Florida as the Sitton family, this week announced he no longer supports the presence of US troops in Afghanistan and called for their withdrawal in advance of 2014. Young also held a hearing yesterday to ask the agency in charge of protecting troops against IEDs to explain why so many are still dying and suffering horrific injuries despite an annual budget of nearly $3 billion.

    I support immediate withdrawal ("Let it go") and commend the Congressman's resolve -- all but unique among his hundreds of peers in the House and Senate, which is in itself a national disgrace --? but he is asking the wrong people the wrong question. This is a question of strategy that goes to the heart of the whole multi-billion-dollar nation-building endeavor predicated on a Big Lie that Islam and the West are compatible. It is time for Sitton's commanders and their commanders and on up the chain of command to be questioned, to talk to We, the People about who devised and signed off on this morally and militarily bankrupt doctrine? -- counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy -- that patriots such as Matthew Sitton have paid for with their lives. It is time for Generals Petraeus, McChrystal, Allen, Dempsey, Admiral Mullen and many more to face us and explain. It is also time for former President Bush and his advisors and President Obama and his advisors to answer for the failure of their misbegotten and irresponsible policy of nation-building in the Islamc world, which COIN supports. This letter by Matthew Sitton, RIP, is the right place to start.

    SIR,

    Hello my name is SSG Matthew Sitton. I am in the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Ft. Bragg, NC. I am currently deployed with the 4th Brigade Combat Team in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. I am writing you because I am concerned for the safety of my soldiers. This is my 3rd combat tour to Afghanistan so I have seen the transition in Rules of Engagement and Overall Tactics over the past 6 years.

    I am only writing this email because I feel myself and my soldiers are being put into unnecessary positions where harm and danger are imminent. I know the threat of casualties in war and am totally on board with sacrifice for my country, but what I don't agree with is the chain of command making us walk through, for lack of a better term, basically a mine field on a daily basis.

    I am in a platoon of 25 soldiers. We are operating at a tempo that is set for a full 35-40 man infantry platoon. We have been mandated to patrol twice daily for 2-4 hours each patrol on top of guarding our FOB and conducting routine maintenance of our equipment. There is no endstate or purpose for the patrols given to us from our higher chain of command, only that we will be out for a certain time standard. I am all for getting on the ground and fighting for my country when I know there is a desired endstate and we have clear guidance of what needs to be done. But when we are told basically to just walk around for a certain amount of time is not sitting well with me.

    As a Brigade, we are averaging at a minimum an amputee a day from our soldiers because we are walking around aimlessly through grape rows and compounds that are littered with explosives. Not to mention that the operation tempo that every solider is on leaves little to no time for rest and refit. The moral and alertness levels on our patrol are low and it is causing casualties left and right.

    Here is an example of how bad things have gotten. Our small FOB was flooded accidentally by a local early one morning a few days ago. He was watering his fields and the damn he had broke and water came flooding into our Living Area. Since our FOB does not have any portable bathrooms, we had to dig a hole in the ground where soldiers could use the bathroom. That also got flooded and contaminated all the water that later soaked every soldier and his gear. Instead of returning to base and cleaning up, our chain of command was so set on us meeting the brigade commanders 2 patrols a day guidance that they made us move outside the flooded FOB and conduct our patrols soaked in urine.

    That is just one single instance of the unsatisfactory situations that our chain of command has put us in. At least three of my soldiers have gotten sick since that incident and taken away from our combat power because of their illness caused by unhealthy conditions.

    I understand that as a commander you are to follow the orders of those appointed over you however there needs to be a time where the wellness of your soldiers needs to take priority over walking around in fields for hours a day for no rhyme or reason, but only to meet the Brigade Commanders guidance of you will conduct so many patrols for such an allotted time.

    I'm concerned about the well being of my soldiers and have tried to voice my opinion through the proper channels of my own chain of command only to be turned away and told that I need to stop complaining. It is my responsibility to take care of my soldiers and there is only so much I can do with that little bit of Rank I have. My guys would fight by my side and have my back in any condition and I owe it to them to have their best interest in mind. I know they would and I certainly would appreciate it if there was something that you could do to help us out. I just want to return my guys home to their families healthy. I apologize for taking your time like this Sir, and I do appreciate what you do for us. I was told to contact you by my Grand Mother (name blacked out) who said that you had helped her son (my uncle) (name blacked) out many years ago. He also was serving in the military at the time. Thank you again for allowing soldiers like me to voice their opinion. If anything Please Pray for us over hear. God Bless

    Very respectfully,

    SSG Matthew Sitton

    Source: http://www.dianawest.net/Home/tabid/36/EntryId/2354/Year-Ender-COINs-Casualties-Must-Be-Reckoned-With.aspx

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    The Latest Buzzword: Immigration :: Fresh Updates from RAC

    Last week?s papers ran headlines such as ?5 Republicans who Matter on Immigration,? ?Romney Campaign Manager Says He Regrets Immigration Stance,? and ?George W. Bush Renews Call for Immigration Reform.? As you may have noticed, immigration increasingly has been in the news in the wake of the November election, with?both parties seeming to agree that the system needs to be reformed, as is the consensus among the general public. But what does ?immigration reform? mean? What?s wrong with the current system? And why should Jews care?

    HIAS?the international migration agency of the organized Jewish community?has been involved in this policy discussion for decades.?You might have heard of HIAS? historic role in rescuing and resettling Jews fleeing repressive societies. But what you might not know is that today in Washington, D.C. we work to advance laws and policies that protect those who seek safety in the U.S. based on persecution or fear of persecution on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. HIAS also advocates for immigration and refugee laws that are humane, enhance national security and reflect our Jewish values of welcoming the stranger. Along with our Jewish and interfaith partners, as well as other immigration and refugee advocates, HIAS has long pushed reforms to the current system that are guided by the rule of law, national interest, fairness and compassion.

    Unfortunately, we have our work cut out for us?the current immigration system is ineffective and outdated. Backlogs have separated families for years, and an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently live in the U.S. without legal status, which makes them vulnerable to harassment and exploitation and fearful of being arrested. Furthermore, there are not enough legal channels for employers who want to hire immigrant workers, particularly for lower skilled jobs.

    HIAS is a strong advocate for reforms to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, a longstanding public-private partnership between the U.S. government and non-governmental organizations that provides initial reception and placement services to arriving refugees. As one of the ten agencies that works directly with the U.S. government to resettle refugees, HIAS is dedicated to ensuring that any discussion about reforms to our country?s broken immigration system will also include crucial and overdue improvements to the Refugee Program, such as those proposed in the Refugee Protection Act of 2011.

    For HIAS, one of the main priorities for U.S. immigration legislation is eliminating the one-year filing deadline for asylum applications. This provision has prevented many asylum seekers with a well-founded fear of persecution from receiving protection in the U.S. In fact, it is estimated that one out of every five asylum cases is denied because the individual did not apply within this one year time frame. Another priority is to protect refugees, asylees, and asylum seekers who have been mistakenly labeled as terrorists due to the unduly broad definition of ?terrorist activity? in current immigration law. Thousands of individuals? cases have been put on ?hold? with no ability to prove their non-terrorist status?they continue to face endless delays and even the possibility of being deported.?Many have been needlessly separated from their spouses and children for many years and have little hope of reuniting with their families in safety under the current law. Policy changes to address these issues, if enacted, would have a huge impact on the lives of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who seek safety and freedom within our country?s borders.

    As a Jewish-American organization, HIAS is acutely concerned both with the security of our country and with the viability of the Refugee Program. We honor the sentiment of Jewish-American poet and HIAS volunteer, Emma Lazarus, who wrote ?Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.? We believe our work is an expression of the values expressed in the Torah, which mandates ?when a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.?

    You might know some individuals who have been affected by broken immigration and refugee policies?they are our neighbors, classmates, colleagues, community members, and friends. Drawing from our historical context, as well as our scripture and values, we must speak out as a Jewish community to advocate for just and compassionate asylum and refugee policies, and to urge the government to devote sufficient resources to successfully fulfill the essential undertaking of protecting the persecuted.

    At this crucial time?when we seem to have the momentum and opportunity to reform our country?s immigration system?we urge you to join HIAS in our advocacy efforts. You can host a film screening, a speaker event, or a Shabbat program to learn about international migration issues. Or you can coordinate an in-district lobby visit with your elected officials to discuss stories of people who have been impacted by the dysfunctional immigration system or resettled through the U.S. Refugee Program. There also are countless ways to interact with local immigrants in your community to gain a better understanding of their experiences and help them integrate into society?for instance, you could set up an ongoing service project to help aspiring Americans who are studying for their citizenship exams, join an immigrant detention visitation program, or coordinate a donation drive for recently resettled refugees arriving in your community. Contact advocacy@hias.org or visit www.hias.org to get involved.

    Liza Lieberman is the Associate Director of U.S. Policy and Advocacy for HIAS in Washington, DC, where she works to advance the organization?s refugee and immigration protection agenda by educating policy makers on issues concerning immigrants and refugees and engaging Jewish communities in HIAS? work through grassroots advocacy .

    Image courtesy of AP File/WBUR.

    Source: http://blogs.rj.org/rac/2012/12/26/the-latest-buzzword-immigration/

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    Hopping Rockets Reach New Heights

    A good year for SpaceX is coming to a close with another impressive achievement. Today Elon Musk's private space firm announced new progress with Grasshopper, its attempt to build a reusable rocket. Earlier this week the Grasshopper rocket blasted off, hovered in the air at an altitude of about 12 stories, and returned to the launch pad after a 29-second flight.

    Why do we care? If empty rocket boosters can fly back home and land, it will make rocket launches much cheaper. That in turn could open up space for more uses, for scientists and tourists alike. As PopMech has reported, reusability is one of Musk's main areas of focus for bring down the cost of each launch.

    Other companies are likely working on similar systems; the secretive Blue Origin has patented a rocket that could land on a ship deck. So we'll have to see who, if anyone, gets there first.

    Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/how-to/blog/hopping-rockets-reach-new-heights-14904663?src=rss

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    Consider The Best Web Design Quote To Market You Website ...

    by SYA on December 25, 2012

    By Jeff Samuel

    It?s quite common for an entrepreneur to find means about how is he going to develop his company and achieve brand new heights. Growing your enterprise means a more substantial market which in turn signifies even more earnings. If you?re an individual who?s looking for a path to flourish your company, the subsequent reasonable move to make is to bring your enterprise on the internet. As time goes by, the earth as we understand it is becoming increasingly incorporated with the internet. If you wish not to be left behind, don?t hesitate when it comes to establishing your company on the internet. You must consider the most appropriate web design quote from reliable companies.

    You will find so many advantages in running the business online that you simply cannot disregard and it will truly draw out the business? potential. However, you can?t simply take your enterprise on the internet and assume it to achieve success immediately. First of all, you?ll need a site that it?s not merely operational but well-designed too. Keep reading and discover how a superior web design can indicate good results for your internet business.

    Probably the most essential cause why an excellent web design must be utilized is due to initial impressions. After a potential customer goes to your site, you will want them to remain since as they take in additional content material from the website, the more probable that they?ll think about obtaining your merchandise and services. Just for this situation, you need a skillfully developed site. A badly designed site is a surefire way for prospective customers to leave your web page.

    The very first few seconds is extremely crucial with regards to web-based enterprises. The initial few moments make a difference since it could decide if you?ll be able to generate a sale or otherwise. You won?t make any money if a visitor leaves your site straight away. However with ideal website design, your site can engage your visitors throughout the very first few moments. With an engaged website visitor, it may easily become a purchasing client.

    But obviously, bringing in your clients at the outset isn?t sufficient to ensure a buying deal because you should also provide the feeling that you?re a reliable business organization. Which takes us to the following benefit of using the services of website designers? For just about any business, displaying a professional image means everything. If you?re incapable of achieving this, hardly any individuals will have business dealings with you because you are not somebody that looks reliable. So it is vital that the site appears professional which could only be accomplished with expertly employed web designers.

    The author writes for a company which specializes in web design quote to establish and improve the online presence of a wide variety of clients. Visit http://www.marketease.com.au/ to find out how we can improve your website strategy and marketing campaigns online.

    Do You Want To Rock Your Online World? At VA-Live We Show You How...

    Source: http://theboardmagazine.com/2012/12/consider-the-best-web-design-quote-to-market-you-website-successfully/

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    In bite-sized roles, Gandolfini ubiquitous again

    NEW YORK (AP) ? In the five years since "The Sopranos" ended, James Gandolfini has eschewed the spotlight, instead disappearing into a heap of character actor performances that, while they may lack the heft of Tony Soprano, have only further proved the actor's wide-ranging talent.

    This season offers a gluttony of Gandolfini, albeit in bite-sized parts. In Kathryn Bigelow's Osama bin Laden hunt docudrama "Zero Dark Thirty," he plays Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. In David Chase's '60s period drama "Not Fade Away," he plays the old-school father of a wannabe rocker. And in Andrew Dominick's crime flick "Killing Them Softly," he plays an aged, washed-up hit man.

    None of the roles are showy lead men, and that's just fine with Gandolfini.

    "I'm much more comfortable doing smaller things," Gandolfini said in a recent interview. "I like them. I like the way they're shot; they're shot quickly. It's all about the scripts ? that's what it is ? and I'm getting some interesting little scripts."

    The 51-year-old actor takes scant pleasure in interviews and rarely does them. This is partly because Gandolfini ? sitting attentively with his hands on his knees, his head back and his let's-hear-what-you-have-to-say eyes tilted downward ? distrusts the ego-inflating effect of attention. Explaining his interest in a character, he breaks off: "I always wonder how interesting any of this is to people. It's just my own (stuff)."

    Though Gandolfini's achievement playing Tony Soprano for eight years is unquestioned (he won three Emmy awards), the sensation of the show ? and the long time spent playing a violent, sometimes loathsome gangster ? grated on Gandolfini. He says that after "The Sopranos," he didn't quite regain himself as an actor until he starred in the Tony-winning play "God of Carnage" on Broadway in 2009. He played half of a Brooklyn couple trying to resolve a squabble with another couple over a fight between their children ? a part also revealing of our underlying animalism.

    "It really grounded me more as an actor again," says Gandolfini. "Then I could go off and try different things."

    Gandolfini's recent work has vacillated from comedy, his genre of choice (as a Washington general in the political satire "In the Loop") to heartwarming drama (as a businessman moved to rehabilitate an abandoned teenage girl, Kristen Stewart, in "Welcome to the Rileys"). He voiced the Wild Thing Carol in "Where the Wild Things Are," a performance that, by stripping him of his sizable frame, highlighted his tenderness.

    One of his favorite films, he says, was John Turturro's long-delayed "Romance & Cigarettes," a funny, anti-extravagant musical about a working class family. He's produced several HBO documentaries about veterans: "Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq" and "Wartorn: 1861-2010," which chronicled posttraumatic stress.

    "He took up a lot of his time with 'God of Carnage,' and I was sort of missing him from the screen," says Chase, the "Sopranos" creator. "He's doing a lot of work now but I think he was taking a cooling off period."

    For Gandolfini, reuniting with Chase on "Not Fade Away" was like "getting back to work" on a simple, small movie set after the "big huge thing" of the "The Sopranos." Chase calls the actor his "first responder" to his scripts.

    "The main thing we have is a small sharing of a certain amount of self-loathing and a sense of humor," says Gandolfini, laughing. "I get David's sense of humor immediately."

    In "Not Fade Away," Gandolfini reprises certain characteristics of Tony Soprano ? an Italian patriarch displeased with his son ? but the film also turns on a tender moment that bridges the generational divide. "Every guy who was in a band, that was the father," says Steven Van Zandt, Gandolfini's "Sopranos" co-star and a producer on "Not Fade Away."

    "It's the time when you find out, all of a sudden you realize as you get older, that maybe your father wasn't just there to raise you, that he actually had dreams of his own and things that he wanted to do and things that he's sacrificed," says Gandolfini, a father of a 13-year-old son and, with his second wife Deborah Lin, a 2-month-old girl.

    Gandolfini grew up in New Jersey the son of a bricklayer and a high school lunch lady. His blue collar roots clearly inform his attitude about acting; he sometimes seems almost embarrassed by his profession.

    "People don't know and they shouldn't know that you work incredibly hard as an actor," he says. "So in terms of a blue collar background, that matches up. But it is an odd way to make a living. Putting somebody else's pants on and pretending to be somebody else is occasionally, as you grow older, horrifying."

    But Gandolfini gravitated to acting as a release, a way to get rid of anger. "I don't know what exactly I was angry about," he says.

    That inner rage helped Gandolfini land his breakthrough role as a brutal mob enforcer in Tony Scott's "True Romance," a part that led to Tony Soprano. His distaste for that character and some of Tony's uglier nature is still present for Gandolfini.

    "I try to avoid certain things and certain kinds of violence at this point," he says. "I'm getting older, too. I don't want to be beating people up as much. I don't want to be beating women up and those kinds of things that much anymore."

    In "Zero Dark Thirty" violence is meted out by others, while Gandolfini's foul-mouthed Panetta is an intimidating boardroom presence.

    "He brings to the set so much authority and gravitas just naturally in who he is," says Bigelow. "It felt like a perfect symmetry."

    "Killing Them Softy," though, is a rare return to the territory Gandolfini has avoided. This older, end-of-the-line gangster, Gandolfini says, completes an arc for him of mafia men, a kind of epilogue of the "last, most pathetic one in the end."

    "I was hesitant to play another quote-unquote mob guy," he says. "You know, I've played a lot of these guys and so I'm getting to a place where I want to play different people. This is kind of a guy who's a culmination of everybody I've played at the end. This is like the last nail in the coffin."

    ___

    Follow Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jake_coyle

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bite-sized-roles-gandolfini-ubiquitous-again-162540853.html

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    Blood Cholesterol Testing ? don&#39;t let the simple numbers fool you!

    PJ-curls
    by Monica Mollica

    The mere word cholesterol gives many goose bumps. We have been indoctrinated since the well-known Framingham Studies that the higher the blood cholesterol level, the higher the risk of heart disease 1-3. However, much has been discovered in medical research since then. Today there is compelling evidence showing that strict reliance on the traditional cholesterol test that is routinely run in the clinic can falsely tell you and your doctor that you?re fine, even if you aren?t. Here you will find out what to look for?

    The traditional cholesterol test

    1

    Unless you have a good doctor who keep tabs on medical research, when you do your blood work (which I hope you do regularly as a preventive measure), the traditional cholesterol test that?s part of a regular health check will only give you information on the following measurements:

    - Total cholesterol level
    - LDL (low-density lipoprotein, the ?bad? cholesterol)
    - HDL (high-density lipoprotein, the ?good? cholesterol)
    - Triglycerides (aka blood fats)

    This traditional cholesterol test is also called the standard lipid panel. Lipid is a catch-all term for fats and cholesterol, which are characterized by their water insolubility. Hence the need for lipoproteins, which are molecules that transport cholesterol and fats in the blood. Blood cholesterol gets its name based on what particle that carries it in the blood stream. Even though you often hear discussions about bad and good cholesterol, the cholesterol in LDL and HDL is the same; the difference lies in their respective transport molecule (ie, the lipoproteins).

    Doctors have historically blindly relied on this standard lipid panel (traditional cholesterol test) to assess their patients? risk of cardiovascular disease and prescribe cholesterol lowering drugs. However, there are serious limitations in relying solely on the standard cholesterol panel. Most importantly, it can identify only about 40% of people at risk for coronary heart disease 4, and the extent of cardiovascular disease varies greatly among individuals with similar ?standard? cholesterol levels 5,6. Over the past decade, an immense amount of scientific research has shown that within each cholesterol class (LDL, HDL etc) distinct subclasses exist, that confer different degrees of cardiovascular disease risk 7. For example, it is the small LDL particles that are dangerous, and not so much the larger LDL particles 8-10. This discovery has given rise to the ?pattern A? and ?pattern B? notations (see below) and explains why a simple total LDL level test doesn?t tell you the full story and can be misleading.

    VAP ? the next generation of cholesterol testing

    The VAP (Vertical Auto Profile) test provides this valuable information on cholesterol/lipoprotein subclasses. The expanded information from the VAP test includes:

    - More accurate, direct measurement of LDL:

    The standard lipid panel only indirectly gets your LDL level by a calculation, which is fraught with questionable assumptions 11-13.

    - Measurement of LDL particle number and density:

    This is important because small, dense and numerous LDL particles (?Pattern B?, see below) cause a 3-fold increase in risk of a heart attack independent of the total LDL level 9,14.

    - Measurement of lipoprotein subclasses and related molecules.

    2

    This includes, LDL1, LDL2 and LDL3, HDL2 and HDL3, intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL1, VLDL2, VLDL3), and lipoprotein(a) [ Lp(a) ], a particularly dangerous lipoprotein that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The VAP test will also give your apo-B level; apo-B is a molecule that is attached to each LDL particle, and gives another dimension of your LDL particle number.

    People who test ?normal? in a standard cholesterol test often are found to be at risk for heart disease after taking the VAP test. This is because individuals with the same LDL level may have high or low numbers of LDL particles. Because LDL particle number is an independent and more sensitive indicator of risk than LDL (or non-HDL), these individuals will differ in terms of heart disease and cardiovascular risk, despite having same LDL level 8,15. This is clearly of utmost importance, for both prevention and treatment.

    Nail down you LDL pattern ? are you an A or B?

    When you get your VAP results, all the numbers can make you dizzy. No worry, the main thing to find out is your LDL pattern. The LDL patterns A and B refer to the size of LDL cholesterol particles in the blood.

    3

    Persons with LDL pattern A have large, buoyant LDL particles. Individuals with pattern A are more likely to have normal blood levels of HD

    L and triglycerides. Pattern A is usually not associated with cardiovascular risk.

    Persons with LDL pattern B have predominantly small and dense LDL particles. Pattern B is frequently associated with low HDL levels, elevated triglyceride levels, and high blood sugar levels and risk for type II diabetes. Individuals with pattern B are also more likely to develop high blood triglyceride levels after a fat-rich meal (a medical condition called postprandial hyperlipidemia).

    Why is this important?

    Smaller LDL particles are more dangerous than the larger ones because they can more easily squeeze through the endothelium (a single cell layer that lines blood vessels) and clog up the artery walls. Smaller LDL particles also are more easily oxidized, and oxidized LDL is a significant contributor to the formation of plaques in the arteries.

    More and more scientific medical research is showing that the total LDL level is not the best indicator of heart disease risk that has been attributed to LDL. The reason for this is that the risk correlates more strongly with the number of circulating atherogenic LDL particles (as can be found out in a VAP test) rather than the quantity of cholesterol carried by those particles (as shown in a standard lipid panel test) 16. If this is over your head, don?t fret; just make sure you?re a pattern A. And that?s easy because the VAP results page tell you right upfront what pattern you are, so yo u don?t have to do any calculations.

    4

    As you can see in the graphic nearby, the LDL fraction is further split into four parts; small LDL particles, large LDL particle, Lp(a) and IDL. Other than telling you whether you are an A or B (ie, whether you have a predominance of dangerous small or less dangerous large LDL particles), the VAP test report also informs you on your standing with these other variables.

    Where can I get the VAP test?

    If you don?t have health insurance, or if your insurance doesn?t cover it, you can easily order a VAP test for $90 from Life Extension

    Here?s an explanation of all the variables you find on the VAP test

    Here you can check out a sample VAP report

    Other similar advance blood lipid tests

    In this article I?ve covered the VAP test from Atherotec, www.thevaptest.com, which is based on the ultracentrifugation technique.

    There are also other, similar advanced lipid test available. The most notable is the one based on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique from LipoScience, www.lipoprofile.com.

    Then we have a gradient gel electrophoresis based test, from Berkeley HeartLab, www.bhlinc.com, and another one based on the ion mobility technique. Since this is an intense research area, we can expect to hear about new advanced lipid test in the near future.

    The point I want to make is that, unless your doctor order a specific advanced lipid test for you (buy him/her flowers if that?s the case!), pick one and stick to it. The reason being that the different tests can give you different readings. Thus, you cannot directly compare your VAP reading with an NMR reading if you do both.

    You should to do your advanced lipid testing not just once, but regularly to monitor your health status, and effectiveness of your diet and exercise program etc. As of this writing, the VAP test is cheapest.

    Who should you care about getting the advanced VAP cholesterol test?

    Everybody! Prevention is key for healthy longevity. The ?good? thing with cardiovascular disease risk factors is that if you detect them at an early stage, you can easily fix them with diet and exercise, and thereby avoid becoming a victim for heart disease, which is still the number one killer.

    If your standard lipid panel shows that you have a high triglyceride level, and/or a low HDL level, you definitely should get the VAP test, since a high ratio of triglyceride/HDL is often accompanied by small LDL particle sizes 17,18. Another simple way to tell is you could be at risk is if you have a belly fat. Having a belly is not just an esthetic issue, it is also a great health risk that should be taken very seriously.

    Another important indication that you should have a VAP test, is if are on statins. I am not going to get into the evils of statins here. For the purpose of this article, I just want to inform you that they are the most lucrative drug ever developed by the pharma industry, and unfortunately the first-line drug prescribed by cardiologist to treat high LDL levels. The reason you have to do a VAP test if you are on statins is that statis lower your overall LDL level more than they lower your LDL particle number 19. Thus, statins can lower your LDL level to the normal range, but still leave you with lots of deleterious LDL particles, and thereby falsely give an indication of a successful treatment. Therefore, if your doctor is only monitoring your overall LDL level while prescribing you statins, get another doctor.

    Also, if you are eating loads of carbs, you definitely should have a VAP done, because it is well-documented that a high-carb diet has detrimental effects on cardiovascular risk factors. Among other things, eating lots of carbs increases both your blood fats (triglycerides) and your number of small deleterious LDL particles 20-24.

    In addition, certain health promoting supplements can actually elevate your total and LDL cholesterol levels, while beneficially affect your LDL particle distribution. Notable examples are fish oil and algae oil supplements 25,26. By getting your VAP test you have your back covered if you start taking fish oil and your doctor starts pulling his hair because your LDL level has increased.

    While financial investments can be risky, investing in your own health is totally risk free. And on top of that it gives you an invaluable return; health, happiness and longevity!

    www.trainergize.com

    About the Author:
    ?????????????

    Monica Mollica
    Monica Mollica has a Bachelor?s and Master?s degree in Nutrition from the University of Stockholm, Sweden, and is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer. She works a dietary consultant, health journalist and writer for www.BrinkZone.com, and is also a web designer and videographer.

    Monica has admired and been fascinated by muscular and sculptured strong athletic bodies since childhood, and discovered bodybuilding as an young teenager. Realizing the importance of nutrition for maximal results in the gym, she went for a BSc and MSc with a major in Nutrition at the University.

    During her years at the University she was a regular contributor to the Swedish bodybuilding magazine BODY, and she has published the book (in Swedish) ?Functional Foods for Health and Energy Balance?, and authored several book chapters in Swedish publications.

    It was her insatiable thirst for knowledge and scientific research in the area of bodybuilding and health that brought her to the US. She has completed one semester at the PhD-program ?Exercise, Nutrition and Preventive Health? at Baylor University Texas, at the department of Health Human Performance and Recreation, and worked as an ISSA certified personal trainer. Today, Monica is sharing her solid experience by doing dietary consultations and writing about topics related to health, fitness, bodybuilding, anti-aging and longevity.


    References:

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    2. Brown MS, Goldstein JL. A receptor-mediated pathway for cholesterol homeostasis. Science. Apr 4 1986;232(4746):34-47.

    3. Castelli WP, Anderson K. A population at risk. Prevalence of high cholesterol levels in hypertensive patients in the Framingham Study. The American journal of medicine. Feb 14 1986;80(2A):23-32.

    4. Superko HR. Did grandma give you heart disease? The new battle against coronary artery disease. The American journal of cardiology. Nov 5 1998;82(9A):34Q-46Q.

    5. Freedman DS, Croft JB, Anderson AJ, et al. The relation of documented coronary artery disease to levels of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Epidemiology. Jan 1994;5(1):80-87.

    6. Grover SA, Coupal L, Hu XP. Identifying adults at increased risk of coronary disease. How well do the current cholesterol guidelines work? JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. Sep 13 1995;274(10):801-806.

    7. Packard CJ, Shepherd J. Lipoprotein heterogeneity and apolipoprotein B metabolism. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. Dec 1997;17(12):3542-3556.

    8. Cromwell WC, Otvos JD, Keyes MJ, et al. LDL Particle Number and Risk of Future Cardiovascular Disease in the Framingham Offspring Study ? Implications for LDL Management. Journal of clinical lipidology. Dec 2007;1(6):583-592.

    9. Austin MA, Breslow JL, Hennekens CH, Buring JE, Willett WC, Krauss RM. Low-density lipoprotein subclass patterns and risk of myocardial infarction. JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. Oct 7 1988;260(13):1917-1921.

    10. Lamarche B, Lemieux I, Despres JP. The small, dense LDL phenotype and the risk of coronary heart disease: epidemiology, patho-physiology and therapeutic aspects. Diabetes & metabolism. Sep 1999;25(3):199-211.

    11. Sniderman AD, Blank D, Zakarian R, Bergeron J, Frohlich J. Triglycerides and small dense LDL: the twin Achilles heels of the Friedewald formula. Clinical biochemistry. Oct 2003;36(7):499-504.

    12. Wang TY, Haddad M, Wang TS. Low triglyceride levels affect calculation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine. Mar 2001;125(3):404-405.

    13. Ahmadi SA, Boroumand MA, Gohari-Moghaddam K, Tajik P, Dibaj SM. The impact of low serum triglyceride on LDL-cholesterol estimation. Archives of Iranian medicine. May 2008;11(3):318-321.

    14. Lamarche B, Tchernof A, Moorjani S, et al. Small, dense low-density lipoprotein particles as a predictor of the risk of ischemic heart disease in men. Prospective results from the Quebec Cardiovascular Study. Circulation. Jan 7 1997;95(1):69-75.

    15. Superko HR, Gadesam RR. Is it LDL particle size or number that correlates with risk for cardiovascular disease? Current atherosclerosis reports. Oct 2008;10(5):377-385.

    16. Davidson MH, Ballantyne CM, Jacobson TA, et al. Clinical utility of inflammatory markers and advanced lipoprotein testing: advice from an expert panel of lipid specialists. Journal of clinical lipidology. Sep-Oct 2011;5(5):338-367.

    17. Grundy SM, Vega GL, Tomassini JE, Tershakovec AM. Comparisons of apolipoprotein B levels estimated by immunoassay, nuclear magnetic resonance, vertical auto profile, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia (SAFARI Trial). The American journal of cardiology. Jul 1 2011;108(1):40-46.

    18. McLaughlin T, Reaven G, Abbasi F, et al. Is there a simple way to identify insulin-resistant individuals at increased risk of cardiovascular disease? The American journal of cardiology. Aug 1 2005;96(3):399-404.

    19. Sniderman AD. Differential response of cholesterol and particle measures of atherogenic lipoproteins to LDL-lowering therapy: implications for clinical practice. Journal of clinical lipidology. Feb 2008;2(1):36-42.

    20. Faghihnia N, Tsimikas S, Miller ER, Witztum JL, Krauss RM. Changes in lipoprotein(a), oxidized phospholipids, and LDL subclasses with a low-fat high-carbohydrate diet. Journal of lipid research. Nov 2010;51(11):3324-3330.

    21. Krauss RM. Dietary and genetic probes of atherogenic dyslipidemia. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. Nov 2005;25(11):2265-2272.

    22. Dreon DM, Fernstrom HA, Miller B, Krauss RM. Low-density lipoprotein subclass patterns and lipoprotein response to a reduced-fat diet in men. The FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Jan 1994;8(1):121-126.

    23. Parks EJ, Hellerstein MK. Carbohydrate-induced hypertriacylglycerolemia: historical perspective and review of biological mechanisms. The American journal of clinical nutrition. Feb 2000;71(2):412-433.

    24. Kasim-Karakas SE, Lane E, Almario R, Mueller W, Walzem R. Effects of dietary fat restriction on particle size of plasma lipoproteins in postmenopausal women. Metabolism: clinical and experimental. Apr 1997;46(4):431-436.

    25. Maki KC, Van Elswyk ME, McCarthy D, et al. Lipid responses to a dietary docosahexaenoic acid supplement in men and women with below average levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Jun 2005;24(3):189-199.

    26. Neff LM, Culiner J, Cunningham-Rundles S, et al. Algal docosahexaenoic acid affects plasma lipoprotein particle size distribution in overweight and obese adults. The Journal of nutrition. Feb 2011;141(2):207-213.

    Source: http://www.ironmagazine.com/2012/blood-cholesterol-testing-dont-let-the-simple-numbers-fool-you/

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