text:
Saturday, February 27, 2010
What is Medifast?
Anyway, I explained before my reasons for switching to this new plan and what I think I will get out of it. And I am required by law to post a disclosure whenever I review a product, because the FTC thinks that if a company gives a product to a blogger, the blogger is more likely to give a favorable review. Maybe that's true for some folks, but not here. Anyway, here's the disclosure, which I will paste into any posts about Medifast:
*FTC-required disclosure: Medifast is providing me with its products for my personal use for free.*
(And it's a good thing they are sending it to me for free, because there is no earthly way I'd have done this on my own. One month of Medifast food costs about $300.)
Medifast describes its plan as "low-glycemic, low calorie foods scientifically formulated with the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin, and minerals." It's a high protein, low carb meal plan and everything is pre-measured and pre-calculated. You're supposed to eat five Medifast meals each day plus a "Lean & Green" meal, usually for dinner. It works out so you're eating every 2.5 - 3 hours.
Each Medifast meal provides about the same amount of calories, carbs, protein, etc, so they are completely interchangeable. Some of the stuff they call a meal looks more like a snack, and some look more like a dessert, but you just pick what you feel like having. There's stuff like various flavors of oatmeal, shakes, bars, soups, chili, stews, puddings, pretzels, puffs, eggs, even brownies. Eat five of those every day.
The Lean & Green Meal is 5 to 7 ounces of lean protein (chicken, fish, beef, pork, etc) plus three servings of vegetables. Some high carb veggies are not allowed, like potatoes and corn. You can eat the protein & veggies as your dinner, or you can eat have part of them with another meal earlier in the day.
If you want to learn more about Medifast, check out their website. And keep reading... I will be posting pictures of the food this week as well as telling you how good or bad it is.
I've committed to do Medifast for at least a month... more if it works well for me. After this first week the Medifast-related posts will dwindle down quite a bit, but this is another big step in my journey so this week please humor me as my excitement at trying something new bubbles over.
If you have any questions please leave me a comment and I will try to answer you the best I can. This is all new to me, so I'll be learning as I go along.
54 comments:
- Missa said...
Best of luck on your new program. There is definitely something to be said for a decision-free diet plan. Just follow the directions and you will lose weight.
- February 27, 2010 at 6:03 PM
- Tiffany said...
Good for you. Have "fun" with this new direction. I hope this is the kick start you need.
Good luck, hope the food tastes decent!
- February 27, 2010 at 6:59 PM
- MB said...
I like the idea of eating 5 small "meals" a day and the lean and green so your blood sugar stays even all day instead of bouncing up and down. I have a feeling the pounds will drop off fast.
I have a hard time eating out of a box so I'm interested to hear what you think about the food.
Good luck!
- February 27, 2010 at 7:06 PM
- Dana (www.eatsleepgetfit.com) said...
Sounds similar to nutrisystem. Good luck!
- February 27, 2010 at 7:12 PM
- MsMagnetism said...
I'm one of those people who is NOT interested in doing Medifast or any of those other diet plans but I'm still dying to hear about it all.
How the food tastes and such. I've had people do other food plans and gotten opinions from them in the past on what they think. I always love to learn new things and hear others opinions even if it's on a product I won't use myself.
I know you'll give honest opinions and I think it's cool your going to take pictures as well, I think that might really help some people who are weighing their options. This may be great for you and you know if it doesn't work it will be wonderful to have an honest review out there for others.
Good luck!
- February 27, 2010 at 7:18 PM
Good luck! You can do it! I love this program and I love being a coach! You will feel great, lose weight and minimal hunger!
- February 27, 2010 at 7:29 PM
- Allison Dickson said...
I found your blog featured on Medifast's Facebook page. I ordered my first food on Friday and will be starting this diet sometime next week. I am very much looking forward to the journey. I wrote my first introductory post about it here:
http://allisonmdickson.livejournal.com, but I kept a blog here on Blogger called Half of Allie (in my Blogger profile) when I was trying to do South Beach. I really feel like MF is the right choice for me. I'm a food addict, and this is the closest thing I can get to quitting cold turkey, resetting the clock, and reevaluating my relationship with food. I wish you the best of luck and will be check back with your reviews.
- February 27, 2010 at 7:32 PM
- Steelers6 said...
I know $300. a month sounds large initially, but I was thinking compared to what you and I already spend on the healthy whole foods we buy, it may actually not be that far off. ? But maybe it is more $, bc it does only feed one person for $300. per mo.
I could go check out the website, but I'll just ask you, are most of these foods/meals something that needs to be refrigerated or frozen?
You have so painstakingly cared for your body with good foods for so long in recent years that this no need to think plan might be a welcome break. [of course your fam still needs to eat, I know..] Chrissy
- February 27, 2010 at 7:36 PM
Hi there, I think you will rock this program as your motivation is up!! Are the foods organic, or low in sodium and sugar? How do you feel about pre-packed foods, considering you eat whole, natural and healthy foods? After successful weight loss - how do you transition to maintenance program? What are your plans for the mental and emotional components of weight loss? What is your exercise plan?
Looking forward to hearing about your progress and success!!!
- February 27, 2010 at 7:49 PM
- screwdestiny said...
Good luck with the new program! I totally understand wanting someone else to make the plan for me, or even prepare the food. Hopefully this will work well for you. :)
- February 27, 2010 at 7:57 PM
- Amberly said...
Thanks for your honesty. I will be following as I am curious about Medifast. I hope it does work out for you :o)
- February 27, 2010 at 8:03 PM
- Lyn said...
No, they come in "packets," as in, all the stuff is dehydrated. Just add water. Except the bars, pretzels, and puffs are ready to eat, and they do have ready to drink shakes but I didn't get any of those. Once they are mixed you'd need to refrigerate them if you're not eating them right away.
The Medifast foods are nor organic, but they are low in sugar and low to moderate in sodium. How I feel about pre-packaged foods... well, I see them as a tool, right now. Definitely NOT the way I want to eat long term. I plan to transition slowly back to a whole foods, organic, local, natural way of eating when I am done with Medifast. They do have a transition program where you eat fewer of their meals and add in more regular foods slowly over a few weeks. It's explained more fully on their website. As far as the emotional/mental aspects, I think blogging is an amazing tool for self reflection that has truly changed my relationship with food over the last few years. I plan to keep doing that, always. And while Medifast recommends cutting back on vigorous exercise for the first 3 weeks on their plan, I will be getting right back to my routine of biking, walking, and strength training over time.
- February 27, 2010 at 8:11 PM
- M said...
I'm excited for you. I can't wait to read your future posts.
- February 27, 2010 at 8:25 PM
- Eliza said...
I am on day 10 of MediFast. And honestly, it's not hard, but it's not easy either. I say this because I find myself missing carbs and if a food is not on plan, do NOT eat it! It will throw off the diet. The first day or two, I only liked the chocolate shake and cappucino. Now that I've grown accustomed to the food, it's pretty good. The meals are easy to prepare even when you are busy. I can just sneak into the break room, have a bar or shake, and get back to work, or even have a bar in the car on the way to work/school. I've lost 9.8 pounds in 10 days, so it is working. I would recommend signing up for the my medifast community and check out the discussion boards...it's very motivating! Best of luck to you!
- February 27, 2010 at 8:26 PM
- Deb said...
I did Medifast briefly a couple of years ago and am really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the program.
- February 27, 2010 at 10:07 PM
Checked out the website, but the information I'm wondering about isn't popping out. Maybe you may know the answers to these questions. How long is it suggested to follow the program? What's the nutritional value per day? It looks like the foods I glanced at are very low in fat. Are there healthy fat supplements? Are there supplements in general?
More important than questions, I want to cheer you on in your effort to improve the quality of your life and the lives of others. I would never have considered this an option, but because I've followed your blog I'm willing to be more open minded about it. Thank you! Marie
- February 28, 2010 at 4:28 AM
- Sarah said...
I did Optifast 2 and a half years ago for 11 weeks and I lost 44 pounds. I continued my journey, became a runner and lost another 20. I have kept the 44 off but have struggled with the 20. I lost that 20 training for my first marathon and I am on day two of optifast hoping to lose the last 30 or 40. It is a tool to take a break from my (bad) relationship with food. The binging... Good luck with medifast.
- February 28, 2010 at 4:40 AM
- Larkspur said...
Sounds good. It may not be the most fabulous tasting thing in the world, but you won't have to think about food for yourself for a while, and it sounds reasonably healthy. And how completely lovely to have the calories all worked out for you and no "shoot, what do I eat?" dilemmas.
- February 28, 2010 at 6:04 AM
- Lyn said...
Anonymous (Marie)~
They suggest you follow the program until you reach your goal weight and then transition off to a healthy diet. Here is the nutritional value:
The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan is designed to provide approximately:
- 800-1000 calories/day
- 75 to less than 100 grams total carbohydrates/day
- At least 72 grams of protein/day
- 10-34 grams total fat/day (to meet the recommendation for <30% calories from fat)
- Less than 2300 milligrams sodium/day (as recommended by the American Heart Association)
It is low in fat but yes, you are supposed to choose up to 2 Healthy Fat servings off a list if you choose a very lean protein option for your Lean & Green Meal. For example, if you choose chicken breast you'd need to add some olive oil or another healthy fat to your meal, but if you choose a fatty protein like salmon, you don't add anymore fat.
There are no supplements to take with the meals as all the nutrition is built in, but they do offer an Omega-3 type capsule you can purchase if you want (I am not using it, I think most people do not).
Great questions, thanks for asking and thank you for your support!
- February 28, 2010 at 8:13 AM
800-1000 calories for any sized person is starvation diet. When will people stop glorifying expensive (well free in your case) and overly processed products, that restrict what you should be doing to lose weight - eat! Just the better options. I can no longer read your blog. Best of luck to you but I have certainly lost a significant amount or respect.
- February 28, 2010 at 9:03 AM
- Lyn said...
Well, actually it's not, but I won't argue with you. If you had been reading my blog for that past two and a half years, you'd see that I have been eating "better options" (in fact, a remarkably healthy and natural diet overall) which has allowed me to maintain a large loss, but not to drop more weight.
This is a tool, one I think may help me. Time will tell. The goal is to come back to my healthy, natural, whole foods diet for life at whatever point I decide to stop Medifast.
- February 28, 2010 at 9:28 AM
- Heather said...
I hope it works out for you! It sounds like a pretty good plan and at least you are eating every few hours so you wont be hungry.
- February 28, 2010 at 9:42 AM
- Becky said...
Hi! A friend just referred me to your blog. I am on day 6 of Medifast and have lost 7 pounds. I like most of the food well enough and I am really enjoying the diversity of my lean and green meals. It has been such an eye opener for me to see how much unconscious eating I do while I am preparing meals and snacks for my 5 children.
Best of luck and ignore the critics. Medifast is NOT starvation.
- February 28, 2010 at 10:24 AM
- Blubeari said...
Gotta say- having the portions and prep work all done would be so nice. Good luck with program!
- February 28, 2010 at 10:44 AM
- Tammy said...
I'm looking forward to hearing about your Medifast Month! :)
- February 28, 2010 at 11:04 AM
I agree with Anon that 800-1000 cals/day IS a starvation diet! No doctor would support that. I am hoping you mean that the packaged meals total that amount, but the meal you prepare yourself would add additional calories. Good luck! I really enjoy your blog and am interested in what you have to say about this new path.
- February 28, 2010 at 11:52 AM
- Stephanie said...
OMG - the opinions. I wonder how "I can't read your blog anymore" is doing with the whole "EAT and lose weight" plan. Not everyone is going to agree with your choices, I know - but not every approach works for every person all the time. You have been working very hard for a long time and I can totally relate to your feelings about just wanting to try this out for awhile. I love decision-free dieting.
I left you a comment on one of your other Medifast posts that I had also ordered Medifast and then saw on your blog that you were going to be starting it, too - that is so cool! I should get my stuff this week so I will let you know when I start and what my results are, too. I am glad to have someone to share this experience with - it sounds like there are several of us, actually.
Don't let the naysayers bother you (not that you ever do, really). Best of luck this week - the food won't be fabulous, I guarantee it, but fitting into those size 12 jeans is going to FEEL so fabulous, just focus on that. :-)
- February 28, 2010 at 12:56 PM
- Angela said...
I've always wanted to try the Medifast diet but I live overseas and the costs would be double what Americans pay ($600 a month? Yikes!) Does anyone out there think one can try the basic formula (below) and still make it work?
"The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan is designed to provide approximately:
- 800-1000 calories/day
- 75 to less than 100 grams total carbohydrates/day
- At least 72 grams of protein/day
- 10-34 grams total fat/day (to meet the recommendation for <30% calories from fat)
- Less than 2300 milligrams sodium/day (as recommended by the American Heart Association)"
- February 28, 2010 at 1:36 PM
- Lyn said...
This isn't really the same, but if you haven't tried South Beach Diet I think it is a wonderful tool as well. It is moderately low in carbs and high in protein. I have a food list on my blog somewhere (you can use the search function) for South Beach.
- February 28, 2010 at 1:44 PM
- Lin said...
Good luck, Lyn. I've followed you for a long time and know that you love to shop and cook healthy foods. I'll be curious on your opinions on this new way of eating. Hope you succeed!
- February 28, 2010 at 2:06 PM
This sounds interesting. I'm anxious to see what you'll be eating and what your results will be.
- February 28, 2010 at 2:17 PM
Here are two more blogs on the Medifast plan. They are really working the bloggers lately...
- February 28, 2010 at 2:21 PM
Anonymous said...
I agree with Anon that 800-1000 cals/day IS a starvation diet! No doctor would support that. I am hoping you mean that the packaged meals total that amount, but the meal you prepare yourself would add additional calories. Good luck! I really enjoy your blog and am interested in what you have to say about this new path.
Responding to the comments about starvation diet: I've been on the MF program for a month and I feel completely satisfied, full of vitality and this is the FIRST plan that has really worked for me and I've tried them all - good, bad and worse. My doctor supports this program fully as does my nutritionest and I have so many wonderful 'side benefits' from being on this program, even for one month - aches and pains have gone; I've reduced or stopped medications I've taken; I have energy and things like 'gas' and bloated tummies are a thing of the past. I could go on and on but I am here to say; don't criticize something you have not investigated. I was a hard sell on this program and decided to investigate it with people I knew and people I didn't know. I read the pros and cons and at the end of the day it occurred to me that this was JUST what I needed and I've never regretted one day on the program. I'm excited about the 'new me' that's emerging too. To-date I've lost 28 pounds and counting. Its steady and its great! The food is all soy based so there's the added benefit for women as well. You are going to enjoy the ride Lyn and I really look forward to following your journey. Rock on
- February 28, 2010 at 2:43 PM
i agree anything under 1200 cal will have long term effects.. been there done that, did optifast for 6 months exclusively and have regretted it since, it caused me huge health issues, and now i wonder why i was willing to do that to myself for the sake of quick weight loss.
all i can say, is take care with it. and beware there are medical side effects... kidney damage, liver damage, memory loss, metabolism issues that last beyond the diet.
i do know the idea of it is enticing, hell i did it.. and at the time thought it wonderful, and wasn't feeling starved..e tc.. either. but now. years one. i regret it and the damage done to my body is irrepairable
- February 28, 2010 at 3:56 PM
- Lyn said...
I am sorry for your experience with Optifast. Optifast and Medifast are *completely* different things/companies. Optifast is a completely liquid diet program with *no* real foods. It is also generally lower in calories than Medifast from what I understand.
I would not try an all liquid diet nor would I try a plan that I felt was in any way dangerous to my health.
- February 28, 2010 at 4:20 PM
Hi there, Lots of Anon negativity today huh? I think you will rock this program, it sounds very structured and that may be beneficial to you. It is great that you have a meal on your own too - get more nutrients and get to cook :)
Please let us know how it is going. I am on a 1100-1300 cal program and it is awesome!! I've lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks and feel great!! I eat so many veggies it is unreal! I am totally whole grain now and barely eat processed sugar anymore. I noticed after a few weeks of no processed sugar that I no longer craved it. It was so simple I don't know why it took me so many years to DO IT!!!
Best of luck and do let us know how it is going!! Don't worry about the haters - takes a lot of courage to write an anon neg comment, hee hee.
- February 28, 2010 at 4:25 PM
- Rob Dyess said...
Yeah... sounds like this might be fun to watch. Hope it turns out well for you.
It would be nice to have the portions and everything all planned out for you.
I really just want to know if the food is good. I did Nutrisystem one time a long time ago... and it blows!!! Everything was really, how do I put this?? Not good.
Love your blog. It is a lot like what I want mine to be someday.... check it and let me know if I am on the right track.
Thanks!! Rob
- February 28, 2010 at 4:26 PM
- Becca55 said...
I think it is great that you are trying something new and know that it isnt a quick fix or magically going to fix everything. For me it seems like a good alternative to using something like a pill to help kick start your weightloss. I am looking forward to the reviews and how your journey and experiance will come to be in the next month.
- February 28, 2010 at 4:27 PM
- globalmom said...
Good luck with the new program--hope it gets you over the hurdle to the next stage of your weight loss journey! I'm tempted to try something like this as well, but I've been deterred by the fact that I'm still going to be responsible for food prep and planning for the rest of my family. Any pointers you can provide on this issue as you go along would be very helpful to me, anyhow!
- February 28, 2010 at 4:54 PM
I am a long time reader of your blog and I'm not really sure what to think of the whole medifast thing. It seems to me like you just don't want to put in the effort anymore. I know I can't really see into your life by just reading your blogs..but...I just feel a little cheated. I loved reading your blogs and was so motivated by you but now...well...I just think this is the easy way out.
I wish you the best of luck but I don't think your blog will motivate me any longer.
- February 28, 2010 at 9:31 PM
- Lyn said...
Maybe I just don't want to suffer anymore. Since you read my blog daily, you know I am in daily pain. My orthopedic surgeon has told me that if I do not get this weight off, I will lose my mobility as my mother did. I have five children and I need to be mobile to care for them. Eighteen months at this same weight, with ALL the effort I have put in, has not gotten me where I need to be.
I appreciate those who have compassion for what I have gone through and respect my decision to try something new. I know it is not some magic bullet, but if I can reduce my pain to a more manageable level and get some weight off my knees I believe my quality of life will go way up.
I knew I'd catch some flack for my decision from a small percentage of readers, but regardless, this blog is not a popularity contest. It is my *life* I am trying to fix. If you cannot understand that, I'm sorry. I do hope you find your motivation on some of the other wonderful blogs out there.
- February 28, 2010 at 9:44 PM
Oh WOW, how DARE these idiots make such snarky comments to you??? Well, you can bet I will be here front and center as you start this new journey. I can hardly wait to see how you do and I truly believe it will jumpstart your somewhat stalled weight loss. I KNOW you will be a superstar and will be rocking your blog with a headless bikini shot by the end of summer!!! YOU GO LYN!!! (And tell those jerks who have "lost respect for you" @@ to start their own blogs...and kiss your shrinking backside!!!" :)
- February 28, 2010 at 10:41 PM
What the heck? People are saying that they are no longer going to read your blog because you are trying Medifast? Oh boohoo. I am sure you will miss them, NOT!!! But tell them to make sure they get their refunds before they leave!
- February 28, 2010 at 11:06 PM
"I wish you the best of luck but I don't think your blog will motivate me any longer."
Well, I can see where that comment comes from..but for me there is SO much that is inspirational about Lyn's weight loss blog. It isn't just about food.
OK, so you'll be following a meal plan and many of us won't be able to relate to it, but I am sure you'll continue to give us so many uplifting insights - as you usually do - regarding the psyche of the person doing her best to change the overweight body into one that is smaller and healthier.
That's the road most of us are travelling and I don't blame Lyn one bit for changing tack and trying a new way of doing things when the old one seems to have brought her to a standstill.
We all get frustrated but it's great that you haven't given up Lyn. Most of us need some sort of kick-start when we plateau and when the road is a long one and I hope this eating plan works for you. I can see definite advantages of a quick weight loss....and of having food measured, balanced and prepared for someone whose progress has slowed down. I have become rather despondent because despite my best (well..if I am completely honest, perhaps not my very best) efforts, the weight is sticking or coming off very, very slowly. We are human - we all get dishearted.
I look forward to your thoughts regarding the new plan. Good luck!
DBDee x x
- March 1, 2010 at 3:37 AM
- Sib said...
Wow, what an amazing variety of comments. Bottom line is that it's your life and you get to choose what 'diets' you wish to follow. Good on you for trying something different. I'm actually envious that you get offered goodies to try for free. When and how did that start happening??
- March 1, 2010 at 4:01 AM
Thanks for the information! I've felt all along that this is totally your choice, of course, and your thinking makes sense on many levels, but must admit I'm glad to see that it is nutritionally balanced the way it is, and has lots of protein and healthy fat included. Most of the 70 pounds I've lost over the last 25 years has been with a 40-30-30 plan, not so very different. What you've already learned about real food and healthy living will serve you well when it's time to transition, I'm thinking. I'm looking forward to following your blog.
BTW, your approach to the time factor reminds me of how I heard religious/spiritual fasting described yesterday. You're making a mindful choices about your time as well as your energy intake. Interesting, and 'food for thought' for me today. Thank you!
(Don't want to be just another 'anonymous!')
- March 1, 2010 at 4:25 AM
Just want to make clear that I am not an anonymous "hater" -- my question about whether or not your full day of calories is really 800-1000 was a real question. I have always heard that women need a minimum of 1200/cals per day (but perhaps it's one of those numbers that's just thrown around always -- I really don't know; I am trying to learn this too!). I'm not asking it with any malice (and I don't have a google id but I am signing my name). I love your blog, Lyn, and your honesty, and I hope you didn't take my question as an attack, as some of your other commenters seem to have. I am simply curious. Again, LOVE your blog!!
- March 1, 2010 at 5:28 AM
- Lyn said...
I started getting offers of free stuff not long after I started blogging. I am pretty picky about what I will review; there is a review site attached to my blog (link on the side). I would say I have said yes to about 1% or less of the offers I get... some for cash (hundreds of dollars). I turn them down because I am not trying to make a buck here. I am trying to change my life.
Anonymous (Megan)~
Thanks :)
Yesterday I used a simple tool on the Medifast site to see what my nutritional stats were. I ended up with 1001 calories and 109 grams of protein.
The reason 1200 is out there as a minimum caloric intake for women is because it is very difficult for people to get enough nutrients from real food with less than that. And yes, if you do not get enough protein your body CAN go into starvation mode. That's why going lower in calories should be done on a medically approved program such as this one, called a "protein sparing" diet. Very high in protein so the body does NOT start using muscle as fuel (i.e., starvation mode).
- March 1, 2010 at 8:10 AM
I never said I was going to stop reading the blog...just that I didn't know if it will motivate and inspire me anymore. What I meant by that was the fact that I got my motivation from reading a blog about someone losing weight in a way that was easy to emulate. I could take all the weekly lessons and apply them to my own life. But now...I can't really do that anymore seeing as I am not going to go out and try medifast.
I did say good luck and I really meant it. I wasn't trying to be mean or snarky...just honest. But I guess being honest is only okay if I agree with everyone else. And this comment is not really a response to Lyn but more towards everyone else saying we are anonymous haters. Which I did sign my name...
That being said I do wish you, Lyn, the best of luck.
- March 1, 2010 at 9:12 AM
- Lyn said...
I don't think anything negative was directed at you. There were some anonymous, nameless comments that said other things, such as they won't read my blog.
I understand that 99.9% of the people who read my blog are not going to do Medifast. Since there are two and a half years of posts here, maybe you can find something of value there. Or maybe you will still find something inspiring about what I write. If not, that's okay, too. I am always glad when something I write helps someone else. It makes me VERY happy. But the bottom line is I am not writing this blog to please other people. I am writing it as an HONEST, open way of chronicalling my own path to better health. All of it is really for my children and for my future.
I *so* appreciate the well wishes and support, thank you.
- March 1, 2010 at 9:30 AM
- skinnyhollie said...
Lordy, Lordy... this is a hot topic!
Well, Lyn, first of all I am so happy that we will be doing the Medifast program together! Please also feel free to email or call (I will email you my phone number) if you ever need to vent, or if you have helpful suggestions, or WHATEVER! LOL. Someone already left my URL, but my blog is www.skinnyhollie.com if any of your readers want another perspective of someone on the plan.
I read through all the comments, and want to leave a few of my own. Someone said there is no way a doctor would allow only 800 - 1000 calories, or something like that. I would like to point out that DOCTORS at Johns Hopikins DESIGNED THIS PLAN! My personal doctor had recommended Medifast to both me and my mom COUNTLESS times, but I was never able to afford it. When given the chance to do this for free, I jumped on it!
Someone also mentioned bad side effects. Well, like everything, you just have to weigh the pros and cons. There are side effects to EVERYTHING, including being overweight and obese! I'll take a mild headache and bad breath over unbearable pain in my back and knees any day!
Lyn, you said it best when you said that your blog isn't "a popularity contest." I totally agree, and expect to have to post that same disclaimer on my blog, lol. This is real life. And like you, eating right and exercising isn't working for me anymore. Hopefully, this will get things moving in the right direction for both of us!
P.S. - Loved Karen in TN's comment. People who live in TN rock!
- March 1, 2010 at 9:52 AM
I just have to comment on all the comments about Medifast being a "starvation diet". That would be true if a person was not carrying around a cabinet full of additional fuel IN THE FORM OF THEIR OWN FAT! That's the whole point. Eat fewer calories, so your body HAS to turn to those fat deposits for fuel. Fat burning off = weight loss!
- March 24, 2010 at 10:25 AM
I wish you the best.
I've been thinking about Medifast because I'm a food addict and I lost a lot of ability to exercise without pain due to an injury.
I'll be reading.
- March 27, 2010 at 8:20 AM
I almost never leave comments, however after looking at through a few of the remarks on this page "What is Medifast?".
I do have a couple of questions for you if you do not mind.
Could it be simply me or does it give the impression like a few of the responses
appear as if they are coming from brain dead people?
:-P And, if you are posting at other online social
sites, I'd like to follow you. Would you list of all of your social community
pages like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
- May 11, 2019 at 4:47 PM


text:
Leave it as it is and get a lot of important work accomplished.
That's what Morenci Board of Education members are asking from voters next Tuesday. By leaving the existing millage rate in place for the next five years, the school will be able to generate $1.4 million for maintenance needs at the two older school buildings.
If the bond proposal fails, the millage rate from the middle school construction project will begin to decrease at an average of less than $40 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home, or about 11 cents a day.
Business owner Adam Johnson—a member of a committee working for passage of the proposal—walked through the 50-year-old elementary school and 40-year-old high school to get a first-hand look at the problems.
"If we don't do it now, it's going to become more expensive," Johnson said, noting that the work has to be done at some point.
"If we don't pay for it through this bond proposal, it's going to subtract from our fund equity. If that goes down, it's going to seriously impact the education of our kids."
Johnson sees the proposal as a painless way to cover the expenses since no one will pay any more than they're already paying.
Johnson said he heard from one citizen who was concerned that money might not be spent as intended. That's not a valid concern, he said, because the state treasurer's office closely audits spending...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Phi Lambda Sigma
The Alpha Psi Chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma was founded in the Spring of 1992. Phi Lambda Sigma is a Pharmacy leadership society. Phi Lambda Sigma's primary purpose is to honor and recognize those individuals who have demonstrated significant leadership ability in pharmacy as students or practitioners. The Alpha Psi Chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma is very involved with various pharmacy school and community activities.
Support and guidance for the Alpha Psi Chapter is provided by Dr. Sarah Ramsey, Dr. Meri Hix and Dr. Aimee Henderson.


text:
Native Remedies (US, CA)
Buy any 2 Native Remedy Products and Get a third bottle FREE.
Many more products to choose from on their website.
As the market-leading brand of natural remedies, we ensure the highest level of quality, safety and effectiveness. Over half a million customers worldwide have achieved fast-acting relief with our homeopathic remedies and used our herbal supplements to support long-term health.
Your entire family can trust our expertly formulated, chemical-free Full Spectrum™ manufactured remedies, which are all backed by our one year unconditional money back guarantee.


text:
Kokatat gear to power Expedition Inception: a whitewater exploration from South Africa to China
Kokatat has outfitted a four-member team that just began a whitewater journey of a lifetime, reaching from South Africa into China.
Stage one of Expedition Inception, a two-stage expedition, will take the team from South Africa to Egypt. Over the course of about eight months, the paddlers plan to run and explore multiple first descents and source-to-sea waterways.
Seven Kayak Facts You Didn't Know
Here are seven random fun-facts or stories related to kayaking that you likely haven't heard of.
Kayaks have been used many times in battle
Back in World War II, the British Special Forces first conceived the idea of using kayaks during military raiding missions and they proved to be quite useful due to the fact that they were fast, quiet and easy to fold and store when the mission was over.
Jump forward to today and you will be pleased to know that, kayaks and canoes have been used for special mission by the US Marines, British Commandos, and the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.
Some publically available examples of their use in military operations include early reconnaissance missions by the British in the 1982 Falklands War and a 1992 raid in Somalia where US Marines snuck into the country unannounced to set the stage for a full-force siege.
In 1932, Oskar Speck paddled over 50,000km in a kayak
Arguably one of the greatest kayak expeditions you have never heard of started back in 1932 when Oskar Speck decided to take the bus to the Danube River in Ulm, Germany and start paddling towards Cyprus. Over the next 7 years he continued working East paddling over 50,000 kilometers and eventually making his way to Australia where, September 1939, he was promptly arrested on suspicion of being an enemy alien (after all, Australia was at war against Germany at the time). He was sent to an internment camp where he stayed until the end of the war in 1945.
There is no word Oskar participated in any other major kayak expeditions after the war but several artifacts including compass, personal diary and video clips he took are now on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.
Image credit: wikipedia.org
Pope John Paul II loved to kayak
Back around 1949, a young Pope John Paul II (before he was the Pope of course) was introduced to kayaking when he was working at Saint Florian's parish in Kraków, Poland.
He fell in love with kayaking so much that he quickly bought his own folding kayak (a Klepper) to take on vacations and meditation retreats. John Paul was also quite competitive and entered several downriver races including one on the Dunajec River in 1955 where his boat got a hole in it and promptly sunk just before the finish line.
Image credit: Fr. Rick's Sabbatical
Saint Innocent of Alaska: the patron saint of kayaking
John Veniaminov was born in near Irkutsk, Siberia in 1797 and knew he wanted to be a priest from an early age. Over the years he traveled between Siberia and what is now Alaska spreading the good word and it wasn't long however that he discovered the importance of becoming an expert in kayaking so he could travel solo during the summer months.
At six-foot-three inches tall, he was both imposing and highly respected by the local people for his skills. For example, there is a story of him traveling out to minister to his people in 1828. Things were going well as he kayaked his way out along the Aleutian Islands until trouble found him while he was between the Unalaska and Akun Islands. During that trip he was forced off the water twice due to storms and then almost capsized by a pod of whales. When he got back he told the story as if it was a routine trip.
He was canonized on October 6, 1977 by the Russian Orthodox Church and while "patron saint of kayaking" isn't his official title, I'm going to start lobbying that it should be.
The farthest distance paddled in a kayak by a female in 24 hours was how far?
Robyn Benincasea from the US of A currently holds the Guinness World Record for the farthest distance a woman has ever paddled in 24 hours when she paddled down the Yukon River in Yukon, Canada back in June 2011. Over a 24 hour period, she covered a distance of 371.92km (231.1 miles). Yes, she had the current helping to push her along but I'm 100% confident she went farther than you ever could.
The largest group of kayaks & canoes ever to raft up was over 1900
The official world record was broken on September 24, 2011 when 1,902 boats formed the world's largest raft of canoes/kayaks in Inlet, NY. That being said, the record might not stand to much longer as an attempt to break it was just held in Suttons Bay, Michigan with 2,099 people registered. They are still waiting for the official verification from Guinness.
The Guinness rules stated that the flotilla must be a contiguous floating raft of touching kayaks held together for at least 30 seconds. The count is verified using aerial photos.
Image credit: National Geographic
Remember that time somebody made a kayak essentially out of poo? Yep.
Kayaks have been made with a variety of weird things over the years including concrete, aluminum and even pumpkins but I think one of the weirdest has to be the kayak manufactured from paper that came from sheep poo. Back in 2009, Lez Paylor, a partner in the UK paper business SheepPooPaper.com took an old Folbot frame and replaced the standard canvas skin with the poo paper (which had been waterproofed soy based marine grade waterproof resin).
Sadly their maiden voyage didn't inspire confidence as it started to leak within about 5 miles and they had to make a quick dash to shore.
Quick Trip Report of Michipicoten Island: Land of Mystery and Failure
Last week I had the amazing privilege to guide an eight-day sea kayak expedition on Lake Superior for Naturally Superior Adventures. The route started with a boat shuttle out to Cozens Cover at the eastern end of the very remote Michipicoten Island. From there we worked around the island clockwise before making the 18km crossing to the north shore and back towards Wawa and Naturally Superior Adventures. Here is the full route map (new window).
This trip was different than a typical guided trip in that each participant was responsible for their own food, camping gear and boat. My role throughout the trip wasn't to do the cooking (they would have starved to death if they did) but rather to get everybody back home safely.
Lets cut to the chase, Michipicoten Island is wicked awesome. If it isn't already on your bucket list of trip destinations, you need to add it. Even if you just plan on circumnavigating the island as the vast majority of visitors do, you will die a happier person (hopefully long after the trip is done).
Here is what makes the island special:
- The island is home to over 400 caribou wandering around the place. In our case we only saw four but another guided trip out the week earlier reported seeing 15-20.
- The geography on the island is quite unique since a lot of the rock is volcanic in nature and most of it is over 470 million years old. Geologists believe that the island was part of an ancient vent in the earths crust that got filled with magma. Over the years there has been extensive exploration for minerals from everything like copper, gold and diamonds. You can still find agets on the island if you know where to look.
- There is an old copper mine ready for your exploration. Quebec Mines was a copper mine that was abandoned back in the 1880's. Since then the trees have reclaimed it but walking around you can find lots of old machinery including old boilers and massive iron gears scattered about. Exploring the area you realize that the people working back then had more manliness in their pinky then you do in your entire left leg. Be careful walking around the old mine as there are several overgrown old mine shafts that you could easily fall into so step lightly.
- Along the south shore of the island make sure you explore the the three sunken ships that are in Quebec Harbour. They are relics of the large fishing camp that operated during the fishing peak of 1930-40. The camp was abandoned in the 1950's after the fish stock collapsed.
The crossing from the island to the north shore of Lake Superior was something that was always a concern in the back of our head. We had a two day window to make the crossing so it came down to figuring out which day was better. We decided to make the jump on the trips third day and cross north from Bonner Head. This meant that we only made it around 3/4 of the island but if we kept going and crossed the next day (from the east end of the island) it would mean a very strong head wind and medium seas. I believe we made the better choice and was on the water at 7am with light tailwinds. Just over three hours later we were on the north shore patting each other on the back, happy with our accomplishment.
Michipicoten Island has a long history of failure over the years. Explorers to the island had dreams of striking it rich through mining or fishing but more times than not they were sent home bankrupt. It was a very tough place to try to make a living.
Talking to the owner of Naturally Superior Adventures, Dave Wells, we figure that less than 50 people visit the island each year and we were one of only two commercial trips that will visit this year. Also, the route that we took by crossing and paddling home has only been done by about 20-25 people in the past 15 years so as you can guess, Michipicoten Island is a pretty remote place.
Due to that remoteness, if you do go, you need to make sure that your paddling and rescue skills are rock solid. There are several sand and cobblestone beaches to camp on but they can be few and far between in certain points so plan your day out carefully. Finally don't count 100% on your VHF radio being able to access the Canadian Coast Guard in the event of an emergency. Due to the high mineral count in the rocks, there were several places along the north shore where you will be in a radio shadow and unable to get a signal. On a trip I took out there in 2007 we had a difficult time reaching the Coast Guard and had to paddle offshore about a mile or so to report in one evening.
To help out with our risk management plan, inReach Canada sent me one of their newly released inReach SE to put through it's paces. The inReach SE is a two-way satellite communicator that allows you to send short text messages to anybody in the world from anywhere. It has a built in keyboard similar to your old cell phone so it doesn't require you to connect your smartphone via bluetooth (though that option is there if you want). I'm working on a more extensive review but the real short review is that I was blown away by the unit. The fact I could send a note to the NSA base (or my wife) letting them know where I we were located was amazing. Even better, a couple of days I sent them a request for a more precise weather report then what was on the radio and 15 minutes later we had the response. I did find a couple quirks with the unit but I will hold onto them until I publish the detailed review. Overall, I was very pleased with it.
Should you do the trip next year? Of course you should. I would tell perspective paddlers that they should be comfortable in medium seas with 2-3 foot swells and have a firm grasp on both rescue and camping skills.
Here is a very cool short documentary that I found while researching the island. It gives a very good idea of what you can expect when you visit next.
If you want to see more photos, stop by my flickr page and scroll through the collection or click through the slideshows below.
Paddle the Entire Colorado River in 3.5 Minutes
Did you know that the mighty Colorado River used to reach the ocean but now it doesn't due to heavy water diversion? It's something that people have told me but never really thought about it or imagined what that could look like.
Back in 2011 a group of kayakers paddled down the Green and Colorado Rivers from source to sea and filmed the whole thing. They edited the entire 113 day journey into 3.5 minutes and called the short film, Mirror River.
Spoiler alert: it goes trickle > raging river > trickle.
Amy and Dave Freeman Complete their Massive 11,700 Mile North American Odyssey
I got news over the weekend that Amy and Dave Freeman finally completed their massive 3-year, 11,700 mile expedition called the North American Odyssey which included traveling by kayak, dogsled and canoe.
Back in April, 2010 they started their afternoon adventure in Bellingham, Washington paddling the entire coastline of British Columbia, then across the Yukon and eventually working their way back to Lake Superior. The last leg of the trip included kayaking to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence then down the eastern seaboard and eventually ended up at the southern tip of Florida.
The expedition was a partnership with their non-profit organization, Wilderness Classroom whose mission is to "increase students' appreciation for the environment while improving core academic skills by introducing students to the wonders of exploration and wilderness travel through live, web-based expeditions and school assemblies."
We interviewed Amy and Dave last year just before starting the final leg of their trip.
Photo credits: Bryan Hansel and Wilderness Classroom
Come Circumnavigate the Remote Michipicoten Island on Lake Superior this Summer
If you are looking for an adventure this summer you should consider joining me on Lake Superior as we circumnavigate the extremely remote, Michipicoten Island (map link).
The Michipicoten Island Expedition (as we've dubbed it) is being organized by Naturally Superior Adventures and is an 8-day sea kayaking adventure for intermediate paddlers looking for a challenge yet still want to be under the care of a guide.
The plan is to take a 60 kilometer boat shuttle from Michipicoten Bay out to the mystic Michipicoten Island. We will then circumnavigate the island, make the 18 km perpendicular crossing from Bonner Head to the mainland, then eastwards along the Superior Highlands shore before finishing back at the NSA base in Michipicoten Bay, a total of about 140 km over the eight days.
Michipicoten has a very interesting cultural history. Once shunned by First Nations peoples as a place of malevolent giants, Michipicoten Island became one of Ontario's most promising sources of copper and an easy access point to Lake Superior's seemingly endless bounty of fish in the early 1900s. Since then, the copper mine and fishing village have been abandoned. All that remains are old mine shafts, ramshackle buildings and flourishing populations of woodland caribou and beaver. Throw in a couple of lighthouses and a few shipwrecks, rugged shoreline and you've got everything all wrapped up in this island expedition.
For those who have always wanted to do a trip on Lake Superior but shied away from a fully pampered guided trip, this is the adventure for you. It's unique in that it's designed as a self-reliant expedition so all members of the group are responsible for their own food & gear. I won't be cooking for you but I'm quite happy to bring you a cup of my famous poor tasting and burnt coffee in the morning. My role in the as leader will be to provide logistical support, local knowledge, a safety net and completely made-up stories of my time living with a pack of wolves.
Because it's a self-reliant trip in a very remote an inaccessible part of Lake Superior participants need to make sure they have a strong level of both kayaking skills and wilderness camping experience.
Michipicoten Island is an amazing place and completely unique to the rest of Lake Superior. I had the opportunity to visit back in 2007 and have wanted to return ever since.
The dates of the trip are Friday, August 2-10th. There is a floating price scale depending on the number of participants so for example, if we have 3 people the price is $1190 but that price drops to $750 if we get six people onboard so make sure you get a buddy to come along. Of course taxes are not included in those prices.
Check Naturally Superior Adventure's website for all the details and feel free to contact me or NSA with any questions you may have.
It's going to be wicked awesome.
Could this be the First Kayak Lesson Caught on Film? [History Lesson]
Back in 1930 UK explorer, H.G. Watkins (the guy in the photo above) gathered a team together to see if a new air route between Britain and Canada could be established rather then flying across the dangerous ocean. The proposed route was to cross the Arctic via the Faroes,
Along with figuring out the route, the 14-man team had a goal to map the very poorly understood Greenland shoreline as well as gather climate data of the icecap of
All in all the year-long expedition was quite a success and it have some slow times allowing the team to take some kayak lessons from the local people living in
The footage below was captured in the summer of 1930 and shows members of the expedition in the last half.
Two interesting observations from the film; first, it's clear towards the end of the footage, it's team members rolling and playing around in the boats so they must have had enough time (and willingness to get wet) to actually learn how to roll. Could these be one of
The second thing I realized that even 82 years later, as soon as a group of kayakers who can roll get together somebody always wants to organize some sort of synchronised rolling demonstration.
Of course not everything on the expedition went smooth. During the winter of 1931, Augustine Courtauld volunteered to live solo at the weather station in the interior of
Freeze Frame has a better description of his adventure then I could ever make up:
Having left his spade outside [the station], Courtauld had struggled with the snow, it had filled both the exit and the openings into the snow house and stores. He had also been troubled by the loss of paraffin from two slightly punctured tins, this resulted in a shortage of fuel and as he also ran out of candles he had to spend some time in the dark. He also ate his meals uncooked so that the limited supply of fuel could be conserved to melt drinking water.
More info and fantastic photos can be found here.
Update: Upon further investigation, I found out that expedition leader, G.H. Watkins went back to Greenland in 1932 on a second expedition which would sadly end in tragedy for him.
During both the 1930 and 1932 trips to Greenland he spent a lot of time with the local people becoming quite proficient at kayaking. In fact he fell in love with the activity and people so much that the expedition was one of the first to make use of indigenous techniques and methods. He and his men were so at hunting seals from a kayak that they planned on not bringing any food for their 1932 expedition but rather live off the land completely. At the time this was completely unheard of especially by citizens of British society who looked down at the people of Greenland as savages.
Sadly the method of travel for the expedition wasn't to come about as Watkins drowned in his kayak while he was out hunting on his own one day.
G.H. Watkins legacy to polar exploration was a real shift in mindset in how future expeditions are carried out; as well he planted the seeds of respect for the local people. It's best described on the very fascinating site, Freeze Frame:
This expedition marked a real shift in the way explorers viewed indigenous technologies. Apart from following in Nansen's footsteps in adopting the sledge and snowshoe designs [Watkins] adapted from Inuit versions during the periods in which he overwintered with them, few explorers had wholeheartedly examined and embraced Inuit survival techniques. Watkins' final expedition, for which the food source was based entirely upon Inuit hunting methods, marks the start of changing views with regard to the Inuit and their techniques.
Planning an Adventure? Apply for the Kukri Adventure Scholarship (20,000 Big Ones)
If you are an adventurous soul living in the
The Kukri Adventure Scholarship is a brand new program aimed at providing up to £20,000 in funding to help get your trip off the ground. Along with the cash you also get a pile of free gear as well which is fantastic.
Entering into the contest involves first coming up with a fantastic idea then making a short two-minute video to sell the idea to the judges and the public on Facebook.
The cool thing about the scholarship is that your level of expertise or fame isn't a factor in winning but rather your ability to think up a good adventure, able to carry it out and bring back a good story to tell the world.
More info: Kukri Adventure Scholarship
Photo Credit: kukrievents.com
Interested in Planning a Trip to Canada? The Best Places in Ontario to Sea Kayak
Ask ten people who live in Ontario where the best places are to go kayaking and you will probably get ten different answers. The opportunities for sea kayaking in Ontario are virtually endless and deciding where to go can be a bit daunting if you don't already know the area. To help you get started, check out dealchecker. They can help you find the kayak or canoe holiday (as well as flights to Canada) that you are seeking.
Ontario borders four of the five Great Lakes which is one of the reasons it's such a fantastic place for sea kayakers looking for adventure. Generally speaking, the two best lakes for sea kayaking are Lake Huron (in particular Georgian Bay) and Lake Superior. Both locations offer hundreds of miles of undeveloped shoreline and crystal clear water.
Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
Georgian Bay is one of the classic Ontario destinations for sea kayakers. It's an area known as the 30,000 islands and a huge amount of the shoreline is still undeveloped giving you the wilderness experience you are looking for.
The geography of Georgian Bay is very unique. During the last ice age that area of the Canadian Shield was scraped down by the retreating glaciers leaving behind campsites made of solid, smooth bedrock. This makes the area a perfect spot for kayak trips as you are not camping on sand or mud and the shoreline is free of weeds for swimming. Those are all good things in my book.
As far as trip routes to paddle in Georgian Bay, you have lots of options. The jumping off point for most people is at the many marinas just outside of Parry Sound. You can leave from the marina in Snug Harbour, Dillon Cove or Point au Baril for example and from there either paddle north or south along the shoreline. If you are looking for less people, plan your trip to get out to the many off-shore islands along its length. There will be a lot less boat traffic and cottages out there.
Getting to Georgian Bay isn't that difficult for international travelers as you can fly directly into Toronto and a hire a car from a car for the 2.5h drive north to Parry Sound. From there you can access several outfitters who offer everything from boat/camping gear rentals all the way up to fully guided trips. Talk to White Squall Paddling Centre, Black Feather or Learn to Kayak. Wild Women Expeditions is a unique business that runs woman only trips out of the Georgian Bay area so you should contact them if you are looking for that sort of thing.
Lake Superior
When it comes to sea kayak paddling locations in Ontario, the north shore of Lake Superior is the undisputed king and often voted as one of the most beautiful places to paddle in Canada.
The one thing to keep in mind is that paddling along Lake Superior is not for the faint of heart. With cold water and big waves due to high winds, you need to plan a trip on Lake Superior like you were planning a trip on any ocean. You should have fair bit of experience kayaking and camping if you are planning your own expedition. That being said, there are lots of excellent locations that beginner can visit when accompanied with a proper guide to help out.
At the East end of the lake international travelers can fly into Thunder Bay and use that location as the start for adventure with many excellent trips along the north shore. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park or Slate Islands are both excellent places to go with a guide.
Another very nice place to paddle that is also logistically easy to get to is Lake Superior Provincial Park along west shore between Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie. Lake Superior Provincial Park offers a coastline that is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) long which is a very nice 5-7 day paddle. Just remember that the shoreline has several sections of large cliffs or inaccessible shoreline so make sure that you stay off the water when the wind is blowing as it can get very rough very quickly. June and July are the calmest months so plan your trip during that time.
There are several outfitters on Lake Superior who can help you with logistics including gear/boat hire, vehicle shuttles, or guided trips. Contact Naturally Superior Adventures, Superior Outfitters, Caribou Expeditions or Wildwaters for more information.
As you can see, Canada offers an unbelievable number of paddling opportunities and we haven't even scratched the surface yet. British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia all offer amazing destinations as well. If you are interested in a canoeing holiday there are so many rivers in the interior of Canada that you can't even count them all on one hand.
Top photo credit: DSCN0339 ep | Eric.Parker Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic / CC BY-NC 2.0
Bottom photo credit: Lake Superior Provincial Park | Andrea Schafferhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en_CA / CC BY 2.0
Mad River Canoe Sponsors Swim1000 Missouri River Expedition
Mad River Canoe is partnering with Dave Cornthwaite, a British adventurer, who is on a mission to complete 25 journeys, 1,000 miles each, by non-motorized means. The total distance of the 25 journeys is equivalent to the length of the circumference of the Earth around the equator. For Dave Cornthwaite's next Expedition1000 adventure, Swim1000 Missouri, Cornthwaite will swim 1,000 miles on the Missouri River in 50 days starting in Chamberlain, S.D., on August 10, and ending in St. Louis, Mo., in late September 2012.
Mad River Canoe will supply Cornthwaite and his team with a Legend 16 canoe to haul gear and provide a stable platform for filming the expedition. Cheri McKenzie, Chief Marketing Officer for Confluence Watersports, said this: "Mad River Canoe is excited to be supporting Swim1000 and Dave Cornthwaite's team. The expedition reflects the spirit of exploration that Mad River Canoe embodies, and we are honored that Dave and his team chose to incorporate the MRC tradition into this inspiring wilderness adventure."
In addition to the canoe and film crew, Cornthwaite will be accompanied by a team of six stand-up paddle boarders and a small carbon fiber raft that he will use to tow and push his personal gear. The team hopes to complete 20 miles a day for 50 days.
All proceeds from the Swim1000 segment will go to CoppaFeel!, a charity that raises money for breast cancer education. By the time the Expedition1000 team is finished with all 25 expeditions, they hope to raise £1,000,000 through donations for charities, including CoppaFeel! To date, the team has raised £500,000 through private donations.
For more information on the Expedition1000 and Swim1000, check out www.davecornthwaite.com or follow Expedition1000 on Facebook.
To learn more about Mad River Canoe and the Legend 16, visit www.madrivercanoe.com.
About Mad River Canoe:
Some say that a mischievous rabbit founded Mad River Canoe (read about it here). We're not saying for sure, but when Jim Henry built the first Mad River Malecite in 1971, he was inspired by the Micmac Indian legend of a rabbit whose confidence was a powerful asset when backed up with innate abilities. Confidence, aptitude, innovation and results guided the beginning of Mad River Canoe and they persist in the brand and its boats today. For nearly 40 years, Mad River has devoted itself to the craft of building a better canoe, not for the glory, but for the results. Until you can get on the water to feel the confidence of a Mad River Canoe yourself, check us out online at www.madrivercanoe.com.


text:
eleventh hour
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Alternative forms[edit]
- eleventh-hour (attributive)
- 11th hour
From a story in the Bible of workmen hired at the eleventh hour (that is, late in the day):
- King James Bible, Matthew 20:6:
- And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
Audio (AU) (file)
eleventh hour (countable and uncountable, plural eleventh hours)
- (idiomatic) A point in time which is nearly too late; the last minute.
- 1857, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 85, in The Virginians:
- If she repented, though at the eleventh hour, it was not too late.
- 1922 February, James Joyce, "[[Episode 16]]", in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare & Co.; Sylvia Beach, OCLC 560090630; republished London: Published for the Egoist Press, London by John Rodker, Paris, October 1922, OCLC 2297483:
- Highly providential was the appearance on the scene of Corny Kelleher when Stephen was blissfully unconscious but for that man in the gap turning up at the eleventh hour the finis might have been that he might have been a candidate for the accident ward […]
- 1961, Philip Toynbee, Underdogs: Eighteen Victims of Society, page 56:
- I have extricated myself so far at many eleventh hours and perhaps there is some hope in this.
- 2009, Tony Karon, "Why Money Alone Will Not Fix Gaza," Time, 3 March:
- Egypt had managed to bring the two sides to the brink of a deal two weeks ago, before internal political dynamics prompted the Israelis to back out at the eleventh hour.
- (idiomatic) The final hour leading to a crucial moment or an important event.
- 2008, Bryan Walsh, "George W. Bush's Last Environmental Stand," Time, 5 Nov.:
- Eleventh-hour executive changes are not unique to this outgoing Administration — President Bill Clinton launched a number himself before leaving office.
- 2008, Bryan Walsh, "George W. Bush's Last Environmental Stand," Time, 5 Nov.:
Usage notes[edit]
- Rarely used in the plural form and usually immediately preceded by the definite article, the.
- Usually used in phrases beginning with such prepositions as at or in.
The last minute


text:
Story highlights
- Defense Suicide Prevention Office sends a report to Congress
- It details a proposal for tracking suicides among military family members
- DOD could buy data from the CDC, combine it with information already kept, according to report
- Military father who attempted suicide: Tracking "would validate that families are traumatized"
When Scott Warner swallowed a palm full of pills and washed them down with vodka, all he could think about was the way his son looked back at him and smiled before boarding a plane to Iraq.
Heath Warner was 19, an Army private, when a bomb killed him in al Anbar Province on November 22, 2006.
"From the moment those men in uniforms were at our door, each day, the pain kept getting worse," recalled Scott Warner. "I was crawling up a wall. People out in the real world would tell me, 'Why aren't you over this? He's been gone for years. Why aren't you better by now?'
"All I wanted to do was end my life. I know I'm not alone. I've talked to other parents, other family members. We are hurting and someone must do something."
Though the military tracks suicides among service members, suicides among their family members -- spouses, siblings and parents -- go uncounted. But CNN learned Wednesday that the Pentagon's Defense Suicide Prevention Office has sent a report to Congress detailing for the first time a proposal for tracking those deaths.
The report came partly in response to cries for help from groups like the National Military Family Association, whose members know firsthand about the suicides and have struggled to call attention to the problem.
Read the full report (PDF)
In interviews with CNN, military family members who have attempted or considered suicide say the cumulative trauma of 12 years of war -- America's longest battles -- and unprecedented multiple deployments of their loved ones have left them wrung out and desperate. Some have attempted suicide while struggling to care for injured service members. Others, like Scott Warner, have been pushed to the edge by the loss of their loved one at war.
Warner has slowly emerged from the darkness that enveloped him before his suicide attempt in 2010. When he heard about the Defense Department's report, he was hopeful.
"If they do this, it would validate that families are traumatized," Warner said. "This is a lonely journey that parents, siblings, spouses are walking. I know; I've talked to them. I don't care how long it takes, we all want this."
The report, obtained by CNN Wednesday, says the Defense Department does not currently have the ability to investigate, monitor or receive notification of military family member deaths and details how that might be done and what it would cost.
It would take 18 to 24 months for the Pentagon to analyze data it could buy from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, which tracks deaths in the general U.S. population, the report says. That data -- names and locations of deaths -- could then be compared against data the Defense Department has on family members enrolled in an ID card program. The card allows them access to health benefits and other services, like shopping at on-base commissaries.
The cost of the effort, the report says: $681,600 the first year and $502,200 each additional year.
The report concedes there are limitations to the plan. Some family members, for instance, opt out of enrolling in the ID program. Service members' parents typically would not be in the ID program. If a relative not in the program committed suicide, it's possible they would not be counted.
Spokespersons for the House and Senate armed services committees told CNN on Wednesday that lawmakers are still reading the 20-page report.
"$600,000 is very little money to spend on something this important," said Kristina Kaufmann, a longtime military wife who since 2006 has written editorials in national newspapers and spoken before Congress about the need to track military family member suicides. "A couple years ago, I had people telling me I was being histrionic. They'd say a bunch of military spouses weren't killing themselves. But we have the anecdotes. What we don't have -- and I'm glad we're going to try to get -- is the actual data."
Kaufmann personally knew military wives who committed suicide. She was friends with Faye Vick. In 2006, the Fort Bragg mother placed her baby and 2-year old in the backseat of her car and asphyxiated them all.
Monique Lingenfelter was the wife of a sergeant assigned to a special operations unit at Bragg. In 2009, she barricaded herself in her home and shot herself.
Another military spouse, Karen Ruedisueli, told CNN that the organization she works for, the National Military Family Association, a nonprofit that serves a quarter-million military relatives, has heard an increasing number of stories about family members killing themselves. Late last year, the group formally implored Congress to ask the Defense Department to find a way to measure the deaths.
"We have a large network of volunteers across the country who come to us with these accounts and we have no way to track them," Ruedisueli said. "We're encouraged that DOD has come up with some kind of methodology."
The spouse of the highest-ranking military officer in the country tried to call attention to the problem four years ago. Deborah Mullen, wife of Adm. Mike Mullen, then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took the stage at a Defense Department conference to say she'd tried to get information about suicides among relatives. She met with leaders to see if they tracked family member suicides. Army leaders told her there were nine military family member suicides in 2009.
Mullen said she asked Army officials if they knew how many family members had attempted suicide.
"I was stunned when I was told that there were too many to track," she told the crowd. "If that number is that large just in the Army, we really don't have an idea of the scope of the problem."
"It's our responsibility," she implored. "These are our family members. We have got to find a way to track them."
An annual survey by Blue Star Families, the largest military family advocacy group, found suicide among relatives to be a serious concern. Out of 5,100 military family members surveyed in 2012, 9% of military spouses reported that they had considered suicide. Of those, nearly a quarter said they had not sought help.
But even if they had, it's unclear if they would have been heard.
The Defense Suicide Prevention Office report noted that branches of the military do not share standardized procedures in tracking suicide. The Army is the only service that attempts to track its military family members who commit suicide, the report says.
"I think we understand the bureaucracy," Scott Warner said. "I know this will be difficult. It's government. But what else can we believe other than that they will try?"


text:
Bonhams Paris is located in the centre of the city in the rue de la Paix, close to the Place Vendome and near the Louvre. Bonhams established its office in 2005 and held its first auction in the city in 2009.
The location offers a free, comprehensive and confidential service by prior appointment for clients throughout France who wish to buy or sell at any of our international salerooms around the world. Via our extensive international network of specialist departments covering almost 60 categories, auction estimates and advice can be given for all pictures, furniture & works of art, jewellery, collectibles and motorcars. We can also offer guidance for shipping and assistance with requests for condition reports, ordering catalogues and absentee bidding. We also offer a valuation service for insurance and estate purposes.


text:
The CONNECTED HOME Evolution
We are literally on the verge of a major evolution in our industry- the ability to quickly and easily control the window treatments in your home or office from virtually anywhere.
With true 'plug and play' technology, Gotcha Covered can install your window treatments, plug in a few adapters, help you download and configure a free app, and get you controlling your window treatments from anywhere within minutes!
These recent advancements mean that motorized window treatments are now mainstream, and it's estimated that some 50 million homeowners will adopt Connected Home technologies in the next several years. In addition to the 'wow' factor, here are some compelling reasons people are adopting this technology:
Privacy and Security
During the day you can see out of your windows, but at night this is reversed, and people can see into your home. Instead of having to remember to go around the house every night closing your shades, you can now simply schedule your window treatments to lower automatically at sunset- regardless of where you live or what time of year it is.
By adding simple and easy light controls to your Connected Home, you can now come home and turn on the inside lights from the driveway- before going into the home.
With a Connected Home, you can create the perfect ambience to help you relax and unwind after a long day- or to enjoy 'movie night' friends and family. With just one click on your tablet or smart phone, the window treatments and lighting will adjust to pre-determined settings.
You've got a beautiful shower or tub that has a great view out the window, but you don't want to step in and out of the tub to raise and lower the shades. Or, you've got a high window with tricky lighting that you want to handle the light but you don't want to get on a ladder or use an extension pole. Or, you're a senior or have a senior living with you. You don't want them in harm's way just to adjust a window treatment. Again, just a click of the button and you're all set.
Energy Efficiency
Connected Home technology gives you lots of options for energy efficiency. You can lower your shades when the summer sun is beating in through the windows to reduce your cooling costs; you can keep the shades raised on sunny winter days to let the winter sun in and reduce your heating costs. If you choose to add a thermostat to your Connected Home system, you have virtually unlimited pre-programming options to help control your heating and cooling costs.
What CONNECTED HOME Means for You…
If you've always wanted motorized window treatments, but you thought they were out of reach, it's time to take another look. If you've never even thought about motorized window treatments, it's time to talk to us about how easy and affordable they can be.
At Gotcha Covered, we are leading the way with Connected Home technology. And, as the technology grows and adapts, we will be ready to present and provide the right Connected Home technology for you.
To learn more about Connected Home technologies, just call Gotcha Covered to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today.


text:
Explore Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an incredibly diverse city, defined by a blend of traditional and modern technology as well as Chinese, British and South East Asian culture. Ultra-modern skyscrapers create a glittering skyline, while ferries, junks and barges duck and weave on the harbour. Explore at street level for traditional Chinese dining in the covered markets and thriving restaurants.


text:
State police in Niagara County arrested a Sanborn man today on charges that he robbed a CVS drugstore of controlled substances earlier in the weekend.
Investigators charged Nicholas E. Patterson, 27, of Mount Hope Road, with first-degree robbery after they said he walked into the CVS Pharmacy on Saunders Settlement Road in Sanborn about 7:50 p.m. Friday, wearing a mask and demanding drugs.
Patterson was found at his home earlier today and tried to flee by running into a wooded area, troopers reported. They said he was taken into custody after a short foot chase and was found to be in possession of several controlled substances.
Aside from felony robbery charges, Patterson also was charged with misdemeanor drugs possession and resisting arrest.


text:
Thursday, September 8, 2011
* Pink and Green Mama Crafts: Exploring EVEN More Great Artists Volume 3 eBook
Okay... summer is over and it's time for a new school year.
As promised, here is my latest ebook. The third volume in my
best-selling and most popular
Pink and Green Mama Craft series,
Exploring Even More Great Artists - Volume 3.
This 67-page page PDF Formatted
Lesson Plan eBook has
12, brand new, complete Art Lessons
featuring 8 Great Artists
for only $10.00.
* An Art History Lesson and background information about each featured artist.
* Supply Lists
* Full Color Photos of Actual Student Work
* Detailed Step-by-Step Photo Directions.
Packed with supply lists for each project, lesson plans,
photos of each completed project, step-by-step instructions,
photos of actual student (classroom) artwork,
and background information/simple biographies about each artist;
this 67-page printable PDF
includes everything you need to create your own
Exploring Great Artists Unit
at home or in your classroom.
If you loved my first Exploring Great Artists ebook
and my second Exploring MORE Great Artists ebook,
this is the perfect addition to your collection.
This lesson pack features projects to explore the work of
the following great artists:
Pablo Picasso
Henri Matisse
Vincent Van Gogh
Georgia O'Keeffe
Louise Nevelson
Georges Braque
Andy Warhol
Claude Monet
Features actual student work, tested in the classroom.
These art lessons can be done on a one-on-one basis with your own child
or in a large group/classroom setting with several children.
These lessons are best suited for 5-10 year old children.
These lessons are a wonderful supplement to a home-schooling curriculum
or to add some art history to your classroom!
You can do several lessons at once, like a camp experience;
but I recommend spreading them out over several days/weeks.
Use this ebook curriculum in whatever way works best for your schedule.
The PDF ebook is designed to be printed out
(I recommend using card stock paper and assembling it in a binder!)
or you can read it directly from your own home or classroom computer screen.
This 67-page Art Lesson eBook
is best suited for elementary aged children (ages 5-11)
This $10.00 Art Lesson Collection includes:
12 Complete Art Lessons
featuring 8 Great Artists.
To purchase the PDF:
Please click on the Add to Cart button below.
You will be redirected to PayPal, where you can pay by credit card or PayPal.
After your payment is processed you will immediately be redirected to the download site.
Get ready for some artsy fun!
Posted by pink and green mama MaryLea
Labels: Art History, Birthday Parties, Create, EBook, Printable, School Age
Blog Archive
- ► 2013 (74)
- ► 2012 (164)
- * Colorful Fall Leaves With Oil Pastel On Newspape...
- * Easy Colorful Fall Leaf Project With Elmer's Gel...
- * Fall Fun: Art Lesson with Warm and Cool Colors L...
- * Fall Fun: Making Leaves With Elmer's Glue and Wa...
- * Pink and Green Mama Crafts: Exploring EVEN More ...
- * Kid-Friendly Fun: Liquid Watercolors Spin Art
- * Salt and Glue Watercolor Paintings!
- ▼ September (7)
- ► 2010 (172)
- ► 2009 (161)


text:
The VAC system is a useful program which you use to issue commands to your flight simulator , role playing game or any program. Since you have your hands full while playing those busy games you can now put your voice to work for you. Use your voice to speak words or phrases to issue commands to you favorite games. VAC uses a unique method in phrase recognition which greatly reduces unwanted issued commands caused by ambient noises.
The VAC system consists of two programs, the VAC profile builder and the recognition program. The VAC Builder is used to create and manage game profiles while the recognition program runs the game profile.
VAC was created from the start so anyone could build their own profile for any software that uses keyboard commands. You no longer have to wait for someone else to create and release a game profile or modify your game keyboard assignments to make the profile work. You can easily create or modify your own profiles.
Some of the Features in VAC


text:
Solutions to improve the quality of life
Discovering what accessories and spares are available for your Phonak Solana hearing aids ...Nearly there, you just have to select below the exact type of Solana hearing aid that you have ..
There is a world of assistive equipment available for deaf and hard of hearing people. To point you in the right direction, we've written an
Deaf Equipment Explained guide to explain how technology can work for you and perhaps introduce you to some products that you didn't even know existed!
The latest assistive technology is smart, easy to use and inexpensive. It will help you get the best from your hearing aids, participate fully in social activities and enjoy again some aspects of life that you may have started to find a bit more difficult.
Local Currency Guide
Alternative Language
Connevans is concerned about security and makes every effort to ensure our transaction process is safe and that your personal information is secure.
When paying via PayPal or Amazon we use the address and payment details already set-up on your account so you won't need to enter them again.
Now available in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland & Spain. Read More ...
Connevans Limited, Bridge House
1 Nutfield Road, Merstham, Surrey, RH1 3EB
01737 247571
01737 644016
01737 223475
By appointment to
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Manufacturer and Supplier of Audio Equipment
Connevans Limited, Merstham, Surrey


text:
Electrical contractors serving Duluth, Two Harbors and the entire NorthShore
Agate Electric opened for business in 1999 as a full service electrical contractor; we serve Two Harbors, Duluth, and the surrounding area with first class service and competitive rates.
We are a full service 5,000 square foot shop complete with inventory for immediate service. Agate Electric operates a fleet of 10 vehicles and a team of quality electricians to provide all your electrical solutions and services. You can be confident that you will receive superior customer value.
Agate Electric is a member of the National Electrical Contractors Associaton (NECA), Duluth Builders Exchange, and the Two Harbors Area Chamber of Commerce.
Our exceptional resume as an electrical contractor continues to grow each week by way of recommendations and partnerships with area businesses, industrial project managers, and home owners.
Our core business delivers renewable energy, industrial lighting, and electrical heat. Please take a look at some of our finished projects with area business and industries that show what we do and how we finish a project in superior Agate Electric style.
Please take a look around and see if we can be of assistance.


text:
Your browser does not support iframes.
There seems to be a huge disconnect between the Campbell County Sheriff's Office and the public in the investigation of the Dec. 2 disappearance of Rhonda Daugherty.
Christmas could have come early for Caryville Hampton Inn housekeeper Emily Ward.
It was George H.W Bush who famously promised, "Read my lips: No new taxes," and then went back on his word.
The Ford Explorer gets a significant makeover next year, but for 2015, it continues as one of the all-around best family crossovers on the market.
Copyright © 2019
The LaFollette Press is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Campbell County and LaFollette, TN, and the surrounding area.


text:
An infusion of money from local parish governments and public hospitals could be on the table to help curb the immediate impact of a devastating $14.3 million cut at Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma.
An infusion of money from local parish governments and public hospitals could be on the table to help curb the immediate impact of a devastating $14.3 million cut at Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma.
State officials are also working with local hospitals and Chabert Medical Center to establish a public/private partnership that can help sustain the charity hospital in the long term.
State Rep. Gordon Dove, R-Houma, said local hospitals are "very interested" in coming up with a deal to help the struggling hospital. Without help, Chabert's ability to serve low-income and uninsured patients will be drastically reduced, sending them to other area hospitals and affecting those institutions' bottom line.
The budget cuts are a part of a plan the LSU governing board approved last month to eliminate $152 million from the state's university-run charity hospital system. The cuts will affect seven south Louisiana hospitals, eliminating dozens of inpatient beds and 1,500 jobs. LSU officials are reacting to significant federal budget cuts to Medicaid that have helped sustain the hospitals.
Earlier this month, Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet hosted a meeting at his office with Bruce Greenstein, state Department of Health and Hospitals secretary; LSU hospital system chief, Dr. Frank Opelka; heads of major local hospitals including Chabert, Terrebonne General Medical Center, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and the Ochsner Health System; local lawmakers; and Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph.
The meeting put on the table "the severity of what was going to occur" because of the major cuts underway at Chabert Medical Center, said state Sen. Norby Chabert, R-Houma. The hospital is named for Chabert's father, the late senator.
Chabert said lawmakers are working to address three major budget crises looming for the hospital.
The first issue is the $14.3 million in budget cuts coming in January. Those cuts involve closures of beds and specialized health care clinics, 245 layoffs, and possible elimination and loss of accreditation for Chabert Medical Center's important graduate medical program, which fields the load of 75 percent of the patient care in the hospital, Chabert said.
Lawmakers and charity hospital officials must also create a firm long-term plan for the hospital to prepare for another possible round of cuts in July during the legislative session. Then, finally, they must make sure that whatever hospital partnership they build is prepared to withstand challenges coming from the possible implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act.
To mitigate the immediate cuts, Chabert said local hospitals as well as Terrebonne and Lafourche parish governments have discussed providing Chabert Medical Center with an infusion of money.
Chabert wouldn't give details about the deal or say how much money might be on the table, but he said a deal would likely be nailed down before the holidays.
Claudet would not confirm or deny whether Terrebonne Parish government is considering giving money to Chabert. Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph could not be reached for comment.
Chabert said Terrebonne and Lafourche are the only communities that have stepped up to help their charity hospital with money.
Negotiations about who will come forward to partner with Chabert Medical Center in the long-term are still up in the air, Chabert said.
"Just about every charity hospital in the state is trying to find a way to keep their hospital open via a public/private partnership," Chabert said. "We've had complete cooperation from Thibodaux Regional, Terrebonne General and Ochsner. We've engaged in several conversations about the short- and long-term options."
The Department of Health and Hospitals issued an emergency rule effective Thursday that will allow hospitals not owned by the state that partner with LSU charity hospitals to be eligible for disproportionate share hospital payments and supplemental Medicaid payments. That would allow hospitals to be reimbursed for caring for indigent payments, said Jerry Phillips, undersecretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals.
State officials hope the rule will provide flexibility to negotiate and will act as an incentive to encourage hospitals to partner with charity hospitals facing debilitating budget cuts.
Local health care providers were vague about their prospects for pursuing a partnership with Chabert Medical Center.
Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO of Terrebonne General Medical Center, said the hospital is working with leaders at state and local levels to "explore opportunities that are financially and operationally feasible and will better serve those in need of services in the region."
Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Ochsner Health System, said Ochsner will continue to work with Chabert to maintain the hospital's graduate medical program. Ochsner is also "exploring opportunities to provide assistance and develop relationships that will benefit the many patients served by Chabert."
Greg Stock, CEO of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, said he appreciated Sen. Chabert's efforts to bring all parties together to discuss a complicated situation.
"We have initiated discussions at the state and local level, to include fact finding to determine how vital health care services can continue to be provided to the people of this region," Stock said.
Nikki Buskey can be reached at 857-2205 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
The Orange Creamsicle/
Guest post by Leslie Deak, a friend of mine from Duke, who mixes metaphors and mojitos (not necessarily in that order) and whose enthusiasm for a good cocktail is rivaled only by a well-executed pick-and-roll.
The scene:
A lovely, late-summer evening in Tampa A dark, stormy night;
No food to be found
(white people problems);
Broad walks into a deserted saloon...
M. and I end up at a bar called Cheap, which is anything but. [Ed. Note: Most blargh bar name since Bar Le Scoop.] We share a pitcher of sangria, then move on to fancypants cocktails, each of which prove disappointing. They were either too weak or not well-mixed, such that one flavor overpowered all the others.
At that point, we were joined by a third, S., who is not a drinker, and started ordering froufy drinks, including the Orange Creamsicle. Once M. ordered it and I tasted it, I knew S. would be on board since the sweetness masked the booze. She doesn't like to taste the alcohol. I just kept ordering more rounds.
In walks a very tall, muscular, athletic gentleman. Being a basketball fan, I figure he must be a player. I walk up, introduce myself as a fan of the game, and ask where he plays.
With the Knicks.
"You're a Knickerbocker? Excellent. I'm a big Duke fan."
"Oh, no, I'm an Indiana fan."
"Same team!" [Translation: Back in the day, Duke's Coach K played for Bobby Knight, Indiana's former, famously chair-hurling coach, at West Point.]
I ask for a pic, and he says he'll oblige for a piece of our pizza. Realizing he could squash any one of us in one fell swoop, we agree.
With that, NBA journeyman Jared Jeffries fades off into the distance. Good thing we did our part to feed him. Who knows how long this lockout will last?
The Orange Creamsicle
1 ounce vanilla vodka
1 ounce triple sec
1 ounce orange juice
1 scant scoop (about an ounce) each of vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet
Combine all ingredients into shaker and shake well, decanting into martini glass. Optional mint sprig garnish.
Tasting Notes
I wanted to taste-test a few suggestions for dressing/classying up this cocktail. Like, what if you make this for a friend or relative who only drinks the froufy, and you want to have some to but you're not so down with the froufy? So in the never-ending name of everlasting user-friendliness, here are a few things you can do:
- Add an ounce of tequila to the shaker.
- Coat the glass with a rinse of white creme de menthe or ouzo before decanting shaker's contents into it.
- Garnish with cinnamon on top.


text:
Family: Zingiberaceae
Extraction: Distilled from the seed. Oleoresin. The best quality is sweet and spicy. Inferior seeds are more harsh, with a hint of eucalyptus odor.
Medicinal Action: Cardamom treats indigestion, poor appetite, diarrhea, coughs and muscular spasms.
Emotional Attribute: An invigorating scent which East Indians have long considered an aphrodisiac.
Associated Oil: See Ginger.


text:
Fight Comp Of The Week: Neighbor's Wife Just Found Out Her Hubby Was Cheating, Waffle House Employees Scrap, Boy Gets Whooped For Stealing, Crown Heights Gets Live & More
Posted by @mahad_worldstar
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Let $G$ be your favorite simple complex Lie group, and $P\subset G$ your favorite parabolic subgroup. We can identify $T^*G/P$ with the space of pairs $$\{(gP,x)\in G/P\times \mathfrak g | x\perp \operatorname{Ad}_g(\mathfrak p)\}$$ where $\perp$ denotes perpendicularity in the Killing form. Thus, we have the second projection $p_2:T^*G/P\to \mathfrak g$; when $P=B$, this is the famous Springer map.
Now, let $e$ be your favorite nilpotent in $\mathfrak g$, and let $e,h,f$ be a completion of this to a $\mathfrak{sl}_2$ triple (which exists by Jacobson-Morozov). Then $S=e+\ker(\operatorname{ad}_f)\subset \mathfrak g$ is an affine subspace of $\mathfrak g$ transverse to the orbit $G\cdot e$ called the Slodowy slice to $e$.
It's a theorem that $p_2^{-1}(S)$ is a smooth symplectic variety (it's actually a symplectic reduction of $T^*G/P$ by the action of a nilpotent subgroup $M\subset G$ at a regular value of the moment map), and it's one that I like very much.
Does this variety have an agreed-upon name?


text:
The Bethlehem Christian Academy football team enjoyed the thrill of victory for the first time in 2012 last Friday as the Knights held on for a 31-26 victory against Central Fellowship on the road.
BCA (1-3 overall) built what seemed to be a safe 31-6 second half lead before the Lancers stormed back with the help of two onside kick recoveries.
"It's great to be on the winning side, even though we tried to give it back to them," Knights coach Don Garmon said. "We weren't trying to be real conservative with it although we did try to run the football some to keep the clock going."
Knights defeats Central Fellowship for first win
No Trackbacks
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)