Book Review - I See Horses - From Sky to Sea

How did sea horses come to exist? Could it be that horses on the land, threatened by men and searching for freedom, escaped to the sea?

I Sea Horses takes a magical glimpse into the origin of sea horses. With beautiful, evocative, dream-like illustrations, this is an imaginative, heart-warming story that will delight young and old alike.

Led by the young stallion Pegasus, and with the helped of a magical star, the herd go to the depths of the sea to find peace, freedom and happiness. In the beginning, however, Pegasus encounters much resistance from the herd, for how is a horse, a creature without gills, to survive under the sea?

But Pegasus "told them his dream of things coming to be/When the land would change and they could no longer run free/He did not know when or even know why/But he felt he must turn to the sea or the sky."

The story is written in lovely lyrical verses, but the language is pretty straight forward, making it easy for the younger child to understand. The language also has a serene, calming quality while stimulating the child's imagination at the same time.

At the end of the book there is a section about Project Sea Horse and how people can help the survival of these exotic, fascinating, delicate creatures. Children can interact with this project's website and even purchase the plush-toy, sea horse characters featured in the story.

A picture book that will enchant lovers of horses and sea horses, I Sea Horses comes highly recommended from this reviewer.

I Sea Horses

From Sky To Sea

Written by Dawn Van Zant

Illustrated by Callan Van Zant

Wild Heart Ranch Books

ISBN: 0-9761768-0-7

Copyright 2004

Paperback

Children's picture book

Modern American Animation

This article describes the history of animation in the United States of America since the late 80's until the early twenty-first century. This period is often called the renaissance of American animation, during which many large American entertainment companies reform and reinvigorate its animation department after the decline suffered in the 60, 70 and 80.

From 1988 to the present

Disney's return

In the mid 80's, the American animation industry fell into disgrace. Toy commercials masquerading as entertainment programs cartoons dominated the evening and the morning of Saturday, and the only experiment was carried out by independent developers. Even animated films were projected in theaters at times, but the glory of the old days was gone. Even the animation giant Disney, which had fought a corporate acquisition in the 80's, was considering abandoning the production of animated feature films.

Both the enthusiastic audience, critics, and the animators were taken by surprise when the long-awaited renaissance of animation began in the oldest and most conservative corporation, Disney.

Disney had a drastic change in the 80, its new chief Michael Eisner the company relocated to his feet, returning to its roots and revitalizing their studies. With great fanfare, in 1988 the study worked with Steven Spielberg to produce the animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, directed by Robert Zemeckis. The film was a success, and gave to the animation industry awaited push for that time. Roger Rabbit not only earned him a pile of money for Disney, but also sparked the popularity of the classic animation that continues to this day. The history of animation suddenly became an object of study (and their fans). Several directors, business legend, such as Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng were suddenly in the spotlight, being acclaimed after decades of being virtually ignored by audiences and industry professionals.

Disney continued the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? with "The Little Mermaid", the first of a series of animated films that seemed to recapture the magic of the golden age of Walt Disney himself. The studio invested heavily in new technology of computer animation for such purposes, but could do super-productions like "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin," which attracted audiences that were not seen in decades, and Once provided a visual feast that has not been exceeded since the 40. The peak of the hit Disney was in 1994 when his film "The Lion King" exceeded all expectations of the study to become one of the most successful of all time. Even later Disney films as "Pocahontas," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Hercules," "Mulan" and "Tarzan" was blockbusters.

Disney has also made inroads into the neglected area of the animated TV series. With the success of shows like "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh", "The Adventures of the Gummi Bears Disney" and "Duck adventures", the "new" Disney made his mark in TV pictures. Through association and repetition, Disney can provide high quality animation for TV. A series of large diffusion was conducted in mid-nineties, with some critics designating "Gargoyles" as the Disney animation project for TV's most ambitious and best done artistically. The soundtracks of each of these animated films were an important part of its success, because Disney was including in each of these projects a loud voice from the world of music, such as Elton John (The Lion King), Luis Miguel (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Ricky Martin (Hercules), Christina Aguilera (Mulan), Celine Dion (Beauty and the Beast), Ricardo Montaner (Aladin), Jon Secada (Pocahontas), among others.

Spielberg and animation

Spielberg and Bluth

While Disney gave new life to animation, Steven Spielberg was making his own way. Animation amateur life, Spielberg was also interested in making high quality animation, and worked with his rival, Don Bluth animation producer to produce "Fievel and the New World." The box office success of this and Bluth's next film, "In The Land", Hollywood made him realize that Disney did not hold a monopoly on animated features. The other Hollywood studios resumed production of its own animated features, but still falling into the trap of trying to imitate Disney's 1997 film Don Bluth, "Anastasia", produced by Fox, is mentioned as the one launched the Fox Animation Studios and Disney's rival, however, these studies failed to succeed after "Anastasia" and closed in 1999. Like most successful productions of Disney, "Anastasia" was attended by Thalia, who played the central theme of the soundtrack in its versions in Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Spielberg and Warner Bros.

Spielberg, meanwhile, switched to TV and worked with animation studio Warner Bros. to produce "The Tiny Toon Adventures," a high quality animated series that paid homage to the great cartoons of Termite Terrace. "The Tiny Toon Adventures" had a good rating thanks to its young viewers, which inspired the Warner Bros to resurrect his dying animation studio and once again a contender in the field of animation. The Tiny Toon Steven Spielberg were continued by presenting "Animaniacs" and "Pinky and the Brain". The latter not only attracted new viewers to Warner Bros., but also captured the attention of viewers adolescents and adults.

Bakshi's return

Ralph Bakshi, director of innovative animated films like "Fritz the Cat" and original "Lord of the Rings", returned to animation after making a brief stop in the mid 80's. In 1985, he teamed up with the young Canadian animator John Kricfalusi and the legendary British band "The Rolling Stones" to make an animated music video for "The Harlem Shuffle", which was completed in early 1986. Although the music video did not talk much, he built a production team "Bakshi Animation" project continued with the short-lived but well received, "The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse." Bakshi & Co, worked on numerous projects at the end of the 80, but the biggest project was "Cool World: a blonde between two worlds", which premiered in 1992. The production got out of hand and ended up being severely criticized and forgotten by almost everyone.

Outsourcing animation

The main reason for increasing the quality of American animation is the ability to outsource the heavy lifting to cheaper animation houses in the South and Southeast Asia gaining a large number of frames at low cost. The script, character design and storyboarding is done in American offices. The storyboard, models and color books are mailed abroad. Sometimes causes problems because no final product can be completed until the frames are mailed to the U.S.. Although budgets have been reduced, foreign productions houses are chosen per episode, or even per scene, depending on the amount of money available at that time. As a result there is a big difference in quality from one episode to another. This is particularly evident in shows like "Gargoyles" and "Batman": The Animated Series where, sometimes, the characters seem completely different from one episode to the dismay of its directors.

Adult Animation

The Simpsons

In the 90's came a new wave of animated series whose primary aim was the adults, after an absence in the genre over a decade. In 1989, "The Simpsons," an animated short based on the "The Tracey Ullman Show," became the first animated series in prime time since "The Flintstones" and captivated a large part of the audience. It was the first hit series for the fledgling Fox, caused little sensitivity, entering popular culture and gaining wide acceptance. In 2008, "The Simpsons" seem to show no signs of stopping, and could surpass "Gunsmoke" as the fiction program on the air longer the history of American television. In 2007 have released their first film, titled "The Simpsons: The Movie", dubbed in Spanish and Chinese.

Ren and Stimpy

In 1991, Nickelodeon premiered "The Ren and Stimpy Show," "Ren and Stimpy" was a quirky series run riot violated all the traditional restrictions of correct drawings of Saturday morning and instead favored the quirky style of the short the golden era. Moreover, the series creator, John Kricfalusi, who had worked as an animator during the downturn of Saturday morning, was much influenced by the classic works of Bob Clampett.

Spike & Mike

Alongside mainstream animation nineties there was a strange and experimental movement. In a short animation festival in 1989, organized by Craig Decker and Mike Gribble Spike (known as "Spike & Mike") and originally located in San Diego. It all started with the representation of a collection of thematic short, known as the Classic Festival of Animation, in places of business meetings and trade throughout the country.

The collections were made mostly by Oscar-nominated short, works of students of the Institute of the Arts in California and experimental work of the National Film Board of Canada. The first festival included works by John Lasseter, Nick Park and Mike Judge. Judge's work, "Frog Baseball" marked the first appearance of their franchise characters Beavis and Butthead.

However, the festival gradually became a film program called Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation and turned into an underground movement of adult humor and subject matter.

Adult Swim

In 1994, Cartoon Network gave consent to a new series called "Space Ghost" coast to coast with a particular postmodern turn, showed live interviews with celebrities, mixed with cartoon animations original "Space Ghost." The series made the leap with the production of Hanna-Barbera, now owned by Cartoon Network. It was the beginning of a common practice used old Hanna-Barbera characters for new productions, as the surreal "Underwater Laboratory 2021", based on the cartoon short early 70's "Sealab 2020." Also, Harvey Birdman, attorney, on a mediocre superhero, Birdman which was originally the star of Birdman and Galaxy trio had become a lawyer. Its customers, like many of the characters in the series, came completely from old Hanna-Barbera characters.

In addition to large animation files old and cheap, independent animators also began to benefit from new digital technologies. An artist with sufficient technical skills could explore new styles and forms with much more freedom. The traditional animation skills of drawing and painting had given way to digital manipulation and aggressive use new techniques of animation.

Along with these new programs, the American audience, particularly in geographic areas influenced by fusion with the cultures of the Pacific coast, began to adopt Japanese cartoon, or anime, 80. This growing market for anime videos satisfy the public child and adolescent, with a large number of Japanese series translated into English. Initially access was limited to videos, but the anime as it became a mainstream found its way into the film department stores throughout the U.S.. As the animation occupies a different place in Japanese culture, including a range of issues not addressed by the American animation.

"Adult Swim" is a block of animation for adults that is issued at the start of primetime on Cartoon Network, leads the adult industry and has the latest technology in animation. Adult Swim, which originally aired on Sunday night in 2006 was in the air until 5:00 AM, and was broadcast every night except Friday. The series, which is produced exclusively for Adult Swim, as "The Brak Show," "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" and "Tom Goes to the Mayor", tend to be surreal and bizarre, but also considered fresh and original. Adult Swim reissued series "Futurama" and played an important role to avoid the cancellation of "Family Guy". In addition, it also issues numerous popular Anime series such as "FLCL", "Lupin III" and "Inuyasha."

Other drawings for adults

Other TV stations also experimented with animation for adults. MTV has produced several animated series especially for young and adult audiences, "Liquid Television" and "Beavis and Butthead". Even USA Network program found a cult following with his "Duckman show". But the adult animated series of the 90 most successful was "South Park" which premiered in 1996 as a cartoon pirate on the Internet.

The more fast-paced animation and disturbingly clandestine saw the light, the more dominant force in television animation was, led to an increasingly frenetic territory and perhaps eschatological, for example in "The Tick and Duckman."

In 2005, adult animation pioneer Ralph Bakshi said he would work on another film, "The Last Days of Coney Island" which he would finance and produce independently.

The decline of the Saturday Morning

After spending nearly a coma for over two decades, the American animation industry experienced a sudden growth in the 90. Several new studies appeared keen to take risks, and found a large number of markets to sell their talent. Along with the animated TV series, the animation used in television commercials, video games and music videos. The small animation studios challenged "Hanna-Barbera Productions" in the market for TV animation.

In fact, Hanna-Barbera could not compete with the new varieties of animation on the market. During the time that dominated the entire spectrum of pictures of the Saturday morning Hanna-Barbera had virtually no competition, causing a deterioration in the quality of its series. In the 90's, the study could only offer fried as "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo" and "Tom and Jerry Kids Show" to compete with "Fox Kids" and the new "WB Television Network" from Warner Bros. Hanna-Barbera stayed behind and found himself completely bought by Turner Broadcasting.

Hanna-Barbera not only had problems adapting to the changes that are spread all over the TV. The "Big Three" networks (ABC, NBC and CBS) found its loyal audience being eroded by competition from new channels, including new strains of "Cable TV" as Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. Video games and movies available on video also helped change the market, to the point that for a time gave NBC cartoons altogether. The ABC was bought by Disney, and Disney turned the grill on Saturday in a series of Disney animated productions.

While the series animated in large networks seemed mediocre, the cable television cartoon achieved several successes. Nickelodeon did see light cult hits like "Doug," "Rugrats," "Ren and Stimpy," "Rocko's Modern Life," "SpongeBob," "Invader Zim" and "The Fairly OddParents." Meanwhile, a new owner of Hanna-Barbera, Time Warner, the study focused on the creation of new drawings for the Cartoon Network. Hanna-Barbera was an influx of fresh blood and a new generation of drawings of Hanna-Barbera cartoon was born as "Dexter's Laboratory," "Johnny Bravo", "Cow and Chicken", "Powerpuff Girls" and " Courage the Cowardly Dog. "

Still, each new piece of animation was not a gold mine. The Disney animated films began to suffer in quality to late 1990, after the producer Jeff Katzenberg left the studio and team up with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen to form DreamWorks. Also, several animated films were released in the 90 trying to imitate the success of Disney, but as in the Years 1930 and 1940, the animations of 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros could not catch a considerable market segment Disney movies that had been dominant. In particular, Warner Bros, had a string of failures "Cats Do not Dance", "The Magic Sword" and "The Iron Giant" (the latter being praised by critics and audiences, but virtually being ignored by most the public) died at the box office. Warner Bros. also tried to recreate the success of "Roger Rabbit" to "Space Jam", an attempt to combine the popularity of Bugs Bunny with basketball superstar Michael Jordan.

In addition, the market trend of children continued during the 90's, almost as ubiquitous as a decade earlier. Two major events dominated toy many children's programs in the afternoons of the weekend: "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" in the mid-90 and "Pokemon" from the latter half of the 90's to mid Years 2000. Until the animation suffered another revival in the 2000s, a great deal (and many dollars spent) continued to spend on merchandising.

The growth of computer animation

Yet another wild card is added to this crowded and competitive atmosphere with the emergence of a new wave of "Computer Animation". The decade of the 90 experienced an exponential improvement in the use of computers to enhance animated sequences and special effects. This new form of entertainment soon dominated the world of special effects in Hollywood (the film "Terminator 2": "The Judgement" and "Jurassic Park" included impressive computer-animated sequences), and was only a matter of time to find a film produced entirely with computers.

Once again it was Disney who led this area. Disney animators had introduced computer-generated sequences gently in his movies, as in early 1991 in "Beauty and the Beast." A computer-generated magic carpet played a significant role in "Aladdin." In 1995, Disney produced with Pixar "Toy Story", the first completely computer generated film. The film was a huge success and created a new movement, other studies investigated produce their own computer-animated films (CGI).

Perhaps because it first developed as a new method of creating special effects, computer animation was not seen as a form of "children's entertainment." After decades as related but separate industries, the line between animation and special effects are eliminated by the popularization of computer special effects, to the extent that the use of computers in Hollywood movies has become a natural. The best special effects are often so subtle they go completely unnoticed. The winner of the Oscar for best special effects with "Forrest Gump" (1994) relied heavily on computer special effects to create the illusion of realism, to the extent that the actor Tom Hanks was seen shaking hands with U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The movie "Titanic" used computer graphics to bring each scene in three hours, which produced a level of realism that helped the film itself to become the biggest movie box office tax collection so far.

The computer animation has also made forays into television. The series of Saturday morning "ReBoot" gained much popularity among adults, this was the first of many CGI series like "Beast Wars," "War Planets" and "Roughnecks". The quality of computer animation has improved considerably with each new series. Many non-animated TV series (especially science fiction "Babylon 5") invested heavily in CGI production, producing special effects of a higher quality of its predecessors could dream at a relatively low cost.

Other studies with Disney tried their luck with computer-animated films and discovered their weaknesses to the monopoly that was putting animated Disney box office successes. While DreamWorks with "Antz" and "Small Soldiers" paled in comparison with the productions of Disney-Pixar's "Bug" and "Toy Story 2", finally got a big hit numbers with "Shrek" in 2001. "Shrek" was a huge box office success, attracting the public on the production and mastering summer of that year, "Atlantis". Even 20th Century Fox pulled the oil when it conducted a CGI animated film in early 2002 entitled "Ice Age". Not all studies were successful at the box office with computer animation, Paramount with "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" released in 2001 they did so well at the box office, but received a nomination from the Academy and later found success with the television series based on the film which was awarded the following year.

But the real star of the CGI revolution seemed to be Pixar. Even before "Toy Story" The study made a name producing amazing animation shorts (his short "Tin Toy" won an Oscar) and when Disney tried to create a CGI film on its own without Pixar ("Dinosaur") the result was notably disastrous.

Despite this success, the computer animation continues to rely on characters drawn and stylized. In 2001, living first attempt to create a world completely animated using "human actors" digital "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within," which found a moderate critical acclaim but did good box office.

The CGI special effects increased to such an extent that in 2002 science fiction film "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones" was considered by its director, George Lucas, as the first animated film that used real actors. In fact, the CGI effects have become so common that it is difficult to distinguish computer-animated real life. A growing number of films begin using completely computer created characters interact on screen with real parts, as Jar Binks in "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" Gollum in "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and the main character in "Hulk." While computer-generated characters have become acceptable actors, fully animated movies with virtual actors seem to lack a few years.

Disney seemed ready to lead the decline in hand-drawn animation, despite the box office success of "Lilo & Stitch", the failure of its hyped summer "Treasure Planet" seemed to assure that there would be further reductions in the study of Disney animation. The loss was most damaging to Disney in 2002 when the Oscar for Best Animated Film went to the artist (by hand) by Hayao Miyazaki, "Spirited Away" Disney inflicting a second defeat followed the Academy Awards.

Disney settled all their desks and Dreamworks Animation also announced it would abandon the traditional drawn animation and focus exclusively on computer-generated productions from 2003 onwards. While frame traditional animation is likely to remain supported by the TV cartoon and TV ads in the near future. The schools of animation history believe that "the era of classic American design," which began with the Walt Disney film "Snow White" is about to end. Others disagree, pointing a moderate success of traditionally animated film "Brother Bear" and the fact that Pixar has announced it will produce traditional animation films in their own attempt to revive this art form.

In 2004, he premiered the movie "Sky Captain" and "The world of tomorrow." Note that the entire film was shot against a blue screen with the background completely computer generated and all were real actors. Robert Zemeckis film "Polar Express" starring Tom Hanks with five characters is done entirely with CGI animation, but uses motion capture technology to animate the characters.

In July 2005, Disney announced it would close their studies in Australia in 2006. That study, responsible for video sequels like "The Lion King III" was the last bastion of hand-Disney artists. However in 2006, Pixar creative chief John Lasseter, told Time magazine that could restore traditional animation unit of Disney, saying that "of all studies should be doing 2-D animation, it should be Disney."

In December 2009, the last great animated film that has gathered huge profits at the box office is "Avatar" from 20th Century Fox, directed by James Cameron, has received high praise for the quality of special effects are really impressive.

Animation Awards

The animation has become so widely accepted that at the beginning of the XXI Century (2001), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences introduced the Oscar for best animated film. The two main rivals for the first year of this award were two CGI films: "Shrek" from DreamWorks and "Monsters Inc." Disney-Pixar. The award was for "Shrek." However, there were complaints that the award seemed to be geared more toward family movies to animated films, "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" was the third nominee, not the innovative and critically acclaimed adult film "Waking Life" or visually innovative "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within." Hayao Miyazaki's critically acclaimed "Spirited Away" won in 2002 and the Disney-Pixar film "Finding Nemo" received the award in 2003.

The Annie Awards were presented at the Los Angeles branch of the International Animation Society (Association international du film d'animation or ASIFA), known as ASIFA-Hollywood, the month of February competing animation for film and TV.

Roundworms - Unpleasant Hitchhikers

Of all the species of animals in the world, the nematodes or roundworms are one of the most numerous and most successful of all. They are ubiquitous in almost every kind of imaginable habitats, from blazing deserts to the coldest polar regions. They are so numerous in fact that they make up ninety percent of all life on earth, according to many experts. In almost every environment there is they outnumber every other kind of animal population and specie-wise. So you most probably come into contact with them every day and just don't know it yet.

They are bad news however when some species like the whipworm, hookworm, pinworms, filarids and other parasitic species of nematodes start feeding on you or your pets and livestock. One specie called the trichina worm is the one responsible for the disease called trichinosis. You usually get this disease by eating undercooked food. Another called Haemonchus contortus can devastate sheep farms. Even crops aren't safe from plant-parasitic roundworms such as the potato cyst nematode. Some nematodes attack the roots of plants, giving farmers plenty of reason to worry. Some nematodes living inside humans can reach a total length of 103 cm. This is definitely something you don't want to have inside you or any of your animals.

There are some helpful nematodes like entomopathogenic nematodes, which parasitize insects and are considered beneficial. Others like the predatory nematodes called cutworms feed on garden pests. So not all of these creatures are truly harmful. But for those that are, which bring possibly fatal diseases like trichinosis, steps should be taken quickly to prevent their spread. It could be the difference between life and death, success and disaster.

Chocolate Splendor: Food For The Gods; Bodybuilding Nutrition

A fictional overheard conversation at a Thelma’s Fine Dining.

Hi, I’m your waitress, Flo. How are you two doing tonight? Just come from the gym? Whew, one of you needs a shower. Here’s our menu. Our specials include a 3lb cheeseburger with mega fries, a foot long chili dog that is deep-fried and covered with cheese. Or we have a this new health drink called Chocolate Splendor. What? How in the h#%l did that get in there?

An after workout drink that provides bodybuilding nutrition for first rate growth.

After putting your body through a grueling workout it demands bodybuilding nutrition. No this is not an advertisement. We found an easy, quick and reasonably priced way of fulfilling this need. We take a packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast and mix it with whey protein.

The whey protein that we use is Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein Powder. It mixes easily and tastes good. 20 grams of sugar carbohydrates from the instant breakfast help your blood glucose return back too normal after the depletion from the workout. You can mix the two powders together in a shaker cup and add water at the gym when you are ready to drink it.

Chocolate Splendor breakdown:

* Protein 28 grams

* Carbohydrates 30 grams 20 grams sugar

* Fat 2.5 grams

Feel free to publish this article in your e-zine, your newsletter, or your web site, as long as resource box and by-line is included. All web links in Bio and by line must be working.

A courtesy copy of your publication will be appreciated. Please, email to “ natureboy_bodybuilding@hotmail.com”

Thank You

You can view this article with pictures at [http://www.nature-boy-bodybuilding.com/natureboybodybuilding/id13.html]

Guaranteed Military Auto Loan - Car Loans For Military Personnel

There are many people in the military that do not know many of the special offers that are specially been designated for the utilization of military servicemen and women. One such offer is a military car sales loan that can be taken up by a military person for the purpose of buying a car. This loan has a very low rate of interest in comparison to many other car loans. Being unaware, many military personnel do not utilize this advantage of taking up a military car sales loan.

Let us now get a more detailed insight into what are the advantages of taking up a military car sales loan and who are eligible to go in for such a loan and the process to obtain it.

The Benefits of a Military Auto Loan

Any armed force personnel is eligible to obtain this loan to purchase a car, either used or new. Another option under this scheme is it can be used to refinance an already existing car loan. The advantage as was mentioned earlier is the lower rate of interest than other conventional car loans making it cheaper. Also, the monthly payments can be further reduced because the loan can be opted for a longer tenure than other loans.

The military car loans are provided to these military personnel at lesser rates of interest by the lenders who try to promote these loans. They look at the earnings of the military personnel as a steady income that makes them eligible to be provided such loans. They feel that the risk taken up by the lender is quite low that enables them to provide the loan at a much lower rate of interest than conventional loans but will still end up with a profit for them.

Among other advantages offered by military car sales loan is the flexibility of repayment. The borrower is given the option of paying low monthly installments for a longer duration or can take up the option of paying higher than stipulated to finish off the loan much faster thereby saving more by avoiding paying the interest. Even the amount offered as loan is significantly higher than what is provided for a conventional auto loan.

Eligibility Norms

In order to be eligible for a military car loan, the borrower should be actively serving in the armed forces. This loan is even provided to many of them with bad credit ratings as well as to personnel that have recently entered the armed forces too. But, the tenure of service does play a role in getting an approval for military auto loan.

The process of application is quite simple and can be done online over the internet too. The documentation that is necessary for approval is the proof of being in the armed forces. Other requirements is details such as address of residence, base where the person is located, telephone number, email details, contact person whom the lender can reach when the borrowing military person is posted abroad. The contact person should be someone who can communicate to the borrower any information that is given by the lender.

Lack of Money? Try Bad Credit Refinance

Most of us experience once or twice during life, or may be all the time, a lack of money. Times like that the need of refinance appears. Then you should be aware of Bad Credit Refinance, and what it is. It might make your life easier, and your money last longer.

There are several reasons why you can consider Bad Credit Refinance. If you have a mortgage on your house, you can refinance now and not wait to the rate is getting higher. Many are waiting to long to refinance or get a fixed rate, hoping the rate will be low forever. Then they miss the chance to save some money when the rate starts to rise. Others already have a high rate on their mortgages and check the markets offer for loans, to see if it is possible to get a lower rate.

For those who do not have big loans as a home mortgage, but have smaller loans as credit card dept, there can be a lot of money to earn if they get a good deal when refinancing their credit cards. Today it can be easier to get a credit card than to get a smile. On the internet we are offered credit cards all the time. Having a valid credit when applying for a card, the cards are easy to get. When you have got one, they might be to easy to use, and after a while there will be another reason for bad credit refinancing. Unfortunately. Before you know you might be over you ears and head in dept. Then you have a problem, and if you don´t do something about it your life might be a misery.

If is easy to get into money problems, to get out of it is not always that easy. But there is help to get, among other things you can do is look up and visit credit counseling service.

Back To School Organizing For Tweens & Teens

Back to School Organizing Tips

Oh yes, it's that time again. Summer is coming to a close and a brand new school year will soon be upon us (well, not me, but you). Do you want to kick some of those old habits and start fresh? Save yourself time and frustration? Here are some organizing tips that will help you do just that. And while practice may not make it perfect at first, practice, over the long run, will definitely help make your life a bit easier.

GETTING STARTED

· Decide if you want to use one large expandable binder/folder for all of your subjects or individual filing systems.

· If you decide to go with individual folders/binders/notebooks for each subject, think about color coding. Red folders/binders for math, blue for science, etc.

· Have some kind of paper organization system at home like a file cabinet or box or even one for your desktop to keep schedules, old exams and papers.

· Make a separate folder or box for forms/slips that need to be viewed or signed by your parents and keep it in a designated area.

· Use a colorful container to keep all of your extra school supplies (scissors, paper, pens, etc) in one place. You can even decorate a shoe box for that purpose.

THE LOCKER

· Make it function better by adding magnetic hooks, a mirror, small box for extra supplies or an adjustable shelf.

· Add a small message board to remind yourself of key things like, "take home permission slip or French test tomorrow" or use it to keep a running list of all of the subjects that you have homework in that night.

· Minimize and laminate a copy of your weekly class schedule & tape it into your locker.

· Keep in mind that your locker will eventually get messy, so it will need to be cleaned out every week or month or so.

THE BACKPACK/BOOK BAG

· Pencils, keys, cell phones and other small objects are best kept all on the outside pocket. If you use a book/tote bag, there usually is an inside pocket. If your bag does not have this, use something like a large makeup bag for all of these items.

· Water bottles and sport drinks are best kept away from books and papers.

· If you are involved in lots of extracurricular activities like sports or band, consider carrying a separate bag for that.

· Clean out perishable items from your bag every night. There's nothing worse than finding a week old, half eaten tuna sandwich!

· Get in the habit of emptying your bag right after you finish your homework. File away old tests or get slips signed.

· Repack the bag right then and there. This can save you so much time and stress in the morning.

· Consider picking out your clothes for school the night before. Place your top, bottom, socks, under things all on one hanger. This will free up some extra time the next morning. You can spend that extra time primping or catching a few more zzzz's.

Challenges of Nigeria Mobile Banking

Mobile Banking refers to provision of banking and financial services with the help of mobile telecommunication devices. The scope of offered services may include facilities to conduct bank and stock market transactions, to administer accounts and to access customized information. Also known as M-Banking in Nigeria or in some instances SMS Banking etc. It is a term used for performing balance checks, account transactions, payments and others transaction services via a mobile devices. Some mobile Banking applications in Nigeria use pre programmed configurations settings.

Mobile Banking in Nigeria started from the transaction based activities whereby Bank customers are Notified via sms when transactions are conducted on their account or via Atm. This is a one way event and only for informational purposes only. GT Bank was on of the earliest Banks to provision this service to customers.

That was the early days on Mobile Banking in Nigeria. Nigerian Banks are now deploying full fledge banking via the Mobile Phones with array of services which were only possible in the Banking Halls before. Zenith Bank, UBA , GTBank, Diamond and Intercontinental Banks are the fore runners of this innovation.

Despite the watch and see attitude that some very leading Banks are taking about Mobile Banking in Nigeria, The mobile remains the Only and most available feasible means to provide mass market alternative to Branch Banking in Nigeria. The internet has only a penetration rate of 6 percent in a population of 140 million but mobile technology is close to 50 percent penetration with prospects for growth.

Mobile devices are the most promising way to reach the masses and to create a tie-in among current customers, due to their ability to provide services anytime, anywhere, high rate of penetration and potential to grow. Deployment of 3G in coming months will also enable Banks to offer more robust Mobile Banking technologies.

Key challenges in developing a sophisticated mobile banking application are Interoperability. The single reason for is the manner in which mobile phone applications evolved over time, device manufacturers focused on particular standard and and this led to a proliferation of applications. The Financial Regulator CBN should look in this issue at this early stage so that Mobile Banking ecosystem can be robust with National standard that cuts across all Banks. Bank specific Mobile Banking platforms is akin to having each bank deploying its own ATM Technology which other bank customers cannot access.

Interoperability can also help to evolve a standard that will enable low end phones which are currently excluded, to do Mobile Banking. Some countries like India and South Africa are already using some standards like R-World and USSD.

Application distribution for Mobile Banking is another area where some Banks are facing Challenges. While some forward looking Banks are overhauling their gateways and reducing their reliance on Mobile Operators settings to enable customer's phones, Some Banks are actually asking that Customers come with regular Operator settings which in many instances might not be correct configurations settings..

Operator settings are not really meant for critical operations since most of the settings are used for entertainment based activities. Nigerian Banks that are looking at competing at this sector must look beyond operators settings which might not be correct, delayed in arrival,may not come at all and not regularly updated. Some Mobile operators do update like every three months while some do not at all. For wap and Gprs based Mobile Banking applications, mobile network coverage will also be an issue.

As part of their marketing strategies, I will expect that by now, customers do not need to visit local Branches to download Banking applications. Over-the-Air (OTA) Settings should be readily available online and some innovations can even come to play by Banks deploying Bluetooth application machines in Shopping malls and some strategic places where customers can visit and download Mobile Banking applications for free or for a fee..This will increase the addressable market of the Banks offering Mobile Banking exponentially in Nigeria.

Finding Trophy Bass

Have you ever noticed some people have all the luck when it comes to catching huge bass? Maybe, it's not luck at all, it is most likely they know where to look for the lunkers and what the big bass need to survive. Bass continue growing their whole life but when you have the right elements, they can grow to be monsters.

Big bass needs an abundance of food,shad, crawfish and shiners all are good food for bass and it has to be plentiful.

Bass need warm water to grow to be monsters, this makes their metabolism faster, this is the reason why monster bass grow in the Southern states. Bass also need shallow water for a place to spawn and feed and they need deep water close to the shallow water for cover and cold fronts.

Use your fish finder to find the right places for lunker bass. Mine has water temperature on it, that helps find warm water. If you see a bunch of fish in a location on your finder then they might be bait fish. Once you find the warm water and bait fish then see how far away the deep water is located. If it is close to the warm, shallow water and the bait fish, then try that place for fishing.

If you can find a fishing hole with all these ingredients then you're likely to find big bass.

Know About Active Directory and Domain to Reset Windows Server Password

You have forgotten your Windows Server password and puzzled about, "Active Directory" and "Domain". We will discuss both terms in detail to help you. This discussion will help you in resetting Active Directory password.

Domain

Domain helps in sharing resources and getting access to different computers from a single node. To access a domain resource user must have a server account.

Domain helps in sharing resources and getting access to different computers from a single node. To access a domain resource user must have a server account.There are two types of domain- local and internet domains.

Local sub-network domains: A group of clients and server systems installed in a Local Area Network and controlled by a central database is called a local sub-network domain. All the users of this domain are authenticated by a server computer known as domain controller. Internet domains: In terms of internet domain is a network address. It is included in website address, e-mail address, FTP protocol address, and many more. Like in www. recoveryknowledgebase.com, "recoveryknowledgebase" is the domain. ICANN, a non-profit organization, governs the assignment of internet domain names.

Active Directory

System administrators use Active Directory. User information, security information, installed applications at client systems and other information are stored and managed by this directory. It was first used in Windows 2000. In Windows 2008 it was renamed to Active Directory Domain Services. Domain, domain controllers, organizational units, etc. are some of the components of this directory.

Domain Controller

A Windows Server that is used to authenticate security requests like login, right permissions, etc., to computers in domain, is called as domain controller. They are the central node of the network from where the directory service is controlled. Windows Server administrator rights are given to a computer when it is installed in the network. Two types of passwords are assigned to server- one for standalone and another for controller. If you want to use the features of a domain on a server, you have to login to the system through domain controller password.

So a normal Windows password recovery program cannot recover Server password. You must have Windows Server Password recovery software or you must know the tricks to login without a password.

Selling Properties With the Help of Broadband Media

As broadband technology evolves and expands due to the efforts of research and development divisions of hardware and software companies across the globe, the global marketplace becomes more accessible to all and new opportunities for networking and interaction emerge. Applications in the media sector are numerous, as should be expected, but what about in everyday retail business, where the bottom line depends on sales? One such area that is benefiting from broadband advances is real estate. Realtors and brokers are using broadband like never before, enhancing their ability to serve the customer, and as always, make the sale.

As the real estate market becomes more and more competitive, especially in rapidly inflating markets like California, agents are expanding upon conventional efforts to do all they can to promote their properties in new and exciting ways. One way agents are finding to stay ahead of other outfits is by offering streaming video and virtual tours on their company's websites. With new advances, customers are able to pan camera angles interactively, allowing 360-degree views of interiors and exteriors of prospective properties. This allows realtors to do the normal staging of units as in conventional showings, but affords them the ability to reach a much wider audience, especially interested parties that are looking to move into the area from out of state. This virtual peek might be all that is needed to entice a viewer to book a personal showing, hopefully with checkbook in hand!

Exclusive, multi-million dollar properties may require even more technological assistance to attract buyers. With broadband technology, an agent with an entrepreneurial spirit would be able to set up multiple cameras across an estate that is just not selling. An interested party that might live overseas and is tied up with business meetings and the like, would be able to view a property in a personal showing in real time with existing technology. Imagine the interactivity. Prospective buyers could ask questions of the agent, receiving answers immediately. This sort of customer service could be the difference between a "pass" and a "buy".

Broadband media expansion is only just beginning. Broadband positive effects on business are causing a ripple effect that will only become larger as more consumers realize its power. Companies like Whiteblox are ramping up research and development in order to find new ways to achieve interactivity in business, education, non-profit, and varied sectors, hoping to meet and exceed new demand.

Nutritional Myths That Just Won't Die - Protein!

When it comes to the topic of sports nutrition there are many myths and fallacies that float around like some specter in the shadows. They pop up when you least expect them and throw a monkey wrench into the best laid plans of the hard training athlete trying to make some headway.

Of all the myths that surface from time to time, the protein myth seems to be the most deep rooted and pervasive. It just won't go away. The problem is, exactly who, or which group, is perpetuating the "myth" cant be easily identified.

You see, the conservative nutritional/medical community thinks it is the bodybuilders who perpetuate the myth that athletes need more protein and we of the bodybuilding community think it is them (the mainstream nutritional community) that is perpetuating the myth that athletes don't need additional protein! Who is right?

The conservative medical/nutritional community is an odd group. They make up the rules as they go along and maintain what I refer to as the "nutritional double standard." If for example you speak about taking in additional vitamin C to possibly prevent cancer, heart disease, colds, and other afflictions, they will come back with "there is still not enough data to support the use of vitamin C as a preventative measure for these diseases," when in fact there are literary hundreds of studies showing the many benefits of this vitamin for the prevention and treatment of said diseases.

And of course, if you tell them you are on a high protein diet because you are an athlete they will tell you, "oh you don't want to do that, you don't need it and it will lead to kidney disease" without a single decent study to back up their claim! You see they too are susceptible to the skulking myth specter that spreads lies and confusion. In this article I want to address once and for all (hopefully) the protein myth as it applies to what the average person is told when they tell their doctor or some anemic "all you need are the RDAs" spouting nutritionist that he or she is following a high protein diet.

Myth #1 "Athletes don't need extra protein"

I figured we should start this myth destroying article off with the most annoying myth first. Lord, when will this one go away? Now the average reader person is probably thinking "who in the world still believes that ridiculous statement?" The answer is a great deal of people, even well educated medical professionals and scientists who should know better, still believe this to be true. Don't forget, the high carb, low fat, low protein diet recommendations are alive and well with the average nutritionist, doctor, and of course the "don't confuse us with the facts" media following close behind.

For the past half century or so scientists using crude methods and poor study design with sedentary people have held firm to the belief that bodybuilders, strength athletes of various types, runners, and other highly active people did not require any more protein than Mr. Potato Head.....err, I mean the average couch potato.

However, In the past few decades researchers using better study designs and methods with real live athletes have come to a different conclusion altogether, a conclusion hard training bodybuilders have known for years. The fact that active people do indeed require far more protein than the RDA to keep from losing hard earned muscle tissue when dieting or increasing muscle tissue during the off season.

In a recent review paper on the subject one of the top researchers in the field (Dr. Peter Lemon) states "...These data suggest that the RDA for those engaged in regular endurance exercise should be about 1.2-1.4 grams of protein/kilogram of body mass (150%-175% of the current RDA) and 1.7 - 1.8 grams of protein/kilogram of body mass per day (212%-225% of the current RDA) for strength exercisers."

Another group of researchers in the field of protein metabolism have come to similar conclusions repeatedly. They found that strength training athletes eating approximately the RDA/RNI for protein showed a decreased whole body protein synthesis (losing muscle jack!) on a protein intake of 0.86 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. They came to an almost identical conclusion as that of Dr. Lemon in recommending at least 1.76g per kilogram of bodyweight per day for strength training athletes for staying in positive nitrogen balance/increases in whole body protein synthesis.

This same group found in later research that endurance athletes also need far more protein than the RDA/RNI and that men catabolize (break down) more protein than women during endurance exercise.

They concluded "In summary, protein requirements for athletes performing strength training are greater than sedentary individuals and are above the current Canadian and US recommended daily protein intake requirements for young healthy males." All I can say to that is, no sh%# Sherlock?!

Now my intention of presenting the above quotes from the current research is not necessarily to convince the average athlete that they need more protein than Joe shmoe couch potato, but rather to bring to the readers attention some of the figures presented by this current research.

How does this information relate to the eating habits of the average athlete and the advice that has been found in the lay bodybuilding literature years before this research ever existed? With some variation, the most common advice on protein intakes that could be-and can be- found in the bodybuilding magazines by the various writers, coaches, bodybuilders, etc., is one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.

So for a 200 pound guy that would be 200 grams of protein per day. No sweat. So how does this advice fair with the above current research findings? Well let's see. Being scientists like to work in kilograms (don't ask me why) we have to do some converting. A kilogram weighs 2.2lbs. So, 200 divided by 2.2 gives us 90.9. Multiply that times 1.8 (the high end of Dr. Lemon's research) and you get 163.6 grams of protein per day. What about the nutritionists, doctors, and others who call(ed) us "protein pushers" all the while recommending the RDA as being adequate for athletes?

Lets see. The current RDA is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight: 200 divided by 2.2 x 0.8 = 73 grams of protein per day for a 200lb person. So who was closer, the bodybuilders or the arm chair scientists? Well lets see! 200g (what bodybuilders have recommended for a 200lb athlete) - 163g ( the high end of the current research recommendations for a 200lb person) = 37 grams (the difference between what bodybuilders think they should eat and the current research).

How do the RDA pushers fair? Hey, if they get to call us "protein pushers" than we get to call them "RDA pushers!" Anyway, 163g - 73g = (drum role) 90 grams! So it would appear that the bodybuilding community has been a great deal more accurate about the protein needs of strength athletes than the average nutritionist and I don't think this comes as any surprise to any of us.

So should the average bodybuilder reduce his protein intake a bit from this data? No, and I will explain why. As with vitamins and other nutrients, you identify what looks to be the precise amount of the compound needed for the effect you want (in this case positive nitrogen balance, increased protein synthesis, etc) and add a margin of safety to account for the biochemical individuality of different people, the fact that there are low grade protein sources the person might be eating, and other variables.

So the current recommendation by the majority of bodybuilders, writers, coaches, and others of one gram per pound of bodyweight does a good job of taking into account the current research and adding a margin of safety. One things for sure, a little too much protein is far less detrimental to the athletes goal(s) of increasing muscle mass than too little protein, and this makes the RDA pushers advice just that much more.... moronic, for lack of a better word.

There are a few other points I think are important to look at when we recommend additional protein in the diet of athletes, especially strength training athletes. In the off season, the strength training athletes needs not only adequate protein but adequate calories. Assuming our friend (the 200lb bodybuilder) wants to eat approximately 3500 calories a day, how is he supposed to split his calories up?

Again, this is where the bodybuilding community and the conservative nutritional/medical community are going to have a parting of the ways... again. The conservative types would say "that's an easy one, just tell the bodybuilder he should make up the majority of his calories from carbohydrates."

Now lets assume the bodybuilder does not want to eat so many carbs. Now the high carb issue is an entirely different fight and article, so I am just not going to go into great depth on the topic here. Suffice it to say, anyone who regularly reads articles, books, etc, from people such as Dan Duchaine, Dr. Mauro Dipasquale, Barry Sears PhD, Udo Erasmus PhD, yours truly, and others know why the high carb diet bites the big one for losing fat and gaining muscle (In fact, there is recent research that suggests that carbohydrate restriction, not calorie restriction per se, is what's responsible for mobilizing fat stores).

So for arguments sake and lack of space, let's just assume our 200lb bodybuilder friend does not want to eat a high carb diet for his own reasons, whatever they may be.

What else can he eat? He is only left with fat and protein. If he splits up his diet into say 30% protein, 30 % fat, and 40% carbs, he will be eating 1050 calories as protein (3500x30% = 1050) and 262.5g of protein a day (1050 divided by 4 = 262.5). So what we have is an amount (262.5g) that meets the current research, has an added margin of safety, and an added component for energy/calorie needs of people who don't want to follow a high carb diet, hich is a large percentage of the bodybuilding/strength training community. here are other reasons for a high protein intake such as hormonal effects (i.e. effects on IGF-1, GH, thyroid ), thermic effects, etc., but I think I have made the appropriate point.

So is there a time when the bodybuilder might want to go even higher in his percent of calories >from protein than 30%? Sure, when he is dieting.

It is well established that carbs are "protein sparing" and so more protein is required as percent of calories when one reduces calories. Also, dieting is a time that preserving lean mass (muscle) is at a premium. Finally, as calories decrease the quality and quantity of protein in the diet is the most important variable for maintaining muscle tissue (as it applies to nutritional factors), and of course protein is the least likely nutrient to be converted to body fat.

In my view, the above information bodes well for the high protein diet. If you tell the average RDA pusher you are eating 40% protein while on a diet, they will tell you that 40% is far too much protein. But is it? Say our 200lb friend has reduced his calories to 2000 in attempt to reduce his bodyfat for a competition, summer time at the beach, or what ever. Lets do the math. 40% x 2000 = 800 calories from protein or 200g (800 divided by 4). So as you can see, he is actually eating less protein per day than in the off season but is still in the range of the current research with the margin of safety/current bodybuilding recommendations intact.

Bottom line? High protein diets are far better for reducing body fat, increasing muscle mass, and helping the hard training bodybuilder achieve his (or her!) goals, and it is obvious that endurance athletes will also benefit from diets higher in protein than the worthless and outdated RDAs.

Myth #2 "High protein diets are bad for you"

So the average person reads the above information on the protein needs and benefits of a high protein diet but remembers in the back of their mind another myth about high protein intakes. "I thought high protein diets are bad for the kidneys and will give you osteoporosis! " they exclaim with conviction and indignation. So what are the medical facts behind these claims and why do so many people, including some medical professionals and nutritionists, still believe it?

For starters, the negative health claims of the high protein diet on kidney function is based on information gathered from people who have preexisting kidney problems. You see one of the jobs of the kidneys is the excretion of urea (generally a non toxic compound) that is formed from ammonia (a very toxic compound) which comes from the protein in our diets. People with serious kidney problems have trouble excreting the urea placing more stress on the kidneys and so the logic goes that a high protein diet must be hard on the kidneys for healthy athletes also.

Now for the medical and scientific facts. There is not a single scientific study published in a reputable peer - reviewed journal using healthy adults with normal kidney function that has shown any kidney dysfunction what so ever from a high protein diet. Not one of the studies done with healthy athletes that I mentioned above, or other research I have read, has shown any kidney abnormalities at all. Furthermore, animals studies done using high protein diets also fail to show any kidney dysfunction in healthy animals.

Now don't forget, in the real world, where millions of athletes have been following high protein diets for decades, there has never been a case of kidney failure in a healthy athlete that was determined to have been caused solely by a high protein diet. If the high protein diet was indeed putting undo stress on our kidneys, we would have seen many cases of kidney abnormalities, but we don't nor will we.

From a personal perspective as a trainer for many top athletes from various sports, I have known bodybuilders eating considerably more than the above research recommends (above 600 grams a day) who showed no kidney dysfunction or kidney problems and I personally read the damn blood tests! Bottom line? 1-1.5 grams or protein per pound of bodyweight will have absolutely no ill effects on the kidney function of a healthy athlete, period. Now of course too much of anything can be harmful and I suppose it's possible a healthy person could eat enough protein over a long enough period of time to effect kidney function, but it is very unlikely and has yet to be shown in the scientific literature in healthy athletes.

So what about the osteoporosis claim? That's a bit more complicated but the conclusion is the same. The pathology of osteoporosis involves a combination of many risk factors and physiological variables such as macro nutrient intakes (carbs, proteins, fats), micro nutrient intakes (vitamins, minerals, etc), hormonal profiles, lack of exercise, gender, family history, and a few others.

The theory is that high protein intakes raise the acidity of the blood and the body must use minerals from bone stores to "buffer" the blood and bring the blood acidity down, thus depleting one's bones of minerals. Even if there was a clear link between a high protein diet and osteoporosis in all populations (and there is not) athletes have few of the above risk factors as they tend to get plenty of exercise, calories, minerals, vitamins, and have positive hormonal profiles.

Fact of the matter is, studies have shown athletes to have denser bones than sedentary people, there are millions of athletes who follow high protein diets without any signs of premature bone loss, and we don't have ex athletes who are now older with higher rates of osteoporosis.

In fact, one recent study showed women receiving extra protein from a protein supplement had increased bone density over a group not getting the extra protein! The researchers theorized this was due to an increase in IGF-1 levels which are known to be involved in bone growth.

Would I recommend a super high protein diet to some sedentary post menopausal woman? Probably not, but we are not talking about her, we are talking about athletes. Bottom line? A high protein diet does not lead to osteoporosis in healthy athletes with very few risk factors for this affliction, especially in the ranges of protein intake that have been discussed throughout this article.

Myth #3 "All proteins are created equal"

How many times have you heard or read this ridiculous statement? Yes, in a sedentary couch potato who does not care that his butt is the same shape as the cushion he is sitting on, protein quality is of little concern. However, research has shown repeatedly that different proteins have various functional properties that athletes can take advantage of.

For example, whey protein concentrate (WPC) has been shown to improve immunity to a variety of challenges and intense exercise has been shown to compromise certain parts of the immune response. WPC is also exceptionally high in the branch chain amino acids which are the amino acids that are oxidized during exercise and have been found to have many benefits to athletes. We also know soy has many uses for athletes, and this is covered in full on the Brinkzone site in another article.

Anyway, I could go on all day about the various functional properties of different proteins but there is no need. The fact is that science is rapidly discovering that proteins with different amino acid ratios (and various constituents found within the various protein foods) have very different effects on the human body and it is these functional properties that bodybuilders and other athletes can use to their advantage.

Bottom line? Let the people who believe that all proteins are created equal continue to eat their low grade proteins and get nowhere while you laugh all the way to a muscular, healthy, low fat body!

Conclusion

Over the years the above myths have been floating around for so long they have just been accepted as true, even though there is little to no research to prove it and a whole bunch of research that disproves it! I hope this article has been helpful in clearing up some of the confusion for people over the myths surrounding protein and athletes. Of course now I still have to address even tougher myths such as "all fats make you fat and are bad for you," "supplements are a waste of time," and my personal favorite, "a calorie is a calorie."

The next time someone gives you a hard time about your high protein intake, copy the latest study on the topic and give it to em. If that does not work, role up the largest bodybuilding magazine you can find and hit hem over the head with it!

Ponds & Waterfalls - Water Living

We can't live without it. Water is the very source of life That is why we are so strongly attracted to it. Maybe because we cannot live more than a few days without water, we want to have it close by. Most people would like to live next to it, whether in the form of a stream, river, lake or ocean.

Unfortunately, there aren't enough bodies of water to go around for everybody, even for those who can afford living near them. The price of beach front property reflects the fact that it is scarce and in high demand. Even for those fortunate enough to own such property, there is a major trade-off and a good share of disadvantages.

Who wouldn't like to have a water garden on their property, or a flower and vegetable garden, or even a wonderful orchard with oranges, apples, plums, peaches, lemons and avocado? Maybe a corral with a horse or two. So much for thinking about a garden with most ocean front property. You're lucky if you have enough land to be able to walk between the houses!

We can now see why water gardens with waterfalls and ponds are becoming so popular. If you can't take your home to the water, just bring the water to your home!

Why is it so peaceful, yet still invigorating at the beach? Is it the sight or sound of the ocean waves, the smell of the salt water? You may be surprised to discover that the actual feelings of peace, relaxation, stress, and anxiety release has little to do with the sight or sounds or smell of the ocean. Extensive research has shown that moving water puts additional negative ions into the air. Breathing this supercharged air has an extremely positive effect on our body. The ocean creates the greatest quantity of negative ions of all moving water.

Therefore, it has the most beneficial effects on our moods while drawing the largest crowds. For the same reason, waterfalls create such pleasant and relaxing environments. You have probably noticed how wonderful the air smells and feels just prior to, during and after a rain storm - again negative ions.

For a fraction of the cost of ocean or lake front living, almost every homeowner can reap the benefits of a waterfall and pond in their back yard. Ranging from an atmosphere of intimacy to one of grandeur, it's whatever the budget can endure. Virtually everyone can own a portion of the best that nature has to offer. There are as many different varieties, shapes and sizes of waterfalls as there are rocks. Consequently, with a pond design of your choice, no two ever look the same and they provide a natural individuality for each homeowner.

Waterfalls can cascade into koi ponds, a stream, swimming pool, spa or simply spill through a rock-covered grate into a subterranean catch basin, from where it gets pumped and recirculated. This type of backyard pond design is great for someone with small children, since it eliminates the need for a hazardous pond. It's also perfect for someone with a very small yard or for those looking for little or no maintenance.

The soil removed in excavating a pond can be utilized to create a mound or berm to provide elevation for a cascade. A waterfall can pass through terraced retaining walls on its way down to a pond at ground level. By passing through rather than over the top, it will give the impression that the waterfall always existed and the retaining wall was constructed later on either side.

A backyard pond not only provides allure and charm to your property, it is as though you own a part of the Discovery Channel. The pond's occupants provide a never-ending and forever changing source of entertainment and education. From the antics of a pair of acrobatic turtles to the male crayfish, claws clashing and gnashing over the prize of a fair lady, each day becomes a new chapter in the life of your pond. Are you the type that might say, "I don't ever want to own fish!" and then eventually end up with several, even giving them all names? I've seen this happen over and over again, because pond owners become personally attached to the inhabitants of their water garden pond as if they were family members or pets.

At night a well-designed backyard pond becomes a whole new adventure, especially if you have built-in lighting. The cascading, splashing water against the lights create an amazing symphony of light and sound. Dancing light reflected on the surrounding rocks, plants, fence or house becomes hypnotic and mesmerizing. Most people only experience this atmosphere at expensive hotels or resorts. Now you can own the same experience in your own back yard..

If you are considering a water feature as an investment in your property, may I add several words of caution. Down the road, these may save you the heartache, sorrow and aggravation of dirty, murky, green, smelly water, sick or dead fish, leaky pond or waterfall, or high maintenance and energy costs:

1. Take your time.

2. Plan it out.

3. Research the subject thoroughly.

4. Seek out an expert in the field. A few years of experience are important.

5. Make sure the expert is licensed and bonded.

6. Accept only concrete and steel rebar construction. Never use a pond liner. Proponents of pond liners will claim there is a 40 or 50 year warranty on the liner. Not true! It's only true if you leave the pond liner in the box. It would work only in a perfect world - where there were no gophers, squirrels, chipmunks, rats, tree roots, sharp rocks, pebbles or other such objects. Once you have a hole, it is impossible to find. Even a pin-hole will allow 5 gallons of water per day to pass.

7. Do not use submersible pumps. They are inefficient and expensive to operate and are difficult to maintain. Debris collects in them, requiring frequent cleaning. Submersibles can leak oil that may kill the pond inhabitants or, worse, short out and create a shock hazard.

8. Use a biological filter to help eliminate nitrates and nitrites from the water. (I recommend a pressurized back-flushable filter, not a gravity flow.)

9. Install a skimmer for removal of surface leaves and debris.

10. Use two anti-vortex drains on the bottom of the pond for suction line to prevent whirlpools and fish or turtles from being sucked into the drain.

11. Make sure your pond is a minimum of three feet deep to regulate water temperature in the summer months and to discourage herons and raccoons from dining out.

12. Build caves and ledges for turtles and fish to hide in.

13. Install an ultraviolet light to kill bacteria that cause smells and pathogens that kill fish and algae spores that create green water.

14. Do not use mechanical auto-fill valves; only use an electronic one like the AquaFill System. It does not stick or malfunction - thus preventing pond overflow and dead fish from chlorine poisoning.

15. Use plenty of water plants in the falls and pond. They provide extra oxygen and food for the fish and act as natural filters, utilizing the nitrate nitrogen in the water.

16. Use a high-efficiency, out-of-pond pump that conserves energy. By operating it 24 hours a day, a high-quality biofilter (such as one made by Aqua Ultra Violet) will receive a continuous flow of oxygenated water, which the anaerobic bacteria require in order to live. The bacteria are essential for breaking down hydrocarbons, nitrates and nitrites in the water.

17. Make sure you have proper drainage around the pond and waterfall so run-off from the rain storms does not enter the pond and contaminate it with silt, fertilizer, pesticides, etc.

18. Learn basic pond maintenance. (An ounce of prevention is worth a pond cure.)

When I say "everyone should have a waterfall," I'm not simply promoting my life's passion. Considering how much enjoyment a water garden and waterfall can give you, dollar for dollar, cubic foot for cubic foot, hour for hour, it is your best buy for many long, healthy and happy years to come.

From my experience with hundreds of pond owners in the San Diego area, I have discovered that the money spent on a well designed garden pond and waterfall will surely bring you more long term pleasure and joy than anything you ever purchased in your life.

Living is not truly living without water.

Blackpool - A Great Destination in a Car Hire

Blackpool is one of the most popular destination for families wanting exciting thrills and fun. Visitors come to the area either through the airport where they arrange a car hire Blackpool airport, or drive there after arranging a car hire UK from other areas.

The Pleasure Beach is home to the fastest and tallest roller coaster in all of Europe, as well as the longest indoor water slide in the entire world. They have climbing walls at the Central Gateway for those wanting a physical challenge.

Blackpool is also where the Blackpool Tower and Circus is housed, and superstars are immortalized in wax at the Waxworks museum. When you arrange a car hire Blackpool is easily accessible from all areas of the UK along the M55 and the motorway network.

When visiting towards the end of the summer, Blackpool Illuminations are the best way to experience a light show in the world. Festival of Light has been an annual celebration in the area since 1879. The "Artificial Sunshine" provided gives a warm glow to the cold October evenings. This combination of light and art create an entertaining and illuminating experience. The best way to view the lights is by a car ride through the streets, keeping warm while scouting which activities will be fun to try. Then take a short walk through to inspire the mind at the displays.

Be sure to choose a B&B or hotel close to the displays, as the view will provide the best picture opportunities as you return at night. Then October visitors can tour a Ghost filled Grand Theater, the Blackpool Zoo, or the Opera House. Learn what a ghost is with Richard Felix, or have a Clairvoyant Evening, Overnight Ghost Walk with Iam Lawman, or a coach trip to Derby Gaol, Pendle Hill, or Lancaster Castle.

If haunted fun is not in your radar of holiday activities, expand your cultural experience through one of the many theaters and ballrooms with historical significance.

Blackpool is a also great place to gain access to all different sorts of UK visitor attractions. Just a short drive away one can find the rambling countryside of Lanashire, the inspiration for Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Then drive to the culture capital of Europe found in Liverpool. The southern border is home to the county of Cheshire where visitors experience Roman and Medieval heritage. Manchester is a great shopping area, also accessible by drive. The nightlife here bustles into the morning hour.

Blackpool is a great starting place for travel through the northwest areas of England. The quite manageable airport allows travelers to arrange for car hire and get around its terminals for heading to other destinations. The family oriented theme parks and activities are appealing to all ages, and the evening activities can entertain romance and excitement.

This 'gateway to the northwest' has the ability to process more than 2 million visitors per year, and has re-designed its facilities to include a Gateway Tourist Information Center. One can find food outlets, currency exchanges, car hire locations, and an executive lounge. This airport is a wonderful welcome to the city that families from all over the world can enjoy.

Understanding the Importance of an Annual Credit Report

Getting an annual credit report has been likened to getting an annual physical check-up. Some people may view it as something that can be put off for later. It may have been an annoying inconvenience in the years past, but today's Internet technology has facilitated the process. It is as important to an individual's fiscal health as a physical exam is important to his or her physical health. Also, as in a physical exam, getting a credit report can help prevent bad things from happening (financially speaking) and if financial problems already exist, viewing your credit report can prevent things from worsening.

During the past years, an individual would have had to fork over $9 to get a copy of his or her credit report. Today, however, consumers are entitled to get a free copy of their annual credit report, thanks to a law passed by the United States Congress in 2003: the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). Under this law, American citizens can avail of a copy of their credit report every twelve months, gratis. All they have to do is log on to Annual Credit Report, a web site made possible through the cooperation of the top three U.S. credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. It is also possible to request individual credit reports from these three agencies.

However, keep in mind that the content of credit reports from these agencies may differ. For instance, a person's TransUnion and Equifax credit report may contain information about court accounts and late payments, while his or her Experian report may reveal other information. All these pieces of information are vital to a person's fiscal health. Why is this so? Many people might not realize it, but there are entities that use their credit report for reasons that affect their everyday lives.

For instance, if you are applying for a mortgage, or if you want to re-mortgage your property, you can be assured that your credit report is one of the things that your potential creditor will consider. This information is also pertinent when it comes to things such as your automobile insurance, home insurance, and loans. It all boils down to a concept called creditworthiness. Are you credit-worthy enough for financial institutions to lend you money or underwrite your potential debt? Your credit report is one of the main factors in helping financial institutions decide this, so it is worth your time and effort to make sure that your credit report is in order; or if it is not, to take the necessary steps towards credit repair.

Because even if you are certain of all your financial dealings, you might be surprised to find inaccurate information in your annual credit report. Although such occurrences are not that frequent, they can happen nevertheless. Sometimes payments you have made or debts you have cancelled may not be reflected in your credit report, and this will negatively affect loans or other financial dealings for which you are applying. Did you know that interests on your car loan or mortgage can be affected by negative information in your credit statistics? This is one major reason why you should have the most updated copy of your credit report - any such inaccuracies will be noticed and you can take the necessary steps to correct these mistakes as early as possible.

Your credit report is another exceptional indicator of whether you've been a victim of identity theft. Think about it: you may have given personal information such as your Social Security number to an e-mail asking for that information or to a web site requiring that you give that sort of data first before being allowed to proceed with the site's other services. The fact is, an unauthorized person who has your Social Security number and other personal information can get loans or credit cards under your name. Fraudsters who do this usually go on a spending spree, racking up debts with you as the debtor. Meanwhile, you go about on your daily business, innocent of the fact that your credit reputation is being ruined (for, because you don't know about your alleged "debts," you don't take steps to pay them).

Then the time comes when you need financial services of your own: a mortgage refinancing or the renewal of your car insurance, and it's only then that you see from your credit report that you've been a victim of identity theft. Although such situations are remediable, they can take a lot of time and hard work, not to mention the additional payments needed for credit repair purposes.

Getting an annual credit report, therefore, is essential to helping ensure one's financial well-being. It can help you fix inaccurate credit data as early as possible to your advantage. And best of all, this credit repair tool is free!