Now You Know

Syntha-6

2011-10-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

Syntha-6™ is the ultra-premium protein with an ultra-premium taste. Our multi-functional protein blend utilizes multiple individual proteins, each with varying digestive rates and distinct amino acid profiles. This combination ensures active muscles are fed for hours with the most complete blend of proteins available.
To enhance this ultra-premium blend, Syntha-6™ has been loaded with BCAAs, muscle-sparing glutamine peptides, A²ZORB™ for greater digestion and healthy MCTs and essential fatty acids.* Last but certainly not least, each serving of Syntha-6™ provides you with 5 grams of fiber for slower digestion and increased nutrient uptake.
Not only does Syntha-6™ produce mouthwatering shakes, which can only be described as "ridiculously delicious," it provides you a meal perfect for rigorous training schedules and hectic lifestyles.
Highlights

Produces "ridiculously delicious" protein drinks that maximize lean muscle development*
Doesn't leave you feeling bloated or stuffed; great for several-times-daily use
Multi-Functional A.M.-P.M. Protein Blend: ultra-premium quality proteins + digestive enzymes
Packed with BCAAs (for nitrogen balance), Glutamine Peptides (recovery, immune system), MCTs (fast energy) and fiber

Benefits:

"Ridiculously delicious" protein shakes that make following a high-protein diet easy and enjoyable
Packed with BCAAs, glutamine, heart-healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals for a nutritionally complete meal replacement*
Multi-functional protein blend, ideal for A.M. and P.M. use
Enhanced with digestive enzymes for complete digestion, protein utilization and intestinal health*
No bloating or stomach discomfort; ultra-premium protein sources used in formula

Some of the Lies Recruiters Tell!

2011-10-26T16:11:00.001-07:00

1. Your chances of being sent to a combat zone are slim.
Truth: This depends primarily upon (1) your branch of service and (2) your military job. For the Army and Marine Corps, almost everyone will get a chance or two to play in the sand, regardless of Military Occupation Specialty (job). Heck, the Marines have even been known to send band members to perform combat missions in Iraq. These two branches do not have enough folks in the combat MOSs to do the job, so they routinely deploy non combat folks to help out.
Your chances of being deployed (on the ground) to Iraq and Afghanistan are not as great in the Air Force and Navy, and depend much on your military job. However, both services task members (regardless of their specialty) to train and deploy with the Army in Iraq, under a program called "in-lieu-of," or ILO, tasking. The active duty Air Force has a couple of thousand deployed under this program at any given time, and the active duty Navy about 5,000. Of course, depending on your job, you could also be deployed on a ship patrolling the Gulf region (Navy), or on any number of Air Bases (Air Force) in and around Iraq and Afghanistan. The Coast Guard keeps about five or six patrol boats in the Gulf to assist with port security.
2. You are much more likely to get murdered in your home town than you are to get killed or wounded in combat.
Truth: On average, 50 military members are killed in action and 481 are wounded in action each month in Iraq, although the numbers are down sigificantly for the past six months. The Army and the Marine Corps bear the brunt of casualties in these combat areas.
While the numbers fluctuate somewhat from month to month depending on rotation schedules, there are about 133,000 troops deployed to Iraq at any given time. If you live in a city with a population of 133,000 and you have 50 murders per month and 481 violent crimes per month which result in injuries, I'd move, if I were you.
Military members serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan are heroes --in part because they are doing dangerous jobs in dangerous places. There is no such thing as a safe combat zone.

3. You are absolutely guaranteed to get the job listed on your enlistment contract.
Truth: What is actually guaranteed (somewhat) is that you will be trained in a specific job. Once training is complete, there is no guarantee that you will actually be assigned to perform that specific job. To be honest, in most cases you probably will. However (in the Army especially), it's not really all that uncommon to arrive on a post after training, only to find out they have too many of your particular job on that post, and be detailed to do something else, instead (such as driving vehicles at the motor pool). Of course, in combat zones, any MOS can be cross-tasked to perform combat jobs.
Even the training is not necessarily guaranteed. While there are some exceptions, the general rule is if you fail to complete the training for the "guaranteed job" in your enlistment contract, due to something the military considers to be their own fault (such as the job is eliminated/reduced, the job standards change, or you fail to qualify for a security clearance through no fault of your own), then the service will generally give you the choice of re-training into a different job, or an honorable discharge. In this case, the choice is yours.
If, on the other hand, you fail to complete training for the job for something the military considers to be your fault (such as academic failure, getting into trouble, or being denied a security clearance because of false statements), whether you are re-trained or separated is a decision made by your commander, and/or the Military Personnel Gods. You get no say in the matter, and often don't even get a say about what job you will be re-trained into.
4. If you don't like the military, you can simply quit.
Truth: No you can't. Not liking the military is not an acceptable reason for discharge. Even if you quit trying in basic training, resulting in failing the program, the drill instructors will first try everything else imaginable to keep you in, including "recycling" you so you spend extra time in basic. If the commander ultimately decides that discharge is the only course of action, you'll be reassigned to a special unit to await discharge processing. I've seen the process take several weeks, even months. It's not uncommon for those being discharged from basic training to still be there, long after the folks who enlisted on the same day are graduated and gone on their way to job training.
In order to be discharged from the military, there has to be an acceptable reason for discharge. For details, see my article, Getting Out of the Military.
5. If you refuse to ship out to basic training you will go to jail.
Truth: This is the opposite from Lie #4. Some applicants have been told (after signing the Delayed Enlistment Program Contract) that they can't change their minds. Some applicants have been told they would be subject to arrest and forced to go to basic, some have been told they would go to jail, and I've even had a few tell me they were told they would lose their citizenship or lose the right to apply for citizenship if they dropped out of the DEP. Heck, one recruit I know of was even told it would go onto his "permanent record" and follow him for life (I don't even know what a "permanent record" is, unless it's the one my third grade teacher kept threatening me with). The truth is, you can change your mind at anytime up until the time you actually ship out to basic training and go onto active duty. I cover this in detail in my Delayed Enlistment Program article.
6. Once you complete your enlistment you can get out and won't be called back again.
Truth: Everybody (and I mean EVERYBODY) who enters the military for their first time incurs a total eight-year service commitment. It doesn't matter if your contract says you're enlisting for two, three, four or five years active duty, you are obligated for a total of eight years. If you sign a six-year Guard/Reserve contract, and elect not to reenlist at the end of the six years, you will still be obligated for an additional two years.
Time not spent on active duty, or in the drilling reserves is spent in the IRR (Individual Ready Reserves). While in the IRR, one does not get paid, nor do they perform drill, but can be involuntarily recalled to active duty at any time. Right now, only the Army and Marine Corps have been recalling IRR members. The Army has recalled about 6,000 IRR members and the Marine Corps about 1,000. The Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard is not currently involuntarily recalling IRR members.
In addition to IRR recalls, a program called STOP-LOSS allows the service to prevent (delay) separations and retirements during times of conflict. The Army and Marine Corps place individuals under STOP-LOSS when the person/unit is officially notified of an upcoming deployment (usually about 90 days before the deployment date) until 90 days following return from the deployment. The Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard do not currently have any STOP-LOSS programs in place, but have used it in the past.
7. You have a great chance of getting the assignment (location) you want.
Truth: Active duty assignments are based on the "needs of the service." (There are exceptions, such as a qualifying humanitarian assignment, but these are really hard to qualify for.) In other words, when assignments are selected, wherever your particular branch needs your particular warm body the most is where you're going to go. If there is a tie, your "dream sheet" (assignment preference form) will be taken into consideration. In other words, if Base A and Base B both need you the most, and you have Base B on your "dream sheet," you'll probably get it. On the other hand, if you have Base C on your dream sheet, you'll be going to either Base A or B, regardless of your preferences. Of course, I've drastically over-simplified a fairly complex system, but those are the basics. For complete details, see my Assignment Information article.

Midterms

2011-10-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

Midterms and finals can be tough on your mind and your body—especially if you have two tests scheduled in one day. Unfortunately, test schedules are normally out of your control, so you will end up with back-to-back exams at some point.
Back-to-back tests are stressful for several reasons. First, your normal study habits are interrupted since you can’t devote all of your study efforts to one particular subject as you normally would. Instead, you are forced to split your study time in half.
Another factor that increases stress on double-test days is the physical toll that an extended test time will take on your mind and body. It’s important to prepare ahead of time to reduce the effects of added stress.

Preparing Ahead for Midterms and Finals

Sleep and nutrition are important factors in keeping your mind and body alert. Avoid things like junk food, cigarettes, and caffeine in the days prior to the test day. These things take a physical toll on your stamina. You’ll need it!
Learn a few breathing and meditation exercises in the weeks or days leading up to your exams. These are great for relieving stress. Practice the techniques so that you’ll be ready to relax your mind between test times.
Exercise your hand! It may sound crazy now, but if your hand starts to cramp up during your first exam from extended writing, you could be in real trouble for your second exam. Practice writing in a note pad in the weeks before your midterms or finals.
Bring a snack in your book bag for a quick bite between exams. Nothing too heavy, though. Too much food can make you sleepy.
If your tests will take place in an unfamiliar building, scope out your testing rooms ahead of time. You don’t want to be late for either test!
Pack all the tools you’ll need the night before. Include extra pencils and pens.

Between the Tests

Ask your teacher if you can leave the classroom as soon as you finish the first test. This will give you more time to prepare for the next exam.
After you finish the first test, try to find a quiet place where you can be alone and clear your head for awhile. If you can’t find a place where you can be completely alone, make an effort to tune out other students. They may be talking about tests, and your goal is to block out any stressful thoughts.
If you eat something, stick with ice water for your drink. Sodas contain sugar and this can affect your mood and your stress level.
Walk outside if it’s cool. Fresh air is rejuvenating.
If it’s not cold out or if you can’t go outside to refresh yourself, try splashing some cold water on your face. Better yet, if you have the time and it’s not too weird, try splashing cold water on your feet. This is really refreshing.
Chew a refreshing mint gum and drink cold water.
Practice your relaxation and meditation techniques.
Do some stretches. Roll your head around to stretch and flex your neck and shoulder muscles.
Gather all the necessary tools for your second tests so that you enter the room fully prepared. Go to your second test room twenty minutes early, if possible. It is sometimes calming to review your notes in the actual room where your test will take place.
Well Now You Know

INTERESTING THINGS TO KNOW

2011-09-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

INTERESTING THINGS TO KNOW

1.    Budweiser beer conditions the hair

2.    Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish

3.    Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes

4.    Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair

5.    Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any

6.    Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea

7.    Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water

8.    Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste

9.    Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!

10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too

11. Bee stings - meat tenderizer

12. Chigger bite - Preparation H

13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H

14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)

15. Stinky feet - Jello!

16. Athletes feet - cornstarch

17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub

18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff)

19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!

20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper

21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray

22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby

23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls

24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on

25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar!

26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!

27. Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak

28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last f or many years!

29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!

30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste

31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.

32. To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.

33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter!

34. Baked on food - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!

35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!

36. Dirty grout - Listerine

37. Stains on clothes - Colgate

38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup

39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!

40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax- sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.

41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.

42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different color twist tie. They are: Monday = Blue, Tuesday = Green, Thursday = Red, Friday = White and Saturday = Yellow. So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue- Green - Red - White - Yellow, Monday through Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.

Facebook Threatened

2011-08-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hackivist group Anonymous vows to “kill Facebook” on November 5, citing users’ lack of choice in privacy as its reason for attack.
Update: Anonymous confirmed via a tweet that while some of its members are organizing the upcoming attack against Facebook, the hacker organization as a whole does not necessarily agree with the attack.
The group of hackers has claimed participation in just about every recent notable hacking attack of this year and successfully broke into 70 law enforcement websites and took down the Syrian Ministry of Defense website this week alone.
This recent interest in Facebook, despite a slew of privacy concerns raised against the social network since its founding, may be a result of Anonymous’s recent announcement that it plans to create its own social network, called AnonPlus. After the group’s Google+ account, called “Your Anon News,” was banned, it began fleshing out AnonPlus.com, “a new social network where there is no fear … of censorship … of blackout … nor of holding back.”
Below is a video and statement released by Anonymous explaining the reason for its upcoming battle with the world’s largest social network. Let us know your thoughts on the group’s statement in the comments below.

Anonymous Statement

Attention citizens of the world,
We wish to get your attention, hoping you heed the warnings as follows:
Your medium of communication you all so dearly adore will be destroyed. If you are a willing hacktivist or a guy who just wants to protect the freedom of information then join the cause and kill facebook for the sake of your own privacy.
Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clandestine access to information security firms so that they can spy on people from all around the world. Some of these so-called whitehat infosec firms are working for authoritarian governments, such as those of Egypt and Syria.
Everything you do on Facebook stays on Facebook regardless of your "privacy" settings, and deleting your account is impossible, even if you "delete" your account, all your personal info stays on Facebook and can be recovered at any time. Changing the privacy settings to make your Facebook account more "private" is also a delusion. Facebook knows more about you than your family.
http://www.physorg.com/news170614271.html
http://itgrunts.com/2010/10/07/facebook-steals-numbers-and-data-from-your-iphone/
You cannot hide from the reality in which you, the people of the internet, live in. Facebook is the opposite of the Antisec cause. You are not safe from them nor from any government. One day you will look back on this and realise what we have done here is right, you will thank the rulers of the internet, we are not harming you but saving you.
The riots are underway. It is not a battle over the future of privacy and publicity. It is a battle for choice and informed consent. It's unfolding because people are being raped, tickled, molested, and confused into doing things where they don't understand the consequences. Facebook keeps saying that it gives users choices, but that is completely false. It gives users the illusion of and hides the details away from them "for their own good" while they then make millions off of you. When a service is "free," it really means they're making money off of you and your information.
Think for a while and prepare for a day that will go down in history. November 5 2011, #opfacebook . Engaged.
This is our world now. We exist without nationality, without religious bias. We have the right to not be surveilled, not be stalked, and not be used for profit. We have the right to not live as slaves.
We are anonymous
We are legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Expect us

Things You Need To Know For College

2011-08-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

1. Student loan interest rates are set every July 1st, but your college's financial aid office usually gets the scoop a few weeks earlier. Place a call in June and find out what the rate will be for you. If it's going up, you can lock in the current, lower rate on your student loan, saving you thousands over the years.

2. You're going to run into someone on campus trying to sign you up for a credit card. Even though it seems like a good deal, realize the responsibilities. Many students charge irresponsibly, then spend years paying back what they borrowed. You may be safer asking your bank about a debit or check card. It works like cash -- if you don't have it, you can't spend it.

3. If you need some quick cash, head to the campus bookstore. The beginning and end of each semester -- when students are buying and selling back books -- are busiest. You may be able to pick up a few hours of work and earn a couple of bucks without a huge commitment; you sometimes even get discounts on your own books.

4. Need a computer but tight on dough? Forget eBay -- check your campus computer center instead. Colleges and universities are always upgrading their labs and need to do something with old machines. They'll usually work out deals so that students can get decent computers for cheap prices.

5. Here's another tech-tip: Consider not purchasing a printer. Your school will have a fully equipped computer lab you can use. Or if you'd rather have something closer, split the cost and share one with your roommate.

Don't Always Do Things By the Book

7. You're going to get a lot of mail about student loan consolidation. While this seems like junk mail, it's really important. By consolidating, you combine all of your loans into one bill each month. Read the fine print to be sure it's the right option for you.

8. Face it, books are going to cost a lot. But you may be able to skip a few. "You don't always have to buy all your books," says Connecticut College (New London, CT) senior, Richard Kappler. Pick them up as you need them, share with someone in your class, or take out the library's copy.

9. When it comes to textbooks, a new edition sometimes means nothing more than a new cover or a few extra examples. So before you drop $75 on a spanking new read, check with your professor and see if you can get away with the old edition. Then go to www.ecampus.com or www.classbook.com and pick up a used copy.

10. Just because your campus bookstore doesn't want your used books, doesn't mean they're worthless. Those textbook Web sites will buy your used books too, so check them out and compare deals.

11. Make the move to meet your professors. Whether it's asking questions in class, a quick hello afterward, or an office visit, you're better off if they know who you are. "It's important, especially in larger classes," says Dr. Stacey Connaughton, a communications professor at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ). "Let the professor get a sense of who you are."

12. Take advantage of office hours. It's a prime time to gather tips for an upcoming exam or have your professor review a term paper before you hand it in.

13. As tempting as it is to skip those first few classes, don't! They're the most important. You'll get a class syllabus and find out everything you need to know for the entire semester. Besides, most professors start teaching from day one.

14. Don't be surprised when you look at your syllabus and see there are only a couple of tests and a paper. That's how college works, which means those few tests are a huge part of your final grade. Bomb one, and you'll be sitting in that class again next semester.

15. Pick a major wisely. It's the academic path you'll be following for the next four years, so be sure it's something you enjoy. And, if you must, test the waters first. "Your first year at the university should be a chance to explore," says Connaughton.

16. Study a little at a time throughout the semester. A trick: "Take 15 minutes a week to look over your notes, and you won't have to study as much during exams," reveals Chris McCants, a junior at Northeastern University (Boston, MA).

17. Piling all of your classes into a few days and taking the rest of the week off may sound like a great idea, but it's not. You'll most likely be in class all day, with barely any time to even grab a bite to eat. And if you miss one day, you'll be way behind.

18. Check in with an academic advisor every so often to make sure you're on the right track. It's worth popping into their office, or shooting a quick e-mail to ensure you're enrolled in the right classes and are meeting the requirements for graduation.

19. If you're going to work part-time during the semester, try to schedule your classes in blocks. If you scatter them throughout the day, you may not have enough time to go to work. You can still hit the books every day, just shoot for either morning or evening blocks.

20. Professors have optional review sessions for a reason. "They're not a waste of time," says Connaughton. "Something may come up that's important for the exam." Even if you think you know everything, showing up will often score you points with the instructor. "Plus, it gives you the opportunity to have more face-time with the teaching assistant (TA) or professor," adds Connaughton.

21. Make as many connections as possible. You're going to meet a multitude of people during your college career; it's a great time to build relationships and create a social and professional network. You never know when you'll need help or a reference down the road.

22. Do at least one or two internships. Not only will you get some real work experience, you'll also build up your resume for when it comes time to find a job. "Future employers expect students to have done internships," says Connaughton.

23. Meet people in your classes. "It makes things so much easier," says Chris. Pals can be a back-up in case you miss anything, not to mention when preparing for exams or sitting through a boring lecture.

Life Around Campus

24. Dorm mattresses are usually longer than normal, so chances are the Superman sheets you grew up with won't fit your new bed. "Extra-long, twin sheets are pretty much the standard at most schools," says Pat Quinn, publications and training coordinator of university housing at Rutgers.

25. Remember, you may be sharing a shower with a dorm floor's worth of people so shower shoes are a must. With a little searching, you can pick up a pair of flip-flops for under five dollars. Your feet will thank you.

26. Even with a lot of choices you're bound to become tired of the dining hall, so make sure you're not chained to it. "All cafeteria food is the same no matter how old you get," explains Chris. Try picking a smaller meal plan with more spending money (most schools offer accounts that work like debit cards to use on campus).

27. With your busy schedule, the dining hall might not always be open when you need it. Keep your dorm room stocked with easy-to-prepare food in case you don't make it to meals on time. It's also great for late-night snacks and study session munchies. Pizza delivery can get expensive.

28. If you plan on calling home a lot, pick up a long-distance calling card or bring a cell phone with an unlimited long-distance plan. Unlike your school's long-distance plan, you can use just what you've paid for so you won't get slammed with a huge bill at the end of the month.

Last But Not Least

29. Talk to your roommate(s) before you move in to figure out who's bringing what. You'll save room, money, and a lot of aggravation if you coordinate beforehand. Two microwaves, three VCRs, and four hampers don't make for a spacious living situation.

30. Think you'll bring everything you'll need when you're away from home? Trust us, you'll forget something unless you do some good mental preparation: "Go around for a few days keeping a list of everything you use during the day," suggests Quinn. That's the only way you'll know exactly what you're going to need.

31. Even if you get along great with your roommate, you're bound to get under one another's skin living in such close quarters. "Dorm rooms are too small for people to live," says Richard. "You have to get out once in a while." Time apart is good. Learn to study in a student center or library, or type papers at the computer lab.
Now You Know!

Did You Know

2011-08-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

1. If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
2. If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas isproduced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.
3. The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.4. Some lions mate over 50 times a day.
5. Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
6.The onion is named after a Latin word meaning large pearl.
7.Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.
8. The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat", which means "the king is dead".
9. Coca-Cola was originally green.
10. During WWII, Americans tried to train bats to drop bomb.
Well NOW YOU KNOW!!!

20 Reasons to Date a Paintball Player

2011-08-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

1. We aren’t afraid to get down and dirty
2. We know how to listen to directions
3. We at least have a ten inch barrel
4. We can fire off hundreds of rounds without getting tired.
5. We always wear protection
6. We love to be aggressive, head first into anything
7. We like to push hard, but not TOO hard.
8. We never forget to lube.
9. We always have to have the best **** on the field.
10. If we run out of gas, it takes less than 5 seconds to get us going again!
11. We know how to work any position front, back, and all in between
12. We're good at moving our fingers extremely fast in small places
13. We can move & contort our bodies into weird positions
14. We know how to use a condom
15. We're used to 2 on 1 and 3 on 1 situations
16. Standing, kneeling, laying down... really it doesn’t matter
17. We have great aim
18. We dont mind a little pain
19. We will play any chance we get
20. When we play we look good doing it!'

Some Interesting Facts

2011-08-02T03:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some interesting facts you probably didn't know, and you can get by without knowing, but here is some food for thought anyways.
Interesting Facts
1. An average of 12 newborn babies re given to wrong parents daily.
2. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
3. A cow produces 200 times more gas then a person each day.
4. A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off.
5. A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
6. A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallons per day. Most of the sweat evaporates before a person realizes it's there.
7. A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.
8. A jumbo jet uses 4,000 gallons of fuel to take off.
9. A pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.
10. A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
11. All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
12. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
13. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
14. Einstein couldn't speak fluently when he was nine. His parents thought he might be retarded.
15. Every time Beethoven sat down to write music, he poured ice water over his head.

There you go, now you know more then you did, but not really enough to make a difference or to better you as a member of this society, for that you should go to college and get a better education, or go to a library. Well there you have it and NOW YOU KNOW.

What Colleges dont want you to Know

2011-08-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

I see it all the time. High schools hold financial aid nights, hosted by a college financial aid officer. Seems to make sense, but the problem is that colleges are businesses and it is not in their best interests for students to really understand financial aid.
These financial aid meetings explain the FAFSA and discuss various types of loans, scholarships and work study. But they don’t tell students what they really need to know about financial aid.
So what do you need to know that the financial aid officers won’t talk about?

You need to understand how college financial aid works at a particular college. It is not the same for each college.
You need to understand what percent of need a particular college is likely to meet.
You need to understand what gapping means and, if the college gaps financial aid, what percent of gapping is typical.
You need to know what the typical student takes out in loans by the time they graduate.
You need to know if the college offers merit based loans and, if so, might you qualify.
You need to know what the 4 year graduation rate is at the college.
You need to know if the college has a particular package of grants and loans or if it differs depending on the student.

If you need financial aid and don’t understand these questions or don’t know the answers to each of these questions for each college you are considering, you are making a mistake that will cost you thousand’s of dollars.
To understand how college financial aid works, go to my financial aid page and it will all be explained.
To get some of the answers to these questions for the colleges you are considering, check out each college at the CollegeBoard website. Search for that college by name and then look at the page on Cost and Financial Aid. That page will tell you the cost of the college but more importantly, the number of students who had their full need met, the average percent of need met, the breakdown of a typical financial aid package between grants and loans, whether there are merit based awards and the average debt at graduation. If a college does not provide that information, trust me, the answer is not good.
These websites will give you the basic information you need to understand how college financial aid works without relying on the college that is trying to get your money. Want more in depth information about college financial aid? Check out Paying for College Without Going Broke by Kalman Chany. This book is updated each year so make sure you get the most recent edition.

Why do we need Protein

2011-08-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

What is Protein?
Protein is one of the three macronutrients required to be eaten in relatively large amounts each day (the other two are carbohydrates and fats). Protein is basically a whole lot of amino acids joined together. The digestive system breaks protein down in to amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the body - most parts of the body require protein from the amino acids in order to function properly, and not just the muscles.

Protein serves as a source of energy for the body and to make up various structural components of the body (such as muscle, bones, fingernails, hair and skin).
Protein also has important functional roles in the body - the body uses the protein from foods to create the multitude of protein required in the body. Some of the actions of protein in the body are: to activate enzymes, move skeletal muscles, transportation of various important substance through cell membranes, activate communication of various hormones, provide blood clotting, as well as the regulation of fluid balance and pH.
Protein makes up at least 50% of the human body (that is not made up of water).
Essential and Non-Essential Amino Acids
Protein contains various amino acids, which are required to maintain life. There are 20 amino acids that are found in protein. The amino acids come in three forms:
Essential amino acids - these amino acids cannot be produced by the body (either at all or not enough to be effective) and must be consumed through the diet. There are 9 essential amino acids:

Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Trytophan
Valine

Non-essential amino acids - these amino acids are able to be synthesised from the essential amino acids (and also from glucose) so are not necessary to be consumed through the diet. There are 11 non-essential amino acids Conditionally essential amino acids - these amino acids are normally non-essential ones, but they become conditional essential in special circumstances (babies / infants cannot make their own taurine, phyenylketonuria makes the amino acid phenylalanine essential for the individual with this disease as they cannot synthesise it, plus there are other times when some non-essential amino acids may become essential).
Sources of protein
Animal sources of protein usually have higher levels of some essential amino acids than plant sources of amino acids - except for soy (a type of legume), which contains all the essential amino acids. Other legumes (such as dried beans, lentils, peas) and peanuts also have balanced levels of the essential amino acids and are considered a good source of protein, especially for vegetarians.
Fruits, vegetables and grains do not contain a great deal of protein in comparison to meat sources of protein.
Protein quality
Protein quality is deemed to be either:

high quality protein, or
low quality protein

Protein quality is determined to be high or low quality due to:

Digestibility (or bioavailability) - how easily a protein source is digested and absorbed in the gastrointestinal system is one factor
Essential amino acids - a food source that contains all the essential amino acids in plentiful amounts and at a similar level, is another factor (complete proteins have all essential amino acids in the correct combination and levels, while incomplete proteins do not)

Complete and incomplete protein
Meat eaters generally eat enough high quality protein foods, while vegetarians (and especially vegans) need to combine specific foods together in order to get a meal that has high quality protein - while not impossible, it does take extra work and some vegetarians may not be aware of protein quality being a factor in how much protein they are absorbing. A food high in protein is considered to be a complete protein if it contains all the essential amino acids in high amounts. Foods high in protein, but which do not have adequate amounts of the essential amino acids are considered incomplete protein.
Most meat / fish / eggs and other meat by-products are complete proteins, so most people will get adequate protein and essential amino acids they require, just from eating regular foods. Vegetarians, on the other hand, have a little more work to do in order to get all the protein and essential amino acids they require, as most legumes, beans, nuts, peas are incomplete proteins
In order to get the right amount of protein recommended each day, we need to eat protein at every meal, or at least a combination of incomplete protein foods in order to get a complete protein.
Protein for vegetarians
Vegetarians need to ensure they get enough high quality protein in their diet from the food they consume. As soy is the only plant food that is a high quality protein, it may sometimes be difficult (but not impossible) for some strict vegetarians (vegans) to get adequate protein from their dietary intake. Lacto-ovo and lacto vegetarians (who consume either eggs and dairy or just dairy) have less difficulty in obtaining high quality protein because both milk and eggs in particular are very good high quality protein foods.
Vegetarians (or those who want to adopt a vegetarian diet) would do well to seek the assistance of a dietician to ensure they are consuming adequate amounts of all nutrients and specifically of high quality protein (to ensure they are consuming enough essential amino acids).

Logitech Revue..... Review

2011-07-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Logitech Revue with Google TV is one of the leading products in tuning your older TV into a smart TV. Compared to other products The Logitech Revue comes out on top in many aspects and some not so much (mainly because it is ahead of its time). The Logitech Revue is priced at $199 and can be bought cheaper with its interactive sponsor, Dish Network.

The Logitech Revue offers numerous application which seem to be run by the android software. It offers access to Netflix, Full Version of Youtube and Google Chrome to name a few. It can be used as live streaming devise with access to the internet at you fingertips (because it comes with a keyboard).

The Revue comes with a full size wire-less keyboard. This baby is thin, light, and sleek. The Revue gets an advantage against other live streaming devices in the market such as the Roku Box and the Jadoo Tv, mainly because of its keyboard making it much easier to navigate the web pages and the application. The Revue also supports the Logitech Harmony software which alows you to turn you Iphone or Android phone to work as a remote, not only for the Revue but you TV and you Satellite reviver as well.

The Revue box only offer a HDMI connection for the T.V. This can be a disadvantage to the Revue. Every T.V now comes with an HDMI input but if you bought a T.V over 4 years ago, it will not be compatible with the Revue unless an adapter is used such as an Hdmi to DVI cable. The cable will only output video, you will have to get another adopter which will split the audio from the spdif to analog RCA which will decrease the volume noticeably. If you do have an open hdmi (also hard to find) on your TV then you are in luck.
All in all the Revue is a great product. Better then anything else in the market for the price. It might lack the compatibility for an older T.V, but all the bells and whistles make up to be great product designed by Logitech, comes out to be a great buy for the money. Well there you have it and - NOW YOU KNOW